Soulmates are Overrated

Chapter Seventeen

I sit in my car and stare at the yellow house in front of me. The siding is weathered and the garden has more weeds than flowers.

Putting the car in park, I slowly slide my foot off the brake. I pull a box out of the back seat of the car. It's full of the things I remembered to take from my office.

After Mr. Bucher directed me to go home, I went to my office and packed up the folders and files of information for this case. It was a strange feeling to walk out of the office with a box of stuff in my hands, and a thousand eyes glued to me. I might as well practice for when I actually am let go.

I shut the car door with my foot, a suctioning slam following. I carefully make my way to the door, ignoring the stares through my neighbor's windows. It's amazing how little unemployed people use their television as entertainment, gossiping about the people around them instead.

Inside the house, I toss the box on the floor and kick off my shoes. When I go to place them on the shelf, the empty spot hits me harder than I expected. The memory of Brittany's hand on Julian's chest fills my mind. I try to remind myself that she is working for him, but then Hudson enters my thoughts. Him and I are just colleagues.

I shake off the faces and voices. I can't think about that right now.

The house is so quiet that I almost beg for the ringing phones and chattering people. It would drown out the swarm of thoughts.

My phone rings, answering my prayers. This time.

I put the phone against my ear, holding it in place with my shoulder as I pick up the box and walk to my office. "Hello?"

"Alex, you would not believe what kinds of spicy drinks they have here!" Jen's excitement floods through the phone before I'm prepared, causing me to wince.

She left a couple days ago to meet her match in Peru. From the tone of her voice, it's going well.

"You have to visit this place."

"I'll get right on that, Jen. In fact, how does this weekend sound?" My stress inadvertently floats through my words.

"What's with the attitude?"

I set the box down on my desk as my shoulders sink. "I'm sorry, it's just been a stressful day."

"What's going on?"

I comb through today's events. Hudson knows we matched and decided today was a great day to confess. My husband is off with a beautiful woman. I only have a week to come up with an idea for advertising Soulmate Scanner, by myself. My white pants are ruined with a stain that will take hours to get out. And it's Monday.

"Just been one of those days." I answer before biting my quivering lip. I fought the tears all morning, but I guess I have yet to win.

She takes a moment, "Okay, tell me what's happening? We both know that if you don't tell me now, it will only build and build until you blow up."

I take a deep breath, and exhale a shaky one.

Without thinking through my words, I tell her everything: Hudson's confession, Julian's new friend, the change to the project. Even the incident of the spilled coffee falls out of my mouth. I summarize every little detail, and she stays silent.

When I finish, I'm a sobbing mess.

I lean against the wall and slide down to the floor. I pull my feet to my chest.

She waits a moment longer before speaking. "Wow...I'm so sorry, Alex."

I bite back another sob. I shouldn't be crying right now. "It's fine. I mean, at least it can't get any worse." I wipe a tear from my cheek. "I'm sorry, Jen. You're off on this big romantic vacation and I'm ruining it."