The Personal Shopper

I almost make it to the door when I feel his hand grabbing my elbow. “Ava, wait.”

I turn to look at him. “I’m sorry. I really have had a bad day, but I shouldn't have taken that out on you.”

I smile back at him. This is the Parker I know. He smiles then too, “Hey, there’s my beautiful Ava smile.” He playfully taps me on the nose.

I bite my bottom lip between my teeth to stop my smile from growing even bigger. Parker lets out a small laugh, and knowing I’m the one who made him happy when he was having a rough day does something inside me. I don’t know if it’s because of the alcohol or because I found out him and Nina broke up, but without thinking about it, I raise myself up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his.

It feels like time stands still as I just stand there with my lips pressed against his. For a moment, it feels like he starts to kiss me back, but then suddenly his hands are wrapped tightly around my arms and he is pushing me away hard.

His eyes are wide staring back at me and his voice comes out harsh. “What are you doing?”

I just stare back at him not knowing what to say. I always knew Parker was just a fantasy, and he wouldn’t ever consider being with me, but actually standing here and being rejected by him shatters my heart into a million pieces. “I-...I didn’t…”

He just continues staring at me while I try to think of something to say. I don’t know what to do, so I just turn and run out of the kitchen before he can stop me. I run upstairs to my bedroom and lock the door behind me. Once I am all alone on my bed, I grab one of the stuffed animals I have sitting on it and squeeze it tight to my chest as I cry. The rejection hurt, but the tears I am crying are not one of hurt but of grief. Grief that I have to let go of Parker because things can never be the same between us again. Not now.

Chapter 1

Present Time

Parker

The doorbell to my apartment rings, and I head to answer. I sign for the box of items that were shipped from my office. The only reason I made my dickhead of an ex-boss mail me the items was because he legally had to. Well, technically I had the option of coming in and picking up the few desk knick knacks I had acquired over the past few years, but we both knew that wasn’t going to happen.

It’s not like I needed the bobble head a customer gave me or the stapler with my name on it the guys at the office got me for my 3 year anniversary at the company, but I thought, hey, why the fuck not make that fucker spend $8.50 to ship it to me after he fired me over some dumb technicality. The real reason I was fired was because I found him fucking my girlfriend of 2 years in my own bed.

The man had the audacity to say I exposed confidential information to people outside of my own department. Technically he was right since Ellie could login to my laptop at home, but we both worked at the same company, and she had her own laptop. She only ever logged onto mine if hers was updating or something.

I set the box on my coffee table and collapse on my couch. I blow out a breath and put my face in my hands. How did I get to this point in my life? Everything was going as I had planned. I moved away from the city six years ago when I got the job at the financial consulting firm I’ve been at ever since. I started as a basic advisor and worked my way up. I would have been made partner within the next couple of years if the whole Ellie disaster didn’t happen.

I seriously don’t know how I didn’t see that coming. I mean it’s not like me and Ellie were talking marriage or anything yet, but I thought we were pretty serious. She basically lived with me for the past year even if she did keep her own apartment. I guess that should have set off some red flags. Is it bad to say I am more upset about the job than about losing Ellie?

Maybe it’s because anything I may have felt for her vanished when I found her in bed with another guy. I don’t know. I just felt like I was finally going places with my career, and now I have to start over. It’s not like I couldn’t get another job, but it’s hard to explain getting fired to the next employer, especially when I am trying to make partner.

I blow out another breath and grab my phone. I can’t believe I am about to do this. I click on Doug’s name, and it starts ringing.

“Hey Parker!”

“Hey Doug, I decided to take your brother up on his offer.”

Doug shouts out, “Yes!” I hear him yelling over to Becca. “Our boy is coming back home!”

I laugh. “Back home? I’m only an hour away.”

Doug laughs too. “Yeah, well that hour always gives you an excuse to ditch me when we are trying to hang out.”

I huff out a laugh. “Oh really? I thought you were the one ditching me because Becca was ovulating and you needed to bang all weekend.”

“Hey, that was one time! Now I know her ovulation schedule, so I won’t ask you to hang out that day until we are pregnant.”

I laugh again. “Yeah okay. Well, I’m packing tonight. How about you come over tomorrow and help me get everything loaded into the moving truck?"

Doug is quiet for a minute. “Hmm...I might need to check Becca’s ovulation schedule.”

“I thought you knew it!”

Doug laughs. “I’m kidding. I’m kidding. I can be there at four. That work?”

“Sounds good. See you then man.”