have extra copies made so you can have one, Grady.”
“Thanks! By the way, what kind of camera is that?”
“I just got it,” Jimbo said, taking the camera back from Stella. “It’s a new Japanese model. Does video, too. Lots of bells and whistles. Comes with three different lenses.”
“Men and their paraphernalia!” Stella said, rolling her eyes. “I swear, if it has a wheel or a speaker or a dial or a cartridge, they just love it. My Homer’s no different. The surround sound in our media room back home could blow you out of your seat. Me, I’m a down-home girl. I like things simple. If it has too many buttons, I’m not interested—unless it’s a dress.”
“Does that preference extend to kitchen appliances as well?” I asked, thinking a professional chef must have a pretty fancy supply of tools, too.
“Now, there I might make an exception,” she said with a grin. “But only for a high-end fridge or stove. I’m just not good with technology. Computers! You can keep ’em. Lucky for me, my specialty is barbecue, and for that, a spicy marinade and a hot fire can take you pretty far. Look where it took me!” She struck a pose and laughed.
“That’s some camera he’s got,” Grady said, coming over to us.
“Just so’s it don’t catch my extra chin,” Stella said, patting the back of her hand under her jaw.
“You looked lovely to me,” I said.
“You’re gonna be my new best friend.”
Grady glanced at his watch. “Ready to go, Aunt Jess? I have to get back to the office.”
“Wait, Jessica,” Stella said, settling a large tote bag on the conference table. “Tell me where you’re staying and I’ll get Jimbo to send the pictures over soon as they’re ready.”
I gave her the name of my hotel, but suggested that she send the prints to Cabot Cove instead, or wait until I returned. “I hadn’t planned on staying in New York through next week,” I said as I printed my address on a card. “I have to go home this weekend to tie up some loose ends, but I’ll be back in time for the shoot. I’m not sure at the moment where I’ll be staying when I return.”
“Our door’s always open,” Grady said.
“I know, dear, and I appreciate that.”
I’d decided it was too hard on the pocketbook, never mind the psyche, simply to stay in my dollhouse-sized hotel room for another week. While the bed was everything that had been promised—and I’d slept very well—it was impossible to relax in the room during the time I wasn’t under the covers. I’d tried taking my book downstairs to the hotel lounge, but the lighting was dim, and the noise level much too high to concentrate on reading.
In addition, all the business meetings I’d arranged during my visit would be concluded by the end of the next day, and as I’d been originally scheduled to fly home Friday night, I made up my mind to keep to the plan. I’d decided that when I came back from Cabot Cove, it would be to another hotel, or Frank’s room at Grady and Donna’s apartment. They were urging me to bunk with them, and I was leaning in that direction.
“Jimbo and I are over at the Waldorf-Astoria,” Stella said, tucking my card in her wallet and fishing out one of her own. “Not together, of course. His wife would kill me if she even heard me talking about it—she’s one of my oldest friends—to say nothing of what my Homer would do. He’s jealous of every man I talk with. We could have stayed at the Plaza; I hear it’s opened again after the renovations. But it was easier to stay at the Waldorf, what with Permezzo paying for the nights when we’re doing the shoot.”
“They are?”
“They do that for all the talent, Aunt Jess.”
“Well, for goodness’ sakes, Grady. Why didn’t you say something?”
“Gee, Aunt Jess, I guess I forgot.”
“Tripper lives here in New York, but Sevenson is also staying at the Waldorf,” Stella said, making a face. “Not that I want anything to do with either of them.
“Thanks! By the way, what kind of camera is that?”
“I just got it,” Jimbo said, taking the camera back from Stella. “It’s a new Japanese model. Does video, too. Lots of bells and whistles. Comes with three different lenses.”
“Men and their paraphernalia!” Stella said, rolling her eyes. “I swear, if it has a wheel or a speaker or a dial or a cartridge, they just love it. My Homer’s no different. The surround sound in our media room back home could blow you out of your seat. Me, I’m a down-home girl. I like things simple. If it has too many buttons, I’m not interested—unless it’s a dress.”
“Does that preference extend to kitchen appliances as well?” I asked, thinking a professional chef must have a pretty fancy supply of tools, too.
“Now, there I might make an exception,” she said with a grin. “But only for a high-end fridge or stove. I’m just not good with technology. Computers! You can keep ’em. Lucky for me, my specialty is barbecue, and for that, a spicy marinade and a hot fire can take you pretty far. Look where it took me!” She struck a pose and laughed.
“That’s some camera he’s got,” Grady said, coming over to us.
“Just so’s it don’t catch my extra chin,” Stella said, patting the back of her hand under her jaw.
“You looked lovely to me,” I said.
“You’re gonna be my new best friend.”
Grady glanced at his watch. “Ready to go, Aunt Jess? I have to get back to the office.”
“Wait, Jessica,” Stella said, settling a large tote bag on the conference table. “Tell me where you’re staying and I’ll get Jimbo to send the pictures over soon as they’re ready.”
I gave her the name of my hotel, but suggested that she send the prints to Cabot Cove instead, or wait until I returned. “I hadn’t planned on staying in New York through next week,” I said as I printed my address on a card. “I have to go home this weekend to tie up some loose ends, but I’ll be back in time for the shoot. I’m not sure at the moment where I’ll be staying when I return.”
“Our door’s always open,” Grady said.
“I know, dear, and I appreciate that.”
I’d decided it was too hard on the pocketbook, never mind the psyche, simply to stay in my dollhouse-sized hotel room for another week. While the bed was everything that had been promised—and I’d slept very well—it was impossible to relax in the room during the time I wasn’t under the covers. I’d tried taking my book downstairs to the hotel lounge, but the lighting was dim, and the noise level much too high to concentrate on reading.
In addition, all the business meetings I’d arranged during my visit would be concluded by the end of the next day, and as I’d been originally scheduled to fly home Friday night, I made up my mind to keep to the plan. I’d decided that when I came back from Cabot Cove, it would be to another hotel, or Frank’s room at Grady and Donna’s apartment. They were urging me to bunk with them, and I was leaning in that direction.
“Jimbo and I are over at the Waldorf-Astoria,” Stella said, tucking my card in her wallet and fishing out one of her own. “Not together, of course. His wife would kill me if she even heard me talking about it—she’s one of my oldest friends—to say nothing of what my Homer would do. He’s jealous of every man I talk with. We could have stayed at the Plaza; I hear it’s opened again after the renovations. But it was easier to stay at the Waldorf, what with Permezzo paying for the nights when we’re doing the shoot.”
“They are?”
“They do that for all the talent, Aunt Jess.”
“Well, for goodness’ sakes, Grady. Why didn’t you say something?”
“Gee, Aunt Jess, I guess I forgot.”
“Tripper lives here in New York, but Sevenson is also staying at the Waldorf,” Stella said, making a face. “Not that I want anything to do with either of them.
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