Page 27 of Obsessed

“We all have bad days,” Liam stated, his eyes as gentle as his smile, which widened as Finn snuck up behind Ollie, wrapping arms around him. At first, he gently kissed Ollie’s cheek but with a smirk at Rain and Liam, that kiss turned into a raspberry.

“My makeup!” Ollie play-slapped his arm but he blushed, giggling, and Finn and Liam joined him, their laughter echoing down the hall.

Rain managed to crack a smile, his mind stuck on the interaction. Most of the time he wondered why someone wanted a relationship; he’d never wanted to be anchored down to something that would eventually fail. But this time his brain flipped on its side, picturing him and Mason in place of Ollie and Finn, and he didn’t want to gag. In fact, his cheeks flushed.

Shaking himself, he tried to clear his mind but all he could think about was Mason. How his face smoothed out when he slept, looking younger without the frown, how gentle he was with Mouse and how he allowed her to use him as a perch, how varied his expressions were, and how easily Rain could read them.

And how much Rain wanted to see him, right now. This was ridiculous; he needed to get his head examined because he was acting obsessed.

“My favorite people!” Owen came in from the side stairs. Stopping next to Liam, he kissed his temple. “Hi, Angel.”

“Hi! Rain was showing us pictures of his kitten.” Liam proclaimed, stars in his eyes as he looked up at Owen. Rain swallowed, hoping that he didn’t look at Mason the same way, and held out his phone so The Pointe’s venue manager could see Mouse’s photo.

“What a little cutie!” Owen gushed in the same way Liam did, like they were two peas in a pod, and then his attention shifted to the group. “I’m glad you’re all here because we’re getting seven additional staff members today. Three more people in the morning to take care of deliveries and prep, and four new servers who are downstairs now. So, please keep an eye out and help anyone who needs it?”

“Roger that,” Finn saluted him.

“My name isn’t Roger, it’s Owen,” he grinned. According to The Pointe’s lore, Owen and Finn had been best friends for decades, but Rain had figured that out during his first week. Liam and Ollie were also best friends now, so their little foursome was either adorable or annoying depending on who you asked.

“Don’t with the dad jokes?” Ollie melodramatically put the back of his hand on his forehead. “I cannot take it, sir!”

“What if I told a real joke?” Putting his hands in his pockets, Owen smiled broadly. “What makes a joke a dad joke?”

“It becomesapparent,” Liam quipped, tucking in his lips and trying not to laugh as everyone groaned.

Ollie pointed a finger at Liam. “Traitor!”

“That was my line, Angel.” Owen drooped like a dog that had been denied a treat.

Liam reached up, patting Owen’s head. “I promise, you can have the next one.” Standing on his toes, he placed a kiss on Owen’s cheek and Owen lit up, his brilliant smile back on display.

“I’ll check on the new recruits,” Rain announced, his teeth hurting from the sweetness and his brain hurting from whatever was going on with him and Mason.

Giving them all a wave, he went to the kitchen and scoped out the four new servers who stood around Angelo. One of them was a solid eight on Rain’s bangable scale which meant he should be climbing the man by the second course but, once again, Rain didn’t care.

“He’s nice, right?” Emma gave the lanky waiter a considering glance.

“He is,” Rain agreed, trying to muster up interest but continuously falling flat. What was this strange phenomenon?

“Mhhmm…” Emma drawled and Rain could feel her eyebrow raise. “So, what’s his name?”

“Who’s name? That guy?” Rain gestured in his direction.

“No. The guy who’s got you lockeddown.” Her sly smile told him that she’d been watching.

“I-I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Unable to look her in the eyes, Rain busied himself with smoothing back his hair again, staring at the floor.

“You’re a bad liar.” Emma pursed her lips, tutting. “Did you think you could stop the soap opera without anyone noticing?”

“I just moved! I’ve been busy!” Rain huffed, meeting her gaze.

“Mhhmm…” This one was saturated in sarcasm. “And you still haven’t told me his name but my money is on Mason.”

He thought he hid his reaction well but Emma saw right through him.

“Get the fuck out of here.” She frowned in thought and then nodded. “Wow. I thought you had to be a camera to land him.”

Rain barked out a laugh. “I did too but like…” He shrugged after a minute. “I dunno.”

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