"So I was some sort of bet and cash price." Alisha could feel the tears building up as she sat there and remembered that night.
"Alisha, I'm sorry." Alex said and was about to say something else but a voice interrupted.
His manger approached the table, complained about him having a chitchat during working hours, and told him he was fired.
After the manager left, he offered to walk with Alisha so they could leave the restaurant without making a scene.
"Are you not bothered about your job? You should speak to her, she's just being a typical business owner, but I'm sure she would take you back" Alisha encouraged.
"I need to make peace with you first, that's the most important thing now."
"Let's put all that behind us now, I'm over it." she said feeling bad that he had just lost his job.
"Thank you so much Alisha, you are still that sweet lady. When is the wedding?" he asked noticing her ring.
"In a few weeks." she said looking at the ring and remembering the call she had with Leonardo the previous night, he must certainly be furious by now.
"Congratulations again, well I better let you go now." he said nothing that she was absent minded.
"Alight then, but what would you do about a job now?" she asked still concerned.
"Well, restaurant is not really my thing, I love to bake, so I'll check out those bakeries I applied to before now and see if they need a baker." he was trying to be hopeful.
"You bake?" she asked surprised
"It's my life, I love to play around with flour and see a fine picture I have in my head come to life." he smiled
"Would you like to start a bakery of yours?" she asked him
"No, I don't know business and all, I just like to bake."
"Would you relocate if a bakery with a good pay hires you as a baker?" she asked interested in his response.
"I would love it."
"I own Alisha's bakery, I have a bakery in California and Georgia, if you want, choose which country works for you, and the job is yours."
"Are you serious?" it sounded too good to be true.
"Yes, I would recommend the bakery at Georgia though, I have a house there that you can reside in, and we are in need a a head baker, you could fill in the told and resume as soon as you want, I'll take care of the cost of relocation, we'll discuss your salary if you make up your mind."
Alex was elated, it was a big turnaround for him. Alisha had given her number and that of the manager at the bakery in Georgia, before she went back to her hotel.
"I have been robbed" Alisha breathed heavily as she ran back to the reception desk.
"Excuse me Ma" the receptionist said.
"Don't you get it? I have been robbed", there is nothing, none of my belongings in my room." she panicked, her passport and credit card was gone, even her phone she had left behind and her clothes, everything had been swept clean, how could she get back home?
"How can such a robbery take place in broad daylight in such an hotel as this?" she raised her voice at the receptionist who wore a perfect red lipstick.
"We are so sorry for the inconveniences Ma"am." the receptionist was saying but Alisha cut her short.
"This is more than some sort of inconvenience, I will have this place closed down and blackliifor incompetence." she was so angrily.
"Please listen to me Ma"am, we got a report about some inconveniences in your room, it was quite urgent and we had to move your things quickly to suit 2, kindly check there and if anything is missing, we will pay for it." the receptionist said calmly.
Alisha was not happy that her things had been touched in her absence, however, she took the card to the door of the suite and went up the elevator.
She unlocked the door and saw the beautiful suite, it was massive and amazing. She locked the door behind her and prepared herself for the jacuzzi she was sure the suite had.
As soon as she stepped into the other room, she saw a figure and she screamed, was she in the wrong room?
"Who would have thought you could be this scared? You sounded so confident over the phone last night, I had to take a flight immediately to be sure it was you I spoke to." Leonardo said
"The moment I was told my belongings had been moved to a suite, I should have known you were responsible, why are you here to ruin my vacation?" she was pissed
"I got a threat to my wedding, I had to deal with that problem." he was speaking so calmly she wasn't sure if he was angry.
"By sneaking in on me and stealing my vacation?"
"No one is stealing your vacation, have fun, but the date for the wedding would not change." she rolled her eyes at him as he spoke.
"That's not even possible, the original date is five days from now and I plan to enjoy my vacation to the fullest." she didn't wait for him to speak, she just walked to the jacuzzi, she was not going to miss it after the sport she had.
A while later, he came in with a glass of white wine for her, she received it but not before telling him that he should rid his thoughts of any sexual ideas he might have. He gave her a smile that made her abdomen dance before leaving her alone again.
She enjoyed the time she spent in the jacuzzi, it helped relaxed her mind, or was it the thought that Leonardo was here that relaxed her mind?
Alisha finally came out of the jacuzzi when she realized she had not had breakfast and was hungry, when she got to the bedroom, she saw that Leonardo already got lunch set out.
"Thank you" she said and sat to eat, without waiting for him to join her.
"Would you like to have your wedding here? We could move everyone down here" Leonardo asked her as he joined her to eat.
"No wedding talks, until after my vacation." she said with a finality that made him say nothing but focus on the food.
Leonardo barely ate anything, instead he got up and went to bed. "Is he mad at me or is he just tired from the double trip he within 29 hours?" she asked herself.
When Alisha was done eating, she saw Leonardo sleeping peacefully, she didn't want to disturb him, so instead she went to the lobby and had a virtual meeting with her event planners, she felt it would be unfair and selfish if she halted the plans.
Leonardo did not wake up until late that evening, Alisha had to wake him up to have dinner, she had gotten some seafood and they looked mouthwatering.
He sat and watched her eat, he barely said a word and he didn't even eat a thing. She was mad at him this time, he barely ate the lunch he had ordered and he also didn't touch the dinner she had ordered.
"What is wrong with you?" she asked him in a voice that sounded a bit too harsh, he excused himself and went out to the bar for a drink.
Alisha was angry and thought of a good payback. She was already asleep when he got back in, and the next morning she had completely ignored him, had her bath and left the suite. She wore a jean trouser and a boy friend top, she liked the casual feel it gave her.
She got into a bridal shop and met the designer she had booked an appointment with, they set out to pick all she needed for her wedding look. It took a long time because she had to pick out what she liked, did her fitting and waited for adjustments, after the final fitting, the items were packed to be sent to California, she had made arrangements for it to be picked up.
When she was done with all she needed to achieve for the day, she was tired and hungry, she settled for McDonald's and it was when she sat to eat she remembered she hadn't given her phone any attention all day.
She saw some missed calls from her dad, the event planner and a lot of calls from Leonardo. She decided to return her dad and Mary's call.
"Alisha, where were you all day?" Leonardo asked her the moment she stepped in.
"I told you not to bother my vacation." she rolled her eyes at him, she was tired and besides she was mad at him.
"No one is bothering your vacation, I just needed to know you are safe, and besides you look more tired than relaxed." he noticed she looked exhausted unlike the previous day after she had stepped out of the jacuzzi.
"That's your fault, I was having a great time until you showed up." she accused him, he felt if he thought she held the wedding plans she could get back at him for leaving her when she was down with fever.
"What did I do Alisha?" he asked confused at why a woman was wired the way she was.
"You left me to eat alone last night" she accused
"That's because I don't eat seafood, I am allergic to it."
"Well you should have said so, instead of walking out."
"Sorry about that, but you looked like you were enjoying your meal, didn't want to ruin that for you, and besides I'm trying to stay out of your way so I don't ruin your vacation as you've been accusing."
"You kept me in a suite with you and you speak of getting out of my way?" she was taking off her clothes now, she needed to shower and rest.
As Alisha showered, it dawned on her that she and Leonardo were very private people and she didn't even have a maid of honor, neither did Leonardo have a best man.
When she was out of the shower, she found Leonardo sitting and looking at her every move.
"What?" she fired at him as her gaze met his.
"You are beautiful" he said and she rolled her eyes at him, not that she doubted him, but she knew he had more to say, something important. Because he looked unsure, this was one part of Leonardo she had notied, he was letting his guards down around her, he didn't act tough or all bossy around her.
"I know it's your vacation and you are having a good time, but would you like to go somewhere with me tomorrow?"
Alisha wanted to decline, she had the last of her wedding shopping to do, she intended to return back to California the following day, deciding that one more day would not hurt, she accepted to go with him.
Alisha and Leonardo had gotten ready when their ride arrived, it turned out that Leonardo was friends with the son of Seattle's mayor and they had been invited for a full day of fun.
"She's so beautiful" he said as he welcomed them in.
"Alisha, meet Jaylen, Jaylen, Alisha my fiancee." Leonardo introduced
"Hi Alisha, it's so good to finally meet you, he would not stop talking about you, and this is May, my fiancee, I also don't stop talking about her." he chuckled.
"Hi Alisha, let's chat in the kitchen and leave the men alone before breakfast is served." May said and Leonardo let go of Alisha's hand so she could go along with May.
They chatted about work, Alisha spoke about the bakery while May spoke about how she was a fashion designer. The two bonded and chatted on for a while.
"I know I can trust you, I need your help." May said in a very low voice.