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“Have you worked with him?” she asks.
“No, but I know all about how he seduces every model he works with and is a complete cocksman.”
“Well, luckily, I’m a married woman.”
Even though she’s teasing, I’m not happy. “You don’t have to do it. You can retire right now.”
She looks a little taken aback by my words. “Retire already?” She shakes her head. “I told you my plan. Model, save some money and go to school.”
“Plans change. Why not just go to school now? I’ll pay for it.”As soon as I get my hands on that inheritance,I think.
“I appreciate that, Nick, but I don’t want to be completely dependent on you. I want to make my own money and contribute, too.”
I know I'm being irrational and should be happy for her, but the idea that she’ll be working with that prick Simon makes my skin crawl. He’s going to take one look at Savannah and be all over her. Just as I’m about to tell her that, my phone rings.
I glance down at the caller i.d. and sigh. “Hi, Mom,” I say. I figure it’s about time I let her know what’s happening, but I don’t want to do it over the phone. “No, I’m fine. Just, ah, got a lot on my mind.”
I figure the best way to break the news about Margo and Savannah is in person with both my parents and I suggest dinner. I’m not expecting her to want to do it tonight, but she does. “Is that okay?” she asks.
“Dinner tonight?” I repeat, looking at Savannah. She nods. “Yeah, sure. I’m going to be bringing someone with me, too. No, not Margo. Look, I’ll explain everything when I see you and John later, okay?”
After I hang up, I sigh. “Well, this should be interesting.”
“I’m nervous,” she says and wraps her arms around her middle.
“Don’t be. Once they get over the initial shock, they’re going to love you.”
I just never would have predicted how much.
When we get to my parents’ place in Simi Valley, I take Savannah’s hand and halfway up the walkway, my Mom throws the front door open. “Hi, Mom,” I say and give her a hug and kiss on the cheek. My stepdad is right behind her and he claps me on the back as we embrace.
We step into the foyer and I see the curious looks when I reach over and take Savannah’s hand again. “Mom, John, this is Savannah...my wife.”
Both of their eyes look about to bulge out of their skulls.
“Well, this is unexpected news,” my Mom says, always polite. “But, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Judy.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Savannah says.
“Last I knew, you had a fiancée, Nick,” my step dad says. “Margo something or other?” Leave it to John. He’s never one to mince words.
“John,” my mom scolds. “They’re barely in the door. Why don’t you go get us all a glass of wine and we can sit down and let them tell us what happened.”
Once we’re all seated in the living room and I suck down half my wine in one gulp, I tell my parents that Margo and I broke up last week. I let them know I hadn’t been happy in a long time and when she gave me an ultimatum, I broke it off.
“No big loss there,” John comments in a dry voice.
“It’s probably for the best,” Mom says. “She wasn’t ever very friendly.”
“Right after we broke up, I left for a shoot in Vegas where I met Savannah on set.”
“Oh, you worked together?”
“Never smart to mix business with pleasure, Nick,” John says.
“Well, it was this time around,” I tell them and squeeze Savannah’s hand.
“How did a photo shoot lead to marriage?” my mom asks as delicately as possible. “Seems a little sudden. No offense, dear,” she adds and glances at Savannah.
