Starlight

by Alexandra Richland

  “Thank you for the ride,” she said as the elevator came to a stop at her floor.

  The operator tipped his hat. “My pleasure, Miss Sutton.”

  Inside her suite, Beth dropped her purse on the bed, removed her coat, and checked the time on the bedside clock. Before tending to her hair and makeup and selecting a dress, she removed what she hoped would be enough money from her room safe to pay for her dinner. This time she would cover her share, regardless of how insistent Aidan was to the contrary.

  ***

  The memory of kissing Beth’s hand remained in the forefront of Aidan’s thoughts as he completed his errands. He wished he could’ve given her a proper kiss on the lips, but she was a class act, a real gem, and deserved to be kissed in private, not on a crowded street—if she even wanted him to kiss her that way in the first place. He still couldn’t believe she agreed to go out with him today. Despite his persistent feeling of unworthiness, he’d be damned if he walked away from her now.

  Beth showed him how terrific life could be. She had faith in him when he didn’t have faith in himself and helped him recognize additional value in his Spike Rollins performance when he signed autographs for the boys on the street, something he usually hated doing.

  Aidan was the first to admit he was turning into a bit of a schmaltzy guy, but nothing had ever felt so right. These were positive emotions, not negative ones. Finally, he was feeling good.

  With extra zest in his step and a garment bag containing his new suit draped over his shoulder, he left the store where he’d just purchased Beth’s present. Nathan told him last night on the telephone that her birthday was on October fourth, two days from now. Since Aidan was leaving tomorrow, he had to give it to her tonight.

  As soon as he spotted the gift in the store, locked in the glass cabinet behind the counter, he knew it was the one. The deal was sealed when he opened the lid and discovered what was inside. He really hoped she’d like it, as well as the letter he wrote this morning, which he intended to give her tonight, too.

  Aidan’s final stop before he returned home to change was only a few blocks over. Upon his arrival, he made a beeline for the reception desk.

  The secretary looked up from her typewriter with a smile. “Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?”

  “The name’s Aidan Evans.” A grin stretched across his face. “Can you let Greg know I’m here? I’ve come to pick up my new Porsche 356 1500 America Roadster.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Aidan looked over the engine of his new car and released the rear hood, allowing it to fall back into place with a thud. He glided his hand along the hand-built aluminum body shell, tracing its sleek curves on his journey to the driver’s side door.

  The limited edition 356 1500 America Roadster was the most powerful Porsche in the world and had arrived on American soil only four days ago. The list of attractive features was endless: a low to the ground, lightweight custom platform chassis, removable soft rain top, sporty black leather seats, zero to sixty in ten seconds, and a top speed of one hundred and twelve miles per hour.

  The Porsche also included a weight saving door design, side window inserts, and a spartanly equipped interior, built especially for racing. Once Aidan became more familiar with the car’s handling, he decided to sign up for a professional road race—maybe in Salinas or Santa Barbara, where they were commonly held in California—and really push it to the limit.

  The fact he even had this car today was a miracle. At Sardi’s last night, he was introduced to a friend of Kazan’s, Greg Watson. After discovering they shared a love for fast cars and motorcycles, Aidan told Greg about his Triumph back in Hollywood and Greg mentioned he worked at a luxury car dealership in Manhattan.

  Aidan brought up the time a few months ago in L.A. when he first laid eyes on the new, lighter-weight Porsche Roadster model, built specifically for the U.S. market, in a magazine at a local garage while waiting for a tune up on his motorcycle. Greg motioned for Aidan to lean in closer and quietly said that his dealership had secured three of these cars and would advertise them for sale in next weekend’s paper.

  Aidan’s mission was clear immediately. He was going to buy one, regardless of the price. His only obstacle was that just twenty-one were made in total, so competition would be tough. As extra incentive, he offered a bonus if Greg moved his name to the top of the list.

  Greg slipped Aidan his card and told him to call the next morning. Aidan knew the car was his at that moment, as though he’d signed on the dotted line already. He contacted Greg before he set out to get Beth today and sure enough, the salesman promised the car would be polished, gassed up, and ready by two o’clock.

  At the dealership this afternoon, Aidan signed the necessary documents and handed over a certified check for the full amount, as well as an additional check for Greg, off the record, for finalizing the deal so quickly.

  As Aidan gave the steering wheel one last wipe down, he looked at the passenger seat where Beth would sit in just over half an hour. He wouldn’t be anticipating the drive tonight nearly as much if she weren’t at his side.

  With his suit and her present in hand, he entered his apartment for a quick shower and shave. Even with the absence of nightmares over the last few days, he still looked exhausted, but as he got dressed, sleep was the farthest thing from his mind.

  Aidan’s outfit for the evening consisted of a white dress shirt, black suit, tie, leather belt, and shoes, as well as cufflinks he accidentally brought home from a play rehearsal over a year ago. Luckily, the suit didn’t need alterations before he left the store this afternoon. He hadn’t thought about that in advance because he wasn’t used to dressing so formally.

  After transferring his wallet from his jeans to his dress pants, he left his apartment and returned to his Porsche. With a loud rev of the engine, he took off down the street, Beth’s present and letter hidden in the glove box. The fine handling and power of the vehicle made it easy for him to arrive at the Plaza Hotel in record time.

  As Aidan leaned against the passenger side door, Beth walked toward him, dressed in a classy beige coat that fell to her knees and concealed most of her dress, the bottom of which was red and shimmered in the late afternoon sun. Her hair was swept off her shoulders and she had on a pair of sexy high heels. Most importantly, she wore a large smile on her face. Even from a distance, she took his breath away.

  Her smile widened as she stopped before him. “Hello, Aidan.”

  Aidan scanned her from head to toe, swallowing hard to suppress a groan. Up close, he saw her makeup was a little heavier than earlier, including dark-rimmed eyes, long black lashes, and deep red lips, which he knew would pose a major distraction tonight.

  “You look absolutely beautiful,” he said, unable to keep his thoughts to himself.

  Beth tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, her cheeks glowing pink. “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”

  Aidan opened the passenger side door. “We should get going. We don’t want to be late.”

  Beth’s eyes widened. “Is this car yours?”

  “Yup.” He gestured for her to sit down. “I just bought it today.”

  Beth took a seat and placed her purse in her lap, surveying the interior.

  With a proud grin, Aidan shut her door and walked around the front of the Porsche to the driver’s side.

  “So, what do you think?” he asked as he slipped behind the wheel.

  Beth took her lower lip in between her teeth, pondering his question for a few seconds.

  “I really like your new car,” she said finally. “It’s very … cute.”

  ***

  Aidan’s reaction to Beth’s response, which she purposely said to tease him, was better than she’d anticipated. His eyes widened, his jaw dropped, and he sputtered through his reply.

  “Beth, for Pete’s sake, don’t call my car cute! This is a Porsche 356 America Roadster, one of the most powerful machines on the planet.” He drove a hand through
his hair. “It’s built for racing … a real man’s car … not some toy!”

  Beth couldn’t take it anymore. She doubled over with laughter.

  His eyebrows furrowed. “What’s so funny?”

  She fanned her face with her hand, composing herself well enough to explain. “Don’t worry, I was just teasing you.”

  Aidan’s frown gave way to a chuckle. “You almost gave me a heart attack! I thought I was gonna have to educate you on the history of the Porsche and the significance of the quad-cam engine. Not to mention its ability to outperform the top Ferrari and Jaguar models.”

  “It really is impressive,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “And you may never see another one aside from mine.” Aidan shut his door and turned the key in the ignition. “It’s available in limited numbers and currently only in the eastern U.S.”

  Beth realized if Aidan could afford such an exclusive automobile, Mr. Mertz must’ve paid him very well for his role in Spike Rollins—much more than her salary from the studio for Sparkling Meadow. Refusing to sign the standard studio contract obviously had its benefits, if an actor was able to get away with it. Beth envied Aidan, not for the money, but his ability to personally control his career and still be successful.

  Aidan pulled out a pair of stylish sunglasses from the center console and put them on, concealing his green eyes behind black lenses. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other changing gears, he drove them along Central Park.

  Beth admired his handsome profile on their journey, honored that he chose her as his date tonight. Her heart had stopped when she’d walked around the side of her hotel and saw him leaning against his sports car dressed in his formalwear. His brown hair was perfectly mussed and his suit and tie assured her that her sparkling, backless red dress and camel-colored coat were the perfect choices for tonight.

  Within minutes, Aidan stopped the car along the curb where the photographer who took their picture earlier was situated. In all of her excitement, Beth had forgotten all about the photograph. Now she couldn’t wait for the big reveal.

  Aidan opened his door. “I’ll be right back.”

  Cars whizzed past them, honking, and Beth wondered if it was legal to stop here. Before she could ask, Aidan was out of the car and walking over to the photographer, returning shortly after with an envelope in hand.

  Beth leaned toward him over the center console and followed his gaze to their photograph. It was a full body shot of them with the park serving as the backdrop. She thought they made a very attractive couple, even in their comical costumes. They looked so comfortable and gay, as though they had known each other for ages.

  Aidan chuckled. “Wow. I look worse than I thought.”

  “I think you look great.” Beth opened her purse.

  “What are you doing?”

  She pulled out her wallet. “I’m getting two quarters to pay you for the photograph.”

  Aidan rolled his eyes and restarted the car. “I’m not gonna take your money. Besides, I want you to have this photo as a gift; a memento of our day together.”

  His rationale was too sweet to argue with.

  “All right, then. Thank you.” Beth put her wallet back in her purse and tucked the photograph under her seat.

  As they raced toward their destination, she watched the bustling New York streets out the window. Normally, traveling at such speeds would make her nervous, but she trusted Aidan and he seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

  Aidan removed his sunglasses and tossed them into the center console as they pulled up in front of a marvelous stone building.

  A young man wearing a uniform opened Beth’s door. “Good evening, ma’am. Welcome to the Waldorf Astoria.”

  Purse in hand, Beth emerged from the car and scanned the hotel’s exterior. A red carpet ran from the curb to the gilded front doors. It looked as posh as the Plaza.

  Aidan joined her on the sidewalk and slipped the valet a bill. The young man inspected the amount, which Beth couldn’t make out.

  His eyes widened. “Why, thank you, sir!”

  Aidan grumbled a reply and placed his wallet back into his pocket. The valet ran over to the driver’s side and opened the door.

  “Hey,” Aidan called. “Be careful.”

  “Absolutely, sir!” The valet sat behind the wheel and peeled off down the street.

  Aidan winced as he followed the car with his eyes, along with several gentlemen who stopped on the sidewalk to admire it as well. He didn’t look away until it disappeared around the corner.

  “Is this some sort of party?” Beth asked as they made their way to the front doors.

  “It’s a charity dinner,” Aidan replied. “It’s not open to the press, so you don’t have to worry about our picture ending up in the paper and Mertz finding out you were here with me.”

  The thought hadn’t even crossed Beth’s mind. She was proud to have Aidan as her date, even though it was out of character for her not to care about what Mr. Mertz would do if he found out she lied to Henry.

  At the entrance, a poster was erected on an easel, promoting the evening’s event.

  The Waldorf Astoria presents:

  A Benefit Engagement — by exclusive invitation only

  Dinner and Dancing in the Grand Ballroom

  Five o’clock. Friday October Second.

  With Performances By:

  Perry Como

  Eddie Fisher

  The Dorsey Brothers

  Beth clasped her hands to her chest. “Oh, what a lovely surprise!”

  Aidan’s face relaxed into a grin. “It’s the hottest ticket in town tonight, apparently.”

  The doorman greeted them politely and Aidan slipped him a bill as well.

  With his hand placed against her lower back, Aidan guided Beth through the crowd in the lobby toward the coat check.

  “May I take your coats?” the woman behind the counter asked.

  Aidan brushed his lips to Beth’s ear, his body pressed against her from behind. “Please, allow me.”

  Glancing over her shoulder, Beth smiled coyly and placed her purse on the counter. She unfastened the buttons and Aidan reached up to the collar, slipping the coat off her body. When she turned around and caught his heated gaze of admiration, she felt like a real woman—glamorous and attractive—not at all like a teenager. Much to her delight, he didn’t look away even as he handed her coat to the woman behind the counter and obtained the claim ticket.

  With a blush coloring her cheeks, Beth picked up her purse. Aidan pulled out yet another bill from his wallet for a tip. As the money exchanged hands, Beth caught the amount. Her eyes grew wide. If he’d given five dollars to everyone they had come across at the hotel so far, that was fifteen dollars in a matter of minutes.

  Aidan slipped his hand to the small of her back and led her toward the rear of the lobby. A smartly dressed man stood behind a podium situated at the entrance of what Beth assumed was the Grand Ballroom. He greeted them with a nod.

  “Good evening. May I have your name, please?”

  “Aidan Evans.”

  The man’s expression brightened with recognition. “Ah, yes, Mr. Evans. Welcome. We received your special requests and everything has been arranged accordingly.”

  Beth couldn’t believe Aidan had gone through so much fuss just for her. It only strengthened her determination to pay him back at the end of the night as well as start covering her own expenses.

  ***

  As Aidan walked with Beth across the Grand Ballroom behind the maître d’, he did his best not to stare at her fine form—and failed miserably. Her shimmering red dress complemented her pale complexion and her curled hair exposed a neck that begged for his lips. He couldn’t help but wonder if the rest of her body felt as soft as her bare back did against his hand presently. He bet it did, if not softer—definitely not something he should dwell on while in a large room packed with people.

  Even though Aidan preferred a
more intimate setting for dinner, he decided on the Waldorf Astoria because it was only their first evening together and he figured Beth would feel more comfortable in a crowd. He also knew from Romanoff’s that she fit in perfectly in classy places and he wanted to show her that he could, too.

  Luckily, he was able to get a hold of Tommy Dorsey, one of the entertainers tonight, and secure an invitation. He knew Tommy from his early theater days in New York, when they used to frequent the same joints, and he helped secure a part in a play for Tommy’s friend, which launched the man’s Broadway career.

  Consequently, Tommy said if Aidan ever needed anything, he only had to ask. Up until yesterday, Aidan never thought he would follow his friend up on the offer. He wasn’t the kind of guy who did things for people to get something in return. In this case, though, it worked in his favor because Beth seemed happy to be here tonight.

  From what Aidan saw so far, tonight’s guests consisted of New York’s business and Broadway elite—a bunch of hoity-toity millionaires with large egos. Since Beth’s film hadn’t opened yet and she wasn’t a household name, the chances of her being recognized and people spilling the beans about them socializing were slim.

  Aidan was certain Mr. Mertz wouldn’t approve of them spending time together, let alone approve of a romance between them. She was the studio’s newest investment, and even though Aidan had made the studio a lot of money with Spike Rollins, the bottom line was his image was very different from hers.

  Aidan hated that Mr. Mertz had such control over Beth, but he also didn’t want to get her into trouble this early in her career, even if he was convinced that after her film opened tomorrow she would be the talk of the country, and Mr. Mertz wouldn’t fire her no matter what she did.

  The maître d’ stopped before Aidan’s requested table in the most intimate corner of the room. “Is this to your liking, sir?”

  Aidan surveyed the tabletop critically, noting the bottle of champagne he’d ordered sitting in a bucket of ice, candles, shiny cutlery, and the crisp white napkins and tablecloth.

  He reached into his back pocket for his wallet. “Yeah, that’ll be all for now. Thanks.”