The Arrangement Duet Box Set Read online

  “Okay, what else? High credit card bills? Other debts?”

  “No credit cards, she has a small student loan balance, but she has been paying it fairly regularly. It looks like she stopped paying for a few months a couple of years ago and was granted a financial hardship reprieve; however, since that expired, she has been making regular payments.”

  “I didn’t think she went to college.”

  “She only had one semester left before dropping out.”

  “I see. What else can you tell me?”

  “She appears to have moved around a lot as a child, there are many different addresses and schools on record for her. Her mother is deceased, no father is listed on the birth certificate—“

  “Is there anything alarming in her file that I need to be concerned about the press finding out?” I quickly interrupt Carter. Hearing all these details about Kenzie’s personal life makes me again feel like I’m invading her privacy. I guarantee Bridget’s background check isn’t this thorough, but I think this is one of those situations that the less I know, the better. This is important information for Carter and Asher to have but none of it will impact the events that Kenzie attends with me.

  “Nothing that I can find, sir. I’m curious as to the reason she left Denver and how she ended up in New York as it appears she has no family anywhere in the state or even on this coast. However, there is nothing here that suggests the reason she left is something for us to be concerned about. She has no criminal record, not even a parking ticket, and pays her bills on time every month.”

  “Thank you, Carter; that will be all.”

  To: Bridget Wilder

  From: Nicholas Parker

  Subject: Meeting

  Bridget,

  I am confident that after tonight’s meeting both parties are in agreement with the contract moving forward. I would like to review the background report before signing the contract. If both parties are still in agreement, I would like to request our next meeting occur at the New Beginnings Gala this Saturday night. I will contact you later this week to confirm the arrangements.

  Nicholas Parker, CEO

  Parker Financial Services, Inc.

  I reworded the email several times to Bridget, trying to sound vague without disclosing the information about the contract or what services I’m discussing. Going forward, I will have to find a better way to communicate with her regarding this arrangement. I think it will end up best if we have these discussions over the phone rather than leaving something in writing. I contemplate requesting Asher provide me with another email address that I would only use for communicating with Bridget, however I still worry about it being tied to PFS. Above all, I will protect PFS and would rather the press destroying my personal life than risk doing something that would ruin everything I have done to build it from the ground up.

  A few minutes later, my email dings, indicating I have a new email. I’m tempted to ignore it and instead focus on the financial spreadsheet that was sent to me just before I left to meet Kenzie, but instead, I open my email and see that I have an email from Bridget.

  To: Nicholas Parker

  From: Bridget Wilder

  Subject: Re: meeting

  Nicholas,

  I am pleased to hear that your meeting tonight was successful. I will have the file couriered to your office first thing tomorrow morning. If the other party is in agreement, I will include a draft contract for your review. The effective date of the contract will be Saturday.

  Bridget Wilder

  CEO, Wilder Consulting

  When I arrive at PFS the next morning, I find the courier has already delivered Kenzie’s background check and a draft contract as promised by Bridget. I am pleased that both were in there, as it means that Kenzie has decided to move forward with our arrangement as well. Although I thought last night was a success, I worried that she would change her mind after she read the shit the tabloids wrote about me. As soon as I suggested she Google me, I immediately regretted the words, but since she knew nothing about me personally or professionally, Google seemed like the best way for her to access the information quickly.

  Later, when I finally have a few minutes of down time, I open the file containing the background check that Bridget sent me:

  Full Name: Mackenzie Rose

  Age: 25

  Occupation: Personal shopper/Bakery assistant

  Bank Account Balance: Checking account: $127.93

  Savings Account: $53.54

  Education: High school graduate, college credits

  Residence: New York City

  Political affiliations: none

  Religious affiliations: Catholic, not a member of a church currently

  Driver’s license: None; previous license from Colorado state expired

  Assets: None

  Marital Status: Single, never married

  Mother: Avery Jones (Smith) deceased

  Father: Unknown

  There isn’t much more to her background check exempt a list of previous employers, which include a coffee shop, a restaurant, and a bank. A brief medical summary was included, indicating that there have been no major medical issues in her life. She was a passenger in a car accident once and then fell down a flight of stairs, requiring an emergency room visit but nothing suspicious.

  I review the draft contract next. It’s similar to the one that Bridget presented me when she first discussed this arrangement with me. This contract has been drafted with my name and Kenzie’s, with an effective date of this Saturday for the gala as Bridget indicated it would be. The contract is pretty straightforward: all arrangements must be made through Bridget, contact between parties cannot occur outside of prescheduled dates and times, physical contact is limited to basic touching and light kissing, there is no set number of dates/events, and either party can terminate the contract at any time.

  The last part makes me a little nervous; I need this contract to remain in effect for at least several months so the media gets the idea that Kenzie and I are a couple and they get off my ass about my personal life. What happens if she cancels the contract after a couple of dates? I will be in the same situation I’m in now, only the media will probably rip me a new one for being able to keep a woman for only a short period of time. As I down my glass of scotch, I decide to sign the contract, even with the risk of this backfiring. Weighing the pros and cons of the situation, if Kenzie decides to end the contract quickly, the PR department will just have to find a way to put a positive spin on it so I don’t look like an even bigger ass to the media. The risk of not doing something, letting my integrity be further destroyed, is too big of a risk. If things go well after a few dates with Kenzie, I will find a way to ensure that she realizes that staying in the contract is in her best interest.

  Kenzie:

  “Bridget, it’s Kenzie; I’m returning your call from earlier. I apologize, but I was working at the bakery this morning—“

  “Of course, I apologize for calling you then. I’ve made a note in your file to only call in the afternoon; hopefully I’ll remember that.”

  “It’s fine, Bridget, really.”

  “I’m calling to confirm the details for the New Beginnings Gala tomorrow night. I understand you have already obtained your dress and accessories for the event.”

  “Yes, I have everything.”

  “You have an appointment at the salon tomorrow at one, again the expense will be charged to my account so there will be nothing for you to take care of while you’re there. A car service will be outside of your apartment—“

  “Wait, I thought we were meeting at your office?”

  “You are meeting Mr. Parker here, Kenzie. The car service is from me, not Mr. Parker. I don’t see it being feasible for you to take the subway to get to my office in a ball gown. It doesn’t seem practical, therefore, I have arranged a car service to bring you to my office. The same car service will meet you here after the gala to bring you home. I will not be here as I will be getting ready to attend
the gala as well. However, my security team will meet you and Mr. Parker in the lobby before and after the event. Mr. Parker’s driver will transport you and Mr. Parker to the Gala and back to my office when it’s over. Did you receive my email yesterday?”

  “Yes, I’ve reviewed the information you included about Mr. Parker and where he stands on various topics.”

  “You don’t have to agree with any of his beliefs or stances, however, what is key is that you do not verbally disagree with them while at an event. If they start talking about something you disagree with, either keep it to yourself or excuse yourself to use the ladies room.”

  “I understand, Bridget.”

  “The back story, should anyone ask, is that you and Mr. Parker met at a coffee shop a couple of months ago and have maintained contact with each other since.”

  “Okay.”

  “Oh, and Kenzie, Mr. Parker’s parents are hosting the event so his family will be in attendance. They are unaware of this arrangement.”

  “Of course.”

  “Good luck, Kenzie, and try to enjoy yourself. I will be there if you need me but otherwise I will not act as if we know each other.”

  “Thank you, Bridget.”

  Chapter 11

  Kenzie

  “You’re a fucking bitch! You can’t do anything right, can you?” he screams at me.

  “I’m… I’m sorry,” I cry as he grabs my hair in his hand and pulls it hard so I fall onto the floor.

  “I ask you for one fucking thing! One thing! Is it too much to ask for a hot meal to be on the fucking table when I get home? I work all day to keep a roof over your fucking head, to keep food on the table, and what do I fucking get in return? A fucking cold dinner?”

  SLAP

  I wake up covered in sweat, my heart beating erratically as I frantically look around the room, expecting him to be standing there. When my brain finally catches up to reality, my breathing finally begins to slow down as I realize he isn’t here and can no longer hurt me. I haven’t had a nightmare in a couple of weeks; they seem to come at random times and always without warning.

  Tonight’s nightmare was more of a flashback, as most of them are. It was the night he hit me for the first time. I remember every detail as if it were yesterday. He left that morning requesting I have dinner ready when he got home, as was the request every day before he went to work. He told me that day he would be home by 6:30 and that he expected dinner to be on the table when he walked through the door. I did just that: I had dinner hot and on the table by 6:25 in case he was early. He didn’t come home until after eight that night and then was mad because dinner was cold. His screaming and yelling at me was nothing new—it had started a couple months before, but that night he slapped me for the first time. I still remember being in such shock that he hit me.

  I need tonight to be absolutely perfect; the last thing I need is my shitty past distracting me. I need to be at the top of my game tonight. I need everything to be perfect. If tonight is perfect then I can quit working at the store and begin saving money so I can get out of this crappy apartment and into a safer neighborhood. Since meeting Mr. Parker earlier in the week, I’ve found myself starting to consider a future beyond this dump. I even looked into taking a few online classes from the local community college but I haven’t decided what I want to work toward yet.

  Stop getting ahead of yourself, Kenzie.

  I mentally criticize myself, I just need to focus on today. If I get my hopes up about the future, something will happen, my plans will be ruined and leave me nothing but disappointed again. It’s nearly five in the morning, and although I would rather still be asleep, I know it’s highly unlikely that I will be able to fall back asleep after that nightmare. Whenever they hit, if I try to go back to sleep, I typically end up right back in the middle of it again. I learned years ago it was better to just stay awake than try to fight it and go back to sleep. It’s funny, I can’t recall a time in my life when nightmares weren’t an issue. Maybe when I was really little… it’s hard to remember when they started, but I know they were there even before he came along. After him, the nightmares were there, only now nightmares fall into one of two categories: before or after him.

  I’m nervous about tonight, but I’m also confident in my ability to fit in. I went to the library earlier this week after Bridget confirmed that Mr. Parker had decided to move forward with our arrangement. I googled him, and as he mentioned I would, I found many business articles written about him and PFS. I was floored when I learned that he is considered New York’s most eligible bachelor and even more so when I learned that he was also a billionaire, despite being only a few years older than me. I knew he had money; I doubted many people could afford Bridget’s prices, but I had no idea he had that much money. The business articles written about him were all very complimentary, and from what I read, everything about his business seems legit.

  In addition to the links to hundreds of business articles, I found nearly as many links to tabloids that had written stories about Mr. Parker. Nearly every article tried to connect his business life with his personal life. A few speculated that if he continues to be unable to maintain a relationship with a woman, his company will likely go under in the near future. Despite reading all of the articles, I still can’t figure out how the reporters are making the connection between his dating life and his business decisions.

  What I did find interesting is that up until two years there weren’t any negative tabloid stories published about Mr. Parker. He was pictured in several articles with a beautiful blond on his arm; some referenced the woman as his girlfriend while others called her his fiancée. Then she is no longer in pictures with Mr. Parker, and that’s when the negativity started.

  My phone dings, alerting me to a message. I’ve set alerts on my phone when something new is written about Mr. Parker. I don’t want to get caught off guard if something big happens that I should know about. So far in the last few days nothing has been published other than a business article highlighting a deal he recently closed on. Today’s link sends me to a tabloid site that I’ve come to think is the one out to destroy Mr. Parker or PFS, based upon the crap that they write.

  “Who will Mr. Parker bring to the gala tonight? Another nameless woman who will leave him after tonight? Or will he attend the event solo, yet again? What is Mr. Parker hiding and how is it related to PFS?”

  Although I’ve only met Mr. Parker twice now, it doesn’t really seem like he is trying to hide something. Since I’m not exactly a detective, I guess he could be and I wouldn’t know. Everything I read online about Mr. Parker and PFS, plus the information that Bridget provided me, suggests that there is nothing illegal occurring.

  After reading everything I could about Mr. Parker and PFS, I researched tonight’s event. I didn’t want to show up and have no idea what the gala was raising money for. I learned that New Beginnings is an agency that focuses on bringing quality prenatal services to women in low income neighborhoods. Unlike many programs, they continue providing services until the child begins attending school. New Beginnings provides home visits, nutrition care, postpartum screening for the mother, and ensure that the child sees a pediatrician regularly.

  I learn that Mr. Parker’s parents have been hosting fundraising events for New Beginnings for the last ten years when it was started. Tonight’s event is an annual fundraiser that typically raises more than a quarter of a million dollars for the charity. I also read that there will probably be roughly 200 guests in attendance tonight, everyone from politicians to successful businessmen who will make large donations to support New Beginnings.

  I spend the afternoon at the salon, my hair is trimmed and highlighted before placed into a half up half down style, which Bridget recommended to compliment my gown. After my hair is done, I have a manicure and pedicure, plus get my eyebrows waxed before my makeup is applied. I’ve never attended an event of this magnitude, and I’m very grateful that Bridget scheduled all of this for me today. Bus
iness dinners, dates, and small events I can handle but I don’t think I would be able to get myself ready for something this large by myself. By the time I leave the salon, even I’m shocked at the woman I see before me. I look elegant, sophisticated, and somehow the salon made me look like I should be attending an event where people in attendance easily earn in a month what I earn in a year. I decide to splurge and take a cab back to my apartment rather than the subway. Although it cost an arm and leg to go this far, it’s worth it as to not mess up my makeup or hair while on a train.

  When I finally reach my apartment, I have less than thirty minutes to get changed before the car service Bridget organized is scheduled to pick me up. I take my gown out of the garment bag and place it on my bed before getting out the undergarments and other accessories needed for tonight. The gown is black with sequins sewn in, allowing the light to shimmer off of it. The dress is form fitting on the top but loosens at my hips so it falls to the floor.

  I fell in love with the gown the moment I tried it on but had sent a picture to Bridget just to make sure it was appropriate for the event, even though the sales woman working with me insisted it would be fine. She, of course, confirmed the dress was perfect and insisted I had to wear it tonight.

  I still don’t understand why Bridget felt I needed to purchase all new undergarments; it’s not like Mr. Parker will be seeing any of them. Bridget said something about how it would make me feel sexier and therefore more confident. I agreed to appease her, once again grateful that I’m not the one having to pay for all of this. I didn’t catch the price on the gown, but I know the bra and panties cost several hundred dollars together. Then there were stockings, shoes, and jewelry that were added in with the gown to complete the outfit for tonight. It’s funny, I’ve been dressing women for events just like this for the last year and a half but never once considered how much really goes into the outfits or the price of everything.