Page 7 of A Star is Scorned

Livvy swore she’d tried on every costume on the Evets lot by the time they let her go for the day.

They were beautiful pieces, swaths of satin and silk lining bodices and skirts, some decorated with fake gemstones.

She had never dreamed of dressing so grandly.

Back in her threadbare sweater, tweed skirt, and scuffed loafers, she felt almost bereft without the beautiful clothes.

But being trussed and primped and pulled and pinned within an inch of one’s life was exhausting.

At least tonight, she didn’t have to drive Flynn Banks all the way to Malibu.

As she barreled down Sunset, her jalopy catching every bump and groove in the road, she counted the seconds until she was home.

She soon saw the small green sign that read GARDEN OF ALLAH and made a left past the hotel toward the bungalows in the back.

Or, as they advertised them, villas. Run-down shacks was more like it.

She and her sister shared the teeny one-bedroom they could barely afford.

It had taken every cent they had to move down here, so they weren’t in any position to be choosy about their living conditions.

Hopefully Judy would find a job soon. Then, when Livvy’s weekly studio salary started coming in, they could pool their earnings and find someplace better.

Livvy parked in front of their residence and quickly locked the car.

All she wanted to do was toe off her shoes and collapse face-first onto the sofa.

It was moth-eaten and needed to be restuffed, but she was so tired that she didn’t care a lick.

She stuck her key in the front door, but her sister opened it before she’d even turned the key in the lock.

“Livvy!” Judy squealed and threw her arms around Livvy. Judy was eighteen years old, only four years younger than Livvy. But they’d lost their parents four years ago, and they were all each other had.

Livvy smiled and returned a quick hug before kicking her shoes off and making good on her desire to throw herself on the bottle-green couch.

“How was it?” Judy fluttered around the room, setting a glass of water on the coffee table for Livvy. “I want to hear everything.”

She groaned, not bothering to lift her head from the couch. “It was good…mostly. Just…long and exhausting. It’s going to take me awhile to get used to people calling me Miss De Lesseps. I keep thinking they’re talking to someone else.”

Judy stuck her nose in the air, pulling the tip of it up with her index finger and assuming an exaggerated French accent. “But Liv de Lesseps is soooo Frennchhh. It is chic, it is the essence of je ne sais quoi.”

Livvy shook her head, chuckling. “That may be. But it’s not my name, and it never will be. Not really. But tell me about your day. Did you find a job?”

“I think so? I won’t know until tomorrow.

” Judy wanted to be an actress and star in musical pictures like Ginger Rogers or Eleanor Powell.

But Livvy was the one who had caught the eye of Harry Evets.

She’d trade places with Judy in a heartbeat if she could.

Though maybe she’d ask to keep one of those gorgeous dresses she’d tried on today.

Judy sat down in the armchair covered in faded and stained floral upholstery. They had, for peace of mind, determined that the rust-colored blob on the seat cushion was a coffee stain.

“Promising?” Livvy turned her head from the throw pillow she’d face-planted into so she could see Judy more clearly.

The kid was hopping up and down in her chair with excitement, her ponytail bobbing with her fizzy energy.

But now that Livvy had a moment to take a good look at Judy, she noticed a brace on her sister’s wrist.

“Very! It was an audition to be a waitress and a dancer at the Sphinx Club.”

Livvy popped up and grabbed for Judy’s arm. “Judy, what happened? You’re hurt.”

Judy pulled her arm back, tugging out of Livvy’s grasp. “It’s fine.” She refused to meet Livvy’s gaze. “I slipped during my audition and twisted it a little when I caught myself. It’ll be right as rain in a few days.”

Livvy lay back down on the couch, fighting the urge to run to the bathroom and find something to make it better. She propped her head on her hand. “You have to be more careful, kid. Don’t want you breaking your wrist before your big break.” Livvy winked at Judy, but her heart wasn’t in it.

Judy flattened her lips into a thin line. “You mean we don’t need a hospital bill to deal with before either of us are making money.”

Livvy’s face fell. “That’s not what I meant. But I can’t say you’re wrong. Anyway, tell me more about the Sphinx Club. I’ve never heard of the place.”

“It’s only been around a couple of years. It’s on Hollywood Boulevard.”

A prickle of worry poked at Livvy. “Oh, Judy, I’m not sure about that. Isn’t Hollywood Boulevard kinda seedy? Can’t you at least try for a job at the Trocadero?”

Judy twisted her face into a moue. “No. They don’t have any vacancies right now.

Besides, I don’t have enough experience yet to dance at the Troc.

This could be a real opportunity, Livvy.

The manager of the club, Billy Wilkes, doesn’t just employ girls at the club.

He’s sorta an agent too. He helps select dancers for Hollywood parties and movie extras and things like that. Besides, you know we need the money.”

Livvy sat up and patted the couch cushion next to her.

Judy plopped down on it and Livvy wrapped her arm around her sister, pulling her close until Judy laid her head on Livvy’s shoulder.

“Okay, Judy, I trust you. And you’re right, we do need the money.

I only want to know you won’t find yourself in a situation over your head.

It’s my job to keep you safe. We already lost Mother and Father.

I can’t lose you too.” Judy nestled into the crook of Livvy’s arm more tightly at the mention of their parents.

“I’ll be at the studio all the time, and I don’t want to worry about you. ”

“You will anyway.” Judy sighed. “But Livvy, I’m not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself.”

“You’ll always be a kid to me.”

Judy giggled and snuggled her head against Livvy’s shoulder. “Oh, Livvy, I love you.”

“I love you too, kid.”

Judy shoved Livvy lovingly. “Now, tell me about your day. Did you meet Flynn Banks? What’s he like? Everything you ever dreamed?” Judy batted her eyelashes and put her hands under her chin.

Livvy drew the pillow out from behind her and swatted her sister with it. “He’s my costar now, Judy!”

“So? Joan Davis and Dash Howard were costars for years. They’re married.”

Livvy rolled her eyes. She felt a million years older tonight than she had last night.

She hadn’t told Judy about meeting Flynn at the Troc.

She had told Judy she was going out for a drive to clear her head, and when she’d gotten home, Judy had already fallen asleep.

Livvy wasn’t even sure Judy would believe the story.

It still felt like some strange dream. Surely, she had not rescued Flynn Banks from a nightclub and then proceeded to put on airs while driving him all the way to his house.

“Well, for your information, yes, I did meet him. And he’s…

not at all what I thought he’d be like.” Judy frowned.

“Oh, he’s handsome and charming and all of those things.

But he’s a horrid flirt and has an ego the size of the Empire State Building.

He’s trouble, and the last thing I need is to get mixed up with a man like him. ”

Judy chuckled. “You honestly expected otherwise?”

Livvy lifted her shoulders and curled her arms around her legs as she drew them up on the couch. “I don’t know. Maybe? I thought he’d be more like the characters he plays on-screen, a real dashing type, you know? But in reality, he’s a…a…a…scoundrel.”

“Oh brother. And you thought I would be the one getting in over my head?”

“What can I say? I’ve always been a hopeless romantic.” Livvy threw herself backwards and kicked out her legs toward her sister’s lap.

“But I thought you liked it in the movies when Flynn was a bit of a rogue,” Judy teased, tickling the arch of Livvy’s foot and making her squirm.

Livvy pulled her feet away and stuck her tongue out. “Pest!”

Judy giggled but kept her hands to herself.

“I did.” Livvy sighed. “I do. But he wasn’t like that. He was…a bit ridiculous actually. I pretended I didn’t know who he was. That I’d never seen one of his pictures.”

Judy’s mouth rounded into a big O and her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “Livvy! That’s a bald-faced lie!”

Livvy laughed. “It is. But I didn’t want him to see me as this starstruck kid who used to moon over him.

Besides, I can’t let my head be turned by a British accent and a winning smile.

” She paused, collecting herself. “We know what happened the last time I did that.” Judy squeezed her sister’s foot, reassuring her.

“He and I have to work together. So I acted like I didn’t know him from Adam.”

“My God, you’re a better actress than I thought if you convinced him of that.”

“It wasn’t hard. I just pretended to be one of the ladies of the court from Lancelot and Arthur like we used to do. You remember?” Livvy lifted her chin, pursed her lips, and sucked in her cheeks and her nostrils, overexaggerating the look of a snooty woman.

Judy shrieked with laughter and imitated her sister. “Your Grace, I would not deign to let you kiss my foot.”

Livvy responded, “No, my liege, I will not allow you to sully my pure and noble heart.” The sisters broke into peals of giggles and soon they were laid out on the sofa, catching their breath.

“Oh, I needed a good laugh.”

“I’m sorry Flynn Banks turned out to be a disappointment,” Judy murmured.

“S’okay, he’s still handsome.” Judy grinned at that, and Livvy chuckled. “But I liked him better when I was inventing versions of him for the heroes in my books.”

“Well, maybe he’ll surprise you and give you inspiration to finish writing one of them.”

Livvy’s heart sank. She hadn’t written a word since her parents’ accident.

She wasn’t sure she ever would again. Certainly not while she was making a picture.

The studio had scarcely given her time to breathe.

And she didn’t want to think about the dream she’d lost. She had a new dream now—making sure that Judy could have everything she’d ever wanted.

Livvy forced herself to perk up. “Anyway, I have really gorgeous costumes! And a monstrous wig! Though I think I managed to convince them that I’d only need to wear it in the first scene.

Shall we make dinner and I’ll tell you all about it? ”

Judy nodded enthusiastically. “I brought home half a roast chicken from the audition. I made nice with the line cooks while I was waiting my turn at the club. It’s in the icebox.”

Livvy stood on the couch and wrapped a plaid blanket around her like a cape.

“Tonight, we eat like kings!” she proclaimed.

“Or at least, like Flynn Banks.” She gave Judy a wink, humming the theme to Lancelot and Arthur as she marched into the kitchenette.

Flynn Banks might be a disappointment, but her sister never was.