Snuggle Application

TWELVE

EDMOND

“Mr. Walters, would you like me to order you some lunch? Your three o’clock just called and is running a half-hour late, so you have a small break.”

Usually, I was one to grumble but I had a lot on my plate. By a lot, I meant the girl I had to share my house with for the next twenty-eight days and that God-forsaken app. Not to mention that I truly appreciated that my meeting for three had been delayed. I was expecting the CEO of another agency. We were to talk about the future of the Ivy estate which we both ran jointly. It wasn't like I could tell the many who I barely knew that I had lost the deed to the property due to something as impulsive as a heartbreak. Regardless of how relieved I was, I had to put on a show.

“Why can’t people ever be on damn time?” I grumbled and pushed the button to the intercom to speak to my assistant. “Can you please order me linguine with bacon, peaches, and gorgonzola? And I am begging you, tell them to give it a rest with the peaches. Three slices should be enough. The last time you ordered from the diner, the guy who made my food must’ve been suffering from trauma of some sort.”

“Of course, Mr. Walters. I'll get right to it.”

I then opened my laptop to catch up on emails since my back-to-back meetings had turned into back-to-wait yet again. Scanning for anything important, my eyes stopped on one particular name in my inbox: Snuggle application.

No, I told myself. I wasn't doing this at work. I needed to get those bastards out of my head. The notification caused me to recall what had transpired this morning. Snuggle had beeped me with something they called a task. In return for finishing the task in question, I got back a huge chunk of my money which was good but I couldn't get it out of my head. The task had been quite simple. To offer May Wolfe back her job and relay to Snuggle whatever her answer would be. What irked me was that May rejected the offer. I had wanted it to be pride but one look in her eyes had convinced me otherwise. The girl, I had to admit was a strange one. Highly certain that the email would give me answers to the occurrence of this morning, I clicked.

Good day, Mr. Walters. You might have been curious in regards to the odd task we assigned to you earlier today. The truth is that Snuggle is very involved in getting Mrs. Walters to be her very best self as her partner, we expect your support. Our research has shown that it can be difficult to move forward in a relationship when one is still dwelling on problems and issues that they haven't resolved. Today for the first time in a long time, May Walters chose herself. A decision she might come to regret because she can be short-willed. Below is a bucket list she made when she was a teenager. If you can, do help her fulfill any. No matter how small and insignificant they might feel.

1. Be a fashion Icon.

2. Do something out of your comfort zone. (May Walters fulfilled this when she refused your offer.)

3. Conquer a fear.

4. Bleach your hair.

5. Try that food mom won't cook because she's allergic. (Your mother-in-law was allergic to shellfish therefore May has never tried them.)

Respectfully yours,

Snuggle application.

Whoa. That was a lot to take in. I read through again. Mrs. Walters? This app wasn't kidding around. Also, May rejected a stable job for this. I read through the diminutive bucket list again. I could hardly believe she had never bleached her hair. She looked like the type that would do impulsive s**t like that. Not to mention that she had never had shellfish. Weird couldn't even begin to describe May Wolfe. The most amusing one had to be the first. She once desired to be in the fashion world. She certainly didn't look the part. Perhaps she did. Perhaps she would If she did a wardrobe change.

Wait... Why was May dominating my mind? She didn't matter and I was definitely not getting involved with her. I knew exactly what Snuggle was up to. I had once been a teen who was obsessed with fairytales. This was a classic power move. Snuggle wanted me to spend time with this stranger in hopes that our forced proximity caused something unholy to sprout. It was a laughable gimmick. I reclined to my chair and laughed. But I had to confess, it was a hollow one. My mind took off to a time before I had installed the app. Their reviews were excellent. Frightening excellent. Was that what romance was all about, I was compelled to ponder. Was it all just brain chemistry? Would my opinions about May Wolfe begin to change the second I got to see her individuality in different contexts? It took a minute to brush it.

"Of course, that would never happen to you," I assured myself in a whisper as I toggled the mouse and hit up google. "Snuggle application," I muttered as I typed away. In seconds, the results appeared. Some felt like ads but one did catch my eye. It came from a blog. I circled the article with my mouse while I read the heading. I MET THE LOVE OF MY LIFE IN THE STRANGEST WAY, It read in all caps. I did want to click it. Heaven knows I wanted to hear something negative about that app but the heading alone was proceeding to disappoint. Cursing under my breath, I pressed the button of the intercom of my phone again.

"I need you to get something else from the diner."

"Sure Mr. Walters. What do you need?"

"Whatever seafood they got."

"Noted." My assistant said before the intercom went static. I was about to cut it when it came alive again. "Mr. Walters?"

"Yes?"

"A Tryone Davidson is here to see you." I was lost for a brief juncture until she added, "From the Davidson agency."

Fuck! That was our joint partner of the Ivy estate. "Let him in," I said.

Soon enough, the door to my office opened and I was greeted by the sight of Mr. Davidson. The man looked like he had been playing soccer for his entire life, or at least since he mastered walking. Under the designer ash suit was a lithe body that knew how to play and his face backed that up. Within his brown and mobile face were eyes that twinkled. A dead giveaway to his personality. He would be one to sway with his tongue. In just moments, his mouth reflected my impressions as they broke into a boyish grin. Behind him was... Lucille?

Great, just great.