Rachel

Rachel

I sighed happily, stretching my arms, although I am tired as heck with all the work, and babysitting but at the end of the day I’m happy, satisfied with myself.

Nowadays there are two things that make me forget that helps me forget Jayce, one Brandon and Jane babies and two of my late nights at this restaurant.

I don’t know why seeing people happy and satisfied by my work, either by eating something I cooked or the time they spend with me, makes my days fulfilled. Even though food and cooking reminds me of my spend with Jayce and every time I’m cooking I don’t know but it’s seems even far away from me there is part of with me every time I hold a knife, spatula or seeing the happy satisfied look on the peoples face that comes and devours my food.

And that is something I will always be thankful to Jayce, it’s because of him that I’ve so much from, if it’s not for me then I would have never discovered that I’ve some kind of thing with cooking too.

I remember the first time I was on his house when my ankle was sprained and I didn’t have anywhere to spend the night, that time Jayce lend his hand to me, allowing me stay at his house but me being me a fool, I totally mistook his attempt causing a fight and misunderstand in between us.

Damn I’m still a fool I guess somehow, I don’t know. I smiled remembering my very first night at Jayce house, our very first misunderstanding and the very first time that I’ve ever cooked for someone other than myself.

******

Tonight is the worst day of my life. I lost my job the very night I started working. I sprained my ankle so badly I couldn’t even walk on my own and worse of worse the person who helped me and whose lap I have fallen is technically the real boss.

I don’t think my words make sense, because hell I’m confused, and my mind is blank. I don’t know what to do; I don’t have time to rest. I barely have enough money to survive and now I’ve a sprained ankle. What am I going to do?

I sighed, hopelessly seeing no solution to my problem, being completely helpless on a cold winter night.

I wish that I have a brother or someone that has always been for me. I shook my head trying to avoid the thoughts, because technically I do have a brother whom I hate step brother to be fair and not only I have a whole step family for whom my dad left me and mom without looking back. I just hate it and even if I die I won’t get any help from them.

“I might regret it later,”

I glanced up looking at the person helping who calls himself my ex-boss’s boss, wondering what the heck was going on in his mind. Why doesn’t he leave me and go away wherever he wants to be?

I don’t care, as long as I’m alive I can do something, but what that’s I’m questioning myself. I don’t want to ruin my dignity by doing something I will regret later, but I’m here cold, hungry and worse sprained.

“Come,” said the stranger, holding me in his supportive arms.

“Where?” I questioned, not knowing the exact meaning behind his words.

He sighed, rubbing the back of neck with one of his hands while the other held me. “To my home,”

I stared at him questionably, “Why,”

“Because I don’t have the heart to leave her all alone and worse injured,”

“But why do care, just leave me,” I argued, even when deep inside I know that I’m a fool rejecting his offer, it’s just I don’t have a hard trusting someone, damn I hardly trust my own mother and he is a complete stranger nothing else.

“You are employee and it’s my responsibility to see if you’re fine or not, mostly when one of my staff is responsible of your condition,”

I still don’t trust him and stood still with my eyes glaring at him.

He sighed again, “See I don’t have a whole night to argue with here, you came whether you want or stray here, choice is yours,” he replied as his foot tapped the ground, desperately waiting for my answer.

This time I sighed, not finding any choice but agreeing with him, “Fine,”

He nodded without saying a word, taking me with him to his car.

And that was a night that changed everything in me and my life, making me discover things that I would never know I had in me until my time spent with Jayee.

None of us at times knows that our weird encounter might result in something so sweet but yet sad at the end, making things pretty much unforgettable for me for this whole time.

********

“Sit,” the moment we entered his house, he ordered,”Don’t move,” leaving me alone in the living room as he left.

I roamed my eyes all the space I’m in right now, questioning if he is who he claims to be, owner of such a big ass restaurant, but his house has nothing that makes him seem like he is rich, maybe he likes simple living. Who cares? But the place is very cozy and homey.

I hear footsteps coming in my way and enter him, dressed differently, wearing a comfy t-shirt, and pjs holding a first aid kit in hand.

He sits beside me, touching my ankle placing it over his lap.

“What are you doing?” I asked, because this is the first that anyone holds with such caressing touch that tingles down to the spine.

“Keep quiet,” he replied, diverting all attention to my sprained ankle. His fingers lightly touched the space that was bruised, pressing it gently, “Not much swelling,” he mumbled, not leaving my feet and sprayed something cold on it.

I don’t know why, but my mind is so much focused in him and way he gently caressing my skin, taking care of me, that my pain suddenly seems to disappear so how, as my heart started pounding in chest rapidly, even my breathing also does seems to increase, I don’t even why I am reacted like this to him, maybe because he is first man in my that ever even once cared for me.

I shook my head, wanting to remove any unwanted thoughts from my mind.

“You’re fine, two to three day and you can walk normally,” he replied, gently placing feet on the ground. “Just don’t apply to much pressure for a few days,”

“Are you a doctor,” I asked, out of curiosity watching him attentively caring for my feet.

“No, but I know two or three things about sprains and injuries from personal experience and treating my sister.”

“Oh,” I nodded, not knowing what to say, and just in moments like this something embarrassing happened and my stomach groaned loudly. Shit, I sighed hiding trying to avoid his stare but to my surprise he said nothing but laughed carelessly.

“Let me get some food,” he said, still smiling as he ruffled my hair with his palm as if I’m a child.

I watch his ass disappear in the kitchen and touch my head where his hands touched a few seconds ago, smiling on my own.

WTF is happening to me.

He appears a few moments later looking a bit disappointed, as he ran his hands over his rumbled hairs, “Sorry, right now there isn’t anything apizing or fulfilling in figure right now,” He stooped as thinking something and than his face lights up with a smile forming on his lips, “On the good side it’s actually better, right now I’m cook something for you,”

He finished, trying to move but I stopped him with a hand wrapped around his wrist. “Wait, can I come with you,” I asked hesitantly, not wanting to be more of a burden on him than I already am right now.

He nodded, giving me his hand and holding me, as we made our way to his kitchen, which to my surprise is quite bigger and more fully functional than what his house seems to be, like a restaurant kitchen. I mean even by looks it seems that this guy cooks reclarly, or he is passionate about food.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Hey,” a hand landed on my left shoulder diverging my attention to the man beside me. “What are you thinking, in your mind?”

I shook my head trying to avoid the question but then decided to answer anyway. “Your kitchen is beautiful and quite big as compared to your house, why”

He smiled, making me sit on one of the kitchen stools. “Well because I live alone, and big houses need a lot of maintenance, money and people to run. So this for me is enough to live,”

Good point, I guess.

“And as for the kitchen, this is where I spend my maximum time, so I want the best I can afford,” I nodded, watching him as moves around the space, getting things from here to prepare food.

I look at ignents that he places on the kitchen table, raw veggies, meats, different types of seasoning and spices and can’t help myself from asking the question roaming in my mind watching him. “Are you from scratch,”

“That’s how I like my food,” he ripped with a lopsided grin. Starting to chop some vegetables in a very fast and precise manner, so beautiful that the view is hytypizing for me to watch.

“Are you allergic to something or are you on a special diet like vegan or vegetarian,” He asked, placing a pan on a burning fire.

I shook my head, “NO,”

“Great,” He grinned again, putting some veggies into a sizzling pan, making a pleasant sizzle sound.

He looks so focused in his work with giving his full attention to nothing but food around him. The aroma of food is tantalizing around the whole house, making my mouth watering, and my stomach hungry than it was before. He is some kind of food genius. The way he works making things seems easy yet so mesmerizing.

And before I knew it or reacted, he placed a plate full of mouth watering, tantalizing food in front of me.

“Have a taste,” he said, putting a fork in my hand.

Not wanting to wait anymore I nodded, putting a spoon full of the tantalizing food in my mouth, the moment the food touched my mouth all my senses awed as my eyes closed with even my knowing, with moans escaping from my mouth without even my mere knowledge. I don’t even know what I’m doing and only came to my senses when I heard a sound of throat cleaning, making me open my eyes, only to see dark, almost serious feral eyes staring at me watching all my reactions.