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he had stolen my
heart. He was a beautiful man.
“What shall we do?” I asked, giving him a sly smile.
“Well, just for now we should follow the schedule. But I claim a walk in the gardens with you later,
Hannah. I am not even close to knowing you well enough yet.” His dark eyes stole my sanity. He reluctantly
gestured to the front door nearby. I gave Anthony a wink then went through the door.
As I walked down the long corridor toward the party my heart had decided. He was mine. All mine!
Chapter 2
    Thirty minutes after meeting Anthony my heart calmly returned to its normal pace. I was waiting inside the
grand mansion on a soft chair and sipped a glass of wine. I had limited myself to one because I was such a
lightweight with wine. I had no desire to get silly. I tended to giggle a ridiculous amount when I drank more than
one glass. I had a supreme desire, right now, not to appear foolish.
    I went back to people watching again and noticed a few groups gathering. Several blondes were talking
animatedly and giggling. There was a blond near the pool outside that had huge gold hoop earrings. Her very loud
boisterous laugh drew my gaze a few times. Her white blond hair was swept up in a high pony-tail. It seemed a
strange hairdo to choose to go with a formal gown. But who was I to judge? I tried to be generous by thinking how
perky and fun-loving she looked. I saw the redhead I spoke with in the limousine and decided to be social. I think
her name was Janette.
    I made my way over to Janette, carefully. My high heels were not cooperating on the thick shaggy
carpeting.
The room was large with two huge stone fireplaces, an outdoor terrace on one side and a huge window
on the other overlooking a valley below. This part of Los Angeles was very hilly. The overlook in the evening
showed the cityscape. It was a beautiful sight. The lights of the cars and buildings lit up the valley.
“Are you Janette?” I asked as I reached the terrace. The redhead nodded and set down her drink. She was
standing on the edge of the terrace next to the doors; she seemed undecided about whether to stay inside or go
outdoors.
“I am Hannah.” I reached out to shake her hand.
“I am Janette.” She shook my hand and her smile was shy.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect with the party. It seems more fun on television. They don’t show all us girls
standing around in high heels waiting for the guy to show up.” Janette said, surprising me.
“I know what you mean, my feet hurt and I don’t know a soul. I am wishing for something to do.” I added.
I actually wished I had my iPhone, at least, I could have texted funny things to Allison. She would have appreciated
my labeling game.
“I hope Anthony is done meeting everyone soon. I am dying to stare at him some more.” Janette said and
pulled a dreamy actress face. “I don’t know if I’m in love, but he is really easy on the eyes.”
I thought for a moment and decided I liked this girl; she seemed shy, but then she shocked me with her
sense of humor.
“Well, he had me melting a bit, but he probably said the same thing to everyone. Calling every girl beautiful
and saying he wanted to steal her away to walk in the moonlight would have worked on everyone, I am sure.” I
said and laughed. It was my effort to push away the gushy overwhelming feelings. I was starting to feel strange
about dating a guy that was dating twenty-four other women.
Why do I think of this now ? I asked myself.
“Well he said ‘Hi, nice to meet you’ to me. ‘Hope you enjoy the party’. I introduced myself and hugged
him. It was weird.” Janette said. Her grimace made me laugh and her words made my heart thump a few extra
beats, maybe it wasn’t just a line.
I looked around and did a quick count, there were twenty-three women in the room. The camera men
were present and a few boom microphone operators but the assistants and the producers were gone, or hidden.
The camera men were dressed in all black. They wore