Unlock My Heart (Short Story)

by Alina Man

  UNLOCK

  MY

  HEART

  (A Short Story)

  alina man

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without express permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purpose.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  DEDICATION

  To all the readers:

  Without you, authors don’t exist.

  Thank you for all the support.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1.

  Chapter 2.

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4.

  Finding My Way Home

  Chapter 1.

  ≈ Chloe ≈

  Waterfall, clear blue skies, birds chirping, fruity drink served in a carved pineapple, beautiful man walking towards me on the soft sandy beach, and…. An alarm? I am having a wonderful dream when the pesky alarm breaks off the spell. Not again. I give a big yawn and stretch my arms above me, pushing the covers off with my legs. I’ve never been a morning person and that was not about to change today. It would be so easy to call in sick again but I knew my boss, and best friend, Taylor would not be happy. Not only that but she would probably just come over and pull my behind out of bed.

  Remembering how Taylor had been there for me for the past few years was enough to get me out of bed and ready for the day. The divorce had been final two weeks ago but it still didn’t feel real. Even now I was second guessing my decision. It had been my decision after all. The marriage lasted only two years and I tried my best to make it work but Philip obviously had other plans in mind when it came to our relationship. Plans that didn’t include me. The first few weeks after he moved out were the hardest and I spent every day in bed crying, feeling sorry for myself. Through it all Taylor had been there, listening to my complaints and cries, making sure she packed the freezer with my favorite ice cream and giving me time to heal.

  We met while in college and became friends instantly. Everyone thought we were sisters because of how alike we were, always finishing each other’s sentences and not to mention having very similar features. We’re both blondes with long straight hair, slender long legs and bright blue eyes.

  After college, Taylor took over her parents’ business and when I was not able to find a job, she made sure to create a spot just for me. Today, I was the proud CFO at Higgins Inc. The job was great and I loved working with Taylor, but from time to time, the depression would creep in and make it hard to enjoy the simple things in life.

  After a quick shower, I dressed in my usual pencil skirt and white silk blouse, and once the makeup and hair were done I opened the big closet in the guest room to stare at the rows of shoes. It was one of my weaknesses and I loved them all; 200 pairs to be exact. Each pair had a story behind it, each one special in its own way. I kept them in clear plastic boxes for easy access and knew each one by heart. After looking at several pairs, I decided on the red stilettos with the small ruffled bow in the back. Perfect choice, I thought.

  I took one last look in the mirror and pleased with the outcome, I grabbed my large red handbag and keys and was on my way. The traffic was light at this hour since most commuters were probably already at work so I enjoyed the drive with the sunroof opened and the music blaring. I parked in my usual spot in front of the large building and once inside the office I picked up the pace, praying that Taylor was not waiting for me. I really needed a few minutes to gather my thoughts.

  All the offices were pretty standard, all glass so no privacy to speak of, but they were bright and welcoming and very beautifully decorated. There were plants in every corner giving the place an outdoorsy feel. I waved to a few co-workers and stopped in the coffee room for a much needed cup of coffee before having to face whatever this day had in store.

  “Well look who decided to come in today,” Taylor joked. “Don’t even try to give me an excuse because I’ll smack you right here and no, you can’t sue me because there’s no one to see.”

  I smiled and poured some cream into my cup totally ignoring her. She raised an eyebrow waiting for a response.

  “Ok you got me. I was having that dream again so I didn’t hear the alarm. True story.” I said in one breath. Taylor only shook her head and pulled me after her, making me spill a little coffee on the carpet in the process.

  “Let’s wait until we’re in your office. I want full report.” I grabbed a few napkins to clean the floor but she wouldn’t have any of it. “Someone else will do that. Let’s go.” I shook my head but didn’t argue. We walked into my office and once the door was closed, Taylor sat down with her arms crossed on top of my desk. “Spill.”

  “There’s not much to say. The darn dream always starts in the morning and just when it gets better I have to wake up.”

  “You’re kidding me. Please tell me that at least this time you saw his face.”

  For the last few weeks I’ve been having this recurring dream and made the big mistake of telling Taylor about it. To her it was more than just a dream and it seemed like she turned it into her personal goal to find out who the dream man was. It always made me laugh at how serious she was whenever we talked about it. The truth was that I was dreaming about a guy I never met; a guy I talked to on the phone and online almost every day. He was the owner of the IT Company we were using and while I got to meet several of his employees, I never had the pleasure to meet him in person. I was instantly attracted to his voice and looked forward to his daily phone calls.

  The first few months I would make up problems with my computer just so I could talk to him, but after a while he started calling just to say hi or see how my day was. Neither one of us talked about meeting in person and I liked it better that way. I knew that his name was Sebastian Knight and he ran a very successful computer programming business. I knew he was not married or dating, knew his favorite food, wine, vacation spot, music, movies, you name it. I knew all that but had no idea what he looked like. Not that it mattered. I had no desire to date the guy; I just wanted to fantasize about him.

  Taylor snaps her fingers to get my attention and I snap mine back, imitating her.

  “Seriously Chloe, it’s been over a year since you went out on a date. Why don’t you just ask the Knight out for a hot date and maybe some nightcap?” She is incorrigible and I love her for it but she knows that’s not going to happen. That’s just not me and no matter how many times she tries to get me to go out and meet people, I just can’t do it. I don’t have the energy and I think deep inside I’m just scared of failing again.

  “I’ll think about it,” I lie, “now go away so I can do my job.”

  “Whatever. Let me know when you’re ready to join the living.”

  Once I’m alone I turn on my computer and I’m about to check my emails when the phone interrupts my thoughts.

  “Chloe speaking,” I answer courteously.

  “Good morning beautiful. You were late again.” His voice instantly puts a smile on my face. My day just got better.

  “Good morning to you too, my wonderful stalker. I see you checked up on me already, didn’t you?” His voice is raspy and strong and I close my eyes to form a picture in my head of what he would look like. For that last few weeks I’ve began to depend on his phone calls to keep me going and I secretly hope he doesn’t tire of me.

  “I got a call from Tay
lor last night about some new system that needs to be installed in your office so I’ll be sending some new guys in soon. Maybe you can let her know since she’s not answering her phone.”

  “I see how it is. And here I thought I was special.” I’m openly flirting with this guy, something I know I wouldn’t do in a million years if he was in front of me.

  “You know you’re my special girl.” I hear someone calling his name in the background. “I better go but I’ll call you later.” I hang up and relax in my chair, his voice still fresh in my ears, and wish I was on that beach with that fruity drink, far away from here.

  For the next few hours I concentrate on work and try not to think of the sexy knight in shining armor. At least I think he’s sexy. As lunch time approaches, I notice Bill from marketing walk towards my office and I try to look busy. He is not a bad guy but he doesn’t get it that I don’t want to go out with him no matter how many times he’ll ask. He is about a foot shorter than me, almost bald although he does that comb over thing, and loves to wear his pants all the way up to his chin. Yeah, really not my type. Everyone can tell I’m not interested; everyone except him.

  He stops in front of my door and I do my best to concentrate on the computer screen. My phone rings and I am about to kiss whoever is on the other side for the distraction.

  “Ready for lunch?” I look up finally and see Taylor wave at me from the other side with a smile on her face. “You owe me big,” she laughs.

  “See you outside my love,” I reply louder than necessary, hoping that will make Bill think I have a boyfriend waiting for me. He lingers outside my door for a few seconds without making a move but eventually turns around and goes back to his office. I feel so bad for him but seriously now, how can he possibly think that after all this time of saying no I would miraculously change my mind? Yeah, not happening.

  Taylor is waiting outside, already in her car with the engine on, ready to go to lunch. When it comes to her meals there’s no joking around and I try to follow her rules on that. Try being the key word. She drives away without a word and I don’t bother to ask what we’re having since it makes no difference to me. Today she picks a small Italian restaurant not far from the office and as soon as we walk inside we are greeted by the little lady who owns the place. She is like a mother to us and she treats us like one. There’s no room for nonsense here and she always makes sure we finish everything we order. We are secretly scared of her but we would never admit to it.

  “Did you break Bill’s heart again today?” Taylor asks as she takes a bite of the warm bread. “I swear the poor guy has had the hots for you for months now.”

  “Well if you feel so bad for him, why don’t you go out with him?” She gives me a raised brow look and we both laugh. The food arrives and she dives right in. I tell her about my morning phone call and she shakes her head in disbelief. She doesn’t understand why I don’t just go for it and meet the guy. It’s been months already and since we obviously get along on the phone, she thinks we would be perfect for one another. If only things were that easy.

  Chapter 2.

  After work, I drive by the store and pick up a few things for dinner. It has been a while since I cooked for myself and I’m trying to decide what to make. I spend almost an hour looking around and in the end I end up buying several frozen dinners.

  Once at home, I take a quick shower while my gourmet dinner is warming up in the microwave, then make myself comfortable in front of the television. My mind keeps going back to my dreams and I start playing it in my mind over and over again. All I need is to hear his voice and it takes me back to that beach. What is it about this guy anyway? Maybe Taylor is right; maybe it’s been too long since I had a date.

  I throw away the untouched dinner and decide to get some sleep. Who knows, maybe if I’m lucky I’ll be able to wake up on time for once. The very thought makes me laugh. I should thank my lucky star, in this case Taylor, that I still have a job considering that for the last few weeks I’ve been late every day.

  I lay down and immediately my eyes grow heavy. I drift away to the sound of crashing waves and I could almost feel the breeze in my hair. Morning comes too soon and I wake up with the same dream lingering in the air. For the first time in a while I open my eyes before the alarm and I’m ready to start my day. I can feel it in my bones that today will be awesome. I take longer than usual picking my clothes and doing my hair then rush out the door. My happy mood is instantly crushed by the rush hour traffic and by the time I get to work I’m already in a bad mood. Whoever decided that working hours should start at eight in the morning should have his head checked.

  I grab a cup of coffee, close the door to my office and turn on my computer. My outlook is filled with unopened emails and I spend the entire morning answering as many as I can, thankful for the distraction. Taylor is not coming in today so that gives me an excuse to stay in and work through lunch without interruptions. I raise my eyes from the computer and notice that some of my coworkers are whispering and staring at the server room, a good indication that our IT guys are here. Most of the guys working for Sebastian are pretty young and very good looking. That is if you like the big muscular, tattooed kind. It may not be my thing but I find myself walking out of the office to join the rest of the gang.

  “I swear if I wasn’t married and at least twenty years younger I would grab that dark one and take him home with me.” Melissa is in her fifties and happily married with four kids. She is the office mom and always makes us laugh with her jokes and today is no different. She is right though. They all look good and to top it off they are the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. For me however it does nothing. My mind is stuck on one particular guy and no matter how hard I try, I can’t push him away.

  Taylor calls me before I leave the office to remind me of the office party and our monthly dinner meetings at the Grove. I used to enjoy these meetings but since I no longer have a man in my life, they’ve become more of a nuisance. I turn off the lights in my office and as I’m about to unlock my car I notice a bouquet of lilies resting on the hood of the car. Immediately I get scared and look around like a paranoid person. I got so many emails about stuff like this, you know the ones where they say not to pick up notes or whatever from the windshield because someone will grab you from behind, kill you and take your car and run? Yeah that’s the kind of image I’m getting so I jump in the car and lock the doors and as I drive away I see the beautiful flowers falling on the ground behind me.

  I am still thinking about that when my phone rings making me jump out of my skin but since I’m driving I decide not to answer until I’m home. I park in front of my apartment then rush out inside, taking two steps at a time. By the time I’m inside and lock the doors, my heart is beating out of my chest and I start laughing at how silly I’m behaving.

  ≈ Sebastian ≈

  I watch as she puts the car in drive and storms out of the parking lot, the fresh flowers now covering the empty spot. She looked really scared when she saw them on the hood of her car; not exactly what I had in mind for our first meeting. I probably should’ve just walked up to her while she was in the office but for some reason I couldn’t find the strength. I sat in that server room all morning hiding behind the row of computers, watching her. Maybe I should’ve listened to Taylor. This was a first for me. The flowers, the daily morning phone calls, the waiting for the right moment before we met. I was not the relationship kind. Heck I was the let’s-have-fun-and-no-regrets type of guy.

  All that changed the morning I heard her voice. There was something about her that kept pulling me back and now that I knew what she looked like, I was so over my head. I had to find a way to get her to meet me in person. She was one stubborn woman; even her best friend said that much when I asked her why Chloe was so adamant about keeping her distance.

  As I drive away, I keep thinking about our first conversation. She was complaining about the internet connection and I couldn’t help but use some IT humor and asked her to make
sure her PC was on first since most people make that mistake. I expected her to laugh but instead she asked me if I was sure I wanted to get paid for my services. She made sure I knew she was in charge of writing the checks and unless I took her questions seriously she would go look for another IT company. That put me in my place fast enough.

  Oh she was a feisty one and somehow she got me hooked with just her voice. Whatever witchcraft this was, it was addicting and satisfying and I wanted more. I knew everything about her. We spoke every day and she was the last voice I heard before going to bed. I knew her likes, her dislikes, the good and the bad. I also knew about her ex-husband and how the relationship ended. Relationships were always complicated and that was why I was not in one. Watching my parents fight day and night was enough to kill whatever dream for happiness I had hoped for. They lasted forty years together, not sure how, and every day was a constant fight filled with yelling and cursing. Now here they are in their sixties divorced, miserable and all alone.

  I did not want to have any part of that and knew that I would rather stick needles in my eyeballs than have that kind of life. Better alone than stuck in a crazy relationship; that was my motto. At least that’s how I felt before hearing Chloe’s voice. I drove home with her on my mind, wondering if maybe her best friend was willing to help me win Chloe over. It was worth a shot.

  ≈ Chloe ≈

  I was still laughing at myself as I got inside my apartment. I looked around the bare room, a constant reminder of my divorce, and made a mental note to go to IKEA over the weekend and buy a few things. When Philip left, he was so angry and in his naïve mind, he thought that by taking most of the furniture he would hurt me. As if finding him in bed with that trash from his office was not hurtful enough.