Page 26 of Calculated Chaos

I sigh, realizing I’m not gonna get away with my earlier clapback. “I’m not being lax. I took one day off. Any idea why?”

His brow furrows with annoyance before it relaxes. “Oh. It’s your birthday.”

“My fortieth birthday. Kind of a milestone. My family and best friend decided I deserved a day off. Especially since I have six weeks of vacation saved up, I’ve never taken a sick day, and this is the first time since I’ve been in this position that I wasn’t the first manager to have my reports done. I don’t know in whose world that would be considered lax.”

He chuckles, but it’s filled with animosity. “You turn forty and think all of a sudden you can be rude to me? I’m still your boss.”

“I’m aware. Is that all? I have reports to do.”

“Keep up the attitude, Hollister. That’s why you’ll never be a partner.”

Ah, there’s the carrot. This is the part where the groveling kicks in to appease his ego and continue the dysfunction, but I don’t have it in me this time. He’s already promoted three people before me to partner, so why should I believe I have a chance? After this past weekend, I’m not even sure I want it anymore.

“I’m sure you’ll find someone capable of meeting your impossible expectations.” I stand and grab my planner. “Can I go?”

He stares at me like I turned green in front of him. He only nods in response, so I hightail it out of there before he can say anything else.

Back in my office, I slump in my chair, staring at the mess of papers on my desk. What would it be like to actually be late? Would he fire me? Yell at me? Publicly shame me? Do I care?

Rubbing my forehead, I grab my phone. I’m losing my mind and there’s only one person capable of talking me off the ledge.

Chapter Thirteen

AXEL

I use a towel to wipe the sweat off my hands and grab my ringing phone, smiling when I see Hollister’s name on the screen.

“Hey,” I answer.

“I need help.”

“What’s going on?” I ask, sitting on the edge of the weight bench.

“I don’t know, Ax. Everything is going on. Nothing feels the same as it did when I left here on Friday.”

“Is that bad?”

“I don’t know.” He huffs, and I can imagine that wrinkle of skin between his eyebrows when he thinks too hard. “You won’t believe what I did.”

“Try me.”

“I stood up to him. My dad. He tried to call me out for being late on my report and I calmly told him I wasn’t late.”

“Whoa. Seriously?”

“Yeah. I even told him if he wants it earlier then he should change the due date.” He’s getting more excited the longer he speaks, drawing a smile to my face. “Here’s the best part, Ax.”

“What?”

“He dangled the damn partner carrot again, and this time, I didn’t bite. I didn’t fall for it.”

“Holl…”

“Did you drug me this weekend? Body swap me? Something?”

I laugh. “Nope. You’re still Hollister.”

“I don’t feel like it. I actually had the thought that I should purposely be late on my report. Just to see what he would do. What is wrong with me?”

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