Page 29 of And I Love Her

He should have been grateful for her abrupt change in subject, but he wasn’t. He still wanted to know more.

“Yeah.” He dug into his pocket for his wallet. “What would you like?”

“Nothing.”

“Not even popcorn?”

“I’m not much of a snack person.”

Jake widened his eyes and dropped his mouth open in exaggerated disbelief, which had the desired effect of making her smile. “Movie popcorn isn’t asnack, Professor.”

Her lips twitched again. “What is it, then?”

“An hors d’oeuvre.” He spread his hands out to emphasize his point. “A delicacy. Anambrosia.”

Callie laughed, a rich throaty sound that he wanted to hear over and over again. “All right. How about I share some of yours?”

“Hmm. Okay, but only if you don’t hog it all.”

“I’ll be good.”

“I know.” He winked at her. A flush pinkened her cheeks, and his entire body filled with responding warmth.

Danger zone straight ahead.Huge flashing lights, police tape, and screeching sirens warning him away. He’d damned well better listen.

He bought a large popcorn, a mega bag of M&Ms, and two sodas, despite Callie’s insistence that “water would be fine,” and they headed into the auditorium. An ancient Art Deco chandelier presided over the sea of worn, red velvet seats, sconces with several broken lights decorated the pilasters, and dusty murals covered the walls.

They took the stairs to the mezzanine and sat in the front row overlooking the whole space. About twenty other people were scattered around in the other seats.

“I once spent a lot of time here.” Jake set their drinks in the cup holders. “The Mortimers used to bring in quite a crowd.”

“Not anymore.” Callie twisted her mouth as she sat beside him. “Locals still come here out of loyalty, but more and more people are going to the multiplex cinema over in Rainwood. They have sixteen theaters, two ultra-screens, reclining seats, and they serve alcohol. It’s getting harder for the Mortimers to keep up, and they can’t afford to renovate. Aria and her boyfriend Hunter have launched a big campaign to revive Mariposa Street, but it’s brand new and they’re still in the funding stages. It will take a while before they start making progress. The whole historic district has been struggling for years.”

“Well, that sucks.”

“Yes, it does. This area has been draining the town’s economy for some time. I don’t know what will happen if they can’t turn things around.” She nudged his arm and indicated the stage as the lights dimmed.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Dressed in khakis, a sweater vest, and a polka-dot bow tie, the white-haired Gus Mortimer came onto the stage. He set a paper bag on the floor and waved. “Welcome to the Vitaphone’s showing ofSudden Impact,a fast-paced, adrenaline-driven movie that is sure to get your heart racing! Please be sure to visit our concessions stand for popcorn and candy. Believe me, folks, you’re not the only ones who are hungry!”

The audience applauded in anticipation. Gus took a can of cat food and an opener out of the bag. Holding them close to the mic, he opened the can. As the metal-crunching sound filtered over the auditorium, three cats raced down the steps toward the stage. One of them hopped onto the stair railing and balanced her way swiftly across the room.

More applause and laughter rose. The three cats bounded onto the stage, twitching their tails and licking their chops. Gus opened two more cans and set them all down. The cats converged on the food and began eating.

“Thanks again for coming tonight and supporting the theater,” Gus said into the mic. “As you may know, we’re raising funds for a full renovation of Mariposa Street. We’ve been struggling for a long time, so we appreciate all the support we can get. Thank you all, and enjoy the show!”

As he departed the stage, the red curtains parted to reveal the screen. The opening scene started, but Jake couldn’t focus on the movie. He hated the idea of the Vitaphone “struggling,” taking with it so many memories.

He’d spent many Saturdays here, sometimes with his friends but more often alone, especially when things were rough at home. He’d dig up enough money for a ticket and sit right in the front row of the mezzanine.

Callie’s fingers nudged against his as she reached into the popcorn bucket. “Who’s that guy?” She gestured with her other hand toward the screen.

“Which guy?” He ducked closer to catch her whispered response.

“The blond guy with the ponytail.”

“He’s the secret double agent, but Tex doesn’t know that.”She smelled so damned good.

“Why not?” She met his gaze, her eyes gleaming in the darkness.

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