Chapter 5

Kaylee went to the restaurant early, she finally decided to resign, since she’s sure that Amber will not go back to work anymore, her service is no longer needed. Although, she still has no idea on how to tell it to Lohan, sooner or later he will definitely learn about it. And once she’s told him all about it, she will bury her feelings towards him, Afterall it is all for the best.

But all of her plans went to drain, it seems that destiny is playing with her. Rafael introduced them their temporary manager, and it was no other than Lohan. Their eyes meet and his eyes were shouting mischievousness. She doesn’t know what he is planning but none of it matters now anyway.

She is waiting for Rafael to be free—they just finish their rounds and are now talking in his office; she needs to hand him her resignation letter.

After a while of waiting, the door opens and Rafael seems to be in a hurry.

“Sir, can I have a bit of your time?” Kaylee asks.

“I’m sorry, Kaylee but I need to go and see Amber, she’s okay by the way, so you don’t have to worry.” Rafael said. “But if you need something just ask Lohan about it.” He added as he looks at Lohan and back at her, there is something in his stare at she can’t pinpoint. “I really need to go.”

Kaylee just sigh as she look the Rafael’s back.

“Hey, Kaye!” Lohan mischievously greeted her.

“So, what are you doing here?” She asks.

“I’m the temporary manager of this place.” Lohan grins, making her roll her eyes.

“Why did you suddenly become interested here?” She asks. “And what about Venus studio?” Venus studio is owned and managed by Lohan; he is a photographer by profession.

“I’m just here for a few weeks, I will serve as Rafa’s eyes; his hands are currently full. Besides I’m in a vacation so I just volunteered, with that I can always see you from morning to night.” He smiles.

“Yeah right!” She glared at him. She knows that the reason why he is here is because of Amber. “You might as well want to live with me?”

“Hmm… That’s a tempting idea, Kaye.” Lohan grins making her heart jump.

“I know why you are here; you just want to keep Amber safe.” She didn’t see the frown on his face because she turns back. “But Amber will not be coming here anymore. I’m sure that you already knew about it, and I apologize for not saying anything.”

“Kaylee, I need a hand here.” Her workmate shouted from a distance.

“Coming.” She shouted back. “I’ll see you around.” She glances back at Lohan before going to the kitchen.

“Can you spare me some of your time?” Kaylee asks Lohan during her break. Lohan drops the document he’s reading and offered her a seat.

“What is it?” He asks. Kaylee sighs and handed him her resignation letter. “This is?” He frowns.

“Just as you can see, resignation letter.” She answers.

“I can see that but why?” He asks, seriously.

“We both know why I am here, Lohan. There is no more reason for me to be here.”

“I won’t allow it!” Lohan said, clenching his jaw, making her surprise.

“Why? Give me a reason why I should continue working here?” She asks, calmly.

“I just… I… Never mind.” Lohan sighs. “But I can’t accept this.” He said making her burst out.

“Don’t be so unreasonable, Lohan! I have my life too.” She insisted. “If its Amber that you’re worried about…” She looks at him and sighs. “There should be no problem since you’re here, you can easily protect her.” She smiles bitterly.

“Why do you think I am here for?” He asks emotionlessly. “This conversation is over, Kaye.” He said and leaves the office.

“Why are you making things hard for me, Lohan?” She asks while staring at his back. “My heart is already bleeding… how can you not even notice it?” She softly said.

“Gather around, everyone!” Lohan ordered all the employees of MJ restaurant before they open the restaurant. He’s been observing them for days now to know who is rightful for the managerial position. He also lets them handle problems with the customers, he will only butt in if he senses that the staff can’t handle it no more.

The truth is Rafael already has an idea on who should be the next manager but Lohan still asks him a favor so that he can be with the woman he loves—the woman who suddenly left him without an explanation.

“Tomorrow, I want all of you to be present. We will held a simple celebration for Rafael and his wife, and yes, he got married recently.” He informs the staff, who were surprised with the news. “According to him it is sudden so there’s no helping it.” He continues, he, himself is surprised when Rafael called him. “So, I will be expecting all of you tomorrow.” He already talked to the chef and Rafael so there should be no problem for tomorrow. He briefed them shortly for what should happen tomorrow before dismissing them.

“Kaye, can we talk?” He approached Kaylee, who’s been avoiding him for days. Whenever she sees him, she would act as if she sees nothing or she’s doing something.

“I am busy at the moment.” Kaylee said, while looking blankly at him, making him sigh.

“Busy avoiding me.” He said making her raise an eyebrow.

“Good, you’re aware.” She said and turns her back but Lohan grabs her wrist, pulling her in an embrace. “Wh—what? Let go!” She struggles but he hugs her tightly.

“Not until you talk to me.” He said, hugging her tightly.

“Let me go, the staffs are looking at us!” They are in the middle of the room and staffs are cleaning.

“I’ll let you go but you have to promise me that you and I will talk later.” He demanded.

“Okay, okay, fine! I’ll talk to you later, so please, let go of me so that I can help out with the cleaning.” She surrenders.

“Good.” Lohan smiles and release her. “I’ll see you later then.” He said before leaving her.

“You jerk.” She sighs and helps out fixing the chairs.

“Love quarrel?” Her co-worker asks.

“Huh? No.” She answers.

“Are you two together?” Another one asks, making her laugh.

“Is that how it seems to you?” She asks.

“To everybody, actually.” They answer, making her dumbfounded.

“We’re just childhood friends, nothing more, nothing less.” She bitterly smiles.

“You don’t have to hide it, Kaylee.” Her co-worker said. “Anyone can see that you two are in love with each other.” She said making her blink in amusement.

“You have a good imagination.” She slightly shakes her head. “Lohan and me are just friends and he love someone else.” She added, forcing a smile.

“Oh, is that so.” Her co-worker said. “It’s such a waste, you two looks good together.”

“Enough with the chitchat, let’s quickly finish cleaning so that we can open up.” She said but her co-workers just teased her.

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Kaylee asks when she storms in in Lohan’s office during her break time.

“Eager to talk to me, eh?” He asks, mocking her making her blush.

“I…I just want to get this over with.” She answers, trying to hide the redness of her face.

“If you say so.” Lohan smiles. “Anyways, I did a lot of thinking about your resignation letter and…” Kaylee’s face brightens up upon the mention of it.

“Are you accepting it now?” She asks with high hopes.

“Yes, but until we will find someone to replace you.” Lohan answers making her pout. “You are well-aware that we are short-staffed as of the moment, so it will be hard letting you go at the currents state of the restaurant.” He explains. “I hope you can understand, Kaye.”

Kaylee can’t help not to sigh out of disappointment.

“I know that I’m the one who drag you into this but believe me that I didn’t expect it to be this way. I tried calling the other staff who quit but they now found another job. Rafael managed to talk to the chefs who quit and they will be coming tomorrow.”

“That’s good then, at least now they are back on their job.” She said as she takes a seat. “Then you must promise me that once you’re done hiring staff you must let me go—I’ll bear with it for a month.”

“A month it is.” Lohan smiles.

“So, do you have any idea who is the woman Rafael married to?” She asks, changing the topic.

“No, I’ll get to know her tomorrow.” He answers. “Why do you ask?”

“Ah, uhm, nothing. I’m just surprise with the news that he got married, like everyone else. I thought he is the person who would never get married.” She reasoned out making Lohan laugh.

“It’s not that he doesn’t want to but he’s just searching for the right woman. I am also shock when he suddenly informed me about his marriage, and I can’t wait to meet the woman he made him say his vows.” Lohan smiles but he noticed something in Kaylee’s face, there is something that she’s hiding. “Something wrong?” he asks.

“None.” Kaylee tried to smile but he knows that what she’s showing him is nothing but a fake one. “You must be shock when you came here but Amber’s not around.”

Lohan frown and a realization hits him, Kaylee must have thought that the reason why he is there is because of Amber, no wonder she keeps bringing her name up. But everything is a false assumption, Amber is dear to him but that’s not enough reason why he decided to show up there.

“I wonder about that.” He shrugs.

“Aren’t you needed in your own real job?” She asks, emphasizing the word real.

“It’s okay, my staffs were all professional, I’m just monitoring them and I seldom accept projects.”

“And that what’s make you in demand, your skills are out of this world.”

“You’re exaggerating, Kaye.” Lohan laughs.

“But it is true! Venus studio is making an uproar all throughout the globe.”

“Well, you’re not wrong there, in fact I already have branches all over the globe but the success of the studios is not just because of me—it is also due to my staffs. The studio will not expand if not because of them.”