Read Her Leading Man for Free Online

man, and make it snappy.”
    Christina sighed. “Gran, you’re impossible.” Turning to Martin, she said,
“What do you suggest, Martin? I’m not much of a wine drinker.”
    He grinned. “I’m not, either. Why don’t we try something white. I
think white goes with chicken.” He glanced up at the waiter. “Do you have
some kind of
white wine lying about in a cellar somewhere?”
    “ Er, yes, sir.” The waiter had been keeping a
wary eye on Gran, but at Martin’s question he turned his attention away from
her. It was a mistake, as he learned at once, when Gran smacked him on the
arm with her
cane, a feat which forced her to lean across the table.
    The waiter
jumped and let out a small scream.
    “ No need to holler, young man. I asked you
for a
whiskey and soda. Did you hear me?”
    “ Yes, ma’am,” the waiter stammered.
“Yes, ma’am. Coming right up.”
    Gran sat back, satisfied that she’d managed to intimidate someone. Christina knew she’d have
been upset if
the waiter had been impervious to her, as Martin was, so she guessed it was
just as well that she’d succeeded with one of them. Sometimes she wasn’t sure how her
grandmother got away with some of the outlandish things she did. One of these
days, somebody would strangle her, and then where would they all
be?
    Martin gazed at Gran for a moment, then at Christina. “Is she
always like this?” He said it with a grin and loudly enough for Gran to hear,
but Christina
sensed he was honestly curious.
    She
nodded. “Oh, yes. Sometimes she’s worse.”
    “ Don’t you dare talk about me as if I weren’t
here, girl. And you”—she poked Martin’s arm with a bony forefinger— “ I come along with Christina to
these idiotic
picture things because I’m not about to let anyone take advantage of her. I’ve
read about the lousy morals you people have. But you’re not going to get the chance to
corrupt my girl, and you’d better know it from the first.”
    “ Corrupt her?” Martin blinked at the old
woman as if her words astonished him. “Why do
you think anyone wants to corrupt her?”
    “ Oh, don’t give me that,” Gran said in a voice
so disparaging it could have withered spring leaves. “I read the newspapers.
Why, just yesterday another stupid young woman threw herself off the roof of
a building in
Los Angeles. You’re a nest of vipers, is what you are. If you didn’t pay so well, I
wouldn’t let
Christina get within ten miles of any of you.”
    “ Oh.” Martin appeared nonplussed.
    Made sense to Christina. One of Gran’s diatribes was enough to
nonplus anyone. S he turned to her grandmother and said mildly,
“I’m sure Mr. Tafft isn’t one of the immoral picture types, Gran. I’ve only ever heard good
things about him “ She shot Martin a smile to make him feel better about
being discussed like this.
    “ Heh. I wouldn’t believe a word a picture
person said to me, especially if it was a good word about some other picture
person. They’re all snakes.”
    “ Goodness,” murmured Martin. “I didn’t know
we were considered all that bad.” He appeared truly
unhappy, and
Christina wondered why. After all, the whole world knew how immoral and
disgraceful actors were.
    Gran turned on him . “Don’t try to be
funny, you. And don’t try to humor me. I know what I’m talking about. I’ve got
eyes. I see what goes on when a picture crew goes on location. I’ve seen it
before, and I
expect to see it again, but I’ll never see it with Christina. That’s
why I’m here, and that’s why I’m going to keep my eye on my granddaughter.”
She poked him
again. “And you’d better never forget it.”
    “ Not
much chance of that,” Christina muttered.
    “ No indeed,” agreed Martin. “In fact, I admire
you for keeping an eye on your granddaughter.” He sent smile Christina’s
way. “I wish more young women had family to watch out for them.”
    Gran stared at him for a moment and then gave him one