Rent a Pucker

The sun is barely peeking out above the trees as I scramble to gather my things, my chestnut hair still damp from the shower. My phone rests on the kitchen counter, video chatting with my best friend Eira. Her face fills the screen, and her eyes are wide like she’s already had her coffee, unlike me.

“Gracie, you have to hear about this guy I want to set you up with!” she exclaims.

“Eira, can we talk about this later? I’m already running late for work,” I say, trying to find my keys among the clutter on the table.

“Fine, but just let me tell you one thing -” Eira insists.

“Eira,” I interrupt, “I’ve told you before, I’m done with blind dates.”

“Come on, Gracie, just give it a chance,” she pleads.

“Remember the last guy you set me up with?” I ask, finally finding my keys and slipping them into my bag. “He spent the entire date talking about his collection of antique spoons!”

“Okay, okay, that was a mistake. But this time it’s different, I promise!” Eira declares, her enthusiasm undeterred.

“Or what about the guy before that? He brought his mother along!” I say, my voice rising in frustration. “I can’t keep going through these disastrous attempts at romance. It’s exhausting.”

“Alright, alright,” Eira concedes, raising her hands defensively. “But if you change your mind, just let me know.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” I mutter, grabbing my bag and rushing out the door.

My life has become a series of unwanted blind dates and pitying looks from friends and family ever since my now ex called off our wedding. The heartbreak is still fresh, but I know it was the right decision. Despite the loneliness that seems to cling to me like a stubborn shadow, I’m determined to regain control of my life and prove that I don’t need anyone’s pity or unsolicited help. That voyage starts with focusing on my work and leaving the search for love behind, at least for now.

I arrive at the office, a sleek high-rise building in downtown Miami that houses the headquarters of the Holidates App company. The scent of coffee and vanilla greets me as I step through the doors. Determined not to let my personal life interfere with my professional one, I take a deep breath and head towards my desk.

My role at Holidates is centered around customer relations and user experience. I’ve always had a talent for understanding people’s needs, and it’s helped me become an expert in my field. My organized desk and motivational decor give me a sense of control and purpose that I crave in my personal life. As I settle into my chair, I water my potted plant and glance at the framed quote on my wall: “Resilience is the key to success.”

“Morning, Gracie!” my coworker, Allison, calls out as she walks past my desk. “How was your weekend?”

“Same old, same old,” I reply with a smile, not wanting to delve into the details of my latest blind date debacle. Instead, I steer the conversation towards work. “Any updates on the new features we’re rolling out this month?”

“Mostly good news! Just a few minor bugs to fix, but the team is working on that,” she answers cheerfully. “Oh, and Ms. Halliday sent her regards. She said she’s looking forward to our video conference this morning.”

I nod, appreciating the working relationship I have with the co-owner of the Holidates App, who is mostly remote but still an integral part of the company. She has 3 sons who all play professional sports. One son plays professional football, and the other two play pro hockey, which is a world I used to love before everything changed. Now, though, at least it’s a small connection to the world of hockey that I can have when she shares stories about her boys.

Coffee in hand, I immerse myself in my tasks, focusing on improving the app’s interface and addressing any concerns raised by users, and before I know it, a few hours have passed and the conference call is underway.

“Gracie, do you have any ideas on how we can make the user experience more intuitive?” my boss, Rose Halliday, asks during a brainstorming session.

“Absolutely,” I say confidently, launching into a detailed explanation of potential changes and improvements. My colleagues nod in agreement.

Work is the opposite of a boyfriend relationship. Work is data and numbers that are solid and unwavering to always equal a solid answer. Relationships are full of questions with answers that have unstable responses, leaving you to always wonder if you’ve said or done the right thing. Or did you just fuck it all up.

My stomach grumbles, reminding me that it’s time for a much-needed lunch break. I head to the break room and heat up my meal, then sit at one of the tables by the window, enjoying the warm Miami sunlight streaming in. As I savor my food, I feel a sense of calm wash over me. Maybe everything will work out in the end.

That is until my phone buzzes with an incoming text message, instantly breaking my moment of tranquility. It’s from my sister, Hannah.

Hannah: Hey Gracie, just wanted to check in about the wedding. You know you need a plus one, right? Have you found someone yet?

I can practically hear her concern through the screen, making me feel even more nervous than before. My fingers hover over the keyboard, unsure of what to say. I don’t want to disappoint her, but I’m also not ready to put myself out there again, especially after my string of disastrous blind dates.

Me: Hey Hannah, don’t worry about it. I’m still figuring it out, but I’ll have someone by the time the wedding comes around.

Hannah: Okay, just let me know if you need any help. Remember that Eira has some single friends if you’re interested.

The mere thought of another blind date makes my stomach churn. I’ve had enough bad experiences to last a lifetime - the guy who couldn’t stop talking about his ex, the one who spent the entire evening on his phone, and, worst of all, the date who tried to take me to a strip club for dinner. No, thank you.

Me: Thanks, but I think I’ll manage.

The last thing I need is for Hannah or Eira to set me up with someone else who will only disappoint me further.

I glance at the clock on my phone and realize that lunch is almost over. With a sigh, I gather my things and prepare to return to work. As I head back to my desk, I reaffirm my commitment to focus on my career and let love come to me when it’s ready – or not at all. And if that means going solo to my sister’s wedding, so be it. What’s most important right now is reclaiming my life, dignity, and sense of self-worth.

Settling back into my chair at the office, I shake off the lingering feelings of doubt and frustration. My workspace, adorned with motivational quotes and a few personal touches, offers a sense of comfort amidst the chaos of my life. The recap notes that I’m typing out for the meeting earlier remind me that this is where I excel, which is in my job as a customer relations and user experience specialist at the Holidates app company.

I take a deep breath and refocus on the task at hand. My current project involves analyzing user feedback to identify areas for improvement in our app’s interface. I meticulously comb through the data, highlighting patterns and trends that will help us enhance the overall user experience. This level of attention to detail has earned me recognition within the company and allowed me to establish a strong working relationship with Rose.

Throughout the afternoon, I immerse myself in my work, letting the hum of technology around me bring me a sense of calm. I may not have everything figured out in my personal life, but in my career, I know I can make a difference.

As the day draws to a close, I look over the progress I’ve made and feel accomplished. I’ve managed to identify several key areas where we can improve our app, and I know my contributions will ultimately lead to a better experience for our users.

I wrap up my work and prepare to head home, but the nagging thoughts about my sister’s wedding and finding a plus one persist. I try to push them aside, reminding myself that I’ve already made the decision to focus on my own well-being and happiness. However, deep down, I feel the weight of expectation bearing down on me.

With a sigh, I gather my belongings and leave the office. I step out into the bustling streets of downtown Miami and tell myself that I’ll figure it out somehow – after all, resilience is the key to success, right?

How is it that when you have a focus in your mind, then you seem to automatically always start to see those things right in front of you? It’s like when you buy a new car, and immediately you start seeing the same type of car everywhere. When you never noticed it before.

It’s like now. Every day as I walk down the same busy street I’ve walked down for a year now from my office. Now I notice couples walking hand in hand or laughing over a shared joke. Seeing it makes a part of me miss that kind of connection. Yet, a flash of the last blind date disaster appears in my mind, and I shake my head.

“Focus on work, Gracie,” I mutter to myself, trying to regain control of my thoughts.

The Daily Grind, a local coffee shop and cafe that my coworkers and I frequent for our coffee fix comes into view. I could seriously use a pick-me-up right now, and decide to remedy that by swinging the glass door open and stepping in.

“Hey, Gracie!” calls out Allison, as she spots me from a corner table. She’s joined by a few others from the Holidates office, all gathered around a laptop, deep in discussion.

“Hey!” I smile warmly and approach them. “What are you guys working on?”

“Going over some final details for the upcoming Miami Kings game event. We had an unusual amount of date request for it,” Allison explains. “Trying to iron out any possible issues with the app’s integration.”

“Ah, the Kings,” I say with a small smile, recalling Rose’s son, Bennett, that plays for them. “Have you figured out if the requests are legit or is it a glitch in the app?”

“It’s all legit. We see that now, thanks to your earlier suggestions about the bug fixes,” Mark chimes in, giving me an appreciative nod. “Your attention to detail has been invaluable.”

“Thanks, Mark. I’m just doing my part to ensure our users have the best experience possible,” I reply modestly.

“Anyway, we should let you get home,” Allison says, noticing my bag and the tired lines around my eyes. “We’ll catch up tomorrow at the office.”

“Sounds good,” I agree, waving goodbye as I order my to go coffee and exit the cafe. Their words of affirmation soothe my frayed nerves.

Miami’s sights and sounds surround me on the rest of my way home, reminding me to be grateful for the life I’ve built here.