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“Then why does Knox insist that you come down there? Why is it so damned important for you to be there without me?”
I realized what this was all about. He wanted to be there. And perhaps sending his brother was a subtitute.
“Look, I will let you know if for any reason we need Brian.”
Mark swallowed hard. “I just want to tell the Toyko people to fuck the deal. If thousands of people wouldn’t be losing their jobs, I would.”
My heart melted. “You are a good man, Mark. I will miss you, but it’s only for a few days.”
There was a loud knock following the ringing of the doorbell.
I looked up in panic. “Shit, that has to be Candice and I am nowhere near ready!”
I started throwing things inside of the suitcase as Mark hopped up and left the room to answer the door. I was vaguely aware that even though I looked like I had just been fucked, Mark had somehow managed to remain his handsome, calm self.
I heard her laugh and his deep tones and then the clicking of her heels as she walked to our room.
“Mark said to come on back,” she said as she eyed the mess of clothes and my disheveled state. “He said that he’s been on you to focus at the task at hand but that you keep getting distracted.”
My lips twitched. “I was on something alright.”
Mark called out from the other room. “Stop telling our secrets, woman!”
Candice smiled and walked over to the suitcase to help me refold the clothes and get everything ready.
“Is he still freaking out?” she asked softly.
I nodded. “Worse than ever. You wouldn’t think I had ever done anything by myself before he came along.”
She smiled. “I still remember him coming after you the day we ate at the deli across town. He was like an avenging angel and you melted like cheese on toast.”
I laughed. “You have been in Otterville too long if you are using ‘cheese on toast’ euphemisms.”
Candice laughed. “I can’t help that. The people there, they tend to grow on you.”
“Like a fungus,” Mark called out from the other room.
“Nobody asked you,” I yelled back and then turned to Candice. “How are things with you and Knox?”
Her smile dimmed. “Fine.”
“That’s every woman’s trigger word for anything but fine. Spill it.”
She winced. “I am excited to go back.”
“So, do you think you will stay? I mean, after this is all said and done,”.,” I asked carefully.
Candice paused. “I think that if he asks me I will have a hard time saying no. But I don’t think he’ll ask me.”
“Candice?”
“I’ll tell you about it later,” she said sadly.