50 pages • 1 hour read
The Arrangement
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Chapters 9-17Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, graphic violence, self-harm, disordered eating, and sexual content.
Chapter 9 Summary: “Ainsley”
Ainsley hears a noise outside her house and suspects that Peter is home early from his date. However, the noise turns out to be her best friend, Glennon, ending a call with her mother on the porch. Ainsley invites Glennon inside for wine, lying and saying that Peter is at a “work thing” rather than revealing their arrangement.
In the kitchen, Ainsley gets a bottle of wine while Glennon retrieves glasses and cheddar popcorn. When Glennon notices that Ainsley seems troubled and inquires, Ainsley deflects, avoiding discussing the arrangement. Sensing evasion, Glennon opens a second bottle of wine and shares gossip about her husband Seth’s new assistant, Donna. They relax in the living room, watching TV and drinking wine for hours. Ainsley realizes that she enjoys Glennon’s company more than Peter’s.
Chapter 10 Summary: “Peter”
Peter arrives home after his date with Mallory feeling disheveled and guilty. Finding Ainsley and Glennon in the living room, he offers an awkward greeting when Ainsley, tipsy, asks if he had fun. He retreats to the shower, where he reflects on his pattern of serial infidelity and the associated guilt, noting that even with permission through their arrangement, he still feels just as guilty as he did in the past.
