The Arrangement

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I'm sitting at home when my phone rings. Seeing that it's my dad, I answer. "Hey Daddy." I say as I answer. "Hey Doll. I need a favor." my Dad says. "How many?" I ask. "Just one." he says. "I'll have the room ready when he gets here." I say. "You not gonna ask who it is?" he asks. "No. If it weren't someone you and I both trusted you wouldn't even be calling me." I tell him. "You're right baby. Thanks. I'll send him over." he tells me. "I'll be here." I tell him before ending the call. I go to the guest room and make sure that the room is ready and that there's fresh towels in the attached bathroom when there's a knock on the door. I walk to the door and look through the peephole before quickly opening the door and jumping into his arms. "Happy!" I cry. He wraps one arm around me and walks inside before pushing the door shut with his feet and dropping his bag so that he can wrap both arms around me, pulling me as close as possible. I just hold him for a minute before pulling back, looking at him. "Hey Little Girl. Miss me?" he asks. I pull him back to me and say "You know I did." He chuckles and says "I missed you too baby." He puts me down and grabs his bag and instead of carrying it to the spare room, he carries it to my room. Following him in there, I say "Top two." He looks at me and I ask "What?" He just shakes his head and starts unpacking his things into his two drawers. "You still keep space for me?" he asks. "Always. You're my best friend. No matter where I am, you have a place." I tell him.

We walk to the living room and order pizza. We sit on the couch and he pulls me into his side. "So, tell me what I've missed." he says. "Well, I'm working at the garage now. I go down to see Ma every other weekend to make sure she's got what she needs. Started seeing a guy." I tell him and he looks at me. "Don't worry. Didn't last long." I tell him. "Why not?" he asks. "Apparently he felt that only tramps have tattoos and that all women are good for is to take care of the house and their husbands." I say. "How'd you handle that?" he asks smirking because he knows me. "I took off my sweater, showing off my ink and said Guess it's a good thing I'd rather be a tramp." I say. He starts laughing and says "That's my girl." I just shake my head. "So, what have I missed with you?" I ask. "Three more smiley faces." he says as he lifts his shirt up. "Two were club related." he says and I look at him. "They were sanctioned hits. Causing a problem for a club we work with and they needed it outsourced." he tells me. "The third?" I ask. "Personal." he says and I sit up, looking at him. "Quinn's niece. Her boyfriend beat the shit out of her when he found out she was pregnant. Almost lost the baby. I handled it." he says. "Make it hurt?" I ask. He looks at me and smirks. I snuggle back into his side and ask "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" He kisses the top of my head and says "Wanted to surprise you." I look at him and say "You've been my best friend most of my life. I worry about you when you're on the road." I tell him. "But you never tried to talk me into staying in one spot. Hell, you even take care of Ma." he says. "I won't change who you are. I know if I need you, you'll be there and as far as Ma, she never turned me away so I'm not about to do that to her." I tell him.

The pizza arrives and we start eating and talking about old times. "You remember the night of my senior prom?" I ask. "Bough gutted that fucker when I saw you crying." he says. "I saw him the other day." I say. "Really?" he asks with a raised eyebrow. "He saw me walking on the same side of the street and crossed the fucking road." I tell him and he full out laughs. "Fucker still scared you'll come back for him." I tell him, laughing.

After eating, he showers while I clean up. After he showers, he locks the doors and we both head to bed. "How long's it been?" he asks as I climb into bed next to him. "Couple weeks." I tell him. "Why didn't you call me?" he asks. "You were working." I tell him. "You should know by now, you come first. You can't sleep you call me." he tells me. "Happy, I can't call you every time I have issues with my insomnia. I would be on the phone with you all the time." I say laughing. "Don't care. Come here." he says. I lay my head on his chest and fall into a restful sleep. First one I've had in a long time.