Portrait of Love Read online

  Ricco’s eyebrows lifted as he nodded. “Good observation.”

  “Only time will tell, but he just needed some kid tips.”

  Ricco laughed. “Your specialty. This can’t be easy for him after having his own studio for so long.” He steepled his fingers. “Next, I’d like for you to clear your schedule for the week after next, so you can spend some time at the home office in Atlanta.” He typed something into the computer then glanced back at her. “Will that be a problem?”

  She shook her head. “No, that’s fine. I can go then.”

  “The other reason is that I’d like for you to help Tony interview prospective photographers to help you in the studio. Have you ever been involved in the hiring process before?”

  Again, Mandy shook her head. “No, Bella and Steve had already been hired when I started.”

  “They’ve both asked Tony if they can cut their hours, so we really need to find some people to replace them. Tony can fill you in, until we have a chance to work on the interview manual.” He typed some more then glanced up at Mandy. “How does that sound?”

  “They never told me they wanted to cut their hours.”

  “They probably didn’t want to leave you in a lurch. So how about it?”

  She smiled. “It sounds fine.”

  “I wanted to make sure you had some of the basics before you screen potential applicants. Give me a minute to print some of the information, so we can go over it. I was going to do this before you got here, but with James threatening to leave, that had to come first.”

  She forced a smile. “I can imagine.” After a short pause, she added, “Do you really think he would have left?”

  “No.” Ricco gave her conspiratorial look. “But we don’t want him to be miserable, so I thought seeing you in action might inspire him. I went over some of my ideas with Tony, and he thought you’d have the insight to know what we’re looking for in photographers.”

  “I think I have a pretty good idea.”

  “Mainly, they need to know how to deal with kids.” He smiled. “Obviously.”

  Mandy grinned back. “True.”

  After the printer spit out several pages, he looked them over, stapled them, and handed them across the desk. “We have to follow some hiring policies,” he explained. “I want to make sure you understand what we’re allowed or not allowed to say, according to the law.”

  Mandy sat there and followed along as he went over the legal issues. Some of it she knew, and other stuff made sense. When he got to the last paragraph, he looked up at her.

  “Any questions?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, not really.”

  “Are you comfortable interviewing prospective photographers?”

  She pondered that question for a moment before nodding. Interviewing people who would be hired in at the same level as her made no sense, but she’d do it if that was what they wanted. Finally, she squared her shoulders, looked him in the eye, and nodded. “I’m fine with that.”

  “Good.” Ricco stood and smiled. “I’m glad you’re on our team, Mandy. We’re very impressed with your work. Tony is especially impressed.”

  “Thank you.” She shook hands with him and got out of there as quickly as she could. Tony had said not to come back into the office, which was a relief. The emotional weight of the meeting had worn her out.

  Mandy kicked off her shoes as soon as she got home. She picked up the TV remote and did some channel surfing, but there wasn’t anything on TV that interested her. Finally, she gave up and picked out a CD to listen to. The ringing phone jolted her.

  “I tried calling you at work, but Tony said you weren’t coming back in,” Christina said.

  “He told me I didn’t need to after I left the regional office.”

  “Mind if I come over now? I really need to talk.”

  Mandy sighed. Even though she’d agreed for Christina to come, she really didn’t feel like having company, but she couldn’t very well turn down her sister. “Sure, that’s fine.”

  “You don’t have to sound so mad.”

  “I’m not mad,” Mandy replied. “Just tired.”

  “Good thing you won’t have to cook. Mom loaded up some food, and she’s letting me use her car. I’ve got some great news. See ya in a few minutes.” She hung up before Mandy had a chance to say another word.

  Mandy went through her apartment and straightened up a few things, put her work shoes in the closet, and shoved her feet into some clogs. By the time Christina knocked at her door, she was mentally ready for her sister.

  “You’re not gonna believe this, Mandy!”

  “I’m sure I won’t. What happened?”

  “I got an e-mail back on a job I applied for online, and you’ll never guess where I’m interviewing in a couple of days.”

  “Where?” Mandy tried to sound enthusiastic, but she was still too drained.

  “I answered a blind ad for a management training job, and it’s with Small World Portrait Studio!”

  eight

  “A management training job at Small World?” Mandy’s throat tightened.

  Christina couldn’t contain her excitement. “I answered a bunch of ads at online job sites, and I heard back from Small World. Isn’t that the coolest?”

  Mandy chewed her lip for a moment before slowly shaking her head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea—you and me working together.” Her body had gone numb.

  “Oh, it’s not a problem,” Christina said. “I called the number they sent me and talked to someone who said it’s okay with them to have more than one family member working there.”

  That wasn’t the point, but Mandy didn’t want to upset her sister, and she certainly wasn’t about to dampen her enthusiasm for getting a job. “So who did you talk to?”

  “Some lady named Peggy. She said she knows you.”

  Mandy nodded as she wondered why Peggy never mentioned talking to Christina. “She works in the Pittsburgh office.”

  “She’s very nice, in spite of the fact that I called her when she was about to leave.”

  That explained it. Peggy talked to Christina after she left.

  “What else did she say?”

  Christina sat down and clasped her hands together as she looked up at the ceiling. “She put me on the phone with some guy named Ricco who told me they were looking for trainees—that they’re putting together a management training program for people who are willing to relocate.”

  “Do you have an interview lined up yet?”

  Christina made a face. “I have to take an aptitude test, then they’ll interview me. They want me to talk to a bunch of people.”

  “When and where are you supposed to take the test?”

  “First thing tomorrow in Pittsburgh!” Christina leaned forward. “They’ll have the results within a few minutes after I finish, and if I pass, I’ll get to interview at your studio!”

  Mandy felt a groan coming on, but she stifled it. “Have you told Mom and Dad?”

  “Of course, and they’re thrilled, although Dad warned me that I need to act all professional, or I might mess things up for you.” She tilted her head and pouted. “I can’t believe he would say something so mean. I’d never do anything to hurt you, Mandy.”

  Guilt set in as Mandy realized she’d thought the same thing. She smiled and tried to dig deep for a positive angle as she reached for her sister’s hands. “I know you wouldn’t.” At least not intentionally. “Just make sure you’re honest on the test and give direct answers during the interview.”

  “Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t we do a practice interview?”

  Mandy’s stomach rumbled. “Let’s eat first.”

  She got plates and sat down at the table. Christina folded her hands. “I’ll say the blessing.”

  Mandy bowed her head as her sister thanked God for the food and the possibility of being able to work together. When she opened her eyes, she felt a wave of remorse wash over her. At that moment, she reali
zed how her control issues had affected her.

  Christina tilted her head. “Are you okay?”

  With her lips between her teeth, Mandy slowly nodded. She sucked in a deep breath and looked down as she let it out. “I want to apologize for being so bossy.”

  “Bossy?” Christina laughed. “Isn’t that what big sisters are supposed to be?”

  “Forgive me, okay?”

  “Of course. So what kinds of questions are on this test?” Christina asked.

  “I have no idea,” Mandy replied. “When I was hired, after the background check, all I had to do was get through the probationary period without messing anything up. But then I wasn’t hired to be in management.”

  A look of shock popped onto Christina’s face. “Don’t tell me I’m training to be your boss.”

  Mandy felt sick to her stomach. “I don’t know what you’ll be training for—that is, if you get hired.”

  “I’m so sorry. If you don’t want me to do this, just say so. I was so excited about being able to work with you, this never dawned on me.”

  “That’s okay,” Mandy said. “If I have another new boss, it might as well be you. At least I know you love me no matter what.”

  Christina offered a sympathetic smile. “I’ve got your back, Mandy. You’ve always been there for me, and I’d love to do whatever I can for you.”

  After they ate, Mandy grabbed the plates and set them in the sink. “Since you have to get up early, I’ll take care of cleaning up.”

  “I don’t mind helping.” Christina had already picked up her handbag and taken a step toward the door.

  “Thanks, but I’ll be fine. Get some sleep and don’t worry about the interview.”

  Christina’s eyes widened. “We didn’t practice interviewing.”

  “I don’t think you need to practice. Just answer the questions honestly and be direct. I’m sure everyone will love you.”

  After her sister left, Mandy sat down with her Bible and flipped through to some passages that had always gotten her through difficult times in the past. She settled on Psalm 25. She’d always thought of herself as a committed Christian, but it was time she accepted that her true thoughts and actions didn’t reflect it. She needed to work on trust in His Word.

  ❧

  Tony got to work early the next morning. When Ricco told him about Mandy’s sister interviewing, he wondered how Mandy would feel, and it kept him up all night.

  The sound of the door signaled Mandy’s arrival. He stood, took a deep breath, sent up a plea for divine guidance, then walked out to greet Mandy. One look at her face let him know something was different.

  He smiled. “Hi there. How was your meeting with Ricco?”

  She bobbed her head. “It was good. He basically just went over interviewing techniques for new photographers.”

  “In the future, you’ll be screening them before I talk to them.”

  “That’s what he said.”

  “Mandy, I heard that your sister applied for a job here, and she’s coming later, after her interview with Ricco.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “I didn’t find out until last night, when Ricco called. He sounded excited about it.”

  “Good.”

  “Wanna talk about it?”

  Her expression concerned him. “Not really.”

  This was going to be a very long day. “I saw that you have several appointments this morning, but you have some free time this afternoon.”

  She remained at the door and just stood there staring at him. She wasn’t smiling, but her lips naturally turned up at the corners. Tony had no doubt she wasn’t aware of how gorgeous she was.

  “What time is Christina coming in?” she asked.

  “Right after lunch. I thought you and I could interview her together since it’ll be your first time, sort of a practice session for you.”

  “She told me this is for a management training position.”

  Tony nodded. “That’s part of the company restructuring. They want full-timers to be well rounded, so they’re bringing them in with more of an opportunity for advancement.”

  He wasn’t sure what he should do. If she was upset, he wanted to comfort her, but this wasn’t the time or place, and he couldn’t overstep the bounds of company policy—even those he disagreed with. The changes had clearly thrown her off-kilter.

  “So how many managers will we have in this office?” she asked, still not smiling.

  “Just one. The person who will officially be in management training will learn photography, how to manage the books, and other company policies. After that, we’re not sure. The ad says the person has to be willing to relocate.”

  Mandy chewed her bottom lip for a moment before she slowly nodded. “So I suppose you’ll need me to help with the photography training.”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, then.” She swung around and walked away, leaving him standing there feeling like a heel.

  ❧

  Mandy was confused by everything—all the changes that seemed to have taken place overnight. She hadn’t seen any of this coming, which was her own fault. If she’d had more contact with the home office before Tony arrived, things might have been different. Instead, she’d kept her nose to her tasks, making sure the studio ran smoothly—and she’d done an excellent job, according to what both Tony and Ricco had said.

  She remembered her prayers from the night before. It was time to put all her trust in God and stop trying to take it all on herself.

  She stayed busy all morning. Tony popped into the darkened studio and let her know he’d gotten lunch for both of them. “I’ll be in my office,” he said. “Come on back when you’re done.”

  After she finished showing proofs to her last client of the morning, she joined Tony. “You didn’t have to do this,” she said. “I could have run out to the deli and picked up something quick.”

  “What’s going on with you?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Are you upset about something?”

  She shrugged as she tried not to show her anger. “Not really.”

  “You are. I can tell.” He stared at her until she met his gaze. “Are you unhappy about your sister coming in for an interview?”

  Mandy’s body tensed. She wasn’t ready to talk about her feelings just yet. “Not unhappy, but things aren’t always as they seem.”

  “I know, Mandy. Please trust me. Some things are out of my control.” He reached for her hand but quickly dropped his hand to his side.

  There was that trust word. She saw the tightness in his face, letting her know he felt awful about what was happening—or not happening. Mandy shrugged. “I understand. I’ll be okay.” She needed more time to think about things before she said or did anything she might later regret.

  He chuckled nervously as he gestured toward the food. “I got chicken, turkey, and tuna. Take your pick.”

  “Turkey would be good.”

  He handed her a wrapped sandwich. “I realize there are probably some family dynamics going on. I want you to know that we won’t evaluate you based on your sister’s performance, and the same goes for her.”

  Mandy slowly unwrapped her sandwich as she thought about what he’d said. “If my sister winds up being the manager here, will she be my supervisor?” She tried to keep the question matter-of-fact, but she wasn’t sure she succeeded.

  “No,” he said. “In fact, the only working relationship you’ll have is that you’ll be training her in photography. Once she’s ready to move up, we’ll know more about where you’ll be.”

  She almost choked on her first bite. “Are you saying I might be moved?”

  His face tightened. “Don’t look too far ahead, Mandy. Once we get to that point, we’ll deal with it.”

  The phone rang, so Tony answered it. She only heard his side of the conversation, but she could tell it was about Christina. After he hung up, he lifted his eyebrows and folded his hands.

  “Your s
ister is a very smart woman. She scored very well on the aptitude test.”

  “That’s good.”

  “It is. Small World hired a company to help us screen potential employees based on a balance of basic aptitude and ability to think on their feet. And that’s what I wanted to discuss with you. Have you had a chance to go over the interview questions?”

  “Ricco and I went over them yesterday.”

  “Good,” Tony said. “What we need to do is plan a strategy for the interview before Christina arrives. Since she’s your sister, I’m sure it’ll be a little different for you.” He leaned forward and held her gaze. “But the outcome has nothing to do with your employment here.”

  Mandy didn’t have anything to say, so she nodded. She listened to Tony as he explained how they were going to tag team the interview.

  “You start with the basics then turn her over to me. I’ll let you sit in on the entire interview, so you’ll know what to do next time.”

  The buzzer on the door sounded, and they both turned toward the front. It was Mandy’s next appointment.

  “When you come out of the session, I’ll take over and show the proofs while you talk to your sister.”

  ❧

  Tony watched Mandy leave his office, her shoulders drooping a tad. He wished he’d stood up to Ricco and requested Christina’s interview at another studio. But it was too late now. Mandy’s feelings mattered more to him than anything at the moment.

  Christina arrived as Mandy came out of the studio with the children. He nodded for the sisters to use his office, while he stepped behind the counter to work on the proofs.

  After his part of the work was done and the parents had chosen the pictures they wanted, he knocked on the door then opened it. Christina tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder and grinned at him.

  “This is so cool!” she said. “Who’d have thought I’d get to interview with my own sister for a job?”

  “Yes, it’s very cool,” he said as he worked hard to keep from smiling.

  Mandy looked comfortable behind the desk, her hands folded in front of her, the list of questions beside them. “I’ve gone over the company’s expectations and discussed the first five questions.”