Fate Interrupted

14. Ren's Birthday

Ren

It's been awkward at work this morning. I didn't sleep well after texting Gio, and I'm feeling the significance of my thirtieth birthday weighing on me like a ton of bricks.

I am definitely an adult now. Not like I haven't been an adult for the last twelve years... but sometimes I still feel like a teenager on the inside.

And what makes it awkward is that no one at my office knows. I feel like somehow I must look different—older, but of course, that's not true, and everyone around me is just carrying on with their normal day.

It's not all sad, though. I have dinner plans with my dad tonight, my mom is taking me to brunch on Saturday, and I'm especially looking forward to Saturday night. Sydney is coming up, and then she, Hannah, and Kristin will go clubbing with me. I'm so stoked! Yet...

My stomach churns whenever I think of what I texted Gio the other night... and that he didn't respond. I don't know what to do about it. Nothing, most likely. Probably for the best.

I get back to modifying my bézier curve on this new design I'm working on —it's just not looking quite right. My fingers press command C, then command V, and I try again. I hear the sound of Gemma's quick, petite footfalls approaching my desk.

"OMG, Lauren, look what just got dropped off for you!" Gemma blurts, practically bouncing with excitement.

She holds out a small brown box wrapped with a pink ribbon, with an equally small card attached—a birthday present. My pulse quickens as I take it.

I shoot a quick glance to Gemma, who is clapping her hands in that miniature applause of anticipation we girls do sometimes. I turn my attention back to the gift, open the tiny envelope, and take out the card. It's just a pre-printed card that says happy birthday—no name.

"Who gave this to you?" I ask, with such a serious face that Gemma is taken slightly aback.

"Oh," she answers shortly, then she gets this look. A look like I'll never be-lieve the scandal she's about to lay on me. Her big blue eyes become even more expansive. "Well, that's the thing! It was... (wait for it) the Elevator Hottie."

"The Elevator Hottie?" I ask, confused.

"Yeah, The Elevator Hottie," she squeals and rolls her eyes back in her head with the remembrance of him. Then gathers herself together and continues.

"Okay, you, like, haven't been here that long... but there's this really attractive guy we see in the elevator on Fridays sometimes. Anyway, us girls in the office refer to him as the Elevator Hottie."

"Oh yeah...?" I say, feeling a bit unsettled about where this is going. "What's he look like?"

She raises her eyebrows and smiles. "Um, he's like freaking gorgeous!" She comes up closer to me and starts gushing, gesturing with her hands. "Okay, he's tall with a tan complexion, he's got dark brown kinda curly hair, a gorgeous smile, and—"

"Hazel eyes?" I throw in, interrupting her.

"Yeah! So you do know him!" she practically accuses me, pointing her finger.

I close my eyes, not believing this conversation is all really happening with Gemma right now.

"Yeah, you could say that," I manage to mutter, turning my attention to the little box. I lift off the top and inside are four small chocolates. I suck in a quick breath.

They are all oval-shaped dark chocolates with a ribbed texture on the top, and I know exactly where they've come from and what that means. They are Mint Meltaways—my favorite. Gio and I used to fight over them in a box of assorted chocolates.