A stranger sat at her table, claiming to be her soulmate. Roxy looked at the man before her, then glanced around the restaurant.

‘My husband will be here soon,’ she said.

The man smiled, ‘I know, but you need to listen to me.’

‘I don’t believe in soulmates.’ Roxy said.

The man lowered his gaze before lifting his face and looking her in the eye again. Roxy gave him a quick smile and looked for her husband.

‘Why?’ she asked.

‘You don’t remember me, do you?’ the stranger asked.

Roxy shook her head. There was something about the man’s face she thought recognised, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

‘We met long ago,’ the stranger said.

Roxy glanced once more towards the door. In her mind, everything appeared to have slowed down. The room seemed quieter as if everyone was listening to their conversation.

‘I don’t think we have. I would have remembered,’ Roxy said.

‘You might not. It was when we were just children,’ the stranger said, his eyes keeping perfect contact with hers.

Roxy, for the first time, looked him in the eye. They were the darkest grey, and she didn’t recall seeing eyes that colour. Or did she? A niggle, in the back of her mind was telling her differently.

‘You do remember, why have you chosen to hide it?’ the stranger asked.

‘I haven’t, and I do not remember. If you don’t mind, I am waiting for my husband,’ Roxy said.

‘What if I told you he isn’t coming.’

Roxy smiled at the man, then stopped.

‘Why would you say that?’ she asked.

The stranger before her shrugged. The more she looked at the man, the more she became convinced she did know his face, but what was it giving her that thought? Roxy tried to recall her childhood years. She had few friends, most of whom were girls as far as she could remember. But she stared at him. There had been this boy. He had always made her smile and laugh. Could this be him?

‘Your husband is not a good man,’ the stranger said, interrupting her thoughts.

‘How would you know?’ Roxy asked. A name came to mind. She closed her eyes for a second and looked towards the door again.

‘I know him, and I worked for him for a short time. You cannot trust him, Roxy,’ he said.

‘Who are you?’ Roxy asked.

‘I told you I am your soulmate. We met at secondary school. You hung about with that girl called Chloe.’

Roxy sat back in the chair for the first time since she had arrived at the restaurant. Chloe had been her best friend and confidant.

‘Brandon?’ she said.

The man, who was no longer a stranger, smiled and nodded. Roxy felt a smile form on her face as her memories of him came flooding back. Sitting next to him in English, they laughed at break time.

‘I remember,’ she said.

‘I knew you would.’

‘But we aren’t soulmates,’ Roxy said, gathering her composure and sitting up straight again.

‘We are. We were supposed to be together,’ Brandon said.

‘But you left me,’ Roxy said, her voice wavered slightly. That day broke her. She recalled all the tears that fell. The pain she had felt when she knew he wasn’t going to come back.

‘I had no choice,’ Brandon said.

‘As I said before, I’d like you to go. My husband will be here soon,’ Roxy said,’ she looked Brandin right in the eye.

‘And I said he won’t.’

‘How would you know that?’ Roxy asked.

‘I know,’ Brandon replied. Before Roxy could press for more, the waiter stopped by the table and asked if they were ready to order.

‘No, I am waiting for my husband,’ Roxy said. The waiter looked from her to Brandon and back again.

‘He is not my husband,’ Roxy said.

The waiter smiled and walked away. Roxy glared at Brandon.

‘I need you to go,’ she said.

Brandon got to his feet. Roxy looked up into the eyes of the man before her. She didn’t want him here. She didn’t want to like him, to reconnect with him. But the urge to ask him to stay was strong.

‘He is not coming because he can’t,’ Brandon said.

‘What do you mean?’ Roxy asked. She wished he would stop looking at her. It felt like his eyes were drawing her in. Roxy pushed her chair back and got to her feet. The hunger she felt earlier was no longer apparent. Brandon also reached his feet and moved around the table to stand beside her.

‘Shall we leave?’ he asked.

‘No, I want you to leave,’ Roxy said, ‘When I get back, I want you gone.’ With that, she walked away from the table. Roxy glanced back once. Brandon was still there, but he had now sat back down. Roxy sighed.

The evening air was chilly. Shivering, Roxy took her phone from her bag and speed-dialled her husband. The phone rang and rang. Then the voicemail kicked in.

‘Tyler, where are you?’ she said. Roxy hung up the call and turned to head back inside. A glance through the window, she saw Brandon still at the table. He was sipping a glass of wine.

Roxy took her phone out again and called for a taxi. She could not go back in there, mostly because she didn’t know what she would do next. Brandon was beginning to affect her. The same effect he had all those years ago. A connection so deep that I had taken many years to let it go.

Perhaps he was her soulmate, if that thing even existed. When her phone began buzzing, she turned from the window and answered the call.

‘Tyler, thank goodness. Where are you?’ she asked.

‘Mrs Reese,’ a strange voice came through the earpiece.

‘Yes,’ Roxy said, not recognising the voice.

‘My name is George. I work with your husband,’ the man said.

‘Right,’ Roxy said.

‘Do you know where he is right now?’ George asked.

Roxy felt the frown and stole another glance into the restaurant. Brandon was still at the table, sipping some wine.

‘Well, he should be here with me for our anniversary dinner,’ Roxy said. She was finding it hard to tear her eyes away from Brandon.

‘He left here about six o’clock and said he had something to do before returning to finish up. He did mention your dinner date,’ George said.

Roxy saw Brandon turn in his chair and watched as he looked out the window. A smile came to his face. Before she could stop herself, Roxy smiled back. Then, she realised what she was doing. As she turned, she saw Brandon retake his seat.

‘Mrs Reese,’ George’s voice came through.

‘Yes, I don’t know where he is,’ Roxy said.

‘I have tried to call him, but it went to answerphone,’ George said.

‘Same,’ Roxy said, ‘I will head home and check there. I will get back to you.’

‘Thank you,’ George said. The call ended, and instead of heading for her car, Roxy headed inside the restaurant. Brandon got to his feet as she approached.

‘Where is my husband?’ she asked.

Brandon sighed.

‘I don’t know,’ he replied.

‘But you know he isn’t coming here,’ Roxy said. She sat and sighed.

‘Yes,’ Brandon replied. He waved over a waiter and ordered her a drink.

‘How?’ Roxy asked.

Brandon shrugged, ‘I do. Does it matter?’

‘Of course, it matters. You come here claiming to be my soulmate and that my husband of six years isn’t coming to our anniversary meal.’

‘I am your soulmate. We’re destined to be together. Nothing can change that.’

‘Except I am married, how often do I need to say it?’ Roxy said. The waiter arrived with her drink, and she took a lip drink from the glass.

‘It doesn’t matter. Things like that are irrelevant,’ Brandon said.

Roxy looked at him. She wondered if he was being serious. That he genuinely believed the things he was saying. The look in his eyes told her that he did.

‘So, what are you saying exactly?’ Roxy asked. The more time she spent with him, the more she felt the connection, the pull of him growing.

‘He isn’t right for you. Divorce him and marry me. I will make you happy,’ he said.

‘How do you know I am unhappy now?’ she asked.

‘I can see it in your eyes. Your husband scares you. You are afraid of him.’

Roxy placed her glass on the table and began getting to her feet, stopping halfway up. Brandon was right. How could he be right? As she sat down, she sighed.

‘How do you know?’ she asked. The bruises were visible. At least, she didn’t think they were. Plus, it had been quite some time since Tyler last beat her.

‘Did you know he was married before you?’ Brandon asked.

Roxy shook her head.

‘It was to a friend of mine. He beat her. She almost died.’

Roxy felt her face flush; she picked up her glass and drank the rest of the wine. Then she called the waiter over and ordered another glass.

‘What happened to her?’ Roxy asked. She was afraid of the answer.

‘She died. He killed her. I know he did. But I don’t have proof.’

Roxy lowered her gaze for a second and then looked him in the eyes—those eyes, captivating and engaging.

‘Where is he?’ she asked.

‘With another woman. He has been seeing her for a while now,’ Brandon said. From his pocket, he took out his phone. After a few seconds, he turned the screen and showed her a picture of Tyler with a redhead on his arm.

A tear threatened to fall. Roxy shook it off and took Brandon’s phone. She looked at the screen and the woman, sure she knew her from somewhere.

‘He works with her; she is new to the company,’ Brandon said, picking up on her recognition of the woman. Roxy lifted her eyes once more and looked at him.

‘Why didn’t you tell me this right away?’ she asked.

‘How would that have looked? Me sitting down and telling you your husband was cheating,’ Brandon said.

‘Better than telling me we are soulmates and destined to be together.’ Roxy said.

‘Well, it is true. How can I convince you?’ Brandon asked. Roxy looked at him. She wasn’t sure he could. Besides, somewhere inside, she already knew the truth. Brandon was right. They were supposed to be together.

‘You can’t stay with a man who treats you like that. You deserve better,’ Brandon said.

Roxy looked at him; she smiled and nodded.

‘So, what happens next?’ she asked.

‘We eat and go from there,’ he said. Roxy felt her stomach rumble at the thought of food. They had been sitting there for ages, and the waiter was getting impatient.

‘Ok. Let’s order.’

They ate the three-course meal in a comfortable silence. When it was time to leave, Brandon asked Roxy what she wanted to do next.

‘Well, I don’t want to see him. I know that much,’ she said.

‘Then come home with me. I will look after you,’ Brandon said.

From that moment on, the stranger who sat at her table, the man she knew deep inside she was supposed to be with, her soulmate, became her everything.