The Arrangement

by Melissa Tereze

  “This.” Sam turned to face her sister. “All of this…this is what I am now. Alone. Miserable. Fucking out of my mind for booking an escort in the first place.”

  “That’s not true.” Lindsay dropped her gaze, her voice trembling. “You have so much to give.”

  “She couldn’t see me anymore. That’s what she said as she walked out the door.”

  “Okay, but she must have had an explanation.”

  “She did.” Sam’s lips curled slightly. “She wanted to see me outside of the agency.”

  “Are they allowed to do that? Isn’t it against policy or something?”

  “I don't know,” Sam breathed out, leaning back against the window. “She’s leaving the agency.”

  “Wait!” Lindsay’s forehead creased. “Are you telling me she wanted to see you…like, date you?”

  “I-I think so.” Sam blushed. “She said she wanted to see more of me but I have a wife.”

  “Did you explain?”

  “No, I couldn’t.” Sam shook her head as her body relaxed. “I was too shocked by what she was saying to me. She’s twenty-five, Linds.”

  “Age ain’t nothing but a number, sister.”

  “There was something else, too.” Sam chewed her bottom lip, her anxiety beginning to appear. “She has another job.”

  “That’s great.”

  “She’s a firefighter.”

  “Wow, that’s hot.” Lindsay fanned herself. “Can you imagine her body? Phew.”

  “How can I date a firefighter?” Sam focused on her issue rather than Lindsay’s comment. She had, in fact, thought about Alexis’ body on more than one occasion. She would never admit to that, but as she climbed in bed last night, her thoughts drifted to what lay beneath Alexis’ clothing.

  “Well, I think you're a fool to turn down such an opportunity,” Lindsay said. “A woman who wants you, with that kind of background? You're out of your mind.”

  “Just think about it. How in the world could I date someone like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “Someone who runs into burning buildings. Someone who may never come home.”

  “Not everyone is Lucia, Sam.” Lindsay offered her sister a sympathetic smile. “And I know, I know how awful this must all feel, but you have to give it a chance.”

  “I can't.” Sam shook her head. “I can't sit here every moment of the day wondering if she’s alive.”

  “It’s her job. It’s not the same thing.” Lindsay held out her hand, ushering her sister closer. “Come here. Sit with me.”

  “Why do you think it’s taken me so long to even think about dating someone else?” Sam wiped a tear that had escaped down her face. “I still see it now. Most nights. And I can't do anything to save her.”

  “Look at me…” Lindsay gripped her sister’s jaw. “What happened to Lucia was a terrible accident.”

  “No, it could have been prevented.”

  “And I agree, it could have.” Lindsay nodded. “But you couldn’t have done anything to save her. We both know that. Alexis, what she does…she’s trained for those situations. Do you think she would do something like that without having a sound knowledge of every inch of the building?”

  “People can be careless…”

  “Please, for yourself, call her. Contact her.” Lindsay squeezed her sister’s hands. “Please?”

  “I-I tried.” Sam smiled weakly. “There is no trace of her on the site. She sent me a message the night you left last week, and I foolishly deleted it. I booked her the night after through the site and that was the last I saw of her.”

  “Right, okay.” Lindsay dropped her hand from Sam’s face. “Today is Friday. We are going out and we’re going to talk this through properly. If we can't figure out how to contact her, I’ll speak to Cheryl. She won't have to know it’s for you.”

  “Why are you and Cheryl so friendly?” Sam eyed her sister intently.

  “She’s been your assistant for three years. I have to listen to her drawl on every time you ignore your mobile and I have to call the office. Why not use that to my advantage?”

  “You and I…we’re two very different people.” Sam laughed, pulling her sister into a bone-crushing hug. “But I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

  “I know.”

  ***

  Sam approached the club she was meeting Lindsay at, her forehead creasing as the sound of heavy bass blared through the open doors. Why Lindsay would choose a place like this, Sam would never know, but she would have one drink and then suggest they move on. She was too old and too experienced to spend her night at a club, but Lindsay was offering a shoulder, so Sam would have to accept her choice of establishment. She flashed the doorman a smile as she fixed her royal blue dress on her thighs, squeezing past his gut to get inside.

  Lindsay was already here, that evident as she waved Sam over to a space at the bar. Sam moved through the crowd, the humidity inside already too much to bear. Back in her younger days, this would have been her typical Friday night, but those days were long gone. Judging by the cringeworthy look on Sam’s face, she was happy about that.

  “What are you drinking?”

  “Huh?” Sam strained to hear her sister.

  “I said…what are you drinking?”

  “Oh, gin and tonic,” Sam replied, her eyes scrunching at the corners as she tried to attempt conversation with her sister. “Why are we here?”

  “What?”

  “Here? Why?”

  “It’s new. Thought we could try it out together.” Lindsay smiled. “I got us a booth at the back. VIP.”

  “I hope they have soundproofing back there!”

  “You’re so fucking old.” Lindsay laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. “Come on!” She manoeuvred through the crowd with their drinks, Sam holding onto the back of her sister’s jacket.

  Once they had finally moved away from the horrendous bass, Sam released a deep breath, dropping down into the leather-interior booth. Lindsay bopped her head to the music, sliding a drink to the side of her for Sam, and relaxed.

  “What do you think?”

  “Of what?” Sam asked. “This place?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I fucking hate it!”

  “Just a couple here and then we’ll go somewhere quieter,” Lindsay said. “Did you manage to get in touch with Alexis?”

  “No.” Sam sighed. “I don't think I’ll see her again but maybe that’s for the best.”

  “Why do you say that?” Lindsay turned side on, a questioning look on her face. “You don't want to see her again?”

  “I do, in some way, but she made it clear that she couldn’t see me anymore. I have to respect that.”

  “To me, it sounds like she was backing out for your sake rather than hers.”

  “Because…”

  “Because she said she wanted to see more of you,” Lindsay stated, matter-of-factly. “Correct?”

  “Correct.” Sam sipped her gin and tonic, nodding. “But the fact still remains…she’s way too young for me.”

  “You didn’t think that when you booked her.”

  “No, but I had no intentions of feeling something more for her, either.” Sam looked at her sister pointedly. “And I wouldn’t say it’s anything too extreme, but I didn’t think I'd look at her the way I have at times.”

  “And how have you looked at her?”

  “Do we really have to do this, Linds?” Sam sunk down into her seat. “I know you want to help, but I'm not sure this is helping anyone.”

  “Sam… I need you to be honest with yourself.”

  Sam nodded slightly, staring at her hands in her lap. “I’ve lay awake since last Thursday thinking about her.” She swallowed hard. “She made me laugh, Linds. For the first time since I lost Lucia, she made me laugh. I actually enjoyed being in her company.”

  “Any woman who can do that to my sister deserves a chance.”

&
nbsp; “It would last five minutes…” Sam ran her fingers through her dark, curled hair. “She would see the differences in us, our ages, and it would be over before it started.”

  “I think you underestimate her,” Lindsay said.

  “No, I don't.” Sam’s heart fluttered just thinking about Alexis. “She’s mature. I believe she knows exactly what she wants…but I'm not sure I could be enough.”

  “Sam…”

  “Just hear me out.” Sam toyed with the glass on the table in front of her. “I want to date, okay? I want someone who I can spend my time with. I also don't want to rush into anything.”

  “She’s gone, Sam.” Lindsay took her sister’s hand. “It’s been two years.”

  “I know how long it’s been.” Sam could never forget the time that had passed since Lucia died. “What if I go into another relationship and fail? Lucia got me. She was my one true love. How can I try to give someone my all when she is the only woman to ever really know me? Isn’t that cruel? To give yourself to someone else…but not fully be there?”

  “You don't know what’s going to happen, Sam.”

  “I don't follow.”

  “You may meet someone one day and fall head over heels in love with them. That wouldn’t mean you never loved Lucia, and it also wouldn’t mean you no longer did…it would just mean that a part of your heart was ready for someone else.”

  “You’re going to make me cry.”

  “I’m sorry.” Lindsay offered a sympathetic smile. “But I don't want to see you grow old with nobody in your life. I don't want my big sister to forever wonder ‘what if’. We all want you to be happy, Sam. Every single one of us.”

  “I want to be happy, too.” Sam smiled. “And I thought I was. Alone. Then she showed up and made me feel like myself again. In some way, she has turned my world upside down.”

  “We have to find a way to contact her.” Lindsay suddenly looked like a woman on a mission, her back straightening as she squared her shoulders. “There is no way I'm letting you mess this up.”

  “I-I didn’t do anything to mess it up.” Sam frowned. “She is the one who walked out on me.”

  “She thought she was doing the right thing,” Lindsay said. “Don't forget, she thinks you're married.”

  “I am married!”

  “In a way, yes,” Lindsay agreed. “But not in the way Alexis thinks.”

  “I need to use the bathroom.” Sam gritted her teeth. “You're relentless.”

  Sam climbed over her sister and out of the booth, heading in the direction of the toilets. This place wasn't as bad as she thought it would be; so far, her feet hadn’t stuck to the floor. Thankful that the VIP area was quieter than the rest of the club, Sam breathed a sigh of relief as she pushed the door open, only a small line of people waiting.

  But then she heard that laugh.

  A laugh she couldn’t forget.

  A laugh that made her smile harder than she had in too long.

  Alexis. Fuck! Sam glanced up and looked to her right to find Alexis against the sink with another woman standing between her legs. She wanted the floor to swallow her whole. This couldn’t be happening. Whoever this woman was, she wasn't a client. Alexis wasn't dressed in her usual pricey clothing. She didn’t look like she was in any mode other than herself.

  Their eyes met and Sam froze, swallowing the lump she could feel rising up her throat. Rather than glaring in a bitchy jealous rage, Sam simply smiled at Alexis and moved down the line. She needed to escape before they met again, but the problem was, she had nowhere to go.

  ***

  Alexis dropped back into her seat, glancing around the VIP area for any signs of Sam. Once she’d watched her ex-client slip into a cubicle, she rushed out of the toilets with her date and moved swiftly to the dance floor. That was twenty minutes ago, and now she was sat alone while her date ordered more drinks at the bar. She hadn’t expected this to be the outcome of her evening, but in the last week, she’d left the agency and done anything she could to get Sam off her mind.

  Alexis didn’t get hung up on anyone, ever. She didn’t pine after a woman she didn’t know or had only met a few times. She was supposed to be a life-saver, a member of the emergency services. Yet, here she was…looking for the woman who had kept her awake at night. The woman she had thought about yesterday as she ran into a warehouse fire, Sam’s concern for her safety on her mind. How could she think about someone she was supposed to just keep company? Alexis knew exactly why. Sam…she was so far from the clients she usually accepted on her books. Nothing about her screamed that she wanted sex and a good time. She just wanted someone to notice her, to see her. Alexis wanted to be that person for Sam, she really did, but after just a couple of hours with her, she knew she was falling in deeper than she ever should. How her eyes held Alexis’. How her hands held her wine glass like a delicate rose. How her scent was subtle but intriguing. Sam was nothing like the others before her, and that was the only downfall Alexis could think of. She was supposed to be just another client. Alexis knew that was a lie. She accepted Sam’s offer because she saw how breathtaking she was. This, now, was all her own doing. Alexis just refused to accept it.

  As she glanced around again, she found a woman she’d never seen before staring back at her. Alexis raised her eyebrows and the woman turned away. She wasn't alone, but Alexis couldn’t see who her companion was. As the stranger sat back and took her glass between her lips, she caught sight of Sam. Her gorgeous royal blue dress hugging her body. Her breasts sitting exquisitely in place. Her smile, non-existent. Alexis groaned, her head falling back against her own booth.

  “Why me?” She looked up at the ceiling. “Why. Fucking. Me!”

  “Why you what?” Her date, Steph, appeared with fresh drinks.

  “Oh, nothing.” Alexis laughed, waving off Steph’s question. “Just had a call from one of the lads. They want me to cover tomorrow’s shift,” she lied. “Couldn’t really say no. He always covers for me.”

  “So, I'm going home alone tonight then?”

  “Looks that way. I'm sorry.” Alexis offered an apologetic smile. “I have to go in.”

  “Yeah, I know. Local hero and all that.” Steph winked, leaning in and kissing Alexis. “I need to pee. Be back in two.”

  Steph disappeared through the crowd, but she was the least of Alexis’ concerns. As she turned her attention back to Sam’s booth, she watched her stand and hug the friend beside her. Pulling her bag up onto her shoulder, Sam headed towards Alexis. “Sam.” She stood, moving towards her. “Hi, I just—”

  “Goodnight, Alexis.” Sam smiled. “You look great. It was nice seeing you again.”

  Alexis’ mouth fell open as she watched Sam leave the club. She wanted to run after her, she wanted to kiss her, but something prevented her. She no longer had to worry about receiving payments for Sam’s time, but she was still a married woman. That’s exactly what was stopping Alexis.

  “Excuse me?” An unfamiliar voice broke her from her stare. “You’re Alexis, right?”

  “Depends who’s asking…” Alexis snarled slightly.

  “Me. That’s who.” Lindsay stood toe to toe with the escort. “Lose the attitude.”

  “I don't know you.” Alexis stood taller than Lindsay, by a few inches at least. “Whatever that woman told you, you have nothing to worry about.”

  “Come again?”

  “The woman you were with, was that your wife?”

  “Sam?” Lindsay laughed. “That’s my sister.”

  “Oh, I'm so sorry.” Alexis grimaced, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “Hi, what can I do for you?”

  “Follow her,” Lindsay said. “Please, just follow her.”

  “I can't.” Alexis shook her head. “I really can't.”

  “That stuff you said to her…did you mean any of it?”

  “Depends what she told you.” Alexis shrugged.

  “Look, I know about you two. I
know what you were to her.” Lindsay pulled Alexis away from her booth and out of sight of everyone else. “You don't realise how big this is. Sam doesn’t date. She can't bring herself to do it.”

  “I should think not. She’s married, for fuck sake.”

  “Everything isn’t what you think,” Lindsay said. “I can't tell you any more than that, but I know she’s just gone home after seeing you and I know by now, she will be almost home and probably upset.”

  “Why would she be upset seeing me?” Alexis was lost. She had no idea what Sam’s sister was talking about. As far as Alexis was aware, this feeling was totally one-sided. “I need you to give me a little more to go on before I go running after her…”

  “This isn’t my business and she will kill me tomorrow when she finds out I've spoken to you. I've just promised her I wouldn’t but I'm sorry… I had to.”

  “I’m glad you did, I think.” Alexis lowered her eyes momentarily, scuffing her feet across the floor. “Does she like me?” Her voice held an element of nervousness.

  “She does.” Lindsay smiled fully. “She really does.”

  “So, her marriage? Is she separated?”

  “You could have caught up with her by now.”

  “I know, but you’ve completely thrown me, so I don't know what the hell is going on.”

  Lindsay groaned, rolling her head on her shoulders. “It’s complicated, but Sam is very much not involved.”

  “Wow, okay…”

  “Will you leave with me now?” Lindsay asked, knowing Alexis had a date with her tonight. “I know you're busy, and it’s okay if you don't want to see Sam tonight, but I’d really like you to be the one who comforts her. She will only back off if I show up.”

  “I, uh…” Alexis looked around the club for Steph, catching her attention and waving her over. “Give me one minute.” Alexis approached Steph. “Hey, so something came up and I need to leave. I’m so sorry.”

  “Will you make it up to me some other time?”