"I know things didn't end great between us but I hope we can move past that and work together. We are both up and coming in our own industries. People are starting to notice my artwork and your makeup company. This would be the perfect opportunity to help each other out. It'll be a win-win for both of us."

An unattractive snort pops out of my mouth. I cannot believe this guy. "What makes you think I need any help from you? I've been doing just fine on my own. I don't need some man, especially you, swooping in and trying to save me when there's nothing to save me from. Thanks for the offer but I'll pass." I give him a fake smile that feels more like a sneer.

I cannot believe the audacity of him. It almost makes me let out a scoff. The worst part is that all these thoughts and feelings I thought had gone away were instantly brought back to the surface when I heard his voice. It seems that even though there has been plenty of time and distance between us nothing on my end has changed. I must be absurd!

"Come on Scar, you haven't even heard my proposal yet. I still have four minutes left." His big brown eyes plead with me and like always I cave. I could never resist those damn puppy dog eyes! It's as infuriating as when we were teens.

"Don't call me that ridiculous name. It's terrible and I've always hated it. It makes me sound like a gang member or some weird assassin." His broad shoulders softly shake from his laugher.

"Alright, Scarlett," He emphasizes, "I'll do this quickly since you keep trying to run out of here. I'm working on my next art gallery and this time I'm doing something a little different. In order to do that, I need a model and I'd like that model to be you." My jaw drops as I stare at him in stunned silence. Never in a million years was I expecting that to be what he came here to ask me.

My gut instinct is to immediately deny him for many reasons. The main ones are I'm not a model and I'd rather never see him again. It was a dick move when he left but it made getting over the heartbreak easier not having him around. When my brain finally starts functioning again I open my mouth to give him an answer but he cuts me off.

"Before you say no, hear me out. I haven't finished yet. If you agree to model for me I'll give you ten percent of the earnings from any work I sell with you in it. On top of that, I'll also do two photoshoots for you on the house. You can use the images for anything you'd like. Plus, the media will be going nuts once they see the two of us spending so much time together. It'll be free advertisement." He sits back in the booth with his arms stretched out on top of the leather. The beginnings of a smirk tug at the corner of his lip. He looks so at ease as if he's already won.

My mind starts running a mile a minute. He was right when he said it would be a win for both of us. If I set my personal feelings aside, which is incredibly difficult because all I want to do is slap him silly, this would be a great move for the company. Two free photoshoots plus earnings from the work he sells would go a long way. I've seen how much some of his work goes for and it makes me cringe. I couldn't imagine spending that much money on a photo.

"I'll need time to think about it. I've been very busy since the launch of my last collection and need to discuss this with a few colleagues. If I were to do it I want twenty percent of the earnings from the work sold instead of ten percent." I counter. The smirk he's been trying to hold back finally emerges. I feel my palm twitch from me having to hold it back. Oh, how I wish I could slap that smirk right off his perfect face.

"You certainly have grown. I remember when you were younger and would jump into everything head first without thinking." He brings his forearms down on the table and leans into me.

"I have grown. I run a company now and if I didn't take time to think things through then I wouldn't be where I am today. When I was younger I made a lot of mistakes. I don't plan on making any of those again." I tell him with a pointed look.

"Ouch, I understand the unspoken jab." Pain flashes through his eyes but it's there and gone so fast I'm not sure if it was what I really saw. "Fifteen percent."

"I'll think about it. My assistant will call you with my answer before the end of the week." Not giving him time to say anything else, I exit the booth and leave the restaurant without a glance back. This day has certainly taken an interesting turn.

Snatching my phone out my purse I dial Rye as I calm my thundering pulse by taking deep even breathes. It barely finishes the first ring before he answers. "That was fast. Your lunch meeting is over already?"

"I need you to cancel everything for the rest of the day. Then I need you and Susie to meet me at my place and bring some tequila with you. I'm calling an emergency. I'm on the verge of losing my shit meet up." I wave my hand frantically for a cab but he whizzes past me down the street. Letting out a sigh, I keep walking down the block and keep an eye out for another taxi.

"You got it girly. I'll make the calls and we'll meet you there. Half an hour to forty-five minutes max." The sound of him typing on his keyboard floats to my ears through the phone.

"Thanks, babe, you're the best. If it's possible could one of you drive my car back to my place? I left the keys in my closet."

"You got it, girl. You have a way to get home?" He checks. I wave my hand at the cab coming my way and he thankfully pulls over. Whipping the door open, I jump into the car and slam the door shut behind me,

"I just got into a cab. I'll see you guys soon. Thank you, Rye." I ramble into the phone. Letting out a sigh, I tell the cab driver my address. He takes off and I finally feel my muscles relax as I get farther from Devin. What a shame. My favorite restaurant, now tainted with the memory of that whole blindsided get together.

The ride doesn't take long, much to my relief. I pay the driver and make my way into the house. As soon as I enter my beautiful sweet Oreo comes to greet me with kisses.

"I missed you too, sweet boy." I pick up my little pup and hold him close to my chest. My fluffy sweet boy is the one man I can rely on in the world. I know that he will always love me and be faithful as long as someone doesn't have a treat for him. He's a real sucker for any kind of treat around,

His little pink tongue gives me kisses as I cuddle him in my arms. Soft fur caresses my skin as I hold him against me. I adopted him when he was two years old. His owners had been abusive to him. It took some time for him to trust me but once he started we became best friends. He's the sweetest boy in the entire world.

I have had him for almost three years now. It's around when I decided to buy this house. With all the money I was making with my makeup line, I wanted to put the money toward something worthwhile. A house seemed like the perfect thing to invest in but I was so used to being in a packed house with my family that being alone was unsettling.

My dad recommended adopting a dog. It was a great idea and we went to a dog pound that day. I'm pretty sure my dad wanted me to get a big dog that could guard and protect me if someone were to break in but when I saw little Oreo's face behind those cage bars I knew he was the one for me. This little pomeranian with his fluffy black fur and white around his eyes has always been there for me when I need someone. Dogs are a girl's best friend in my opinion and I know if someone were to break in here he would fight his hardest to protect me.

"How about a treat for you, huh. You look like you could use a snack." I coo at him. Nuzzling his fluffy little neck, I make my way toward the pantry in the kitchen. I spoil this boy rotten but he deserves it. His tail wags bag and forth like crazy when he hears his treat brag get opened.

Setting him down, I placed the treat in front of his face. He gives it a quick sniff before taking it from my hand and dashing out of the pantry as if he stole the thing. Laughing, I follow him out and close the door behind me. I pass the time by getting the glasses ready for us. It takes everything in my power not to think about Devin.

Like how his voice had deepened a little more than the last time I saw him. His eyes were still as puppy-like as I remember them being. He could get anything from anyone with those eyes. His style has definitely changed. All he used to wear was tank tops and board shorts back in the day. He was the definition of a surfer boy.

The thought makes me chuckle then I catch myself. I smack my leg to make myself stop. I was trying to not think about him at all. That was a major fail.

Rolling my eyes, I grab the glasses from the cabinet and set them on the sand-colored island. As I grab the mixer from another cabinet I hear the front door open and shut then the sound of frantic footsteps making their way toward the kitchen. A few barks come from the entrance area before they die off. He must have gotten a whiff of who they were and gone back to his treat.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Susie asks me with wide worried light blue eyes. She throws her arms around me, pulls away to look at me, then pulls me close again.

"I'm fine," I groan, "I'm just dying from stupid high school flashbacks and embarrassment from freaking out in front of my ex."

"Woah, woah, woah, I'm lost. You'll have to start this story from the beginning. Did you run into your ex before your meeting? Or after." Rye's eyebrows pull together as he tries to figure out what happened.

"My meeting was with my ex. I was under the impression that I was meeting with someone from Launched Magazine. Maybe he does photoshoots with them but this meeting was definitely not related to the magazine."

Susie releases me from her death grip with a sigh of relief. Her shoulders relax as he steps back to give me some space. I step across the kitchen to grab a measuring cup and a pitcher which I pass to Rye. He immediately starts measuring out ingredients he's grabbed from the pantry and fridge into the pitcher.

I get ice into each of our glasses along with one of my reusable straws to prep for him. It doesn't take long for him to mix everything together and once he is done he pours each of us a glass. We cheers then each take a sip.

"Oh, that's good," I mumble as I take another sip. Well, it's more like a huge gulp if I'm being honest but it's exactly what I needed. "Alright," I sigh, "In order for you guys to understand this situation I have to start at the beginning of the story. It all started back in high school." I begin.

Susie and Rye each have a seat at the island in a bar stool. They give me their undivided attention. I take in a deep breath and let it out before I begin telling them the tale of Devin and me.