Free Desired by Him (Chosen by Him Series, Book 2): by Ellie Danes Page A

doorway to my room. “You’re going to be working next to that hot ass man, rubbing elbows with the big hoo-has of the industry. Fuck you!” Alyssa giggled, sipping her glass of cheap red wine, giving me a wink.
    Deep down, I think, Alyssa did feel jealous of my opportunity. But she was a good friend, and a faithful one, not willing to spoil my achievement.
    “I doubt I’m going to be working next to him,” I told her. “He told us we would each have a mentor because he didn’t have time for all of us.”
    “I wonder what changed his mind like that,” Alyssa contemplated. “It’s always been the Kerns Five, and now there are ten? So weird!”
    I shrugged, not willing to comment. I continued to pick through my closet, looking for something that wasn’t over-the-top business-like but suitable for an evening business meeting. I felt confident in my interviewing skills, having worked hard to improve and develop them throughout my education, but butterflies still filled my stomach at the thought of trying to impress someone who was likely as important and wealthy as Chase.
    What if you don’t impress them? You can’t do to them what you did to Chase, the niggling critic that always resided in my head decided to chime in. You’ll just be proving what a whore you are, Summer Farris .
    I slammed down a pair of shoes I had just picked up, telling the voice in my head to shut up. Chase hadn’t picked me because of that one night, I told myself. He had said he’d been impressed with me. I wished I could ask Alyssa; she always had insightful advice about that type of thing. But I didn’t need her—or anyone—knowing about my out-of-class encounter with Chase Kerns.
    I settled for a conservative black dress and heels, running a hand through my hair and wondering if I should curl it.
    Alyssa plopped herself on my bed as she watched me get ready. “So, who’d you get for a mentor?”
    I looked at the white card that was inside of the envelope again. As Chase had said, the card only contained an address and a time. “I have no idea. I’m just supposed to be at this place at seven.” I tossed the card over to her as she made herself comfortable.
    Alyssa raised her eyebrows and smiled. “That’s where all of those nice, big-ass houses are. Damn you, Summer!” she joked, throwing the card back at me. “You lucked out.”
    “Oh, I’m sure every one of his mentors are making a ton of money, but I’ll let you know for sure tonight,” I laughed.
    “Whatever the case, you better be fierce , girl!” She watched as I changed into my dress, pulling up my nylons before tucking my feet into my heels. “I will want details when you get back, by the way.”
    “Of course,” I promised. I grabbed my phone and slipped it into my purse after looking at the time. “Shit, I’ve got to run. I have twenty minutes to find this place.” I grabbed my portfolio and took off out the door. “Wish me luck!”
    “Leave me to my misery!” Alyssa teased, throwing her arm over her eyes with a forlorn moan. “Good luck, you whore!”
    I closed the door behind me, biting my lip. She had called me that name in jest, but at that moment, holding an envelope that I was never meant to have before last night, I never felt more like one.
    * * * *
    I rarely drove my car anywhere. It was beat up, over twelve years old, and had close to a hundred and twenty thousand miles on it. I hated it, but it got me from point A to point B without fail most of the time. Tonight, it managed to get me to the front of a palatial home on River Road just in time. I pulled in and parked on the gated, circular driveway, my mouth gaping already at the sight of an enormous, lighted fountain.
    Whoever my mentor was, they appeared to have more money than God.
    Huge pillars sat in front of the house, reminding me of the time I had went on a family trip to see the White House during spring break one year. The yard, the architecture—hell, even the sidewalk—was