Starlight

by Alexandra Richland

  With their guests arriving soon, Beth placed her apron under the sink and set the new china and glassware on the dining table. Her next stop was her bedroom to change into her evening attire. She’d been working on dinner since early this morning and felt she had a lot of work to do to look her best for Aidan tonight.

  After touching up her makeup and brushing her curled hair, she assessed her navy blue textured cotton sundress in the mirror. It had a fitted bodice, wrapped bust, tie shoulders, a full skirt––thanks to the crinoline underneath––and fell to mid-calf. She completed her look with a pearl necklace and earrings. She usually didn’t wear low-cut styles, but this dress, although more daring than her usual attire, still respectably concealed her bust without looking too prudish. As a woman with a beau now, she felt it was time to dress more maturely.

  Beth dabbed vanilla perfume on her wrists and behind her ears, swapped her slippers for navy blue pumps, and then ventured into Olivia’s bedroom. Her friend stood in front of the vanity applying lipstick. Her black hair was styled in its usual pixie cut and she wore a dark red, keyhole halter sun dress that accentuated her petite figure and complemented her creamy complexion and round gray eyes. The ruby bracelet Nathan bought her recently sparkled on her right hand.

  Olivia turned away from the mirror to greet her. “Wow, Beth, you look incredible! Aidan’s not going to be able to keep his eyes off you tonight.”

  “Thank you.” A blush crept into her cheeks as she adjusted her dress self-consciously. “I’m so nervous. It feels like ages since I last saw him.”

  Olivia smiled. “Everything is going to be fine.”

  A knock at the front door sent them racing from the bedroom. Olivia got to the door first and opened it. Beth ensured her smile didn’t falter when Connie and Matthew were revealed as their first guests, not Aidan. Simultaneously, she was flooded with relief that she had a few more minutes to prepare for their reunion.

  “Welcome!” Olivia ushered the couple inside.

  Connie embraced Olivia. “Thank you again for inviting us.” She moved on to Beth. “We’ve been looking forward to this dinner all week.”

  “Good evening, ladies.” Matthew kissed their cheeks. “The two of you look ravishing.”

  Beth and Olivia accepted his compliment and thanked them both for coming.

  Connie unfastened her hat from her curled blonde hair and took off what Beth assumed was a mink coat. It was an interesting choice for a quaint November dinner party in Los Angeles, but she wasn’t surprised. Connie always dressed elegantly. In fact, Beth couldn’t help but notice the contrast between Connie’s pink silk taffeta evening gown, white gloves, and high heels, and the apartment’s dowdy decor. As Connie surveyed her surroundings, however, Beth didn’t catch any indication that she was unimpressed or disappointed.

  Olivia hung Connie’s items in the closet while Beth took Matthew’s coat and fedora. As usual, he was impeccably dressed in a black suit and tie. His brown hair was styled with what she distinctly identified as lemon-scented hair tonic and his grin was gregarious as ever.

  “So these are your digs, huh?” He peered into the living room. “Very nice.”

  Beth smiled. She knew he was just being polite but appreciated his effort.

  “Thank you very much.” She gestured to the sofas in the living room. “Please, have a seat. Would you like a beer? Soda? Some wine, perhaps?”

  She was grateful that Olivia insisted they have a variety of drinks on hand to cater to everyone’s preferences. It helped that the legal drinking age didn’t seem to apply to famous studio employees and she was able to purchase alcohol without difficulty.

  “A beer would be great, thanks.” With his grin intact, Matthew made his way into the living room and sat down.

  As Olivia shut the door, Beth went into the kitchen to fetch his desired beverage. If it hadn’t been for Aidan drinking beer straight out of the bottle at Art’s Bar in New York back in October, she would’ve poured it into a glass before she gave it to him. It was just as well because she had forgotten to buy beer mugs while out shopping.

  Upon her entry into the living room, Matthew grinned at her from his spot on the sofa. “Thanks, Beth.” He took the bottle off her hands and put it to his lips.

  “Would you like me to turn on the television?” she asked. “We just bought it last week.”

  “Thanks, I’d like that.” Matthew leaned back in his seat, looking very relaxed, which made Beth feel more at ease, too. She walked over to the television and switched it on. As she adjusted the antenna and turned the dial, she was unsure on which of the three channels to settle.

  “How about this one?” she said, stopping on the new program, Make Room for Daddy. The credits scrolled across the screen, indicating it was just beginning.

  Matthew crossed his legs, knee to ankle. “Sure, keep it here. Danny Thomas is a riot!”

  With his eyes fixed on the television, he brought the bottle to his lips again and chuckled as he took another sip. Relieved that the program was to his liking, Beth joined Olivia and Connie in the kitchen. It was only a galley kitchen, but there was space for the three of them to stand comfortably near the icebox.

  “It’s been such a long time since I’ve done anything like this for the holidays,” Connie said. “Thank you both for your efforts. I know you’ve put a lot of planning into tonight’s party.”

  Beth was about to reply when a knock at the door announced the arrival of another guest. She froze.

  Olivia placed a hand on her forearm and smiled. “Would you like me to get it?”

  Beth swallowed hard and offered a matching smile. “I’ll go with you.”

  This time it was Nathan at the door. He entered the foyer with his fedora in hand, his blue eyes brightening as they landed on Olivia. He was the only one who had to work today, although his charcoal gray suit and coiffed blond hair didn’t suggest as such. He looked polished and well rested.

  Beth took his hat and placed it in the closet.

  “Sorry I’m late.” Nathan shut the door and placed a kiss on Olivia’s lips. “Work was busier than I expected.”

  Olivia gazed at him adoringly. “All that matters is you’re here now.”

  Nathan gave Beth a kiss on the cheek, followed by Connie, who emerged from the kitchen to welcome him. Always a gentleman, he also complimented all three women on their appearances.

  Now everyone was accounted for except Beth’s personally appointed guest of honor. She hadn’t heard from Aidan all day, but he’d told her over the telephone yesterday that he had an appointment scheduled immediately upon his arrival in Los Angeles. She reasoned that could be the cause for his delay, or perhaps his flight landed later than expected.

  Matthew stood and greeted Nathan with a vigorous handshake.

  “Hey, Nate, have you seen Make Room for Daddy yet?” He gestured to the television. “It’s hilarious.”

  “No, I haven’t,” he replied. “I’ve been meaning to catch an episode, though.”

  Olivia left for the kitchen, citing she already knew what Nathan would like to drink. He and Matthew continued their conversation in front of the television.

  “So I guess we’re just waiting on one more,” Olivia said upon her return.

  Beth blushed as all eyes focused on her, even though she had nothing to hide.

  The day after the Halloween party, Connie invited her and Olivia out to lunch at the Chateau Marmont, where she was questioned relentlessly about Aidan. She didn’t go into detail regarding what happened on Mulholland Drive, but she shared that their relationship had progressed beyond friendship.

  Beth believed Nathan had a hand in keeping her departure from the party with Aidan from entering the gossip mill and, most importantly, from Mr. Mertz. It also helped that Aidan wasn’t around in the weeks following Halloween and she’d been seen out socially on numerous occasions without him.

  With the men settled in front of the television with their drinks, the women returned to the ki
tchen.

  Connie leaned against the counter. “So Aidan is running late, I see.”

  Beth came to his defense immediately. “He had an appointment this afternoon. It probably lasted longer than he anticipated.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “Come on, Connie, give the fellow a break.”

  Connie flashed an amused smile. “I was just making a statement, ladies. There’s no need to get testy.”

  Matthew and Nathan burst into laughter in the next room, but it wasn’t loud enough to drown out the three solid knocks on the front door. With the confirmation that she would finally be reunited with her beau, Beth’s heart launched into an anxious beat that undermined her confidence. Suddenly, everything she did in preparation for today seemed insufficient.

  Olivia gave her a slight push from behind. “Go on, silly. Greet your beau.”

  Beth shook so badly, she didn’t know how she made it to the foyer without tripping. She took a deep breath before opening the door, not knowing what to expect but hoping for the best.

  The Aidan that greeted her on the other side, holding a large bouquet of red roses and wearing an ivory cable knit sweater with a shawl collar and dark gray dress pants, looked like a new person. He was back to an acceptable weight for a man his height and stature, and the extra pounds seemed attributable to the additional lean muscle that filled out his chest and shoulders.

  His face was still chiseled like the male models Beth often saw in magazine advertisements and billboards and he had shaved for the occasion. His emerald eyes, framed by long, dark lashes, were as entrancing to her as when they first met, and his brown hair, rich with caramel hues, sat atop his head in its typical sleep-tossed style. Judging from the faded dark circles under his eyes, it looked like he had actually gotten some rest over the previous three weeks. Most captivating was the smoldering flash in his eyes as he perused her unhurriedly from top to bottom.

  At the realization that she had yet to say one word to him, Beth stopped gawking and managed a sheepish smile.

  “Hello and welcome.” She cringed inwardly at her address, which was better suited for a restaurant hostess than a woman greeting her beau.

  If Aidan minded her awkward manners, he didn’t show it. “I’m really sorry I’m late.”

  Beth could’ve sworn his voice had adopted a lower, seductive tone since the last time she’d talked to him.

  “It’s fine,” she replied.

  He extended the roses to her. “These are for you.”

  Appreciation painted Beth’s cheeks, rivaling the color of the flowers she took from his hands. She brought the blooms to her nose and breathed in. “They’re lovely, thank you.”

  A dazzling grin stretched across Aidan’s face, bringing a blush to more intimate parts of her body.

  “You’re welcome.”

  Beth gestured for him to come inside. “Please, make yourself at home.”

  As he entered the apartment, his fingers met hers and he leaned in, brushing his lips to her ear. “You look absolutely beautiful.” A kiss to her cheek followed his husky compliment.

  Warmth spawned pleasurably deep inside her, accompanied by the tingling sensations that always flourished like wildfire across her skin whenever they were together; sensations that were thrilling, and up until she met him, completely foreign to her.

  This time, she felt a yearning for more than just his kisses. She wanted to feel his hands on her where no man had ever been, kneading her flesh and––

  “Aidan, you made it!”

  Beth jumped at Olivia’s enthusiastic greeting. She exhaled a deep breath and turned to face the room, embarrassed that she’d forgotten about her friends’ presence. She placed her hand over her thundering heart, hoping they couldn’t see how greatly her beau affected her.

  Olivia enveloped Aidan in a big hug, as if they’d known each other for years. She’d mentioned they had spoken briefly at Connie’s Halloween party. Beth was glad they were getting along so well.

  Aidan chuckled and returned her embrace. “Nice to see you, too.”

  Olivia took a step back and looked him up and down. “You’ve been shopping at Wesley’s, I see. Very nice.”

  Aidan shifted his attention to Beth. As she took another good look at him, all she could think about was that nice didn’t even come close to describing him.

  “Come now, Liv,” she said with a nervous giggle. “Aidan didn’t come here to get his wardrobe assessed. He came to eat.”

  Nathan and Matthew made their way over to shake Aidan’s hand. Connie lingered in the kitchen doorway.

  “Aidan, you’re making the rest of us men look bad,” Matthew joked, gesturing to Beth’s flowers.

  Olivia feigned a pout and looked at Nathan. “Dear, why didn’t you bring me flowers?”

  Nathan chuckled. “Yeah, thanks, Aidan, you’re a real pal.”

  Everyone joined in his laughter except Connie. Matthew tugged on her elbow, guiding her toward the group.

  “I know,” she hissed. She regarded him in annoyance and yanked out of his grip.

  As Connie stepped up to Aidan and extended her hand, she didn’t even pretend to be glad to see him. “Good evening.”

  Aidan looked down at her hand suspended between them for a moment before shaking it. “Good evening, Constance.”

  She lifted her eyebrows, appearing surprised by his manners. “You can address me as Connie, if you’d like.” Her tone was slightly more pleasant this time.

  “See, honey?” Matthew draped his arm around her shoulders. “He isn’t so bad.”

  Connie shot her beau a threatening look.

  Instead of looking offended, Aidan slipped his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and smirked. Beth wanted to give him a big kiss for his efforts. She was thankful he was taking the high road and not stooping to her friend’s level.

  Beth motioned to the dining table. “Please, everyone, have a seat.” She smiled bashfully at Aidan. “I’ll put my flowers in water and then start bringing out the food.”

  “Do you need help?” he asked.

  Beth felt it wasn’t the man’s job to assist with such things, but she was grateful for the offer.

  “Olivia and I will take care of it,” she said, unable to conceal her giddy smile. “Please, relax. You must be tired from your travels.”

  After turning off the television, Beth joined Olivia in the kitchen and put her roses in water. When all the food and drinks were set on the table, Aidan pulled out her chair and helped her get settled. She placed her napkin in her lap as he took his seat next to her.

  The attentive look he gave her made it difficult for her to concentrate, especially since his eyes seemed to reflect the same desire. She longed for alone time with him, but felt nervous about what the opportunity would mean since she had never been romantically involved with a man before.

  Nathan cut the turkey as Olivia dished out the trimmings. The compliments started flowing immediately. Beth was proud she was able to display her domestic talents, as, in her opinion, they were important for women to possess, whether they were homemakers or had professional careers.

  “So, Aidan, how was your trip?” Nathan shoved a forkful of turkey into his mouth.

  Aidan swallowed his food before speaking. “It was good. Gadg and I went over Shultz’s script in detail and made a few changes. We also got Rocky Marcello on board to train me.”

  “Marcello!” Matthew set down his wine glass with a thud. “He’s a middleweight champion. Man, you’re lucky.”

  Beth kept her attention on Aidan, anxious to learn more about the film, too, aside from what he’d already shared with her.

  “Rocky’s an important part of this process,” he replied. “I want it to look authentic when I shoot my character’s boxing scenes.”

  “I haven’t seen Luther so interested in a film since Spike Rollins,” Nathan remarked. “He predicts a major hit with Golden Gloves.”

  “It’s a great script. The only drawback for me is that Mer
tz is funding it.” Aidan tossed Beth a tender look. The touch of his hand to her knee beneath the table was unexpected, but welcome. “But it’s worth it if it means I’ll be filming on the studio lot.”

  Beth sucked in a breath as Aidan’s hand moved up her leg and found her hand, which rested on her thigh. She was grateful she was sitting down; with the way her head spun and her limbs relaxed, she was certain she would’ve hit the floor upon first contact.

  With a slow exhale, she closed her eyes. It seemed Aidan wasn’t the only one who had changed over the last three weeks. She didn’t know where her erotic thoughts about him came from and she wasn’t quite sure how to manage them, either.

  “Beth, Nathan was speaking to you.”

  At the sound of Olivia’s voice, Beth opened her eyes and switched focus to Nathan, sitting across from her. To add to her humiliation, it seemed everyone at the table was aware of the source of her absentmindedness. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  Nathan grinned. “I just commented that you must be excited to move on from Venus Rising.”

  Beth felt Aidan’s eyes burning into her and was still acutely aware of his hand resting with hers on her mid-thigh.

  “It’s been a challenging experience and I’m grateful for it,” she replied in a surprisingly steady voice, “but I can’t wait to receive my next film assignment. Hopefully it’ll be shot at the studio.” She gave her beau a coy look. “That is, if Mr. Mertz extends my contract.”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll get the extension,” Nathan said. “Luther likes your work.”

  “Sparkling Meadow was excellent, Beth,” Connie added. “You’re a shoo-in.”

  She smiled. “Thank you, I hope so.”

  “Liv, have you spoken to Beth about the house you want to show her?” Nathan asked.

  “Oh, I forgot!” Olivia set down her utensils with an excited clatter. “I took a walk the other day and found this spectacular home for sale just two blocks from here on Grayson. Two bedrooms, one bathroom. It’s a real gem.”