Page 81 of The Arrangement

“Where’s your husband?” she asks. “Can I thank him for my new bed?”

“He’s actually at a meeting right now. It was scheduled before we decided to get married, and I asked him to go. He didn’t want to, but I really wanted some time alone.”

I don’t have to explain that to Mimi, and I doubt she’d comment about it, anyway. But I felt the need to defend Jason’s absence, just in case.

“Okay then. Tell him I love it, and if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll bake him a pie when you get home.”

The sound of her being so hopeful and optimistic makes my day. She’s stronger than I’ve heard her in a long time, no longer frail and defeated. And that’s how I know I absolutely made the right decision to marry Jason. For so many reasons.

“I will. I love you, Mimi.”

“I know you do, pumpkin. I love you, too. Now go enjoy your alone time while you have it. I suspect your hubby will be home soon and will be invading every inch of your privacy.”

“Goodbye, Mimi,” I say, giggling again.

“Goodbye, Chloe.”

I hold the phone against my chest. My robe hangs open, the air caressing my skin covered only by bra and panties, as I enter the atrium. The candles are in their respective spots where we blew them out before we went to bed. Our clothes and shoes litter the floor where we shed them last night. The bottle of champagne we shared after our bath sits empty on the table.

It’s the aftermath of a night that will stay with me forever.

I open my phone and find Jason’s name.

Me: Thank you for sending Mimi a new bed.

Jason: Of course.

Me: How did you know she needed one? And how did you have time to get her one in the midst of the craziness of the past day?

Jason: I know everything. See you soon, beautiful. Enjoy your morning.

Me:

I wait for a response, but nothing comes.

I blow out a breath and traipse to the kitchen. I find a bagel and cream cheese that seems fresh enough and make a quick breakfast. As I move around the kitchen, finding snacks and drinks and fresh kitchen towels, I can’t help but wonder if Renn leaves this place stocked all the time. If he never comes here, why is there food? Do his brothers visit often enough to warrant groceries?

Or did Jason have a few things delivered before we arrived?

The thought makes me smile. I haven’t been taken care of like this in a long time.

My heart aches as I think of my sweet mother. I wish so badly that I could call her and tell her what I’ve been up to. What would she think of this whole situation? Would she cheer me on like Mimi? Or would she be disappointed in my lack of ethics?

Something tells me if I’m not hurting anyone and I’m happy, she wouldn’t care. And I know she’d be over the moon that I married a Brewer. She thought so much of their family—except Reid. Mom never liked him too much.

I nibble the bagel and curl up on the sofa in the living room. The television looks too complicated to work and I don’t want to break anything, so I pick up my phone instead. Instinctively, I consider checking my email, but Jason’s warning about not working this weekend rings loudly in my head.

Yet the idea of going back to work has now entered my mind, and I can’t shake it. There are too many unknowns and too many variables.

I set the bagel down and dial Nickie. She answers in two rings.

“Hello,” she says.

“Hey. It’s Chloe.”

“Hey, you. I came by your office yesterday afternoon, but Brandi said you were already gone. Is everything okay?”

I glance around the penthouse and then at the giant rock on my finger. “Yeah. Things are going okay.”