Chapter 2

The air inside the private screening room of the drive-in was thick, heavy with the scent of old velvet, lemon polish, and the lingering, sweet smoke of his cologne. Outside, the giant marquee flickered against the twilight, casting a rhythmic, electric blue glow through the high, narrow windows. The row of vintage convertibles had quieted down, their engines ticking as they cooled, but in here, the world had shrunk to the four walls of this velvet-draped alcove. We had slipped away from the main crowd, leaving the murmurs of dinner parties and clinking glasses behind, seeking the shadows where the neon light didn’t quite reach. I stood near the heavy drapes, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs that I was sure he could hear. The fabric of my silk slip dress felt too thin, too sheer against my skin, a second layer of silk that clung to every curve like a lover’s hand. I had changed in the small antechamber, swapping the structured daytime blazer and pencil skirt for this fluid, emerald-green number that slipped over my hips like water. I had kicked off my sensible heels, letting my feet settle bare on the plush carpet, and