Renting out the entire fancy movie theater might have been overkill, but I refused to feel bad about it. It wasn’t that expensive. Rosie’s eyes got huge when she realized we had it all to ourselves and made it instantly worth it. I laughed at her expression.

“Nobody else?” she questioned. “Just us?” She stared around the empty space in disbelief. It was a busy Wednesday evening at the theater, so walking into the silent, cavernous room had been an especially big surprise.

“Well,” I clarified, “not just us. Also, the wait staff.”

The wonderful thing about renting out this particular Austin theater—in addition to the leather recliners—meant that we would also have access to the full kitchen and bar. Right on cue, a smiling waitress arrived in front of us.

“Welcome. Can I get you any drinks started?” she asked. She was probably excited that she only had two people to serve instead of two hundred.

“I just want some water,” I said. I looked over at Rosie. “What do you want, Rosie?”

Rosie blinked. “I think I’d like a Shirley Temple.”

There was never any forgetting that my new girlfriend was nineteen. Virgin drinks aside, the woman consumed more sugar than a hummingbird.

The waitress grinned. “Sure. Coming right up. I’ll be back in a minute to get your food orders.”

Rosie shook her head in bemused disbelief. “I can’t believe we have this whole place to ourselves.”

“And I still can’t believe your hair is blonde,” I replied. I was awestruck. I couldn’t stop staring, just to make sure it was really her.

Rosie had been incredibly gorgeous before. I loved her long, brown curls and laid-back style. But the sexy little ingenue I met on Saturday had now been replaced with a woman with so much sex appeal that I could barely believe she could be mine. Bombshell didn’t begin to describe her.

“Do you like it?” Rosie asked. She drew a nervous hand through the shining strands.

“I love it,” I told her honestly. She’d be gorgeous even if she was as bald as an egg, but her blonde hair was absolutely beautiful. I was rewarded with a kiss.

“I love it, too,” she said after a moment. “My YouTube channel reacted positively as well.”

I nodded. I’d seen the unbelievable reaction for myself when I watched her most recent video. Saying that they reacted ‘positively’ was a bit of an understatement. They’d positively lost their collective shit. In fact, I’d been right alongside her fans, staring in utter shock when I saw Rosie. She hadn’t warned me that her hair appointment was today, although I suspected she skipped her geometry test to get it done. Consistent with my decision not to second guess her decisions, I was not going to mention it.

Rosie had used the time to also post a cover song today. She didn’t do that very often. Other than the song by Joe Cocker, today’s posting was the only cover up on her page. So, when the first few chords of Massive Attack’s Teardrop started to issue from Rosie’s guitar, I almost didn’t recognize it.

As always, Rosie nailed it. With just an acoustic guitar, she modified and arranged the song to not only work, but shine. The tripling notes that beginning were both crystalline and hypnotizing. The delicate, reverberating sound made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. And her voice was such a beautiful, plaintive counterpoint that I’d put the song on loop. It had made reviewing the royalty agreement I was working on that afternoon a lot more pleasant. Although I hesitate to admit that I ever enjoy reading royalty agreements, this one hadn’t been half bad.

I could see Rosie opening shows with a cover like that. I could see audiences begging her to sing it. It was hard to see Rosie not playing the song on Friday. It would be a crime if she didn’t.

“So, what movie are we watching?” I asked Rosie, attempting to break myself from the memory. I could watch her videos any time. Right now, I wanted to spend my time with the real thing.

She blinked at me. Her green eyes looked even brighter and more vibrantly green with her new hair color.

“I don’t know.”

I slid the ‘menu’ over to her. “Well pick one out.”

Her lips parted in surprise and then curved up into a smile. “You’re spoiling me, you know that? Other movies are going to be no fun after this.”

“When you’re a gigantic superstar,” I told her, “you can have a theater better than this one in your house.” Jason Kane had one in his condo. It was ridiculous and filled me with constant jealousy, even though all he ever did was watch football on it. These days, he probably watched Disney movies on it.

Rosie merely smirked. “I have a feeling that’s a long way off.”

Not as far as she thought. I’d already begun setting up advertisements for her page, and ways to capitalize on and increase her audience. The truth was that her fans were ravenous enough for her that they wouldn’t hold it against her to make a bit of income from their presence. I was working with an advertising company that specialized in discreet, targeted advertising. There was a delicate balance to maintain, and too much monetization would push her subscribers away. But if we did everything carefully, and we did it right, Rosie wouldn’t have to worry about needing her father’s money for much longer.

“Just promise you’ll invite me over sometimes,” I told her.

In my heart, I knew that I was falling in love with someone that was going to outgrow me. Rosie was meant for stardom. Soon, she’d likely realize that I wasn’t enough for her. But for now, even if it was just for now, she was mine.

As if to prove it, Rosie snuggled closer to me in her chair and set her head against my shoulder. “Ok Ryan. I promise.”

Soon—maybe sooner than I even realized—our scheme to placate her father would come crashing down. He’d figure out that she was not the least bit discouraged from her dream. He’d figure out that I’d done the exact opposite of what I’d been tasked to do. He’d be furious and fire me. I knew that. I almost didn’t care.

Because what I was getting in return, even though I knew it was temporary, was incredible. Rosie was precious to me in a way that I didn’t even know how to express to her. There were no words to explain how much Rosie had done to bring me out of myself.

Jen’s death all those years ago had killed a part of me, too. It had killed the part of me that believed that it was possible for me to be this happy. The optimistic, carefree version of Ryan had died on that dark, cold highway.

And somehow, some way, Rosie brought him back to life. I felt younger, better, and happier than I had in years. Even Ian noticed the change in me. We’d had lunch together on Tuesday, and he’d spent most of it teasing me about how I was smiling like an idiot.

“You know,” he’d told me between bites of his vegan sandwich, “I don’t think I realized how much I missed the real Ryan.”

“What are you talking about?” I’d asked. I was genuinely surprised.

Ian pointed at my face, right between my eyes. “This. This version of you that isn’t all pessimistic and serious all the time. The version that actually laughs now and then.”

“I’m not usually pessimistic all the time,” I’d replied.

Was I pessimistic all the time? I didn’t think I was.

“Ok, whatever.” Ian had merely looked at me with that frustratingly superior look he’d grown so fond of lately. “Whatever you say little brother.”

It wasn’t until later that evening when I was just sitting alone and smiling like an idiot for no immediate reason that I realized he was right. I had built a shell around myself. Layer by layer, I’d insulated myself from feeling anything after Jen died. It probably explained why every other relationship I’d had since her death failed miserably. Slowly, Rosie was drawing me out of it.

“This one,” Rosie told me, pointing down at the menu. I looked over.

She was pointing at ‘A Star is Born’.

“Perfect,” I replied.