Further, I’d sent a picture of Battle and me to Solène, and she immediately called after she received it.
And when I picked up, she shouted, “Holy fuck!”
I was not surprised at this reaction.
They were coming out next month.
And yes, they were staying at The Downs.
I didn’t have to try too hard to be convincing. I just sent her photos of the place (mostly Chassie’s gardens), and she’d texted, We’re in.
Her response was so swift, I wasn’t sure she’d run it by Alex.
What I suspected was that he was a man in the manner of Battle, so my sister wouldn’t find him hard to convince either.
Another total non-surprise, my agent lost her shit when she saw Prue’s work.
She signed her within days, and they were planning to go out to bid soon for Into the Gilt Frame (they were going to start at the beginning).
Natalie had already given a few editors some advanced looks, and she told Prue what I knew from the beginning.
She needed to strap in, because it was about to get very interesting.
Prue was nervous, excited and anxious.
But she’d soon have objective input into how talented she was.
So she’d soon come to understand that was the bottom-line truth.
And the last bit of news, the weekend after he’d asked me, I moved into Battle’s rooms.
This did not have to do with the better vanity.
It also didn’t have to do with the pink star sapphire topped and tailed with a triangle of three diamonds in a pendant and matching earrings he brought home from London with him that week (and yes, because Tempie had a big mouth, I now had an amethyst tennis bracelet, an emerald-cut amethyst ring, the stone sitting in a band accented with pavé diamonds, and an amethyst and diamond choker, because they matched my wedding outfits—this was a lot from Battle, but I could tell he seriously got off on spoiling me, so I kept my mouth shut, something I found hard at first, but I was getting used to it).
The move to his rooms further wasn’t because I wasn’t a fan of schlepping things I’d need to the south wing, or Battle doing it when we were in my room, or either of us leaving because we needed our clothes or deodorant.
I moved because he wanted me to move.
And because it felt right.
Before I did it, though, I called and talked to Lenny about it, primarily how fast this was going.
And she said, “One thing I know, Viv, you are no dummy. You’re also not a sucker. And last, that man wouldn’t move this fast if he wasn’t right there with you. He has to have trust issues a million miles wide with all the gold diggers who want to dig into him. And he’s all in with you. Not sure why you’d fight it or question it. It’s not like he’s chained you in his dungeons. If shit goes south, you can leave. But since it isn’t, why not do what you always do? Roll with it and make it work, if you want it to work. Or cut your losses if you don’t.”
My sister was wise.
Therefore, me and the cats were in with Battle and his babies.
And everything was good.
Watching Battle pose for pictures with the other groomsmen was totally not boring.
Why I thought it would be meant someone should evaluate me.
Eventually, after coming to me to kiss my nose, he went with the others to hang with Rally pre-big-moment, and I went to the patio where pre-big-moment champagne was being served to arriving guests.
I joined Prue, Tempie, Hamish and yes, Chassie had squeezed Christian in at the last minute as her plus one.
