Page 10

OLLIE

“How about a family picture before dinner?” Ollie’s dad held up his phone, wiggling it, and everyone groaned.

“I’ll be the official photographer,” Ollie declared, snatching the phone out of his father’s hand, tapping the camera open, and changing the settings. “No offense, Dad, but the last pic you sent me had half your head in it.”

“It was a look,” his father winked, ushering everyone toward the fireplace.

“It sure was.” Ollie tried not to roll his eyes as he rooted through his bag. “Let’s use the tripod I brought. I’ll set the timer on the camera to ten seconds.” As he fiddled, placing the phone in the head mount, his family gathered in front of the fireplace next to the full and fluffy real tree. With a final adjustment, Ollie pressed the large white shutter button and darted over to them, squeezing between his two sisters. Biz draped an arm over his shoulder and he froze, but then he remembered that he’d layered up. With a thermal shirt and two fluffy sweaters he should be sweltering, but the combination fought off his constant chill so he was feeling fine. Even his makeup was flawless. Using a combination of contour, highlighter, and blush, his face looked full and ruddy, not pale and gaunt, and his mother had even commented on how healthy he looked.

“Take one more, I think I blinked,” Tommy insisted after the shutter sounded.

Ollie darted back and forth again, ignoring the dizziness, and it was worth it. The second picture was better. As he color-corrected it, Ollie marveled at how perfect they all looked together. His family was so photogenic; he’d love to do a livestream with them but Sophie didn’t like social media and Tommy gyrated like an exotic dancer whenever he was on video.

“Good work.” His father high-fived Ollie, who sent everyone the finished product before giving back the phone. “I’m glad you like the tennis racket.”

“I do!” Ollie beamed, beyond pleased with his Christmas gift. The minute he saw it, the first thing on his mind was playing a match with Finn. “I’d been looking at that one for a while. It’s a good weight and head size. I can’t wait to get it strung! Thank you again for the strings, Tommy.” He nodded at his brother, who toasted him with a pretzel rod.

“Tommy, stop snacking, we’re about to eat!” Biz tried to snatch it away but Tommy was faster, holding it above his head where she couldn’t reach.

“I’m a growing boy! I need a lot of fuel.” He lowered the stick to take a puff off it like it was a real cigar.

“Dinner is ready!” his mother called out from the kitchen, and they all moved to the dining room, sitting at a gorgeous table set with gold linen napkins and fancy porcelain plates. Shifting in his chair, Ollie readied himself. There was no way around it, he had to eat today. His family would be watching. There’d be glances out of the corners of eyes, meaningful looks between parents and siblings, things left unspoken but understood, and Ollie would feel it all.

So, once everything was in front of him, he helped himself like he never restricted and measured every calorie, staring at his plate once he was done. There was so much on it and he had to clear at least sixty percent and a little dessert to evade suspicion. That’s why he’d made a deal with himself. He was allowed to eat for today and not for the rest of the week; plus, he’d add in some extra runs and cardio in his room until he worked everything off. Spearing a green bean with his fork, he ignored the butter dripping from it, carefully placing it in his mouth.

“A little bird named Ollie told me that Liam Gray got engaged last night,” Biz announced, drowning her mashed potatoes in gravy.

“That’s wonderful news!” Ollie’s mother smiled widely, clapping her hands together and then holding them by her chest. “That boy deserves to be happy. Oliver, I’m so glad you befriended him again.”

“He’s a great guy. I helped him pick out the ring for his partner, who was also buying a ring.” With Finn. It was extraordinary how their lives ran parallel to each other. Sampling the turkey, he hummed as it practically melted in his mouth, not used to something so rich. “This is delicious, mom.”

She stared for a moment, her eyes traveling from his plate to his face and her smile grew. “Thank you. And is there anyone you’d like to tell us about?”

Ollie tried not to choke. As much as he wanted to gush about Finn, his mind was still muddled. He wanted to put the entire decision on hold until after the family holiday but it was constantly swirling in his head, and Finn’s sweet morning texts weren’t making things any easier. “Not right now?”

“Does that mean maybe later? So, there is someone?” His mother honed in and four more pairs of eyes joined her. He gave Biz a glance that said help me but it was Tommy who came to his rescue.

“I don’t think anyone cares but I have a girlfriend now,” he revealed around a mouthful of food.

All heads swiveled to him, and Ollie let out a breath, grateful that the pressure was off. He watched, picking up small morsels from his plate and chewing slowly as his family interacted, teasing each other, laughing, and being amazing as they always were. His father had placed a hand on his mother’s forearm and she gazed at him like he hung the moon. Biz and Tommy were elbowing each other over the last dinner roll, and Sophie was talking animatedly about the new wing at her hospital, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.

But all Ollie could feel was dread, hanging over him like a shroud, and he gripped his fork, trying not to let it clatter on the plate.

How many more joyful holidays would he get? Would this be the last one before his family started dissolving piece by piece? How long did his parents have? Would they meet the same fate as Liam’s mother and father, being snuffed out before their time? Or would they succumb to illness, withering away right in front of Ollie’s eyes? And what if something happened to Sophie? Or Biz? Or Tommy? This content and cozy family table would empty as he lost them one by one. Or would he be the first to go?

“Oliver, hun? Are you okay?” His mother’s voice cut through his thoughts and he looked up to find everyone watching him.

“U-Uh,” he coughed around the lump in his throat. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine.” Without thinking, he shoved half a roll into his mouth. An awkward silence lingered as his mother and father shared a brief glance before she smiled again.

“I was just checking.”

Ollie nodded, reassuring her, and even though the conversations resumed, they were a little stilted. Ollie tried to ignore the pallor he put on the meal and the specter that loomed above him, but once his mother pushed her chair back and stood, his dread grew exponentially, filling the room.

“Let’s clear the table and bring out dessert.”

On hands and knees, Ollie gasped for air as the room spun around him. Sweat dripped from his brow to the floor.

“Fifteen more seconds! Are you here to exercise? Or to train?” his laptop screamed. This was the second of three workouts and he was already exhausted. The Christmas calories were off but he didn’t want to break his momentum, for he’d busted through his last plateau, and when he checked his hips in the mornings they jutted out nicely. He was so close now, almost light enough.

His phone chirped and he reached up to pause the video before crawling over to it.

I wish I could see you tonight but, alas, I’m heading to work, sat across the lock screen. It made sense. Tonight was big for rideshare; Finn would probably bring in a ton of cash.

They hadn’t seen each other since the infamous Christmas Eve party but they’d been texting every day, and while it was lovely, it didn’t help Ollie with his answer. So much of him wanted to say yes. He found Finn fascinating; even their most mundane conversations had Ollie’s heart fluttering, and Finn always knew what to say, making Ollie blush, laugh, or feel strangely understood.

Yet Ollie couldn’t help but see the end. He didn’t want Finn to become another person to lose or another person who watched his meals and his weight. Besides, if they dated, Finn would eventually want to see Ollie naked and while Ollie was becoming happier with his body it didn’t mean that he was ready to put it on display. Although he’d had sex before, this smaller body made him oddly more self-conscious and he couldn’t explain why. All he knew was that if he got together with Finn, then intimacy would be on the table.

For those reasons and many others, Ollie was locked at a standstill. He needed a sign, something to push him in the right direction.

Have a good night. Happy New Year, Just Finn. Ollie sent back. Putting the phone on his chest, he sprawled out on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, torn.

Another chirp brought him out of his musing and its message made him smile, kindling warmth in his chest.

Happy New Year, Sunshine. Expect a call from me at midnight.

Despite his hesitation, Ollie was looking forward to that call.

There were two knocks at his door, quick and sharp in succession, and Ollie rose, bracing himself on the bed until the dizziness subsided before shuffling across the room.

“Mason,” he said in confusion once he opened the door. In the few months he’d been living there, Mason had never initiated contact, not once. Ollie assumed that he’d been sleeping in the basement since he hadn’t seen Mason in ages; he even paid rent through an app.

“Do you have plans for tonight?” Mason asked, although his monotone made it sound like a statement and not a question.

“For New Year’s Eve? No.” It was sort of a lie because he sort of had plans, which were finishing his workouts and getting in an extra run. But he was curious about what Mason wanted.

“I have to shoot a wedding tonight-”

“Shoot? Oh, you mean photograph.”

Mason looked at him like he was an idiot. “Yes. And my regular assistant just got into a car accident.”

“Are they okay?”

“I guess?” Boredom streaked Mason’s face. “She called me from the emergency room so she’s not dead. But I need another assistant on,” he glanced at his watch, “two hours’ notice. I’ll pay double.”

Ollie wanted to hug Mason. Although his suspended account had been reinstated, he’d lost all his Christmas affiliate cash and needed to bring in more soon, but since no one was hiring until after the holidays, this would help until he landed something.

“What do I have to do?” Ollie could take pictures but he’d be out of his depth with Mason’s fancy cameras.

“Hold lights, carry my stepladder, and fetch equipment.”

That would require a lot of moving around. While it wouldn’t replace all the cardio that he’d promised himself, it would still burn a ton of calories.

“Sure. Will there be some downtime for me to put up a post?” He wanted to do a story or two throughout the evening but a picture would suffice if he had to work.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of waiting around. Weddings are usually boring,” Mason sniffed. “But this one will have fireworks at midnight.”

“There’s gonna be fireworks?” Excitement surged through Ollie’s veins. Hopefully, he’d be able to get a few shots for his followers.

“Wear black and be ready by five.” Mason shrugged and turned away but, before he took a step, he looked back over his shoulder at Ollie. “And thanks, I guess.”

Ollie couldn’t believe that he was once again back at The Pointe. But that wasn’t a bad thing; he actually liked the place. How could he not? The minute he stepped into the foyer he got hugs from everyone he’d met at the Christmas Eve party, and he found out that Liam would be stopping by later on to help ring in the new year.

Plus, it was official. Ollie adored weddings. Not the ones he had to attend but the ones he got to work at. Since he didn’t know the bride and groom he wasn’t personally invested in their joy so his dread left him alone. Or maybe it was the large coffee he’d guzzled on the way to the hall that left him vibrating hard enough to ward off negativity. Either way, he was enjoying himself.

Everyone was jubilant. Sure, there was an open bar, but it couldn’t be fully responsible for the contagious happiness that buzzed in the air, lifting Ollie’s spirits. Also, seeing the guests in gorgeous suits and dresses was right in his wheelhouse; while the affair wasn’t black tie it was still very posh and he counted two Vera Wang gowns and a Prada dress before the ceremony had even started.

And he had plenty of time to gawk because Mason had been right - weddings were a lot of hurry up and wait. There were a few moments of peak stress but between those moments he chatted with several of his new Pointe friends. The news of the day was that a stack of chairs had fallen in the storage room, causing a domino effect into chaos, and some of the employees had been down there for hours clearing it all up.

Ollie did not envy them, grateful to be wandering the gleeful and boisterous cocktail hour with one of Mason’s second-string cameras, ignoring the spread of food by taking candid photos when he caught a few bridesmaids trying to do a meme dance in the corner, one of their friends capturing it on her phone.

That was his cue.

“Hello, gorgeous people!” He smiled as he approached them. “I could be the cameraman but you’d have to start over.”

“Oh my god, that would be great!” the friend said, handing him her cell.

“Would it be okay if I shared this on The Pointe’s social media too?” He batted his eyelashes.

“Fuck yeah!” one of the bridesmaids yelled, spilling a little of her champagne. Her hair was falling out of its updo and some of her eyeliner was running; she was definitely going to pass out before the end of the reception.

“Fabulous!” Stepping back, he got them all into frame. “Okay, get ready, set aaaand action!”

They executed it perfectly on the first try and Ollie got the same electricity in his veins as he did when he livestreamed. Spurred on, he began to take more videos and pictures for the guests, bouncing the ones he’d gotten permission for to his phone, and he was beaming once he caught up to Owen again outside the main room.

“I have a ton of videos you can post on The Pointe’s social media. Who do I send them to?”

“Um…” Owen scratched his temple. “I don’t know. To be honest, I haven’t set up much more than the basics.”

“That explains why you have just two Instagram posts from six months ago,” Ollie laughed. He’d scoured the website but only found accounts for two of the main apps and the profiles were far too empty for a wedding hall. “Would you be comfortable giving me the passwords? I can post them for you.”

“Will that interfere with assisting Mason?”

“I’ll do it during my downtime. It won’t take long.” Ollie flapped his hand. “I’m sure I’ll be grabbing more video during the reception. Half of the wedding party is drunk already.”

“That’s normal.” Marci strolled up to them, nudging Ollie with her shoulder, and he kissed her cheek in return. “Sorry to interrupt but it’s time for Owen’s check-in with the bride and groom. The reception starts in ten minutes.”

“Thank you, Marci.” Owen touched two fingers to his forehead, giving her a salute, and then turned to Ollie. “Can I have your email? I’ll give you all of The Pointe’s log-in information and you can take it from there.”

“Great!” Ollie bounced a little on his heels. “Are you sure?”

“I trust you with Liam, so I think you’ll be fine with the hall’s passwords.” Owen took out his phone, typing on it. “By the way, are you staying for the entire event?”

“I believe so. Mason said there will be fireworks.”

“Yes.” Owen had a strange look in his eye. “There definitely will be.”