The Arrangement

“It all comes down to tomorrow.”

We all knew what it meant, what was at stake. All three books were slated to be self-published, to be released two months apart. The success of more than a whole year’s worth of work and planning, all decided by what happened next.

It would make or break us.

“There’s nothing left to do tonight,” said Nathan. “Everything’s set, everything’s scheduled.”

“All we can do now is sit and wait,” said Chase. “Start refreshing our screens around midnight, so—”

“Fuck that.”

I stood and stretched my legs. Maybe for the first time all day.

“Let’s go out,” I said. “In fact, I’m taking all of you out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, totally. I think I’ve got a few more bucks still left in my pocket,” I chuckled. “Might as well turn it inside out.”

The others glanced at each other, hopefully. I could actually feel the tension going out of their bodies.

“She’s right,” said Burke. “We deserve it. Actually, we need it.” He stood up and closed his laptop. “Mental health day.”

Chase glanced through the window. It was already dark outside. “More like mental health night,” he said.

“All the more reason to get the fuck out of here,” Burke agreed. “Once tomorrow happens…”

Nathan nodded and grinned. He took his phone out of his pocket and slapped it on the table. “No phones. No anything.”

Burke nodded firmly in agreement and pushed his forward as well. Chase followed suit.

“Tonight… it’s just us.”

Forty-Eight

KAYLEEN

It wasn’t the most exclusive restaurant, but it wasn’t exactly a dive, either. We ate a place on the beach called The Wharf. The perfect place to spend the very last of our cash; drinking beer, eating oysters, and just plain enjoying each other until it closed.

Afterward we took a walk on the water, arm in arm in arm. We were practically homeless. Fiscally fucked. For the first time in weeks we didn’t have a care in the world — our fates lay well beyond the scope of our own eager hands.

It made the four of us light, free, happy. Totally giddy with the utter lack of all responsibility.

It made us reckless, too.

I found myself at the base of an old pier, being held… being kissed… being touched. Burke held me from behind, burying his face into my neck while Nathan held my hair back for him. And Chase…

Well, Chase was on his knees in the sand. Kissing his way down my stomach, while pulling my dress all the way up my thighs.

Oh FUCK yes…

God, I’d missed it. Missed it so fucking much! Being shared by them, yes, but also just the simple act of spending time with them. Of being around them together, the four of us, because that’s exactly when we were best.

“Here?” I giggled, fighting to pull my skirt back down but not really fighting to pull my skirt back down.

“Why not?”

“Because we have a bed,” I protested half-heartedly. “Actually we have four beds, and even a—”