The Contract (COMPLETED)

Loosing it

Nora
Two weeks. I have 30 missed calls from Max and too many text messages to count. His words haunt me at night. I love you Nora. But what also haunts me at night are the imagine of him and Caroline. I know her name because she had gladly texted me their whole life story. Pictures included. Her and Jase kissing, her and Jase doing it. What a bitch. I don't even know how she got my number. But that's what kept me from grabbing the phone.

That and my work.

The bakery is doing better than ever so I decided to fix it up and so far it looks great. It's the exact same bakery just renewed. My mom and dad would've loved it, I am sure.

"Do you think Ben is going to pick her?" Hailey asks me looking at a blonde in the screen. She's watching The Bachelor witch seems to have become our Monday nights.

"I don't know. Maybe but he also seems to be into the other one," it's all too sad. A reminder that Max was into other women, not just me.

This is partly my fault. What was I expecting? He made it clear from the beginning what it was. I was the one with mixed feelings that led me to falling in love with him.

There's a knock on the door, I look at Hailey but shrugs. We don't get visitors so it's either a neighbor asking for a cup of sugar or who knows. I decide to stop being paranoid and open it.

The artist stands before me, all smiles of course.

"Finally. After knocking on a couple of doors I finally found you."

"What do you want Cole?"

Hailey comes behind me, arms crossed.

"To talk," he makes his way inside and sits on the sofa.

"There's nothing for us to talk about," I say as me and Hailey take a seat.

"Ouch. I thought we had a friendship there Nora," and we do. I just can't have ties with Max. Not when there's a risk that my heart will betray me.

"Cole I just need some time," I am sure he knows what had happened so there's no need to explain it.

"He's loosing his company."

"What? What do you mean his? I thought he shared it with his father?"

"He did. A wife was his fathers request for him to hand everything over to Max. The beach house was enough to convince his father that Max had found a woman that was right and wouldn't mess with his life. So he gave everything to his son then. I guess your surprise cake did it, delicious by the way."

I sink deeper into the sofa. Why didn't he tell me this? Why did he still propose?

His words replay in my mind.

"I've been done with that stupid contract. When I asked you to marry me I wasn't faking it. I feel out of control and I would be lying if I didn't say it feels bloody amazing because I feel for you Nora. The way you kiss me, the way you feel under my arms, it's fucking real."

Real.

It has all been real?

"It's not Nora's fault he's loosing the company," Hailey scowls.

"After you left Nora it took me 2 days to realize that Max was actually hurting like a mother fucker. I had to find you because I don't see why you two are not together?"

"Ah hello? Did your friend not tell you about the other woman," Hailey fires back at him.

Cole laughs, "please Caroline is like a flea. Max was done with her way before Nora popped into his life."

"I received photos," I say. Cole obviously knows what kind of photos I mean.

"Max and Zack are my mates and well we're not the best man for women like you Nora but Max tried to be. When I invited him to clubs he use to tell me he had you, so why go out? I was left with Zack because we knew our man was falling for you little lady." Cole isn't smiling anymore he has a serious face that tells me he isn't lying. He places his hand on top of mine. "Don't let his past ruin what you two can have. Something tells me your not ready to let go either," he touches the ring on my finger. I hadn't taken it off for reasons I couldn't explain.

"Does he know you're here?" I ask.

"No. I won't tell either." He gets up and looks over at Hailey, "sorry for the intrusion to your home. I hope you ladies have a goodnight."

And then he's gone.

"Do you think he is really not going to tell?"

"I am sure of it," and I am.

"God, he was probably following us trying to find out were we live," whatever Cole did to find out where I live worked because he found me. "Nora are you considering going to see him?" Hailey doesn't look angry, she looks understandable.

"I miss him so much," I want to see him. "But not yet. I need to think."

Max
I am loosing it. My father been the man that he is came to tell me to get my shit together. I watch as he walks out the door. I was half listening to what he was saying. Part of me just wanted him to take his company back but I had worked hard to get here. It wasn't all my father who got me where I am. Then there's Nora. God I miss her so much.

I can't sleep in our bedroom. It's a reminder of so many good moments. She probably thinks it's were I have spent the night with other women but she's wrong. Caroline had lied. The spare rooms were always the room for other women. Nora though, she isn't another women. I think I knew that from the beginning.

I call her again.

No answer.