The Arrangement Anthology 1(177)
That’s why I’m turning into a plastic person. You know, the kind who are so fake they’ve forgotten how to be real. If it helped me forget the pain shooting through my heart every time it beat, I’d sign on the line and never look back.
The nausea makes my stomach lurch. I open my purse and dig out an alcohol wet wipe. After tearing the top open, I inhale deeply and the over-salivating thing stops. When I was in fourth grade, I had horrible nerves like this and the nurse had me sniff a cotton ball with some rubbing alcohol on it. Apparently, the smell can short circuit the part of the brain that’s pressing the vomit button like a chimp jacked up on Pixie Stix.
I have to hold it together. When the elevator doors open, I manage a smile. My mind keeps replaying the scenes from the last time I saw Henry, which isn’t helping me any. This time the act has to be thicker and the lies falling off my lips have to be so deep that they become real.
Stepping out, I manage to smile and walk down the hall to his room. This is it, Stanz. Jump in or run like hell and hope Gabe doesn’t bother to hunt you down. Before I can lift my hand to knock, the door flies open. Henry is standing on the other side with an ice bucket in his hand. He startles and nearly jumps out of his skin.
“Avery, I didn’t hear you knock. Please come in, make yourself comfortable while I grab some ice.” He holds the door for me. I smile at him and duck under his arm and into the room. “Be right back, love.”
“All right.” I walk into the little room. It’s just a bed and bathroom, like last time. I wish I loved getting wasted because I’d be so schnockered right now. I put my purse down and walk over to the window and look out at the city. The sky is inky blue with a smearing of fluffy clouds that are hard to see because of the tall buildings.
The door opens and Henry pockets his key card. He’s wearing a cream button down shirt that’s open at the neck along with a pair of gray slacks. His hair is a little less perfect than usual, like something’s been stressing him out and he ran his fingers through it a million times.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of ordering champagne. I actually have some exciting news, which is why I really wanted to see you this weekend.” Henry puts the ice bucket down and crosses the room. On the desk there is a bottle of champagne already chilled. He lifts it out and takes up a glass flute like he’s done this a thousand times before.
I step toward him. This is going to make it much harder to not get shitfaced. I failed to eat before coming so this will go straight to my head, and as it is I’m a lightweight when it comes to drinking. Still, I smile at him as I walk over and I place my hands on his shoulders as he tops off my glass. Henry turns, grinning at me, and hands me the bubbling liquid. “So, what’s the exciting news?”
“My design worked. You know how I wanted Ferro’s patent?” I nod and sip. “Well, everyone was telling me that what I wanted to do couldn’t be done, but it worked. The prototype was completed Friday morning and it worked!”
“That’s great, Henry! What is it? What does it do?” I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and take another sip.
My mind wanders; I think I can outrun Gabe on foot. I could dart out the door and vanish. No one would ever see me again. I have enough money to live in a shack in some little town off the grid. I could do it—but I’d hate it. More thoughts flash into my head and disappear just as quickly, but no matter what, there is no way out of this.
“I don’t think you’d understand. It’s complicated.” Henry watches me sip. For some reason his words feel like an insult.
I twirl the stem of the glass between my fingers and look up at him. “I’m smart. Try me.”
“Very well, but first tell me who was keeping you from me yesterday and the day before? As soon as I found out the good news about my invention, I wanted to celebrate—and I wanted to do it with you—however your employer wouldn’t arrange it. So,” Henry slips his hands around my waist and pulls me to him so that our hips bump. His grip is firm, possessive. “Tell me who I’m playing second fiddle to this weekend.”
I laugh lightly, like he’s funny. “Henry, you know there’s no one else that I’d rather be with—”
“So Black was just creating supply issues to make me crave you more? Because I already crave you more than is reasonably healthy.”
“Cravings can be good…” I throw back the rest of the contents in my glass and set it down.
Henry’s gaze follows my movements. He tips his head to the side and whispers. “What are you craving, love?” Henry leans in and presses his lips to mine. He kisses me and I force myself to kiss him back, even though I don’t want to. When he pulls away, there’s a sparkle in his eye, like he knows something that I don’t.