The Company You Keep (31 page)

“I’m sure some of them are, but that doesn’t mean you need to make a spectacle of yourself.” Even to Vic’s own ears, he sounded like a stuffed shirt.

Joe tapped his index finger repeatedly on Vic’s lapel. “Well, excuse me. And here I thought I was merely bonding with my fellow man. Or should I say
your
fellow alums. After all, not all of us can claim to be so classy.” Joe reached for Vic’s tie and let the silk slide through his fingers. “I like the stripes, dude. They give you a certain zip—classy but zippy.” Joe seemed to find that particularly funny.

If Vic didn’t know better, he’d think Joe was feeling sorry for himself. “Maybe it’d be better if you sat down. Can I get you some coffee?”

Joe shook his head vehemently. “Don’t need coffee. Don’t want to do anything to diminish the great buzz I’ve got going.” He looked around, pleased. “So what’s your excuse?”

“I’m just looking for Mimi.” Which is what Vic tried to do again, bending to the side to check behind his brother.

“Ah, the elusive Mimi Lodge.” Joe leaned in close. “So did you screw her yet?”

“Joe!”

His brother looked as if he’d been slapped. “I don’t know what your problem is. I mean, someone might as well get something out of that family, ’cause the business sure as hell isn’t. So much for old college buddies looking out for each other.”

“Joe, I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re on about, and I think it’d be wiser if you kept Mimi out of the—”

“And speaking of Mimi Lodge.” Joe held up his arm. “Here she is
en famille
—that’s French for scumbags, for you Ivy League types.”

Vic swiveled around to see Mimi approaching him. A smile spread across her face. She dragged behind her a couple who seemed reluctant to mingle.

“Vic,” Mimi said, sweeping up next to him. “How good to see you again.”

“You also.” He nodded coyly. “Though I’m not sure I recognize you in your outfit.”

“I know. It’s horrible, isn’t it?” She stared down at the garish costume. “I feel like a drum majorette who’s escaped from the Rose Bowl.” She gave a tiny shiver. “But enough about me. I don’t believe you’ve met my father and his wife, Noreen. Brigid is off forcing Press to buy her copious amounts of ice cream.”

Vic laughed. “My sister is also trying to bribe Tommy.” He held out his hand. “Mrs. Lodge.” They shook hands. “Mr. Lodge. We talked on the phone about the panel.”

“Yes, of course. I’m delighted you agreed to participate. It should make for a very interesting discussion.”

“As would the state of business at Pilgrim Investments, don’t you think, Mr. Lodge?” Joe asked, drawing out the one syllable name.

Vic saw Conrad Lodge’s mouth twitch, and his wife subtly, but protectively, slipped her arm through his. “I’m sorry, this is my brother, Joe. I’m afraid he’s had too much to drink,” he offered.

“No need to apologize. It happens to the best of us,” Conrad replied, his eyes darting around the room. He stretched a forced smile to some people passing by.

“So, I hear there’s been some excitement at Pilgrim—excitement that is having an impact on the new building contract in Australia,” Joe pressed.

“I wouldn’t know,” Conrad said in a monotone. He looked over at Noreen.

“Perhaps you need some water, dear?” Noreen asked.

“Ah, yes, you Lodges are famous for your water tricks when it comes to us Golinskis. Frankly, it’s your business tricks that are more lethal at the moment.”

“Not here, Joe,” Vic admonished him. “This is about pleasure, not business.”

“Sure. I’m just surprised you’re capable of enjoying yourself so soon after being let go.” Joe wouldn’t give up.

“What?” Mimi stared at her father. “What’s going on?”

Conrad stared at his feet.

“There was an office coup on Thursday,” Noreen spoke up instead. “It seems some of the younger partners decided they wanted to run the show.”

Mimi’s eyes opened wide. “So…so…that was the emergency in New York. I mean, that’s why you went in?”

Noreen grasped Conrad’s arm with both hands, a show of support. “Exactly.”

“And the reason for the panic attack.”

“It would appear.” Conrad wet his lips, and Mimi couldn’t help noticing his embarrassment, his fear. “Naturally, I’d prefer to keep this all under wraps for now—until I can straighten things out.”

“Of course,” Vic jumped in. “There’s no need to discuss any of this. I’m sure it will all be ironed out soon.” Vic thought that was probably unlikely, but he had the good graces to keep that opinion to himself.

Mimi was still shaking her head in disbelief. “And here Press and I thought all the commotion was because Noreen was leaving you.”

Conrad looked at Noreen. “You’re leaving me?” He appeared stricken.

“Absolutely not.” She patted his arm. The relief in Conrad’s eyes was obvious, but the worry was not entirely erased.

Joe turned to his brother. “That’s all well and good for you to be all noble, Vic, when you know perfectly well Lodge’s goose is cooked at Pilgrim.” Joe stopped himself. “That may remotely be a pun, but I’ll let you figure it out. Anyway.” He waved his hand. “Anyway, in the meantime, the new regime has decided to put
our
bid on hold. It seems it’s tainted by affiliation with
you.
” Joe pointed at Mimi’s father.

“Joe, that’s enough,” Vic said, his voice dangerously low. “There’s no need to cause a scene.” He turned to Mimi and her family. “I apologize for my brother’s rudeness.”

“Don’t bother apologizing,” Joe interrupted. “In fact, don’t bother romancing the daughter here anymore. It’s not like it’s going to do us any more good.”

“Joe, why don’t you shut up,” Vic said under his breath. “You’ve had too much to drink.”

Mimi turned to Vic, confused. “Hold on. What does he mean? It’s not going to do
who
any good anymore?”

Joe stepped between them. “The contract for the stone for the new office in Australia. Part of the deal with your father was that Vic here show you a good time.”

“Joe! That’s ridiculous and you know it.” Vic’s voice was menacing.

“What does he mean?” she asked Vic again. Then she noticed her father bowing his head. “Father. What did you do?”

Conrad raised his chin.

“I felt that if you could get passionate about something again, it might wake you up from your slumber.”

“Slumber? I’m not some Sleeping Beauty. I was suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome!”

“Yes, well, I’m not a psychiatrist. I’m a father.”

“Since when?” Mimi shot back.

Joe pushed the sides of his suit jacket back and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his trousers. He was clearly enjoying the set-to.

“So I tried to think of what would rile you up, what people or events in the past had gotten your goat so much that you couldn’t stop yourself from reacting. I’d already been appointed to the Reunions committee heading up the panels, and then it struck me.”

She turned to Vic. “And you went along with this?”

“It’s not what it sounds like. Your father requested I sit on the panel and at the same time mentioned he might be able to throw some business our way in exchange.”

Her mouth dropped open. “This goes from bad to worse. He basically paid you to go out with me?”

“He never said anything about going out with you. That happened all on its own.” Vic reached out. “I was going to tell you, trust me. It’s just that things kind of took on a life of their own, and when they did, somehow other things got in the way.”

“Like sex, you mean?” Mimi laughed. She didn’t sound remotely humored.

“Mimi,” Noreen said in hushed tones.

Mimi stared at her stepmother, the stepmother she thought she’d understood and admired. “Why so prudish all of a sudden? Weren’t you the woman who had an affair with a married man—my father, to be exact? Or was that just a money transaction, as well?”

“Mimi! You apologize,” her father ordered.

She held up her hands. “Okay, I take back that last crack. It was a low blow, but at the moment, I’m not feeling particularly charitable toward anyone.” She slanted a glance at Vic. “You especially. I thought we had a connection. And all along you were lying to me,” she pleaded to him.

“I wasn’t lying. I was holding back—just like I do with everything.” He shook his head. “I told you things I’ve never told anyone else.” Vic drew his mouth in a hard line. “Listen, I knew you’d be pissed when you found out, that you were bound to take it the wrong way. Your trust in me is still new, still raw…”

“Raw? You want to talk about raw? Well, that’s me right now. I’m feeling raw, all right. Raw and used.”

Vic grimaced. “Believe me, that was never my intention.”

She stared at him long and hard. “Are you sure?” Mimi didn’t wait for an answer, but instead addressed her father. “I suppose you still expect me to go through with this panel after lunch?”

Conrad nodded. “Please, you can’t back out now. What will people say? I’m worried the rumors are already starting about Pilgrim before I’ve had time to do some damage control.”

Mimi narrowed her eyes. “It’s always about you, isn’t it?” She breathed in and turned her head to the side. “I can’t talk about this anymore. I can’t deal with you—all of you anymore.” Then she turned back to her father. “But don’t worry. Unlike some Lodges, I’m to be trusted. I’ll serve on your frigging panel.”

Mimi regarded the enormous hat in her hand and kept shaking her head in anger. Then she brought her eyes up and focused on Joe. “Here, you take this. I’m not sure you can fit your big, fat mouth in it, but it’s worth a try.” She punched the hat in Joe’s stomach and took off, pushing through the crowd.

Joe grabbed the hat before it hit the floor. “That beats all.” He laughed. “Here, I’m the only one willing to speak the truth, and I get grief.”

“Joe, for the love of Pete, would you please shut up.” Vic pushed his bottom teeth forward.

“But I was just trying to protect you, protect the family,” Joe protested.

Vic slanted him a vicious look. “Yeah? Well, don’t try so hard next time.”

Joe stuck up his chin. “What? You think you’re the only one who knows what’s best for our family? For the business? I got news for you. You’re just as much a sucker for a pair of tits as the next guy—not that she has much in that department.” He snickered.

Vic made a fist with his left hand, brought it up shoulder high and decked him.

The people around them scurried back as Joe lay sprawled on the floor. “What the…?” He tested his jaw, maneuvering it back and forth.

Vic shook his hand to lessen the pain. “I guess I still have some anger management issues, after all.” Then he stormed out, too.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

TWO HOURS LATER, Mimi was seated in a crowded lecture room—ironically, the same one where she and Vic had had the Civil War history course.

She looked around—the place was packed, especially with older men who had that large shoulder, somewhat paunchy build of ex-jocks whose one-time muscle had turned to fat.

“Welcome, everyone, to the Reunions Panel titled, ‘A Return Look at the Impact of Title IX on Intercollegiate Athletics at the University.’” Her father, his tortoiseshell half glasses slipping down his nose, read from a note card. Since this morning’s encounter at the Un-Parade, Mimi couldn’t help noticing that his color was better and he seemed more confident. Being the center of attention clearly put him in his element.

Standing at a lectern to the side of the table of panelists, Conrad made the introductions one by one. The current Athletic Director was seated directly to Conrad’s left, and various coaches, the university Provost, Vic and Mimi filled out the remaining seats. Whoever had made the arrangements had stationed Vic toward the middle and Mimi at the far end. Given her suspicious nature, she would have assumed that either her father or Vic had banished her to the nether regions. But she had purposely arrived early, lurking in the back of the auditorium, to make sure there was no hanky-panky on their part.

She also couldn’t help noticing that the pitchers of water were placed well out of her grasp.

“Now that we’ve met all our participants, let me say how grateful I am to our returning members from the original panel,” Conrad went on. “It’s not often that the university can elicit its members to participate in a second panel twelve years after the original. And this, I believe, is a testament to the loyalty and respect that we Grantham alums feel for our alma mater.”

Naturally, his statement received applause from the partisan audience.

“So, without further ado, I thought we’d begin with Athletic Director and Class of ’72 graduate, Dwight Reginald. He’ll give us a brief update on the current state of intercollegiate athletics at Grantham and the effects of Title IX on the program as a whole. I might ask the other panel members to also keep their responses and comments as brief as possible so that we will be able to get everyone’s input as well as answer questions from the audience. We all want to stay on schedule in order not to miss the events of the day. Dwight?” Conrad held out a magnanimous hand.