We were in the lift when something told me to turn to Axel and I found him checking me out. It made me blush and he smiled without saying a word. I know it was because we were not alone. When we reached the ground floor, he held my hand in his as we walked into the cafe. "I think this is a good spot", he said more to himself taking our gym bags and placing them on the chair that was on my right side as he sat right in front of me.
"Hi Axel", the waitress said totally ignoring me. "Hi Janice, meet Angel... my girlfriend", he said taking the menu from her hand. The way he said it made things very clear that she backed off. "What are we having?", he asked me after the waitress left. "What was that?", I asked not able to ignore their interaction. "What?", he asked as if he had done nothing just a few seconds ago. When I didn't say anything he smiled. "Well... she had it coming, she ignored you and I would like to believe a professional waitress does not do that", he said then went back to the menu. "I am having a burger with coke you?", he closed his menu and then looked at me. "I'll have the same", that surprised him, "You sure?", he asked looking at me like he was waiting for me to change my mind. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?", I asked confused too. "Well you're a woman and you're going to the gym so I assumed that a salad would be in order", he said with a cocky smile. Poor guy, he had never met someone like me before. "Are you ready to order?", the same waitress returned looking rather embarrassed. "Yes Janice, two cheeseburgers and 2 cokes please, and one large fries to share", he said his attention returning to me.
"Axel... the only reason I came to the gym was that my friends wanted me to boost my self-esteem, they think that I lock myself in a lot so being at the gym would make me feel better health-wise. If you ask me, I'm just here for the view and the recent item added to the list is a partnership", I finished with a wink. "And which view are we talking about?", he asked with a knowing smile. Making me laugh. His phone rang and he asked if it was ok to pick it up which I was totally ok with. "Hello... yes am done with it, grabbing some food... Alice ... ok I love you, goodnight", he hung up and smiled at me. I just hoped I didn't have anything on my face. "It's my daughter", he said with an even bigger smile. "What?", I asked not able to catch up "Alice is my daughter and I'm not married nor am I in a relationship. She is living with her mother, who is married to someone else", "Why are you telling me this?", "Because I know that look, I had it once", he finished and went back to eating his burger. I was still processing. Why did he tell me that? I was just... well I was kinda feeling jealous and I don't even know why. "Angel, are you dating anyone?", he asked after finishing his burger now he was eating the fries one at a time as if he didn't want them to finish. "Why are you asking?", I teased. "No reason", "Are you jealous Axel?", I asked, his face lit up clearly catching up to my teasing. "Yes... Unlike you, I can publicly admit it", his answer made me blush. I was always good at hiding my emotions but with Axel the harder I tried the easier it was for him to see through my facade. "Am not dating anyone, am on a break I guess...my last relationship didn't end well so I just needed to press the breaks and you know...", I couldn't find the words to finish that would not result in me having a meltdown.
Everything was fine after the breakup, I quit my job and decided to find a new one, moved out of Daren's apartment and got my own. When I got the job at Olympia Microfinance life was just amazing. The boss loved me and encouraged me to do better and I was doing better at both work and personal levels until one day the boss invited me to his anniversary party and I found out he was Daren's Father. Of course, I didn't tell anyone but the stupid man had to open his mouth and tell his Father that I was the woman he told him about. I was expecting to lose my job that day but his Father was very grateful for the support I gave Daren during his time in therapy and for always being there for his son when he couldn't. I later found out that he was engaged to Kira. She kept glaring at me as if I would take her man away which was not even something I considered ever since I saw their video.
"Angel? You ok?", Axel said with a worried look on his face. I cleared my throat which felt dry for some reason. "Am ok, just remembered something that's all", "Are you sure?", he asked reaching out for my hand, I gave mine to him without a second thought. "Let's go", he said pulling me with him. We walked out of the cafe to the parking lot with him carrying both our gym bags. "You're too tall", I said stretching my neck to look at him. "Or maybe you're too short", he said standing in front of me. I was reaching his chest. Which DNA created him? When I looked up he was already watching my every move with a smile. I walked away to avoid the awkwardness. "This is me", I said pointing at my car, he stepped away allowing me to get in. "See you, tomorrow partner?", "Anhaa". "Good night Angel, text me when you're home ok?", he said so casually but I knew he sensed how it really sounded. I drove back to my apartment. Trying to process what has happened tonight. The things that I found out from Axel were just overwhelming. A guy like him co-parenting, if it was me I wouldn't have let him go but then again everyone had their own story. All I knew for sure was that I felt a connection to Axel and I wanted to explore it.
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When LOVE is not Enough
العاطفيةAxel is a man that values family over everything. He's ready to make sure his family has the best life at any cost but finds himself at a loss when he thought, he had the right to speak for someone else's heart. Angel has a heart that people conside...
