HEART FOR HIRE ✓

Eight

Days after accepting Zion's proposal, everything and everyone around me has changed. For instance, my schedule changed. Zion's dirty laundry, which is mostly t-shirts and leather pants, are sent to me by his driver in the morning and he takes the clean batch when he brings the dirty one in the mornings.

Zion eats lunch with my workmates and I almost everyday but whenever he can't make it, he sends me an address where we meet and have a meal together. Most are public and affordable restaurants but that doesn't matter because he pays for the meals at the end of the day.
For dinner, he excused me from it since he normally has it at the same time when the theater is busy but to compensate for that time, he buys snacks and we watch movies together at the theater.

In short, it does not feel like a job. I have to remind myself everyday that it is even if it always seems like two people hanging out.

In addition, Zion paid my three months salary in advance. To be honest, I have never owned such an amount in my life and till this day, I don't know why the bank hasn't called to ask if the money is legal.

He and Alex signed an informal contract for the younger boy to review Zion's drinks on his YouTube channel.
As it turned out, Zion is a rich man from a family that owns various drinks and beverages companies. They make soft drinks, bottled water, wine and dairy products including the probiotic yogurt Alex hasn't shut up about.

"Wow, how does it feel to be that rich? Don't you have like a million responsibilities?" Jeanette once asked Zion as we were having lunch.

"Not really," he shook his head. "In this generation, money solves everything. If I have money, I can hire as many people as I want to do all my work. So, needless to say, I don't force myself to work that hard when I can easily buy my way out."

"But, doesn't that cost you so much?" Jeanette looked concerned. From what Zion sounded like, he doesn't care about how much money he spends as long as he gets what he wants.

Zion just laughed and poured himself more wine into his glass. "Money isn't a problem for the Thompsons. I can buy all the vineyards in the country and still have enough to feed me until I die."

Zion became like a fourth addition to the theater staff. He has his own chair in the break room and his own seat at the back where there is a perfect view to watch movies.
We all don't mind or ask him why he spends a lot of time at the theater because where he goes, good food follows him.

Who doesn't like good food?

Today is one of those days when Zion and I have to eat outside. This time, it's a fastfood restaurant a few miles away from town. Their menu is quite interesting because it has a variety of dishes from all over the world, some of which are African dishes Jeanette has ever made for me.

"So, what do we do as we wait for our food?" Zion asks after the waiter takes our order. Apparently, in this restaurant, food is prepared on order.

"I don't know," I shrug. What do rich people do? Besides, this man counts as my boss. I can't just make casual talk with him, can I?
Even though Jeanette and Alex find it easy to talk to him, I don't. What if I indirectly offend him and he cuts my salary?

"Well, let's do twenty one questions," he suggests.

"Okay. You start."

"Why does Jeanette call me mystery man?" he asks immediately

"Well, remember Valentine's night?" Zion nods. "Jeanette thought that you and I were on a date and I had hidden it from her. Hence, you are the mystery man I was hiding."

"Wow," he laughs and takes a sip from his glass of sparkling water. "And here I thought the name was reserved for me. She probably calls all your dates that name, doesn't she?"

I'm tempted to correct him that I actually don't have dates. Who would want to date me? Why would they? Is the world running out of pretty women?

It's like instead of hitting puberty, puberty hit me. As soon as I clocked thirteen, acne made it a point to inhabit my face and never leave. Despite trying all cosmetics and skin care products from all over, the acne never left till today.

Tell me again why anyone would take a good look at my face and decide to date me willingly.

"It's you turn to ask a question," Zion snaps me from my inward self-pity rant.

"Right. When is your birthday?"

"Easy. July 25th. When is yours?"

"August 13th."

"Why do you love apple juice?"

"Because it tastes like introverted alcohol," i reply earning a loud chuckle from Zion. "When I was in high school, I didn't get to party a lot. But when I was lucky enough to be invited, I drank more apple juice instead of alcohol because my parents would skin me alive if I tuned up drunk."

"But you've tasted alcohol before, right?"

I nod. "I tried Smirnoff ice. It's sweet and doesn't taste like alcohol at all. It tastes like those caffeinated energy drinks."

"You drink those too?" Zion gapes at me.

"Of course. I was more of a night owl, so, I took energy drinks to keep me awake to read at night."

"You're an interesting person, you know that?"

I look away to avoid making a fool of myself. What in the world makes me an interesting person?

"Uh," I try to think of a question before the atmosphere turns awkward, "what is your favorite movie?"

"The Notebook," he answers without hesitation, "I told you on Valentine's night. What is yours?"

"That's hard for me to answer. I like movies in phases. Sometimes, I'm into Filipino, sometimes Hollywood, Nollywood, Bollywood or telenovelas."

"Which phase are you?"

We continue exchange questions until our orders are ready, after which we both shut up and enjoy the food.

"Pilau rice at this restaurant hits different," I tell Zion as he drives me back to the theater.

"Can you spare me a few hours tomorrow morning?" he asks instead. "Don't worry, I'll pay for them too."

"I can. Do you need something?"

"You told me you have ever tasted alcohol, right?" I nod. "Then, would you like to taste some of the new wine we are producing this year?"

"Wine tasting? Of course I will come. I've always wanted to go wine tasting," I reply excitedly. Besides, he is paying me. What stops me from going?

"Great. See you tomorrow," he says as I get out of the car. "Also, I won't be back until tomorrow, so, don't expect me tonight."

I don't bother with replying because all I can think about is wine.

What's your favorite wine brand?