Sex and Vanity(70)

“You didn’t know my mother before she changed her hair and had all her work done. She looked like Salma Hayek. She was very pretty, but it didn’t matter to those people. My mother swore that day that she would make it her mission to become one of the best dressed women in the world, and by God, did she ever.”

Lucie nodded. “Your mom is the chicest lady I know.”

“I know it sounds silly, but this morning at Dorset triggered me, and it brought me back to that moment when I was seven. I felt like a complete outsider back then, and I felt like one again today. It made me realize that no matter how much money you have, no matter what you’ve accomplished, these people will just find new ways to make you feel excluded.”

“Cecil, I understand, really I do. You’ve seen firsthand that among my father’s family, I don’t really feel like I belong. They’ll never truly see me as one of them.”

“I know, Lucie. That’s why we’re meant for each other. You are a thousand times more beautiful than anyone in that family of yours, and you know what? They’re just jealous. I could see it in all their eyes at our engagement party. You and I, we’re a threat to them. I thank God every day for my little bit of Latin and royal French-Cajun blood. We are marvelously photogenic, we have exquisite style and taste, we’re famous to only the right people, and we live fabulous lives they will never begin to understand. Still, that doesn’t excuse my behavior this morning. I was a complete ass. Will you forgive me?”

“Of course, Cecil,” Lucie said, as she embraced him on the sofa. “I’m sorry I made you go through all that. We should have left, really.”

Cecil reached into his pocket and took out a velvet box. Oh God, not another ring, Lucie couldn’t help thinking.

“Here’s a little present for you. I saw it on Newtown Lane and just couldn’t resist.”

Lucie opened the box and in it was a strange-looking key fob. “What’s this?”

“Come outside with me,” Cecil said.

They walked to the front door of the house, and parked in the circular driveway was a brand-new platinum-white Aston Martin DB11 Volante convertible with a big pink-and-silver bow on its hood.

“Your MINI Cooper’s almost ten years old now. It’s high time you were driving something newer, safer, and befitting your status,” Cecil commented.

“Oh, Cecil, you shouldn’t have!” Lucie sighed, wondering how she would get over the embarrassment of driving such a flashy car.

At this point, everyone had come outside to see what the commotion was, and Cecil proudly showed off his new gift to Lucie.

Freddie whistled. “That’s a nice set of wheels. The two of you should get into fights more often.”

“My goodness” was all Marian could say.

“You’re very blessed, Lucie,” Auden said, checking out the instrument panel of the car.

“I know,” Lucie replied, trying to sound grateful.

George remained silent, but Rosemary hugged Lucie excitedly. “Lucky girl! Cecil, how much did you pay for this?”

“Er … it was a little over $225k.”

“Wah, so cheap! In Hong Kong, this car would cost at least half a mil.”

“Well, you should get one then, Mrs. Zao,” Cecil remarked.

“I just might. But how can I drive such a car to garage sales? I won’t be able to get any bargains if they see me pull up in this thing!” Rosemary said.

“We really should go back in before the Peking duck gets cold,” Marian warned.

“Oh, shit!” Freddie exclaimed, as he rushed back into the dining room ahead of the others.

“Wait! We need to take some pictures of me and Lucie by her new car. George, would you do us the honor?” Cecil asked.

“Sure.” George grabbed Cecil’s phone while Cecil draped himself over the hood of the car, raising his arms and propping his head up with his hands as if he were Ferris Bueller, all the while directing Lucie. “Now, Lucie, just stand a little to your right and lean back onto me. Legs apart, like you’re a Bond girl. Twist yourself into an S shape. No, Lucie, S shape, not L.”

Lucie contorted herself against the cold metallic hood, mortified by the ridiculousness of the pose. She wondered if this was how Sports Illustrated swimsuit models must feel when they were trying to look sexy balancing on sand dunes. Did these poses just come effortlessly to someone like Viv?

“Where’s your surf buddy Viv tonight?” Lucie asked George with a wink.

“She’s in Miami.”

“Another bikini shoot?”

“Probably,” George answered.

“George, could you put it on beauty mode and raise the phone really high? That’s the best angle,” Cecil called out.

“Sure.”

“Smile, Lucie,” George called out.

“Don’t smile too much, babe, it won’t look sexy,” Cecil said as he tilted his head ever so slightly.

Lucie stopped smiling abruptly. She felt her face get hot as she tried not to look at George, more out of embarrassment for Cecil than for herself.

After the impromptu photo shoot, the three of them went back into the house, and as everyone began tucking into the aromatic crispy duck drizzled with sweet bean sauce and wrapped in delicate rice flour pancakes, Cecil looked at his plate in dismay. “My tortilla is filled with nothing but duck skin.”