“Sir Von, are you waiting for someone? Or something?” Sierra curiously inquired at her boss that was blocking the entrance of Summit Restaurant.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Sir Von curiously asked back, surprising Sierra.

He shifted his gaze from Sierra towards the opposite side of the road, where Josh was walking.

Sierra had been working at Summit Restaurant for more than three years. In all those years, Mr. Von Summit, the owner of the restaurant, had never been curious about her personal life.

Sir Von was only twenty-two when his father gave him that restaurant to manage. Now he was turning twenty-seven. He was young but his knowledge in running that place was unparalleled. He was a great manager. He knew when to give incentives and when to give punishments. He was creative enough to make his restaurant appealing to all ages and most of all, he was a great chef. He was studying each dish, from appetizers to desserts, until he could perfect their taste. He always had new dishes in mind. All his employees looked up to him. They were happy to serve a boss like him. He was so professional and always in a good mood.

Even when Sierra gave him a love letter, he did not get angry. He turned her down gracefully and never mentioned anything to anyone. Life continued as if he never received a love letter from one of his employees.

Sierra was grateful to his professionalism. Her admiration for him never lessened but her love for him was finally starting to fade.

It took her a while because Sir Von, aside from being a good boss, also has a striking appearance. He is tall. He had a lean and muscular body. He always looked neat. His brown eyes and warm smile radiated sincerity and kindness.

Who will not fall for a man like him?

“Sierra, you’re not answering. Am I prying too much?” Sir Von was waving a hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention.

“No, Sir Von,” Sierra looked away from her boss and walked towards the closed glass door. “It’s just that… I don’t want to talk about that guy.”

“Hmmm… your answer tells me that he is not your boyfriend,” Mr. Von followed her inside the restaurant. “Then… is that guy bothering you?”

“I can handle him, Sir Von,” Sierra assured her boss. “He will never bother me in this place.”

“Why is he bothering you?” Sir Von kept on asking and Sierra found his curiosity odd. He was not the prying type. All his questions were always about work. Even after she had given him a love letter, he never asked her any personal question.

What is wrong with this day? Why are these men acting strange towards me? Am I still dreaming?

“I’m asking too much, right?” Her boss handed her a menu after she had settled on the counter. He added a couple of new dishes again.

"What happened to your hand?" Sir Von was always showing concern towards his workers. But he had never touched any of his employees like how he tenderly touched the bandaged hand of Sierra.

Am I misunderstanding his actions again?!

"Just a scratch, Sir Von," Sierra quickly pulled her hand away from her boss. She could feel her face blushing as she turned away from her boss.

Stop blushing, Sierra! But the heat in her face was not fading away.

"Is that man the reason you got wounded?" The worry in his voice was making her blush even more.

This is all a dream, right? I’m still dreaming…

“Sierra, are you okay?”

"Yes, Sir Von!" Sierra nervously replied while pretending to read the menu. “I need to work, Sir Von.”

“Okay. I will let you work,” his answer gave Sierra a bit of relief. Only a bit because he quickly added, “I want to hear more about that man later."

Why? Sierra wanted to ask but the words that came out of her mouth were, “Later, Sir Von.”

^#######################################^

“Is he your classmate?” Sir Von asked after giving Sierra her takeout.

Her boss was generous enough to set aside food for all his employees. They could either eat that at the restaurant on their break time or take them home after their duty.

Sierra was always taking her portion home. She wanted to share those delicious dishes with her friends.

“Sir Von, I don’t want to be rude,” Sierra breathed after carefully putting the packed dishes in her bag. “Please, don’t terminate me from work if I say these words.”

“What words?” Sir Von wondered.

“Why are you acting like these towards me? I might misunderstand. Again,” her heart was pounding with anxiety but she had to let those words out. It was a good thing that only she and her boss had left inside the pantry.

Sir Von smiled stunningly as he answered, “You are already a graduating student. If you misunderstand my intention this time and decided to give me another love letter, you might get a different response from me.”

That doesn’t sound so good, Sierra nervously told herself. It could mean a lot of things. He can get angry and terminate me from work or…

“Sir Von, did I do something wrong? Is this some kind of punishment?”

Instead of answering, her boss quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, until his face was only an inch apart from hers.

She could feel his warm breath adding heat on her face and it was quickly spreading all throughout her body. She was shamefully blushing in front of him. And the uncontrollable pounding of her heart against his broad torso was adding to her embarrassment.

Why is this happening to me?

Sierra tried to move away but his grip against her was as strong as Josh had held her earlier that day.

Sir Von was staring intensely at Sierra as he moved his lips to kiss her. Fighting against the will of her heart and body, Sierra managed to cover her mouth with her hands and closed her eyes tight.

“My birthday is coming up,” Sir Von whispered to her ear before removing his arm from her waist. “You should come.”

“Of course, Sir Von,” Sierra quickly stepped away from her boss. “I will not miss it,” she promised before heading towards the door of the pantry.

“See you tomorrow, Sierra.”

“Tomorrow, Sir Von,” she waved goodbye without glancing at her boss then she marched as normally as she could out of the restaurant and across the pedestrian.

The moment she stepped at the other side of the road, she breathed out her nervousness and took a few deep breaths, until her heartbeat returned to normal. When it finally did, she glanced back at the restaurant and sadly pleaded, “Don't do this to me, Sir Von. I'm already moving on.”

^#######################################^