"Tell your wife to ease up, Josh. So many dishes for three people! Do I look like a monster to you?"
Joshua laughed out loud at Alexis's astounded face looking at the food decorated on the table.
"It's a feast, it's supposed to look like one," he replied.
"Feast? Why do I feel like she has the whole city to feed?"
"She is in her fighting spirit over cooking today," Joshua smirked proudly, looking like a proud little husband of Rebecca.
Alexis couldn't help but chuckle seeing his reaction. "Who is she competing against?"
"My best buddy," he shrugged while replying.
"Wow…. So hoes before bros, huh?" She teased.
Joshua looked seriously at her this time, bringing her attention fully to her.
"Look Alexis, a man is a friend before marriage. And after that, he is just a husband," he put his hands on his chest with another dramatic expression.
Alexis shook her head in amusement. Where did her best friend find a man like him?
"So? Who is this best friend of yours? Can he even cook better than Rebecca?" Alexis questions while eyeing the dishes on the table for another time.
"Didn't I tell you? Look at me! Forgetting to mention this….. oh hey, see! I mentioned the devil's name and he is here."
Alexis turned around to see who came and her eyes flew upon the guy leaning beside the doorframe in the dining area. She didn't get the time to correct Joshua that he didn't mention the name yet.
Looking at the just arrived person, Alexis was a bit taken aback. Joshua caught the expression and took the floor himself.
"Rebecca didn't tell you, did she? Her parents aren't home and so she thought she would invite Arthur too. She didn't want this handout to go too pale. So, let me reintroduce you to him with a new set of information, this is my best friend AKA Rebecca's family home neighbor. You can say he was the bridge of our relationship, although he never involved himself," Joshua for the first time explained anything with patience.
Alexis was surprised by knowing all of it at once, but more than that, she was hurt imagining how distant she grew with Rebecca. She knew nothing about her all these years. And it made her somehow feel pathetic.
Maybe both Joshua and Arthur could feel the tension on Alexis's face and so Joshua thought about changing the topic.
"Don't exaggerate," Arthur stated, Joshua never needed him to play the bridge anyway.
"You should sometimes try his cooking, then be the judge. Let's play it fair with a new member among us," Joshua declared.
"I already did," Alexis replied, relaxing a bit as her mind drifted elsewhere.
"Huh?" Rebecca was surprised as she just entered the dining area with her last cooked item. "When did that happen?"
Joshua and Rebecca both threw questioning gaze at Arthur as if he committed a murder and didn't let them know about it at all.
"Why? Do I need to take your permission to do anything?" Alexis's inquiring gaze fell upon Joshua and Rebecca this time.
"No…", replied Rebecca.
"Then let's just start eating," Alexis picked up a plate and a tong to take the food from the dishes.
Alexis felt Arthur standing just beside her, picking a plate and waiting for her to finish using tong. She picked up some roasted onion and a few chicken fries and handed the tong to Arthur. Her vision exposed those rough hands again, now clearer to see in indoor lights.
She doesn't have to question why they were rough anymore. She already knew it. That fact alone made her feel a little closer to him for some reason.
She cleared her throat audibly along with her thoughts clouding inside her mind. Closer to him? What does that mean? She can't even keep contact with her old friends let alone having the luxury to make new friends. Despite all that, she knew, having a friend like Arthur wouldn't be that bad.
Alexis stood beside Arthur silently, watching him picking up his food. From that angle, she could clearly see his scruff showing up a little bit, complementing his black turtle perfectly. Casual, yet again so monochromic. Alexis never saw someone shining through monochromic fashion as much as him. Is this the power of ultimate face card?
She sighed inwardly and found herself a seat near Rebecca.
"What do you mean by neighbours?" She questioned, taking her first delightful bite on fries.
"Dad bought this property years back. But my parents started living here not long ago. Arthur already bought the cottage house adjacent to our house before they moved here. So, it turned out that way. Trust me, his cottage has this crazy view of lake and this guy owns it all. I'm so jealous!" Rebecca replied, pointing her envious gaze towards Arthur.
Alexis looked into his eyes for the first time today. Why didn't she think about it? Her eyes replayed all the memories from six years ago when she first saw him. He made her believe that they were trespassing someone else's property while magically finding red wine and two glasses to celebrate their sorrow. Of course, he owned the cottage and took out his wine from there. That's the most logical conclusion of the situation and yet she couldn't figure it out.
Feeling dumb, Alexis couldn't help but smile, couldn't help but make that smile reach her eyes too. Arthur held her gaze, watching her smile at him for a little bit longer.
"What is it?" Rebecca couldn't understand the reason behind her sudden smile.
"Uh-huh, nothing," Alexis kept her smile on. She felt as if she was sharing a secret with someone that would be the last person to have secrets shared with anyone. Although Arthur didn't warn her to not share anyone anything about that time, she wanted to keep it that way. Secret pact with a silent buddy.
"Okay, fill me in the deets. When did you try his cooking?" Rebecca asked just for the two of them to listen this time.
"Long story short, I coincidentally tried this and that from his restaurant yesterday," she shrugged.
"And you could have asked me to join! Why did you go alone?"Rebecca didn't bother lowering her voice as the other two people in the room looked at them curiously.
"I thought I shouldn't bother you on the day after your wedding. Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon trip already, guys?"
"We will be, but after you leave," Joshua replied. "Don't look at me like that, your best friend suggested."
"Come on, Beck. Why would you do this?"
Rebecca pinched Alexis nose and she spoke, "we can delay our honeymoon a bit. I didn't want be the one to leave you behind, okay? That job is already taken by you."
Alexis sighed. "You should have told me. I could have just delayed my schedule."
"Don't bother, we are having fun here too. Wherever Rebecca is, it feels like a honeymoon spot to me," this time, Joshua replied to her.
Here we go again with the Dramatic Joshua.
***
Alexis took a deep breath, letting her eyes indulge the evening glaze on the balcony. She liked how quiet and calm she felt inside her, despite accompanying her not-so-quiet best friend and her hell of a shouty husband.
"Coffee?" Alexis saw Arthur entering her thought bubble as he offered her one of the mugs of coffee he was holding. Suddenly the balcony felt too cramped because of his presence.
"Sure," she replied and took the extended mug from him.
"Lockwood."
Alexis turned her head beside her where Arthur made a space for himself a few seconds ago, her eyes widening a bit with surprise.
Lockwood? Did he just address her as Lockwood?
When Arthur got her full attention, he continued, "I would like to apologize for yesterday and would like to know how the house can compensate."
Alexis knew what he was talking about but she waited until he finished. But to her surprise, that was all he had to say. He is going to apologize but not going to explain the situation, is he? How much does he hate talking? And what about this house thing? So formal.
"It's fine. I just thought those reviews were true, about you know, Zevk having its own tradition and all. Silly me!"
"There wasn't anything wrong with the reviews, we do have a tradition. Some new part-timers weren't trained properly and I'm afraid they treated you inappropriately in that way," Arthur pinched his nose bridge with a hint of annoyance which he failed to hide.
Alexis couldn't help but chuckle. Doesn't he look like an adorable kid when explaining anything?
"It's fine, you weren't the one who was in the wrong, were you? Then you don't have to apologize," she simply replied.
"I insist."
Alexis pondered for a second then cracked a mischievous grin. "Can I ask for anything?"
Arthur paused a little and then replied, "Possibly."
"Then can I be your friend, Chef Arthur Davenport?" Alexis's eyebrows danced with her request, still having that cheeky grin plastered on her lips.
The balcony wasn't lit enough to see Arthur's expression but she felt him shake his head in disbelief for whatever reason he felt like doing so.
"Ask something else," he muttered under his breath before replying.