by J. P. Comeau
Ever since she and Richard had become an official couple, she spent just as much time and energy as a stepmother as she did a wife.
Annie pulled out a seat and sat down across from me. “This might be the first one that I’ll be birthing, but I consider it my second child.”
“I hope I didn’t offend you with what I said, Annie.”
She waved her hand in the air. “Not at all. I may not be Addison’s real mother, who is a devil woman, but I still consider her to be my real daughter. Speaking of which, where is she right now?”
Julianna’s back couldn’t take anymore standing, either. “She and Caley are watching a movie in the living room. I think it’s a Disney one, but who knows. After you’ve seen a hundred Disney movies, they all look the same.”
The two of them helped me put together the rest of the party favors. “I think it’s wonderful how happy the two of you are. Between your husbands and children, I am officially jealous.”
Annie threw her head back and let out a forced laugh. “Honey, it’s not all fun and games. This pregnancy has made me a walking, whoopee cushion.”
“Tell me about it,” Julianna said with a smirk on her face. “I stopped trying to hold it in front of Jake anymore.”
“I suppose that’s one of the perks of living alone,” I replied, smiling while sealing another bag of candy up with a green and yellow ribbon.
As the two talked about the other issues that came with pregnancy, my mind wandered back to the fender-bender from earlier. It still ate at me that someone could be so arrogant.
Annie noticed that my mind was elsewhere. “You’re not yourself today, Crystal. Is everything alright?”
I let out a sigh and stopped what I was doing. “I got into an accident on my way over. It’s nothing major, just a tiny fender-bender, but the other driver was such a jerk!”
Julianna wanted details. “How did it happen? Did you get his name? Is your car messed up? Are you physically hurt?”
I shook my head and shrugged. “It’s not that big of a deal. You can’t even see the scratch on my bumper unless you get down on your knees and squint, and I’m fine. I was backing out of my parking spot downtown, and some idiot wasn’t looking where he was going. Next thing I knew, his BMW was slamming into me.”
Annie breathed a sigh of relief. “So, how was he a jerk to you?”
“He didn’t try and get out of exchanging insurance information, did he, Crystal? Because even if it’s just a scratch, you should still get it fixed, or else your car will depreciate.”
“That’s the thing, Julianna. He begged me not to call the cops or report it to the insurance company, and instead of doing so, promised to buy me a new car.”
Annie’s eyes bugged out at me. “Please tell me you’re joking. That’s insane!”
“I’d show you his business card, but I left it in my car. And no, I’m not joking!”
“Not that you aren’t a sweet woman, Crystal, but there’s no way in hell that a stranger would offer to buy you a new car. It sounds like a big joke!”
I sensed that Julianna was right. “I know, and it pissed me off at how cocky he was about the whole situation. It’s the last thing that I needed after these past six months.”
Annie turned to Julianna. “I think I told you, but in case I didn’t, her mom died about six months ago from cancer. She didn’t tell Crystal until she was close to passing away, either.”
Julianna stood up and wrapped her arms around me. “Sweetie, I am so sorry! I do remember Annie telling me all about it, too.”
A few tears fell from my eyes as she continued to hug me.
Even though her death was the most significant stressor in life, at that moment, I was worried about my car. “Thank you, and I’m alright. It just feels like one big mess after another. All I need is a break, a day, a week, or a month where nothing goes wrong.”
Annie put her hand on top of mine. “Well, we’ll have plenty of fun tonight. I know that Richard and Jake are looking forward to it, too.”
My eyes shot up and looked directly into Annie’s. “Wait, why are Richard and Jake coming to a baby shower? Not that I don’t like them, of course, but isn’t that like us going to a bachelor party?”
Julianna let out a sigh and sat down. “They begged both of us to come, Crystal. We’d prefer it to be just a girls-party too. But they’re just excited about becoming fathers again for the second time. And let’s not forget, they went to great lengths to pull off the gender reveal thing, hiring that agency and all. They are as excited as we’re to find out what we are having.”
That made me feel a little bit better. “Well, that makes sense. So the only men who’ll be there are your husbands, right?”
Annie tilted her head, and I could tell that she was starting to feel awkward. “Some of the other girls that are coming found out about it and are bring plus-ones, also.”
“So, everyone but me is going to have a date for this party? Is this some kind of a joke to make me feel even worse about myself?”
I regretted the words as soon as they escaped from my lips, but I couldn’t help it. I was still livid about my car.
Now, how mortifying was it going to be as the only woman at the party without a husband our a date?
Julianna tried to be the voice of reason. “Most of the women who are attending are just bringing their husbands, so I’d hardly call it a date.”
“But the other ones found out in advance and therefore had time to find a date? Is that what I’m hearing?”
Julianna and Annie just stared at each other, neither one of them knowing what to say next.
“This is going to be so awkward! Why can’t anything ever go right in my life?”
Annie put her arms around my shoulder. “Please calm down, Crystal. Why don’t you let us fix you up with a guy? It will make you feel better and get you mind off things.”
“How are you going to find a guy on such short notice? No, don’t even worry about fixing me up with someone!” I blew a lock of hair out of my face. “I wouldn’t be much of a date, anyway. I’ve been such a bitch lately…in case you couldn’t tell…I won’t be much fun.” My two friends circled their arms around me for a group hug. Finally, I let out my breath and asked them, “Did I tell you about my mother’s estate?”
Julianna leaned forward, “What about her estate, Crystal? Do you need some legal help, because I’m sure our family lawyers can help you out.”
I did not want the Trumans involved in the matter, even though I knew their intentions were good. “No, that’s okay, but thank you. My mom inherited some money from her brother, who left it just for me, and getting a hold of it has been nothing short of a living hell.”
“Settling estates can be a bit tricky,” Annie said, “but it’s just you, so what’s the hold-up?”
“There are a few stipulations, and I have yet to find out what they are. My uncle lived in Moldova, which means that we’re trying to find international legal help overseas. My attorneys are working on it, but it seems to be at a standstill.”
Julianna shook her head at me. “I’m so sorry, Crystal. Why are you just getting this money now, though, if your uncle left it for you a long time ago?”
“All I know is that the funds couldn’t be released until Mom passed away, and now that she has, I need that money to pay off my student loans. And like I said, between that and the car accident, it’s probably best that I don’t have a date for tonight. I’m just not in the mood.”
Annie decided, however, that a plus-one was exactly what I needed.
“What if we set you up with someone that is guaranteed to show you a good time. Someone who would help lighten you up a bit? Just a guy friend to talk to.”
I could see the spark of excitement go off in Julianna's head at the same time.
“Yes, Crystal! Annie is right. Not only is he the funniest guy I’ve ever met, but he’s a billionaire. You deserve to have a fun night with a handsome guy!”
Sudden
ly, the thought of being with a man freaked me out. “I don’t think that I’m ready for a relationship, though.”
Julianna shrugged her shoulders at me. “Who said anything about a relationship? We’re talking about a plus-one to a baby shower/gender reveal party. Just a hot, rich guy to get your mind off of your troubles for a little while.”
“That does sound like fun. I just hate awkward setups.”
Annie had always been someone I could trust. “What if we promise that we won’t make it awkward, though? Even if nothing happens after tonight, you’ll have someone to flirt with while my sister and I are waddling around playing baby games.”
It was easy to see the excitement in their faces, and I decided that a fun night might be enough of a distraction from my life to help me refocus. “Neither of you gorgeous ladies waddle, so stop with that nonsense. And as long as you promise not to make it awkward or uncomfortable, then fine, you can set me up.”
Both of them clapped their hands excitedly, to which I could only roll my eyes. I suspected that despite their best intentions, the hold set up would be unavoidably awkward, or maybe I was overthinking things.
At least I would have a reprieve from worrying about my finances for a little while.
4
_____
GAVIN
I pulled into Mr. and Mrs. Truman’s driveway with only a minute to spare. All I could think about on the way over was the beautiful woman whose car I bumped into, and wondering if she’d call me about getting a new car. I thought that by the time I got to my meeting I would figure out why she was so angry over a little scratch, but it still didn’t make any sense.
It was time to put those thoughts on the back burner, though. Mr. Truman had sent me over to Spain to conduct business, and I couldn’t wait to hear his feedback and to give him mine on what I had accomplished.
Mrs. Truman greeted me at the front door and wrapped her arms around me. “Welcome back, Gavin! I’ve missed you so much. Did you eat enough in Spain?”
She was always trying to fatten me up. I patted my six-pack abs. “Oh, yes, ma’am. I ate a bit more than I should have.”
“You don’t look like you did. You still look skinny to me. Please sit down on the couch. I have some coffee and cookies for you. Now tell me all about your trip!”
My hands were still jittery from the coffee I had gulped down before I left home, but I didn’t want to offend her. “Thank you so much! The trip was amazing. You would have loved it there, too. There were so many beautiful, romantic places that I could see you enjoying. The main streets are full of outside cafes and quaint little shops.”
She clutched her heart with her hand. “You mean like downtown River Valley, dear?”
“Yes, but so much better. There was always music coming from small bands or just a single person playing a violin or singing along the sidewalks. I told Richard that he and Annie should go to Spain sometime, maybe on a couple’s trip with Jake and Julianna. I know they say that France is for lovers, but I think Spain is a very close second.”
Mrs. Truman had always been a romantic person, something that Mr. Truman was not. “I would have loved to have gone with you. Oh well. Maybe I can convince my husband to take me some time.”
I couldn’t believe how many of her cookies I was consuming. “You would love it! Almost as much as I love these cookies. I can tell they didn’t come out of a bag unless you’re selling baked goods now. I’m sure you’d make a lot of money doing it, Mrs. Truman.”
She blushed with excitement at my compliment. “I’d tell you that it’s a family recipe, but that’d be a big lie. I got it from Martha Stewart. The secret is to use a fresh vanilla bean. You should have seen my husband’s face as I scraped it into the mixture. He thought it looked like ants!”
As I washed the cookies down with some coffee, Mr. Truman walked in and reached out to me. Unless he hadn’t seen you in a long time, he wasn’t a very affectionate person.
I wiped my mouth clean and hugged him. “How are you, sir?”
“I’m doing wonderful, especially since Richard told me the trip was a success. Are you ready to discuss it, or do you need a nap after my wife’s cookies?”
Mrs. Truman rolled her eyes in disgust. “Relax, dear. I didn’t put him in a diabetic coma. By the way, Gavin loves the cookies that you refuse to eat!”
I laughed as we walked upstairs to his office, where Richard was waiting for us. Just like his father had, Richard pulled me in for a hug, like being with my brother. The Truman’s had always been like my second family, and just walking into their house made me feel relaxed. “Glad to see you again, man. I’m going with you next time, though. Some of those pictures you sent me were breathtaking.”
Mr. Truman seemed pleased about my visit as he took a seat at his desk. “Based on everything that I’ve heard so far, I’d say it’s safe to say that you’ll be going back to Spain again. I don’t know how you did it, Gavin, but it looks like you got us one hell of a deal.”
I pulled out my tablet and opened up the business plans. “As you can see right here, the villas are located on the water in Andalusia, Spain. Normally such an elite property would cost significantly more than the deal I made.”
Richard’s mouth fell open as he looked over the numbers. “I don’t understand how you talked them down so much, man. Did you have to give up anything in return?”
“Not at all, bro. As you can probably guess, all of these villas had been independently owned, but Spain is desperately trying to increase its tourism revenue. So, a company in Barcelona bought them with plans to turn it into a tourist destination.”
Mr. Truman rubbed his chin, clearly impressed with the pictures of the property. “If I were visiting Spain, this is the kind of place that I’d want to stay during my vacation. Which makes me wonder why the original deal fell through in the first place.”
“Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, there’s too much political turmoil going on in Spain right now, and therefore they were unable to move forward with that project.”
Richard was starting to seem skeptical, though. “I can see why we could acquire it for such a low price, Gavin, but what about the rules and regulations for international ownership? I’m sure it can’t be as easy as just purchasing the property. I need to read up on this.”
I pulled up another document on my tablet. “If you take a look right here, gentleman, there are no regulations on property purchases from foreigners. While that may seem odd, keep in mind that Spain is desperately trying to make more money from tourism.”
Mr. Truman’s eyes were starting to light up now. “I like the sounds of this, Gavin. How’d you get them to agree to this deal so quickly?”
“I did a little research to find out what they paid for all of them, and then used that to my advantage. You get seven fully-furnished, well-maintained luxury villas for what the company would have paid for just three. But we only have a few days to sign the paperwork. Is this something you want to invest in, gentleman?”
Richard shook his head in disbelief. “This is amazing, Gavin!”
“It sounds great, but I will have to look over the details and have our international attorneys review it as well,” Mr. Truman mentioned.
I didn’t want to take too much credit, though. “To be honest with you, it was just good luck. We’re banking on their political issues and the poor business decision by the sellers.”
Mr. Truman wanted me to take more credit. “No, Gavin. You should be proud of what you’ve done for this company. The second that Richard suggested you work for us several years ago, I knew I wouldn’t regret the decision, and today I’m reminded of it once again.”
“I agree with him, Gavin. What you've done there is amazing, and if you do go back to close the deal, I am going with you.” Richard picked up the tablet and zoomed in on the villas.
“They’re prime real estate, that’s for sure. It’s the kind of place that I can see myself retiring in one da
y.”
Mr. Truman wanted to make sure that wouldn’t be in his lifetime, though. “Your retirement better be decades away, Gavin, because you’re staying right here with us. No way do we want to lose you with your remarkable business skills!”
“Of course, sir. It’ll be years before I retire.”
“Well, this is fantastic news. You guys can call it a day, especially since you have the baby shower tonight. Although, I still think it’s kind of weird that you’ll be attending.”
“Dad, I told you how much I want to be involved with this baby. Besides, there’ll be other guys there too, and I want to find out as the same time as Annie if we’re having a boy or a girl. You’ll be going, right, Gavin?” Richard asked.
I agreed that it was a bit odd for men to be attending a baby shower/gender reveal, but I’d never admitted that to my best friend. “Of course! I wouldn’t miss a party with you for the world, Richard.”
Mr. Truman shrugged. “I have to keep reminding myself that I’m from a different generation. I’ve never heard of such a thing as a gender reveal…or whatever the hell you call it. So, please forgive me. Anyhow, you guys have fun tonight.” Before shutting the door behind us he told Richard, “Hey, call me with the verdict when you get home. Your mom and I are eager to know too. And tell Jake to do the same. Okay?”
Richard waved affirmatively at his father before we walked out to our cars together, and, of course, he immediately noticed the scratch on my bumper. “Dude, what the hell happened to your car?”
“I was driving down Main Street, got distracted, and bumped into a car that was backing out. It doesn’t look that bad. I’m pretty sure I could buff that out myself.”
“What did the other driver say? Was there any damage to their car?”
“Nah, just a scratch on her bumper. But she was livid… and also drop-dead beautiful. Picture a gorgeous face that’s surrounded by long, silky red hair and a delicate body. I couldn’t even bring myself to say much of anything because she was so stunning.”
Richard seemed a bit suspicious. “So, is she going to make you pay for the damage, or is something else going on here? I know that look in your eyes, man.” He knew me too well. “I didn’t have time to get the other driver's information. After I got home from Spain earlier this morning, I ended up falling asleep on the couch longer than I’d anticipated. I didn’t have time to say much of anything to her.”
