The new company was on the east side of the city, a digital media startup. The pay was two thousand less a month, but the team was young and the energy was good.
On my first day, HR walked me around the office. When we passed the tech department, a guy looked up and glanced at me.
"This is Lydia Fox, new hire in content operations."
"Hey." He nodded, then dropped his gaze back to his screen.
I didn't think much of it and kept following HR down the hall.
I found out later his name was Valentine James. Tech department team lead. Two years older than me.
Not bad-looking. Quiet. But when he looked at you, his eyes were bright.
Mid-August, the company organized a team dinner.
I didn't want to go, but my manager said new hires needed to show face at these things and practically dragged me there.
A whole table of people, loud and rowdy. I sat in the corner, head down, picking at my food.
"Let me guess. You got dragged here too?"
I looked up. Valentine sat down beside me, a bottle of Coke in his hand.
"You too?"
"I'm not big on crowds." He poured me a glass. "But they said if the team lead doesn't show, nobody relaxes."
I smiled a little.