Sweethearts #82

Mabel has hitched her future to her friend Dina's rising star as a singer, eager to ride her talent straight into luxury—but when Dina's sudden success at Mr. Hendricks' restaurant attracts the attention of glamorous admirers and rivals alike, Mabel finds herself increasingly sidelined and resentful. As she watches the spotlight shift entirely away from her, she'll have to confront an uncomfortable truth about what she's really been chasing.

Barbara Loring dreams of life's simple pleasures—romance, pretty things, a carefree existence—but she's unwilling to shoulder the work that comes with them, until a chance encounter with the charming Anthony over a puppy sets her heart racing. As Tony sweeps her into a whirlwind of dates and dancing, Barbara finds herself happier than ever, yet she carefully avoids thinking about where real love might lead, dismissing the idea of marriage and responsibility as nothing but drudgery. When Tony leaves town for a week, Barbara must confront the gap between the romantic dream she's chasing and the life—with all its effort and commitment—that true love actually demands.

Gloria cultivates admiration through easy victories and shallow friendships, but when she falls for Bill Fraser—an idealistic young executive—her fragile confidence begins to crack under the shadow of his accomplished, self-assured sister Lynn. As Gloria's envy festers into something darker, her desperate need to compete threatens the one thing she truly values.

Ellen Burke admires her father's command over the construction site—until an accident leaves him bedridden and puts her temporarily in charge. When the charming engineer Jeff Powers arrives to assist, Ellen's intoxicated by newfound authority, making reckless decisions that endanger the men working under her. As Ellen and Jeff clash over how the job should run, she discovers that unlike everyone else on the site, this man won't bend to her will—and that resistance awakens something unexpected in her heart.