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“Really?” Sophie asked, hopeful.

“Yes. And they’re also willing to open it remotely for the right person.”

“Considering you did that job and the one above it, I think that might be you,” Bridgette said.

“I checked online. It’s not posted.”

“They’re looking inside first, but when I talked to my replacement, he mentioned that there weren’t any great candidates, so they’re going to post it externally at the end of the week. I told him about you, and he was really interested. You’d still have to apply when it posts, but I have his email for you, and if you send him your resume and a really good cover letter about why you want to come back, he’ll put you first in line for the recruiter to talk to,” Monica said.

“You’re serious?”

“Yes,” Monica said with a smile.

“Oh, my God. Monica, thank you. That’s amazing. I really appreciate this.”

“It’s just an interview. I can’t promise you that you’ll get it, but if they don’t have any internal candidates standing out to them, and like Bridge said – you’ve done the job before, and you did it well – you’re high on their list of people to talk to.”

Sophie let out a deep sigh and finally felt like she was making job progress for the first time in a long time.

“I have an interview lined up for a company in Atlanta,” she shared. “It’s a phone interview, but if they like me after a few video interviews, I’d fly there for a final in-person one.”

“Would you have to move?” Bridgette asked.

Their conversation was interrupted when their waiter arrived, and Monica told him, “We’re still waiting on a couple of people. Can we maybe have some waters for now?”

“We’re not supposed to seat incomplete parties. Did the hostess–” The waiter placed the menus on the table but didn’t finish his sentence before walking away.

“We’re here,” Melinda said, rushing over to the table with Kyle in tow. “Sorry. We’re all here now.”

“Melinda, hey,” the manager said as she walked out.

“Hey. Sorry to steal a table. But I promise, we’ll eat a lot and tip better than the tourists,” Melinda replied.

“You know you’re welcome at any time,” the woman told her. “Hi, Kyle.”

“Hey,” Kyle said with a polite smile that looked a little forced.

“So, I guess I’ll let you two join your group.”

“Thanks,” Melinda replied. “I’ll say goodbye before we go.”

The manager walked off, and Sophie now knew why she’d been told to use Melinda’s name at the podium when she arrived.

“Mel’s ex,” Bridgette explained to Sophie.

“Not really,” Melinda added as she sat down next to Sophie.

“She is,” Bridgette replied.

“It was, like, a month,” Melinda argued.

“It was a lot of…” Bridgette glanced over at Kyle for a second. “Hand-holding and pecks on the cheek for a month.”

“Babe, want to figure out what to eat?” Monica asked, shaking her head at Bridgette.

“Ky’s not jealous. Are you, babe?” Melinda asked her own girlfriend.

“No, not at all. You only told me that you two never stopped touching each other for a week, but I’m fine that you wanted to go to the restaurant she manages today and that we were here two weeks ago and a few times before that. Perfectly fine.”