Page 103 of Vicious Arrangement
All this talk of Noah’s making me want to check in on him. I’m little heartsick knowing he’s dealing with it all on his own. I dig out my phone. I don’t text, I call.
Miraculously, he picks up. “Guess you know about your time off from your job.”
Shit, I forgot about that. “Well, I wish you’d asked, but…”
“Would you have said yes?”
“Probably not.” I sigh. “But that’s not why I called you.”
The guardrails come up in his voice. “What’s up?”
“I just… just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” he says. “I’m sorry.”
I hold my breath a moment because his apologies usually come with a mess of words. “For what?”
“Hurting your feelings last night.” He pauses. “I’m just used to looking out for myself.” He pauses again. “Aria, it’s been a while since someone other than Asher has been in my corner, and you… you’re different.”
I want to push on that, I do, but I hold back, shaking.
“And it means the world to me.”
I smile and whisper, “I am in your corner, you know. Always. I’m glad you can see it. Have you decided what you’re going to do about Aaron?”
“You know, I got you a week off work to relax, so don’t worry about it, Aria. It’s all taken care of, okay?”
I frown and grip the phone tighter. “What does that mean?”
“It means I was right,” Noah says. “Aaron’s bad news. He’s involved in some shady shit, but he won’t be bothering us anymore.”
A frisson of something cold passes through my bones. “How?—”
“Aria,” he says gently. “I’m not cutting you out, I just… we’ll talk later when I’m not at work and can be easily overheard.”
“But—”
“Be ready at six, okay?” he says suddenly.
This time I’m suspicious, and I frown. “Ready for what?”
He laughs, and in my head I see his dimple, a wave of desire hitting me with that laugh. “Oh man, Aria, you sound like I’m up to something, and you know what? I am.”
“I knew it.” There’s a tease in his tone that wraps around me, making me smile. “So why do I need to be ready. I’ll need clues, like… what to wear.”
“If I said nothing?”
“I thought you were concerned about work.”
And he laughs again. “I’m taking you to dinner. I think it’s about time we had a first real date and one where I picked you up from your home like a gentleman.”
My heart stutters. “A first date?”
“Yes.”
“I think it’s a little too late for that,” I say with a delighted snicker. “Don’t you think?”
“Just be ready and wear something nice. I’ll reimburse you.”
