His secret

Chapter 22

MILES

I'm usually not the one to ask for favors. Probably because I don't tend to need people's help but they need mine. But I've found myself in the position of doing many things that I normally wouldn't do ever since I got to know Nova, not to mention when I started getting feelings for her. I didn't do new friends except for Alexis who happened to help me during my shitties times, but then I found myself becoming friends with her. Then I didn't do the whole romantic feeling thing but my feelings for her grew with every day that we spent together. At last, I thought that those feelings would stay for myself because I didn't do the girlfriend thing either for several reasons that I don't care to think about right now, but I thought wrong.

 As soon as I realized that she had grown similar feelings to mine I gave in like a desperate idiot.  And as if the whole relationship wasn't enough already I told her that I intended to marry her two weeks ago! It's not that I don't intend to marry her, I really meant every word I told her that night but I wasn't aware of my own intentions until the cheesy words left my mouth. Yeah, cheesy words that would make me shiver in discomfort but that I somehow enjoy using when it comes to her, and only her. 

And as for now, I'm asking for a favor, and guess to whom this favor is related. Wasn't a hard guess was it? Nova. "There you are, Big boy!" Alexis finally appears and greets me with his overly hyped voice that I found annoying during one time but got used to. He seats himself on the chair in front of me, still dressed in his working clothes. "Aren't you supposed to get off of work now?"

"That's right," he confirms that I hadn't mixed up the time he told me that he would finish work and that I could meet him at the restaurant. "Then why are you still wearing that?" I ask as I gesture to his clothes. "You never text me 'hey man, can we talk?' and then refuse to talk when I ask you what it's about and insist we talk in person. I figured it most me important so I didn't want to waste any time by changing." That ass is really enjoying at most times but he is also an ass that I know I can count on and I really appreciate him for that. "Go on, all ears are your's," he continues as he leans back on the chair and crosses one of his legs on the other, joining his hands behind his head as he looks at me waiting for me to talk. 

Seconds of silence go by. I'm not shy, I've never been a shy person. On the contrary, I've always been straightforward with people, not carrying about what they might think of me or what they might feel. It's just that I know Alexis and I know what his answer is going to be so I'm trying o find a way to phrase it in a way that could make things easier for me. My idea while I was driving her was to just ask him straightforwardly. But I changed my mind immediately when I pictured a winning Alexis on one side of a table and me on the other side, fighting the urge to strangle him because I don't want to get back home to Nova with a headache that he caused.  

An attempt to form a sentence for a starter to the topic is interrupted by Alexis "OMG, no don't tell me!" he almost yells in excitement, as he changes his position leaning on the table with both hands now. The big smile on his face tells me that I won't like whatever comes out of his mouth right now. "You're getting married! It's nova isn't It?" the second part he manages to whisper after looking around and finding everybody's eyes drown to our table because of his loud annoying voice. He probably wouldn't care if the restaurant wasn't his own and he cared about his customers. "I-" 

"And yes! I would love to be you're bestman," he cuts me off before I manage to explain anything. "Alexis-" 

"Man, this is probably the best day I've had in a long time,"  leaning back on his chair again with his arms crossed over his chest he gives me a smile. A different smile. Not one of those annoying ones he has on his face for what seems all the time, but a sincere smile, like he really believes what he just said. He is truly happy for me. "It's-" 

"When is the wedding?"

"Alexis, I swear to God man, if you don't stop talking right now I will destroy that smug face of your's" my hands form fists on top of the table, showing him my impatience. "I'm not getting married. I came here to ask you for a job." the smile leaves his face and a disappointed expression replaces it. "Job? What happened to your company? I thought it was going great." 

"It's not for me." 

"Sorry, I have no place for a new worker." 

"You just told me last week that you're in need of at least five new workers here because you're opening up another place that you have to manage." 

"Sorry, no can do. I need experienced workers."

"I didn't even tell you for who I want the job." 

"Obviously Nova who else?" Am I really that predictable? "But you almost hired like a second ago, thinking that I had lost my company. Why can't you hire Nova?" 

"Because you can handle a kitchen and she can't" 

"How would you know that?" I ask him while the annoyance starts creeping into me because things are going the way I predicted that they would. I get it, his protective over his restaurant, but he could make a small exception. "I've been hanging out with guys during these last months enough to know that she can't cook."

"You'll teach her" I demand. "Miles, next time you walk in here read what's written in the big golden letter above that door because I'm sure that It reads restaurant and not cocking-school" he points at the door. "Alexis, common, you never leave me when I'm in need. I would probably not be here today if you didn't take me into your house when I had nowhere else to go" I don't believe that I'm bringing up this sensitive topic now. "Think of Nova in the same way. She is a jobless woman that needs your help and you're her only hope." 

"It's not the same, she isn't homeless. You're loaded, she doesn't even have to work." 

"I know but I can't convince her to stay at home. She's been looking for a job for a long while now and I really don't want her to work elsewhere." 

"Miles?" he says my name as if he's come to some realization. "Please don't tell me that you've gone around telling people not to hire her" 

"Just some calls, for her own sake." I don't like that his pointing my mistakes out, It's making me more uncomfortable about it than I already am. The thought of Nova finding out unsettles me because she would probably not forgive me for this. 

"O Thee mou, Miles" he utters in Greek, a phrase I've heard him use ever since we were kids and that I've learned means 'oh my God. "Why would you even do that. What good does that do her?" he asks. "I can't explain it, it's really complicated. Please just help me." I rub a hand on my forehead before reaching over the table to face him at a near distance, "you're the only one I trust with her, Alexis." He just stares at me in silence as if he really is thinking it through before he finally says "fine" in a displeased voice. "You're really one of the worst yet best things that have happened to me," a smile returns to his face in reaction to my confession. "I know." Both of us get up and enjoy a very rare hug, "thanks, man" I tell him because I'm as thankful to him as I was when he let me in when I was a homeless teenager. "You own me big time tough. Don't think I'll forget." I feel like I could give him anything right now. "Whatever you want," I tell him. "Give me a kiss then," he lifts his head to face mine and forms a kiss on his lips, making me break the hug by pushing him away. "You've gotta stop that man, it's really getting creepy."