Chasing Vivi(54)

"Why? Why didn't you just go with it?"

Glancing up, I see him staring right at me. Our gazes connect. "Truth?"

He nods.

"I was so fragile. Still am. After Mom, and then the move here, I just  couldn't chance getting hurt so soon after. I was afraid I'd fall for  you. Back at Crestview, I had this  …  this thing for you. I used to  fantasize that you were the guy who went after the fat girl."         

     



 

"Shut up."

"It's true. I was overweight and extremely unhappy. The more unhappy I  was, the more I ate. That whole vicious cycle thing. While all of you  were off having a great time, having girlfriends and boyfriends, going  to school dances and things, I was eating cookies and candy bars."

"I have a confession, too. I liked you back at Crestview. And more than  just for my homework. But you were so shy. You never went to any school  events. Or at least I never saw you at any." His hand brushes up and  down my arm.

"I went, but hid. My mom dropped me off and picked me up, but I'd find a place to hide out until it was time to leave."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to be made fun of any more than I absolutely had  to. You know, I had to go to school. There was no way to get out of  that. But the school functions were optional. I wanted my mom to believe  I was having fun. As soon as her car turned out of the parking lot, I'd  run and hide."

"Where would you go?"

"Janitorial closets that were left unlocked, stairwells, bathrooms, there was always someplace."

He lifts up and braces himself on his elbow. His nostrils flare as he  asks, "Stairwells? You hid in stairwells? You could've been  …  those are  dangerous places."

"It was Crestview, remember?"

"What if those girls had found you? Did you ever think of that?"

Actually, I hadn't. "They would've done terrible things to me. Probably  ripped off my clothes and made me walk home naked or something."

He lies back down and I put my head in his chest, making a circle with my finger.

He's silent for so long, I lift my head up to peek at him.

"I feel terrible for not doing anything," he says.

"You weren't even aware."

"But the administration knew, didn't they?"

"Yeah."

One corner of his mouth turns up.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Whitworth gives a lot of money to Crestview every year. I'm going to  stop their flow. I believe the same principal is still there. When they  reach out to me, I'm going to tell them I can't donate to schools that  condone bullying."

"You'd do that?"

"Of course I would. My God, Vivi, you were treated terribly there and  the only reason they did nothing was because those nasty girls had  money. Well, I have more money, a lot more, and they're going to feel it  where it counts."

Oh my God, this man. Was he always like this? How did it take me so long to realize it?

"I swear, Vivi, nobody will ever bully you again if I can help it."

His expression is so vicious, I'm almost afraid of him myself.





Chapter 33





Prescott





Monday morning, the first thing I ask Lynn to do is notify Crestview  that Whitworth is pulling all of its funding and grants in the future.  This amounts to several million dollars annually. In fact, Whitworth is  the biggest benefactor that Crestview has.

"Why are you doing this? Whitworth has donated money for years, ever since you went there, I believe," Lynn says.

"It's a long story, but the short of it is Vivi was bullied while she  was a student there. The administration was fully aware of it and chose  not to act."

"Well. That would cause me to pull my funding, too."

"When they call to talk to me, put them through if I'm here. I'll be glad to explain."

Then I fill her in on the bathroom incident.

"What the hell, Prescott?"

She asks who they were and I can't tell her, because I don't know, which is frustrating as hell.

"I can get you HR records of all females we employ between the ages of  twenty-five and thirty. You can check out their pictures if you'd like."

"Was there an RSVP list for the party?" I ask.

She snaps her fingers. "Yes, there was. Let me check with our events department head and I'll get back to you."

Granddad drops by to tell me how much Grand likes Vivi and that they are  looking forward to having us out on Christmas. That reminds me I need  to shop for Vivi's present, which I haven't done yet.

I give Eric a call and check with him on a gift. He suggests jewelry,  which was what I was thinking. But she needs a new coat. She's always  freezing and hers is so thin. Maybe she'd accept one from me now.

Today isn't a good day to go shopping, because I have back-to-back  meetings scheduled at work. But I decide that tomorrow, I'll go.

Lynn comes into my office around lunch with everything I need for my  afternoon meetings. She tells me she has the RSVP list and has  cross-referenced it with all single female employees between the ages of  twenty-four and thirty. There were thirty-two who attended the party  that night. This shouldn't take long.         

     



 

"Your lunch is on the way, too."

"Thank you. Where would you like to go on vacation this year?"

"Antigua," she says.

"Just tell me the dates and pick the hotel. I'll get it scheduled for you."

"Thank you, Prescott."

"Thank you. For everything you do, Lynn. You're the best admin in the  world. Oh, and get a decent replacement for you while you're gone.  Preferably someone who doesn't want to date me, like that last girl you  found."

"Oooh, I know. She lied and said she was married. I'll get you a middle-aged woman this year."

"Or a man even," I suggest.

"He may be gay. You never know."

"Yeah, true. I just want someone who will work and not try to sneak in  here and stare at me. I had to lock the door every time I came in here.  It got so bad, I had Granddad call me on the way down and told him a  secret knock. We had to change it every time so she wouldn't catch on."

Lynn laughs at me, because she finds it hilarious. It wasn't. The girl was creepy.

It doesn't take long to go through the names and HR files of the women,  before I find the ones who attacked Vivi in the bathroom.

"Now what to do?"

"Fire them," she says.

"Can't do that. They claim Vivi struck first. Then I'd have to fire Vivi, too. Not to mention, it's four against one."

"Ouch. That's not good."

"No, but I won't condone bullying either. I may send out a company  letter stating our policy on bullying and that it won't be tolerated at  all. Maybe it will scare them."

"What does Vivi say?"

Rubbing my face, I groan. "She wants to drop it. Let it go."

"Then do it. She got the prize anyway."

"Not really. I did."

Lynn laughs. "Then you have your answer. The two of you should march on  into the sunset, holding hands. Forget about them. You know who they are  and be careful from now on."

"True, and they aren't in IT, so it's unlikely she'll cross paths with them. I'll tell her who they are just in case."

Lynn orders me to eat lunch and reminds me I don't have much time until  my busy afternoon is upon me. The day flies by, as it usually does, when  I barely have time to breathe. When I make it back to my office, it's  already dark, but I have a few things to take care of before I leave. I  text Vivi and ask her if she's interested in getting dinner. She hits me  back telling me she's at work. Dammit, I keep forgetting she has that  commitment to The Meeting Place.

Leaving work, I head home for a quick hour on the treadmill, and afterward I change and drop by to see my girl.

She's busy mixing up some kind of red drink, so when I take a seat in  front of her at the bar, she doesn't notice. When she pours the drink  and sticks an orange slice on the rim of the glass, she finally looks up  right into my eyes.

"Hey, sexy bartender. Got a drink for a thirsty guy?"

"Sure do. What's your pleasure?"

"Can't say in public, but I'll take a Weller on the rocks, please."

"Coming right up."

The crowd isn't heavy, so she has time to talk. I tell her about finding  out who the women are and that they don't work in IT, which pleases  her. I also let her know my grandparents are excited about seeing us on  Christmas.

"What can I bring?" she asks. "I'd like to take them a little something."

"Granddad loves scotch and ties. And Grand, maybe something girly. A handbag?"

"Jeez, I don't know her taste. Forget it, I'll come up with something."

"Men suck at this, don't they?"

"Yeah. I'll figure something out," she says.

I touch her wrist. "Are you going to tell me how the two of you became so chummy?"

She flaps her hand back and forth. "It was nothing really." Then she  laughs. "She threatened that if I hurt you she'd destroy me. But I get  it. You're her number one. She's awesome."