Page 2 of The Arrangement

“What was the meeting about, anyway?” She dusts a strand of red hair off her shoulder. “It looked tense.”

“I don’t know. It probably was. A lot of scowls were worn today.”

She laughs. “What do you meanit probably was?”

“Jason had two of his brothers with him.”

“Oh. Which two?”

“Gannon and Tate, and they were oozing alpha male vibes. The Brewer Trifecta of Power was in there, and concentrating on anything besides them was rather difficult.”

“Well, that explains why half our department milled around all morning instead of logging invoices. They were trying to get a glimpse ofTheTrifecta.”

I poke at a blueberry. “I will admit,The Trifectais a bonus of working here. I came for the paycheck. I stay for the view.”

“As we all do. But you ducked out on the view for a muffin. That says a lot about you.”

I laugh. “That says Tate’s analogies were boring, and my stomach growled. Remedying hunger and saving myself from mental anguish comes first on the hierarchy of needs. That’s true even if the view is spectacular. Tate is gorgeous … when his mouth is shut.”

She shakes her head as if I’m ridiculous and watches me savor what’s left of my breakfast.

The Brewer men, all five brothers, are the most stunning family in the universe, and no one will convince me otherwise. Even their sister and mother are beautiful. But one of them outshines them all—my boss, Jason.

Jason, the CEO of Brewer Air, is arguably the most attractive man of all time. Sandy-blond hair. Bright green eyes. High forehead, strong brow, and solid jaw. He’s remarkably intelligent, a powerhouse in every right, and confident yet somehow not arrogant. Getting to know him takes some effort, but Jason is a lot of fun once you do.

And I think about the fun part.A lot.

“Speaking of things that say a lot about you,” she says, resting her chin in her palm. “Did you call Bodhi back?”

“No, I didn’t call Bodhi back.” I mock her, earning a roll of her eyes. “I told you I wasn’t calling him back when he asked for my number.”

“Look, I get that he is a busboy at twenty-five, but he has potential. And with all the running around he was doing during the lunch rush, his stamina must be great.”

“My failure to return his call has nothing to do with his place of employment. Actually, I like the idea that he’s out there hustling his ass off.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

I sigh, sitting back in my chair. Nickie sighs right back.

We have this conversation at least once a week. My friend has decided that I cannot possibly be happy and live a fulfilling life without a man. She’s projecting. I’ve known her for three years—we started work at Brewer Air the same day—and I’ve never known her to go more than a week without a boyfriend.

On the other hand, I just passed the six-month mark of complete singledom. The guy before that wasn’t exactly awinner, but he did get the important job done. Mostly. I did learn to fake orgasms throughout that experience, which is a silver lining. I think.

“What will you do?” she asks, sounding like a broken record. “Stay single forever?”

“I think my relationship status bothers you a whole lot more than it bothers me, Nick.”

She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Someone has to worry about you getting laid, and if that someone has to be me, then so be it.”

Jake appears out of nowhere, opening his mouth to interject an unwanted comment into our discussion. The mere thought of Jake getting laid makes my stomach lurch.

“Keep walking, Jake,” I say again.

His head falls forward, and he scoots off toward his office.

“Your relationship status should bother you more. Forever is a long time, Chloe.” Nickie doesn’t miss a beat.

I cram the rest of the muffin in my mouth.