"Robert Weinberg - Logical Magician 01 - A Logical Magician" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weinberg Robert)

 The elevator door slid open, breaking his train of thought. Mentally crossing his
fingers, Jack marched into the deserted landing. There were only eight offices on the floor.
The one he wanted was at the end of the hallway to the right.
Jack paused a second to straighten his tie and push back his hair with his hands.
Six feet tall, slender, with pleasant features and a ready smile, he was better looking than
he realized. Gathering his courage, he proceeded down the corridor.
The frosted glass door proclaimed Ambrose Ltd., Investments in bold black
letters. Etched underneath was the saying, "We Guarantee Your Futures." Jack grimaced
in disgust, his high hopes plummeting. He knew nothing about the commodities and futures
market. Another opportunity doomed before it started.
For an instant, he considered just turning around and leaving, not bothering to
waste his and the interviewer's time. Then, with a heavy sigh, he straightened his tie, threw
back his shoulders, and put his hand on the doorknob. No matter how slim the chance, he
had to make the effort. Otherwise, it was the import-export business, and his relatives.
Resolutely, he pushed open the door and stepped into the office.
The room surprised him. Instead of being filled with massive wood and leather
furniture, bustling executives, and a constant din, the reception area was almost empty and
absolutely quiet. A few chairs pressed up against the side walls. At the far end of the
room, a young woman, engrossed in a paperback, sat reading behind an immense desk
cluttered with papers. Beyond her was a solitary door leading to an inner sanctum.
The girl glanced up for a second as Jack approached, then plunged back into her
novel. "Be with you in a sec," she said, the words tumbling out in a rush. "As soon as I
finish the page."
Shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other, Roger took advantage of
the time to stare at the receptionist. She was stunning, and well worth a second look.
The word "elfin" immediately came to mind. The girl had incredibly delicate
features, narrow cheekbones, and long upward-sweeping eyebrows. She wore no makeup
and needed none.
Her nose was best described as pixieish, while her thin, ruby-red lips, pressed
tightly together, spoke of a hint of sensuality. A fluffy mass of light brown hair fell in
immense curls past her back and down her shoulders.
She wore a long-sleeved, multicolored dress that left her golden shoulders bare.
Loops of thin gold chain circled her neck and emphasized the healthy glow of her skin. No
rings on her fingers, he noted with silent approval, though it was hard to imagine a girl this
stunning was unattached.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," she giggled, resting the book on her desk. Dark
brown eyes gazed deep into his. "No matter how many times I read The Lord of the
Rings, I always have trouble putting it down."
"Yeah," said Jack dreamily, still lost in her eyes, "I know what you mean."
The girl smiled, quickening his heartbeat even further. "Can I help you with
something?"
Jack inhaled deeply, feeling foolish. "I'm here about the ad in the paper. The one
about a job."
"Really?" asked the girl, sounding a bit surprised. She squinted at Jack, as if trying
to spot something not seen before. "That's a surprise."
Then, hurriedly, seeing the shattered look that passed across his face, "No, nothing
personal about you, silly. When we placed the ad, we didn't expect any responses for a
week or more. It just appeared in the paper yesterday. I'm amazed that somebody in the
Chicago area answered." Almost as an afterthought, she added, "Actually, I think you're
kinda cute."