Broken Rules

Chapter Eleven

I'm irritated.

I'm irritated that Wells could see through me so easily during our short twenty-minute conversation in the bookstore together earlier today.

But he's right; I don't like being a journalist. Initially, I thought it was something I'd grow into, that maybe I just needed a few months to adjust, but the truth is, I hate it. I hate it with every fiber of my being.

I hate that I'm always stuck writing about topics like paper straws and new bike paths along the waterfront. I hate that every article has a sad ending. That's it's never heartwarming stories of long-lost lovers reuniting, or couples falling in love after a fender bender, or a man proposing during a baseball game.

And now I have this stupid journalism degree that I'm stuck with. I invested so much time and energy, took on college loans because this was what I thought I wanted, only to realize I actually hate it. Yes, I know, a lot of hate going on here. And the worst part is that I haven't even told anyone about it because it's embarrassing.

And then there's Wells. What the hell is happening there?

It's starting to freak me out. Did I have these same feelings when I first met Beckett? I can't recall. I just remember being attracted to him... Have things with Wells always been like this, and I've just been oblivious to it this entire time? I mean, it's not like we've ever worked this closely together until now, so I guess I wouldn't even know.

This isn't supposed to be happening, not this soon. I'm supposed to be getting over my two-year relationship. Not gawking over my coworker. There are unwritten timelines and unspoken rules for these kinds of things. And all the while, he, I'm sure, is completely unaware of the effect he has on me.

"Is he bothering you again?" Ellis startles me, pulling me from my thoughts.

I snap my head towards Ellis and Delaney as we ride in the back of the Uber, a blush creeping onto my face. "What? No. Who? No, why would he be bothering me?" I say, letting out a nervous laugh.

Her brows furrow in confusion, and Delaney glances at me in response to my reaction. "Beck. Is he still bothering you?" She points to my phone, which is buzzing in my hand with a call from Beckett. I hadn't even realized it was ringing.

"You look like you're having a mini meltdown inside that head of yours," Delaney says, her eye narrowing at me.

"Oh," I say, quickly hitting ignore on Beckett's call. "Um, yeah. He still calls and texts me every day." I shake my head, trying to shove Wells out of my mind.

"Well, it's a good thing we're going out tonight," Ellis says, sliding closer and giving me a side hug from her place in the middle seat. "Tonight, we're drinking to forget about stupid Beck Moore!"

Ellis had been pushing for a night out, claiming that we haven't had a proper girls' night since my breakup with Beckett. But I think she just wants an excuse to go drinking with us.