The Arrangement | Book 2 | Completed

42

I'm a bit surprised when my dad calls me only a few hours before the holiday party. Whatever he has to say could have waited, I'm sure.

"Hello?" I ask into the phone as I help Melissa hang streamers from each one of our tables.

"Matty, I'm glad you answered." He tells me.

"Yeah, what's up?" I ask, rolling my eyes impatiently. It's not that I don't want to talk to my dad, but he should really be here to help me set everything up.

"Your mother and I are going to be at the party a few minutes late." He informs me.

"Okay. Mom is coming too?" I ask with uncertainty laced in my tone.

"Yeah, is that a problem?" He asks.

"No. I mean, I don't really have anything to say to her right now but it's not a problem." I admit.

"Matthew." He groans.

"I'm not letting up on this one, dad. It's fucked up. I don't want to talk about it right now, either. I just...I have more pressing issues to deal with first. We'll all have to discuss later, but you two need to settle it first." I tell him.

"I understand that." He agrees.

"Okay, well i'll see you two tonight."

"I'm assuming Candace will be there?" He asks, assuming correctly. I don't know what to make from the tone in his voice, though.

"You would be correct." I inform him.

"Okay. And are you going to tell me what is going on with that?" He asks.

"You'll find out soon. Now, I've got to go. I need to finish hanging everything up. I'll see you tonight." I tell him.

"Alright." He adds before hanging up the phone.

"Was that your dad?" Melissa asks, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. He was talking about being a little bit late tonight." I tell her.

"You guys are good though, right?" She asks, seeming genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, we're good. Just a lot going on right now. We're good, though." I assure her.

"You're making the right decision, Matty." She assures me, but I'm not sure which decision she's talking about. I don't know if she's talking about our breakup, or if Frailey for some reason told her about our offer to Evan. Either way, these words are comforting to hear.

"Thank you, Mel. That really means a lot coming from you." I tell her, meaning every word of this.

"Of course. Hey, we may be broken up and all but you will always hold a special place in my heart. I'll always love and care about you. I want what is best for you. Truly, I do." She tells me once more.

I wasn't aware that this is something I needed to be reminded of once again. But with the big announcement hanging over my head along with my slight uncertainty that Evan will agree, I am completely on edge.

"I will always love and care about you, too." I tell her.

 I know she needed to hear this as well.

As the next few hours pass and decorations and food gets delivered, it's only a few minutes until everyone should arrive. As cliché and annoying company parties can be, I take pride in this years event. I hope everyone else will enjoy it just as much as I will. As the employees begin to enter the building, many approach me with smiles and warm greetings. I wait anxiously to see Candace walk through the door, and I am slightly disappointed with each person that enters who isn't her.

"Waiting for Candace?" Frailey asks from behind me.

"As always." I say with a laugh. He lets out a small laugh but still has uncertainty in his eye. "What's up?" I ask, knowing something is wrong.

"I just really hope all of this works out." He tells me.

"The company will be fine either way." I assure him.

"Yeah, but will you?" He asks, taking a drink out of the small cup of punch Evan and Clarissa had set out.

"I will." I assure him. I know I'll be okay either way. I always am.

"I really hope this works out for you."

"I hope so, too." I mumble.

"I also really hope someone decides to spike the punch bowl." He says, brightening the mood of our conversation.

"Yeah, maybe we can get Henry in marketing to grab some of that vodka from his car. You know he has some in there." I add with a laugh, earning a loud laugh from Frailey.

"I think I see your girl walking in." He says, pointing with his cup in the direction of the door. When I turn, I see Candace walking in look as beautiful as ever.

"Hey." I say as I approach her.

"Hey!" She says, giving me a warm hug. I see Melissa eyeballing us momentarily, but she goes back to what she's doing and doesn't try and look over here again. She doesn't even really look upset at all.

"I'm so glad you made it." I tell her.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss this. You're making my last days in Seattle exciting." She laughs.

"I'm glad. We're about to start the award ceremony and announcements. Do you want to take a seat and wait for me there?" I ask her.

"Yeah, sure. Where do you have me?" She asks.

"I had Frailey save you a seat. Come on." I tell her, leading the way to where Frailey is now sitting.

"Candace, it's been so long." He tells her, standing up from his seat and giving her a hug.

"Yes, too long!" They begin their conversation as I slip away to go and find Evan. He's with Clarissa and a bunch of Clarissa's team by the dessert table and comes over to me as he sees me approach.

"Oh my God, I'm so glad to have found you. I love this team and all, but there was too much estrogen in that circle for me to handle." He says with a laugh.

"I bet there was." I laugh. "Do you guys want to come and sit with us? Candace is over at the front table sitting with Frailey." I tell him.

"Yeah, of course." He turns to motion to Clarissa that he was going with me, and she nods but continues her conversations with the others.

"Are you ready for tonight?" I ask with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess so." He shrugs, having no idea of what is about to be offered to him.

"I'm going to go up on stage in a few to discuss a few things, and then we will move on with the awards. I absolutely hate public speaking though, so do you mind taking over for me after the bigger announcements are made?" I ask him.

"Yeah, of course. No problem." He assures me with a smile. I've noticed that in areas of work where I am weaker, either Evan or Frailey are stronger. The same goes for them. There are areas in this job that they are weaker and I am stronger. This is why we make a great team. This is why I want him to stay.

As we approach Frailey and Candace, their conversation hasn't seemed to end. Frailey is showing Candace pictures of Grace that I'm sure have already been sent to her from Megan. Despite out breakup, the two stayed in constant contact which I absolutely adore. Their conversation only ends because of the two of us coming over to them. I look over to see my parents have already arrived and are sitting only a few tables away. I was hoping that they would arrive after the announcement was made so I would have more time to explain, but there's no backing down now. I just hope my dad reacts in a way that isn't embarrassing to me and our entire company.

"I'm getting ready to head up there. Clarissa should join you guys here when I start." I tell them.

"Good luck." Candace tells me with a smile. I smile back and nod in reply as I make my way towards our makeshift stage.

This isn't going to work. It absolutely has to.