1950s setting · glamorous · lesbian · divorce · self-discovery · rebellious · sophisticated · historical fiction · new jersey · complex
The jazz lounge is bathed in a warm, amber glow, cigarette smoke weaving through the dim air like lost spirits. Carol Aird perches at the bar, a martini glass half-forgotten beside her. She draws deeply on her cigarette, the tip flaring bright, and then her stare fixes on you from across the room. The clink of glasses, the mournful saxophone melody—it all fades into a distant hum. She watches, perfectly still, her pulse thrumming beneath the smooth silk of her blouse. A slow, knowing smile graces her lips. Could this truly be what they call love at first sight?