Page 37 of Addicted

“You didn’t get the email this morning?” Marci tilted her head, her ponytail swinging to one side.

“I didn’t check it.” Emails made him anxious. Most of the time they held bad news or needed him to do something.

“How do younotcheck your email? Anyway, you didn’t answer my question.”

“What question?”

Marci gave him the patient smile she gave to bridezillas.

“Was. This. Your.Doing?“ With each word she flicked the page in Liam’s hands and he took a step back.

“I…no? Why would you think I had anything to do with it?” Liam wished he had come in through the side door.

“Because you and Owen have been besties since his first day. Not that I’m jealous or anything.”

A flush warmed Liam’s cheeks. He’d been so wrapped up in managing his feelings about Owen that he’d forgotten other people were watching.

“Hey, stop with the scandalized blushing, I didn’t mean anything unsavory!” Marci flapped her hands at him. “You’re his assistant so I thought he asked you about it. Or you asked him.”

“You see a therapist too, right?”

“No. The serving staff gets the cheapest health insurance. It doesn’t have mental health coverage.”

Liam realized that Marci was right, thismighthave something to do with him. The drugs were making him slow; he should have remembered that snippet of conversation sooner.

“I don’t knoooooow.” Marci smiled knowingly, singing the last word. “I still think it hadsomethingto do with you.”

She snatched the paper away and was across the room before Liam had a chance to respond.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” His denial echoed through the foyer.

“Suuuuure,“ Marci shot back as she disappeared. Her biting sarcasm made Liam want to speak with Owen immediately. As he beelined up the stairs he checked his email and lodged among the spam was the letter in question, along with an attached info packet that confirmed everything he’d seen on Marci’s printout.

Stopping in front of Owen’s office, Liam put his phone away. The blinds were closed but the door was cracked open. Hesitating, Liam peered into the room.

Owen sat in front of his computer in a smart blue dress shirt that matched his eyes. His tie was still on and, since the workday had just started, it hadn’t been flung over his shoulder yet. Sunlight streamed through the window behind his desk and it shone in his hair, making it look like spun gold as it played across his skin. Liam’s fingers twitched. He wanted to trace the sun on Owen’s face, touch him in any way that he could, and the intense need was overwhelming and surprising. Liam knew he felt things for Owen, things that were more than a crush, things that remained unspeakable, unthinkable, and those things - thosefeelings -were strong enough to steal his breath.

“Are you going to come in?” Owen called out in an amused voice, his eyes never leaving the screen.

Liam jumped. It was unnerving how Owen always seemed to know where he was or what he was thinking. Taking in a deep breath, Liam entered the office and closed the door fully behind him, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation and use it as rumor fuel.

“Good morning, Liam. Did you check your e-mail today?” Owen cut right to the chase, taking a sip of coffee from a mug that had a picture of The Pointe on one side and the wordsLove is The Pointe of Lifeon the other. Liam was so busy watching how Owen’s lips gripped the edge of that mug that he almost forgot about the question.

“Y-Yeah.” He shook himself, trying to focus through the temptation. “You changed our health insurance?” He wanted to ask more than that, like whydidOwen change it? Did he do it because of their conversation? Or because Liam looked like he needed help? He was more cautious than embarrassed. His life was slowly becoming a house of cards and it was getting more difficult to balance it all.

“Yes!” Owen was beaming, obviously proud of what he’d done. “It’s the same company but a better plan, a much higher tier. After my conversation with John-”

“You talked to John?” Liam’s voice was wobbly.

“There was some talking, then some yelling, then some talking-”

“Wh-What?Why?”

“Because John doesn’t appreciate his employees and if he wants to reduce turnover, then he needs to offer some perks. Your old health insurance wasn’t sufficient.” Putting the mug down, Owen steepled his fingers, looking at Liam over them. “So, I made somesuggestionsto John. On the first of the month everyone will level up. No more deductibles and you will all have vision, dental, and mental health coverage.”

Liam tried not to cringe at those last three words and turned away, studying the pattern of sunlight on the wall. Changing the company’s health insurance for one employee was favoritism and he couldn’t wrap his head around it or his feelings would get spun up in it too.

“Liam.” Owen’s voice was softer than usual and Liam’s eyes slowly tracked back to him, finding nothing but sincerity on his face. “I’m trying to make good changes and upgrading our health insurance was on my long list of things that needed fixing here. I should have made this change right after I started but, as you know, I’ve spent a great deal of my time playing catch-up. Once we spoke about it I realized that it needed to be a priority.”

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