“You mean, because you vanished into the night without a trace and left poor little old me to pine? Why, Mr. Manning, I've just been crying into my pillow every night.” It was dangerously close to the truth, but she got a laugh from him.

“You're amazing. Most women would be screaming so loud by now, my eardrum would be bursting.”

“Talk about counterproductive for a man who writes music.” She was just loaded with witty lines.

This time Bobby's laugh was as happy as a kid's. A rude, spoiled little boy who had just gotten away with murder.

“I know I can be a real jerk,” he said, reading her mind, “but when I'm working, I'll do whatever I have to to get the job done. If that means taking bennies to stay awake all night and write, or going out of town to soak up local color, or getting drunk, or getting …” He stopped short, but she knew what had been next. “Nothing matters except the work, Rose. It's selfish, but that's the way I am. And anyone who wants to hang around with me has to know that.”

For a rebellious second she thought about telling him he wasn't worth it. But she wanted to be the right girl. She wanted it so much.

“Is that a warning?” she asked. But hearing herself, she knew she'd lost the lightness.

“I just don't want to hurt anyone,” he said. There was no lightness in his tone either. “I want to be sure you understand, and that you can take it, Rose.” He was deadly serious now, and totally honest, and he'd know it if she wasn't honest back. But if she was, she'd scare him off. For the second time she thought about just telling him to get lost. But she'd staked everything on becoming Mrs. Bobby Manning. She searched frantically for the right thing to say. St. Jude—or maybe it was God Himself—sent an inspiration.

“You want to know if I understand how selfish people in show business can be?” she demanded. “Where do you think I've been living for the past seven years, on the set of I Remember Mama? I'm the daughter of the great Lu Lawson, and when it comes to self-centered, you aren't even in the same league with her. Don't worry about hurting me with your big bad ego, because I've been dealing with the biggest and the baddest ego there is for years.” The best part of her speech was the ring of real anger that made it sound so honest.