The Arrangement Book 4

XAVIER

Though the lawyer’s office in Midtown was cooled by central AC, I was burning up. I undid the top button of my shirt and glanced at Angela desperately.

We had only been in the office for five minutes, but I was already losing it.

She squeezed my hand. She wasn’t exactly comfortable either, sitting between Penny and me. The three of us were the only people in the room beside the lawyer, who was running his fingers over his bushy brown mustache.

Penny, too, was hardly keeping it together. Her eyes were starting to water, and she balled up a tissue in her fist.

I felt myself tense at her presence, anger threatening to rise up in me.

But I tried to keep it together. I was fairly certain that Penny wasn’t the gold-digging whore I’d initially thought she was. She was just a girl who wanted to be happy, and she’d found that happiness with my dad.

But seeing her there at the will reading cast a dark shadow over those thoughts.

How long did she know my father?

Not long enough to KNOW him.

Not long enough to earn a spot in this room.

This was probably just what she schemed during their time together. Get in with an old man before he croaked, but not before he could change his will…

Now I understood why Dad wanted to wait six months. If I had been here right after I lost him, when the grief was still so fresh, I would have shouted Penny out of the room. Or worse, frankly.

I exhaled through my nose. For once in my life, I tried to banish my scathing thoughts.

“Welcome to the family of the late Brad Knight. I thank you for being here today.”

I looked up at him. He straightened his bow tie.

“Though we meet on less than fortunate circumstances, we read the Last Will and Testament of Brad Knight to celebrate his life and all that he accomplished.”

The lawyer lifted a brown leather folder from his desk and opened it.

“Without further ado, I will read a letter from Brad Knight, followed by his will.”

He cleared his throat.

“To my family. As I write this, I anticipate a time when I will no longer be with you. I write with love and optimism in my heart as I think of all of you: Xavier, my only son, Angela, my only daughter, and my dearest, sweetest Penny.

“Perhaps you wondered why I chose to leave six months between my passing and the distribution of my worldly assets. The logistics of death occupy the brain, and I wanted you to remember me with your heart, if only for a short time.”

I heard Angela sniff beside me. I knew she was fighting back tears for my sake, for which I was thankful. If I saw her crying, I couldn’t have contained myself…

“The next few pages detail the inheritance each of you will receive. May these things help you to reach your dreams. I hope they bring you a fraction of the joy you gave me in my life.

“Now I am with my great love, Amelia, in some great beyond. Know that I am at peace. I am thankful to leave my possessions from this life in such worthy and capable hands.

“‘All my love, Brad.”

My nose stung, like it always does before I cry. At that moment, I didn’t care about my father’s money or possessions. I just wanted him—the man who always knew what to say. The man who wasn’t afraid to show love, or to risk it all for someone else.

How many times had he taken a chance on me? How many times had I let him down?

I would never do that again. I looked at my wife beside me, her eyes brimming over with love. All Dad wanted was for me to find true love as he had with my mom. He had found it for me, and he helped me save it just before it was too late…

In a way, my dad lived on through Angela. In her eyes, I was the man he knew I could be.

“For Angela,” the lawyer went on, “my daughter-in-law and dear friend, I leave my mother’s Wedgwood china dinner sets, my private library, my convertible Jaguar, and ten million dollars.”

Angela’s breath caught beside me. Certainly my father’s generosity surprised her. But not me.

“For Xavier, my pride and joy, caretaker of the business I built. I thank you for your dedication to Knight Enterprises as its fearless CEO. And I leave to you…”

I sat up straight, clearing my throat. I felt nervous, or maybe excited, as I thought of my phone call yesterday. What in my father’s will could possibly surprise me?

“…my collection of sports cars and the Manhattan garage, your mother’s jewelry, three boxes of my possessions to be shared with Angela, and one billion dollars.”

I sighed, relieved. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. My father had taken care of me my whole life, and now, even with him gone, would be no different.

I was a little bit surprised about the sports cars though. How long had Dad spent yelling at me for racing on the road? How many of my speeding tickets had he paid? The old man always did have a sense of humor…

“My remaining wealth, I donate to several assorted charities in the name of my beloved Amelia Knight.

“And for dear Penny, who showed me I didn’t have to be alone, I leave the Central Park West penthouse…”

My stomach stirred. I didn’t think he would leave his place to me, but to Penny?!

“…and I deem her my successor as chairperson of the board of Knight Enterprises…”

A cough exited my throat as if my body was rejecting what I just heard.

Penny was chairman!?

I felt like the air conditioner was pumping toxic gas into the room. I was burning up, and I could no longer breathe.

The lawyer was droning on and on, but I heard nothing.

It only took one glance at Penny’s shocked face, her thick lips puckered into an “O,” to let me know I had to leave.

Now.

I slipped my hand from Angela’s and charged for the door. Instead of waiting for the elevator, I took the stairs two at a time, down the seven stories.

All the while, I thought of the company. Sure, my father left it to me. But just like when he was alive, he couldn’t trust me with it.

He needed someone to watch me in his stead.

Sure, Penny graduated from NYU with a business degree.

Sure, she was practically a genius when it came to balancing accounts.

But was she better than me?

No way in hell.

And even worse…

She was my old fuck buddy.

ANGELA

I raced out of the lawyer’s office after Xavier.

I couldn’t find him in the hall, but there he was on the street, his shirt unbuttoned, sweating so much that his hair stuck to his forehead.

A few moments later, Marco pulled up, and Xavier all but threw himself into the backseat.

“Darling!” I cried once we were shut inside the car and zooming uptown.

“Windows down, Marco!” Xavier shouted, leaning back his head while he hyperventilated.

“Xavier…” I started. He looked like he was about to explode. For all I knew, he would. I had seen him upset, but never like this.

Marco met my eye in the rearview mirror and raised his eyebrows.

I tried to imagine what Xavier must have been feeling. I knew this was about more than just the company. This was about his father’s trust.

“Xavier,” I said again, this time with my voice level. I was trying to be a lighthouse in a storm, trying to lead him back into calm waters.

It didn’t have to be so bad, right? My husband was acting like this was the end of the world. “Maybe you won’t even notice she’s on the board. Or maybe she’ll be helpful! I’m sure she’ll follow right in Brad’s footsteps...”

His body was tense, and the air was charged as if he were a live wire. My words of comfort were no comfort at all.

“Let’s take the rest of the day off,” I said, pressing his chest with my open hand. “We can settle back in and order takeout for dinner. Tomorrow is a new day…”

He exhaled at my touch. With that, I felt him relax somewhat.

“Sounds good, Angel.”

***

I was unpacking my suitcase in the bedroom when I heard the doorbell ring.

I padded down the long hall of the penthouse. As hard as it had been to leave Bali, and then LA, it felt good to be home.

“Hello?” I called into the intercom.

“Someone is here with boxes from Brad Knight. Shall I let him up?” the doorman replied.

“Oh! Yes, please!”

I hadn’t expected that we would receive our inheritance so quickly, only a few hours after Brad’s will was read, but I was excited.

When we returned to the apartment, Xavier jumped in the shower and then into his gym clothes. He was off on a long workout, which I approved of.

It was one of his healthier coping mechanisms.

The deliveryman carried three big cardboard boxes into the living room. I thanked him as he left.

Alone with the boxes, I found myself in a dilemma.

Should I wait for Xavier to open them? Brad’s will said he left them to both of us, and my fingers were tingling with eagerness.

The boxes might as well have been decorated with big red bows. Brad always gave amazing gifts, and I had a feeling this would be no different. I could only imagine what was inside.

As I toyed with the tape on one of the boxes, I devised a plan. I would open it enough to peek inside… and then Xavier and I could unpack them together.

With the kitchen scissors, I cut through the tape. Then I folded back the cardboard flaps…

At the top of the box sat stacks of notebooks with worn leather covers.

Before I could stop myself, I was reaching for one. I opened it to find a dated entry handwritten in dark ink. I recognized the script instantly.

Brad.

The page was dated 6/15/19.

I closed the book and held it to my chest, feeling as if Brad were in the room with me. I found myself holding my breath, but I knew I couldn’t keep reading without showing Xavier.

I had no idea that Brad ever kept a journal… but then I remembered Marlena Marlboro’s words.

Brad was a writer, all right. And he left us his diaries.

XAVIER

Through the fog of my hangover, I watched the elevator tick up the floors to my office at Knight Enterprises.

Angela had tried to console me last night, showing me the diaries my father apparently kept for years, and ordering enough Chinese food to feed a frat house.

I appreciated her effort, but I knew there was only one thing that could soothe me: a shitload of whiskey.

The elevator opened to the bright hall of the office.

The slap of my soles on the tile floor alerted the team to my presence. My employees turned to regard me. The boss was back in town.

“Bethany,” I called as I stood by the receptionist’s desk. She was talking with a girl in a pantsuit whose nervous energy told me she was a new hire. “An Advil with my latte, please.”

“Oh, Xavier! I’m sorry, I don’t have your coffee ready. I didn’t know you’d be in today.”

“Just bring it to my office,” I grumbled. “On the double.”

Continuing past the bullpen, I paused. It sounded like it was raining, but the sun was shining outside.

“Austin! What’s with the soundtrack? Are we in a damn rainforest?”

“Hey, boss,” Austin replied. “It’s something new we’re trying. Might help productivity. It’s in the revised conduct policy email.”

“Hmmm,” I growled, never breaking my stride.

What about this email? Sure, I had been out of the office for a few weeks, and my father was gone. It was natural for things to change. But I smelled something fishy.

Penny.

I continued my prowl. I passed my office, and as I approached my father’s, I slowed my pace.

Even after he retired, the office had remained his. What would we do with it now that he was gone for real?

I grew closer to the office, and then my blood ran cold. My heart stopped in my chest.

My father’s had already been replaced. And where his name was, it now read:

“PENNY KNIGHT”