Sort-of Soulmates

Chapter Five: Dylan

Been a while, my friends! Apologies for the delay, I started the final year of my PhD and HOO BOY is it a LOT.

Love, Cam

♡

Chapter Five

Dylan

I knew I was fucked the moment I walked out of the lift. I saw a very shiny, very expensive handbag on Sammy's desk, and heard the click-clack of heels on the tile. I cringed, knowing it was too late to walk back into the lift.

"Dylan Artemis Ivy!"

I tried to smile at my sister and adopted the most casual tone I could. "Hey, Minty, what's up?"

"Are you kidding?" she asked, her mouth falling open. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at me. "'Hey, Minty, what's up?'? Are you kidding me right now?"

I looked around to try and find Sammy, in the hope that he might rescue me, and she snorted, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Nice try, but Sammy is in the bathroom."

I groaned, and rushed up to my sister, taking her hand and pulling her into my office. I closed the door behind me and gestured to the chair in front of my desk. "I can explain," I said firmly, sitting down at my desk. I wasn't a hundred percent sure that was true, but I could wing it.

Minty eyed the chair as though it was a trap, but reluctantly sat down. "Go ahead."

"Josh took me aside yesterday," I started, knowing she would pounce on any and all information offered to her. "And said he wanted to give me EverAfter, but that he wanted to wait until I was happily matched for the sake of the company's image."

Minty rolled her eyes. "I'm not even getting started with that."

"I've... I've been seeing someone," I said, entirely aware that my face was starting to heat up as she blinked at me in surprise. "For a few months now. We were keeping it quiet to escape all the media stuff, but... Josh made me realise that I'm not exactly twenty-one anymore. And... it made me realise that I'm... ready, to make it more serious. So I went to see him, and we have agreed to make it... well, known."

To my surprise, Minty was speechless. I had never seen Minty speechless before, and it was terrifying. I waited, my heart in my throat, while she digested the news. She leaned back in her chair and said, "You have a boyfriend."

"Yes," I replied.

"A boyfriend you've been seeing for a few months," she expanded, as though she was trying to slowly piece together the relevant information.

"Yes," I replied again.

"He's called Alex," she said, and I confirmed it with a nod. "Alex...?"

"Rose," I filled in helpfully. "He owns a café near here, actually. It's called Deja Brew. It's a nice café. He has a brother called Luther."

Minty paused for a moment, and then cleared her throat. "You have a boyfriend called Alex Rose, who owns a café called Deja Brew, and you've been together for a few months?"

I nodded nervously. "Yes."

I watched my usually-chatty sister exhale slowly, and it was like she suddenly deflated in her chair. "Well, I want to meet him," she said, gesturing at me. "Seeing as you've been hiding him from me for months. When can I meet him?"

I pushed the button that went through to Sammy. "Sammy, when are me and Minty next free on the same day?"

Sammy's voice returned, "Saturday between one and four. You want me to pencil something in?"