Page 53 of Suddenly Dating
“Lola!”
Harry and Lola both jerked around at the sound of Mallory’s voice, suddenly close and loud. She was standing right behind them, grinning gleefully. “Check it out,” she said, holding her arms wide. “Lillian hired a stylist to doll me up.”
“Wow,”Lola said with true astonishment. Mallory was a knockout. Her crazy hair had been tamed back into an artful chignon. She was wearing a formfitting dress that hugged all her curves. Diamond earrings dangled from her ears that matched the tennis bracelet around her wrist. “Mallory, you’re...”
“Go ahead and say it. I’m gorgeous.”
“You’re gorgeous!”
“I know, right?” Mallory twirled around. “Lillian doesn’t trust me. And with good reason!” She laughed at her own joke. “Lola, you look so cute! I love that dress.”
“Thank you,” Lola said. Cute. That’s what she was in this sea of designer togs and gorgeous women.
“Andyou, New Boyfriend,” Mallory continued, looking Harry up and down. “Hubba-hubba.”
Harry laughed. “Thanks, Mallory.” He caught her elbow, leaned forward, and in a very polished and easy move, kissed her cheek.
“You are definitely here with the best-looking guy in town,” Mallory said, jovially elbowing Lola.
Harry slipped his arm around Lola’s waist. “Did you hear that?” he asked. “Mallory thinks I’ve got it going on.”
Lola glanced hesitantly at Mallory, who was clearly waiting for her to agree. “Youdo,” she said.
“Aw, that’s sweet,” he said, and bussed her temple, startling her.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” Mallory said. “Have you met Birta?”
“Is she here?” Lola asked, a little panic-stricken. “How do you know? There are so many people here!”
“She’s here. Come on, I’ll introduce you.” She grabbed Lola’s martini out of her hand and put it on the bar. “Don’t look so forlorn! We’ll get you another one just as soon as you say hello. She’s just down there.”
Mallory pointed through a throng. Lola didn’t know where “just down there” was, but her heart seized all the same. She stared with wide-eyed horror at Harry.
He smiled, picked up her drink from the bar. “Take another sip. No more than two.”
Lola did as he suggested without hesitation. She felt the burn slide down her throat and land squarely in her belly.
“Come on, lovebirds,” Mallory said, and began to sashay through the crowd.
“Better follow her,” Harry said and, with a little effort, wrenched the drink from Lola’s hand, turned her around, and nudged her in Mallory’s direction.
She and Harry followed Mallory down onto the lawn, where Adirondack chairs had been scattered around to face the lake. Most of them were filled, and people were standing about in clusters of three and four. Lola didn’t see Birta at first, but then caught sight of her standing beneath a tree, talking to a short, round man. Good God, could that be her agent? Was she really going to be so lucky to meet Birta HoffmanandCyrus Bernstein in one fell swoop?
Lola’s heart abruptly began to pound in her chest. She grabbed Mallory’s arm. “She’s talking to someone,” she said frantically, trying to slow Mallory down.
“She’s talking to Bob Gottenhoff. They’re neighbors. She won’t mind.” She shook off Lola’s hand and continued on, apparently eager to make the introduction.
Lola could not shake Birta’s hand, not with palms practically dripping sweat. She turned wildly to Harry and took his arm. He looked confused until she wiped her palm on the sleeve of his jacket.
Harry stared down at his jacket. “You seriously didn’t just do that.”
“Lola!”
Lola whirled around; Mallory was already in Birta’s presence, gesturing for to come over. Birta was leaning to her right, peering directly at Lola.
Harry leaned over her shoulder. “Go,scaredy-cat,” he said, and gave her a pat on her rump. It was enough of a surprise to make Lola’s feet move.
So many emotions were churning through her in those few feet—excitement, uncertainty, shock that she was so nervous. But here she was now, standing before the Great Birta Hoffman. Just like in her jacket photo, Birta’s long, dark hair lay like silk around her shoulders. She was wearing a satin kimono with an intricate pattern of birds and trees that made Lola’s little string of roses look like a child’s work. Two enormous turquoise rings covered the fingers on her left hand and matched the squash blossom turquoise necklace she wore around her neck.
