𝐃é𝐟𝐢 𝐌𝐨𝐢

𝟏𝟓 | 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

(Please read the note at the end!)

_________________________________________________

I was confident enough last night that Rachel wouldn't mind my flirting when I was doing it, but today, all of that boasting roasted itself on my chicken griller.

When I woke up this morning and the haze of yesterday's teasing finally subsided, I was left with nothing but the dread that gnawed at my skin while I remembered each and every thing that I had said to her over the call.

All I could think of and question myself again and again is whether I made her uncomfortable again, whether she got upset that she didn't even send me a text the following morning with some of her snarky comments for me regarding our call, or whether she was thinking that I am a hopeless pervert.

I was worried that if I had been too ahead of myself, I would have created more boundaries between us unknowingly, because if that's the case, I am going to literally be on my knees this time while begging her for forgiveness.

I don't want her to be away from me or even hate me, but I don't see the opposite of it after I recall my words from last night.

"Ruining is my kink, but more when I am the one doing that to the girl laying in my bed."

Seriously, Nicolas, seriously?!

What the hell were you even thinking, you dumb fucking egghead?

Wait. Did I just call myself an egghead?

A groan leaves my throat as I rub the greasy counter with cleaner while gritting my teeth so hard it hurts. "You fucked up, Nicolas." I mumbled to myself.

"What was that?" James pops up to my side, creeping his head in my direction. "Don't tell me that now you have started talking to yourself."

I sigh and throw the scrub in my palm on the counter, then scowl at him. "Nope. I see ghosts in this fucking kitchen. Anything else?"

He snorts. "I didn't know you had that talent as well. I can't blame you; after all, you belong with them." His laughter turns into horror when I throw a spatula at him. "Whoa! What was that for? Why are you so over the edge today?"

I roll my eyes before turning around and resuming to clean. "I am not. You are just annoying."

"Like I'd believe that." He stands beside me and places the same spatula in front of me. "That is why you have been shouting at the people around you all day while we were working, and that too over silly things. I know you, Nicolas, adding extra oregano to a pesto never bothers you, for which you would start yelling out loud."

Damn it. I didn't know I had been this predictable all day today.

I had been feeling the strange knot around my neck since I woke up today, and my thoughts only wandered off to Rachel and our conversation last night when I called her. But I had no idea that my inner turmoil with myself had been affecting the people who work for me at the restaurant because of my behaviour today, not until James pointed it out now when we were doing the cleaning routine after the closing hours.