Right Man, Right Time (The Vancouver Agitators, #3)(117)

“Sort of. He wasn’t happy in the email and made a dig that if I don’t want to listen to the assignments, other candidates would gladly take my position for the extended internship.”

“He said that? Damn. That’s not good.”

“I know,” I say on a groan. “I’ve worked so hard to get to where I am, Ross. What am I supposed to do now? What if he gives me another assignment on the Agitators? I can’t write that piece. But if I go against him, he could seriously make sure I don’t ever get a job after college, and then what? I go back home?”

“Okay, I can hear you’re spiraling a touch. First of all, you got credit for the internship, so that’s good. That’s all you needed, so pat yourself on the back. And you did it without compromising Silas. Now, as for the rest of the internship, I’d take it one day at a time. Meet with him, feel out Roberts and see where his head is at. It would be best if you probably reminded him of where you excel, maybe even come in with a few assignment ideas, how you can be beneficial to the company, and see what he says from there.”

“That’s a good idea,” I say, feeling the tension slightly ease from my chest. “If I go into the meeting prepared, then I can at least provide him with options rather than him dictate. I mean, he will dictate, but if I can sell myself on the lifestyle brands while emphasizing my piss-poor hockey reporting, maybe he’ll ease up.”

“I think it’s a great idea. And before you meet with him, please talk to me about your ideas first. We don’t need you going in there with anything lame. You need to wow him.”

“Oh, I will,” I say. “Trust me, I won’t do anything stupid, not with so much on the line.”

“Good,” he answers. “Okay, so yes to the donuts?”

I chuckle. “Are the donuts for me, or are they for you?”

“You know I always use you as a scapegoat when it comes to pastries.”

“Yes to the donuts.”

“Okay, I’ll grab two boxes just because I know you love them so much.”

“Uh-huh.” I laugh. “We can eat them tonight while we brainstorm some ideas.”

“Sounds perfect. Have fun at work.”

“Thanks, text you later.” I hang up and then open up my text thread with Silas.

Ollie: Got an email from Roberts today (finally). Said that I got credit for the internship. Only took him long enough.

Lucky for me, Silas texts right back.

Silas: Babe, that’s awesome!

Ollie: I feel relieved. Now I just have to talk with him about my journey and where I’m headed in the company.

Silas: Got to love those conversations. When is the article being published?

Ollie: A few days he said.

Silas: I’ll look out for it so I can print it and frame it.

Ollie: You know that’s not the first article I’ve written, right?

Silas: Who said framing it was for you? I like to frame everything that has my name on it.

Ollie: Oh my God.

Silas: LOL. Seriously though, you can add it to a scrapbook for us. You know, create one of those so we can look back at how we started.

Ollie: I’ve actually collected a few things for a scrapbook with you in it.

Silas: Really?

Ollie: Yeah, just some things like a napkin from the bar where we first kissed, and pictures we’ve taken, and some pamphlets from the zoo . . .

Silas: Well fuck, babe, that’s really cute. Is there anything I can look at yet?

Ollie: No, it’s just a collection right now, but hopefully, once I catch up on everything, I can put together a little book for us.

Silas: I can help.

Ollie: You’d want to help with my scrapbook?

Silas: Hell yeah. Do you need supplies? I can get you one of those letter-cutting machines.

Ollie: A Cricut? That’s okay. LOL. I like to keep it simple.

Silas: Well, you let me know if that changes. I’d be more than happy to grab some things for you.

Ollie: Thank you. But if you really want to help, then that could be something fun we do together, when of course we’re not fucking.

Silas: Fucking first, then scrapbooking.

Ollie: I feel like we’re becoming so domesticated.

Silas: How do you feel about that?

Ollie: Perfect.





Chapter Twenty-Four





SILAS





“I’ll have the steak as well,” Pacey orders. “Medium. Thank you.” He hands his menu to the server.

“Great. If you need anything else, just let me know. Enjoy.”

Holmes, Posey, Pacey, and I all reach for a piece of bread at the same time. I go with the pumpernickel, Posey dives for the rye, and Holmes and Pacey are stuck with plain.

While we butter our bread, Pacey says, “See that picture Hornsby sent of Holden? His kid is cute as shit.”

Hornsby and Penny just had their baby. We met him the other day, and to our surprise, they named him Holden after Halsey’s brother who passed away. Holmes felt so honored. He even teared up when he held little Holden. It was a nice moment for all of us.

“Of course the kid would be cute,” Posey says. “They’re both really good-looking people.”

“That means shit,” I say. “It’s really up for grabs when it comes to the kind of baby people can make.”