“I didn’t need to say anything. Besides, I like being on the other side of the camera. Working with photographers like Richard Avedon and Irving Penn taught me to appreciate the art of photography.”
“I worked with Avedon a few times,” Matt said. “He was so creative.”
“He shot my firstVoguecover and sealed my success. Yet if you ask my mother, she’s the...” She sighed. “Never mind. Let’s not go there.”
Their salads arrived, and Blaire topped off their tea while giving Harlow another good look before flirting with Matt again.
“Are you going to ask her out?” Harlow said when she’d gone.
“I was thinking of asking you out.”
Harlow choked on her first bite of salmon and lettuce, washing it down with a swig of unsweetened tea. “Very funny.”
“Why’s that funny?”
Their gazes locked while she fished for a clever reply. Was he serious? Didn’t he see she wasn’ttheHarlow Hayes anymore?
“You can’t ask me out. You just became my boss. No fraternizing.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to fire you.”
“Too late. I’ve accepted the job.” She stabbed at her salad. Was he teasing her?Having her on, as her British friend Tippy would say.
“If you’re not doing anything this afternoon, meet me at the Starlight. I’ll show you around.”
“All right, but I’m warning you—no skates.”
The grilled salmon salad was delicious, even familiar in a good way. Maybe she’d missed a little bit of Peter Rabbit food.
A customer paused at their table to tell Matt she had his poster on her wall during high school, and another asked for his autograph. He graciously signed and chatted with her.
When he tried to pay, Blaire told him Audra comped his lunch. “Rollo on the Radio announced you were here, and now folks are lined up down the block.”
“Who’s Rollo on the Radio?” Harlow asked.
“Local DJ. Good guy. A few years ahead of me in high school. Can you get us out of here, Blaire? And tell Audra she owes me more than a lunch for dropping my name to Rollo.”
Blaire escorted them through the kitchen to go out the back so folks wouldn’t know he’d left. Laughing, they ran toward the beach, and Harlow was grateful when he stopped at the Beachwalk. Despite the cool spring breeze, certain parts of her dress were dark with perspiration.
“Thank you, Matt.”
“For what?”
For being nice. For being her friend. For treating her like she mattered. “If you don’t know, then forget it, but—”
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. But you’d do the same for me.”
She peered up at him, a bit of the Starlight’s neon light on his face. “Yes, I probably would.”
11
TUESDAY
DECEMBER 1936
“Ma!” LJ thundered into the kitchen, with Dup following and the screen door slapping behind them. “You got to come. Now.” He tugged on her arm so hard she nearly knocked over a huge pot of chili.
“LJ, mind yourself. What are you all riled about?” She sampled the chili. Fair to middling, seeing how this was her umpteenth batch and she’d run out of salt. Tonight was Christmas at the Starlight, which was free to all, and she needed a lot of chili. In about an hour, the place would be bustling with volunteers to decorate and prepare for Ol’ St. Nick to arrive, along with the baby Jesus, of course.
