The Arrangement

“What about the laptop?”

Chase shrugged. “I took that for good measure. And it was a good thing I did.”

All of a sudden I could breathe again. Like the crushing weight of the past several hours had been lifted from my chest.

“Okayyy…” Nathan offered hesitantly. “Sorry, but I have to ask. What’s to keep him from pressing charges?”

“A few things,” said Chase. He held up a bloody fist. “This for one.”

“Besides that.”

“Well I’m betting there’s something on that laptop he doesn’t want seen,” Chase went on. “He begged me not to take it. In fact, he told me he’d do anything if I just left it. Rather than do that, I told him how he could get it back.”

“How’s that?”

Chase turned to face Nathan. “He’ll be calling your father tomorrow. And apologizing for everything.”

“What?”

“He’s also going to explain how he lied about the meeting with Kayleen. Especially since I pointed out several cameras in the office, including one that looks like it could provide easy footage straight through his office window.”

The kitchen went silent with even more incredulity. Someone whistled.

“Damn,” said Burke. “I didn’t even think of that.”

“Neither did he,” said Chase. “And believe me, he wasn’t happy.”

Nathan was looking down at the floor. He seemed to be in deep thought.

“Look, none of this takes back the photo in the tabloid,” Chase said. “But at least now we don’t have to worry about any other photos.”

Thank God.

He nudged Nathan. “And hey, I’m hoping maybe you can get back on the same page as your dad. Once he realizes the bullshit Jay pulled.”

Nathan nodded. “Thanks, bro. I’m still gonna have to explain Kayleen, though.”

“We all are,” Chase shrugged. “Every one of us, to friends, to family, to everyone.” He paused, and for a moment I saw a familiar defiance in his expression. “And you know what? I’m cool with that. More than cool, actually.”

He looked at me and smiled warmly. I could feel my heart swell.

“The world knows now,” Chase went on. “Not just from the tabloids — it’s in our book. It’s in our hearts.”

“It’s all over the internet too,” Burke pointed out, motioning to the computer’s screen. “Or at least it will be.”

“Yup,” Chase agreed. “And so what? I say we own it.”

I threw my arms around him and hugged him hard. Everything he’d done… everything he’d said… it all made sense. It was all for us. We were the only thing that really mattered.

“Goddammit, I’m tired,” Chase breathed, sinking heavily into the nearest chair. He pulled his blood-splattered shirt off, perking me up immediately. “But this…” he pointed at the sales page. “This is fucking amazing.”

“Light years past amazing,” Nathan agreed.

One of them tapped the button again. Burke coughed.

“Jesus, we’re already beating yesterday.”

I scanned past each of them in turn. Chase, looking as sexy as he was exhausted. Nathan, his blue eyes all big and bright. Burke, staring back at the screen almost unbelievingly. Scratching at his perfect goatee.