All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani Page B

Office Hours , caught up with him.
    â€œHow do you like Connie Bennett?” Robert Leonard asked.
    â€œShe’s a good kid.”
    â€œI have them rewriting the ending. I think we need to find out what happens to her.”
    â€œFine with me.”
    Leonard looked relieved. He had been around since the silents, and felt lucky to still be working. The front office had assigned himto a Gable picture, which gave his career a desperately needed boost. Gable had been a Mae Murray fan, and seen all of Robert’s movies, so he readily agreed to have him direct After Office Hours.
    â€œHey, Bob.”
    Robert Leonard turned to face him.
    â€œWhat happened in New York?”
    â€œYou want the truth?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œMae and I started Tiffany Pictures, and things were going along well.”
    â€œYou put out some good movies.”
    â€œYeah, we did. But we couldn’t make a baby. Somehow Mae put the failure of that on the little studio we started, and she eventually divorced me because she couldn’t face me.”
    â€œSo you came back.”
    â€œI’m lucky they wanted me back,” Robert admitted.
    â€œDon’t ever say that, bud. Working in the studio is like pursuing a woman. You never want her to know how bad you need her.”
    â€œI’ll keep that advice in mind, Clark.” Robert went to his office.
    Gable stopped at a water fountain. He was wearing jodhpurs, a white shirt, and his riding boots. He removed his partial plate from his mouth and rinsed it in the fountain.
    Anita Loos, a petite brunette and the most popular screenwriter on the lot, walked by with her secretary.
    â€œMr. Gable,” she greeted him.
    â€œWhat do you think of the King of Hollywood without his teeth?” He popped the plate back into his mouth.
    Anita laughed.
    â€œYou writing anything new for me?”
    â€œAlways. I’m cooking up a little something for you and Miss Crawford.”
    â€œThat’s always a yes from me.”
    â€œI figured.”
    Anita and her secretary watched as Gable walked away.
    â€œI’ve found religion,” Anita said.
    â€œThe Church of Clark Gable?”
    â€œAlready a member. No, I’m taking up reincarnation. I want to come back in my next life and be whatever girl that man is sweet on. It’ll never happen in this go-round, but I want to die knowing it’s possible in the next. “

    If the young people in the movie business weren’t making pictures, they were going to them.
    The Pantages Theater in downtown Los Angeles had a long line of eager customers that snaked around the block. A row of palm trees outside the theater was brightly lit with klieg lamps from the roots, which threw fingers of shadow across the boulevard.
    Spencer Tracy pulled up on a side street next to the theater with a car load of girls. Loretta had convinced Spencer to take Alda, her sisters, and her to see a new blockbuster, It Happened One Night. They were piled into Spencer’s car like chocolates in a box.
    â€œYou girls get the seats. Save me the aisle. I need an escape route.”
    â€œAll the clamoring fans you want to dodge?” Polly joked.
    â€œNo, I think I can handle the two of them. I’m talking about the movie. If it’s a turkey, I take off. I’m not a romance guy.”
    â€œWe know,” Loretta joked. “How do you feel about popcorn?”
    â€œThe bigger the tub the better. And don’t forget the butter.” Spencer reached into his pocket and handed money to Georgie. “I trust you with the funds.”
    â€œI go free because I’m only nine.”
    â€œI knew I liked you.” Spencer reached across and opened the car door.
    Alda smiled. She was beginning to feel like one of the Young sisters. They included her in everything from church to going out to restaurants to going to the movies.
    â€œYou having fun?” Loretta asked Alda.
    â€œCan you