Page 7 of Princess Seeks Dragon
“My cousin in New York, Angie. You’ve never met him. He’s semi-retired. We’re in the same business. Don’t you worry about it, sweetie, it’s just that I’m going to take over his share of the business, and no one expected that. Didn’t think I had the killer instinct to be a success.”
“You’re not a boxer! You don’t need killer instincts. You can go a long way in life being kind and respectful,” I call back, considering that designer pink number I packed but was afraid to wear last night.
What the hell? It might be nice if Vincenzo drooled over me. I grab my control-top briefs that I always wear to hide my pouchy belly and slip them on, followed by the dress.
“Mom! Does this look okay?” I run back out of the room, and Ronnie stops pouring himself a whiskey.
“Yowza.”
I giggle. “That’s old man for good, right?”
“That’s old man for ‘Vinnie is gonna propose’!”
“Vinnie? Eww, no, not Vinnie. Vinnie and Joey? It sounds like Joe Pesci and Danny DeVito are going to show up to turn dinner into a bad mobster movie.Vincenzois so elegant.”
“Vinnie, Vincenzo, whatever. Joanne, come see your daughter! I think Vincenzo’s going to propose on the spot when he sees her in this dress.”
My mother leans out of the bathroom, a curling iron in one hand. “Oh, sweetie! That’s stunning! That’s from that new fashion house you wouldn’t visit with me. We’re going to go back there and this time you’ll come and try things on, won’t you?”
“If I’m not at college, sure, Mom.” I roll my eyes. I mean, I can play at being a pampered princess for this week, I guess, but I’m sure it’ll get old.
Ithinkit’ll get old.
I wish the annoying little voice in my head would shut up—the one that’s whispering, “You are getting a life that a million people would kill for. A life of shopping, dressing up, wining, and dining. You could volunteer! You could do charity work. That’s an important job, you know. Raising babies. Bringing up a family. Kids are so bratty these days. Someone to really spend time with them and mentor them, to be that good role model...”
Yeah. I think that little voice in my head has been taking lessons from my Mom. Maybe Mom has a few points. Just a few.
***
“ANGELA, WOW. WOW, THAT’Ssome dress. You look stunning.” Vincenzo kisses me on both cheeks and takes my hands in his as we arrive at his father’s mansion in the city.
I didn’t even know people could have mansions in the city if they weren’t a movie star or something like that.
“My father is in the library, Ronnie. Go ahead in. Joanne, my mother is in the kitchen. Why don’t you go on in? I’ll take Angela on a tour of the terrace and the garden.”
“Oh, I’d love to see the garden,” I gush. I do love flowers and gardening. “Back in New Jersey, I used to make Mom plow up most of the lawn to—”
“Angie, not now.” Mom waves me to silence with an embarrassed titter. “Vincenzo doesn’t want to hear about some little tomato stand you had when you were a kid.”
“Lemonade stand?”
“No, a tomato stand. I grew the best Roma tomatoes and these big heirloom beefsteaks that were so juicy...” I lick my lips at the memory, and I love that Vincenzo laughs and beams.
“I love it,” he enthuses, leading me away.
The terrace is lovely, long and white, with graceful urns full of overflowing ornamental grasses and flowers. The garden is small (it is NYC, and space is at a premium), but it’s exotic and even has a greenhouse. “I love it,” I gush, heading into the lawn, not caring about my strappy sandals.
“Good. Good. Look, we’re going to end up here, so... The garden can be yours. My mother likes it for looks, but she never comes out here. Dad couldn’t care less, he just thinks it’s a status symbol to say we have a gardener.”
I nod politely, but I’m confused. “End up here? Mine?” I shake my head now, confusion deepening. “Like, some flowers from it?”
“No. When the deal is all done.” The charming smile fades. “Some racket, huh? I don’t like it any better than you.”
I want to ask a million questions, but for once, just for once, I wonder if playing dumb will get me better answers. “What do you think we should do?” I ask softly.
“Thank God you’re not the little innocent airhead Dad said. Look, I think it’s purely political. Ronnie’s just a capo. No one expected him to become the boss of the Argento family, but...” he spreads his hands. “What are you gonna do? A heart attack at fifty-one, my dad said. Otherwise, Ronnie’s cousin would be taking over. Anyway, I think it’s just protection, but in this world, protection is valuable, right?”
“Right!”
