Page 3 of The Arrangement

Colors explode before my eyes, unraveling with my own screams as the official soundtrack.

“Good girl…”

Chapter 1

Tory

"Sorry if I'm off today. This is all so surreal."

Ty leans on the counter, his eyes heavy with concern.

"Please, who can blame you? One second you're mourning at a funeral, the next you're playing nurse to a goldendoodle with fleas. If you ask me, you've definitely earned the right to tell the world to fuck off. Maybe you should take the day off. I told you I’d hold down the fort.”

"I appreciate it, but honestly being here is therapeutic.”

In the dim light of the cold afternoon, Paws and Play daycare feels more like a refuge than a business.

Ned was only thirty when a heart attack took him out of nowhere—no warning signs, no health issues, nothing. But his sketchy ties to the Russian mafia and his wild stunts put him in the line of fire. Honestly, given all the shady stuff he was mixed up in, I can't help but wonder if there's more to the story.

Ty inches closer, his voice soft. "How are you really coping?"

I let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of his question.

"It’s like a strange dream. I mean shouldn't I be a frantic mess after the death of my boyfriend?”

Ty gives a soft chuckle. "With all due respect to the departed, Ned hardly merited the title of 'boyfriend.' You know how I felt about him—always self-centered, always looking out for himself. At least now you don’t have to stress about the inevitable breakup that was coming."

"Maybe you could give me a little more time to grieve before you lay out such truths?" I say, half jokingly.

"I could," Ty replies, "but I'd rather celebrate your funeral chic," his eyes gleaming as he surveys my outfit. "You transition from graveside to work, still outshining everyone in Wicker Park—it's almost criminal.”

A genuine smile breaks across my face as I glance down at my funeral attire, hastily covered by my work apron. The absurdity of it all isn’t lost on me.

At first, Ned was everything you could wish for in a partner—charming, thoughtful, seemingly perfect. But as our relationship progressed, a different picture emerged. The charm gave way to deceit, the thoughtfulness to manipulation and the need to control all aspects of my life. I always felt like he was hiding things from me but I could never get him to open up to me.

Finally, I resolved to break things off with Ned.

But then fate intervened.

Now he’s gone.

I begin, filling a bowl for an energetic beagle named Benny. "I reviewed last month’s accounts, and for once, we're not submerged in losses."

“From red to black? That's progress! Next stop, the land of green pastures!" Ty chimes in with a grin.

"Yeah, but how do we keep our heads above water?" I sigh, watching Benny enthusiastically attack his water bowl.

"Keep the faith, Tor. We've got a solid crew of regulars, and that’s more than a lot of places can brag about," Ty encourages, giving me a playful nudge. His voice lowers to a conspiratorial whisper, "And speaking of assets," he nods towards the window, "check out the mystery mogul across the street. A little eye candy might just make you forget all about your dearly departed troublemaker."

"Ty!" I exclaim, but curiosity wins, and I sneak a peek outside.

Across the street, perched nonchalantly on a park bench, sits a man who looks like he's straight out of a silver fox G-Q photoshoot.

Broad shoulders fill out a dark, impeccably tailored suit, and his salt-and-pepper hair adds a distinguished touch that’s hard to ignore.

He sits with a poise that screams confidence, casually surveying his surroundings like he owns them. Definitely in his forties, and definitely distracting enough to momentarily blur the memories of any less-than-stellar ex.

Bad idea, Tory.

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