Shopgirl / Steve Martin.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

One of the most acclaimed and beloved entertainers, Steve Martin is quickly becoming recognized as a gorgeous writer capable of being at once melancholy and tart, achingly innocent and astonishingly ironic ( Elle ). A frequent contributor to both The New Yorker and the New York Times as well as the author of the New York Times bestseller Pure Drivel , Martin is once again poised to capture the attention of readers with his debut novella, a delightful depiction of life and love.

The shopgirl is Mirabelle, a beautiful aspiring artist who pays the rent by selling gloves at the Beverly Hills Neiman Marcus. She captures the attention of Ray Porter, a wealthy, lonely businessman. As Ray and Mirabelle tentatively embark on a relationship, they both struggle to decipher the language of love--with consequences that are both comic and heartbreaking. Filled with the kind of witty, discerning observations that have brought Steve Martin incredible critical success, Shopgirl is a work of disarming tenderness.