“Under.”
“Nope.”
“She was a six?”
“Keep going.”
“What? No way! She was a huge sex symbol.”
“Huge is right. She was a size 12!”
“What? That doesn’t make sense!”
“You’re right. But you’d still lose your bet.”
“Why?”
“Clothing sizes in the 1950’s ran smaller. Marilyn’s wardrobe proves she wore a size 12. But in today’s dress sizes, she’d be a six. When you bet with these guys—and you shouldn’t—you need to pay attention to each word. The bet was her dress size, not her actual size. Want to know something else strange about her?”
“Sure.”
“She used to cut off one of her high heels to exaggerate her hip motion.”
“I guess no one was looking at her feet,” I say.
As the men come back, I hear Fast Eddie say, “So I check-raised the pigeon on the turn. When he come over the top with boys, I show pocket sharps!”
They roar. I look at Gwen. She shakes her head in disdain.
“Who won?” I say.
“Won what?” Eddie says.
“The bet just now.”
“What bet?”
Lucky looks at Eddie and says, “Guy’s got it bad, don’t he!”
“Give me ten minutes with him,” Eddie says, “I’ll own his shorts.”
He’s on my left, Lucky’s on my right, Gwen’s sitting right of Lucky, which would put Surrey between Gwen and Eddie, if she were here.
After formally introducing me and Gwen to Fast Eddie, Lucky says, “Where’s Surrey?”
“In the car,” Eddie says. “Look, I want to apologize in advance for any tension we might bring to the dinner. But Surrey and I have been quarreling most of the day.”
“About Vegas Moon?” Lucky says.
“No. About the pre-nup.
“It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?” Gwen says.
Lucky says, “They’re not legally married yet.”
Eddie adds, “It’s all common law, so far.” He smiles at Gwen. “But I intend to make an honest woman of her.”
“Good for you!” Gwen says, enthusiastically. Then she looks at Lucky and adds, “That way, when you cheat on her, it’ll raise your adrenalin.”
“She understands!” Eddie says.
Gwen glances in my direction and says nothing, but her eyes are saying, Can you believe these assholes?
“Have you filed a legal action?” Lucky says.
“Not yet. We’re still waiting and seeing. That’s what lawyers like to do. Wait and see.”
“But the meter keeps runnin’, am I right?” Eddie says.
“Yeah. But hopefully those numbskulls in the state house will sign off on it.”
Lucky said, “I know those guys. They tried to indict me for racketeering. Me, for Chrissakes! It’s all I can do to keep the mob outta my business.”
“Tell me about it,” Eddie says.
“Is your last name really Pickles?” Gwen says. “Like in Rugrats?”
“What’s Rugrats?”
“She’s young,” Lucky says. “Don’t pay any attention to her.”
“Hot as she is, it’d be impossible not to pay attention, if you don’t mind my saying.”
Gwen smiles, lowers her eyes, raises them again, working him. “Of course I don’t mind, Eddie,” she purrs.
Eddie smiles broadly. “I like it when you say my name like that,” he says, while sexually assaulting Gwen’s body with his eyes. “Jesus, Lucky! Now I know how you got the name! If I had something like that, I’d chain her to the bed post and hit it day and night!”
