Alternate Universe FanFic. Borrowing the characters from ADOW to create my own new story with a completely different plot, and events. Canon couples and always Matthew/Diana HEA.
Summary: Diana lives in New York and works at her local hot spot Diner, and after numerous failed first dates, decides to forgo the dating scene for a while. That is until a rather attractive construction worker named Matthew Clairmont walks into The Diner and catches her eye. He becomes a welcome regular among all the staff, especially Diana.
NOTE: Thanks to Shawna for her editing help, suggestions and ideas!
DISCLAIMER: All rights to Deborah Harkness. Just borrowing the characters.
Sorry for the delay in this new chapter everyone. I had issues with my wireless keyboard. It started eating batteries. As in, I put a fresh set in and within a half hour it was down to 6%. So, I then ordered a new one (USB no batteries), and it took a month to arrive.
THE DINER
By Goode Girl
CHAPTER TWENTY- TWO
~TD~
Present Day
Her feet pounded against the hard concrete as she rounded the corner, heading back to the apartment. Diana was on her morning run and reviewing in her mind how she was going to be presenting her thesis Monday morning, just two days away. Frank saw her approaching and held the door. He had just finished his graveyard shift at 6:00AM and was heading home himself.
"Thanks, Frank." She greeted.
"No problem, Ms. Bishop." He smiled, with a wave of his hand.
When Diana entered the lobby, she walked in on what appeared to be an argument happening with a gentleman she'd not seen before and the day person, William; who oversaw the front desk and security.
"I'm sorry Sir, but there is no answer at the apartment you requested, and I cannot allow you just enter their private residence."
"This is ridiculous," The stranger murmured in annoyance.
Diana approached cautiously as she headed to the elevator banks, when William called out to her.
"Ms. Bishop!" He called, approaching slowly. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but this gentleman has been trying to reach Mr. Clairmont, but there was no answer at the apartment." He relayed.
Diana looked to the stranger. "Matthew is in an early morning meeting for work." She could feel this stranger's gaze appraising her. Obviously, she was a little sweaty from her morning run and couldn't wait to get into a hot shower. "Was he expecting you?" She added, trying to shrug the hard stare from her skin. It felt like ice prickles, the way his eyes followed her.
"No, not especially. I spoke with Ysabeau and had no idea he'd been injured at work." He informed.
Diana reached a hand forward, "Diana Bishop, I'm Matthew's fiancée." She explained.
The man seemed to sputter over his words. "Matthew's engaged? Why didn't anyone tell me?" He called in surprise.
"Maybe if I knew who you were, I could let Matthew know you're looking for him." Diana tried to appease.
"Philippe DeClermont. I'm Matthew's father." He clarified with an air of arrogance.
Two Weeks Ago
"We're telling your mother tonight at dinner, right?" Diana confirmed, as she adjusted the dress she'd just put on.
"Of course, Mon Coeur. She'll be pleased, really." He smiled, leaning down to kiss her sweetly, before raising her left hand and kissing along her knuckles, just below her ring.
Ensconced in Matthews jaguar, they made their way to Ysabeau's for a planned dinner. When they arrived, Marthe ushered them in, and handed out some wine. Ysabeau joined them a few moments later and greeted them in kind.
"Hi mum, don't you look lovely." Matthew smiled, embracing her lovingly.
"Oh you." She teased, reaching to hug Diana affectionately.
"It smells amazing in here, what has Marthe got cooking?" Diana posed, when she was released from Ysabeau's greeting.
"It smells like your famous pot roast." Matthew smiled and Marthe nodded knowingly.
Once seated at the elegantly laid table, Matthew took Diana's hand in his before looking to his mother.
"We have some news, mum." He smiled.
"Oh?" She posed, sipping from her wine. "What is it then?" She urged, watching them both for a tell.
"I've asked Diana to marry me," He began, his eyes locked on Diana's before turning to his mother. ", and she said yes." He smiled.
"OH, Matthew, Diana! That's fantastic!" She called in excitement, standing abruptly from her chair to pull them each into her embrace one more time. "Oh, and you gave her the family heirloom, so perfect!" She smiled, noticing the ring adorning her finger.
"Congratulations! This is wonderful news." Marthe interjected, laying the roast on the table next to Matthew.
Matthew carved the roast and dinner was served. There was simple polite conversation, but neither Matthew or Diana knew of when they wanted to marry. They were keeping their plans to have a baby private for now, in case it took a long time to conceive.
"I do have some news about the house though, it's ahead of schedule, and knowing your design expertise, mum," He began. ", I thought you and Diana could see the house tomorrow? Pick out paint for the rooms and what sort of countertops you want?" Matthew added.
Ysabeau had a collection of paint books and flooring samples of her own because of her interior design business and she and Diana poured over them after dinner, spread out along the dining table.
"Alright ladies," Matthew interjected, "We can decide tomorrow, when you see the house, yes?" He added, moving to the old gramophone in the corner.
After making his selection, the soft beginning chords of Glenn Miller's 'Tuxedo Junction', filtered into the room, and Diana and Marthe watched with rapt attention as Matthew led his mother around the room in an elegant dance. With a kiss to her hand, Matthew then turned to Diana.
"You're turn." He smiled, devilishly while loosening his tie, and removing it.
"I can't dance. Not like that." She pouted, and he leaned down, kissing her affectionately.
"It's all in the leading, Mon Coeur." He smiled, as a new song began. The tango strains of 'Por una Cabeza' by Carlos Gardel echoed off the walls as Matthew led her in the dance.
Her gaze met his and her breathing picked up. She was getting insanely turned on from the way his body was moving with hers and the way his hands held her firmly and surely; but she kept fumbling over her feet.
"Let him lead!" Ysabeau interjected with a small laugh as Diana stumbled once more before finally finding her footing.
Diana finally succumbed to Matthew's lead, as he pushed and pulled her across the floor. The dance ended with a subtle dip, and when it did, Matthew fused his lips to hers, passionately.
Their haze was interrupted when Ysabeau's phone starting ringing. Its shrillness echoing in the room.
"Excuse me," She politely announced as she answered the call.
"I will serve dessert then?" Marthe interjected, toddling off to the kitchen once more.
Seated at the dining room table, Marthe served tiramisu and coffee. Ysabeau finally re-joined them after finishing her call.
"Matthew," She started, a little solemnly. ", that was your father on the phone. You didn't tell him about your accident at work?" She intoned, taking her seat and sipping from her coffee.
"I tried calling, but his secretary answered, I could never get him. I wasn't going to leave that kind of message with her." He finalized, pushing his now empty dessert plate away, and pulling his coffee closer.
"You better tell him about your engagement then, before he hears it from someone else."
"It's not my fault he's unreachable." Matthew challenged. "He always expects us to drop everything if he summons us, and I'm tired of it."
Present Day
~TD~Diana~TD~
I felt my jaw drop. The way Ysabeau and Matthew spoke of Philippe, he was a man with high expectations and here I was a sweaty mess, meeting him for the first time.
"Nice to finally meet you, Mr. DeClermont." I greeted. "Matthew should be home after his meeting, but why don't you come up?" I offered, directing him to the elevator.
"Why don't you just head home sweetheart, and I'll wait for my son on my own." He retaliated.
I felt my breath catch. 'Who did he think he was trying to dismiss me?' Straitening my stance, I squared my shoulders before replying.
I smiled succinctly, "Mr. DeClermont, Matthew and I live together." I finalized. "Now you can either come up and wait for him, or go elsewhere." I tacked on, heading to the elevator and pushing the call button. He mumbled something under his breath, and followed. I can only assume it was some sort of insult.
It was clear that Philippe liked to be in control, but if he thought he was going to control me, he had another thing coming. Once in the apartment, I offered to make coffee or espresso, and he grudgingly accepted. After leaving him with his libations, I went to shower and clean up, but not before texting Matthew that his father was waiting for him.
Moments before I was about to step into the shower, my cell phone started ringing. A quick look at the call display revealed it to be Matthew.
"Hi," I answered.
"Fucking hell, please tell me he's not being a complete dick to you?" He called in alarm.
I didn't say a word. "I take it your silence means he's being an ass." He harrumphed. "I'm so sorry, Ma lionne." He added in apology.
"He doesn't even know me and is clearly passing judgement." I confirmed. "I left him with some espresso, and am about to take a shower." I informed, reaching my hand out to test the water's temperature.
"I'm on my way back down, I'll be there before you finish your shower." He relayed. "I love you, Mon Coeur, please don't let him get to you."
"I love you too." I affirmed. "He can pass all the judgement he wants; I'm not going anywhere." I finalized.
"Don't rush, take your time. I'll handle him."
Once in the confines of the shower, I was feeling emotional and started crying. I don't know why I was letting this man, who I didn't know, and clearly didn't know me, make me feel less than I was. I didn't know how much time had passed, but I finally turned off the water, and stepped out, wrapping a towel around me. When I emerged from the bathroom, Matthew was sitting on the bed, waiting for me.
"Are you okay?" He posed, reaching a hand out to me. I went willingly and he pulled me into his lap, while I nodded in reply to his question.
"I don't know why I was letting him get to me, but I'm okay." I assured.
"I told him off, and he's decompressing at his hotel."
"Why didn't he know about us? Living together that is." I posed; my arms wound around his shoulders as his eyes met mine.
"Because when I call my father, I get his secretary." He started. "But I'm not telling him news of my fiancée living with me to a stranger." He added.
"I thought you wrote letters to him, like you do with Ysabeau?" I inquired.
"When I was a kid. They tapered off after high school."
"He doesn't call you directly, but he calls Ysabeau? Why?" I prodded.
"I don't know. He expects us to fall in line when he calls, like whatever we're doing should be dropped because he's decided that he finally has time to make an appearance." He admitted.
"So, things with him are a little rocky?" I queried, as his hands gripped my hips as he lay back on the bed. My hands rested haphazardly on his chest.
"I used to do everything he asked." He stated. "You remember that conversation in the kitchen when I explained my work at Oxford?" He nudged and I nodded in reply. "Well, I finally pushed back when I told him I wasn't happy with that."
"I take it he didn't want you to quit?" I replied, laying on his chest, and resting my chin on my crossed arms, my eyes meeting his.
"No, I moved back to New York and got into construction. But when he heard I'd moved into this building, after the Blanca debacle, he bought the fucking thing." He revealed. "To him, he has control because he owns the building, I live in."
"He like, can't evict me, can he?" I asked in worry.
"If he tries, I go with you. Besides, in a month we'll have the house anyway, then we can be free of this place." He comforted, before rolling, so I lay beneath him. My towel came apart, and he pushed it off of me.
Rising to his knees, he unbuttoned his shirt, and tossed it, before unbuckling his dress pants and pushing them off the end of the bed, followed quickly by his boxer briefs.
~TD~Matthew~TD~
Curling my hand around the back off Diana's neck, I pulled her lips to meet mine. "He's not going to dictate who I love, or who I marry." I murmured into her neck, as my lips kissed at her pulse point, before trailing up to the underside of her ear.
"Matthew," She called, as she thrust her chest up to meet mine. "Please," she pleaded, as I trailed my lips down her collarbone, to her ample chest.
I snaked my tongue out, lapping at her nipple and I felt it harden under my tongue. "Hmmmm…." I hummed, treating her other nipple to the same actions before kissing down her abdomen.
"Taste me," She panted, spreading her legs. Diana cupped her breasts, and plucked at her own nipples, as I pushed her legs open, holding them in place at the back of her thighs under her knees. My lips followed the trail my hands just took before my gaze met her glistening sex.
Leaning forward, I slipped my tongue between her folds, licking at her clit, as she tried to push closer to my mouth. Her hands tangled in my hair as she writhed in pleasure.
"I'm so close," She murmured, her neck arching as she gave into the orgasm as it pulsed through her.
My cock was so hard, and I slithered up her body, kissing her heated flesh as I went. I knew she could feel my cock on her thigh, and she reached down, stroking me assuredly and languidly.
"Fuck," I panted, pressing more firmly into her hand.
"I want you inside me." She groaned, directing my hard length to her opening.
I pressed inside her with ease, as we were joined in the most of intimate of ways. "I love how you feel." I murmured, my lips finding hers as her arms came up around my shoulders. I rocked my hips against her with practiced familiarity as her legs wound around my hips.
"I stopped my birth control a few days ago." She revealed as her eyes met mine.
"Yeah?" I smiled, kissing gently at her pouted lips.
"Yeah, so if we really want to have a baby, I need to sit with my legs up for a few after we're done." She related. "No guarantee I'll get pregnant right away…" She trailed off, a panting moan escaping her lips as I my hips picked up speed.
"As long as…." I began, a groan escaping as she cinched her Kegel muscles around my cock. "Fuck, as long as you finish school." I tacked on, slipping my arms under her back and flipping us, so she was on top.
"I'll be done in January." She confirmed. "I promise", she added, as she bounced over my cock fast. My hands on her hips to keep her steady.
"I'm gonna come, Love." I called, thrusting into her from below rapidly.
"Yes, yes, yes!" She called as her walls clamped around my cock in her second orgasm of this early morning. I released seconds later and she rolled to her back, holding her legs tucked to her chest.
"Fuck it's always so amazing with you, Love." I relayed, falling on my back next to her.
"I need to lay here for a few moments." She smiled, as the buzzer for the front door echoed down the hall.
"Dammit, better not be my father already." I groaned irritably, climbing from the bed and pulling my dress pants back on, and buttoning my shirt as I traipsed down the hall.
I made a point of closing the bedroom door, as Diana was still lain on the bed, naked.
"Hello?" I called, depressing the call button.
"Mr. Clairmont, you have a visitor. Ms. Ysabeau Clairmont." William informed.
"Thank you, William. Send her up." I affirmed, tucking my buttoned shirt into my pants and unlocking the door.
I jogged down the hall to tell Diana that mum was here, and she was already getting dressed.
"Should we go out for breakfast before we go to the house? They should have installed the new counter tops yesterday." She smiled, walking over to me and kissing me sweetly, before we jointly walked down the hall to greet my mother.
~TD~Philippe~TD~
Matthew and I had clearly grown apart as he's gotten older. But to not be told of his accident at the work site, or the fact that he was engaged, was hurtful. After his little play thing left me with that espresso, Matthew came barrelling through the apartment door, enraged.
"I should be the angry one!" I challenged.
"You think you have the right to be angry at me? I tried to call you and tell you about my accident." He shouted. "But all I got was your secretary, and she hung up on me."
"What? She never told me you called!" I asked in astonishment.
"Then hire someone else, or here's a novel idea, answer your own goddamn phone." He retorted.
"Matthew,"
"Dad, please. You've been rude to my fiancée as it is, and I'm not in the mood. Go to your hotel why don't you." He dismissed.
"I can already tell she's not right for you." I impressed upon him.
"You don't fucking know her. And frankly, you don't know me anymore either." I retaliated. "And, until you can be open minded and accepting of the life I have created for myself, I don't want to see you." He confirmed.
"You're being unreasonable, Matthew."
"Unreasonable? Please. That's laughable coming from you." He laughed sarcastically. "I'd like you to leave." He finished, holding the door open.
"I do own the building you know?" I clarified, walking slowly to the door.
"And you never let me forget it. But don't worry, we'll be gone soon enough. Out from under your thumb." He stated.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I challenged.
"I'm having a house built for Diana and myself. One I designed and it's almost complete."
"Was I really that terrible of a father?" I posed rhetorically. "That you can't wait to get away from me."
"You like control, father. And I don't like to be controlled. Why do you think Mom wanted that divorce? To get out from under you!"
I nodded at the realization that he knew the truth of my split from Ysabeau. Although, whether he knew that then, or learned of it later, I don't know.
"Fine, I'll leave. I need to decompress anyway." I added, walking out the door. I turned back to face him before he could close the door. "Despite what you might think…I love you Matthew." I finished, walking away.