The Arrangement Duet Box Set Page 14

  When we arrive at the museum, the press is out in full force as both Bridget and Nicholas had predicted. They are taking pictures and talking to another couple when we arrive, but the moment Nicholas and I step out of the SUV, it’s as if we are the only people here tonight.

  “Mr. Parker, who is your date?”

  “What is your relationship to this woman?”

  The questions continue, but Nicholas doesn’t respond. We pose for a couple of pictures before Nicholas leads me into the museum. Even though the press is not permitted inside, we still have to keep up appearances, especially since we’ve learned that people will take pictures of us to sell to the media. We walk through the closed museum, taking in each exhibit as our guide describes everything in great detail. Nicholas’s arm remains around my waist the entire night. He leans down to whisper in my ear when we talk about the different exhibits, I think playing it up for anyone who might see us.

  “Would you like a glass of champagne?” Nicholas asks as a waiter approaches us.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  We take our drinks and move into a room where the mayor will give a speech thanking all the key benefactors who made the exhibit possible. Nicholas takes my hand and leads me to an empty seat in the room, where we wait for the speech to begin.

  “Oh, I almost forgot, your sister wanted me to convince you to come to a family dinner—“

  “UGH, sorry about that. She hounds me every week about going. I wasn’t expecting her to bug you about it. I’ll call her tomorrow.”

  “It’s fine, Nicholas, really. It wasn’t a big deal. I told her that I would talk to you about it but that I wasn’t sure what your plans were.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate you pacifying her.”

  “Ladies and gentleman, the mayor,” our guide introduces.

  The mayor gives a lengthy speech, making a point to thank each donor individually for their contribution to the museum. The speech is politically focused, of course—discussing the importance of bringing the arts back to the community even when budget cuts prevent the government from providing financial support. The speech makes me think, despite being incredibly successful, Nicholas or PFS makes it a point to donate money to different causes: first the New Beginnings Gala and now to the museum. It’s nice to know that not everyone in the world is focused on keeping the money they earn. It’s rare for someone wanting to give back to the community the way Nicholas does.

  “Are you ready to leave?” Nicholas whispers to me as soon as the speech ends.

  “Whenever you’re ready.”

  He takes my hand and leads me to the lobby where Carter is waiting for us; with a simple nod, Carter quickly disappears ahead of us while we take in key exhibit pieces in the lobby. A few minutes later, Nicholas’s phone buzzes. Without looking at it, he leads me out the door where the press is once again waiting for us.

  “Mr. Parker, who is your date?”

  “Ms… Ms… what’s your connection to Mr. Parker?”

  Once again, we ignore the press, instead heading to the SUV that Carter has waiting for us. Nicholas sighs heavily as soon as the door closes, clearly relieved to be away from the press.

  “PFS will be issuing a statement tomorrow about us.”

  “Okay…”

  “Essentially, I am going to confirm that we are dating and will ask that they give us privacy. Of course, they won’t, but according to my PR department, this is the best way to answer a few of their questions but still maintain control of at least some of the information that is provided to them.”

  “That makes sense.”

  “If any of the press gives you a hard time, I want you to let me know as soon as possible. This is Carter’s direct number—you can reach him day or night. If anyone bothers you at home or at work, please call Carter. If needed, we can provide you with security to help you deal with the press. I don’t want you to be at risk because of this arrangement.”

  “Thank you, Nicholas. I’m sure it will be fine, but I appreciate the offer.” I take the business card and place it in my clutch.

  “Carter has arranged for a car service to meet us at PFS to take you home tonight. If you are agreeable, I would like to have the same car service pick you up for events. They have signed a non-disclosure agreement with us to ensure your privacy. Carter and I both feel it is safest if we only use one car service, as it reduces the risk of someone leaking details about your personal life to the press.”

  “Oh… okay.”

  “Thank you for agreeing to this. I know you probably didn’t anticipate all of this when you met with Bridget.”

  “I didn’t, but so far the press hasn’t bothered me. I’m sure that will likely change after today, but I’ll be prepared if they start questioning me.”

  “Thank you again for tonight, I appreciate you attending the exhibit opening with me,” Nicholas says when Carter parks the car in PFS’s parking garage. A black sedan is waiting next to us, which I assume is the car service.

  “It was nice, Nicholas; I’ve never been to that museum before, so it was a new experience.”

  “I’ll see you on Saturday?”

  “Yes, I’ve confirmed my schedule with Bridget.”

  Nicholas leans over, kissing me gently on the cheek, letting his lips linger a few seconds longer than they have before. He squeezes my hand just before Carter opens the door, but he looks as if he wants to say something. Instead, he simply shakes his head and lets go of my hand. Carter escorts me to the awaiting car, introduces me to the driver, and then closes the door behind me. We drive out of the parking garage a few minutes later, and like that, I’m quickly lost in my thoughts about tonight and this arrangement with Nicholas.

  Surprisingly, I’ve enjoyed the couple of dates that we have had so far, I guess I expected them to be boring and uncomfortable like with him. I’ve enjoyed my private life, so the thought of the press learning more about me is unnerving. I knew this was something that would likely happen when I took the job with Bridget. In the back of my head, I worry a little if he will find me now that my picture is going to be all over the place. He only contacted me once after I left, having somehow tracked down where I was working. He made it clear he wanted nothing more to do with me. Assuming nothing has changed, I don’t expect him to try to get a hold of me because I’m pictured with Nicholas, but it’s still something in the back of my mind. I wish I could just move on with my life and never have to worry about him again, but even if the media weren’t a concern, he never fails to make an appearance in my nightmares when I least expect it.

  ”Ma’am,” the driver quickly pulls me from my thoughts to alert me that we’ve arrived at my apartment building.

  “Thank you.”

  I quickly get out of the car and into the building, ignoring the whistles and remarks from the usual crowd gathered on the front stoop. I want to look for a better place to live, but with this arrangement still being so new with Nicholas, I’m worried about what will happen if I sign a lease on a new apartment that costs much more than this one does… only for Nicholas to decide he doesn’t need me any longer and then I’m left with rent I can’t pay. I go to put my key in the lock but the door suddenly eases open without being unlocked.

  “What the hell?”

  Chapter 14

  Nicholas

  Tonight was another success on the PR image transformation plan that I developed: Kenzie and I were photographed together for the third time in a couple of weeks. I expect our picture to be on several gossip sites by morning, if not already. I find myself actually eager to see what the press says about me now. For the first time in two years, they have pictures of me with the same woman attending different events. I could not have planned the business dinner better if I wanted to. I had no idea that someone there would recognize me and sell the picture to the media, but I’m grateful they did. I have another date with Kenzie on Saturday, although I’m still trying to determine what we are going to do. I want Saturday to be something not
business related, just to ensure that no one suspects that she is only accompanying me to business or PFS events.

  “Yes… no, I understand… completely off the record… call me tomorrow morning and Mr. Parker will be more than happy to make the donation to the fund… of course… ETA less than ten minutes.”

  The one-sided conversation Carter is having catches my attention when he mentions my name and more so when he promises I will make a donation to a fund. It’s very rare for Carter to promise donations and typically only when the stakes are high, which immediately has me concerned.

  “What’s going on Carter?”

  “Sir, that was the New York police department, there has been a reported break in at Ms. Rose’s apartment—“

  “What?! When? Is she hurt?”

  “The call was received less than two minutes ago. Ms. Rose called the report in herself. No requests for medical attention were made so my contact doesn’t believe she is hurt.”

  “Get me there now, Carter!”

  “Yes sir, we should be there in less than ten minutes.”

  “How did they know to call you?”

  “I alerted the captain of Ms. Rose’s association with you when you first… when this arrangement began. I’ve had some concerns about the area she lives in so I requested he alert me to any police activity in or immediately around her building.”

  “I assume the donation I am making tomorrow will ensure that this is kept out of the press?”

  “Yes sir, everything tonight is off the record. Officers responding will not make an official report unless Ms. Rose insists on it—“

  “I’ll ensure she doesn’t.”

  Damn it! Just as my plan was going perfectly, some fucker has to go and screw things up! I can’t have Kenzie living in an unsafe place; once the media find out who she is, it will only be a matter of time until they figure out where she lives. What will they think if they learn that I’m dating someone who lives in that type of neighborhood? How can I possibly protect her if it’s as bad as Carter says it is? She needs to move out of that building tonight! I can’t have her at risk of being injured or becoming a victim of a crime, especially not because of me. This may be a business arrangement, but I would never forgive myself if she were harmed because of our arrangement.

  “Carter?”

  “Two minutes, sir.”

  Looking out the window of the SUV, I can see the evidence of the crime intensity as we drive past many abandoned buildings. Cars are on the road sitting on cinder blocks, windows of buildings are broken or boarded up, graffiti nearly covers every building, and I worry that we haven’t even reached the area where Kenzie lives. How is it I let her go home to this neighborhood after our dates? Why didn’t I insist that Carter have someone follow her? Why didn’t I insist that she move into a safer area when we began our arrangement?

  “FUCK!” I’m so frustrated and angry with myself for not preventing this from happening. I should have thought this through better. I’m normally on top of all these small details during business negotiations but this transformation plan was like nothing I’ve ever done before. It never occurred to me that a woman I contracted with through Bridget would live in such a horrible area.

  “We’ll park here sir, her building is just ahead,” Carter announces a few minutes later.

  We see a police cruiser in front of a graffiti-covered building. The building is suspiciously quiet, which I’m sure has something to do with the police presence. We walk up the front steps, I look for a doorbell to ring for Kenzie, but Carter stops me and pushes the door open; it hadn’t been locked to begin with. Knowing that anyone can just walk into the building infuriates me. Without a locked front door anyone can get into the building, hide out, and attack a resident. The thought of someone harming Kenzie upsets me more than I expected it to and I’m not sure why. I don’t know that her break-in was necessarily caused by her association with me, yet I can’t help but feel responsible.

  “If you think of anything, please give us a call,” I hear a police officer say as he steps out of a doorway just down the hall.

  “I’ll speak to him and make sure that he has spoken with his captain about how to handle this situation, sir,” Carter says.

  “I’ll check on Kenzie and convince her that she can’t stay here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  After a brief introduction to the police officer, I find myself standing outside Kenzie’s door, waiting for her to open it. A few seconds after I knock, the door opens a crack to reveal a very surprised Kenzie.

  “Nicholas? What… what are you doing here?” she asks.

  “Kenzie, can I come in for a moment, please?”

  “Ummmm…”

  “Please, Kenzie…”

  “Okay.”

  Thankfully, she slowly opens the door to let me enter her apartment; it hadn’t occurred to me on our way here that she wouldn’t want to see me. I had completely forgotten that per our arrangement I’m not supposed to know where she lives, but none of that matters right now. All that matters right now is that I find a way to fix what has happened.

  I close the door behind me and walk into her “apartment,” if it can be called that. Essentially it’s two rooms from what I can see, one of which I assume is a bathroom. Her main room holds a day bed, a dresser with a small television on top and there appears to be some sort of a “kitchen” along the wall, which consists of a dorm-size fridge, hot plate, and a coffee pot. The room has obviously been completely torn apart: there are clothes everywhere, her mattress has been flipped over and sliced down the middle, her fridge door is open and the contents are now on the floor, her television now has a hole through it.

  “How did you know?” she asks.

  “The police captain called Carter as soon as the call came in. We turned around and headed here as soon as he called.”

  “You didn’t need to come; Nicholas, everything is taken care of. The police officer gave me the name of a locksmith that can come tonight to fix the lock. I was just about to call him when you knocked… ”

  “Kenzie, you can’t stay here, it isn’t safe.”

  “It’s fine, I’ve lived here for over a year now and no one has ever bothered me before. I’m sure this was just random—“

  “I don’t think it was random.”

  “Why would someone target me? I don’t have anything here worth stealing, Nicholas.”

  “They may not think that. Someone who lives here could have recognized you from our pictures in the press, they may assume because we’re dating that you have money.”

  “You think?” her voice is barely above a whisper as the reality hits her that someone may be targeting her specifically.

  “It’s very likely.”

  “Shit,” she sighs, leaning against a small end table for support. I walk over to her, wanting to comfort her, but I’m not sure what I should do.

  “I can’t stay here. I’ll wait for the locksmith and then… there’s a motel a couple blocks away I think. They probably have a room I can get for a few nights. I can starting looking for a new place in the morning—“

  “Kenzie…” I try to interrupt, but it’s obvious she is more talking to herself than to me as she tries to figure out her next step.

  “I’ll lose my security deposit here… but I should have enough to cover a new one if I can find something quickly.”

  “Kenzie.” I grab her hand to get her attention, and she finally stops talking and looks at me with these sad, lost eyes that I’ve never seen on her before now. “You can come to my place tonight, we’ll figure out something—“

  “No!” she quickly exclaims. “I… look, that’s very generous of you, but I’m sure I can find a place to stay tonight.”

  “Really, it’s not an issue. I have several guest bedrooms that you could stay in—“

  “Nicholas, please… I would rather not.”

  “Okay…”

  I swear I’ve never met anyone like her. Any other woman wo
uld jump at the chance to be invited into my apartment, even if nothing else but to get their hands on something valuable that I own. Yet, here is Kenzie, with no place but a crummy motel to stay in, refusing to sleep in one of my spare bedrooms. The woman completely baffles me and that’s not something that happens often. Suddenly an idea dawns on me, one that might be the perfect answer to our situation.

  “I’ll figure something out, Nicholas, it’s really nothing for you to worry about.”

  “PFS owns several condos in the city that we use for employees who relocate to New York from out of state to work for us. Alex and Ella just moved out of one they had been staying in when they were waiting to close on their new place. It’s completely vacant and no one is scheduled to use it any time soon. Why don’t you stay there?”

  “I can’t... ”

  “The condo isn’t being used anyway—it’s fully furnished and within walking distance of the bakery for you.”

  “That’s a very nice offer, but I could never afford something—“

  “You don’t need to worry about money, the condo is paid for and all the bills are sent directly to PFS.”

  “I can’t let you do that.”

  “Kenzie, on the way over here I realized that once the press learns your identity they are going to figure out where you live very quickly. I don’t know why I didn’t realize it before, but you are going to need full-time security—“

  “What?”

  “I’m sorry, but we need to assume that this break in was tied to our relationship becoming public knowledge. You’re going to need security to help you if the press becomes too much, we need to make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again.”

  “I… I…” She just looks around the room, probably trying to make sense of everything. “I don’t have anything worth stealing, Nicholas. There’s nothing here… I don’t… ”

  “They don’t know that, Kenzie. They probably see you as an easy target because, as the press has pointed out, I am worth quite a bit of money. They probably assume you have jewelry, electronics, and money lying around here.”