Chapter 29 #2
I really can’t believe I wasted a year of my life with her.
How did I ignore all the red flags of toxicity dripping from her?
The woman is a walking double standard. She yells at me, saying I am self-involved, and yet her only complaints are that I didn’t stop what I was doing so I could fulfill her every want.
I woke up with her every weekend and would drive her to Eugene every other month.
It is a four-hour drive. No one wants to do that drive every week.
Also, I most definitely made her come more than once unless she was faking it.
But then, how is that my fault if she doesn’t tell me what’s going on in her head?
I realize I’m fuming and talking to myself as I reach the end of the Main Street.
The train tracks cross over both ends of the Main Street like bookends.
It’s probably three miles from my house, and I’m sick of running.
It takes me an hour and a half to get back to my house, and I have twenty minutes to shower and change before heading to work and turning this day around.
I shower quickly and pull on my work uniform, black pants with my light blue “Parker Wellness” polo.
I never wear this polo, but I can’t be bothered to think about fashion in this time crunch.
Besides, I need to bring my new friend a coffee.
If I can recall, Annika’s coffee order is an oat milk dirty chai latte with some kind of syrup.
I don’t know if she follows the same order now, so I decide to keep it simple and ditch the syrup.
There’s still a chill in the air as I walk from the cafe to Golden Hour.
Even though it’s creeping into late spring, Oregon gets its last wave of winter before we are hit with the sizzling summer sun.
Thankfully, our workplaces are three blocks from Carrie’s bakery, which I will be avoiding for the foreseeable future.
I liked picking up cards at the stationary store across the street, but I guess I can make my own.
Oh, but that one bookstore that stocks special edition hardcovers is two doors down from the bakery.
Shaking Carrie out of my head, I head into Golden Hour Studios.
I didn’t even realize this place existed until Annika told me she worked there.
The building itself is tucked at the corner of the block in a brick building.
It has a clean and industrial look to it.
Dark wood and metal accents in a big open loft-style space.
I think this part of the building used to be an old fabric mill.
There’s a main area where guests can sit and meet with photographers and a few studios segmented in the back.
I see a room off to the back corner with a sign above that reads, “Annika’s Lair.
” I wonder what’s behind the door. I wait a moment, and when no one comes out, I head over to the door in the corner and knock.
“One second.” I hear someone shuffling and walk over to the door.
“Hi, sorry I didn’t hear the bell-oh! Reid!
” She cracks open the door and emerges from the dark, crimson room.
Ah, a film developing room. She’s the film photographer on staff.
That makes sense. The sign makes much more sense now.
She heads past me, and the smell of her floral shampoo flashes images of my sex dream in my head.
Annika’s hair tousled, her lips gently parted as I thrust into her.
Shit, she’s staring at me. Snap out of it.
“Hey, good morning. I am returning the truce.” I hand her the coffee, and her face lights up. “I decided I could use another friend too.”
After she dropped off the coffee, I texted Tyler, who responded with a series of raised hands emojis. I’m not sure if he’s rooting for this friendship or something more.
She motions us over to the front of the studio, and we sit on plush leather couches, sipping our coffees in silence. It seems like she’s the only one here so far, at least that I can tell. I suppose it is still pretty early.
“So, how’s your morning been?” She looks up at me, fluttering her dark lashes and slowly sipping her drink. “Mmmmm, a dirty chai? This is my favorite, and the Human Bean does it like no other place.”
“I tried to remember that sweet syrup you’d get with it, but I thought it was too risky. And my day, well honestly not great, but it’s getting better already,” I say truthfully.
The distant comfort returns as I sit next to her. I want to pull her to my chest and nuzzle my face in her hair, but friends don’t do that, Reid, so stop being a creep.
“What happened? It’s only Wednesday.”
I exhale and run my hand through my hair. “Well, not to make this new friendship awkward, but I ran into my ex this morning, and she sucks.”
I notice Annika shift slightly at the reaction to the two-letter word but can tell she’s trying to play it cool. “How long were you two together?”
“Too long. Like almost a year. I think at some point, it just seemed like a routine rather than a relationship, and both of us stopped trying. She was bottling all her emotions up and turned into a busted fuse. It’s better now that we aren’t together, but I can never set foot on the same block as Carol Breads ever again. ”
“You dated the bakery chick? Sheesh, talk about small-town drama. Is she the girl with the big red curls?” Annika lifts her hands up, motioning the volume of Carrie’s hair. Her eyes get all wide, and she scoots a little closer to me. I can’t contain the smile that spreads across my face.
“Yeah, have you been there?” I scoot a little closer too.
“Once, like the first week we moved here. My landlord, Sheela, told me about it, so Chloe and I got breakfast there one day, but I found a long red hair in my breakfast sandwich. I am never going back. She should wear a ponytail. Who does she think she is? Baking Ariel? Sorry, I didn’t mean to trash talk your ex so bluntly.
” She sips her chai and smiles a little. She’s not sorry.
“That is the nastiest thing I’ve ever heard.
I’d say I regret it, but I try to remember everything as a learning experience.
” I am about to ask her about Sheela when a couple walks into the studio, and Annika swiftly stands up and floats over to greet them while setting her chai down on the front desk.
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins. Take a seat, and I’ll be right with you.” I stand to head to the door, but she catches me just before. “Thanks for the drink, Reid. See you Friday for happy hour.”
She starts to lean in like she’s going to kiss my cheek, then pulls back suddenly. Instead, she raises her fist, and I return the gesture, bumping fists and cackling as I head back to the wellness center with the goofiest smile on my face. I love having a new friend.