Page 21 of Heavy Shot

“Oh, high praise,” she chided him softly. So much ego to balance in such a small man.

They took a pass through Gucci before August left her inside the Jose Eber salon with an admonishment not to do anything drastic. He jabbed a finger in her direction and said to the assistant who’d come in as he was leaving, repeating, “Nothing drastic.”

Jill apologized after he’d gone and sighed. “He’s my Hollywood Svengali. He’s afraid I’ll ruin his creation if left to my own devices. And I might! So, nothing drastic. I just need a little more movement, maybe a little light, and then a look for the restaurant tonight.”

“Of course! It’s so nice to have you in. I saw you in Walter Tango Foxtrot a couple of years ago. You were sensational.”

Jill beamed at the recognition. “Thank you! I had so much fun doing that. I loved that show!”

“Your big number in the second act–oh my god. Chills. Every time. I have the soundtrack.” The girl sang a little, “In the sunset of your smile, I watch your love fading fast, behind the clouds in your eyes, and I reach for you at last.”

“Beautiful! Lovely! So nice!” Jill enthused. It was off-key and poorly enunciated, like a pop artist might sing it, but that was for a casting director or a Simon Cowell type to tell the girl, not her. A few minutes and several screechy bars later as the girl sang through Jill’s shampoo, Jill was wishing she’d just said, “It’s a no for me, Dog,” and been done with it.

Jose finally appeared, horrified and apologetic, whisking her off to his chair in a private setting to get to work. Jill explained, “I can’t really change much because the studio expects the same Jill Parker they hired, but I feel so muted and so obviously from out of town. I’m going to be here a while and I’m making the rounds, so I need to just freshen it all up without changing it.”

“Of course,” he agreed. “Nothing needs changed anyway! You’re perfect, Darling.”

He continued to gas up her ego as he did a quick snip and trimmed some movement into her mid-back, blunt cut and painted in some face-framing highlights. In no time, with a round brush and blow dryer, he had taken her from chilly perfection to eternal spring. Then, she was off to the makeup chair for a beachy glow-up.

When August came back for her, she had changed into the new dress he’d suggested, and was feeling more confident than she had since she’d gotten off the plane at LAX. Air kisses and hugs sent her on her way, and out into August’s car, waiting at the valet.

“Lola’s meeting us,” he said. “I didn’t have time to drive back and get her, but I did have time to do just a little more shopping.” He passed over a bag from Cartier before easing the car out onto the street.

“What’s this?”

“Just a little gift to update your look for the night.”

Jill pulled two boxes from the branded bag and found a lovely gold necklace with her initial, and small, tasteful gold hoops. “Oh, Gus! Thank you!”

“It’s nothing. In the back? There’s a bag from Gucci. I couldn’t fathom the idea of you wearing those wedges with that dress.”

In the time it took to get to the valet at Palisades restaurant, Jill had changed into the nude stilettos August had chosen for her and updated her jewelry to his taste. “These look all right?” she asked, as she exited the car.

“They look amazing.”

She took his arm and let him lead the way up to the hostess stand just in time for Royce to appear and announce their reservation. “Somewhere visible,” he told the hostess to be sure. “We want to be on the fence.”

“Of course!”

They were two courses in, with Lola joining them before appetizers, when Jill stood up to excuse herself to the ladies’ room. She had just passed inside the restaurant when she realized she was looking at Kline again, and she laughed. He rose as she came close to his table.

"Trying to tell me something?" He made a show of asking the night air.

She felt herself smiling crookedly, "You again? Do I need a restraining order?"

"You're in my town, love," he said, with a shrug. "Stands to reason we'd end up in the same places."

"True, but I thought the world was bigger than this."

“Who’re you here with?”

“Gus–August. I keep forgetting. He hates Gus now. Ah, his girlfriend, Lola, and my manager.”

“Here to be seen?”

“It’s like an endless parade of me. The paparazzi are going to be tired of me before they catch on to who I am.”

“I can’t imagine that.” He clucked his tongue then said, "I also can't help thinking I keep running into you for a reason.”

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