I switch to Korean. “Of course. What sort of linguist would I be if I couldn’t speak Korean?”
“You’re hired,” David says. “We’re always looking for good translators, and we could use him for all our stuff.” He looks at Helen. “With Zoom, he could live anywhere and still do what we need. Right?”
“Whoa.” Whitney stands. “You never offered me a job, and you know I’m looking.”
“You only speak English,” David says. “What would you translate?”
Whitney’s scowling. “I speak a little Spanish.”
“Dame un beso isn’t a little Spanish,” Gabe says.
“Please,” Whitney says. “Like I’d ever ask for a kiss.”
“You’ve been asking for kisses a lot lately.” Gabe’s smirking.
Whitney looks ready to punch her brother, but that’s common.
“Plus, you said you didn’t want to work for me,” Aunt Helen says.
“Yeah, but only because you’re the absolute worst boss.” Whitney laughs. “But David’s great.”
“I can help you find a job,” David says. “Let me know what you’re looking for.”
“Actually, I had an interview yesterday, and. . .” Whitney looks down at her phone. “Shoot.” Her shoulders slump. “Which I failed, I guess. They just notified me that I’m not advancing to the in-person interviews.” She deflates in front of me, just like that.
“How much would it pay if I were a translator for you?” I ask.
“Can you do both written and verbal translations?” Helen asks.
I shrug. “I think so.”
“We’d need an exact list of the languages you speak,” David says. “But we pay quite well for that sort of thing.”
“I’ll take the job,” I say, “with many thanks.”
“Best Christmas ever,” Gabe says. “But don’t forget our deal, right?”
I laugh. “I won’t.”
That night, when I finally head to bed, Whitney’s in my room, waiting. “You, sir, did quite well with the gifts tonight, and you found a job.”
“Thanks,” I say. “I feel like I’m adjusting pretty well, all things considered.”
“I thought it was time for your second present.” Whitney stands, running her hands from my chest down my body. “This present has different wrapping paper than the others, and you get to unwrap it yourself.” She beams up at me.
Something inside of me roars to life.
I have a feeling it’s going to be my best present yet.
22
Whitney
Finding a job really sucks.
It’s even worse when everyone you know keeps offering you one. I mean, Leonid means well, though any job I would take in Russia would be a joke. Xolotl may speak nine thousand languages, but I speak exactly one. I don’t count my lousy Spanish, now that I’ve let that go.
But Izzy’s fiancé isn’t the only one offering pity-jobs.
