The Arrangement

by Kiersten Modglin

  Seth gasped. “Is that right? That could be huge!”

  Falling into a rhythm, Peter’s shoulders seemed to relax as he said, “Yeah, it’s looking great. It’ll be nice to know I had a hand in making the skyline what it’ll be. I’ve got the few buildings downtown right now, but this’ll be…it’ll be the biggest deal of my career thus far. ”

  “That’s excellent, man. Hey, you want a beer?” Seth pointed down the hall, toward the den that had been converted to a man cave.

  Without looking my way again, Peter nodded. “You bet.”

  “Want us to grab you anything, Ainsley?” Seth asked, pointing a finger gun in my direction.

  “Nope, I’ll grab some wine with Glennon. You boys have fun.”

  Seth tossed an arm around Peter’s shoulders as they walked away. “Okay, so you’ll never believe what happened… Canada, man, it’s wild…”

  I turned away from them, heading for the kitchen where Glennon had a spread of food laid out.

  “Mmm, something smells good,” I said, startling her. She turned around, a wide grin on her face.

  “I thought I heard you come in. Sorry, I was just trying to get this finished up.”

  “No worries.” I hugged her close, kissing her cheek briefly before moving toward the half-empty bottle of wine on the counter. “What are we having?”

  “We’re trying something new tonight.”

  “That’s brave,” I said, pulling a glass down from the cabinet.

  “It’s called cauliflower tacos with cashew crema,” she said, donning an accent, though I wasn’t sure where it was supposed to be from.

  “That sounds…interesting,” I said, taking a sip of the wine and grabbing a carrot from the veggie tray. I dipped it in hummus before popping it into my mouth. The food looked delicious. The cauliflower that filled the shell was browned, covered in dashes of cilantro and onion.

  “We’re going vegan,” she announced. “I watched this documentary on Netflix, and I swear I’ll never eat meat again.”

  “Of course you did.” I nodded. Glennon was always looking for the next new thing, be it a diet, activity, or career.

  “Hold me to it; you have to swear. It’s disgusting what they do to these poor animals. I’m making you watch it with me again.”

  “Sounds delightful. I’m looking forward to it,” I teased. “And how’s the diet going so far?”

  “It’s not a diet, love.” She put her hands out, held in Jnana Mudra as if she were meditating. “It’s a lifestyle.”

  “Well, how’s your lifestyle going, then?” I asked, eating another carrot with a smirk on my face.

  “We started yesterday, and I’ve stuck with it,” she said proudly. “Even Seth is going along with this one. His cholesterol has been up at the last few doctor’s appointments.”

  “Good for you, babe,” I said seriously. “I’m proud of you. This is one diet I can get on board with. And you know I’ll eat anything you make. I don’t think you’ve ever made anything I don’t like.”

  She laughed, loud and boisterous, and picked up her glass of wine. “Have you forgotten about the cookies I made with almond flour when we were on keto?”

  I laughed with her, remembering it well. “The sand cookies! Oh my god, how did I forget? Okay, fair enough, I take it back. Most of the things you cook are delicious, so I’m sure these will be, too.”

  “I’ve got beans and rice as a side, so if we don’t like these, we have a backup. And veggies, lots and lots of veggies.”

  “Lovely. Let me help you carry them to the table.” I reached for the jars of sauce sitting on the counter, and she touched my arm, stopping me from walking away. When I looked over at her, her face was serious.

  “Hey, before the guys get back in here… What happened?” she asked, keeping her voice barely above a whisper. “Are you guys okay?”

  I forced a smile. “Oh, yeah. It’s okay, it’s nothing.”

  “Did he do something wrong?”

  I shook my head, my lips pressed together. “Not really, no.”

  She appeared hurt, releasing my arm. “Why are you shutting me out so much lately? Have I done something wrong?”

  “No!” I said. “Of course not. No, it’s an issue with Peter and me, and he feels uncomfortable with me talking too much about it. You know I’ll tell you everything when I can.”

  “Is he cheating on you?”

  My breathing quickened, and I forced myself to look away. “Why would you ask that?”

  “Because he’s a man,” she said flatly.

  I shook my head, moving into the dining room. “It’s nothing like that, trust me. You know I wouldn’t be sticking around if that was it.”

  She stopped in her tracks, and when I reached the table and looked back in her direction, she seemed hurt. Before I could say anything, she asked, “You’d leave him?”

  “Of course I would.” I scoffed. “Was there ever any question?”

  “Just like that? You wouldn’t consider counseling or…I mean, what about the kids?”

  I cocked my head to the side, placing the jars onto the table. “Is there any amount of counseling that would make a cheater less of a cheater? And as for the kids, I wouldn’t want any of them to stay in a loveless marriage, so why would I stay in one myself?”

  “But…just because he cheated…it doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.”

  “What are you talking about, Glennon?” I asked her, hearing the men’s voices growing near the room. “Where is this coming from?”

  “Nothing. You know me. I’m just rambling,” she said, her face growing red as she shuffled past me and set the platter of food down. Moments later, our husbands reappeared, beers in hand, and joined us at the table. Glennon wouldn’t meet my eyes as we sat, and Seth filled the silence with talk of his travels and the merger.

  I wasn’t listening, only nodding along as I ran her question over and over in my head.

  What was she talking about?

  Why had she asked so many questions about Peter cheating on me?

  What did she know?

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  PETER

  Ainsley was strangely quiet at dinner. I kept trying to draw her attention to me, to find an explanation for her silence, but she was giving me nothing. She’d hardly looked my way at all, and even when she did, she was distant, her eyes foggy and lost.

  When dinner was over, she excused herself to go to the restroom, her voice shaky and soft. Something had happened.

  Seth looked at me, then Glennon.

  “Is…everything okay?”

  Glennon’s jaw tightened. “I don’t think she’s feeling all that well.”

  I stood from the table, taking my cue. “I should go talk to her,” I said, hurrying from the room as rapidly as I could without looking insane. I made my way down the hall before I heard footsteps coming from behind me.

  “Peter.” I turned around, shocked to see Glennon coming up behind me.

  “Yeah?”

  She nodded her head toward their guest bedroom to our left. “We should talk.”

  I swallowed. Those words never preceded good news, and I wasn’t in the mood to be berated by Glennon’s moral compass about what I should or shouldn’t tell my wife and when.

  “Okay…” I followed her into the bedroom, and she shut the door, flicking on the light.

  I’d been in the room a few times before, even spent the night there once or twice. It was familiar, the walls a bright, light yellow. The bed in the center of the room had a wrought iron frame with a matching floral yellow and navy blue comforter and throw pillows. It was the only room in the house that still had carpet, though from what Seth had told me, they were planning to tear it up next summer.

  Outside, the world was dark, and inside the sterile, too-bright room, everything was still.

  “What’s up?” I asked, clearing my throat.

  Glennon narrowed her gaze at me. “Don’t ‘what’s up’ me. Why haven’t you to
ld her?”

  My blood went cold as I studied her expression. Was that why Ainsley was so upset? Had Glennon told her about us?

  “I haven’t had a chance. We’ve had a lot going on, Glennon. You don’t know the half of it.”

  “I know there’s always an excuse with you. Between the kids, the house, work, school… You’ve always got a reason not to tell her. You need to rip off the Band-Aid.”

  “Did you say something to her?” I demanded, pointing my finger toward the door.

  “Of course, I didn’t. I promised I’d give you the chance to do it. We agreed it should come from you.”

  “I know we did, and I’m going to tell her. You need to back off.”

  “Don’t,” she said, her voice sharp and pained. “Don’t you dare tell me to back off. I could tell her right now, Peter. I could tell her the truth and end your marriage before you even walk out of here. But that’s not what I want. Not for Ainsley…or you either.”

  “What do you want, then, Glennon? What is it that you want? And you still haven’t told Seth anything, have you? Why am I the one who has to break the news first?”

  “Do you think, for one second, that as soon as I tell Seth, he’s not going to come after you? And then Ainsley’s sure to find out. I’m letting you tell her out of respect for her. Because I’d rather her find out in a way that she can process it all before all of our worlds implode.”

  “It doesn’t have to be this way. We don’t have to tell them anything. We can pretend it never happened,” I said, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of my stomach.

  “I can’t do that to her. I can’t look at her every single day and know I’m holding in this lie. I can’t face Seth every day and pretend everything’s fine. Ainsley has to know the truth. I can’t keep doing this. If she finds out I’ve kept this from her all this time… Oh, who am I kidding? She’s going to hate me no matter what.” She sighed, shaking her head. “I hate this, Peter. I do. I don’t know what to do. You have to tell her.”

  “Please, Glennon. You don’t understand—”

  “Either you tell her, or I will.”

  “Look, now is not the time. I know I’ve said that to you a million times, but if there were ever a not the time, this is it.”

  “I don’t care anymore, Peter. I don’t care about getting on your schedule. She deserves to know.”

  “I agree, trust me. I’ve been trying to tell her. We’re working on us, getting better. But you can’t do this right now. Please, Glennon, I’m begging you. You need to give me more time to sort things out.”

  “You can sort all you’d like, after you tell my best friend the truth…” She crossed her arms. “I’m giving you the week, and then I’m telling her. A week, do you hear me? No extensions this time, Peter. If you want me to be there, to help explain, I will. But she needs to know the truth, and I’m done waiting.”

  “I’m sorry, Glennon. I’m so, so sorry.”

  “I appreciate the apology, but you don’t owe it to me. And, if you do, you owe her one more. We both do. So help me God, Peter, you’d better figure out what or who it is that you want and figure it out soon. Before you lose everything.”

  The door to the bathroom opened, and I heard Ainsley’s quiet footsteps padding down the hall. We remained still and silent, listening to her get farther away. Once she was past, Glennon put her hand on the doorknob.

  “She told me she’d leave you if you ever cheated. I don’t know if that’s what you want…”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “Of course not. I love her, Glennon.”

  “Then tell her the truth and let the cards fall where they may.” She jerked open the door and sauntered out, flicking the light out as she disappeared from the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  AINSLEY

  “Someone’s here to see you.”

  I peeked my head around my desk, searching through the glass that separated me from the lobby, looking for a familiar customer. To my surprise, there was only one person waiting in the lobby, a woman with a wavy, black bob and steely eyes.

  “Did she say what she needs?”

  “She didn’t. She asked if you worked here…”

  I inhaled sharply then composed myself. “Thank you, Tara.” Placing the phone down, I stood from behind my desk and stepped out into the lobby, my hands clasped together in front of me. My heels clicked across the lobby without caution, the smile on my face showing warmth and peace. I’d always been able to control the way I came across to people, even when I was the complete opposite internally.

  “Hi,” I said, extending my hand toward her. “I’m Ainsley Greenburg. How can I help you today?”

  She made no attempt to smile. Instead, she stood from the stiff couch in the center of our lobby, returning the hand shake and clearing her throat.

  “My name’s Illiana De Luca. Perhaps we should go inside your office.”

  I nodded, my throat too dry at the sound of her name. Was it a coincidence?

  “Of course,” I squeaked. I turned, gesturing that she should lead the way. Once we were inside my office, away from prying ears, she sat down across from me, clasping her hands together in her lap. Breathe, Ainsley. “Now, was there something I could do for you?”

  “There is, actually. I was hoping you might be able to tell me where my husband is.”

  A chill swept over me at her words, and I stared at her brown, sorrow-filled eyes, making sense of their cool quality. I remembered her name from the news, but I didn’t want to believe it.

  Keep it together. You have no idea who her husband is.

  “Your husband? Does he have an account with us?”

  She shook her head, pressing her lips into a thin line. “Don’t patronize me, Ainsley. I know you were sleeping with Stefan. Do you know where he is? Why he isn’t returning my calls? Why he hasn’t shown up for work in three days?”

  I tried to collect myself while refusing to break eye contact. I wouldn’t let her see the lie in my expression. “I’m so sorry… I don’t know where he is. We weren’t sleeping together. I had no idea he was married, but we only went out on one date. We didn’t even kiss.”

  The woman’s tone grew more frustrated. “I don’t care about any of that. Stefan and I had a complicated marriage. I know he went to visit you on the night he disappeared.”

  My whole body tensed, fear palpable in the room. I wondered if she could feel it, too. “If he did, he either never made it to me or he missed me. I only saw him one time…” I paused, chewing my bottom lip. “Does he have family? Friends? Maybe he went out of town?”

  “That wouldn’t explain him not answering my calls,” she snipped.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know him well, but I hope he is found safe. He was…very kind to me.” I looked down for the first time, forcing away thoughts of his kindness on our first date. “Again, I’m so sorry about the circumstances. I had no idea about you. I’d never…” I shook my head. “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt—you included.”

  Suddenly, I was thinking about what we’d done. What we’d taken from her. What would I do if someone took Peter from me? If the woman he’d dated had caused his death? My lips pressed together until it was painful, and I released them.

  “I doubt that,” she said, not bothering to try and hide her disgust with me. “You’re married, too, aren’t you?”

  “H-how could you know that?” Realization swept over me. “I’m sorry, how did you even know about me? How did you find me?”

  “My husband was a cop, Mrs. Greenburg. Do you think we didn’t look into the women he was seeing? Made sure they seemed normal? Sane?” She studied my expression. “I know all about you.”

  “I’m sorry, women? Plural? He was seeing multiple people? And you knew about it?”

  “The intricacies of my marriage are none of your concern—”

  “Of course not, I would never, I—”

  “But what should be your concern is the fact that I’m going
to tell the detectives working his case all about you. I’m going to tell them where you live, your children’s names, your husband’s name. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. I wanted to give you a chance to come clean, to tell me the truth without involving the law. If you know where he is and you’re hiding it from me, or if you’ve done something wrong and you’re lying, we’ll figure it out. But not before your life, your children’s lives, are dragged through the hassles of a criminal investigation.”

  There was no doubt in her eyes, no sign that she was bluffing. She was going to make sure the truth was found out. She was going to make sure I went down for it.

  “Are you sure you don’t have anything you want to tell me?” she asked, reaching for the brown, oversized handbag she’d placed in the seat next to her.

  “I’m sorry, I have no idea…” I whispered half-heartedly.

  She sighed, standing up. “Well, if you think of anything, you should be sure to tell Detective Chad.” She pulled a card from the bag and laid it down in front of me. “I’m going to give him your contact information tonight.” She turned, grabbing hold of the doorknob without another word.

  “Wait,” I cried, standing up. She spun back around, a knowing look in her eyes. “I can’t talk here… I don’t know a lot, but I might know something. I’ll tell you everything I know, but I can’t do it here. This is my place of business. I have customers waiting.”

  “My husband is missing,” she argued. “I hardly care about overdraft fees.”

  “I understand. I want to help. Please, just… Please. Come to my house this evening. We can talk alone. Me and you. We can discuss everything.” She hesitated, watching me closely with a dubious expression. “I know you don’t know me that well, and I don’t know him that well, but he seems very sweet. I want you to find him.”

  She nodded slowly, wary of the offer. “Fine. What time do you get off?”

  “Five. I can meet you at my house at six.”

  “Fine,” she repeated.

  “My address is—”