"WE DON'T USE IDS, but you'll learn everyone eventually. There aren't many of us." Finn shuffles more of his papers and places one on the table in front of me. "Sign here."I sign my name for the sixtieth time today and he takes the paper back. Finn came back this morning and took me on a tour of the first floor offices. There aren't cubical walls. Instead, the desks are staged in a sort of circle. Actually I'm not sure there's any kind of reason to the layout. I envision on move-in day everyone picked a random spot in the room they liked and set up shop. We met each of the guys and even a few girls and so far they all seem nice and happy to have a new receptionist. I hope I can live up to the hype Finn's given everyone here.While I completed the first batch of paperwork, Finn taught me the phone system and rules for running the desk... there aren't any. He promised if I used common sense on the job I'd be fine, but I worry. If it's that easy, why couldn't keep someone in this pos
Finn and I set up the large dishes of various pasta noodles and sauce containers for those employees who will eat in the building for today's buffet style lunch. Finn places the final custom ordered dish on an empty desk and leaves them with extra napkins."You'll learn everyone's needs once you start placing the lunch orders." His words sound innocent, but he stresses the word needs a bit longer, and it leaves me worried there's more to his casual comment.I crumple up the now empty bag and walk it to the large trash can on the side wall. Above the table a clock like you find in every high school classroom ticks away the seconds past 12:15. We didn't deliver a meal to Trey's office although Finn pointed it out as we walked by. The wooden door was sealed shut and the blinds tightly closed over the big window beside it. Grant never walked out my way this morning and Mari hasn't either. I check his still closed door again and tell my brain I don't care who's in there with him."Are
"I'll set up the doughnuts when they get here in about twenty and then place the lunch order between ten and ten-thirty." I sum up my morning plan to Finn as we walk into the RDA building together.He opens the door for me and I slide past him to drop my purse off at the front desk. My black Gucci heels click on the tile floor as I walk to the small coat closet where Trey and I had our encounter Monday.Trey wasn't here yesterday, off to some meeting elsewhere in town, but I haven't missed him leaning up against my desk watching my every move as we walked in this morning. I'm pretending he doesn't affect me. He's a little more dressed up today in a pair of tan khakis and a light blue long sleeve button down shirt. He hasn't rolled up the sleeves yet, but it won't take long. His face is still soft even with his ever trimmed stubble and he doesn't appear to be upset about my attempt to ignore him. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. By the time I leave the small room, his smirk borde
Three bags stuffed with subs dangle from my hands. Today's lunch. The inner office door opens from the other side and I step back.I peek up from where the bags are cutting the circulation off from my fingers to see Trey stopped to hold the door open. "Here, let me help."He takes two bags from me and my fingers ache as the blood flow returns. "Thanks."Together we walk to the long table on the side wall of the open office space."I'd planned to ask if you wanted to do lunch today since we still haven't made up for Monday, but it looks like you're busy."An undignified noise escapes me and then I follow it up with actual words, "Finn left me in charge of food by myself today. I need to pass it all out."He smiles but is quick to cover it up when my frown deepens. "I'll help. We wouldn't want a repeat of the doughnut incident this morning."Another pft-like noise answers his reminder of the jelly hell from this morning's snack mix up. I should've known there was more to hi
The large lobby clock counts down the seconds and I chart each one as the second hand ticks its way around the circle. Eleven minutes and twenty-eight seconds until the work day ends. Eleven minutes and twenty-six seconds until I skip out those doors happy to have survived this Melvin filled day.I wonder how many people quit because of Melvin? Why does Finn keep him? Ten minutes and fifty-six seconds. Aspen's man comes off as sweet and laid back. Maybe he has a soft spot for Manic Melvin? Ten minutes and fifty-one seconds. Maybe Menacing Melvin has an important job? Like if they created bombs, he'd be the guy with the second launch key. Would anyone trust Melvin with the second key? I wouldn't.At ten minutes and forty-seven seconds, there's movement to my left and my eyes automatically track it. There's nothing on the desk except a few pens and the pop-up calendar. Weird. I hope a spider or some other creepy crawling hasn't tried to make my desk his new home.Ten minutes and th
Time slows and eventually my cries even out. I'm able to gain control of my ragged breathing. Trey doesn't say anything, but he continues to rub my back in small circles. After a few more minutes, I've quieted enough to talk again and the embarrassment over what happened in this closet makes my body tight for new reasons. Trey must think I'm a mess. Who am I kidding? I am a mess.I move my head away from his shoulder and wipe a hand down it even though my palm does nothing to soak up the wetness my tears left behind. "I'm so sorry." I attempt to inch away from him, but his grip tightens keeping me in place. My eyes are tired, but they can't take much in from the black closet. A thin line of light brightens the floor from the bottom and I remember I'm at work."God. I can't go back out there like this," I moan and put my head back into Trey's wet sleeve."Don't worry. Everyone's probably left by now and no one comes out this way anyway. The back entrance is closer to the parking l
I jerk awake. The rattle of Aspen's wooden door jarred against the frame so loud I almost fall off the couch in panic. Please, dear God, not another earthquake. Sunlight streams into the room and pools on the floor from a split where two curtain panels come together. The door rattles again and I sit up on the pull-out couch and bring the covers up to my chest."Aspen! Simone!" The noise carries through to the apartment and I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm pretty sure a robber wouldn't call out for us first.Aspen's bedroom door opens as she fixes her askew ponytail and walks to the kitchen. "I'm coming!" she yells toward the door. "Don't worry. Only Finn, Mar, and my sister-in-law have the code, and only Jake has the meaty fists required to make the door shake with such passion."Her long fleece pajama pants are white with big orange SF logos all over them. They match the logo on her short sleeve shirt. She's seems nonchalant rather than worried why Finn would try to break down he
"No, of course not," he reaches Aspen and wraps his arms around her.In one sudden movement Jake is off his chair. "Well now that it's settled, show us to the boxes."Wait, it's all settled? Jake strolls toward the bedroom where he piled the boxes the first time. He's a man of few words, but when he speaks, people listen because within seconds we all follow behind him.I guess everything's settled. I'd like a few minutes to process the latest development in my life, but Jake, Finn, and Trey all walk out of Aspen's room, each with a box, and head out the front door. I open my mouth to say...well something... but don't. I'm sure when I wake up in a real bed tomorrow, I'll have less reservations about it all. At least I hope that's the case.... Jake drops the last box in the middle of the small living room I now call my own and gives a swift wave as he heads out the door."The places come furnished or not, depending on what the employee needs. So I left everything here for y