Page 91 of Don't Be in Love

“I don’t think I understand that metaphor …” Mia said.

“She’s qualified but no one will respond to her resume!” Brina clarified.

“Hmm. Did you reach out to Sylvie about the recommendation letter? The semester is over now so it’s probably the perfect time,” Mia commented.

“I want to reach out when I’m ready to apply to Beverly. I don’t want to waste her recommendation on a job I don’t love.”

“Is there a runner up position?” Sabrina asked.

“Maybe the watch business I did my project on—Grace & Gears? It’s a digital marketing position rather than PR. But I sent them the full plan I put together for Sylvie’s class. Thought that’d be nice since I spent three months on it,” I grumbled. They’d most likely skip over that too when they found out my graduation year.

“I’ll deal with this problem when I actually get the degree,” Mia said.

“Hopefully I can get an internship with an interior design agency before I get stuck in some lab job. I thought if I got the degree in biology, I’d be able to pursue design anyway. But according to my dad I need to get a job in it now,” Brina sighed.

“How dare he,” Mia feigned agreement. We assumed this entire semester that Andrew would want Brina to get a job in biology if he was paying for his daughter’s degree.

“Has Noah said anything about it?” I asked.

Sabrina crawled over to her doorway with a pile of sweaters and began folding. I pushed my laptop to the side and joined.

“He’s always been the calmer one of my parents,” she exhaled, brushing her bangs out of her face. “He thinks I shouldgive the biology job a try. He doesn’t understand that just because I understand STEM, doesn’t mean I want to do it every day until I can retire.”

I folded a pastel pink sweater and moved it into her pile. “You should start applying to design jobs. Find one that pays well and then you can prove to your dad that it’s a legit career. I can help you look for jobs even.”

“Maybe I will then,” she nodded. “Thank you by the way,” she extended her hand, stopping me mid-fold. “I’m really lucky to have you.”

I returned her earnest smile but the heavy guilt coating my stomach overshadowed it.

“Can you pass me that blazer?” Mia shouted.

“Where do you plan on going that requires a blazer?” I asked. Standing from my failed blanket fort, I picked up the plaid blazer and tossed it to her where she sat in her closet with her suitcase.

“What if I have a job interview or a hot date?”

“Do you have a job interview or a hot date?”

“No but what if it happens spontaneously!”

“I think you’re overpacking.”

“Not compared to Sabrina!”

“I’m going onholiday,you’re goinghome!”Sabrina shouted.“You already have clothes at home—there are no clothes for me in Paris!”

“She has a point,” I muttered.

“She has no point, watch her come back with a new wardrobe,” Mia argued, waving a shoe in the air.

“No Paris gifts for you!”

I laughed. “I’m going to miss you two.”

“You know my offer still stands. You can come back to Washington with me,” Mia responded in a sing-song tone.

“My offer stands as well! Why don’t you come to Paris with me?” Sabrina asked eagerly.

Because I’ll get attached. Attached to you and your family more than I already have. And I don’t think I can withstand to lose that many people.