How to Date an Asshole

Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Axel's grip on my hand tightened as we moved closer to my parents.

He has already met my Lola and some of my family when we were in the Philippines, but he doesn't seem to be this tense back then. I tipped on my toes and whispered in his ear, "Nervous?", my tone teasing.

"Pfft, me? Never!" He could lie through his teeth, but his eyes gave him away as they were wandering about, observing the house, unable to focus.

"Then why can't you look at me?"

His eyes flitted down to meet mine.

Big mistake.

I mentally reprimanded myself for making fun of him because now he was looking at me with our faces mere inches away. His eyes traveled from my eyes to my lips then back to my eyes again, just as he always does when we're this close. His lips parted and his breathing turned heavy.

"Ahem," someone behind us cleared their throat, catching our attention and slicing the tension. I turned and saw my dad.

"Dad!" I threw my arms around him. "I've missed you so much."

"Oh, I've missed you too, pumpkin," He squeezed then let me go.

I turned and saw Axel white as a sheet.

"Dad, this is Axel."

"Hello, Sir," he offered his hand for a shake, but my dad only raised his brows looking at Axel's hand. The panic in Axel's eyes was undeniable then my dad howled in laughter.

"You should've seen your face! C'mere," my dad hugged Axel briefly, patting his back. "We're huggers in this family." Axel chuckled nervously then looked at me for consolation.

Dad put his arm around my shoulders, "Come, your mom is in the kitchen. I told her we should just order food but she insisted on cooking. You know how she is."

"Yeah, that's so her." We walked to the kitchen and I motioned behind my back for Axel to follow us.

When we got to the kitchen, mom was stirring something on the stove. "Hey, mom!"

She turned and her mouth went ajar in delight dropping the ladle in the pot mindlessly, "My baby!" We met each other halfway and bear-hugged. "You should visit more often, honey. I miss you terribly." Before I could reply, she let go of the hug and eyes wide in intrigue. She moved towards Axel, hand on her waist, hips jutting to the side, "And who do we have here?"

"Hi, Ma'am, I'm Axel." Axel was going in for a hug but my mom shook his hand. He froze for a millisecond, bewildered and confused, and if I didn't know any better, I wouldn't even notice it. He kept his composure fairly well. I stifled in a laugh. We aren't "huggers" in the family. Only dad is. The women in this family usually reserve hugs for special occasions, like not seeing each other for a year type of thing.

Mom gave him the warmest smile then punched his shoulders with the lightest force you could imagine, "We've been waiting for you! It's such a bummer that your manager thought it best for you to stay at a hotel. I told Laurie that you are more than welcome to stay here."

"Yes, well my manager was really insistent. And I'm deeply sorry to keep Lauren away from you. I told her I was fine being alone," he pulled me close to him, "but I guess she doesn't want to be away from me."

I kicked his ankle. He groaned but quickly masked it with a laugh. Mom laughed with him then turned to me, "Where's your sister anyway? I thought you're all going together?"

Oof. "Well, she picked us up and we stopped by her house but Hailey and I have appointments at the Salon." Nice save, Lauren.

"Oh," Mom nodded.