When I got the initial invite, there wasn't an end time given for the happy hour, which made me incredibly concerned, butnow that I’m here, it’s left me wishing the clock would move slower.
Wes and Patrick are the reason for that. Their ability to make me feel comfortable is appreciated more than they’ll ever know, and cracking jokes with them has definitely been the highlight of my night. It’s funny that they do the same job because they are so different. Wes is goofy and loud, while Patrick is reserved and thoughtful, but they complement each other really well.
When Wes was talking to another coworker—I think her name was Natalie—the bar had started to settle down, and it gave me an excuse to sneak more glances at Patrick. He was blunt when he asked if he could kiss me, and it surprised me since he had barely touched me all night. Despite being nervous, the feeling that came over me was excitement, so I decided to go with it.
What I couldn’t have imagined was how kissing Patrick would make me feel.
That kiss. Oh my god.
Okay, maybe that was the highlight of my night.
That kiss went through my whole body and left me boneless. If I wasn’t sitting, I would’ve fallen down. My knees would’ve turned into jelly, and I would’ve ended up on the floor. If he hadn't stopped it, I would’ve let it go on forever. It’s hard to imagine how world shattering a real kiss would feel, but I'm trying not to think about that.
The room moved around me as I sat there completely stunned, not sure what to think until Wes made a comment. I didn’t fully understand what was said, but Patrick gave anot-so-friendly glare resulting in Wes backing down. There was an odd feeling of possessiveness in that look, but I brushed it off.
Pulling me from my thoughts, the room fills with a high-pitched static, and when we all look up, Greg is front and center, holding a microphone on a small stage made for karaoke nights. He looks disheveled with his dress shirt half untucked, and it’s obvious that he has also taken advantage of the company drinks. Seems a bit irresponsible since he’s the boss, but who am I to judge?
His fingers tap the mic sending an awful high-pitched squeal through the bar. My body tenses when the noise hits my ears, and I cover them up to try to stop the mind numbing sensation.
“Is this thing on?” He laughs into the microphone as a wave of acknowledgements moves across the bar. It’s interesting to hear the array of fake excitement and annoyance spread throughout the crowd. Patrick’s ‘yes’ comes out as annoyed, and it’s amusing how he seems just as disturbed by Greg’s existence as I am.
“Great! Thank you all for coming to my first Emberton Recreation Inc. community event. I hope you all are having a good time and enjoying some refreshing drinks courtesy of ERI!” Greg seems pleased at the random shouts of satisfaction that come from around the room. There is a particularly loud cheer extremely close to me, which I don’t need to look to know that it was Wes. He has definitely had more than his fill, but I’m not here to stop anyone from having a good time.
Quiet conversations fill the air as Greg continues with his announcement. “This is just the beginning of getting to know you all and your loved ones. I am excited to announce that we are hosting a company outing over the weekend of July 15th. There will be some community building activities for the employees, but it is mostly an opportunity for us to get to know each other better. I hate being that guy, but this is mandatory. However, all expenses will be covered by ERI. There will be more details to come. If you have any pre-existing plans, come talk to me, but if not, I look forward to seeing you there!”
Bricks begin to fill my stomach as Greg stumbles off the stage and back over to the bar to grab another drink. One of the bartenders turns the music that had been playing back on, and everyone goes back to their conversations as if Greg forcing them into mandatory social outings is just the new norm.
When my eyes meet Patrick’s, he looks just as confused as I am. He mentioned that there would be some company events, but a whole weekend seems like more than either of us were expecting. There's relief in noticing that Patrick looks equally as concerned, but before he is able to say anything, he gets cut off.
“Woohoo, paid vacation!” The cheer comes from Wes who is swaying on a barstool, eyes drifting shut still trying to sip his drink through the straw.
Patrick sighs and puts Wes’ arm around his neck. It’s kind of adorable how he takes care of him, wrapping his arm around his waist. “Alright, buddy. It’s time to get you home.”
Wes lets out a whine of protest, but, ultimately, he allows Patrick to guide him out of the bar.
A sense of panic fills my throat, worrying that I am going to be left here alone, but like he knew what I was thinking, Patrick turns around. His eyes look soft and patient, and his voice follows suit. “Can you walk out with us?”
I nod and follow them out the building.
Patrick struggles to get Wes into the backseat of his car, and I feel a little bad for being entertained by the chaos. That feeling stops the second Patrick shuts the door and walks over to me. Anxiety fills my chest as I try to prepare for what he is going to say about Greg’s not-so-little announcement.
He sighs and leans on the back of his car with his hands covering his face. In an attempt to lighten the mood, he jokes, “It’s like herding a toddler.”
A laugh makes its way out of me, but it quickly dissipates. His lack of reaction makes the air thick around us, filling with silence.
There’s something off about Patrick. It is apparent that he is doing everything in his power to not look at me, and it makes my skin crawl with discomfort. He stares off into space, and his look rivals one of trying to figure out some type of complicated math problem.
“You don’t have to come to the company weekend,” he says on an exhale.
His words come out, but it’s his tone that hits me. There is a sharp pang to my heart when I realize that it’s guilt. I’ve beenfeeling surprised and anxious about how this is going to turn out, while Patrick has been feeling guilty.
I open my mouth to respond, but the words don’t come out. I never know how to say the right thing, per usual. I want to tell him that I was the one who started this. That there is nothing for him to feel bad about. If the blame is anywhere, it should be on me.
His voice is quiet as he continues. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but expecting you to move everything around for me is asking way too much. You did not agree to that. Honestly, I don’t know why you agreed to this in the first place. I’m not trying to mess with your life like that.”
It’s heartbreaking seeing Patrick like this. He looks so tired and fed up, and I can’t help but blame myself. Reaching out to touch his arm for comfort, I quickly stop myself before he notices. I’m not his real girlfriend, and he probably doesn’t want me getting in his personal space. I’m grateful he is distracted enough that he doesn’t see me move my hand back to my side.
I keep my voice soft, trying to reduce his stress. “I already know how to handle a mess, and this is barely that.”
