Page 96 of Vera Stein Is Fine
“But how will people know that you’re accompanying me against my will?”
“I offered to go home. All you had to do was ask.”
A camera flashed, and Eli’s arm wrapped smoothly around my waist, pulling me to his side.
“You look delicious,” he whispered.
And I smiled, because I couldn’t physically stop myself. Not to mention that I’d actually put in a great deal of effort tonight. I’d worn a strapless bra for the first time in at least ten years. My gown was a deep magenta silk with a sweetheart bodice that crossed in the front. The cap sleeves draped off my shoulders and the floor-length skirt split up the front to my midthigh. It was the flashiest thing I’d ever worn and something I only had the courage to buy because I’d reasoned that no one I knew would actually see me.
Stepping out in the hallway to meet Eli earlier tonight, I was riddled with nerves. He’d looked me up and down, with an appreciative hum, and swiped his thumb along his lower lip in a way that made my knees tremble.
We posed for two more photos before meeting Ruby on the other side of the carpet.
Inside the room, we were seated at the front like Alton had said. Most of the awards committee sat at our table and they were all enamored by Ruby, who was on the receiving end of constant compliments and questions.
Eli and I sat there, doing our best to read lips from across the table to follow the conversation, but eventually I gave in and turned to my ex-husband. “So you just had a tuxedo lying around, waiting for a tux-appropriate invitation?”
“My mother always said that every gentleman needs one good tux at the ready.”
I nodded. “For formal emergencies.”
“Precisely.”
“That sounds like rich-kid propaganda.”
He grinned and took a sip of his wine. “Oh, most definitely. This dress is unfairly distracting, by the way. Hazardous, honestly.” His voice was soft and full of awe.
A warm confidence settled across my shoulders, and I found myself sitting up taller, my neck straight and proud. It was a fleeting moment, but one where I didn’t feel self-conscious or unsure about the bright color of my dress or how much skin I was revealing.
Eli peered over my shoulder. “And it appears I’m not the only person noticing you tonight.”
I chanced a peek and quickly glanced back to see a man with dark brown cropped hair, a tailored suit, and thick-rimmed black glasses. He was definitely a film nerd hipster, the kind of guy I would probably drool over until he proved himself to be insufferable. But when he saw me turn to him, he didn’t look away. The corner of his mouth lifted, sending a thrill down my spine.
I smiled back before saying to Eli, “Are you gonna be my wingman tonight?”
His face became serious and he looked to the man behind me, a challenge in his narrowed gaze. “No, Vera. I don’t think I have the stomach for that.”
I waited for him to make some other quip or give a hint that this was just banter, but he only took a sip of the whiskey he’d ordered from the bar and then swirled what was left in his glass for a long, silent moment.
We sat through dinner, popping in and out of conversations on either side of us and sometimes joining in on each other’s chatter. When the time came for the awards, there was lots of polite laughter, measured clapping, and highly specific jokes that played well with this crowd.
Ruby’s award was the second to last to be presented and when her name was called, Eli stood up and walked her to the stage. My chestached as he guided her through the tables and up the steps. I’d spent so much of my life taking care of Mom and Ruby, and it had never occurred to me what a lonely job that had been.
Eli sat back down beside me as the applause drowned out.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He nodded with his eyes on the stage.
Ruby’s speech was exactly right. Not too long and full of clever innuendo. The single moment she stumbled was when she nearly mentioned Hollis, and I only noticed because I’d proofread the speech for her early on. But she cleared her throat and quickly recovered.
As her speech came to a close, she looked away from the teleprompter and focused directly on the audience. Standing up there, she reminded me so much of Leonard, and I wondered if she’d had the same thought too. Like this was the beginning of her farewell tour.
“If I can leave you with one final piece of advice from someone who’s nearly outstayed her welcome on this earth.” She did the public speaking thing where you make meaningful but brief eye contact across your audience, but then her gaze homed in on me and stayed there as she said, “I would tell you that as a woman in the film industry, I quickly learned that no one will take you seriously until you take yourself seriously. Why be a dreamer when you can be a doer?” She dipped her head in thanks, and the audience enveloped her in applause.
It was smart and inspirational. It was a call to action. It was the kind of thing self-identified girl bosses would put on their vision boards. And it was pointed right at me.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
