A Compromise Before Christmas

Chapter 7

An hour had passed since Acacia agreed to meet Nikolaos. During that time, he ordered a few more drinks but stopped when he felt them getting to his head. Afterward, to kill more time and to prepare himself mentally for his upcoming meeting, he stood outside where a live band played soothing music. The melodies helped to calm his mind for a little while, but his heart still wasn't at peace.

In all his years of living, Nikolaos had never been so nervous, and he didn't know why. Sure, he was about to ask the woman who rejected him 3 years ago to be a part of his crazy plan, but was that really enough to get his heart racing? Especially when he had been in much worse situations.

The answer was that it wasn't the situation itself that made him nervous; it was the person in the situation who made him nervous. Acacia was quite the strict woman; even getting her to talk to him back then was a miracle. There was something about her that always kept both his heart and mind racing. She was also the only woman, aside from his grandmother, who managed to keep him on his toes.

Nikolaos felt bad about using his potential second chance with Acacia for a cheap trick, but he had no other option. It was either romance or his wealth, and he wasn't ready to sacrifice the latter.

Looking down at his wristwatch, he noticed that another 30 minutes had passed while he was lost in thought. Just when he was starting to believe that Acacia lied to him and had left instead, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.

Nikolas turned around almost immediately and saw Acacia's raw beauty. Even dressed in casual clothing, she still shone like a jewel. It amazed him how timeless her beauty was; in his eyes, she hadn't changed one bit. Still as enchanting as ever.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to take so long. It was a packed house," she apologized calmly.

"No need to apologize, I'm the one bothering you, after all," he joked

"Yes, you are, and I'm eager to find out why."

There it was, the moment of truth. Nikolaos inhaled deeply, then let it go. A smile slowly formed on his lips as he got into character.

"You must be hungry after your shift."

"Starving"

"May I treat you to dinner?"

Acacia raised an eyebrow and scanned Nikolaos from head to toe.

"It's only dinner, must you be so skeptical?"

"It's you we're talking about; being skeptical will probably keep me safe."

"This is gonna be a long night," Nikolas thought to himself

***

Having convinced Acacia to lower her guard enough to leave the hotel, Nikolas took her to a nearby outdoor restaurant. Its design wasn't too fancy or too dull, which he appreciated. The last thing he needed was Acacia thinking he was trying to 'buy' her. He needed all the positive points he could get.

Underneath a well-lit tree was their table. Nikolaos pulled out Acacia's chair, and she sat on it. Once he took his own seat, a server handed them their menus.

"Please order whatever catches your eye."

"The Caesar salad is fine."

"I'll have that too."

With their orders placed, Nikolaos debated whether to wait to bring up the matter or to get straight to the point. He did not have to think long, for Acacia had already decided for him.

"So, what's this about? 'I'm at my lowest, and only you can help me? Situation," she asked boldly.

Nikolaos let out a nervous chuckle, "Straight to the point, are we?"

"You said you're not interested in catching up; neither am I, so we might as well get straight to the point."

"Wouldn't you at least want to eat something first? I heard the salads here are amazing."

Acacia narrowed her eyes in response.

"Maybe not..." Nikolaos sighed. "Look, Acacia, I know I messed up back then, but I'm going to ask that you forgive me of my past sins to be able to hear me out."

"The more we talk, the more serious your situation sounds. Just what did you get yourself into?"

"It's been 3 years since we last saw each other; much has happened."

"Such as?"

"I thought you weren't interested in catching up," His attempt at a joke fell flat after seeing Acacia's stern face, "... just know it's enough to ruin my life."

For a moment, no one spoke. Then, a smirk appeared on Acacia's lips, shocking Nikolaos.

"So your ways have finally caught up to you, huh?"

Acacia's statement surprised Nikolaos, but he found it strangely amusing rather than upsetting.

"I see you're taking pleasure in my suffering."

"Not at all, there's just something... fascinating about seeing proud people humbled. I wonder what you did."

Nikolaos leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. "Would you really like to know?"

"Of course, why else would I be here?"

Nikolaos' mind raced, forcing him to choose between honesty and deception with Acacia.

"To put it lightly, family matters."

The spark of intrigue in Acacia's eyes told him he had made the right choice. Even if he wanted to lie, there was no way he could concoct a believable story on the spot. He was certain Acacia would have seen through him right away.

"Oh? What kind of family matters, if I may ask?"

"Well, as we speak, my family is being torn apart."

The spark of intrigue in Acacia's eyes turned into genuine concern.

"I- I'm sorry that's happening to you... But how exactly can I help? I've never met your family before."

Acacia's visible interest and concern gave Nikolaos the courage to carry on. With just a little more exaggeration, he believed he could convince her to help him.

"That is true, but you could"

Acacia blinked once in confusion

"Pardon me for going off topic for a moment, but Acacia, are you tired of your current job?"

"I don't follow."

"Your job as a server, isn't it exhausting?"

"Of course it is, but I'm failing to see what my job as a server has to do with you and your family issues."

As the conversation changed, so did Acacia's mood. She was no longer intrigued, or even concerned; she seemed irritated. Nikolaos quickly picked up on her mood change and rushed to fix his mistake.

"I asked because I want to offer you a job that I'm certain will help fix my family."

Acacia paused for a moment, then replied, "What sort of family issue is this?"

"You see, Acacia, a sizeable portion of the problems in my family are directly and indirectly caused by me."

"So, you're the problem? Surprise."

"Always have been, but I never denied it."

"Good, you're at least sincere, but what do your problems have to do with me?"

"You're a sound woman, Acacia."

The sudden compliment stunned her for a moment

"Um... thank you?"

"You have a strong character and backbone."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, so get on with it."

"You're the type of woman that my family needs, the type of woman that I need."

Acacia slowly leaned back into her seat to create a distance between her and Nikolaos. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes barely blinked.

"What?!"

"Acacia, I know what I'm about to ask you sounds absurd, but I need you to listen to my full explanation before you give me your answer."

"No promises"

Nikolaos leaned forward once again and locked eyes with Acacia

"Will you be my fake fiancée?"

At that exact moment, a server approached their table with their food. A deafening silence fell upon them, and the two stared intently at each other. The situation felt like a ticking time bomb, waiting for the server to leave for it to detonate.