Hey, Kid! Does She Love Me? — Harry Mazer

Jeff's life would be so much better if he were the one directing it 

Close-up: Mary running toward him with tears in her eyes. “Oh, my darling, I couldn't wait to get back.” Cut to long shot: Jeff puts his arms around her. They kiss. Fade out.
 
Jeff already sees everything as a scene in a movie, planning the camera angles and imagining people reading the lines he'll write for them. As soon as he saves up enough money to move to California, he's going to quit his dishwashing job, and then . . . look out for Director Orloff!
 
Unfortunately, Mary Silver doesn't seem to have read the script. When they were in high school drama club together, she never noticed Jeff, and now that she's back in town, a new player has entered the scene: Mary's infant daughter, Hannah. Being a mom is a full-time job, but Jeff knows that Mary was born to be an actress -- he's seen her come alive on stage, transforming into her character from the inside out. Her kind of talent is in a class by itself. If only Mary could see herself as Jeff sees her -- beautiful and talented . . . and utterly in love with him.
 
Will their romance always be just in his head? Or can he win Mary's heart another way -- by figuring out what it means to be a friend to her, and to Hannah?