The next applicant who came in was so busy with looking at Shane that Will simply cut short the interview. Will pressed his palm to his forehead and he raked his fingers through his hair. “You’re gonna bald soon Will,” Shane said, her jean-clad legs stretched out in front of her and her cigarette hanging from her lips. A woman came in, holding a tray of coffee. “Mr Jansen and Miss McCutcheon, your coffee….”

Carmen had kept her breath abated, hoping that Shane McCutcheon wouldn’t recognise her. She had no idea they were in the record company, until her superior had asked her to send coffee to them. Shane was much more beautiful up close and she decided that the pictures Alex had shown her after the performance didn’t do justice to her sensuous lips and dark smoldering eyes. She was halfway sunken into her seat, and she had this effortless grace and confidence about her. Carmen kept her face lowered and when she turned towards the door, she heaved a sign of relief. Evidently, she was just another insignificant face the singer had forgotten and that was fine with her. She wanted nothing whatsoever to do with Shane McCutcheon, as beautiful as she might be.

“Wait a second……have I seen you somewhere?” Carmen heard Shane’s low voice and she turned back. Shane had lifted her aviator shades and there was a look of recognition in her eyes. “Aren’t you the one who said you have no desire to have anything to do with me at Hyde?” Carmen was filled with dread and apprehension. One word from Shane McCutcheon and she could lose her job but that didn’t mean she was going to bow down to authority. “Miss McCutcheon I just came in to send the coffee, I’m not going to start an argument nor am I going to apologise for what I said at Hyde,” she said with a defiant look on her face. If anyone should apologise, it was her.

Shane stood up from the chair and stretched her arms, barely stifling a yawn. “I’m going back home to sleep,” Shane looked at her watch. “What the hell, it’s only 12 noon,” Then Shane walked past Carmen with her long, ambling gait without even glancing in her direction. “Shane? What are you doing?” the man yelled. Shane stopped in mid-stride. “I think we’ve already found the person we are looking for,” And with that, Shane put on her hooded jacket and walked out of the room, leaving Carmen with that cryptic sentence.