Heads You Win Read online

  Alex quickly sat down, relieved that at least no one could now see his bell-bottom trousers.

  “How do you know Lawrence?” asked the young woman on his left, after grace had been delivered by the Cardinal Archbishop of Boston.

  Alex found himself stuttering for the first time in his life. “I served … I served under Lieutenant Lowell in Vietnam.”

  “Ah yes, Lawrence mentioned that he’d invited you, but he wasn’t sure if you’d come.”

  Alex was already wishing he hadn’t.

  “And what do you do now, Alex?”

  “I own a string of pizza parlors,” he blurted out, immediately regretting his words.

  “I’ve never eaten a pizza,” she said, which Alex didn’t find hard to believe. After a long silence, he asked, “And how do you know Lieutenant Lowell?”

  “He’s my brother.” Another long silence followed before Evelyn turned to the person on her left and began telling him when she would be returning to her villa in the south of France.

  When the first course was served, Alex was uncertain which knife and fork to pick up from the large array in front of him. He followed Evelyn’s lead, before turning to the man on his right, who said, “Hi, Todd Halliday,” and shook him by the hand.

  “How do you know Lawrence?” asked Alex, hoping he wasn’t his brother.

  “We were at Choate together,” said Todd.

  “And are you also in banking?” asked Alex, as he had no idea who or what Choate was.

  “No. I manage a small investment company that specializes in start-ups. And you?”

  “I own a couple of pizza parlors, and have my eye on a third site. We’re not Pizza Hut yet, but it can only be a matter of time.”

  “Are you looking for any capital?”

  “No,” said Alex. “I’ve just sold my old company for over a million, so I won’t be needing any outside finance.”

  “But if you’re hoping to rival Pizza Hut, the right partner could speed the whole process up, and if you were interested…”

  Todd wasn’t able to complete his sentence as he was interrupted by a familiar figure whom Alex immediately recognized, who rose from his place to propose Lawrence’s health. Alex admired the relaxed way the senior senator from Massachusetts addressed the gathering, without once referring to a note, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the woman seated next to the senator, whom he’d just seen on the cover of a glossy magazine in his hotel. He only wished he looked half as good in sky blue.

  When the senator sat down to warm applause, Lawrence rose to reply. “I’m delighted,” he began, “that so many of my family and friends have been able to join me this evening to celebrate my thirtieth birthday. I’m particularly honored that Teddy was able to break away from his busy schedule to propose my health. I hope that one day, and in the not too distant future, he’ll consider standing as the Democratic candidate for president.”

  Several of the guests joined in the applause, which allowed Lawrence the chance to turn to the next page of his speech.

  “I am equally delighted to welcome to my home the man who made tonight possible, because if he hadn’t saved my life, one thing is for sure, this party would not be taking place. As you all know, when I was serving in Vietnam, I was wounded and could have been left for dead, but fortunately my second in command didn’t hesitate to take my place, and because of his leadership and courage, not only was an entire Vietcong unit wiped out, but he didn’t leave the battlefield until every American soldier had been rescued. As a result of his actions that day, Staff Sergeant Alex Karpenko was not only awarded the Silver Star, but made it possible for me to deliver this speech tonight.”

  Lawrence turned to Alex as he raised his glass, and everyone in the room stood and joined in the applause, although Alex’s immediate thought was of the Tank, and the fact that he still hadn’t visited his grave in Virginia.

  There was an even louder cheer when Lawrence announced that he would be standing for Congress as a Democratic candidate at the next election. When he finally sat down, the assembled guests broke into a raucous, out-of-tune rendition of “Happy Birthday, dear Lawrence…”

  Once the laughter and applause had finally died down, Todd turned to Alex and continued where he’d left off. “If you do decide to expand, keep in touch. Yours is just the sort of company I like backing.” He took a business card out of his wallet and handed it to Alex, who was about to ask what sum he had in mind, when he was distracted by a hand resting on his thigh.

  “Do tell me more about your little empire, Alex,” said Evelyn, leaving her hand in place.

  For a second time he found himself struggling for words as he stared into her green eyes.

  “I’ve just sold it.”

  “I do hope you got a good price.”

  “Just over a million,” he said, enjoying the attention.

  “Are you going to introduce me, Evelyn?” said a voice from behind him.

  Alex leaped to his feet when he saw the senator standing by his chair. Evelyn introduced them, and Teddy Kennedy immediately put him at ease as they chatted about Vietnam.

  “You know, Alex,” Kennedy whispered, “if you could spare a little time to help Lawrence during his campaign, it might make all the difference, and I know he’d appreciate it.”

  It had never crossed Alex’s mind that he could actually help Lawrence do anything. “I’d be only too happy to do whatever I can, senator,” he heard himself saying.

  “That’s good of you, Alex. Let’s keep in touch.”

  Kennedy’s words gave Alex a little more confidence, and made him more determined to press Todd on how much he might consider investing in Elena’s, and what he would expect in return. But when he looked around, he saw Todd standing behind him, deep in conversation with Evelyn. Alex felt he couldn’t interrupt them.

  When he sat back down he was surprised to find a queue of guests had formed, all of them wanting to speak to him and shake his hand. He answered every one of their questions, not least because it ensured he wouldn’t have to venture onto the dance floor and make a complete fool of himself. When he noticed the first guests departing just before midnight, Alex decided that after he’d had a word with Todd, he’d also slip away, but first he asked a passing waiter where the restroom was.

  “Follow me,” said Evelyn, who’d appeared from nowhere.

  Alex happily obeyed. She took his hand and led him up a wide marble staircase to the first floor, and opened a set of double doors into a bedroom that was larger than Alex’s flat in Brighton Beach.

  “Use my private bathroom,” she said, gesturing toward a door on the far side of the room.

  “Thank you,” said Alex, as he disappeared into a room that had a bath and a shower. He smiled as he washed his hands and straightened his tie, now confident enough to ask Evelyn if she would call a taxi to take him back to his hotel. But when he returned to the bedroom, he couldn’t see her. He assumed she must have gone back downstairs to the party, until he heard a voice say, “I’m over here, Alex.” He swung around to see her sitting up in bed, her magnificent ballgown lying on the floor. “Come and join me,” Evelyn said, tapping the covers.

  Alex couldn’t believe what was happening, but after hesitating for a moment, he nervously discarded his suit and shirt, and climbed into bed beside her. She immediately took him in her arms and began kissing him. He wondered if it was obvious that she was only the second woman he’d ever slept with. She finally leaned back, let out a loud sigh, and said, “I can see why the enemy didn’t have a chance.”

  Moments later she fell asleep in his arms.

  * * *

  When Alex woke the following morning, and looked at Evelyn lying beside him, he still couldn’t believe this beautiful and sophisticated woman had given him a second look. He feared that the moment she woke, the bubble would burst and he would have to return to the real world.

  He began to gently stroke her long red hair. She slowly woke and lazily stretched her arms, be