“Sure you didn’t.” He stopped in front of me. “Maybe you’re using your pu**y to trap me.”
“Xavier.” My face reddened.
“What?”
“That word is so crude.”
“You just used it.” He rolled his eyes. “Did you not?”
“By mistake.”
“Go and get in the shower, Lola. You’re confusing me.”
“I’m confusing you? I don’t even really know why I’m here.”
“What’s there to know?” His voice was exasperated and he walked to the closet. “Do you have anything appropriate to wear to dinner tonight.”
“Appropriate?” I stopped at the bathroom door and looked back at him. “What does that mean?”
“Something a bit nicer than what you had on today? Something befitting the fiancée of a prince of Europe.”
“Oh because what I was wearing earlier wasn’t nice enough?”
“You have to admit it was a bit scrubby.” He shrugged. “I know you don’t have money, but do you have to dress like you shop at, what’s that store, Walmart?”
“Are you telling me you think my clothes come from Walmart?” My jaw dropped at his audacity. Was he really telling me that my clothes looked cheap? I knew I was being more indignant than I should be. To be honest, many of my clothes came from Target and Walmart and I was proud of it. I was pretty sure I was smart, buying jeans for $15 as opposed to $1500.
“I’m just asking if you have anything nice to wear tonight.”
“Sure.” I nodded sweetly. I’ll show him. “I have something really nice to wear tonight.”
“Good.” He nodded in satisfaction. “Now go and shower.”
“Yes, boss.” I mumbled under my breath as I walked into the bathroom and I heard him laughing behind me.
***
His View
I tightened my bowtie and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked as I normally did on the outside. However, inside I felt a bundle of knots of confusion. Lola was confusing me. I’d expected her to be quiet and timid and impressed by my wealth. I’d expected her to walk through each room and mentally calculate how much I was worth. Well, that’s not true. I didn’t think she was after my money. She had so little care for money and status symbols. It was something I loved about her, yet, I didn’t know how she’d survive in my world. She’d be judged by her appearance and I’d be judged by her appearance. I sighed as I realized that I was thinking about her being with me in the long term. What did it matter to me if she looked like a model on the catwalk or a bag lady? It didn’t.
I froze as I heard her coming out of the bathroom. I didn’t want to look at her. I didn’t want to feel that habitual need every time I looked into her eyes.
“Is this outfit good enough for tonight?” She said sweetly and I turned towards her. Her eyes were laughing at me as she stood there in a red dress with big ugly yellow polka dots. It was horrendous and as I was about to ask her what she thought she was wearing, I realized that she was playing me. She wanted to get a rise out of me and not one in my pants. I smiled to myself as I decided to keep my mouth shut. Lola would feel more uncomfortable than I would wearing that at the dinner table.
“It’s beautiful.” I smiled at her and watched as her face dropped at my words. Did she really think she was playing with an amateur? Her twenty-one years were nothing compared to my twenty-eight years. She was going down and I was going to enjoy watching it play out.
“You really think so?”
“Oh yes.” I grinned. “Are you ready to go down to dinner now?”
“Like this?” I watched as she swallowed hard and hid a smile. Yes, this was going to be very very enjoyable.
Chapter
Three
The room went silent as Xavier and I made our grand entrance. Unfortunately, I knew that the silence wasn’t because everyone was in awe of what a great couple we made. I knew people were staring at me and my cheap dress. Why had I chosen to wear it? I knew I looked like an idiot. The dress was short and red with big yellow polka dots. It had been a present from my grandma one Christmas and I’d packed it to remind myself of her. I’d never planned on wearing it. I would never willingly wear this dress, not even to my local grocery store back home, and Publix was certainly no gourmet market. I cringed as I realized that I was wearing the ugliest dress known to man in front of a bunch of Royals.
“This is your seat, Lola.” Xavier grinned at me as he pulled a chair out for me. “Next to me, of course.”
“Of course.” I wanted to roll my eyes and move away from him, but I already knew that I’d already made a spectacle of myself.
“Did you lose your keys?” Tarquin asked me curiously as I sat down. I could see everyone staring at me waiting for my response.
“My keys?” I looked at him curiously and I could see a bright light in his eyes as he laughed at me.
“Your padlock keys?”
“The padlock keys that open your suitcase.”
“My suitcase didn’t have a padlock.” I frowned and saw that Xavier’s lips were trembling. “Why did you ask that?”
“Oh, I figure you didn’t have access to most of your clothes.” He looked down at my polka-dot dress and I blushed.
“Tarquin.” Xavier’s mother cut him off. “Don’t be rude. I’m sure that must be the fashion in the United States, their styles are very different to us.”
“I thought the fashion there was short shorts and tight tops?” He grinned. “If it’s not, then I don’t want to go to the States next year after all. I’ll just go to St. Tropez instead.”
“It’s not the fashion in the States to wear dresses like this.” I mumbled, embarrassed.
“It’s just Lola’s style.” Xavier grabbed my hand. “She’s unique like that.”
“I’m just trying to express myself.” I smiled at everyone at the table, going around and making eye contact with each person. I realized that the only people at the table were Xavier’s parents, Tarquin and us. The table was so large and there was so much food on it, that I’d thought there were more people.
“It’s nice to express yourself.” Xavier’s father nodded. “Sebastian was like that when he was a teenager, always wearing those hippie clothes.” He smiled at me indulgently. “Now can we eat, I’m starved.”