Page 14 of Nikolai

The waitress walks away, and I take the time to look over the menu. There is not much to accommodate my diet, so it seems like I will be ordering a Cobb salad, although the thought of the cheesesteak sandwich or a juicy burger and fries is making my mouth water.

"You decided what you'd like to order?" I take my eyes off the menu to address the waitress once again. "I'll have the Cobb salad with dressing on the side."

"No, she won't," Nikolai cuts in and I snap my head in his direction.

"She'll have the bacon and Swiss burger with fries. I'll have the same but with onion rings. Bring her a Coke too." He hands the menus to the waitress, and she smiles.

"Sure thing. I'll have your order out in a few and be back with that Coke in a second." The waitress walks away, and I speak.

"I wanted a salad."

"Tough. You're getting a burger instead."

"I…that's not what I wanted," I say, not meeting his eyes.

"You eat with me, you eat. And not any of that shit you had back at the office."

I fidget at his terse tone and decide not to argue. Luckily, the waitress returns with our meal, and Nikolai doesn't say anymore. My stomach rumbles when my plate is set down in front of me. I sit and stare at my food while Nikolai picks up the burger on his plate and digs in. The whole time he does this, I can feel his eyes on me. His attention is uncomfortable, and I begin to squirm in my seat.

"Are you going to eat?"

I pick up the glass of soda beside my plate and take a sip. "I'm not hungry," I mumble. My stomach decides at that moment to let out another loud rumble.

"Leah." When Nikolai calls my name, it's done with a softer tone, and I can't help to look at him. Not his forehead or his chest, but his eyes. We stare at each other, neither of us saying anything. I know by the way his unwavering gaze boars into mine, he sees what I was hiding.

"Eat your food." He jerks his chin toward my plate.

Biting my bottom lip, I push my glasses up my nose. After a beat, I nod. Then I pick up the burger and take a big bite. And I swear it is the best tasting hamburger I've ever had.

When we arrive back at Kings Construction, and I take my seat behind the reception desk, Nikolai picks up the container of carrot sticks I left on my desk and tosses it in the trash. He does this without saying a word then disappears down the hall to his office, missing the small smile that appears on my face.

"So,how do you like the new job?" Alba asks from where she sits across from me at the clubhouse. True to my word, I rode out here to have dinner with Alba and her family. Now here I am, sitting on the sofa holding her son, Gabe. The little guy is fast asleep in my arms, and I can't help but be mesmerized at how beautiful he is. With his head full of dark hair, he is the spitting image of his dad. It doesn't take long for him to realize he is no longer in his momma's arms, so when he starts squirming, I pass him back to Alba.

"I like it, okay. I just sit behind a desk and answer the phone all day."

"How are you and Nikolai getting along?" At Alba's next question, Bella and Sam, who were having their own conversation, halt and bring their attention to us.

I shrug. "He's a nice boss, I guess."

"He's a nice boss?" Alba parrots.

"Yeah."

Sam decides to cut in. "You know, I saw the two of you eating lunch at the diner in town today."

"Nikolai took you to lunch?" The question comes from Bella, Alba's sister.

"Yeah."

Alba, Sam, and Bella look as if they are waiting for me to elaborate. Don't know why. There's nothing more to say.

Bella cocks her head to the side. Something across the room catches her attention. Or should I say, someone? When I look over my shoulder, I find Nikolai sitting at the bar with his brother Logan. Logan is talking to him. Only Nikolai's attention is fixed on our little huddle. Bella continues to look back and forth between Nikolai and me. Then a smile spreads across her face. I look to Alba, who is looking at her sister. She shares the same smile.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," the sisters say in unison. Alba and Bella seem to have some secret code. They can communicate with just a look. That's something I have noticed since hanging around them more. It's something special, but annoying at times.

I look to Sam silently, asking if he knows what their deal is. He just smiles and shrugs. But he too has a strange look in his eyes, like he is in on some big secret I know nothing about.Strange.

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