Maria Undone

Chapter 5 (Maria)

"Um...are you okay?"

I glanced up from my computer and glared at Linda for startling me. My mood didn't bother her as she leaned on the door jamb, her flat stomach and blue diamond belly ring out in full display. I didn't impose a dress code at work, and some of my more eccentric team members took full advantage. I didn't mind. Goodness knows I've turned up to work looking like I could double as an escort—a high-class one, of course.

I'd been in my office for three hours, even choosing to blow through lunch. I had no appointments today, so I decided to focus on clearing out my emails and socials before projecting the stock I needed for the upcoming months. I was finding it hard to concentrate - probably because all I had today was an iced coffee. So I wasn't thrilled at having my rhythm disturbed.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" My eyes returned to my screen as I resumed clicking the pen I was holding in a rapid rhythm.

"Well, for starters, you've been swearing at your computer screen for the past half an hour, and you bit poor Tony's head off when he was ten minutes late with our case of conditioners." She folded her arms and arched her brow at me. "You're being more bitchy than usual."

I pressed my mouth into a hard line as I tossed my pen on the table. Linda's gaze followed its movement as it bounced off the edge before landing on the carpet. She fixed me with a pointed stare. Giving up the pretense, I sighed, rubbing at the spot between my eyes that was starting to throb. I knew I was being extra grumpy lately. It was the reason why I sequestered myself in my office. I didn't want my cantankerous attitude to bleed into my team's work environment. They were already giving me a wide berth.

"You got your period or something?"

My breath let out in another little huff. I grabbed the mouse and started to log out of my emails. There was no point continuing to work when my mood was so sour. "Why can women get away with asking that but not men?"

"Because men are insensitive idiots."

I rolled my eyes as I clicked on the shutdown icon. "Ain't that the truth," I grumbled.

"Uh oh. Trouble in love land?" Linda moved further into my office, taking liberties to sit across from me. She bent to grab the pen that had the misfortune of being in my line of fire, popping it back into my glass pen holder that doubled as a paperweight.

"I'd have to have a love life first for there to be trouble," I muttered. I took the pen back out of the holder and scribbled a reminder to confirm a bridal trial for Saturday.

"Ouch. I thought you had something going with Logan?"

I felt my cheeks heat as I smoothed the reminder note onto my monitor. I recalled a few times when Linda would enquire why I was in such a rush to leave work. I'd confide that I was meeting Logan for a drink, determined to hold my head up high after the disaster that was Simon. I wanted people to know that I had dusted myself off and got straight back on the horse, so to speak, even though the experience had still dented my heart.
When it became clear that Logan's intentions were purely sexual and he had no interest in me beyond the bedroom, I stopped mentioning him altogether.

"I broke it off,' I blankly told her. Ghosted him was more accurate, but I doubt he cared.

"Oh." Linda's pretty face pinched in sympathy, which annoyed me. I didn't need her pity. "Sorry."

I waved off her concern and shoved my keyboard away from me. "Don't be. He was actually kind of a dick, but," I shrugged, "what else is new. I seem to attract losers."

"Maybe it's your gentle personality."

I fixed her with a glare that she again ignored. Linda and I had gotten closer over the last few months. I would even go so far as to call her a friend. She was a straight shooter, like me, but she probably carried a bit more tact with her words. "I'm serious. I'm trying to attract nice guys who want to date long term, but everywhere I turn, they're either fuck boys or…or married."