Fallen (Chronicles of the Fallen, #1)
Julie Morgan
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
John – Thank-you for your patience and being there when I needed you. Thank you for your encouragement and the little push I sometimes needed when I would doubt myself. Thank you for being my rock. I love you always.
My fabulous BETA TEAM! Thank-you for being the amazing people you are! Between the laughter and discussions, you are the best! Sometimes I really wanted to yell, shake you and sometimes, have that shot of vodka while Samuel looks on in approval. Yum! Here’s to you in helping me along the way! Rebecca and Kerri, you will forever be my girls! Mom, Thank you. For everything. Sometimes I wonder if you heard the voices in my head when I was younger!
Kim - There's no words to express my gratitude. Thank-you will never be enough! You are amazing and NEVER doubt your mad skills!
And to the people at Starbucks #3427 – Thank you for allowing me to sit hours upon hours in your café while I drank your water and occasionally, enjoyed the Pumpkin Scone, which by the way, I’m super happy to say is seasonal. Your staff is amazing!
To my Leanna.
Your precious soul will always light up the darkest of rooms simply with your smile.
Chapter 1
Sitting inside the PR firm’s waiting area, she feels like she’s waiting for her life to begin. This interview will make or break her career. After studying at Princeton, majoring in Marketing and Journalism, Lisa spent time as an intern in big firms like Hardin, Baton & Partners, and worked full-time for Crenshaw & King Co. She knows Elite PR & Marketing is the best around. She wants this, needs this opportunity. Her career depends on it.
Looking around, she studies the pictures of celebrities on the wall. “This has to be it.”
Crossing her legs, she straightens her black pencil skirt, her black designer shoes complementing the outfit. Her white Versace blouse, with a black-and-white Anne Taylor scarf, complete her look. Her rich auburn hair flows in soft waves down her back to adorn her glowing, porcelain-like skin. Her eyes, framed by long lashes, are bright, emerald green and could brighten the darkest of rooms. Her soft lips and rounded chin are complemented by her captivating smile. Wondrous eyes gaze out in playful curiosity as she smiles, though there is a hint of a wild child there. With her slender, toned frame, she seems the picture of perfection. The diamond encrusted watch on her left wrist and a diamond bracelet on her right provide her an upper-class aura that suited her. Adjusting herself in the seat, her nerves are making her palms sweat.
Running her hands down her legs again, she keeps telling herself, “You got this. You got this.”
“Lisa?”
Looking up at the receptionist, she stands, smoothing down her skirt again, giving her one last chance to clean off her damp palms. Leaning down, she grasps her briefcase, then makes her way to the desk. She briefly reads the embossed name plaque, “Mariah Kingsley”, and looks at her with a smile. The receptionist stands, returning Lisa's smile. “He’ll see you now.”
Following close behind Mariah, who’s leading her to the interview room, she studies her short and slender frame. Her straight, blond hair is pulled to the nape of her neck and fastened by a clip. Her grey, two-piece dress fits her slender frame nicely, the skirt ending just above her knees. Her black peep-toe pumps provide Mariah a little extra height, as her heels click on the floor with each step she takes. The walls in the hallway are glass, separating her from the other employees. Some of them are on their phones, others are watching her, as if they were whispering “fresh meat”. She received a few smiles…and a few glares.
Turning a corner, Mariah and Lisa stop at a double set of wooden doors. Mariah grasps the door handle and pulls it open. The room is enormous. The white walls are bright as the sun reflects inside, bouncing off the round table in the middle of the room. The walls are decorated with pictures of celebrities, musicians, and world-renowned authors. As she takes a step inside, two gentlemen look up and smile.