Chapter 37
"What were you thinking?" Mitchell scolded.
I lowered my head.
"What's happening here?" Harper walked towards us with her arms crossed to her chest.
Mitchell pursed his lips and pointed at me, "Lauren, here, decided to scream that Axel James is staying in this hotel."
"What?" she chuckled.
"It's not funny, Harper."
"Well, it's Lauren and Axel!" she said as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
Mitchell cocked his head with one brow raised.
"Oh, don't worry about them. I'm sure it's nothing." She sat on one of the lounge chairs.
"Nothing?" Mitchell followed her. "It's not nothing, Harper. There are fans outside."
As if on cue, the sound waves of screaming fans made their way to the pool area.
I looked away.
I didn't mean it to get that bad.
"Now how are we supposed to get him to his show tomorrow without fan interference?"
"Well..." Harper glanced at me.
"What?" I asked, clueless.
"How did you two go out before?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you already went on, what, three dates?"
"Three dates?" Mitchell scrunched his forehead.
Harper squinted at him, "Axel and Lauren are dating, Mitchell. Keep up."
"What?!"
"Yeah... about that..." I started.
"How did I not know about this?" he picked up a chair from the bar and sat next to Harper.
"Well..."
"Tell me everything."
What? I can't.
"Okay, so you know that tradition I have for new folks in Accounting?" Harper said enthusiastically.
Oh, thank God. I thought they'd drill me.
"Yeah?"
"Axel was the one who entered the room."
His brows raised, "Interesting."
"Right?!"
"Okay, go on."
And they talked about Axel and me as if I wasn't even there.
Mitchell was invested and Harper was positively gushing about how she helped Axel surprise me. She was talking about the time she took me to The Met Cloisters and how it was so sweet to have a date at the museum.
If only she knew.
Their conversation went on. And a little while after that, she started blabbering about the paparazzi situation outside the office.
From that moment, I knew they were gonna talk about the Charity Gala next.
I panicked, not wanting to be asked how everything was, and spoke, "So, what are we gonna do?"
They glanced in my direction as if surprised I was there.
"Oh... Yeah, um..." Harper clicked her tongue then turned to Mitchell. "Mitchell?"
"I still can't process this." His hand raised near his head and his thumb touched his index finger. "Do you have any ideas, Lauren?"
Gee, my question, my answer.
"Um, maybe I could switch models?" I suggested.
"Are you kidding me?" his hand fell on his lap. "No. Not in this situation, you won't. You made this happen, Lauren. You don't get to pass the burden to Cass or Dave."
Harper nodded, "I'm afraid I'm with him on this one, Lauren."
I exhaled.
Well, there goes my chance of getting Axel out of my team.
Remember what they said about revenge, Lauren? It bites you back in the ass.
Another wave of screams followed. And I was waiting for it to die down like before, but it didn't.
"What's happening?" I wondered and ran to the lobby.
"Lauren!" I heard Harper call.
"Hey," I said as I reached the concierge. "What's happening outside?"
"Well, Ma'am, Mr. James went outside."
"What?!" I said sharply.
The concierge was taken aback.
I swear Axel is nothing but a burden to me these days.
The elevator dinged, bearing one Axel James and two pints of ice cream.
He jogged towards me, "Hey."
My brows furrowed and I took a step back, "Hey?"
His throat bobbed up and down, "I'm sorry." Then his eyes glanced at the concierge to his right. "Can we talk? Somewhere a little more private?"
I glanced at the concierge. He immediately looked down and pretended to type.
Even if I hate Axel to my bones, I can't air out this mess and his dirty laundry in front of a stranger who can sell a story at any time.
"Yeah," I nodded.
His head shook up and down and his lips were quivering a smile.
As we wall down the hallway to the pool area, he handed me the ice cream.
I held it in my hand and read the label. "Pistachio. How did you know?"
He smiled sadly and looked down, "You don't wanna know."
Oh, right. The PI thing.
"Axel, there you are!" Harper greeted us as we reached the pool area.
"Right. They're still here. I totally forgot," I said to myself.
Axel smiled with his lips pursed, "Hey, Harper."
"So, do you have any ideas now, Lauren?" Mitchell challenged.
I shook my head, "I don't know, maybe use the hotel's back entrance? Do we know anything about that?"
Mitchell nodded curtly, "That's one way. I'll have to talk to the manager later. Any more ideas? We need back-ups."
"Yeah, um, how about a disguise?" I suggested.
Axel's brows raised as did his head, "What do you have in mind?"
"I don't know, maybe, uh, a snake costume?"
"Where on earth can we find a snake costume this late at night?" Mitchell said.
I shrugged, "Or maybe Axel can just shed off his skin?"
Mitchell grimaced, "What?"
"O-Kay." Axel cut off. "Don't worry about it, Mitchell." He looked to Harper and gave her a nod, "Harper. I'm sure Lauren and I can find a way."
Lauren and I can find a way my foot!
Harper's eyes glinted. "Alright..." she stood from her seat. "They can do this, Mitchell."
"But-"
Her brows raised as she nodded slowly, "They can."
Mitchell nodded with her.
"How about we go catch some z's?
Mitchell exhaled, "Alright. Come on."
"Good night, you guys!" Harper said in singsong as they walked back to the lobby with arms linked to each other.
"Night, Harper," I replied.
Silence filled the air when they left and I've never felt this awkward before.
I rubbed my arm and a droplet of water fell on my feet. It was from the ice cream.
"Your ice cream's melting," Axel said.
I placed the ice cream on the chair Mitchell was in. "Why do you want to talk to me?"
"Cutting the chase." He smiled. "I've always liked that about you."
I raised my brows, daring for him to go on.
"Okay," he exhaled. "I want to apologize for earlier."
Just earlier?
"Well, for everything. Especially with what happened at the Gala."
"You know, I don't understand what happened there."
"It's a long story."
I smiled bitterly, "It's a long story or you just don't want to tell?"
"A little bit of both?"
I pursed my lips, "then this whole conversation is pointless."
I turned to go back inside but he held me in place with his hand on my shoulder.
I looked at his hand, lightly touching but with enough pressure, then to his eyes, pleading and trapped.
"I hope you can forgive me." His hand slipping away.
I exhaled a chuckle, "You're asking for too much, Axel. And frankly, I don't think it's possible."
I turned and left him in the pool area.
This night has been too long.
* * *
I woke up to a knock on my door.
"Lauren? Lauren, are you awake? It's Cass."
"Uh, wait a second!" I sprinted to the bathroom, gargled some mouthwash, and put a robe on. "What's up?" I said as I opened the door.
She marched into my room and sat on the couch next to the window. "I heard," she said as she sat.
"How are you all dressed up? It's..." I checked on my phone, "5:30?! C'mon Cass, we have a long day ahead."
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you yesterday. It was almost midnight when we got back and we saw some fans camping outside."
"They did what?"
"Yeah," she exhaled, "They slept outside through the night. My models were actually anxious, but it seems like it's only Axel they're after." She stopped for a second, "How did I not know that Axel was here and that he's one of your models?"
"Well," I sat on the bed. "He was using the name 'Lexa'."
"Why would he even-" the look in her eyes changed, "Oh."
"Yeah." I nodded.
"So how will you get through the fans outside? And how did they even know he was staying here?"
I looked past the window behind her and saw Dave swimming in the pool.
"I may have an idea," I glanced at Cass. "But I'll need your help."
* * *
Dave's models got inside their car one by one and the fans' screams became louder and louder as each of them passed.
But as the car left without a trace of their beloved Axel James, their sighs were that of the waves on the beach.
Another car rolled to the front and shrieks enveloped the street instantaneously. I looked out through the window and saw their eyes filled with the hope of having another glimpse of him.
Axel spoke beside me, "See, they love me. Why can't you be one of them?"
My eyebrows reached the ceiling at hearing this, "Excuse me?"
He just smirked and looked outside, enjoying the view of his fans going wild over him.
Before I could say anything, my phone rang.
"Hey, you ready?" Cass said on the other line.
I looked over to Axel, who seems indifferent about what's happening.
"Yeah, but remember I'll send two first."
"Copy that. Ready when you are."
"Okay," I replied then dropped the call.
I looked over to the other models on my team. Their determined smiles reassuring me that we can pull this off. I nodded, signalling we're good to go.
Gale gave me a nod before walking out the main door.
Screams followed as he walked to the car.
Peyton was next and the fans acknowledged him as usual.
Then someone across the street screamed.
"OH MY GOD!!! AXEL JAMES!"
Fans looked over to where she was and true enough, a man sprinted as the screamer ran after him.
They followed them as Theo went next and as soon as the perimeter was clear, I shoved Axel to go next with Chris right behind him.
"Go!" I said as I closed the car door behind them.
I watched as the car whooshed out of the street.
"Nice work, Grant," Mitchell appeared next to me.
"Thanks, Mitchell." I smiled sweetly.
"Although... It was your fault, to begin with." My smile faded and he went back inside the hotel.
"Whoo!" Cass jogged to a stop behind me.
Dave was panting behind her, his palms rested on his knees trying to catch his breath, "We did it!"
He raised his hand for a high-five and I slapped it, feeling his sweat. "Oh, it's your fault I'm all gross." He defended.
"I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to."
I wiped my hand on my shirt. "Well, anyway, thanks, you guys. I really appreciate it."
"You owe us one," Dave said with his head held high as if he was drowning and gasping for air.
I chuckled, "Alright. But now we need to get you changed before fans recognize your clothes."
He touched the material of his shirt, "Hm, Axel has good taste." He said as we walk up the stairs.
"Yeah, that reminds me I have to get that cleaned."
Dave glared at me and Cass laughed as we walked to the lobby.