Page 45 of All That Glitters

She took a breath. “I don’t have to. It’s just something that sounded fun.”

“Well, if you’re accepting votes on it, I vote you don’t,” he said, looking down at the bottle and picking at the label. “I mean, without you around, who am I gonna have to pick on?”

She smiled playfully. “Just say it. You’d miss me.”

“Fine,” he said, matching her playfulness. “I’d miss picking on you.”

She gave him another playful nudge. As he passed the bottle back to her, he happened to catch her legs in her short black dress. The hem had ridden just above mid-thigh; and for a split second, Tony forgot how to form words. Or even function.

The sudden change in his expression didn’t escape Debbie. She looked down at her dress then back at him. Something playful and flirtatious gleamed in her eyes.

“Did you just check out my legs, Harding?”

His eyes went back to hers. He bit his lip. “Can I plead the Fifth?”

She smiled and shook her head. “That’s only for guilty people.”

“What about hopelessly awkward best friends?”

The smile on her face only broadened. “They can’t plead the Fifth either.”

“There has to be something, so I don’t keep blathering like an idiot.”

“Nope. Fess up, Harding,” she said playfully. “You were checking out my legs.”

“Okay, guilty,” he said, a furious blush coloring his cheeks.

Debbie did a double-take. “I just made you blush.”

“Stop it,” he laughed, trying to wipe the color from his cheeks.

“No way,” she said, playfully nudging against him. “I did. I made you blush.”

“Did not,” he protested, nudging her back.

“Did too.” She nudged him right back.

“Okay, fine,” he conceded. “It’s just... I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress before.”

She looked down at her dress, then back at him. “You like it?”

“You mean the blush and my jaw hitting the floor didn’t answer that?”

Now it was her turn to blush.

“Now, look who’s blushing,” he teased.

She bit her lip and playfully swatted his arm, but there was something almost shy in her eyes as she looked back at him.

“Seriously, Deb, you look awesome.” He was no longer trying to hide the admiration in his eyes. “I mean, really awesome.”

She swallowed, her cheeks warming even more at the way he was looking at her. “Thank you.” Her voice was almost a whisper. She fidgeted nervously with her fingers. It was time to just go for it.

“I love you, Tony,” she said softly. “I mean, I’m in love with you.”

Before Tony could respond, Eli’s voice hollered down from the top of the stairs. “Tony?”

Tony and Debbie both looked over to see Eli heading down the steps.

“Down here,” Tony called out. “And by the way, your timing sucks.”

Eli reached the bottom of the steps, coming to a screeching stop. “Sorry,” he said, his eyes going from Tony to Debbie, then back to Tony. “There’s a news crew upstairs looking for you.”

With a groan, Tony turned to Debbie. “I gotta go do this,” he said, his voice full of apology. “Can we meet out by the pool after I’m done?”

She nodded, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but still hopeful. “Okay.”

Tony followed Eli out of the cellar and into the noisy ballroom. Carrie spotted them and walked over.

“Did you talk to her yet?” she asked Tony.

He shook his head. “I was about to, then he showed up,” Tony said, nodding to Eli.

Carrie shot Eli a small frown. “Eli. He was about to tell his friend he loves her.”

“He was?” Eli said, then turned to Tony. “You were?”

“Yup,” Tony said.

“But, I thought you guys were...” Eli said, motioning between Tony and Carrie.

“That was just show to make his friend jealous,” Carrie said.

Eli did another double-take. “Wait. You were helping him get a girl?”

Carrie gave him an amused look. “Don’t look so surprised.”

“This is my utterly shocked look,” Eli corrected her.

Carrie laughed lightly. She knew her reputation.

“Where are your folks?” Tony asked, looking around.

Carrie laughed, nodding toward the bar. “Dad’s over there trading stories with Craig and the guys. I think they’ve officially adopted him into the Rif Raf clan. We may never be able to drag him away.” She turned back to Tony. “Go talk to the news crew. I’ll find Debbie and explain everything.”

“Thanks, Carrie,” Tony said as Eli led him off.

When they were a short distance away, but still within earshot of Carrie, she heard Eli say, “Who was that girl?”

Carrie let out an amused laugh as she headed off in search of Debbie.

Debbie emerged from the cellar and headed onto the patio to wait for Tony. Along the way, she passed the irate Society Woman whose dress she had ruined.

The Society Woman fumed as she watched Debbie go. As soon as Debbie was gone, the Society Woman walked over to a stern-looking Security Guard near the entrance.

“Excuse me,” the Society Woman said, “but are you the one I’m supposed to report crashers to?”

The guard straightened up. “Is something wrong, Miss Crandal?”

“There’s a brunette in a black dress on the patio,” the Society Woman said, her voice dripping with false concern. “I heard her tell someone that she snuck in.”

“Can you show me this person?”

“I sure can,” the Society Woman said. “And if she gives you any lip, I think you should just shoot her.”

Carrie spotted Debbie on the patio pacing around the pool, her arms wrapped around herself.

She was muttering to herself, rehearsing something she was going to say.

Before Carrie could walk over to Debbie and let her know there was nothing between her and Tony, the Society Woman and Security Guard stepped out onto the patio.

“That’s her,” the Society Woman said, pointing at Debbie.

“Thank you, Miss Crandal. I’ll take it from here.”

“Just remember,” the Society Woman added. “She’s probably dangerous.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Security Guard headed off across the patio toward Debbie. “Ma’am,” he said, his voice firm as he approached. “Can I have a word with you?”

Debbie stopped pacing and looked over, startled. “What is it?”

“I was told you don’t have an invitation to this party.”

Debbie’s face fell in confusion. “What? Who said that?”

“That’s not important, ma’am. I need to see your invitation.”

“I don’t have one,” she said, her frustration growing. “Tony Harding invited me.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’ll need to leave. This is a private party.” He reached for her arm. She instinctively shook loose, backing away.

“Wait! I know it’s a private party. My friend’s the writer!”

“She’s telling the truth,” came a female voice. Debbie and the Security Guard both turned to see Carrie hurrying over. “She’s a guest of the producers.”

“You!” Debbie snarled. “You kissed Tony!”

“Wait— I— ”

Before Carrie could get another word out, Debbie broke free from the Security Guard’s grip and lunged at Carrie, sending the two of them tumbling into the pool.

Inside, a TV camera crew was circled around Tony and Craig. An attractive reporter held her microphone up to Craig.

“What can you tell us about some of these accidents you had on the set?”

“Oh, them things,” Craig said with a dismissive wave. “Hell, they’s exaggerated.”

“The blackout?”

“Maybe that one weren’t so exaggerated.”

Suddenly, a massive ruckus erupted from outside — shouts, screams, and the unmistakable sound of bodies hitting water. Guests began rushing towards the patio doors to see what was happening. Tony and Craig looked over.

Craig glanced at Tony. “That klutzy friend of yer’s go out that way?”

Tony nodded with a groan and raced off, pushing his way through the crowd gathering around the swimming pool. The Security Guard was helping a sputtering, drenched Carrie out of the water, wrapping a towel around her shivering shoulders. Her parents rushed over, full of concern.

“Honey, are you alright?” Mary asked, fussing over her.

“I’m fine, Mom. Really,” Carrie smiled. “Just a bruised ego.”

Dale looked around at the chaos — a drenched socialite who’d been splashed, the irate Society Woman still screaming at a security guard — and an amused smile spread across his face. “It’s certainly an exciting profession you’ve chosen, Care-Bear.”

Tony rushed to the edge of the pool and joined them. “What happened?”

“I think our jealousy plan worked,” Carrie said with a light chuckle, shivering slightly. “She tackled me before I could explain.”

“I’m sorry,” Tony said. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Just go find her. Security escorted her out.”

Eli hurried over, his face a mask of professional panic. “Tony! They need you inside!” He then saw Carrie, sopping wet and wrapped in a towel. “Did I miss something?”

“Just a little misunderstanding,” Carrie said.

Eli turned to Tony. “I need you back inside. The news crew is waiting.”

“I’ll talk to them,” Carrie said, then turned to Tony. “Go find Debbie.”

“Thanks, Carrie,” Tony said, then hurried off, pushing his way back through the crowd and into the hotel.

Tony raced through the lobby and burst out the front entrance into the parking lot. He looked around frantically. No Debbie. He ran over to the valet stand.

“Did you see a brunette in a black dress come by here?” he asked breathlessly. “She’s probably soaking wet.”

The valet looked up from his podium. “Sorry, man. You just missed her. Got into a taxi about two minutes ago.”

“Dammit,” Tony groaned, running a hand through his hair.

Eli caught up with him. “Okay. Who’s that girl in there? Because she looks a lot like Carrie Thompson, but she sure doesn’t act like her.”

A light chuckle escaped Tony. “She’s actually a really cool girl once she knows she can trust you. She’s just been burned a lot, so she has all these defenses.”

Eli looked at him like he just said Godzilla was misunderstood. “Really? And that’s all it took?”

Tony nodded. “That’s all it took. We’ve been developing some ideas she had into scripts, and they’re really good.”

Eli just looked at him for a moment. “Send me the loglines as soon as you get back to your computer, and I’ll start lining up meetings. I think there’s going to be a lot of people wanting to work with the two of you after this film. So, where’s your friend?”

Tony let out a sigh. “I just missed her. She left in a taxi.”

A beat passed. Eli, for once, looked at him not as a client, but as a person. He patted him on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go finish up the interview. You can call Debbie in the morning.”

Tony nodded numbly and followed Eli back inside. On the way in, they passed Preston and Percy, who were scurrying out.

“First thing Monday,” Preston was saying frantically into his phone, “we’re moving to a new office, and changing the company name!”

As they passed, Eli looked at Preston and let out a soft sound.

“Baaaaaah.”

“Screw you, Eli!” Preston yelled back, and disappeared into the night.