If I hadn’t known Rosie and known how to interpret her subtle facial expressions, I would never have realized she was nervous. She was tough as nails. She really did hide it well.

She also looked positively phenomenal. She was wearing a long, multicolored skirt that shimmered under the lights along with a black top that clung to every perfect curve. Her sleek, platinum hair had been pulled up back from her face, and her serene features were carefully made up and beyond beautiful. Rosie definitely looked like a rock star tonight.

But when her face suddenly went still and then she took off toward the bathroom like a bat out of hell, I was out of my seat and following her without a backwards glance or a word to Rebecca. I caught up with Rosie in the narrow hallway.

“Rosie, wait.”

She froze, but she didn’t turn. I advanced on her in the hallway.

“I can’t do this right now, Ryan.” Her voice was soft.

“Which part?”

“Any of it.” She hung her head.

“Why not?” I asked. She was still facing away from me.

“It’s too much.” She shook her head. “It’s just all too much, too fast.” Her voice cracked, and I grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face me. Her crimson-painted lower lip was trembling.

“You can do this,” I told her, rocking her back and forth against my shoulder. “Don’t be scared.”

“But I—” she began, and I cut her off.

“If you can stand up to your dad, you can play this show.”

“It’s not that,” she said, peeking up at me. “I mean, it’s partially that, but mostly it’s… I’m so sorry about last night.”

“I’m sorry about last night,” I told her. “I didn’t mean to push you away.” Once begun, I was unable to stop the words from flowing out of me in a long, unbroken, run-on sentence. “I know you don’t like it when people tell you want to do, and I do respect your ability to make your own choices, and I wouldn’t want anyone to do that to me, and I know you’ve got a lot of reasons for feeling that way, with your parents and all, and I never meant to do that—”

Rosie cut me off by kissing me. She jumped into my arms, knocking the wind out of me. I had her pinned against the wall in another heartbeat. We were making up and making out right there against the wall to the men’s room. Her red lipstick was probably all over my face and I really didn’t care.

“Get a room!” Somebody yelled as he exited the bathroom and passed us on the way back to the bar’s main room. We pulled apart. Rosie was blushing furiously. Me? I was wondering where the rooms were at. Rosie’s torn expression drove those thoughts from my brain.

“I’m sorry too,” Rosie said after a moment. Her eyes were still wide and scared. “I promise I’m not a crazy mean drunk. I’m sorry I said those things about Jen. I’m just… I’m sorry.”

I shook my head at her. “It’s ok, Rosie. We both said things we shouldn’t have.”

Rosie frowned. “I started it.” Then she sighed. “I finished it too.”

I wasn’t going to argue. I just hugged her to my chest instead. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we’re going to talk through our issues and not give up. I don’t want to give up, do you?”

She shook her head, I could feel it against my shoulder. “No. I want you.” She held me tighter. “I want you a lot. Maybe too much.” Her expression became stern. “Who is that woman you’re sitting with?”

I pulled back and looked at her. Rebecca? Seriously? She was fifty if she was a day.

“She’s a colleague from a record label. She’s here to hear you sing.”

Rosie’s cheeks turned red and she glanced away. Had she thought that me and Rebecca…? She clearly had. I shook my head.

Was it too soon to tell her? Screw it. I decided to risk it. “Rosie, there’s nobody else but you in my life. I don’t want anyone else but you. I’m falling in love with you.”

Her lips parted in surprise and then drew up into a mischievous little smile. She said nothing.

My heart pounded, but I played it off with a little laugh. “Are you just going to leave me hanging?” Rosie laughed. Her self-assured attitude was back. That was a good sign. Right?

She continued to giggle. “I just don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

I was very confused. “What surprise?”

Her green eyes flashed with an unfamiliar expression. “I wrote you a song.”