Stop the presses! I’ve got the story of the decade. Maybe the story of the century! Just two days ago at a small soda shop in Laguna Beach, Bobby Conrad and Johnny Hartmann put on a concert that fans are sure to be talking about for years. The event served as a fundraiser for Sweet Sal’s Soda Shoppe, which happens to have the best chocolate malts a girl could ask for.
As I watched Conrad and Hartmann share the stage, as I listened to the genuineness of their songs, I was reminded once again that there truly are some great people in show business. And talk about working a crowd! Most would assume that Bobby would win the hearts of audience members, but watching Johnny Hartmann at work was pure bliss, as well. The kid can sing. And, wow! That new song of his…“Oceans of Love.” Really a winner with the ladies.
And speaking of ladies, the fellas incorporated some new singers into the act—three girls, waitresses at Sweet Sal’s Soda Shoppe, who call themselves the Peppermints. Cute. Their voices were the perfect blend, adding the cream on top of the coffee for this listener. In short, I had the time of my life.
What’s next for Bobby? As soon as Brenda Valentine’s leg heals, filming will begin on Oh, My Romeo! Until then, my sources tell me that Bobby has a new love interest—a small town banker’s daughter from Laguna. (Can you imagine the dollar signs rolling around in daddy’s eyes right now?) As for Johnny, we understand he has been offered a potential visit with Dick Clark on American Bandstand. No doubt teen girls will swoon. And better still, my sources assure me that a movie deal is in the works, featuring Johnny’s new song.
For now, this reporter’s going to pray that Johnny makes it to the studio to record “Oceans of Love.” No doubt it will be an overnight sensation…just like he is.
— Reporting for Hollywood Heartthrob magazine, “On the Big Screen” columnist, Cinema Cindy
* * * * *
Late Monday afternoon Debbie ran all the way from the drugstore to the soda shop with a copy of Hollywood Heartthrob in her hand. She still couldn’t believe the fundraiser had made Cinema Cindy’s column. Just wait till she told everyone.
As she approached the diner, she paused to catch her breath and then smiled as Jim’s car pulled into the parking lot. Debbie waved then straightened her apron and cap, wanting to look her best for Johnny.
From the moment he stepped out of the car, she felt like they’d entered a scene in a movie, one that appeared to be moving in slow motion. He flashed a smile that caused her heart to race. She lifted the magazine and waved it. “Johnny, you’ve got to see this!”
No sooner did he get out of the car, however, than girls came from out of the woodwork. Within seconds, he was swarmed by females on every side. Jim and Theresa managed to distract the teens with the promise of autographed photos, and Debbie ushered Johnny inside.
“Not sure I can get used to that.” He shook his head, appearing a little overwhelmed.
“Looks like you have no choice,” Debbie said. “Just one more thing you’ll have to deal with on the road to stardom.”
He groaned. “Let’s skip the whole ‘stardom’ thing, okay? I just want to sing my songs.”
“Looks like you’re going to get to,” she said. “Everyone loves you, Johnny.”
“I hope a certain someone loves me more than all the others,” he whispered, drawing her close.
She wanted to throw her arms around his neck and share several sweet kisses, to tell him that she’d dreamed of him on Saturday night after the concert, and again on Sunday night. But she didn’t. There would be time for romantic exchanges later. Right now, she had to show off the magazine. Probably everyone would flip!
“Mom!” Debbie hollered across the restaurant. “Pop! Come and see what I’ve got.” She gestured for Mr. Jangles and Johnny to join her at a table near the front of the restaurant. Holding up the copy of Hollywood Heartthrob, she asked the obvious question. “Have any of you seen today’s edition?”
“Not me,” Johnny said. “I’m clueless.”
“Oh, I can’t wait!” Becky Ann ran from the kitchen. “I’ve been dying to see it. Is there anything in there about the concert?”
“Is there!” Debbie opened up the magazine and began to read Cinema Cindy’s column aloud. Before long everyone looked as stunned as she felt.
“Wow. Talk about some great publicity for the shop.” Pop’s eyes misted over. “We owe her our thanks.”
Debbie closed the magazine and shook her head. “I can’t figure out for the life of me how Cinema Cindy did a review when she wasn’t even here.”
“Maybe she was,” her mother said. “Maybe she was just one of the faces in the crowd.”
“But here’s what confuses me…” Debbie opened the magazine and pointed to another section. “Sunset Sam did a write-up of the event, too. And so did Fashionable Francis.”
Becky Ann grabbed the magazine and thumbed through it. “I’m pretty sure I met all of the people who were here with the press, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” Debbie said. “I met Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons, that deejay friend of Bobby’s, and a ton of other people, but none of these folks from Hollywood Heartthrob. Strange, right?”
“Maybe they want to protect their identity,” her mother said. “Think about it, Debbie. If you were always writing articles about famous people—sometimes getting it right and other times getting it wrong—wouldn’t you want to protect your identity?”
Debbie shrugged. “I suppose. Still, it seems weird. And all of the articles are good. Really, really good. It’s almost too good to be true.”
At this point, Jim cleared his throat.
Debbie looked his way. “What is it, Jim?”
“Oh, well, I, um…” He shook his head. “Is it warm in here?”
Debbie narrowed her gaze, growing suspicious. “What do you know about this? Did you sneak these reporters in without us knowing?”
“Sneak them in?” He paused and released a slow breath. “I guess you could say I had a little something to do with it.”
Toby chuckled. “Better spill the beans, Pop,” he said. “They’re all gonna find out, anyway.”
“Spill the beans?” Johnny gave him a curious look. “What are you talking about?”
“What is it, Jim?” Debbie’s mom asked, looking the nervous agent squarely in the eye. “You might as well tell us.”
“I know you’re not going to believe this,” he said at last. “And I can’t believe I’m actually saying this out loud, either. But there is no Cinema Cindy.”
“What?” Every mouth dropped open.
“Of course there is,” Debbie argued. “I’ve been reading her column for years. She keeps the girls hopping with her stories about who’s starring in which movie.”
Jim shook his head. “Nope. And there’s no Sunset Sam, either.”
“You mean, there’s no real Sunset Sam,” Johnny said. “It’s some guy using that name. And the same with Cindy.”
“No, you’re missing my point.” Jim smiled. “I mean, Hollywood Heartthrob magazine only has one reporter and she writes all of the columns, using different names.”
“W–what?” Debbie stared at him, dumbfounded. “That’s…that’s impossible. Why, every column in that magazine is completely different from the others.”
“Exactly.” He nodded. “That’s the idea.”
“You’re telling us that Cinema Cindy is the same person as Sunset Sam?” Becky Ann asked. “I don’t believe it.”
“You can believe it.” Jim nodded. “And he—actually, it’s a she—is also Hepcat Harry, Fashionable Frances, and Hollywood Molly, too.”
“I can’t believe you found this out,” Debbie said. “How in the world do you know all of this? It’s got to be top secret information.”
He laughed. “I know, because that person who’s running herself ragged keeping up with it all…is my wife.”
At this proclamation, every eye in the place turned to Theresa, who gave a little grin. “What can I say?”
“But, how is that possible?” Johnny looked confused. “I had no idea.”
She pulled up a chair and sat down at the table. “Five years ago, Jim and I started the magazine in an office off Sunset to help promote some of Hollywood’s up-and-coming talent,” she explained. “About two years ago, the publication nearly cratered when teens stopped reading. We couldn’t afford to keep our staff, so they disappeared on us, one by one, and we moved the operation to the house. I kept the columns going.”
“Wow.” Debbie shook her head. “Sounds like a lot of work.”
“Yes. But we already owned the names—Cinema Cindy, Hepcat Harry, and so forth. They belonged to the magazine. So, why not? And besides, once we met Bobby, the teens started reading again, so it made writing the articles more fun. The readership grew.”
“And grew,” Jim said.
“And grew!” Becky Ann said, holding up the magazine. “This is the most popular gossip magazine in the state. Maybe even in the country.”
“Pretty close,” Jim said. “The circulation is in the multiplied thousands each week, and that’s just in Southern California. We’ve done really well with it.”
Debbie shook her head. “I guess this explains why I was told Cinema Cindy was too busy to come.”
“Yes.” Jim chuckled. “Though, technically, Theresa here is Cinema Cindy. And Fashionable Frances, etc. And she was here the whole day, which is how she pulled off the columns you’re reading now.”
“You must’ve been up all night Saturday night,” Debbie said.
Theresa shook her head. “No, actually I wrote them while you all were singing on Saturday. Didn’t you notice I carried a notebook?”
“Now that you mention it.” Debbie nodded. “I figured it had something to do with Jim’s agency.”
“In a sense it does,” Theresa said. “Getting the word out about Bobby—and now Johnny—has been important for their careers. And it’s been good for businesses like yours, too, because we can promote their various events. I’ve had the time of my life writing these columns. And it’s given me a chance to see some pretty famous people up close— Elvis, Doris Day, Marlon Brando, and dozens more.”
“Wow.” Becky Ann’s eyes grew wide.
Johnny gave Theresa a knowing look. “Well, I guess this explains why you’re always on the typewriter. I wondered what you were up to.”
“Jim and I always called the magazine ‘our little project.’” She gave her husband a wink. “Though, to be honest, I’m getting a little tired of it. And now that…” She paused and her cheeks turned pink. “Well, now that I’m going to be busy redecorating that spare room, I won’t have much time to write.”
“Redecorating the spare room?” Debbie’s mom gave Theresa a curious look. “Thinking of turning it into a sewing room?”
“No.” Theresa’s cheeks flamed even pinker. “A, um…a nursery.”
At this proclamation, the place came alive. Toby let out a whoop, followed by a whistle from Johnny. Debbie watched it all, mesmerized. What would it be like, to decorate a nursery? To have a husband and child to care for?
“So, the infamous agent is gonna be a papa again.” Debbie’s father slapped him on the back. “That’s great news, Jim. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Jim grinned ear to ear. “I’ve known for a few days. Couldn’t wait to tell everyone. We’re happy as two kids just starting out in life. It’s going to be a new adventure.”
“No doubt about that,” Theresa said then chuckled.
One question still raised Debbie’s curiosity antennae. “Still gonna keep the magazine going?” she asked.
“Funny you should ask.” Jim flashed a smile. “Theresa and I have been talking about that. We’d like to get some help from the younger crowd.”
“Oh?” Debbie’s curiosity was piqued.
“We wondered if you and Becky Ann might be willing to work part-time for the magazine. You girls could assist Theresa by covering Hollywood Molly’s column,” Jim said. “If you like, you can even start a Dear Debbie column, too. Let folks know who you are. It’s fine with us.”
Becky Ann managed one word: “Wow!” Looked like she’d otherwise been rendered speechless.
“Really?” Debbie could hardly fathom the idea.
“Yes, but you would have to come up to Hollywood on occasion to stay up on the action.”
Debbie suddenly had trouble catching her breath. “Are you serious?”
“Sure.” Theresa gave her an encouraging nod. “You girls know as much about Hollywood as I do. More, even. And besides, you’ve got the inside scoop on at least one of Hollywood’s major players.” Theresa looked Johnny’s way.
Debbie smiled as she watched Johnny’s cheeks flash pink. He looked even more adorable when he was embarrassed. And when she thought about all the things she could write about him, her mind came alive with ideas.
“I guess I do have the inside scoop,” she said.
“Funny, the only scoops we had before today were chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry,” her dad threw in.
The laughter that followed resounded across the room.
“Debbie, we should do it,” Becky Ann said. “I won’t tell a soul, I promise. It will be our secret.” Her brow wrinkled. “Not that I’m the best writer in the world.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Theresa said. “You just come up with the information and I’ll help you write it all down. You have no idea what a relief it will be not to carry the load all by myself anymore.”
“You don’t think it would be a…conflict of interest?” Debbie asked.
Jim shook his head. “No, because we treat every star fairly. Always have and always will.”
Debbie felt her curiosity rising. She looked at Theresa. “Can I ask a question?”
“Sure.” Theresa nodded. “Ask me anything. I’m an open book.”
“Well, I’ve noticed that the magazine articles have changed a little over the past couple of weeks. They’re a bit more…”
“Reflective?”
“Yes,” Debbie said. “That’s the word.”
Theresa remained silent for a moment before responding. “I feel like I’ve been on a journey for the past several months,” she said at last. “And all the more when I found out we’re having a little one. I enjoy my work, but it’s always felt like something was missing. When Bobby came to stay with us, I caught glimpses of what it might be. And then, when Johnny came along…” Her eyes filled with tears. “When Johnny came along, I knew something was…” She shook her head. “I guess you could say something was stirring inside of me.”
Johnny took a seat across from her. “Really?”
“Yes.” She paused. “Johnny, I know you think you came to L.A. so that your life could be changed. But I honestly think the Lord brought you here so that you could help bring about change in others. I know I’m different after knowing you, anyway.”
Debbie felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she gazed at Johnny. He reached out and took Theresa’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you for telling me, Theresa. I’m so glad.”
“No, I’m the one who’s glad.” Theresa turned her attention back to Debbie. “So, you’re right. My articles have been changing lately. And I have a feeling the whole layout of the magazine is eventually going to change. But for now, I just know that I can’t do it alone anymore. I need help from someone who understands and appreciates the things that readers really need to hear, and I think that person is you.” She turned to give Becky Ann a smile. “And you, too, honey.”
Debbie could barely speak. She finally managed three words: “I’d be honored.”
“M–me, too,” Becky added.
Everyone in the group went back to chatting, but Debbie’s thoughts had already shifted to Johnny. She wanted to absorb Theresa’s news… and she needed to do it with Johnny at her side. As the noise level around them grew, he looked her way, extending his hand.
“Want to go for a walk on the beach?”
Debbie smiled, feeling a little awkward about leaving. Hmm. No one appeared to be paying attention anyway. Mom and Pop were chatting with Jim and Theresa about the magazine. Becky Ann was flipping through the pages of Hollywood Heartthrob, squealing over the various articles. And Junior….
Wait a minute. Martha Lou had sidled up next to Junior at the bar, and the two were sharing a quiet conversation. And a chocolate malt. With two straws.
Suddenly, Debbie felt like laughing. She grabbed Johnny’s hand, gave it a squeeze, and looked up into those gorgeous green eyes. “I would love to go to the beach.”
They made their way outside. A throng of teen girls had gathered, though two police officers who happened to be stopping by for lunch did a fine job of holding them at bay.
“It’s Johnny!” several of the girls screamed as Debbie and Johnny passed by. Suddenly, they were surrounded by a swarm of teens, and she could barely breathe.
One of the police officers blew his whistle while the other shouted a warning for the girls to back off. A few did, but a handful remained close, one clutching at Johnny’s sleeve.
“Oh, Johnny, you’re the cat’s meow,” she crooned. “You can sing for me anytime.”
“Can I have your autograph?” one of the other girls asked.
Instead of getting flustered, Johnny took the offered pen and paper and scribbled his name on it, along with the words JOHN 3:16.
“What does John 3:16 mean?” the girl asked, looking confused. “Is it some sort of code?”
Johnny chuckled. “Look it up. It’s in the Bible.”
“The Bible?” She shrugged. “Okay.”
As he handed back the pen, she clutched it in her hand and sighed. “I’m going to keep this pen till the day I die.”
The girls began to chatter excitedly to each other, and Johnny took Debbie by the arm, gently leading her through the boisterous crowd to the sidewalk near the highway.
“Well, that was frightening,” he said, once they were free from the throng of giggly girls.
“They’re your fans, Johnny. Better get used to it. With a voice like yours, you’re bound to have girls following you everywhere you go.” Even as Debbie spoke the words, a possessive feeling came over her. She didn’t want other girls following him, but what could she do about it?
He paused and gazed into her eyes. “There’s only one girl I want to follow me everywhere I go, and she’s right here.”
Debbie felt her heart swell with joy, and all the more as Johnny slipped an arm around her waist to guide her across the street to the beach.
She would follow him, all right. To the ends of the earth.
Or at least to the edge of the Pacific.
* * * * *
When they reached the water’s edge, Johnny instinctively reached down and pulled off his shoes. His thoughts shifted back to the day he’d first walked barefoot in the sand with Debbie at his side. He could barely believe only a few short weeks had passed. My, how his life had changed. When the Lord moved, He really moved.
Johnny left his shoes and socks on the sand and raced for the water. Debbie followed along behind him. Together, they splashed and played, just as they’d done the first time. Off in the distance, the sun dipped low and evening’s shadows crept over the horizon.
Johnny decided to take his cue from the skies. He slipped his arms around Debbie, drawing her close. She rested her head against his shoulder, and the two stood cradled together for some time, completely silent.
Not that Johnny’s mind was silent. Oh no. He longed to tell Debbie his secret…that he only planned to take the movie deal so he could pay off the soda shop for her parents. But this wasn’t the time or place.
“You’re being really quiet,” Debbie said after a moment. “Everything okay?”
“Are you kidding?” He gazed into her eyes. “I’ve got the Pacific, a gorgeous sunset, and the prettiest girl in the world. What else could a guy ask for?”
She grinned. “Well, when you put it like that…”
“Actually, there is one more thing,” he said at last.
“Oh?”
“Yes. I still haven’t seen Bobby’s movie, First Kiss. You promised me that if I hadn’t seen it by the time the fundraiser ended, we could have a date.”
“Wow. I can’t believe you remembered that.”
“You bet I remembered.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “So what do you say?”
“I say yes, of course. It’s still playing at The Palace on the weekends.”
“Perfect. Because I plan to be hanging around on the weekends…a lot.”
“Mmm. Sounds lovely.”
He draped his arms around her waist, and she sighed. The waves pounded the shore, the tide rolling out for the evening. With it went all of his fears and inhibitions. He was finally free to speak his feelings openly and without hesitation.
“Debbie, I love you with all of my heart. I thank God every day for you.” The words came out so softly he wondered if she could hear them against the backdrop of the mighty Pacific.
Apparently so. She gazed at him with joy radiating from her eyes. “I love you, too. And I’m so grateful He brought you here from Topeka. It’s like a miracle, really.”
Johnny leaned in and his lips met hers for a whisper-soft kiss. She pulled back, and for a second he thought he’d lost her. Just as quickly, her lips met his once again for several light, feathery kisses, tender and innocent, yet filled with emotion.
When the kisses ended, she rested her head against his shoulder. They both stared at the skies overhead, which were layered with myriad colors—red, orange, yellow, and even a hint of purple. Johnny found it nearly as breathtaking as the woman in his arms.
Still, there was one lingering question. It wouldn’t leave him alone. He finally worked up the courage to ask it.
“Debbie…are you disappointed?”
“Disappointed?” She looked at him, clearly confused. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, are you sorry you ended up with a guy from Topeka instead of with Bobby Conrad? Do you feel like you’ve been cheated?”
“Are you serious?” The edges of her lips curled up in a delicious smile. “On the contrary.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “The way I look at it, I was shooting for a star, and lassoed the moon instead.”
He chuckled, pulling her close. “Reminds me of Hey, Diddle, Diddle.”
“I’m not jumping over this moon, Johnny Hartmann,” she admonished. “You’re not getting away.” She gave him a playful grin. “I mean, if you’ll have me.”
“If I’ll have you?” He kissed her forehead, not once, but four times. “If I’ll have you?” The kisses worked their way down onto her cheeks and she giggled with delight. By the time their lips met, Johnny’s heart pounded against his chest, the reality of the moment overwhelming him. When he leaned back, she flashed a shy smile and he kissed the tip of her freckled nose once more.
In that moment, he wanted to share even more of his heart, to tell her that every mile he’d traveled on that Greyhound bus had been worth it, just to find her, that he’d fallen in love, not just with her, but with her family, the soda shop, and the glorious waters of the Pacific.
Instead, he wrapped her in his arms again.
Why waste time talking, when a kiss could say a thousand words?