The Arrangement (Available in paperback & eBook-SAMPLE)

Chapter 6

I know I said I wasn't going to update until tomorrow, but I managed to finish the chapter, so here you are. Thank you all for your support. It means so much to me. I hope you enjoy the chapter and I will have another one for you this weekend. :)

(Derek)

I was sitting at my desk, working on the computer, when the door opened and Parker stepped into the office. He closed the door, crossed the room, and stopped in front of the desk. I sat back and looked up at him, waiting for him to speak.

"Do you have plans for tonight?" he asked.

I thought about it for a moment and then answered, "No, I'm free."

"Good, because I made reservations for dinner," he said. "Six-thirty at Marcello's. It's going to be-"

"I can't have dinner at Marcello's tonight," I told him. "I'm having dinner there tomorrow night. I don't want to eat there two nights in a row. My arteries and heart couldn't handle it."

"Do you have a business dinner?" he asked.

"No," I replied. "If you have to know, I have a date."

Parker smiled at me crookedly. "Good for you. We'll talk about her over dinner. I'll cancel our reservations at Marcello's and call and make new ones at another restaurant. I'll text you the time and place." He headed for the door. "By the way, we're having dinner with Dad and Granddad."

"Hell, no," I snapped.

"Derek, I know you're angry with Granddad, but you have to get over it and move on," he said.

"I don't have to do anything but pay taxes and die," I stated coolly.

Parker paused and turned to look at me, a solemn expression on his face. "The man is in his eighties, for God's sake," he uttered quietly. "He doesn't have much time left on this earth. Do you want to spend what time you have left with him being angry at him? What if he died tomorrow? Could you live with the fact that you never made peace with him? Give the poor man a break, would you please?"

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. Granddad didn't have much time left with us. I needed to let the anger toward him go and make peace with him. Despite what he was forcing me to do, I still loved him. "Okay," I sighed heavily. "I'll give him a break."

"Thanks, bro," he said. "You're doing the right thing."

"Yeah, whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. "Now get the hell out of my office so I can go back to work."

Laughing, Parker slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"The reservation should be under Parker Richmond," I informed the hostess.

She searched the list while tapping her brightly polished fingernails on the podium. Once she located the name, she grabbed a menu and asked me to follow her. She led the way through the large dining room.