Della Dream Job

The grand ballroom of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel was beautiful. Della stood at the entrance, taking everything in while Hamilton checked their coats. Set up on one side of the enormous room were the tables, the buffet and bar. On the other side, the dance floor with a small orchestra playing quietly on a raised stage.

A hand on her arm brought Della's attention back to her escort.

"Well what do you think? Shall we find our table, Della?" he asked.

"Of course. Everything is simply gorgeous!" she gushed. "Thank you again for inviting me."

Hamilton smiled at his lovely companion. "It's my pleasure."

They found their table, which was set close to the dance floor. Mark Simmons and his wife Marie were already seated. Hamilton introduced the other couple as Cole Petersen and his wife Anne. Cole was a lawyer with an up-and-coming firm and the couple was expecting their first child. Both Della and Marie congratulated Anne, commenting on her radiant glow. Anne returned the compliment by admiring the details in Marie's sparkling gown and then enthusiastically praising Della's sleek dress and white orchid corsage. Della blushed slightly and confessed that the dress was on loan from a friend and that Hamilton had provided the beautiful flower.

After Della had accepted Hamilton's invitatio, she had immediately called her best friend Janet Brent and begged her for the loan of an evening dress. The black velvet gown was just the right size and clung to Della's curves elegantly. Janet had also offered a diamond necklace and earrings, which Della had initially refused, worried that she'd be distracted with worry all evening about something happening to the expensive jewelry. Janet had insisted, reassuring her that everything was insured. Della had been checking herself in the mirror one last time when Hamilton had knocked at her apartment door. As he shyly presented her with the perfect white orchid, she hadn't been able to help herself, and placed a quick kiss on his cheek, causing him to turn a deep shade of red.

Mark had returned from the bar with a bottle of champagne, and was pouring the drinks when a familiar voice interrupted.

"Good evening Hamilton, Mr. Simmons. It's nice to see you both."

Della looked up into the deep blue eyes of Perry Mason. On his arm was the most attractive woman Della had ever seen. Her gown was low-cut to show off her generous attributes, and the large diamonds at her throat, ears and wrist were practically blinding. And although she could never afford one herself, Della knew that the fur stole draped around her shoulders was definitely real mink.

Mark reached out to shake Perry's hand and introduced his wife and the Petersens. Hamilton stood, placing his hand on Della's shoulder protectively, and spoke up.

"Perry, I don't believe you have been formally introduced to Miss Della Street."

Perry took Della's hand, bending gallantly to place a kiss on the back of her hand, his eyes never leaving her face. His warm lips sent a shiver all the way to her toes.

"What a delight to finally meet you, Miss Street."

"And, Perry, aren't you going to introduce me?" The woman snaked her hand under Perry's arm possessively.

"Of course. May I introduce Miss Laura Cavanagh. She's a junior partner at Cavanagh & Reese." While he spoke, his eyes stayed locked on Della, who wondered if she was imagining the extra attention or if the rest of the table noticed it as well.

Laura was quick to cut in. "Oh Perry, darling. You know I'll be a senior partner as soon as you and I open the Denver office." Della thought she saw a frown cross Perry's face for an instant, but then his dimpled smile returned.

Ignoring his companion's interjection, Perry addressed Della. "If I may, I'd like to reserve a dance later, Miss Street."

Even if she had been temporarily struck blind and deaf, Della couldn't have missed Miss Cavanagh's look of scorn or her patronizing tone when she interrupted. "Oh yes, dear, my Perry is such a divine dancer. And I must say, your dress is lovely. It's amazing what you can find off the racks these days."

Della put on her sweetest smile, despite the blatant condescension of Laura's remark. "Why, thank you, Miss Cavanagh. I'm surprised you don't recognize the designer. It's actually an original from Jacques Penne - very exclusive."

Laura's sneer held fast. "And the rhinestone necklace is almost perfect."

It took all of Della's restraint not to break her smile, and she even added an extra bit of honey to her voice as she brought her hand to her décolletage in mock astonishment. "Oh, my. I'm sure Mr. Winston would be beside himself if he heard that you had mistaken the pieces for imitations." She wagged her finger at a security guard by the door. "And the chaperone he hired to keep an eye on me would be terribly embarrassed if he thought he wasn't safe-guarding the real item."

Everyone at the table seemed to be holding their breath as they listened to this unusual exchange between the two women. Laura's grip on Perry's arm tightened and Della could see him wince as her long fingernails dug in. "Perry, we should find our table. We wouldn't want to keep the mayor and the governor waiting."

Just before he turned away, Perry winked at Della, and she raised her eyebrows in silent response. When the couple had walked away, there was a moment of silence before Anne started applauding, quickly joined by the others around the table.

"That was absolutely amazing. Della, I must say that I've never seen or heard such a classy and well-deserved scolding in my life. Brava!"

Della let out her breath, which she realized that she had been holding, and laughed. "Thank you Anne." Hamilton took his seat and reached over to squeeze her hand. "I agree Della. You were magnificent."

Marie nodded in agreement. "For once, the pompous Laura Cavanagh didn't have a comeback. But I'm almost ashamed to ask…Who is the designer you mentioned? I don't believe I know the name."

With a perfectly deadpan delivery, Della responded, "Of course you do, Marie. You see, this is a designer dress, but since I borrowed it from a friend, I don't know the couturier. As for 'Jacques Penne' - you actually know him better as J.C. Penny."

The women both gasped, then started giggling, and the men joined in with approving laughter, with Hamilton chortling so hard that he had tears in his eyes. Finally regaining control, he swung his head to Della. "And the security guard for Harry Winston's jewelry?"

"Oh, these are real diamonds, also a loan from my friend. But to counter Laura's not-so-subtle assertions that they're fake, I just said the first name I could think of. Noticing that hotel guard there was just an extra touch."

Hamilton reached for his glass, raising it. "Everyone...a toast to Miss Della Street, a most wonderful and amazing woman." The other couples chimed in: "Here, here!" "She's one you want in your corner of the ring, Ham!" and "If we're lucky, Della has scared Laura off and we'll be safe for the rest of the evening."

Della bent forward in a mock bow. "Thank you all. Now may we head to the buffet? I'm absolutely starved."

Across the room, Perry watched with interest as the scene played out, and wished he had been sitting at that table instead of the one Laura had commandeered for them. Laura, realizing that she had lost Perry's attention, grabbed his hand and squeezed a little too hard.

"Perry. Do you remember that you're here with me? What's so interesting about that little working girl? She's just like all the other little nobodies, probably sleeping with her boss so she won't get replaced with someone prettier."

Perry's usually bright Arctic blue eyes darkened in a flash, now conjuring up the dangerous, cold and dark cerulean depths of Lake Superior. Perry turned them slowly to the woman at his side. "Laura, that's surprisingly crude, even coming from you. Excuse me." And without a look back, he stood and went straight to the bar.

After signaling the bartender for a double scotch, he swiveled his attention back to Burger's table. He watched as Della Street talked and laughed with Hamilton and still managed to include everyone at the table. There was nothing phony or haughty in her manner. In fact, she seemed to be the exact opposite of Laura, who used every tactic she had to be the center of attention and, in her mind, the most important person in any group.

Downing his drink, he pushed the empty glass forward and nodded for another. He was annoyed that Laura just assumed he would follow her like a puppy when she went to Denver. It wasn't going to happen. His law practice here was taking off and he loved Los Angeles. Laura was beautiful and a tigress in bed but he had plans and ambitions that did not include her. Not to mention the fact that he simply was not in love with her. He just had to figure out how to slip out of Laura's grasp without suffering any lasting scars.