Chapter 7: Boyd
Ten months ago
“Yo, Boyd.” I heard a voice behind me and I looked over my shoulder. “Check this shit out. Have you seen this Soulmate app?”
“No, I don’t really mess with that online dating shit. I get all the pussy I need without any help.” I put down my wrench and stood up.
“Well we can’t all be six foot seven with good genetics.” My co-worker, John, turned his cell phone screen towards me. “It matched me up with some rich bitch in Beverly Hills!”
“I’m going to guess she doesn’t want a mechanic from Kentucky.” I chuckled and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket. “You should stick with the meth-mouth whores that don’t have any teeth. At least you know what you’re getting with them.”
“No, I’m telling you, Boyd.” John shook his head back and forth. “This shit is supposed to be legit. Like, it’s all over the fucking news.”
“The news said Hillary Clinton was going to win the election, too.” I lit a cigarette and shoved my lighter back into my pocket. “Now look who’s running the country.”
“I don’t know, man. I’m going to message her. I could be a kept man. Just think about it. This bitch has probably never had a real dick inside her.” John started tapping on his phone.
“Yeah, why don’t you send her a picture of it. I hear that works great.” I walked outside and leaned against the wall.
I had pretty much given up on love, soulmates, and all that shit. I had a good girl once and I planned to marry her, but then she ran off with my best friend—well, my former best friend. I spent several months tracking them down and I would have killed them both if she hadn’t told me she was pregnant with his baby. That soured love to me. It was nothing more than weakness that could be used against you.
“Boyd, bro. She messaged me back! She wants to meet.” John walked out with a smile on his face, still staring at his cell phone. “She already used the app and saw that I was her soulmate, but was too scared to make the first move.”
“Sounds like love.” I rolled my eyes and took a drag off of my cigarette. “I guess you’re going to need some time off?”
“Yeah.” John’s smile got wider. “She can’t come out here, but she offered to fly me out to California so we can meet.”
“Great...” I nodded and sent my cigarette flying towards the parking lot with a flick of my fingers. “I guess I’ll be doing your work while you’re gone.”
“This is like—destiny, man. You should try this app!” John walked back inside, rapidly typing on his phone as he did.
Destiny—yeah, fuck destiny.
John left for Beverly Hills and I expected him to be on the first plane back once the girl he matched with realized he was just some poor redneck wanna-be thug from Kentucky. I didn’t think a rich girl that spent more money in a day than John earned in a month was going to have much use for him. I was wrong. A few days after he left, I got a phone call from him letting me know he wasn’t coming home. He was staying in Beverly Hills and had never been happier. They were already talking about marriage. I wished him the best, but when I hung up the phone, I was cursing. John was the best mechanic in the shop next to me and it wasn’t going to be easy to keep things going without him.
Now I have to find another mechanic that isn’t hooked on crack or meth. Fuck!
I spent a few days looking for a replacement, but the work piled up faster than I could manage on my own. I started missing deadlines and a few people took their business elsewhere. Money definitely wasn’t plentiful. One night, after I closed up and sat alone in my office with a beer, I decided to load the app and see what the fuss was about. I wondered if it would match me with some rich girl as well. If John was able to a get the fuck out of Kentucky that easily, maybe I could get in on that as well. I downloaded the app, put in my information, and asked it to find my soulmate. The response was a b
lank screen.
Well, that fucking figures.
PRESENT DAY
“Boyd, you have a phone call.” The girl that I paid to answer the phone part-time during the busiest part of the day motioned for me to come over to the front desk.
“I pay you to handle the customers.” I walked over and took the phone from her.
“Sorry, this guy says it’s personal.” She shrugged and started typing on her computer.
“Yeah, this is Boyd.” I pushed the phone against my ear.
“Hello, Boyd. My name is Ethan Prince.” He spoke with a confident tone, but I didn’t recognize the name.
“Do I know you?” I raised my eyebrows and tried to place his name, but it wasn’t familiar.
“I’m the guy that created Soulmate. I believe you’re familiar with it?” Even though he spoke with confidence, I could sense a bit of apprehension in his voice.