The Start-Up Part 5

Chapter 9.

Poached Salmon With A Hint of Blackmail.

Every Sunday for as long as she could remember, Patty's family had gathered for Hawkins family dinner. The dinner was mandatory for any Hawkins within a fifty-mile radius, and often included close family friends.

Tonight's dinner was going to be awkward, and there was no way around that. Patty's sister Shandi was home from college, Shandi's fiance Chad was joining the dinner, and Patty could still feel Chad's hands on her body. So, yeah. Awkward. Mrs. Hawkins had texted Patty earlier to let her know that she'd invited T. J. Bristol to make up for the fact that they'd been out of town for his graduation party and did she want to text him about sharing a ride from campus? No, thank you, Mom, she thought. I don't share rides with people trying to blackmail me.

The dinner was going to be so awkward, in fact, that Patty was trying to think of it as a sitcom she was watching, rather than one she was a part of.

Don't get emotional, she told herself as she drove her red-and-white striped Mini Cooper Convertible from campus to Atherton. Just be an observer, like they teach you in yoga.

She got to the house at six o'clock and snuck in through the kitchen door, giving a big hug to Felicia, the Puerto Rican cook who had been with the family since Patty was in preschool.

"Everybody here?" she asked Felicia as she poured herself a gla.s.s of pinot grigio. She immediately took two huge gulps.

"Mr. Hawkins and Miss Shandi are in the living room. Mrs. Hawkins is still upstairs getting ready, yeah, yeah, yeah." Felicia waved her hand as if to say "You know Mrs. Hawkins is always upstairs getting ready." She went back to furiously mixing sugar in a bowl.

"What are you making?" Patty asked, stalling in order to finish her wine."Ice cream. Vanilla mint with a touch of lavender." Patty reached out her finger to take a taste, but Felicia batted it away.

"No, no, no! It's for the baby shower your mother is hosting on Wednesday for Mrs. Jacobson."

Patty gave Felicia a pouty face until she conceded. "I'll save you a bowl and put it in the freezer. But don't tell your mother. And get in and say h.e.l.lo to your sister already."

Patty nodded, satisfied, and downed her wine. "Thanks, Felicia," she said, as she skipped through the swinging door to the living room.

"h.e.l.lo, family!" she exclaimed with sarcastic enthusiasm as she entered the room. Mr. Hawkins and Shandi were deep in conversation, seated on plush armchairs in front of an antique coffee table. When Patty entered the room, they both looked up. Mr. Hawkins smiled and got up from his chair, embracing his younger daughter and kissing her on the forehead. "h.e.l.lo, my dear! You're looking lovely!"

Shandi remained seated, propped on her left hip, her slim legs crossed at the ankles, a champagne flute elegantly suspended between three fingers.

She looked like she was posing for an oil painting. She was wearing a simple silk purple slip dress and gold sandals with turquoise stones at the toe strap; her long brown hair fell in gentle curls down the front of her shoulders and her two-and-a-half-carat, princess-cut engagement ring sparkled obnoxiously atop the thin finger that could barely support its weight.

Shandi smiled politely at her younger sister and held out her right hand.

"h.e.l.lo, my dear," she said to Patty, who reluctantly obliged her beckoning, taking the hand and kissing her still-sitting sister on the cheek. The way her sister pretended to be some proper society princess from a Jane Austen novel made Patty want to gag.

"Hi, Shandi. Welcome back."

"Thanks, love. You look . . . " She struggled to come up with an adjective. "Tan."

"Can I get you a drink, Patty?" her father offered as she took a seat on the sofa facing the two armchairs.

"Yes, please," Patty responded, as though the thought of having a drink (or having had one already) hadn't crossed her mind. "Is there any pinot grigio open?"

"Coming right up."

The doorbell rang and Patty heard Felicia open it for T. J., who sauntered into the living room grinning and carrying a bouquet of white roses.

"h.e.l.lo, ladies!" he said jovially to the Hawkins sisters. "How is everyone this evening?" He walked over to Shandi, protesting as she started to stand up, and leaned down to kiss her on either cheek. "Aren't you looking lovelier than ever?" Shandi blushed. As much as she wrote him off as an a.s.shole, the part of her that had had an enormous crush on him from fifth through ninth grade couldn't help smile whenever he gave her a compliment.

T. J. crossed to the sofa and plopped down next to Patty. "Mind if I join you?"

Patty rolled her eyes. "Of course not, T. J." He stared straight at Patty and smiled coyly, as if inviting her to start the charade.

"So," he asked, "where's Chad?"

Not picking up on where he'd directed the question, Shandi answered.

"He's at a business school mixer but should be here any minute. I can't wait for you two to meet."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang again and Mr. Hawkins, who was walking back from the kitchen, welcomed his future son-in-law.

"Look who I found," he announced to the room as he brought Patty her gla.s.s of white wine.

Shandi stood up from her chair and let Chad rush over to embrace her in his strong arms, kissing her gently on the lips. "My beautiful bride-to-be. Man, have I missed you."

They stayed for a moment in that sickeningly perfect embrace. Patty watched them, and T. J. watched Patty.

Finally, Chad crossed to the sofa and stuck out his hand to T. J. "You must be T. J. I'm Chad. Great to meet you." With a sly grin, T. J. returned the firm handshake. "It's great to meet you, Chad. I've heard so much about you. And . . . " T. J. glanced at Patty "I've seen so many photos. I feel like I practically know you already." Chad nodded politely. He didn't care to fraternize with so many people who were younger than him. An unfortunate ramification of marrying someone four years your junior was that you didn't always get along with her friends.

As if he had delayed the inevitable long enough, Chad finally turned to Patty, who remained seated. Walking across the room, he lifted his hand into a high five. "What's going on, little sis?" She furrowed her brow, c.o.c.ked her head to one side and looked up at him just long enough for them both, and T. J., to notice, but not long enough for anyone else to pick up on the exchange. She grabbed hold of his hand to help her stand up from the sofa and smiled. "I'm great, Chad. It's really swell to see you. I'm also starving.

What does everyone say to forcing Mom downstairs so we can eat?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Mrs. Hawkins called from the stairs, which she was hopping down in a cute Lily Pulitzer sundress and sandals, her hair perfectly coiffed and her makeup impeccably clean.

"Felicia, can you go ahead and start serving the salads?" The first course went smoothly enough. T. J. and Patty sat on one side of the table, facing Shandi and Chad, and Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins sat at either end. Shandi dominated the conversation, going on and on about Yale-she was staying an extra year to finish a master's degree in art history-and about the latest parties in New York at the Frick and the New York Athletic Club and you-just-wouldn't-believe-how-sophisticated-New-York-parties-are-compared-to-California-ones. Gross.

Patty watched T. J. politely nod as Shandi continued but could feel him waiting to say something and was terrified of what that something was.

As Felicia served the main course-poached salmon with dill-cuc.u.mber sauce, Israeli couscous, and grilled asparagus-T. J. saw his opportunity.

"So, tell me about the wedding planning," he said.

Mrs. Hawkins was delighted. This was her favorite topic of conversation.

"Well, it's going to be in Maui. I wanted the Glen Ridge Vineyard in Napa Valley-have you been there? It's stunning and very difficult to book.

It was listed in Vogue last year as one of the top twenty-five most beautiful places in the world to get married." Mrs. Hawkins shrugged. "But our Shandi wanted Maui so Hawaii it is."

"Patty, are you a bridesmaid?" asked T.J.

Shandi answered for her. "Of course; she's my maid of honor, but I'm having nine other bridesmaids."

"You must be very excited to watch your sister marry Chad, Patty." T.

J. turned to her. "I've never been best man, but I've heard it's tremendously special to watch two people you care so much about give their vows to each other from the front row."

Mrs. Hawkins was touched. "Well aren't you sweet, T. J.!"

T. J. smiled gleefully and took a bite of his salmon. Patty took another gulp of wine.

"You know what would be really cool?" T. J. said. The table all turned to him. Patty cringed. "Remember in the Royal Wedding, when William drove Kate off in the cla.s.sic sports car? You should do that. Dad has this great 1968 Lamborghini that would be perfect." T. J. paused and grinned at Patty. "I don't know if you got a chance to check out the collection at my party the other night, but this Lamborghini is something else. It's navy- oh, it would suit you so well, Shandi-and I'm sure if you promised to take care of it, Dad would let you drive it, Chad."

"T. J. Bristol," Mrs. Hawkins said, her eyes bright with if-only-I-were-thirty-years-younger affection. "You are too much. That is a lovely idea.

Don't you think, Shandi?"

"That's really sweet of you to offer, T. J., I'll definitely think about it.

I mean, we'll think about it." She turned to Chad, who was mid-bite, and squeezed his hand affectionately.

There was nothing that bored Mr. Hawkins so much as wedding talk, and he used the pause to switch the conversation. "How long has your father been collecting those sports cars, T. J.?"

"Oh, I think he bought his first one after the Kadence sale. His celebration present to himself."

Mr. Hawkins smiled. That deal had been huge. It had set a new bar for Silicon Valley wealth. "Well, he certainly deserved it. My, what a deal that was. I only put fifty thousand dollars in and the return was enough to cover both these girls' college tuition, plus some. Wish I'd taken your father's advice and put in more. He's truly a visionary." T. J. was focusing on his food, but he looked up politely at Mr. Hawkins, his affability somewhat diminished. "He got lucky, that's for sure."

"Luck doesn't build the kind of reputation your father's got. He f.u.c.king gets it; he sees where things are headed." T. J. looked down at his plate and mumbled just loudly enough for Patty to hear. "Here we go again."

Mr. Hawkins was on a roll. "I remember him talking about changes in music, practically forecasting the whole demise of the record industry. We all thought he was nuts. I wouldn't even have put in fifty thousand dollars if it weren't for the fact that I wanted to keep him on as a client." Mr.

Hawkins chuckled. "Now, when your Dad offers me a deal, I don't think twice. I mean, Gibly? Didn't even hesitate. I don't get it, I don't get why it sold for so much, but if Ted Bristol tells me something's going to be big, I know it's going to be big. I put in a ton of money, and now look: it's like Christmas around here, all thanks to your Dad." T. J. finally looked up and forced a smile. "Perhaps he'll have a new sports car for you two to try out," he said, looking at Patty.

Felicia, G.o.d bless her, interrupted to clear the plates and the conversation devolved into gossip at the tennis club.

As Patty ate her creme brulee, she smiled. She'd just figured out a strategy for persuading T. J. to get rid of the tape.

Chapter 10.

Deuce.

After dessert, Mr. Hawkins asked if anyone wanted to join him in the movie room to preview a new doc.u.mentary on the drug wars in Mexico. Like most homes in Atherton, the Hawkins' house had a room in the bas.e.m.e.nt with fifteen reclining theater seats, a ma.s.sive projector screen, and surround-sound stereo for watching films. Mr. Hawkins' latest hobby was an investment in Franklin Media, a socially conscious film production company. The investment made him no money, but getting early DVDs of upcoming releases made him feel cool and hip.

"As riveting as that sounds, I think Chad and I will head back to his place," Shandi said. Chad shrugged his shoulders to his future father-in-law. "She makes the calls," he said.

T. J. claimed he needed to get back to campus, and Patty declined on the basis of schoolwork. "I'll walk you out," she told T. J. Then, so that only he could hear, she added, "We need to talk." T. J.'s grin returned as he followed her outside to the patio, where she pulled out a chair from a round wrought-iron dining table. "Sit down," she said, as she took the seat opposite him.

He followed her instructions, pus.h.i.+ng the chair back and leaning with his hands crossed behind his head and his right ankle crossed over his left knee. "Miss Hawkins, you are really something. Quite a performer."

"Where did you get it? Who taped it?"

"You sweet little naif," he said. He loved this and she hated him for it.

"Do you really think my father would leave all those sports cars in a garage without a full security system?"

"f.u.c.k," Patty said. She shook her head as she realized her stupidity. Of course there were security cameras in the garage.

"Don't worry, no one knows except me and a security guard. He had quite a good time watching you, by the way. Or, I guess I should say that no one else knows yet."

"Why are you doing this? I've never done anything to you."

"That's not the point, Patty. The point is power."

"What?"

"The point is to acc.u.mulate power," T. J. said slowly, as though he were giving a lecture to a child. "I have something on you now, and therefore if I ever need something from you, you have a reason to give it to me."

"How clever of you. And what do you think I might one day be able to provide?"

"I don't know; you're a popular girl. Maybe there's a sorority sister I want to meet or a rumor I need to start. I think you could prove very handy, Patty."

"What if I told you I had something that could help you deal with your daddy issues?"

T. J.'s smile evaporated and he glared at her. He uncrossed his hands from behind his head and said, with contempt, "What are you talking about?"

Now it was Patty's turn to smile. "Your daddy issues, T. J. You know, your inferiority complex? Your hurt feelings that Ted never takes time for you, even answers phone calls during your graduation toast? The fact that you'll never, ever, no matter what you do, live up to him in this town?" T. J.'s jaw was clenched and his lips pursed. "You have no right to-"

"Oh, T. J., I have every right to. You started this game, not me." Patty's mischievous smile acknowledged that she knew she'd struck a chord. The power had s.h.i.+fted in her favor.

T. J.'s anger was mounting, his chest expanding with every breath.

"What have you got?"

"Not so fast, my friend. Conditions first." T. J. nodded with forced patience. "Okay, what are your conditions, bearing in mind they're dependent on the quality of your information?"

"Oh, trust me, it's quality. Conditions are: in front of me, you physically destroy the tape in full, including any copies that may have been produced by you or the security guard, and erase all digital evidence entirely."

"And in exchange?"

"I give you information that will halt the Gibly deal and destroy your father's reputation."

"How on earth would you have that information?"

"I have my sources."

"And why would you want to halt the Gibly deal? You just heard how much your family has invested in it."