Leave it to Fate (Fate Series - Book #1)

Chapter Seventeen - Run In

I arrived home, feeling disheveled. Even though this was his weekend on my side of the country, all the flights I had been taking lately were taking a toll on my skin from the recycled air. In my bathroom I found a hydrating sheet mask, and applied the sticky film against my face, careful to match the shape the contour of my face. Leaning my head back slightly, fearing it may slip down I moved into my living room and plopped on the couch.

My phone erupted in my purse that I had tossed onto the counter.

"Ah jeez," I complained, standing awkwardly, still aware of the sheet mask.

I was only mildly disappointed to see it wasn't Colson, and answered my sister's FaceTime.

"What are you wearing?" she giggled when the video connected.

"A mask," I answered, moving back to the couch," my skin has been freaking out from the cabin air."

"Oh," she replied lamely, clearly wanting to get to the point of her call," well, I wanted to catch up! You've been so busy with work and your bicoastal romance we hardly talk to each other anymore, never mind see each other!"

I listened to her long winded speech sympathetically, "I know," I agreed, "Well let's plan something right now. What are you doing tonight?"

"I finish up at the gym at five, I could come over after?" she suggested.

"Perfect, let's do that." I agreed.

She smiled wide, "Okay! I'm gonna let you go now we'll save all the juicy details for tonight. I'll bring over the wine, you think of something for dinner."

"Deal," I promised, touching the mask to make sure it was still in place.

"Ok, bye!" she called, and I returned it before disconnecting.

Managing my job, boyfriend, friends and family was more complicated than it ever had been. Typically, my boyfriend would just join me on my frequent girls nights with Lorelei or the gang. But with Colson's schedule it made it much more difficult. I need to find the balance of dedicating more time to my friends and weaving in Colson more. Maybe we could do a double? Triple date? Is Adelina seeing anyone? I don't think she is. Maybe I could ask Colson to set her up, or Christopher knows someone. I don't know how well that would go over with Colson. God forbid, he brought Trevor. I didn't even end up going on a solo date with him! But he still made Colson's blood boil.

I turned on Netflix as my mind took over with planning, I put on a sitcom I had seen a thousand times for background noice and removed the sheet mask, crumpling it into a ball. Placing it on my coffee table, I checked the time. Colson will land around one pm, and I didn't want to literally wait around for his call so I decided to take care of the glaring issue in my apartment that I had been ignoring. I loaded my laundry into a canvas bag with Laundry stamped on it and made my way to the laundromat. I was lucky enough that it was within walking distance but I overestimated my ability to carry the weight.

Ugh, I shouldn't have filled this so much! I groaned to myself as I dragged the bag toward the entrance. Snow and dirt collected on the bottom of the bag.

"Need some help with that?" A male voice asked. 

My chest sighed in relief.

"Yes, please that would be amazing!" I accepted, before turning to see my savior.

"Oh," I dropped the bag at the sight of him.

My eyes scanned up the black and white checkered vans to familiar denim jeans and a black band shirt of a skull that had Set Your Goals scrawled over it from a show we had seen together. And the deep forest green bomber jacket with patches I had sown on for him.