Astra walked out of the office and into her car. Maybe the best person to move on with was Jared after all. Maybe it was fate. She did say she was going to talk to him when she returned. About the embarrassing encounter and all. Maybe it was fate that she called Jared after all.
The drive to her office was short as she thought about everything that happened. It was not until she got back to her desk that she realized that she did not tell Nicholas about the fraud thing. It did not matter though, she was no longer going to be on the case. It was their problem. Astra hoped it would mean Thompson would no longer come to meet her and tell her stuff like that. Things that she did not want to hear.
Astra sat at her desk and worked till it was almost time to go home. Tongues were still wagging from her earlier encounter with Regina but Astra ignored them all.
When it was almost time to close, she closed her laptop, packed her things and went up to Jared's office. If she wanted to be with Jared, gossips and HR couldn't stop her.
"Hey, Astra. I stopped by your desk during lunch but you were out," Jared said as he saw her. He was wearing a baby blue shirt and grey pants. It almost seemed like they were matching with her grey dress.
"Yes, I was out. Are you free this evening? To go for drink, just us after work," Astra said. Jared raised his eyebrows at her. He was not fidgeting like the last time he asked her out, he actually looked amused. It was funny to him.
"Is there catch to this?" He asked and Astra shrugged.
"Why don't you take me up my offer and find out," she said and he laughed.
"We should get going then," Jared replied. His bag was already packed. It was almost like he was waiting on her. They left the office together and Astra was pretty sure that tongues would wag the next morning.
Both dressed in office wear, they went to a bar. It was not really a date, they just needed to talk.
"I am sorry about yesterday and this morning," Astra said as she sipped her non-alcoholic wine. She did not need Jared to know how bad her alcohol problem was, not yet at least.
"It's okay. You were drunk. And it was a nice kiss," Jared said and Astra gasped.
"Is this the alcohol talking?" She asked and Jared shrugged.
"It was definitely not how I imagined our first kiss to be, but a kiss is a kiss," Jared said and she chuckled. Astra decided not to mention the fact that she said she loved Nicholas if Jared did not mention it.
"It was so embarrassing that morning. I did not even know how I called you," Astra said and Jared smiled.
"I know I am not the one you meant to call," Jared said and Astra sobered her.
"But I feel there was a reason you called me though," he continued and she nodded. She felt so too.
"To be honest, Jared, I am confused. I am not sure what I want now. I don't want it to seem like I am using you or leading you on. I like you, but there is still something holding me back," Astra said to him. She had to at least say something.
"I know it is because you are in love with Nicholas, and it's okay. He doesn't deserve you, the love will fade," Jared said and Astra's heart tightened at his words. He card for her so much, even if he knew that she loved another. Why couldn't she just love him?
"I am sorry Jared," Astra said.
"It's okay," Jared replied.
"I will try my best. We can start slow, maybe with time we can move on together," Astra said and Jared nodded.
"I am thinking of getting a new job, starting to drop applications," Astra said. Jared's eyebrows raised as he looked at her.
"Why is that?" He asked.
"The workplace is becoming toxic. I don't think I can stand it for much longer," Astra said.
"I don't know if anywhere else will be much better, but follow your heart," he replied and Astra nodded.
They both finished their drinks and walked back to their cars together.
Jared escorted her to her car and when he bent down to kiss her, she didn't stop him. He placed his lips on hers and she let him. The kiss did not bring fireworks in her belly or butterflies even, but Astra figured that time could do that too.
#####CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Nicholas tried to calm his breath as he laid in bed. The information he got that day was too much for him to handle. Everything was just so confusing. What was Thompson even up to? Who was he working with? Was he even working with anyone?
The questions just went round and round his head. Nicholas was not even sure of anything.
"Why would he tell Astra that?" Nicholas said out loud, he was asking Sarah. They were at his house and he was supposed to be on bed rest. Sarah was there to ensure that.
"Because he wants to put you both against each other. I am not sure what he will gain from it though," Sarah said and Nicholas shook his head, his mind was already going in another direction. The thoughts he was coming up with were not thoughts he allowed himself to imagine.
"The real question is, is this the first time that he has tried to do this?" Nicholas asked and Sarah frowned.
"You are not insinuating that Thompson was the one tried to break your marriage with Astra. That is too long a shot, like what are the chances, and why would he do it both times? That's the big question," Sarah said and Nicholas frowned. He did not know the answer to that question. Thompson liked Sarah when he introduced them. Like everyone else, he thought their marriage was rushed. Regardless, he liked her and not too much. At least that was what Nicholas saw. Nicholas did not feel like Thompson had any reason to sabotage his relationship with Astra.
"I don't know to be honest," Nicholas said to Sarah.
"We will need to ask Astra how much more Thompson told her. And we cannot also have her believing everything Thompson said. I will have to talk to her," Nicholas said. Sarah's expression changed immediately. Nicholas knew that Sarah did not like Astra, and he also knew that her hate for Astra stemmed from protectiveness of him. So he did not mind it too much.
"Don't worry, I will talk to her instead. It will be better to have a woman to woman talk," Sarah said and Nicholas raised an eyebrow. He did not argue though as he knew it would be counter productive. Nicholas also knew that when he was ready to talk to Astra, he would.
"Alright, okay," he said.
"Have you seen anything suspicious in Thompson's movement lately?" Nicholas asked Sarah after. Deviating from the subject matter.
"It has been a while since I have, everything has been so choked up. I will call the guy I hired right away," Sarah said and moved away from his bed to make the call. Sarah's expression darkened as she made hand gestures during the call. He could not clearly make out what she was saying, but the person she was talking to was clearly making her angry.
"What did he say?" Nicholas asked as she got back. Sarah was frowning, but also looked nervous, fidgety. Nicholas wondered what the problem was or would be.
"Thompson has not been to his house since yesterday," Sarah said. Nicholas was not moved by that. People slept out of their house all the time. Thompson would come home eventually. He could even come that night.
"So?" Nicholas asked and Sarah frowned.