Soulmates are Overrated

Chapter Twenty-Two

 "I'm sorry, Davis, but Mr. Cunnings has chosen to go another way. For this reason, we have to let you go." Mr. Bucher's voice crackles through the phone.

Apparently another company had a better pitch than Hudson and I, so neither of us won. I'm the one who lost my job, though. It doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. I don't think anything can compare to the pain of losing Julian.

"Thank you, Mr. Bucher." I say.

I hang up the phone and set it on the counter, letting out a ragged breath.

The past few weeks have been full of working long hours to keep my job. I was so focused on my source of income that I didn't notice Julian slipping away from me.

He hasn't contacted me, and he has yet to come home.

He probably wants nothing to do with me, and I can't say that I blame him. I lied to him and discarded every caring thing he did. The idea of never being able to call him mine again is the hardest pill to swallow.

I open the fridge, not hungry, but in need of some food to eat my stress away. The cold air sends chills across my skin. A container with a note sits on one of the shelves. The little I ate in the past few days was all take out, so this container is one of Julian's prized tupperware.

I peel the note off, noticing the sandwich inside.

It's turkey and swiss, you're favorite.

Eat it and make a great pitch!

I love you,

Julian

A tear falls down my cheek, but I don't sob.

I can't just give up and let him go.

I pull out my phone and open the location app Julian made me download. His excuse was that it is a great tool if one of us were to get kidnapped. I thought it was the most pointless thing, but right now, I couldn't be more grateful for his paranoia.

He's at a hotel fifteen minutes away.

***

My eyes have been watching the entrance to the bar for the past five hours. I have yet to take more than a sip from my warm glass since it was set in front of me. My attention has been too focused on the lobby.

"Are you meeting someone?" The bartender asks me, raising an eyebrow.

"Sort of."

She glances around the room. "If he hasn't showed up yet, I doubt he will, Sweetheart."

I drop my gaze. She's probably right. Julian only drinks when he's celebrating. He believes that drinking when you're stressed or angry is the opposite of a stress reliever. I don't know why I thought he would even come in here.

"Look, Sweetie, if you want to wait a while longer, be my guest, but at least drink something. You're depressing the rest of my customers."

I nod as I fiddle with the glass in front of me. I wanted to be sober when I talked to Julian so I didn't make a fool of myself. I glance around the room again, but his face doesn't come into view. No longer having anything to hold me back, I pick up the glass and take a big gulp of the burning liquid.

When the glass clanks back on the counter, Julian walks through the entrance of the bar. I stir in my seat and watch him sit at one of the tables in the corner. He stares absently at the empty chair across from him and a part of me hopes that he is imagining me in it.

"Excuse me," I say to grab the bartender's attention. "Can you please send a bottle of Corona over to the guy in the corner?"

She eyes me suspiciously, but sends the drink with one of the waitresses. The waitress delicately takes the bottle to Julian. I almost move from sight as I watch her tell him where it came from. She points in my direction, forcing Julian's eyes to land on me. He nods to her with a polite smile and takes a swig of the drink, moving his gaze from me.