The Arrangement | Book 2 | Completed

2

Candace's POV

"I can't believe that you're here right now. I haven't seen you in....fuck, over a year now?" Matty says, not seeming to really believe his own words. When we get into his office, he motions for me to take a seat and offers me a drink of water. I politely decline, knowing that I won't be able to take even a sip.

"Yeah, it's been a really long time." I agree, not really sure what else to say.

" I am glad to see you here. I haven't seen a familiar face in God knows how long. I'm glad you're here. I've missed you." He tells me.

"I've missed you too." I mumble quietly, but meaning every word. He looks amazing, but something is different. Maybe he's been working out. Maybe he got new glasses and I just don't really remember. Whatever it is, I love it. He seems confident. He has always been confident, but something is different. Something has changed in him.

"Mr.Fain, you have a call on line 1. It's Melissa. I called to tell her you cancelled your dinner and she said she needs to speak with you personally. Should I take a message?" Holly asks over the speaker.

"Shit. I've got it, thank you." Matty mumbles, quickly picking the phone up. "Hello? Hey, yeah. Sorry, I know it's last minute.... I just had something come up....actually, I don't think that's a good idea. It's not that I don't want you to come over, you know that.....no, i'm just going to be super tired. You need to pack for Vancouver anyways, yeah? Maybe some other time. Okay, i'll text you. Bye." He says, hanging up.

"Am I interrupting something?" I chuckle.

"Uh, no...no. That was just...yeah, nothing important." He replied, running his hands on his face.

"I'm sorry to show up so last minute. I-" I begin, before getting cut off.

"No, don't be sorry. I just forgot some things I was going to do, and now that I canceled everyone is freaking out." He laughed.

"I can leave, it's no big deal. I just wanted to stop by and say hello I guess." I said quietly.

"No! No, no, no. You don't have to go anywhere. Things are canceled. I'm fine, I'm just turning my phone off." He laughs, although there is no humor behind his voice.

I watch as he scrolls through a couple of texts before shaking his head and turning his phone off.

"You cut your hair." He states, finally looking back up at me.

"Oh, yeah. It's different. I wanted a change." I say, touching the short strands with my fingertips. The length is much shorter than I am used to, but I love it. It's professional. It's different than that I usually have, and I kind of like that change. I forget that Matty has only seen me with longer hair. This must look different...much different.

"I love it. You look beautiful." He says, not breaking any eye contact.

"I do too. It's a good change." I reply with a smile.

"Go to dinner with me." He states rather than asks.

"Dinner?" I laughed.

"Yes. Anywere you want to go. You name it, and I will make sure we get the best seats." He smiles.

"Mr. Fain, are you asking me out on a date?" I joked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Nope. Just two old friends catching up over some dinner. Maybe a movie." He smirks.

I missed his witty personality. I missed his smile, his laugh, his scent. God, I missed his scent. I missed the way his nose wrinkled up when he laughed, or the way he pushed his hair back when he was stressed or tired. I missed the way his arms felt around me, or the way he would hold me closer to him during the night. I just miss...Matty.

But things are different now. I'm not the same person I was before. I'm different. He's different, too. Not only this, but I'm taken now. Mark has been amazing to me, and I appreciate him every single day. Phoebe absolutely adores him, too. It makes it easier now that she is about to enter his grade. He will soon be her kindergarten teacher. He has even talked about switching to first grade after this next school year. That means that there is a good chance Phoebe will have him as her teacher in both grades, which she is excited about. Mark has been a safety blanket after Matty left. As much as I wanted to believe that I didn't need anyone help, I did. Living life and adjusting to everything alone was hard, but Mark really helped me change all of that.

We don't live together. Well, not yet. He asked me to move in with him before I left for Seattle, and I really think that it would be a good idea. I trust him completely with Phoebe, and I don't really see myself being with anyone else. I love Mark, I really do. And although I miss Matty, there are things that I just can't go back to. He is one of those things. Mark and I have had long talks at night over Matty and I's relationship. He understands every aspect of it, too. He doesn't judge me for what I did in the past, and actually pushed me into meeting up with Matty while I am in Seattle. He is the most understanding man I have ever been with. There is no doubt about that.

"I would love to. Are you sure your girlfriend won't be upset, though?" I half joked, referring to the phone call he received earlier.

I see his smile drop, and he looked everywhere but my eyes. He is getting nervous, I could tell.

"She isn't... She was just...it doesn't matter. Not compared to you. Nothing matters compared to you." He admits.

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but I couldn't help but shake that phone call away from my mind. Why do I feel relief? Well, I don't really fucking know. I shouldn't feel relief. I shouldn't.

"Well, when do you want to have our dinner?" I ask, switching the subject.

"Right now. Let's go right now." He said.

"Right now? You're at work right now." I laugh, shaking my head in disbelief.

"I own the company. I can do whatever I want, remember?" He laughs in reply.

"Guess I let that slip my mind."

"Let me just make a few calls, and i'll be ready to go. Start looking up some places you might want to go, okay? I will only be a few moments." He says, picking up the phone and paging who I assumed was Holly.

I don't know what I am doing right now. I thought this might have been awkward, or I thought I would burst into tears the second I saw him. I didn't  know if I was strong enough to face him again. I don't know if this is just a ticking time bomb, either. That's the scary part. I don't know what the fuck to expect from any of this.

"I'm going to take the day off. You can finish whatever you're doing right now and take the rest of the day off as well. Have a nice afternoon."  He said before hanging up the phone.

"Are you sure that you are okay with this? I don't want to get you behind on your work or-" I ramble.

"Hey, I want to spend today with you. That is, only if you want to. I haven't seen you in like, a year. I want this." He says honestly, grabbing his jacket and leading me back into the hallway.

Instead of replying, I smile and follow him out the door.

-

Author's Note!!!!!

Candace has a new boyfriend too?!?!! And I think I actually....like him??? Oh god, I have no idea. Let me know what you think!!!

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