How to Date an Asshole

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

I haven't told anyone of what happened with Axel and Dean, not my sister, not even Hailey. Whenever I think about it, it makes me feel like an idiot. So that means I have been feeling like an idiot for almost a week now.

Really, I tried to make sense of what happened but the only thing that resonates the most is that Axel is just an utter ass that I need to cut ties with.

I buried myself in work, preparing for the Sydney audit. Every day for the past week, Cassandra, Dave, and I were the last ones to leave the office.

Harper gave us the schedule and tonight, we're whipping up an analysis from previous audit findings. We gathered data from the last 5 years to give us a basis for the results of this year's audit.

Dave stretched his back on the chair and yawned loudly, "Branch audits are definitely a love-hate relationship."

"Yeah, it's both a pro and a con," Cassandra said, slack-jawed with one hand typing away.

I didn't say anything because, in reality, I don't mind it. It keeps me occupied and weirdly enough, sane.

"Let's take a 5-minute break," Dave announced.

Cassandra's hands fell on her lap, eliciting a slapping sound, "I'm up for that."

I looked over to them, "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, there's nothing much we can do in 5 minutes. Just look away from the screen, I guess."

"Okay," I replied and awkward silence consumed the room for a couple of seconds.

"Okay, this isn't gonna work," Cassandra said, exasperated. "Let's talk about something, anything, other than work."

"Alright," I nodded.

"Hm..." Dave placed his thumb under his chin in thought. "Oh, got it," he said then turned to me, "How's your date with Axel James, Lauren?"

"What? Why?"

"What? It's the most interesting thing to happen in this office."

"I agree," Cassandra nodded.

"And you keep to yourself so much we can't even ask you about it."

"Yeah, and the only thing we know about is the crazy paparazzi from last week. Thank God, they stopped. You went to their Charity thing, right?"

"Yeah," I replied nonchalantly.

"Oh, come on. We need deets." Cassandra grinned. I looked at their hopeful faces and became a little sad that I will have to let them down.

"I'm sorry, I can't really talk about it."

"Can't or won't?" Dave squinted.

"Both?"

Cassandra gasped, "Oh my God, is your relationship so next level that they had you sign an NDA?"

"Hm..." my lips turned upwards in a sad smile as I pinched my ring finger. "No. Um, it's just that certain people aren't who you think they are." I nodded and tried to focus back on the spreadsheets.

They looked at each other then went back to work.

Great, now I'm that one person in the office who's difficult to work with.

*       *       *

The weekend couldn't come any faster and now we're at JFK with our suitcases and laptop bags. Cassandra and I were sitting at the Business lounge, with her typing away in her laptop, checking last-minute details, and me sipping from my coffee cup, giving all care away.