His secret

Chapter 39

Six months go by in the blink of an eye in the restaurant with all the work that we've had. It's been much more work in this restaurant compared to the one back home but it somehow has been easier to work, partly because I now have more experience but also because Alexis isn't on me all the time anymore, he has found himself another poor target, Piper. Though I don't feel sorry for her, she's been handling him better than anybody ever has, making me kind of feel sorry for him instead.

They bicker almost every day, their scenes of fighting looking kind of like the first time I saw them bicker on the grand opening night. Anyhow, it's always entertainment watching them claw at each other so I'm not complaining. I have even noticed some kind of chemistry between them, one that neither of them has noticed, yet, but I haven't brought it up with any of them because I would gladly stay alive and not have both of them strangling me for even thinking that they could be anything more than a bickering chef and worker.

And as for my feelings they're still kind of the same, I haven't forgotten anything and the memories of him still hurt, but I guess I've learned to cope with it. I would say that I'm doing pretty fine, better than I ever thought I would during the first weeks of his departure. But then also I didn't know that I would have an amazing grandmother like Gia Sophia, a wonderful best friend like Alexis, and a time-consuming job that would help me keep him out of my mind for most of my days. So to say I'm very thankful for where I'm right now, although it wasn't where I pictured myself being just a few months ago.

"Nova, could you follow me into my office for a second?" Alexis asks his question in form of an order while wiping his hands on the apron he's wearing, making me almost drop the plate in my hands to the ground. What have I done now? I've worked perfectly for as long as I can remember, without any mistakes, I've even mastered our special dish that only Alexis's and old aunt Anne could make. "Comming, I'm just taking this dish out for table...,"

"Give it to Piper, she isn't doing anything in particular anyway," Oh crap, it has to be very bad. I mostly liked that Alexis didn't treat me differently from his other employees at work, it just felt better like I really had to work it like the others, but right now I really wouldn't complain if the fact that we were friends could weigh in a bit. "But I'm..." Piper that's been peeling potatoes for twenty minutes try to protest but he interrupts her. "Now, Piper," she drops the potatoes and wipes her hands in a towel as she rolls her eyes before taking the dish from me and heading out the doors without saying anything.

Alexis takes his seat but I stay standing near the door, too nervous to do anything. "Take a seat, Kid," He gestures at one of the two chairs in front of his desk and I do as he says. "You have been..." his sentence interrupts halfway as he examines my face. "Why are you pale? Are you feeling alright, Kid? Do you need to rest?"

"I... No, I'm fine. Could you just tell me what I've done wrong now and get over with it please," I utter the words in haste I'm not sure he even got them.

"Done wrong? Why would you think you've done something wrong?"

"You called me into your office?"

"Yeah, because I wanted to inform you about your promotion to the executive chef," he always manages to find the worst times for being sarcastic. "Alexis, you know I appreciate your sense of humor and sarcasm, but not now please, I'm getting very stressed,"

"First of all, I know you like my humor, who doesn't, Darling? And secondly, I'm not joking, this is my workplace and I'm your boss and your boss is currently telling you your hard work has paid off. You have shown me the ability to learn fast if you set your mind to something, the skill of working under pressure without stress, and the capacity of guiding the whole group during pressure and crisis situations. Therefore I'm prompt..."

"Ommmg," I jump out of my chair, throw myself over the table and pull him into an embrace. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," I plant a kiss on his cheek without thinking it through, not knowing if I overstepped anything, but I honestly couldn't care less at the moment because this is really one of the best things that have ever happened to me. I feel like I've finally achieved something by myself, that my life finally has meaning and that I have goals to achieve and work for. "You've earned it, Kid, you earned it," he pats my back with his hand, and can feel him smiling while still embracing him.

"Now get back to work," he tears himself away from the hug. "I thought you were playing the role of the cool boss now," I frown jokingly. "There is no such thing as a cool boss, Nova. Now get your ass back out there before I change my mind about the promotion, the work won't get done by itself you know," I laugh as I run on my heel and walk towards the door. But I don't open the door to leave when I reach it, instead, I turn to him again and tell him the one thing I couldn't hold to myself anymore, "You should tell her, I think she likes you too,"

"What? What are you talking about? Who likes me too?"

"I don't have to tell you, you already know who," I wink at him before I open up the door and head out. "Get your ass back in here, Kid," I hear him call before I slam the door and return to my work.