Page 244 of Mario

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I like efficiency.

“You went to Yale,” I say. “For political science.”

“Initially,” she says. “I added nonprofit management and public policy coursework later.”

“You spent time in Naples.”

“Two semesters abroad.”

“That is where you met Dante.”

“Yes.”

“And you have remained friends since.”

Her answer comes half a beat slower. “Yes.”

There it is again. It’s not hesitation exactly, but caution.

There’s definitely a bit of contention there.

Where does it stem from?

I look down at the resume. “You have spent the last several years working with charitable foundations, galas, donor relations, philanthropic boards. That does not sound much like administrative support.”

“No,” she says. “It is not.”

“Then why are you interested in this position?”

Her hands are folded in her lap. Perfectly still.

“I am looking for quieter work.”

“That is the word Dante used as well, Ms. O’Brien,” I say and lean back in my chair. “Why the change?”

She meets my eyes without hesitation. “I am not asking you to hire me under false pretenses, Mr. Conti. I know this would be a change from the work I have been doing. I also know that high-level administrative support requires discretion, organization, excellent communication, quick judgment, and the ability to manage competing priorities without becoming emotional about them.”

All true. But none of it answers my question.

I let the silence stretch.

She does not rush to fill it, which is another point in her favor.

“All of those skills qualify you for the position,” I say, then wait a beat. “It is also obvious that you have spent the last few years working around politicians.”

Her mouth tightens slightly.

Ah, there’s the point of contention.

“Why the change?” I ask again.

This time, she does not answer immediately.

Her gaze stays on mine, but something shutters behind it. A mix of fear and calculation. The decision of how much truth to offer a man she does not know and has no choice but to trust.

“I needed the change,” she admits.

The truth, finally. Not the whole truth, no, but closer.

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