Page 36 of Ravenous

Maybe the third timewasthe charm.

His anxiety screamed, dread lurking and doubts laughing, but they couldn’t drown out the fact that Ollie wanted Finn. The universe was a cruel place and Ollie often felt scared and alone, but Finn was like a warm, weighted blanket on a cozy bed, where Ollie couldn’t sense the dread, andthatwas hard to resist, especially when Ollie had denied himself so much for so long.

Besides, he’d been keeping up with his post-Christmas routine and had managed to lose even more weight; soon he’d be able to float away from his future problems, escape their grasp, and evade tragedy. He’d been more than relieved that Finn had agreed to go at his pace and it made him confident that he could navigate the rocky path of his diet and body issues without feeling too much pressure. Of course, Finn would eventually want things to get physical but Ollie only needed to reach his goal, and then he’d be ready.

Taking several more gulps of coffee, Ollie reclined the seat a few inches and waited for the caffeine to wash away his headache. He’d found that a strong brew killed two birds with one stone, getting rid of the constant pounding in his skull while also keeping his hunger at bay. Coffee really was a miracle drug.

A few moments later the pain subsided and he sat back up, grabbing his phone and taking a few selfies. He’d dressed for the part, wearing black trousers and a black button-down that was bedazzled with small black jewels on the edges of the collar and sleeves, and while his makeup was minimal, his favorite pair of classic lashes made his eyes wide and doelike.

Selecting his favorite two photos, he addedMy first day of work at The Pointe! Wish me luck, lovelies! And please give them a follow - it’s part of my job. #thegrind #ThePointe #workworkworkalong with the brand name of his shirt, his lashes, both of their purchase codes, and The Pointe’s handle. Then he did a quick video for his story and stepped out of his car, taking the long way across the parking lot to the front door.

After a phone interview that had been more like a breezy conversation, Owen had Ollie start on a Monday, which was the last day of The Pointe’s work week. Most weddings happened on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays so the hall was closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as their weekend. Mondays and Thursdays rarely had weddings and were often filled with office retirement parties, afternoon birthday parties, or - like tonight - a small anniversary party. It was kind of Owen to let Ollie adjust and settle in before working a three-hundred-guest Saturday wedding, but even with that consideration, Ollie was still nervous.

“Hello, Sunshine.” Finn waited inside the doors, and Ollie found that sweet, eagerly returning his hug, happy to see him before their date. “Ready for day one?”

Ollie let out a long breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Let me walk you upstairs. Owen has a little surprise for you.”

“Surprise?” Ollie followed Finn up the grand staircase, his eyes on the crystal chandelier as he slowly rose above it.

“Nothing bad, I promise.” At the top, Finn opened a door markedEmployees Onlyand ushered Ollie into a long hallway. The first office on the right had a long glass wall that was currently covered by vertical blinds and they stopped in front of it.

“Here we are! Owen’s office.” Finn gestured at the door, which was open a crack, and then moved closer to Ollie, standing over him in a far-too-sexy way. “I’m looking forward to vampire movies with you tomorrow night.”

If Finn didn’t stop, Ollie would be going in there with his compass pointing north. “M-Me too.” He took a step back, clearing his throat. “Will I see you later?”

“I’ll do my best. I’ve got setup and then I’m heading over to the shop where the shuttle bus is being worked on, but I think I’ll be back before close.” He tucked a curl behind Ollie’s ear. “Good luck today, you’re gonna do great.”

Reaching up, Ollie grasped his hand, lacing their fingers together. “Why are you so nice to me?”

“You’ve asked me that before, you know,” Finn winked. “And it’s because you deserve it.”

Ollie’s cheeks burned hot enough to vaporize his foundation. “Charmer.”

“Always.” Finn raised their joined hands, placing a kiss across Ollie’s knuckles. “Now get in there and kick some ass.”

That got a quick laugh out of Ollie. Once Finn stepped away with a little wave and headed back downstairs, Ollie took a few deep breaths, hoping that he wasn’t still flushed, and knocked on Owen’s door.

“Come in. Hey there Ollie!” Owen had been typing at his desk, but he stood as soon as he saw Ollie, giving him a firm but not crushing handshake. “I’m so happy you decided to join us at The Pointe.”

“Thank you, and me too.” Ollie was still a little jittery from the caffeine but after talking to Finn and now sitting in front of Owen, who radiated enthusiasm and kindness, he felt more relaxed. “So, where do I get started?”

“First off, this is for you.” Owen picked up a sleek silver phone that had been sitting on the desk, handing it to Ollie. “It’s brand new.”

“Wait…” Ollie blinked at the beautiful technology in his hands. “You’re giving me a brand-new company phone on my first day?”

“You’re the social media manager, right?” Owen seemed amused.

“Yes.”

“How will you manage without one?”

“I usually just usemyphone but-”

“But nothing. And let me know if you need any paid apps, I’ll have them covered.”

Was Ollie dreaming? His last job had been with a small start-up and he’d had to share a desk with two other people as well as run things from his phone. This wasmuchbetter.

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