Page 37 of The Arrangement
“Look, now is not the time. I know I’ve said that to you a million times, but if there were ever a not the time, this is it.”
“I don’t care anymore, Peter. I don’t care about getting on your schedule. She deserves to know.”
“I agree, trust me. I’ve been trying to tell her. We’re working on us, getting better. But you can’t do this right now. Please, Glennon, I’m begging you. You need to give me more time to sort things out.”
“You can sort all you’d like, after you tell my best friend the truth…” She crossed her arms. “I’m giving you the week, and then I’m telling her. A week, do you hear me? No extensions this time, Peter. If you want me to be there, to help explain, I will. But she needs to know the truth, and I’m done waiting.”
“I’m sorry, Glennon. I’m so, so sorry.”
“I appreciate the apology, but you don’t owe it to me. And, if you do, you owe her one more. We both do. So help me God, Peter, you’d better figure out what or who it is that you want and figure it out soon. Before you lose everything.”
The door to the bathroom opened, and I heard Ainsley’s quiet footsteps padding down the hall. We remained still and silent, listening to her get farther away. Once she was past, Glennon put her hand on the doorknob.
“She told me she’d leave you if you ever cheated. I don’t know if that’s what you want…”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Of course not. I love her, Glennon.”
“Then tell her the truth and let the cards fall where they may.” She jerked open the door and sauntered out, flicking the light out as she disappeared from the room.
Chapter Twenty-Three
AINSLEY
“Someone’s here to see you.”
I peeked my head around my desk, searching through the glass that separated me from the lobby, looking for a familiar customer. To my surprise, there was only one person waiting in the lobby, a woman with a wavy, black bob and steely eyes.
“Did she say what she needs?”
“She didn’t. She asked if you worked here…”
I inhaled sharply then composed myself. “Thank you, Tara.” Placing the phone down, I stood from behind my desk and stepped out into the lobby, my hands clasped together in front of me. My heels clicked across the lobby without caution, the smile on my face showing warmth and peace. I’d always been able to control the way I came across to people, even when I was the complete opposite internally.
“Hi,” I said, extending my hand toward her. “I’m Ainsley Greenburg. How can I help you today?”
She made no attempt to smile. Instead, she stood from the stiff couch in the center of our lobby, returning the hand shake and clearing her throat.
“My name’s Illiana De Luca. Perhaps we should go inside your office.”
I nodded, my throat too dry at the sound of her name. Was it a coincidence?
“Of course,” I squeaked. I turned, gesturing that she should lead the way. Once we were inside my office, away from prying ears, she sat down across from me, clasping her hands together in her lap. Breathe, Ainsley. “Now, was there something I could do for you?”
“There is, actually. I was hoping you might be able to tell me where my husband is.”
A chill swept over me at her words, and I stared at her brown, sorrow-filled eyes, making sense of their cool quality. I remembered her name from the news, but I didn’t want to believe it.
Keep it together. You have no idea who her husband is.
“Your husband? Does he have an account with us?”
She shook her head, pressing her lips into a thin line. “Don’t patronize me, Ainsley. I know you were sleeping with Stefan. Do you know where he is? Why he isn’t returning my calls? Why he hasn’t shown up for work in three days?”
I tried to collect myself while refusing to break eye contact. I wouldn’t let her see the lie in my expression. “I’m so sorry… I don’t know where he is. We weren’t sleeping together. I had no idea he was married, but we only went out on one date. We didn’t even kiss.”
The woman’s tone grew more frustrated. “I don’t care about any of that. Stefan and I had a complicated marriage. I know he went to visit you on the night he disappeared.”
My whole body tensed, fear palpable in the room. I wondered if she could feel it, too. “If he did, he either never made it to me or he missed me. I only saw him one time…” I paused, chewing my bottom lip. “Does he have family? Friends? Maybe he went out of town?”