autographs.

“Hello, everybody!” Kitty calls in

crisp English

accent. “Thank you all so much for coming! I’ll miss you,

New York!” She blows kiss.

“We’ll miss you, Kitty!”

girl screams behind me.

“Kitty, we love you!”

Kitty smiles and waves at her, catching my eye for

just an instant. My heart stops. “Kitt—”

“Kitty!” the crowd screams as she starts down the

steps, everyone pushing and shoving, trying to get closer

to her.

“Kitty!” cry, watching her weave past, lost in the

crowd. “Kitty!”

She smiles and walks straight past me to waiting

limousine. “Thank you, thank you all!” she calls with

little wave. “And goodnight!”

“Kitty!” The crowd swarms toward the limousine.

“Kitty!” shout. “No! Kitty, wait!”

135

The car door slams shut.

push through the throng and grab the bodyguard’s

sleeve. “Please!” beg. “I need to talk to her! I’m—”

“Her biggest fan, yeah, know,” he says, shrugging

me off and climbing into the front seat.

“No! I’m

Hey!” Someone pulls me backward as the

crowd surges forward.

“I’m—I’m her daughter …,”

mutter miserably as

the car glides away, disappearing into the stream of traffic

flowing into the night. watch it helplessly, the rain falling

in big wet heavy drops, until finally I’m the only one left.

slump onto the curb.

can’t believe actually found her—she was close

enough to touch—but now she’s gone. stabbing pain hits

my chest, and hug my knees hard.

lost her.

taxi pulls up and beeps at me, but

shake my

head.

Where would go? can’t go back to Casey’s, can’t

go to Washington with Andy.

Andy

close my eyes and the tears spill over, stinging my

throat. Just hours ago was on top of the world, so happy.

But

threw it all away—on

fantasy,

dream.

stare

miserably at the photograph of Kitty, spattered and

smudged by the falling rain. found her—her fame made

her easy to find—but it’s made her impossible to reach

too. I’ll never get near her. Not now. She’s gone.

136

The taxi beeps again and shake my head harder,

rubbing my eyes. It beeps again and stand up, annoyed.

The taxi door opens and guy steps out.

glance at him briefly, then look back in disbelief as

he walks toward me, hands deep in his pockets.

“Hey,” Andy says. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“She’s staying at the Ritz!” Lola turns in her seat. “I

read it in TV Extra! This is so exciting!” she gushes. “Rosie, why didn’t you tell us your mom was Kitty Clare?”

look at Andy, my head still reeling. He looks away.

Lola glances at Andy, then me, then turns and closes

the partition.

We drive in silence for while, the city lights sliding

over the space between us.

“Andy, I—”

“Was any of it real?” He interrupts quietly, staring

at his lap. “Was last night—has anything this week

actually been real? Or was it all just

part of some plan,

keeping me sweet, biding your time till you found her?”

“No!” tell him urgently. “No, Andy, it was all real—

all of it—it’s been the best week of my life!”

He doesn’t look up.

hesitate. “I mean, yes, coming to America seemed

like the perfect way to find Kitty, but everything that’s

happened since …” look at him earnestly, desperate to

hold him, kiss him— show him. “Andy, it’s been more than ever hoped for!”

He finally looks up, his eyes uncertain.

137

“She wasn’t even meant to be in New York—I

thought she was in L.A., that I’d have ages to find the right

time to tell you, to explain. But then

saw the poster

and …” trail off. “She’s my mum Andy, and she was so

close. If hadn’t tried if …” sigh. “I’m so sorry.”

He nods silently.

“I thought you’d got on the train,” say gently.

“I did,” he admits. “I was sitting there in the carriage

by myself, consumed with déjà vu—I couldn’t believe

you’d bailed on me again hidden things from me, lied to me.”

close my eyes.

He sighs. “And then remembered why you did it

last time. That you had pretty good reason.”

look at him. “Andy.”

“And while I’m not crazy about being used, or lied

to, am crazy about you, Rosie Kenning.” He squeezes my

hand and my eyes fill. “And want to be there for you—

you can trust me, you know.”

nod. “I know.”

He sighs. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know.” shrug miserably. “You were just so

down on the whole idea. thought you’d be mad at me,

spoil it all, and just wanted to find her, to see her.” sigh and stare at my lap, my throat swelling. “But it didn’t

work, did it? It’s over.”

Andy looks at me for

moment, then shakes his

head. “Nope, not good enough, I’m afraid.”

look at him. “What?”

138

“Rosie, if you’ve come all this way to find her—if it

really means that much to you—you’re not going to

bloody well give up now.”

“But—it’s impossible, I’ll never get anywhere near

her. You weren’t there—she’s got all this security—”

“Well.” Andy winks. “That’s where the master plan

comes in.”

“Sweetheart.” He checks his watch for the millionth

time. “Are you nearly ready? We’re gonna miss it

completely if we don’t leave soon!”

“My darling fiancé.”

smile, the word tingling

deliciously on my tongue. “We’ve got heaps of time. You go

get us cab, just want to change.”

pull my dress over my head and his arms are

instantly around my waist.

“Don’t ever change.” He beams, his eyes deep in

mine. “You’re so beautiful, have ever told you that?”

laugh. “Once or twice.”

“You look”—he kisses my neck, my shoulder—“like

movie star.”

thrill tingles down my spine.

“Babe …,” mumble. “Cab?”

“But you said we’ve got heaps of time!” he

complains, kissing my arm, my ring finger.

“We have.” smile. “We’ve got the rest of our lives.”

139

“The rest of our lives.” He beams at me. “Just you

and me.”

140

Chapter Eleven

“This is never going to work,” moan, struggling to

carry the wobbling silver platter along the hotel corridor

without the lid falling off.

“Well, it won’t if you give up,” Andy urges. “Now

come on, you must’ve inherited some of Kitty’s acting

talent! Next room.”

groan and stop outside the next door.

“Room service!” sing for the umpteenth time.

middle-aged man opens the door, his belly

hanging over his boxers.

plaster on smile. “Room service?”

“I ain’t ordered no room service,” he grunts.

“Whatya—”

“Sorry, wrong room!” Andy interrupts, steering me

on down the corridor as tug the tiny black skirt farther

over my bum.

“I feel ridiculous!”

hiss. “Besides, this is

waitress’s uniform, not room service!”

“Well, it’s all Lola had.” Andy grins. “And it is very

cute.”

glare at him.

141

“Andy, we don’t even know which room she’s in,”

protest. “She hasn’t even ordered room service—and what if someone else actually has? All we’ve got are chocolates!”

“Who doesn’t like chocolates?” Andy smiles. “Come