UNDERCOVER {Competed} 😌

chapter 15(i)

Joshua.
What's bugging Pepper? I hung my vest on the employees closet,took down an apron in preparation for beginning,my lunch shift and continued pondering the question.

Shes working hard this days. She's been always up and our before I woke up,although that bruise one the thigh must be hurting like hell. Did I hurt her that day?

But even though I'd ordered myself not to take it personally,her indifference this days hurts like hell.

As I tied my apron behind my waist,I continued my efforts to blow off my injured feelings and magically succeeding when I saw the head cook approaching.

"Joshua!" He barked out my name. His hearty voice triggering my well developed internal alarm. What did he want?

"Joshua!" He called out again." I need a favor. Joe Piper been complaining that the kitchen is closed at night."

"Isn't midnight late enough?"
"Yea,,but Joe is a night owl. Sometimes he likes a late snack. So we have decided to keep the kitchen open 24hours. Would you mind...?"

I wanted to cheer,but displayed the expected reluctance. "Well, Pepper will be left all alone and –"

"Joshua." His tone indicated what I had known all along. It wasn't a request.
"All right," I said.

"Good. You can start tonight. Go home now and come back at midnight. Your shifts will end after breakfast from now on." He then left the kitchen.
Its only then that I let out an excellent smile. Joe Piper? Late night? Possibly drunk and talkative? Who could ask for a better break?

"What are you smiling about?" Questioned one of my co workers,"thinking about going home to that pretty wife of hours?"
"What else?" I answered. "What else?"

What else indeed?

*        *        *      *      *        *    *

I saw Pepper going for lunch and I waved. Apparently she did not see me, because age directly went to the food line. Funny, I could swear I had seen her eyes sweep over me. Suddenly I felt like the schoolboy who had been rejected by the cheerleader, and a mid a rush of insecurities I thought I never possessed,I approached her in the line.

She looked over at me."oh,its you,"she said in in a disdainful tone.
"Please,don't make a fuss." I say drolly.

"What are you doing here anyway? Its lunch time. Shouldn't you be in the kitchen?" An expression of alarm crossed her face and her voice dropped into a whisper. "You didn't get fired did you?"

"No," I replied with controlled laughter. "As from today, I'm working night shifts."

"You are?" I saw she tried to stop it,but her face lit up to nothing less,and I felt a sudden prick.

"Don't look so miserable Pepper." I said resorting to the only defence I knew.

"Sorry." The line began moving and she looked away,making a big production of gathering my plate and cutlery.
"I'm looking forward to some privacy,that's all." Her voice was lost in the noisy line to all but him. "We are always in each others laps."

"Not really. I too spoke quietly. "otherwise id be having more fun."
"Stop it Joshua." She stared at me with melting brown eyes. "You're mad about that night?" When she didn't answer,I went on."if you think its a mistake then am sorry."

"I figured " I added but why did my voice sound so gruff? Her admission only confirmed that my behavior had something to do with that night. But still there was something else.

Feeling a little bit better,I stepped from the line while Pepper was being served,following behind when she headed for the bench. She didn't even twitch when I sat next to her. She immediately started engaged in a conversation with a lady across her.

I was in the process to reconsidering her behavior, when I heard a woman's voice purr behind me.

"Oooh,who is this cutie pie?" I turned to see a tall,brunette knockout. Laura. I'd recognize her anywhere. But why was she looking at me like that?.

When she was introduces,I received my answer. With a feline smile, she held my hand for long,then reached out and stroked my shoulder.
"Look at all this divine muscles."

So far she hasn't bothered to talk to me but just in case,I reached out for Pepper into the crook of my shoulder. "I'd like you to meet my wife." I lifted pepper's hand,deliberately showing off her diamond. "This is Pepper."

"Wife?" Laura's slanted eyes narrowed. Joshua could almost imagine whiskers twitching below my lower lashes. "I thought she'd be working. Oh...well" she assumed a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you Pepper."

I felt Pepper squirm beneath my arm in the wake of laura obvious insincerity,and forced out an equally insincere reply. Or so it sounded to me.

The now the regular hush fell over the dinner crowd,and I knew Jim had made an appearance. Laura lifted her head and looked above to spot Jim like her bird

"My dearly beloved calls," laura said sardonically, the velvet gone from her voice. She fixed her eyes in me with a smile,her cupped teeth gleaming white against my lipstick. "How does that line goes Joshua?" With a wink she drew her long fingernails down one arm lingering when they touched her bare flesh. "Come up and see me sometime?"

She then floated away as if she were gracing a runway leaving my impression that I'd just been part of a show that laura had produced for her fiancés benefit.

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