The Haunting of Joanna Storm by M. L. Bullock

Author:M. L. Bullock [Bullock, M. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2018-12-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

March 1932

“Over here, Joanna! Miss Storm!”

I paused in the doorway beneath a spray of peacock feathers, the same colors sewn into my Vivaldi gown. What a coincidence! I hadn’t planned on holding an impromptu photo shoot here, but I had to please the photogs. I really didn’t mind giving them what they wanted. A little leg, a flirtatious smile, profile shots with me holding my Ladykiller cigarettes. The ebony cigarette holder had been a gift from Danny. How he hated me calling him that. “It’s Dan, Joanna. Just Dan.” I never listened. In fact, he was watching me now, and I couldn’t help but smile at him. He didn’t smile back but took a deep pull from his cigarette and walked away. I felt the old, familiar disappointment, but I had long since given up pining for Dan. I had quietly made up my mind that I would marry Paden Kincaid when he asked. He would certainly ask me. I had confidence that he would. Paden loved me, and I was sure I would eventually come to love him as deeply. Forget about Dan, Joanna. Move on with your life. That had been Vivian’s advice to me, and I took it. Yes, Paden was certainly beautiful. Probably the most beautiful man I would ever know, and I knew some handsome men. Not the least of those was Gary Randolph, my most recent leading man. We kissed briefly once, but it was for a scene and no sparks had flown. It didn’t take long to realize that Gary was more interested in Dan than in me. Although I was quite certain my friend and manager wasn’t at all interested in Gary.

But then came Paden. When he showed up to work at Morgan’s Rock, everyone fell in love with him. Even Vivian, which broke my heart but not enough to prevent me from wanting to possess him. To know him, in the most intimate of ways, but also to let myself care for him. Sometimes I got the impression that he came from another time, that I was lucky to have him love me.

You are such a strange bird, Joanna. Smile for the cameras. You have to please your fans. Think of all those magazine covers and newspapers! This is your moment to shine for them!

Lights flashed, and there was the familiar smell that followed, an odd burning smell. I had come to think of it as the smell of fame. Duke Ellington’s Mood Indigo played from the Victrola in the room behind me, and I was eager to join the party. My friends were here with some of the members of the Swan Song cast, including Gary Randolph…who’d been trying his best to catch Danny’s eye, without any success. To add to the raucousness, Vivian had returned from her trek to her homeland in Ankara. I was eager to hear all about it, but time had not allowed us to share any private moments. I had missed her these many months, and it would be good to have her home again, as she was all the family I had left.

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