With her attention completely elsewhere, she didn’t think anything of it when her phone pinged with an incoming email. She navigated to the app and opened it.
From:[email protected]
Subject: Job Application
Dear Miss Daniels:
I am writing to you today on behalf of the English Language School located in Saint Petersburg, Russia. We have reviewed your application and, pending a phone interview, would like to offer you a position teaching at our school after graduation.
Please respond to us at your earliest convenience to set up the interview.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Polina Morozov
Secretary, ELS
Jessica’s hands shook so bad she nearly dropped her phone. Before she had fully processed what she read, she typed out her response.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Job Application
Dear Polina,
It’s wonderful to hear from you! I know with the time difference, it may be difficult to set something up, so how about you tell me what works for you, and I can make it happen on my end?
Sincerely,
Jessica Daniels
Excitement bubbled in her chest at the thought of telling everyone she knew, everyone who had helped her get here—her family, her professors, her friends, colleagues, classmates.
Jack.
The thought of her boyfriend had that bubble deflating. She had to tell him, immediately, before anyone else. She owed him that much.
As if he knew she’d been thinking about him, her phone rang, showing his name on the screen.
“Hey, you,” she said when she answered, willing her voice to remain steady.
“Hey, sunshine. What’re you doing?”
“I was about to clean the house, but I’m distracted.”
Jack didn’t ask why; he simply said, “You wanna come over? We can talk about it…or I can distract you further.”
Despite the racing of her heart and the anxious sweat prickling at her underarms, she smiled. “I’ll be over in a bit.”
“See you soon!”
It took Jessica all of five minutes to throw some overnight stuff into a bag—because she knew she wouldn’t be coming home tonight—and head out the door.
