It was Tuesday afternoon and Nikita took Nicholas to eat after school at a restaurant downtown. She couldn't afford much but she promised Nicholas that she'd take him out for pizza and ice cream at his favorite place if he got a hundred on his spelling test and he did. He even got the bonus questions right too so she had every reasons to take him.

As Nicholas was eating his pizza and telling his mommy about his day, a tall man walked through the door of the same restaurant they were in with a little girl that looked at least four years of age. Nikita hadn't gotten a good look at the man's face but she smiled because the man seemed loving enough playing with the little girl she assumed was his daughter.

She watched the man from the back as he ordered his table. Nikita knew it was weird but the little girl was cute and she just couldn't take her eyes off her.

"Mommy, did you hear me?" Nicholas asked.

Nikita finally snapped out of it as Nicholas touched her hands.

"Um, yeah-"She said. "Look honey, Santa doesn't like to make promises that he can't keep so I really don't know if you're going to get that bike buddy." She kissed the little boy's head.

Nicholas pouted sadly. "That sucks."

"I'm sorry buddy." Nikita said as she tousled with the little boy's head. "But I bet extra chocolate fudge on that ice cream would make you feel better. D'that sound good?"

"Yes." Nicholas replied.

When Nikita called the waitress to order the ice cream and for the check, that same man had also walked by and took the table that was across her. She didn't want to look up and directly look at the guy to make him feel uncomfortable.

That's why it was even more of a surprise to her when the guy walked up to her and kindly interrupted.

"I'll take that." He said.

"Sure sir." The nice waitress replied.

"We'll have some more pizza and ice cream for the kids and the nice lady here. For me I'll have a tuna sandwich with a large cup of sprite." He said as he signed the check and left a huge tip for the waitress. "And do me a favor beautiful…"

The young waitress blushed at being called beautiful by the tall handsome man.

"Yes sir?"

"Buy yourself something nice for me, sweetheart." He said.

"Thank you so much!" The waitress cried happily. Too happy even. It was a huge tip and that doesn't happen very often with her regular customers.

Nikita felt so embarrassed, she didn't even look up after the waitress left. She just let some stranger pay for her check and didn't even try to stop him.

"Do you mind?" The man asked politely as he begin to pull two extra chairs around Nikita's table.

Nikita shook her head, still unable to look at the man. The guy just basically paid for her damn bill, why would she care if he sat around her table.

When he finally sat down, Nikita finally looked up only because the little girl next to Nicholas was smiling at her.

"Say hi sweetie."

Nikita's heart begins to race at the familiar figure that sat across her. She knew this man. She met him like a few days ago working at the bar and to say that he has a thing for big tips was an understatement.

"Hi." The little girl waved her hands and smiled.

Nikita smiled back. "Hi beautiful."

"My name's Nicholas, what's your name?" Nicholas asked the little girl.

"My name is Alexxa."

Both adult watch silently as the kids have their own private conversation aside as if they weren't even sitting around the table. Kids…. They're amazing little human beings.

"Well I'm Michael." The mysterious man finally revealed. "I think we've met before."

Nikita cleared her throat. "This is a tiny bit awkward." She whispered.

Michael chuckled. "Is it because you never called me?" He asked. "I gotta say, I'm a little offended here. I mean I'm allowed to right? If women are allowed to go bananas when a guy doesn't call back after a date, I think it's fair to be a little girly as a man sometimes. Even if we never went on a date." He said.

Nikita ran her hand through her silky hair and licked her lips to prevent from laughing. "I barely knew you and only talked to you for like a few hours and you sort of offered me a job, can you see how that might freak me out a little bit?" She asked.

Michael nodded. "I'm still offended." He said.

Nikita rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I come here sometimes on Tuesdays and Fridays." Michael replied. "It's a nice little place."

Finally more food came and the kids indulged themselves in some delicious pizza while Michael took a sip of his soda.

"Is this your daughter?" Nikita asked.

Michael shook his head. "No," He chuckled. "That's my little niece." He said kissing the little girl's forehead. "Right Lex?"

The little girl nodded. "Uncle Michael and I like to have bonding time while mommy works at the office. He likes to take me here after school sometimes." Alexxa said while chewing on her pizza with her small baby teeth.

Nikita smiled. "Well I think that's really sweet." She cooed.

Michael chuckled as he looked at Nicholas. The resemblance to Nikita was there just a little bit but with the blue eyes and the sandy blonde hair it was hard to tell.

"Is that your son?" He asked.

Nikita nodded. "Yeah." She replied.

Michael stretched his hands out to the little boy and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, bud." He said.

"Nice to meet you, too." Nicholas replied.

As the conversations continued around the table, Nikita couldn't help but feel happy and warm inside. This man was a total stranger, yet she's seen him only twice and that same feeling she got when she saw him for the first time, that same one she hoped would be just a fantasy, she felt it again watching him being so kind and playful towards her son and his niece.

"Mommy, can I have bubble gum?" Nicholas asked.

Nikita sighed.

Michael looked at Nicholas's begging face then back at Nikita's. Something was happening here. He didn't know what the look on Nikita's face meant but he was adult enough to figure it out.

"I think I got a few quarters here." He interrupted as he begin to search through his pocket.

Nikita shook her head. "It's ok." She said.

"No I got it." Michael insisted.

"Don't do that." Nikita begged. "I don't want him to get used to getting things that we can't always afford." She said as she handed Nicholas a quarter. "Here get only one."

"Okay." Nicholas groaned.

"Do you wanna get some bubble gum too, honey?" Michael asked Alexxa.

Alexxa nodded quickly.

Michael laughed. "Here, knock yourself out." He said as he handed the kid a few quarters before leaning in her small ears and whispered. "Share some with your new friend, Nicholas."

"Okay!"

The two kids left and went to the kid's play house under the surveillance of both guardians.

"Not bad." Nikita commented.

Michael smiled. "Thank you." He replied.

They talked for a few more minutes. They didn't make very personal talks. They barely knew each other to be digging in too deep and Nikita respected that fact a lot. She doesn't really like talking to strangers and that way, they don't know how miserable her life can be sometimes.

Things were just warming up to a more increased level and Nikita's anxiety was saved by the vibration of Michael's phone.

"Excuse me." Michael said.

"Sure." Nikita smiled.

He answered the phone and looked preoccupied for a while.

"No," Michael said. "Birkhoff, I'm telling you, if you sign that damn deal without me, I will kill you." He threatened.

Nikita's brows furrowed. And here she thought he was a nice guy.

"Tell Alex that I said no." Michael continued to ramble. "William doesn't guarantee us more growth than John." He said.

Business man.

Nikita thought so since she first saw him at the bar. But you can't always let the suit foul you right?

"It doesn't matter!" Michael said. "You know what? I'm going to hang up on you right now but when I get back, that file better be unsigned or I'll hunt you down and kill you myself."

Michael did exactly what he said. He hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket.

"I'm sorry." He apologized.

"It's alright." Nikita said. "Work problem?" She questioned.

Michael nodded. "Nothing too big I can't handle." He said. "But I'll have to run before some damn contract is signed."

"Yeah, I better get going too." Nikita said.

They called the kids and took the rest of the unfinished pizza. Michael didn't want it and Nikita didn't either but Michael insisted that Nicholas and Alexxa took half each just in case. He didn't want it to go to waste. World hunger is big and he didn't believe in wasting food.

"Well it was definitely nice seeing you again." Michael said.

Nikita nodded silently. "Same." She replied.

Michael reached for his wallet and pulled out a white card. "Let's hope you call this time." He said. "If you don't this time, I'll know you just don't like me."

"I'll keep that in mind." Nikita said.

They all exited the restaurant together and both went their separate ways. As Nikita watched Michael leave, she couldn't help but feel extremely lonely. It's almost as if she missed him in some weird type of way.

Just weird.

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This is it for this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I hope the chapter wasn't too bad for you guys. I don't know if they should continue to meet like this or if Nikita should call Michael but I think your reviews would help so please do review and let me know what you guys thought. Until next time, xoxo!