CHAPTER 6:HAVE A DRINK WITH ME.

I heard a noise from my front door and it had me feeling a little anxious. Max ran in that direction and stood waiting the few seconds until it opened. Zachary's face came into view and I felt an ease that it wasn't someone else.

"Zachary,Hi."I gave him a polite smile."I didn't think that you would be back for a few days. How was your trip?"

I was trying to make polite conversation since I want to stay on his good side. I am living in his house after all.

"It was fine."He walked towards the kitchen area and set his things down on the counter,before giving Max some much needed attention."I hope he's behaved himself while I've been gone."

I chuckled."Yes,He's been well behaved. I think he's a bit tired out now after his long walk."I was watching him from the couch as he made his way around the kitchen.

He looked stressed..Likes he's had a hard couple of days.

I stood from the couch and walked in Zachary's direction. He had opened the fridge and was drinking from a cold bottle of beer."Is everything okay?"

"Fine,Just work stuff!"He finished his beer before grabbing not one but two more out of the fridge. He placed one down on the counter in front of me."Have a drink with me?"

I was hesitant,because I was surprised that he was asking me. Also I'm not much of a drinker-Well not beer at least."Um..."

He moved the bottle closer to me."I don't like to drink alone,Kate."

From that I got the impressed that he wasn't just asking for company-but that he needed it. So I'll drink the beer and take it as an opportunity to get to know the man I'm living with. I brought the bottle to my lips and set it back down."Is something wrong?"

"Today-It's my Father's Birthday. It's been a little rough with it being his first one gone."He leaned against the counter with a sigh."Usually we would be sipping beers together by now."

I gave Zachary a sympathetic smile. "Michelle mentioned that your Father had passed,I'm sorry. You two must have been close?"

"Close enough. He was strong my Dad, I thought he was resilient,like nothing could ever take him down."He swigged his beer and set it back down."How very wrong I was!"

"I know the pain you're feeling,I had always thought that my Mother was resilient too. She got cancer and died when I was fifteen. I know it doesn't feel like it right now,but it gets easier with time."

He looked at me,with sadness clouding his features."I'm sorry,that must have been tough for you being so young.How did you handle that?"

"Alone, I didn't have any other family so it was just me. A friend of my Mom's took care of me until I was old enough to do it myself."I walked towards the oven and took the casserole out,trying to avoid his pity.

I hated pity!!

"You had everything taken away from you,if I was that young I'm not sure I would have been strong enough to cope."He walked towards me and handed me the spatula that I had been looking for.

"Thanks!"I took it from him and smiled. "This looks like way too much food for one person,Will you join me? I make a pretty good casserole."

"I probably shouldn't."He said,yet his eyes were still on the tray of piping hot food in front of us. He wants to say Yes,But what's stopping him? I am drinking with him after all.

"Come on,Zachary. You're not going to make me eat alone are you? I'm having a drink with you-You can have a meal with me?"I looked at him with a smirk on my face.

"Alright,I guess I'm joining you. But you can start calling me Zach from now on. The only one that calls me Zachary is my Grandmother."He grabbed some cutlery as I dished up our meal.

The two of us sat side by side at the island,so close and quite that there was a little bit of shyness between us now. I didn't expect to be cooking for two,thank god i put in the effort and decided to make my best dish.

"Wow,I am impressed!"He looked at me and smiled."This is really good, Kate. Like restaurant quality food. You should be a chef."

"Actually,I am. Well I'm sort of! I left college before I finished,but I still learned a lot from my time there."I felt a little uncomfortable talking about the topic,since I knew the true reason why I left. I don't have my degree because of Liam.

"That's a shame,it's obvious that any restaurant in LA would be lucky to have you."Zach threw me a wink."So is getting a job in a restaurant your next move?"

I set my fork down on my plate."I've already found a job. I start tomorrow in a bar called Cove,Do you know the place?"

"I've heard of it."He replied,not at all bothered to hide his disapproving tone."You're a young girl,Kate. You shouldn't be working in a bar like that. Men can get full on when they're drunk."

"I know how to take care of myself." Well after what happened with Liam I'm not really sure what I'm capable of."You said a young girl like me,I'm twenty three. Aren't we like the same age?"

"I'm twenty nine so I have a couple of years on you."

"Well I didn't think that many,You look younger than that."Was I flirting with him? It definitely wasn't my intention,I was just trying to be nice.

"I'll take that as a compliment."He set his cutlery down on his plate."Thank you for dinner by the way,it was the best I've had in a very long time. You have a talent there."

"You're welcome."I picked up our plate and walked towards the sink and set them in. It's been nice chatting to a man and not having to deal with Liam's outbursts afterwards.

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FLASHBACK

Jon and I were making our way through college campus after finishing our classes for the day. With both of us taking classes together and having an interest in cooking,we've grown quite close.

Jon chuckled."Honestly,the souffle that I made could have turned out better. It was a disaster in my opinion."

"I wouldn't say that it was a disaster, but it came pretty close."I chuckled, back at him. I'm so exhausted. I wish we had a break in classes already."

"We have Halloween break coming up so at least that's something that we can look forward to."We were only a couple of weeks into our second year, but like me Jon was already feeling the stress and strain."Did you hear about the new talent at The Rube tonight, a new band called The Metal madness?"

"I saw the flyer. I'm not going,I'm so exhausted after work all I want to is sleep."I looked down at my watch and saw that I had twenty minutes until my shift started.

"Come on,Emilia! Come out for one drink and then you're off the hook?"He begged,making it impossible for me to say no.

"Alright,Fine! Text me what time suits and I'll meet you there."My name was called,causing me to turn around and look in that direction. It was Liam standing by the door of his car."I should get going,Jon. I'll see you tonight okay."

"Yeah,See you later!"He looked across the grass in Liam's direction before he walked away. The two of them have never met,but I could already tell that Jon didn't particularly like him. Maybe it's because of his Jealously issues.

I walked towards Liam and I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't happy. What is he even doing here? Usually he wouldn't just show up out of the blue."Hi,This is a nice surprise. I didn't expect to see you."

"I bet you didn't."He turned around and opened the door to his car and got in. I silently slipped into the passengers seat."Work?"He asked.

"Um,Yes Please."I stared out the window of the car as he started up the car and drove n the direction of the Coffee Shop. I stayed silent waiting for him to say something.

"So who was the Guy?"Liam asked,with attitude and I turned and looked at him in annoyance."Don't look at me like that,Emilia. You know what the hell I'm talking about."

"Jon,He's just a friend."I sighed."You don't need to worry about it,we just have the same classes together that's all."

"Friend!!"He chuckled,sarcastically."I think you should know better than that. He's not just a friend,he's getting close so he can get into your pants. That's how men work."

"Stop! It's not like that! I think he has a thing for Claire actually,I was going to set them up."

He scoffed."Don't waste your time. It's not Claire he likes."His grip was tight on the steering wheel,showing just how wound up he really was.

I hate when he's like this,Jealously is his worst flaw. Liam is a crazy Jealous man and it's been putting a strain on our relationship. But I still wanted to try to make things work. I reached my hand across the space between us and rubbed his shoulder."Please,Don't be like this."

Liam pulled the car up outside work and turned off the engine. He stared ahead,fuming with rage."When I see other men around you,you know how it makes me!"He turned his head and looked at me."It drives me crazy,Emilia. I don't like it!"

"Liam..."

"Shhh!!"He said,placing his hand on my face and caressing my cheek."I want you to remember that you're mine. You're mine Forever,Don't forget that!!"

I smiled at him."Forever,I promise."

FLASHBACK

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