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proportions,” he replied.
    “Ah, yes, my shoulders. I can’t hide them.”
    “And you shouldn’t.”
    “Well, gentlemen, I know why Mr. Barrington is here, what’s your excuse for getting away from winter in New York?”
    “Getting away from winter in New York,” Mike said. “Who needs an excuse?”
    “Mike is also on the board of the hotel,” Stone said. “He also runs the world’s second-largest security company.”
    “And you, Mr. Bacchetti?”
    “Please, let’s do this on a first-name basis,” Stone said. “Dino is shy, so I’ll tell you that he is the chief of detectives for the New York City Police Department.”
    “I feel safer already,” Emma said, “in safe and well-qualified hands.”
    “What is your daughter’s name?” Dino asked.
    “Tessa. How tall is your son?”
    “Six feet.”
    “Is he intimidated by tall women? Tessa is six-two.”
    “Ben is not intimidated by anything—certainly not tall women. How does Tessa feel about men shorter than she is?”
    “She has learned not to use height as a measurement of character,” Emma said. “After a few mistakes. I think she actually prefers looking down at men.”
    “Then they should get along well.”
    “Why are the children in New Mexico?”
    “They insisted on driving from New Haven, Connecticut, where they have all three just graduated from Yale, to their new work in L.A.”
    “Which is?”
    “They are a team: Peter, my son, writes and directs films. Ben produces them, and Hattie, Peter’s girl, writes their scores.”
    “Such creativity!”
    “It spills out of them. Has Tessa chosen a career?”
    “It has been her dream since childhood to be an actress. She’s fresh out of RADA—the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.”
    “And she’s seeking her fortune in L.A.?”
    “She’s having a look at it. She’s never spent a winter in a warm place, and I’m afraid she may like it here too much.”
    “Everybody falls for the weather,” Stone said. “It’s a pity she’s not here this evening. We’re expecting one of Hollywood’s most famous actresses, Charlene Joiner, for dinner. She said she’d be a little late.”
    “Uh-oh,” Dino said. “Stone has fixed you up, Mike.”
    “I wanted it to be a surprise,” Stone said.
    “Okay, I’m surprised,” Mike replied. “Charlene Joiner! Imagine!”
    The doorbell rang, and Charlene swept into the room, all smiles. Big kisses for Stone and Dino and firm handshakes with Mike and Emma. “I’m so sorry to be late, but we wrapped a film an hour ago. I changed in my trailer.”
    •   •   •
    “I’ve seen your two most recent films with my daughter, who’s an aspiring actor,” Emma said. “We both thought you were splendid.”
    “Thank you so much,” Charlene said, beaming. “I’ve had a good run of luck with directors and scripts lately. Is your daughter in town?”
    “Arriving tomorrow.”
    “Then you must let me arrange a tour of Centurion Studios for her.”
    “She would love that.”
    “I’m sure Ben would be delighted to conduct the tour,” Dino said. “Charlene, our boys, Peter and Ben, are arriving in a couple of days, along with Peter’s girl, Hattie Patrick.”
    “Yes, I met them at the grand opening of the hotel, and I heard Hattie perform at the piano, too.”
    “Yes, I had forgotten.”
    The butler came into the room. “Dinner is served,” he said, and they all went in.
    •   •   •
    After dinner and brandy, Stone walked Emma back to her cottage. “I do like the dress,” he said. “You look almost as good in it as you do out of it.”
    She laughed. “You’re not going to let me forget this afternoon, are you?”
    “Why should I? I’ll never forget it.”
    They stopped at her door, and she opened it. “It sounds like we’re both going to be pretty busy after tonight,” she said. “Would you like to come in?”
    “I’d like that very much,” Stone said, and went in. Things progressed very quickly after