“But what’ll you do once you leave?” Sherri asked.

Tina shrugged. “I’ve always figured I should either break up with my boyfriend back home or get married, so I guess we’ll get married.”

Sherri couldn’t stand to see someone as gorgeous and bright as Tina settling on her future, especially after hearing about Rhonda. Weren’t they all too young to become mothers and wives? Sherri was getting her first terrifying inkling that her youth might not last forever.

She could have encouraged Tina to reject her grandfather’s threat and take her chances on living her own life, but what did Sherri know about being an heiress to a sausage fortune? This only confirmed to Sherri that Tina was from another world. Besides, she couldn’t stand to dwell on problems and just talk. She didn’t want Tina to leave, but she was thrilled to take over her job. “I’m having a lake party Sunday night,” Sherri said. If she were still in high school, this would be the equivalent of inviting the prom queen to a party. “Can you come?”

“You’re sweet, Sher. Sure, I’ll try to make it. It’ll be my swan song.”

Her first few nights at the Cabaret, the work proved to be ten times harder than at the Sidewalk Café, but she was making twice as much in tips, and she was meeting interesting people—a radio DJ, Jack Nicklaus’s caddy, Cher’s personal stylist. The pills helped her get through.

She was so swept up in her triumphant return to work that she’d forgotten she’d made plans with Arthur to return to his cottage for a night when she finished her early shift. She could feel the energy in the Cabaret change when she looked up and saw him leaning against the doorway. He smiled and waved. Something caught in her chest at the sight of him, a feeling of snapping into place. She dropped her tray—never before had she done that. When she leaned down to pick up the broken glass, an older lady said, “Is that your boyfriend?” She nudged her husband. “Honey, remember when we were like that?”

“We still are, aren’t we?”

“Ha! There’s nothing like that feeling of young love. Just look at the way he looks at her.”

Sherri felt exposed. Bunnies threaded their way between the tables. Frank Sinatra piped through the speakers. Then she looked in Arthur’s direction again. Everything else fell away. She’d only known him for a week, but it had been an intense seven days, and now she couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d been standing there her whole life, off to the side, waiting for her.

Shit, she thought, a piece of broken glass in her hand, thinking about what the older couple had said. I’m in love with that guy.