"Spectacular, aren't they?" she asks.
"Uh, well, they're really something, all right."
"You know, you could use some enhancing yourself." Our eyes are focused on each other's chests. If this were any other situation, it would be funny as hell.
Prescott nudges me as I yank myself out of the boobtrance I'm in. Holy hell.
"Jeanine, this is Vivienne. Is Dad home?" he asks brusquely.
She tips her head to look up at him and I finally get a good view of her face. Holy swollen lips. They look like two of those balloons the guy at the circus uses to twist up into wiener dogs.
What in the name of all fucks did his dad see in her?
She holds out her hand and says, "A pleasure." Her tone indicates the opposite along with her sneer. But I get the full shebang of her teeth with that sneer. They are so huge they look like dice. They have to be fake veneers. No one has teeth that big, not unless you're a horse. Is there anything real on this woman?
I do my best not to grimace as I take her hand and say, "Nice to meet you." This woman is a freak show. No one could've prepared me for this.
"Your dad is upstairs. I'll get him." She turns and walks up the massive staircase, sashaying her hips like we're at a striptease show.
When she's gone, Prescott lets out a chuckle. "Warned you, didn't I?"
"Not nearly enough preparation."
"Vivi, you have to get that look off your face. I almost cracked up when you saw her tits."
"Well, damn. Those things are an anomaly."
"In a word."
I peek at the security guys, and they stand there like statues. How do they manage it?
Miss Jug-A-Lug comes waltzing back down the steps and reports that Jeff will be down shortly. She aims her finger at Prescott. "You'd better not upset him. When he came back here on Christmas, I thought he was gonna have a heart attack. I was so worried about him."
"I'm sure." I'm surprised he doesn't add an eye roll. I have a hard time not doing it.
A few minutes later, Jeff appears. He's scowling. "What do you want?"
"I came to offer you a deal," Prescott says.
"What kind of a deal?"
"I'd like to sell this place to you for under market value. I had a soft appraisal done and ran some comps and you can have it for thirty percent less than what I can list it for. It's a damn good deal."
His dad laughs. "Is this a joke?"
"Not at all."
"Why would I want to buy this place when I can stay here without having to give you a penny?"
"I don't know why you believe that, but it's not true."
"I've consulted an attorney."
"So have I," Prescott says.
Jeff argues that he's set a precedent by living here all these years and that Samuel and Sara never forced him out. Prescott argues that they didn't because the two of them were on good terms. They go back and forth, and in the end, Prescott states that it will end up in court if he doesn't legally own the house.
"I'll push every button I have and with the fact that you are not even related to me, do you honestly think they'll award you this house?"
His father smiles smugly. "After I tell them how you've made multiple passes at my wife they will."
Now it gets interesting. I no longer observe Jeff, but switch my focus to Jeanine. She blinks rapidly, touches her nose a bunch, grabs her ear, and shifts from one foot to the other. Then she crosses her arms over her massive chest-no small feat indeed-and looks extremely uncomfortable. No doubt, she's covering up her lies.
"Go ahead. I'll subpoena the pool guys from West Palm. I have all their names and addresses. It won't work."
Now she's shrinking in her little spot where she stands. It's kind of hard to shrink balloon-sized lips and watermelon boobs, though.
"I never made a single pass at her and I don't give a fuck what she says." Prescott stands firm. "This offer is good for one week. If you don't take it by then, be prepared for an all-out legal battle. I won't lose. I. Never. Lose."
Then he grabs my hand and we head back out the door.
When we get outside, Jeff says, "I want a dollar figure on your offer."
"You'll have it tomorrow."
We climb into the car and drive off.
"He has to know she cheats. Her posture indicated she was a liar."
Prescott says, "He doesn't want to believe it. I think he likes the fact that she's young."
"But he's not that old. It's stupid on his part."
"To be honest, I really don't give a shit anymore. If he wants to spend his life with a woman like that, fine with me."
"Do you think he'll take your offer?"
"I do. He has the money. He's just cheap and trying to get around having to pay for it."
"Maybe if he cut back on Barbie's boobs, Ken would have a lot more money in his piggy bank."
He slaps his thigh and barks out a laugh. "I have to tell Grand that one. She never did care for Jeanine. I think the first time they met, Jeanine recommended her surgeon for Grand's crow's feet."
"Kind of like she did for enhancing my chest?"
"Yeah, and to that point, you'll never have anything done to your chest. It's perfect, just so we're clear."
"Thank you."
We drive back to the city and he tells the driver to drop us off at Rockefeller Plaza. I'm a little curious, but don't say so. When we arrive, we get out and the huge Christmas tree is still there.
"I meant to bring you here earlier, but time got away from me. I love it here," he says.
"It's so awesome." I crane my neck, up and up. The thing goes on forever. "Someday I want a tree of my own. I haven't had one in years."
"Next year, then. A large tree with lots of decorations. And you can fancy it up any way you like."
Taking the collar of his coat, I tug him close so I can give him a quick kiss. Afterward, he tells me to reach into his pocket for some gum. I dig inside and feel something in there. But it's not gum.
"What's that?"
"You'll have to pull it out to see."
When I do, I'm holding my mom's bracelet I sold a while back. I lift it up in front of my eyes in disbelief. "Where did you get this?"
"The strangest thing happened. I found it on the sidewalk the other day."
I smack his arm. "You did not."
Tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear, he tells me how he had an investigator looking for the buyer. He was able to track him through the website I sold it through. The man was pretty decent about it and negotiated a good price for him to buy it back.
I hug the piece of jewelry to my chest. "I don't believe you did this."
"I wanted you to have it. It holds sentimental value for you." And dang it, those silly tears start leaking from my stupid eyes.
His chest is the most convenient place to bury my face, so that's what I do. I talk gibberish until I stop crying, and then thank him profusely. "I promise to give you blow jobs forever for this."
"I'd rather fuck you, but blow jobs are good too." He laughs.
"How did I ever think you were an asshole?"
"Beats the hell out of me."
I look up into a face full of innocence. Then he gets that devilish look in his eye and I can't help but laugh at the big lug.
"Come on," he says.
"Where to?"
He doesn't answer, but ushers me into a cab and off we go. It takes us all the way down to Central Park where we get into a horse and carriage for a turn about the park.
"Aren't you the romantic?"
"I've got game, baby. But more importantly, I've got a woman."
"Yeah, you do."
"So, if you could take the ideal vacation, where would it be?" He wants to know.
"Oh, I don't know. The wine country in France?"
"Okay. Done. Let's go."
I look at him like he's insane. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"Like what?"
"I have to start a new job tomorrow."
He waves his hand. "You're forgetting something. I own the company. You can take the time off."
"I won't be one of those employees."
He's so quiet, I think I've pissed him off for a second. Then he takes my hand and pulls it to his heart.
"Vivi, I love you. Beyond anything I ever imagined. Plain and simple. And I'm not a simple guy. In fact, I'm pretty fucking complex at times. But you manage to make life easy for me. Perspective, you know? What I'm hoping is that you'll be my perspective for life. Will you marry me?"
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring. "I had this designed weeks ago. I've carried it around with me for the last week. Almost asked you on Christmas night. If you don't like it, we'll get you something else. The only thing that's important to me is your happiness."
I can't breathe.
Is it too soon?
I know I love him more than anything.
I think back to the time I wasted before and …
I blurt out, "Yes, I'll marry you. I don't care about the ring. It's you I want."
"But you haven't even looked at it."