His secret

Chapter 44

I've been plastered to my phone during the whole past week as if it's my last lifeline. When I wake up the first thing I do is check if I've got any new messages, I take it with me to the toilet as I brush my teeth and wash my face, it sits on the kitchen island facing upwards as I drink my morning coffee and as unprofessional as it is and as I'm doing now, I check it during my work hours every five minutes. Work usually takes my mind out of things but I guess I'm too eager to hold on to the little hope I have inside me. "He still hasn't texted you, ha?"  Alexis approaches me from behind. "No," I tell him in a low voice without turning to face him. "You're starting to understand why I reacted the way I did?" 

"Alexis, please, I'm not discussing this with you," I'm still not facing him, instead I put my phone in the pocket of my apron and continue chopping the onions I was working on before picking up my phone. "Why? Because I care about you? Because I was right to act the way I did? Or because you're starting to realize that..." 

"Alexis!"  I thank God when hearing Piper's voice calling for Alexis, interrupting whatever thing this conversation was about to become, which I guess wouldn't be something good. I allow myself to look at him, not wanting to miss witnessing how his face lights up with many emotions at the sound of her voice. He has a half-smiling half annoyed grin on his face. "Yes, Piper?" 

"I think I burned something," five words, that's all it takes to make Alexis leave everything and give you his full attention. "For the love of God, Piper, for the love of God," he rushes over to the part of the kitchen where she's preparing the food for the big birthday party that's booked for later tonight. My gaze meets Pipers and she winks at me as she mouths "I got you," I smile at her and nod to thank her for saving me from the conversation I've been trying to avoid. I like the effect these two have on each other, and the way they know how to trigger one another. They're still nothing official, being the two stubborn idiots they are, but the whole staff is aware of the chemistry between them, despite them being at each other's throats all the time. 

I turn around and attempt to continue my chopping as Alexis's words fill my thoughts. Or because you're starting to realize that... What was he about to say? What does he think is the reason for Miles not texting me a whole week after he begged me to give him a second chance and told me that he would fix everything? To be fair he did ask me for time, but I didn't think that he wouldn't contact me at all. 

I thought he asked for time to tell me everything that's been going on and why he had left me for a whole year. I thought that he would approach the chance I gave him and hold on to it as if it was his lifeline, and not make it the other way around. Was I too hasty?  Or maybe something happened to him. That could be a possibility and I feel guilty for wishing that's the reason for him not texting or calling me. Not that I wish for him any harm, I could never wish any bad for that man, despite everything because the good things I've been through with him will always outweigh the bad ones. But I really don't want to give up on this now. I was ready to do that a week ago, but not now, not when I saw his love for me in his eyes again. 

What can I lose if I text him a quick hello and ask if he's okay? Nothing, I lose nothing, and that's why I'm doing it. I rub my hands on my apron before I pick my phone up and scroll through my chats, trying to find the one between Miles and me. It takes a while to find it because it's been some time since we last texted, approximately a year. Decision anxiety takes over as I type in things and erase them, type in and erase, not knowing how I should start without sounding desperate. After a while, I finally land on a short "Hello, everything alright?" keeping it casual and making it sound like I'm simply concerned about him. 

Three bubbles appear on the left end of the phone a few seconds after I send the message. My heart starts beating fast and I feel my hands starting to shake. I'm acting like a teenage girl that's texting her crush and not a married woman that's texting her husband. The phone buzzes a few seconds later as a message appears on e screen."Hello, Cuttie. Doing fine, been busy. How about you?" Cuttie? That's a new one, he's never called me that before and I'm not sure I like it. I brush the thought aside for now as I type back. "I'm doing alright. Just got worried because I didn't hear from you." 

"Sorry, been busy," 

"It's alright," I text him as a weight settles in my heart, thinking that that would be the end of our conversation, but then the three bubbles appear on the screen again before a new text pops up. "You wanna meet up tonight?" He wants to meet up? Omg, he wants to meet up. I get excited at first but then the excitement leaves my body as I start questioning if I really should go out with him already, after all this. I start typing in "sorry, can't" before I get a new perspective of the whole thing. What if he's asking me out because he's finally ready to talk to me to fix everything? That's the one thing I've been looking forward to and wishing for ever since he started lying to me. I can't possibly miss this chance. I rewrite my answer, "Where and when?" I sent the message and with for his answer. He tells me to meet him at nine o'clock and sends an address I couldn't recognize. I tell him that I'll be there and he then tells me that he looks forward to it but he has to leave now because he has a lot of work to do. We say goodbye before I put my phone down in my pocket and head to Alexis's office. 

"Alexis I...." I stop midsentence as the scene in front of me melts into my brain. Alexis and Piper are standing behind his desk, and he... he's kissing her. No, sorry, she is kissing him. His face is held between her hands, forcing him to come down the few inches of the height difference between them, and he's looking like he's been caught out of the blue like this was the last thing he had expected but he's still enjoying it. It doesn't take them long to notice my presence and break off their kiss. Alexis stumbles backward, blushing but Piper stays in her place, comfortable as ever with a smug grin on her face. "Kid, knock, do you know what that means, knock," Alexis says as he runs a hand through his messy hair and turns to the side, avoiding meeting my eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect to find you... I'm just used to coming inside without knocking and I never..." 

"Never find him being kissed by a woman?" Piper fills in with a giggle following her words. Alexis turns his head hastily towards her as his hands settle on each side of his hips. "No, it's a first-timer," I join her laughter. "You forgot what you came for?" Alexis asks me, eager to change the subject. Alexis isn't the shy type of person, but I get a feeling that he's overwhelmed with the thought of liking Piper, a woman with such a strong personality. He's probably still not complied with the idea of liking her. He raises an eyebrow at me, still waiting for my answer. "I just came to tell you that I'll be leaving a little earlier today," I tell him, nervous he'll ask about the reason.

"Yes, whatever, do what you want, now get back to work. The both of you," thankfully he's still too fired up with emotions to think about anything else but what had just happened. That must be their first kiss. Piper walks over to me as she joins her arm with mine and we walk out of Alexis's office together, giggling.