Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

MONROE

I marched down the street, checking my phone for the third time since Dawson sent me a cryptic message to meet him at Starlight . He didn't respond to any of my texts like ‘ why?' , or ‘ what's going on?' , or ‘ what's happening?' . It was just radio silent. With my luck, Chip and Pickles would have him trapped inside somewhere with some kind of awful prank. My mind latched on to an idea. What if the soulmate mark was some kind of prank to make him think he was stuck with her for the rest of his life? If that wasn't the worst kind of prank, I didn't know what could be. When the Starlight Tours shop came into view, I picked up my pace and hurried toward the door. Before I could reach it, I drew up short. Someone else was heading right toward me.

When she walked under the streetlamps, light glistened over her dark, inky hair. Her perfect cheekbones were pink with the chill in the air. Yet she didn't put that bright-purple jacket on. It was still wrapped around her waist. She wore her oversized overalls and a white long-sleeved shirt. Sometimes I found it hard to believe that she was capable of so many annoying things and so much agitation.

The moment her eyes locked on mine, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

" Me ? This is my company, in case you forgot."

"Well, I got a text to meet Pickles here." She held up her phone. "I thought you did something to her."

I clenched my teeth. "She's not the one who should be worried."

Her bottomless dark eyes narrowed at me. "Is that a threat?"

"Hardly." I shook my head. "It's a fact."

"Oh, simple Monroe, you barely ever cross my mind." She waved me away. "Move along. I have things to do."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Do you treat everyone as if they're beneath you?"

"Only the ones who deserve it, princess." She reached for the door at the same time I did.

"It's my shop, not yours."

She drew her hand back before we both grabbed the handle at the same time. I wrapped my hand around it and yanked the door wide open and glanced around. The store was empty and too quiet.

"Dawson? You hear?"

Chip marched in behind me. "Pickles! Where are you?"

"Your sister is fine with Dawson." I rolled my eyes at how concerned she looked.

"What makes you think for a second I was worried about her being with Dawson and not you?" She stepped around me and pointed toward the door on the back wall that led to our little work room.

"Like I'd ever do anything to upset her intentionally."

She raised her eyebrows at my words. "Really? Did you really just say that?"

"Key word, Chip . . . Intentionally ." I sighed and shook my head, then spoke slowly so she caught every syllable. "In-ten- tion-a-lly. I'd never upset her on purpose. You, on the other hand, are free game."

She glared at me. "You barely warrant an afterthought." She moved toward the door.

I stepped in front of her, blocking her from opening it. "And yet I bet you think of me often."

"You wish." Her words were sharp and cutting, yet I found her quick wit slightly intriguing, which annoyed me even more.

The door flew open, and Dawson looked at the both of us and sighed. "I thought I heard arguing."

"Oh good! That must mean they're here," Pickles called from behind him.

I took a step back and nearly collided with Chip, but she was quick and darted away from me. "You're like a fish out of water. Or a bull in a China shop."

"I'm no fish. You're a fish." Real smooth, Monroe.

She turned away from me and walked to my desk. Without missing a beat, she turned around to face me and hopped up on my desk, smushing the papers I had stacked there. The audacity of this fish.

I must've made a face because she raised her eyebrows challengingly. "That was a good one. Keep them coming. You might hurt my feelings eventually."

Dawson stepped between us. "He doesn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Yes, he does."

"I kind of do," We spoke at the same time.

She made a sound of disgust in the back of her throat. "I hate when we agree."

Pickles moved to Dawson's side to stand between the two of us. "You're going to have to start to learn to agree."

"What the hell are you babbling about?" Chip turned to face her sister, crumpling the papers on my desk even more."Pickles, talk to me. Please?"

Pickles wound her hand in Dawson's and leaned into his side. The way he smiled down at her made my chest hurt. I never looked or felt that way about Kristie. They looked so at peace, so happy and connected. I couldn't imagine having one person in this world who felt like home. Dawson gave her hand a squeeze and her smile broadened.

Pickles sucked in a deep breath and her wide gray eyes bounced between us. "We're merging companies."

"What?" Chips screeched.

"Absolutely not." I put my hands on my hips. "This is not happening."

"Listen up," Dawson snapped at us, and I'd never heard him this adamant before. "I will not compete against my own soulmate, and neither of you can ask me, or I should say, us to do that."

"We may not have planned for this, to be soulmates, but we are." Pickles held her chin high. "From here on out, Dawson and I are a team. Partners. Asking us to be rivals is cruel, and despite both your recent behaviors, asking that of us is beneath both of you."

"Fine, then I'll go it on my own." The words fell out of my mouth before I could even think. All I knew was that there was no way I was going to work with her .

Dawson gave me a withering look and hung his head. "I hate to point this out, Cousin, but it's not like you're amazing with the customers."

"Must be that winning personality," Chip muttered. But it wasn't low, like she wanted all of us to hear her words.

"I can handle people." My words sounded unsure even to myself.

Chip rolled her eyes. "Of course I can. I can run Chickles by myself?—"

"We don't even have a storefront yet," Pickles interrupted her. She then gestured to me and her own soulmate. "And we're going to need some veteran experience to give the sirens the opportunities we want for them. These two have that experience."

Chip rolled her eyes. "Right, as proven by all their work with sirens recently."

"This is happening." Dawson turned deadly serious. "This is happening. We've decided to work together. Now you two are welcome to join us and make both of our businesses even bigger."

"Or," Pickles looked up at Dawson and beamed at him with pure happiness, "you're both free to go it on your own."

"So you're just going to leave Chickles like this? Without even a backward thought?" Chip genuinely appeared to be hurt. It was the first time I hadn't seen her sarcastic spicy side. Her face fell and she appeared almost sad. "We were really going to help the sirens, Pickles. How can you just walk away from our plans?—"

"She's not. We still are going to help them," Dawson added gently. "And we're going to do it your way."

"You told him my ideas?" Chip hopped off my desk and knocked my papers on the floor. I thought she was going to leave them scattered there. But she bent down and began to scoop them up.

"I did, but he won't tell anyone, at least not without your okay." Pickles bent down with her and began helping."He's my soulmate , Chip."

"Look, I get that he's your soulmate and you trust him, but I barely know him." She glanced up at him. "No offense."

Dawson held his hands up. "None taken. But just so you know, I didn't tell Monroe any of your ideas."

I tried not to be offended by that, but it stung a little. "But how could you not tell me? I'm your best friend . . . and we're family."

Dawson pointed toward Pickles. "Soulmate."

As if that was explanation enough. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. I felt like I got hit by a bus from out of nowhere. Everything was changing and I wasn't ready. I didn't think I wanted to be. Working with Chip seemed like a nightmare, but I genuinely enjoyed working with Dawson. He was more than a cousin to me, more like a brother. I couldn't imagine doing all of this on my own. I wouldn't enjoy it on my own.

I groaned and ran my hand through my hair.

Chip held the papers as she stood up and placed them back on the desk in a neater pile than they originally were in. "I don't know how I feel about all this. I mean, I hate it with a fiery passion, but that's not what you want me to say."

"Can't you just try?" Pickles looked toward me, then back to her sister. "Please, for me, Chip? You wouldn't ever ask Reese to compete against Holden?—"

"Fine. I will try." Chip looked to the ceiling and groaned. She stomped her foot and let out a deep, frustrated breath, then looked at me. "But I can't make any promises."

Dawson turned toward me. "What about you? Will you try for me?"

I wasn't about to be the one to ruin anything, and if Chip could try, then I certainly could . . . and do way better than she could."You've left me no choice, Cousin. I make no promises to be nice to the fish."

Pickles clapped her hands together. "I'm so excited."

Dawson threw his arm around her shoulder. "I told you it would all work out."

Really? I tried not to scoff. I wasn't sure that this was working out or not. Right now, it felt like a train wreck I couldn't turn away from.

Pickles practically bounced with excitement. "Now shake hands! We're all coworkers now."

My eyes locked on Chip. We both crossed our arms, refusing to shake hands.

Dawson sighed. "So it's a work in progress then."

Before I could respond, the little bell over the door chimed and Kristie walked into the room. She hiked her oversized bag up on her arm and tossed her hair over her shoulder. Her eyes darted between me, Chip, Dawson, and Pickles. "What is going on in here?"

"Kristie." Dawson motioned to the group of us. "We've all decided to work together from now on. We're merging Starlight Tours and Chickles , effective immediately."

Her head snapped to the side, and she gave me a sharp look. "Is that true?"

I gave a single nod. "Dawson doesn't want to compete with his soulmate, so I agreed to try."

She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back, looking up at me. "Well, I'm not comfortable with you working so closely with them."

Excuse me? I shook my head in disbelief. "Umm, what?"

"Especially her ." She pointed toward Chip.

"Who's her?" Chip pressed her hand to her chest. "Me?"

"Yes, you." Kristie wrinkled her nose in Chip's direction, and I found myself not liking that a single bit. "Whatever is going on with this little obsession he has with you needs to stop, so you two are not working together."

"Aww, see, I told you you'd have more feelings for me than I would for you." Chip's eyes danced as she used the mocking tone.

Enough was enough. I walked toward the front door and yanked it open. "Kristie, we need to talk outside. Now please."

Chip scoffed. "Good luck with that."

Kristie marched out the door, and I followed behind her. The second it was closed, she rounded on me. "You are not allowed to work with her . . . or any other girl for that matter."

"What the hell are you talking about?" This was out of control. "I've never done a thing to make you not trust me."

"I don't care." She jabbed her finger in my face. "I'm not having it, Monroe."

I thought of all the soulmates I'd seen on the Island and the way they looked at each other and showed so much love and support. Kristie and I did not have that. I'd known this a while now, and accidentally proposing to her had started to make that clear to me. Dawson and Pickles being soulmates solidified it. And I hated to admit it, even to myself, but a soulmate was something I'd always wanted. If fate decided I couldn't have it, then I'd rather be alone than be in a miserable relationship. It was time to end this.

I gave a heavy sigh. "Kristie, this isn't working."

"Damn straight it's not." She smirked. "I'm glad you see it my way."

"No." I motioned between us. "This engagement between us isn't working."

Her eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

I wanted to tell her the truth—that I never intended to propose, and our entire engagement was an accident I'd been trying to salvage—but there was no reason to pour salt on the wound. She could live her entire mortal life never knowing I hadn't meant to propose. Honesty wasn't always the nicest thing. I cleared my throat. "I'm saying we aren't meant for each other. I thought we would figure out a way to make this work. But I wasn't being honest with myself before, and I wasn't being honest with you. I can't marry you, Kristie."

She growled and her hand tightened on the straps of her bag. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Yes, I do." I nodded. "I'm ending this, and I am so sorry."

Heat flooded her cheeks, and she ground her teeth together. "I am the best thing to ever happen to you, Monroe. And if you want to throw it all away, then fine. I don't need this!"

"You're right." I didn't want to fight or get angry at each other. But I could understand that hurt feelings brought out the worst in people.

She pulled the ring off her finger. "I didn't want this old piece of junk anyways."

She threw it at my chest, and I caught it. "I'm so sorry, Kristie."

"Stop saying that! God!" She stomped her foot. "I am better off without you."

"You're probably right."

She jerked her bag higher. "I am right."

"I know."

She looked me up and down. "Good."

"Fine."

"I'm leaving." She turned away from me and took a step, then paused. "For good."

I didn't want to hurt her, but we couldn't carry on like this. I knew it, and in a few days, she'd realize it too. "Yes."

She stormed away from me, and I stood there staring down at my grandmother's ring in the palm of my hand. I closed my fist, then opened the door to the shop. The bell on the door dinged. I exhaled a deep breath, feeling relieved to finally be free of that lie.

Dawson grimaced. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Rather relieved. I put that off too long, but it's done now."

"That's probably the best decision you've ever made," Chip mumbled.

I slipped the ring into my pocket and glared down at her. "Good thing I don't care what you think."

"Sure you don't." She turned to Pickles. "I can't be here right now. You've made your argument and won your case. Let me go sulk in my room before I'm forced to talk to him every day, and I'm sure princess needs to lick his wounds."

I clenched my teeth and balled my hands into fists. This was going to take a lot of work. "For the love of all that is holy, just go. There's the door. Leave."