That Stupid Little Waiter

Chapter 2 - Thunderbolts on Your Shoulders

Vincent wasn't an easy man to surprise.

His time on this Earth hadn't been that long but it also hadn't been that short either. During the 20 and more years of his life, he had had many opportunities to witness many things, and as a result, he had become accustomed to a lot of things that would normally win someone's heart over. Chocolate for Valentine's? Couldn't have been more uncreative. Love letter hidden in his locker? Predicted it. A customer secretly slipping something into the food to frame his restaurant? Saw it from a mile away because he couldn't have been more obvious since day one, Vincent just wanted to let him embarrass himself. Many would consider it a blessing, some might see it as a curse. Vincent didn't really care that much, he just didn't get surprised easily and he was completely fine with it.

So why, at this moment, was he struggling to collect his thoughts after the question he just received from none other than Rody himself?

"Why do you ask?" Vincent stood straight, crossing his arms and keeping his composure to mask the racing train of thoughts in his mind.

"I dunno, I was just curious."

Motherfuck-Vincent cursed internally. Really? Who just randomly asked someone, their boss, if they were single, because you were fucking curious? Right now, all Vincent wanted to do was to just rip that dumb nonchalant off Rody's face. Such a stupid little face after asking someone such a question.

"I mean..." Rody continued. "You must get a lotta ladies, right?"

Vincent wanted to let out a groan, but to give Rody some slack, that was a fair assumption to make. A young chef in his late 20s, who was the owner of the most renowned restaurants? It would be a reasonable guess to make.

"Sure," Vincent replied, reckoning it wouldn't hurt to entertain Rody's speculation a little.

"So aren't you seeing any of them-?"

"Look, I'm really not getting what you're digging for here." Vincent wasted no time to disrupt whatever Rody could possibly be on right now. The urge to step back and run away was becoming very strong in Vincent, as if it was a protective mechanism. It was hard to explain. He was uncomfortable, but not for the reason one might think of. People trying to push for details of his life, he was oh so used to it, being a celebrity chef himself. So many journalists trying to get the hottest headlines, so many men and women alike digging for his personal details because they were obsessed with knowing everything that was going on in it, whether it was for romantic reason or not. Nothing about it fazed him anymore, yet why was an ordinary guy like Rody able to catch him off guard with that very question he was so accustomed to?

"Well, I guess, just-Why are you here?" Again with that nonchalant expression of Rody. "You just stand around watching other people work most of the time, you don't actually cook, you're more stable enough in finances. Couldn't you just get a manager to run the place while you relax? Settle down with someone?"

Ah, the classic question of "When are you settling down?" It took every ounce of strength in Vincent not to roll his eyes at Rody, although he couldn't deny that he felt relieved that this was the direction the conversation was heading. That random question scared the hell out of him. Turned out Rody was just a little dreamer, maybe a bit too traditional even, and was just curious about why a successful man in his late 20s such as Vincent wasn't married with a wife, five kids and a two-story suburban house yet.

"I don't run the place for the money, you know. I've got actual stakes here, this is me settling down," Vincent answered with his usual stern voice, still being as straightforward as always. "Chasing petty romance wasn't the end-all be-all in life."