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Authors: Sadie Hayes
Tags: Young Adult
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to get married.” Mrs. Hawkins shrugged. “But our Shandi wanted Maui so Hawaii it is.”
“Patty, are you a bridesmaid?” asked T.J.
Shandi answered for her. “Of course; she’s my maid of honor, but I’m having nine other bridesmaids.”
“You must be very excited to watch your sister marry Chad, Patty.” T.
J. turned to her. “I’ve never been best man, but I’ve heard it’s tremendously special to watch two people you care so much about give their vows to each other from the front row.”
Mrs. Hawkins was touched. “Well aren’t you sweet, T. J.!”
T. J. smiled gleefully and took a bite of his salmon. Patty took another gulp of wine.
“You know what would be really cool?” T. J. said. The table all turned to him. Patty cringed. “Remember in the Royal Wedding, when William drove Kate off in the classic sports car? You should do that. Dad has this great 1968 Lamborghini that would be perfect.” T. J. paused and grinned at Patty. “I don’t know if you got a chance to check out the collection at my party the other night, but this Lamborghini is something else. It’s navy—
oh, it would suit you so well, Shandi—and I’m sure if you promised to take care of it, Dad would let you drive it, Chad.”
“T. J. Bristol,” Mrs. Hawkins said, her eyes bright with if-only-I-were-thirty-years-younger affection. “You are too much. That is a lovely idea.
Don’t you think, Shandi?”
“That’s really sweet of you to offer, T. J., I’ll definitely think about it.
I mean, we’ll think about it.” She turned to Chad, who was mid-bite, and squeezed his hand affectionately.
There was nothing that bored Mr. Hawkins so much as wedding talk, and he used the pause to switch the conversation. “How long has your father been collecting those sports cars, T. J.?”
“Oh, I think he bought his first one after the Kadence sale. His celebration present to himself.”
Mr. Hawkins smiled. That deal had been huge. It had set a new bar for Silicon Valley wealth. “Well, he certainly deserved it. My, what a deal that was. I only put fifty thousand dollars in and the return was enough to cover both these girls’ college tuition, plus some. Wish I’d taken your father’s advice and put in more. He’s truly a visionary.” T. J. was focusing on his food, but he looked up politely at Mr. Hawkins, his affability somewhat diminished. “He got lucky, that’s for sure.”
“Luck doesn’t build the kind of reputation your father’s got. He fucking gets it; he sees where things are headed.” T. J. looked down at his plate and mumbled just loudly enough for Patty to hear. “Here we go again.”
Mr. Hawkins was on a roll. “I remember him talking about changes in music, practically forecasting the whole demise of the record industry. We all thought he was nuts. I wouldn’t even have put in fifty thousand dollars if it weren’t for the fact that I wanted to keep him on as a client.” Mr.
Hawkins chuckled. “Now, when your Dad offers me a deal, I don’t think twice. I mean, Gibly? Didn’t even hesitate. I don’t get it, I don’t get why it sold for so much, but if Ted Bristol tells me something’s going to be big, I know it’s going to be big. I put in a ton of money, and now look: it’s like Christmas around here, all thanks to your Dad.” T. J. finally looked up and forced a smile. “Perhaps he’ll have a new sports car for you two to try out,” he said, looking at Patty.
Felicia, God bless her, interrupted to clear the plates and the conversation devolved into gossip at the tennis club.
As Patty ate her crème brûlée, she smiled. She’d just figured out a strategy for persuading T. J. to get rid of the tape.
Chapter X
Deuce
A fter dessert, Mr. Hawkins asked if anyone wanted to join him in the movie room to preview a new documentary on the drug wars in Mexico. Like most homes in Atherton, the Hawkins’ house had a room in the basement with fifteen reclining theater seats, a
“Patty, are you a bridesmaid?” asked T.J.
Shandi answered for her. “Of course; she’s my maid of honor, but I’m having nine other bridesmaids.”
“You must be very excited to watch your sister marry Chad, Patty.” T.
J. turned to her. “I’ve never been best man, but I’ve heard it’s tremendously special to watch two people you care so much about give their vows to each other from the front row.”
Mrs. Hawkins was touched. “Well aren’t you sweet, T. J.!”
T. J. smiled gleefully and took a bite of his salmon. Patty took another gulp of wine.
“You know what would be really cool?” T. J. said. The table all turned to him. Patty cringed. “Remember in the Royal Wedding, when William drove Kate off in the classic sports car? You should do that. Dad has this great 1968 Lamborghini that would be perfect.” T. J. paused and grinned at Patty. “I don’t know if you got a chance to check out the collection at my party the other night, but this Lamborghini is something else. It’s navy—
oh, it would suit you so well, Shandi—and I’m sure if you promised to take care of it, Dad would let you drive it, Chad.”
“T. J. Bristol,” Mrs. Hawkins said, her eyes bright with if-only-I-were-thirty-years-younger affection. “You are too much. That is a lovely idea.
Don’t you think, Shandi?”
“That’s really sweet of you to offer, T. J., I’ll definitely think about it.
I mean, we’ll think about it.” She turned to Chad, who was mid-bite, and squeezed his hand affectionately.
There was nothing that bored Mr. Hawkins so much as wedding talk, and he used the pause to switch the conversation. “How long has your father been collecting those sports cars, T. J.?”
“Oh, I think he bought his first one after the Kadence sale. His celebration present to himself.”
Mr. Hawkins smiled. That deal had been huge. It had set a new bar for Silicon Valley wealth. “Well, he certainly deserved it. My, what a deal that was. I only put fifty thousand dollars in and the return was enough to cover both these girls’ college tuition, plus some. Wish I’d taken your father’s advice and put in more. He’s truly a visionary.” T. J. was focusing on his food, but he looked up politely at Mr. Hawkins, his affability somewhat diminished. “He got lucky, that’s for sure.”
“Luck doesn’t build the kind of reputation your father’s got. He fucking gets it; he sees where things are headed.” T. J. looked down at his plate and mumbled just loudly enough for Patty to hear. “Here we go again.”
Mr. Hawkins was on a roll. “I remember him talking about changes in music, practically forecasting the whole demise of the record industry. We all thought he was nuts. I wouldn’t even have put in fifty thousand dollars if it weren’t for the fact that I wanted to keep him on as a client.” Mr.
Hawkins chuckled. “Now, when your Dad offers me a deal, I don’t think twice. I mean, Gibly? Didn’t even hesitate. I don’t get it, I don’t get why it sold for so much, but if Ted Bristol tells me something’s going to be big, I know it’s going to be big. I put in a ton of money, and now look: it’s like Christmas around here, all thanks to your Dad.” T. J. finally looked up and forced a smile. “Perhaps he’ll have a new sports car for you two to try out,” he said, looking at Patty.
Felicia, God bless her, interrupted to clear the plates and the conversation devolved into gossip at the tennis club.
As Patty ate her crème brûlée, she smiled. She’d just figured out a strategy for persuading T. J. to get rid of the tape.
Chapter X
Deuce
A fter dessert, Mr. Hawkins asked if anyone wanted to join him in the movie room to preview a new documentary on the drug wars in Mexico. Like most homes in Atherton, the Hawkins’ house had a room in the basement with fifteen reclining theater seats, a
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