The Word Count Read online

  The Word Count: The Journey of Jennifer Gayle

  Shannon Hannan

  Published by Shannon Hannan, 2018.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Introduction

  The Word Count | The Journey of Jennifer Gayle

  The Word Count | Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Epilogue

  Also By Shannon Hannan

  Introduction

  HER WHOLE LIFE SHE’S wanted to work alongside the legendary Sarah-Mae Hopton. She planned everything perfectly to ensure she was favorite to get the position of assistant editor.

  She wants nothing and no one to stop her achieving her dream. Not even the sexy man who’s vying for the same position.

  Watch Jennifer Gayle from the first day she walks into the huge building, to the love she's found, the disappointments and joys she's encountered on her journey to The Word Count.

  The Word Count

  The Journey of Jennifer Gayle

  COPYRIGHT © 2018 SHANNON Hannan

  Cover Design by https://www.canva.com/

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

  The Word Count

  Chapter 1

  I STROLLED THROUGH JFK tired, but excited because tomorrow I’ll be interviewing for my dream job at The Word Count. This is huge. I’ve wanted to work there ever since I read my first magazine at about 9 years old – I can’t remember.

  I’m a planner at heart so, when I got home, I planned every little detail of what I was going to say, wear and look. From my hair to my blouse to my nail polish – which needed changing. I wanted to be perfect for this job because I’ve waited for it my whole life. Working alongside the legendary Sarah-Mae Hopton is anyone’s dream. At least, anyone in journalism.

  I settled on a blue sheer blouse with long sleeves and a black pencil skirt that hugged my curves just right. I knew I shouldn’t be going for that look, but I did. I wore my black pumps. It matched my skirt.

  I walked into the huge building. I was interviewing for the position of assistant editor to the top news magazine in Boston.

  Walking to the receptionist desk, I noticed everyone was staring at me. But why? I’m never one to care what people are thinking about me so I ignored the stares and introduced myself.

  “I’m Jennifer Gayle. I’m here for an interview with Miss Hopton”, I said with my chin in the air.

  I am confident and hopefully this confidence can ride with me until I did the interview and leave.

  Samantha, as her name tag said, picked up her phone and called someone to inform them of my arrival.

  She pointed me to an elevator and with a forced smile said, “Please go to the elevator and press for the 12th floor. Someone will collect you there. Use the left one. I think you’re late and that one leads straight to the 12th floor”.

  I nodded and did as instructed. Once inside the elevator, I knew why everyone was staring at me. The three walls of glass did not hide anything. I looked hideous. My hair was a mess. A huge mess.

  “Oh my God! Oh my God! OH MY GOD!” I shrieked, dropping my bag to the floor franticly trying to fix my hair. I managed to, somewhat, get it under control. How did this happen? I did it perfectly this morning.

  I nervously watched the numbers in the elevator at it went up. All the confidence I had before then, gone. Vanished. I was sweating like a pig.

  “Get it together, Jen. You can’t mess this up. This is your dream”, I said to myself in the mirror. “You can do this!”

  I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my blouse sleeve. I went to college for this. I’ve wanted this job for years. I can’t fuck this up. 10... 11... 12... Ding! This is it. This was the moment I’ve waited for my whole life.

  I stepped out of the elevator and was greeted by a tall, slim brunette wearing lipstick as red as... blood. She looked like a mannequin you’d see at the mall. So perfect in her little skirt and tight blouse and high heeled shoes looking like any model fresh off a runway. I don’t belong here. I won’t fit in here. At that moment, I wished I were a brunette again. With my pink hair, I started to wonder if they would accept me or if I had to change it. I didn’t mind.

  I was snapped out of my thoughts by the brunette. “Miss Gayle, I’m Heather. Just to confirm, you’re here for an interview with Miss Hopton, right?” she asked smiling. She almost blinded me with her perfect white teeth.

  “Yes, and you can call me Jennifer.”

  “Okay Jennifer. Please sit beside the gentleman over there. We’ll call you once she’s ready.”

  I walked with my bag hanging unevenly on my shoulders and my manila folder hugging my chest. Ever ounce of confidence I had in me is gone.

  Chapter 2

  I REALLY WANTED TO get over this. My hair was messed up from the ride over here to the most important interview of my entire life. Now, I had to sit beside a really handsome man. Not how I planned this head at all.

  I didn’t want to seem like a lunatic, so I started a conversation with him. If he was here interviewing for the same position I am, I wanted to know.

  “How long have you been waiting here?” I said to the man sitting next to me.

  “About an hour and a half. I was extra early. I heard she was strict with her punctuality”, he said bending his head lower, so no one could hear him.

  “Yeah, okay.”

  If he is here for an interview for the same position as I am, he is my competition, my enemy. You know what they say: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

  “So, you’re here for an interview too?”

  “Yeah, the assistant editor position. How about you?”

  I knew it. This is my enemy and you know what they say about enemies: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

  “Same. I guess we shouldn’t be conversing then seeing that we’re competing for the same position?”

  He chuckled. “Whether I get it or you get it, we wouldn’t be seeing each other again so we don’t have to be enemies now.”

  Is he serious? Of course we’re enemies! He’s after my position.

  “So, you don’t think you’ll ever see me again? Where do you live?” I said in my best low, seductive voice.

  “Ah, I don’t think so and I live here in Boston. How about you?”

  “Me to. Here’s the deal: if you get the job, you take me to lunch and if I get the job, I take you to lunch. If neither of us gets the job, I can agree we’ll never see each other again.”

  He looked at me with a blank expression on his face and I can’t read it. His green eyes sparkled, and his lips turned up into a smile.

  Just as he was about to answer, the brunette called my name. Frightened, I jumped, almost emptying all the contents of my folder. I quickly stopped the papers before they hit the floor and walked to the receptionist desk.

  “Miss Hopton is ready for you. Come with me.”

  She walked me to a big glass door with prints of various magazine covers on it. I couldn’t move. I was stuck. Is there glue on this floor? I looked at my feet, but the floor was spotless. Heather nudged me urging me to go in, but I couldn’t.

  I couldn’t move. I was frozen in place, sweat building up in my armpits and my knees were about to go weak. I was about to collapse right her
e on the spot. I might as well die because I don’t think I’ll be able to live through the humiliation.

  “Are you okay Miss Gay... Jennifer?” Heather said from beside me.

  I looked at her.

  “Would you like for me to open the door for you? She’s not as bad as the media portray her to be you know. Come on”, she nudged again.

  I counted from 10 backwards in my head. 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... fuck it! I’m going in. I made my first steps in to the giant office and came face to face with Sarah-Mae Hopton.

  “Please have a seat Miss ...Gayle, is it?” She wasn’t even looking at me.

  I cleared my throat, “Yes, thank you.” I said while I sat in the chair in front of her desk.

  “For what?”

  What is she asking me? “For what” for what?

  “Excuse me? I don’t understand.”

  She’s now looking at me. She is very pretty. She’s looking at my hair. My God, I probably still looked like a hot mess.

  “You said thank you so I’m asking for what”.

  For remembering my name. “Oh, for offering me a seat”.

  She chuckled. “What kind of person would I be if I didn’t offer you a seat to do an interview?”

  “Probably a mean one”, I said questioning. Because I didn’t know where this was leading.

  Chapter 3

  IN MY HONEST OPINION, I would say that interview went great. At least, I left smiling. I couldn’t say the same for my enemy though. But maybe that’s the trick. She makes you smile then have someone call you saying, “Hey, we’re sorry but Miss Hopton didn’t like you. Bye”.

  One whole week before I knew if I got the job or not. They might send an email or call me. I’ll have to keep my phone on me at all times to get that call or email.

  Sarah said she liked my work. Working for a small news paper company as the editor through college has given me some experience in the field and on my resume`.

  I did everything just how she wanted it. I made sure to go to the college that she hires most from – Kirk Williams College of Literary Studies. I worked at the place all the people that work in her building worked at before – Boston Talk Times. I can’t say that for the other guy because I never saw him at my college, and I’ve definitely never seen him at work either. So, what are his qualifications?

  Having left my job before I even knew if I got this one, I had a lot of free time on my hands. I head to my favorite bar, Lucky Gin. Once inside, I greeted Mark, the security guard and head straight to the bar.

  “It’s 3 o’clock in the day. What are you doing here little miss?” my brother said from behind the counter.

  “Had free time. Do you need any help back there?” I offered.

  “Nah, it’s not busy right now. So how was your interview? I want to know everything”, he beamed. I loved that he was excited for me.

  “It went well I think. She was nice. I was smiling at the end. I couldn’t say the same for the other guy, but I should expect a response within a week to know whether I made it or not.”

  “You got that in the bag, sis. She would be an idiot not to hire you!” I loved that he praised me and my work.

  “I wouldn’t call her an idiot but yeah, I agree”, I said with the biggest smile on my face. “Whip me up something good, will you?”

  “Again, it’s 3 o’clock. Not drunk o’clock.”

  “Drunk doesn’t have a time. Now make me something or I’ll come around there and take your top shelf fancy stuff”, I said pointing my finger at him.

  “Fine! Fine. One mojito coming up. I know you like that.”

  I love my brother. He’s older than me by five years. When our dad left us, he took on the roll of father doing everything he did. Mom loved it but she always thought he was growing up too fast. She wanted us to stay kids for as long as we were.

  When she passed, it became just us, Gin and Jen. Some of out friends call us Gin and Tonic. He’s everything to me and he’s the only person’s opinion I value. I know he wouldn’t bullshit me or give me false hope so when he praises my work, I know it must be good.

  “Ginny”, I yelled.

  “Whenever you call me that you’re always begging something. What is it?”

  I’m busted. “Just twenty dollars.” I batted my eyelash.

  “I knew it. You’ll have to work for it though. My bartender has a family emergency and won’t be here today, can you cover?”

  “Sure.”

  I’d do anything for my brother. Plus, I’m not doing anything anyways so why not.

  Chapter 4

  IT’S MY THIRD NIGHT at the bar since my interview. I worked two nights and I swore on our dead mother’s grave to Gin that I would not be working tonight. But here I am working. Our mother must not be dead long enough or maybe I’ve sworn too much on her.

  Moving quickly from one customer to the other doing the easy stuff in bottles like beer, water, soda, etc., I took a seat in the corner on a stool. My feet hurt like hell! If I don’t come here tomorrow, I don’t have to work.

  I was repeating that in my head when a familiar voice started shouting my name over the loud music. Obviously not loud enough because this was my me time.

  When I looked up, I must be seeing ghost because it can not be my enemy right now. I got up from my stool to hear what he has to say.

  “What are you doing here?” I said over the music.

  “Came with some friends tonight for a drink. Are you working here?”

  “No. Well, yes. My brother owns the place and needed my help so, here I am.”

  “Can you come around here for a bit. I want to talk to you”.

  What could he possibly want to talk about?

  I walked from behind the bar ignoring my brother yelling for me to assist. I blame the loud music.

  As I approached my enemy, it struck me that I didn’t even know his name.

  “What’s your name? I... I never got it the other day”, I said in his ear.

  “Oh, I’m Alex. I got yours though.”,

  Reading the confused look on my face, he explained, “From the interview the other day when they called your name”, he said clearly too proud of himself.

  “Oh. What’d you want to talk about?”

  As if this triggered something, he shifted his body bringing it closer into mine.

  “I want to take you up on that lunch we bet on the other day. If I remembered correctly, you said if either of us got the job we had to take the other out to lunch, right?”

  “What? You got the job? How do you know if you got the job and they said to wait a week? You’re lying”, I pushed his chest.

  “I’m not. I could show you the email I got earlier which is why I’m celebrating right now. It was just mere coincidence that I found you here.”

  “I don’t like you. I never did. Good bye”.

  Tears welled up in my eyes and I ran to the back office closing the door behind. They told me to wait a week, but they emailed him within 3 days? Were they trying to find the best possible way to let me down easy? It was my hair. I knew it. I didn’t stand a chance in that place anyways. Alex, on the other hand, would fit right in.

  After thirty minutes of crying, I wiped my face, smooth my blouse, put on my best smile and head back outside. I’m not going to let this get me down. Not really. I’m dying inside!

  The best part of being in a bar, being related to whoever owns the bar and having free access is all the liquor I can drink for free. I found my brother smoothly moving from customer to customer serving two or three at a time.

  “I didn’t get it”, I said whispering in his ear from behind.

  He stopped shaking whatever it is he had in his hand and gave it to Blake, the new guy.

  He turned around embracing me in a big, long hug. “It’s okay, Jen! Many more big jobs are out there that will be lucky to have you. Don’t you worry about a thing little sis. But how did you know you didn’t get it? I thought you said you had to wait a week?”
br />   “See that group of guys right there?”, I said pointing in the direction of Alex and his friends, “the one in the blue t-shirt was also there. He’s here to celebrate his new job with his friends”.

  Tears trickled down my face again and Gin wiped it from my cheek with his thumbs.

  “I know you really wanted that position. Want something strong to help you forget? I can make something for you.”

  “Sure”, I said looking up to find Alex looking at me with a sad expression on his face. I rolled my eyes very dramatically making sure he realized it. From where I’m standing, I could see him get up and is now making his way over to me.

  “Hey, are you okay?” he said sounding genuinely concerned for me.

  “I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I just really wanted that job, but the best man won, I guess.”

  “Let me take you out to make up for it. I really want to.”

  “No, I’m fine. You don’t have to make any thing up to me. You don’t even know me”, I said while accepting the cocktail from my brother.

  Chapter 5

  MY HEAD IS KILLING me. I couldn’t manage to open my eyes so I kept it shut.

  This bed. This doesn’t feel like my bed. This is softer, more comfortable than my bed.

  I forced my eyes open and it took a minute to register my surroundings. I’m not at home. I’m not at my brother’s house. Where am I? Why am I smelling bacon?

  I sat up on the bed trying to find something that could tell me where I was. Nothing. Not even a photo on the walls or the night stand. I spot my clothes folded neatly on a chair across from the bed and got up to put them on. It smelled clean like it was never worn.

  I exited the massive room and followed the sound of soft pop music playing and a deep voice singing along. That doesn’t sound like my brother.

  Entering the kitchen, I was stopped in my tracks by the thick, muscular back of a man wearing low-riding jeans on his hips. He threw what ever he was cooking in the air to flip it and caught it with ease.