"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Green, we'll be interviewing the rest of the candidates and we'll let you know if you got the job." The lady dressed in a black pantsuit says. I nod with my head and I walk out of the interview review.

I didn't want to jinx it, but I was pretty confident about how the interview went. My aunt's friend, Jared, wasn't the one that interviewed me for the internship. I spoke to him briefly and he got to know me better but he preferred that his partner, Amanda, was the one who did. He felt he would be biased when he did because of the history he has with my aunt. I totally didn't mind, by the way, I wanted to land the internship by with my own merit, not because my aunt called in a favor.

If I'm being honest, I would be pretty disappointed if I didn't get the internship. Jared was telling me all about the work that they do in the firm and it was exactly the direction I wanted to go in my law career. They worked with many rape victims (including victims of our campus as well) and they have also helped unjustly accused people that were on death row get their sentence overturned.

Overall, I decided to stay optimistic about the situation, if it doesn't turn out the way I would've wanted to (aside from begging for my old job back) I was glad that at least I was considered and I learned something from the experience. Which meant that next time I knew what I was going up against.

Now, the thing I had been putting off in the back of my mind (because I needed to stay focused for the interview) was the training session I had with Connery in an hour. Peyton spent all morning teasing me about it (which obviously didn't help my case). I barely have spoken a few complete sentences to the guy and now I have to spend every Saturday with him? Every BGU girl's dream come true (with me being the exception, of course).

My phone started ringing in my front pocket as I got inside Peyton's car and I hit the answer button as soon as I saw it was Aunt Claire calling. "Aunt Claire, hi!"

"Hey, baby girl! I'm so glad to hear your voice."

I instantly started to worry, Aunt Claire's tone was different than usual. Something was definitely wrong with her. "Is everything okay? You don't sound okay. Did something happen to grandpa?"

"I'm not, but it has nothing to do with Grandpa Ev. It was just a hard shift at the ER that's all."

"Did something happen to the little baby girl you were telling me about the other day?" Aunt Claire called me a few days ago and she told me about a little baby girl that was having respiratory complications and they couldn't find out the reason why it was happening.

"Yeah, she passed away last night." Aunt Claire went silent on the other line.

"I'm so sorry, but I know you did everything you could. I could borrow Peyton's car and drive down to see you, we could eat tubs of cookie dough ice cream and watch a Friends marathon."

"As much as I would love that, it's a seven-hour drive Ev. I'll be okay. Now, I didn't call to get you all sad about my problems over here. Jared texted me, how did the interview go?"

"I don't want to jinx it, but I'm confident about it. Maybe a little too confident."

"I'm sure it went well Ev, don't stress about it too much. Jared told me you were a lovely girl, just like your mom."

"And you of course," I replied. It felt a little weird when Aunt Claire told me things like that. She always told me growing up I was just like my mom, but to me, it didn't. I barely remember her and that breaks me almost every time because I always feel like a part of me is missing.

"You're too kind Ev, too kind." Aunt Claire says and I laugh. "I heard you had a new training partner."

Peyton is such a blabbermouth. "Did Peyton tell you?"

"Yes, I had a delightful time talking with her about the topic." I'm sure she did. "Everything will turn out for the better. And maybe you'll get a new boyfriend out of it too."

Aunt Claire's and I's conversation took an interesting turn thanks to the blabbermouth I call my best friend. She started putting ideas into Aunt Claire's head but I told her that this was just strictly business. Period. Besides, if Aunt Claire saw Connery she would know that one, he's way out my league and second, he would never go for a girl like me. Have you seen the girls he usually hooks up with?

I spent the whole car ride back to campus listening to Peyton's country playlist she made on my Spotify which she titled howdy honey. We both have very different tastes in music but one thing we can agree on is country music and Taylor Swift (have you listened to folklore? It's a lyrical masterpiece). I was born in New York, but when my parents passed away I moved to Nashville where my aunt and grandparents lived. Country music and the rodeos on the weekends were my childhood. I may have moved seven hours away, but I'm still a cowgirl at heart.

When I arrived at the pavilion the only car in the parking lot was Connery's red Nissan GT-R R35. And yes I know my fair share of cars (mainly because it's all Stensby talks about aside from baseball). He was early, I was hoping he wasn't for my sake. I was still dressed in the only professional attire I had on my wardrobe (a black pantsuit with extremely high heels I wasn't comfortable wearing) and I didn't want Connery to see me dressed like this.

I grabbed my bag that had my Speedo swimsuit and my swim gear from the trunk of the car and I headed inside. Connery was already dressed in his Speedo jammer sitting by the edge of the pool scrolling through his phone. He had water dripping off of his body, he must've got his training done before he started with mine.

"Hey," I awkwardly say grabbing Connery's attention. He looked confused when he saw me in my current clothes and he didn't say anything. I know I looked bad, but I didn't know I looked that bad. I thought I looked pretty decent. "I'm going to change and I'll be right out."

Connery nodded. "You can take your time, I have 400 meters to complete my training and then we can get started."

"Okay, thanks." Okay, thanks? Everest, you literally could've said anything, anything but that.

Embarrassed by my lack of basic communication skills I rapidly walk towards the locker rooms to change into my swimsuit. In the process of changing Peyton began to text me, she's been teasing me nonstop ever since I told her I was training with Connery. How's training going? I know you're enjoying seeing Connery's gorgeous bod from up close ;). She wrote. And a minute later I replied with: cut it out sawyer.

I made sure that I had taken off all of my makeup before I walked out of the locker room. The only thing I couldn't wipe off was the popping red lipstick I borrowed from Peyton. I should have known better than to use a 24-hour matte liquid lipstick. At least I wiped the foundation and mascara off, Lord knows how much of a mess I would be in less than five minutes once I got into the pool.

Connery was finished up with his training session once I walked out of the locker room. I had my BGU swimming cap on and my goggles at hand. "I'm all ready to go."

I didn't know how to break off the silence but I for sure wasn't going to stare at him until he noticed I was standing there. "Great, you can warm up if you'd like but it's really up to you. For today, I want to see how you swim under pressure. Meaning that we'll start off with 50 meters and you have to swim as if you were competing, so you have to give me 100% on that one. That allows me to see what is holding you back and I can help you correct anything that is wrong with your technique as well."

"Okay, that's perfect. I'll just start with a 200-meter freestyle warm-up." I say getting in the water and Connery nods.

"You don't have to be nervous Everest, you look tense. I'm not here to scrutinize or judge. I just want to help you out." Is it that obvious?

I nod and I began to swim the warm-up. Connery has it all wrong, I'm used to criticism, I'm not afraid of what he thinks of my swimming (I already know it's pretty average). It's just that for some reason I don't know how to talk when he's around. I'm not shy in the slightest, I'm not afraid to speak up my mind (it's pretty obvious by the way I'm around dickhead Ross Dant).

It took me around twenty minutes to finish warming up before I told Connery I was ready, to begin with, training. As I took a breath from time to time (I'm not going to lie) I looked over to Connery to see if he was watching. "So, we'll be starting off with the 100 meters correct?"

"Yes," Connery replies. "I'll be taking your initial time so you can see your progress as we progress with every training session. Also, I was hoping you didn't mind if I film you." Film me? For what?

"I don't mind, I'm just a little confused as to why you would need to do so." I honestly say.

"It's not what that pretty little head of yours is thinking Everest, it's for professional purposes only. If I film you that way you can rewatch the videos and see for yourself what you're doing wrong. It doesn't work out the same if I just explain it to you, it's not the same if you don't see it for yourself." Out of all of that, the only thing I registered in my brain was when he said that pretty little head of yours.

"I understand, let's give it a go."

"Perfect, I'll be underwater, you can start whenever you want."

I nod and within a few seconds I start swimming and I give it my all with every kick. By the time I reached the end of the 50 meters, I was little out of breath, and by the look of Connery's face, I didn't do so good. Not that I expected I would, that's the reason we're here. "I was horrible wasn't I?"

Connery lets out a small laugh. "If it makes you feel any better, you definitely swim better than Dant." That did make me feel a little bit better.

"How did I do on time?" I ask.

"The time meter reads 20.41."

"I say it again, I was horrible. If I was actually competing I would've come in the last place and I'd have to bear Coach Jennings's face of disappointment."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Everest, you've got a long way to go but you'll get there. I see the potential Coach sees in you." I half-smile. "Now, come here. I want you to see what you're doing wrong."

.

Two hours and many drills later we finished off the training for the day, thank God. Turns out I do have a long way to go, I'm kicking too wide and my timing is way off. I really don't know how I'm going to be ready for the start of the season. "It was a great practice, Everest, you just have to be patient. I sent you the videos so you can rewatch them and incorporate them during practice. Also, I erased the videos from my camera roll. I can show you if you want me to."

"I will try but I don't make any promises. I'm a pretty impatient person." I say and Connery laughs. "And it's not necessary, if I didn't know better you speak as if I thought so low of you Matthew Connery."

"It's not that I swear, it's just it looks like you're not too fond of me in general." He wasn't wrong but it wasn't for the reasons he probably thought why. "The only person from your opposite gender that I've seen you give a smile to is Stensby and it's only been a couple of times."

He's very observant. "It's nothing personal, I promise. And Stensby is an exception because he's my best friend."

"I see," Connery chuckles. By this part of our surprisingly normal conversation, Connery and I were in front of our cars. So I guess this was the part where we parted ways. "Everest, would you like to go and grab something to eat? I know a great taco place."

He had me at tacos, but I still was a little hesitant about saying yes. "It's just tacos, I can drive you back so you can get your car. You must be starving, at least I know I am."

I replayed scenarios in my head, but there was no harm in grabbing a bite with Connery. And I was starving. "Sure."

I got in the passenger seat of Connery's (very cool car) and he drove away. While we drove to the taco place we made minimal conversation and I texted Peyton in the process. I'm going to be a home a little later than I told you. I'm grabbing a bite with Connery. I texted.

A few minutes later Peyton replied. He's taking you out to eat already? Smart guy. He's not wasting any time I like it.

I rolled my eyes at Peyton's texts and I replied with Its just lunch Peyton for crying out loud.

She followed up my text with You clearly don't understand the male species, babe. He asked you to lunch for a reason, men don't do anything without any ulterior motives.

What motive could Connery have for asking me to lunch? He was just being nice right?

A/N

Hi everyone! This is my first author's note since I started publishing Chasing Gold, I wanted to start off by saying thank you. When I first started writing the novel I never expected it to get past even 30 reads, so thank you for your support. It means more than you'll ever know and I am immensely grateful for it.

I officially started my third year of college today! It's crazy how time flies by. I know I have been updating regularly two times a week since I started posting but with the semester starting, I'm not sure if I can update two times a week anymore. I kindly ask for you to be patient with me if my updates aren't as consistent as they have been. You guys deserve to read my best work, that's why I believe in quality over quantity, you deserve nothing but the best.

Again, thank you so much for your support and I hope you can understand where I'm coming from.