More than ever she realized she had to remove herself completely from the acting scene if she hoped to get Alex out of her system.

“Good morning, Reese!”

Jerked back to a cognizance of her surroundings, she smiled at her favorite security man standing next to the metal detector.

“Hi, Bob.”

“Before you go inside, do you think you’d have time to autograph this for my daughter?”

She slowed down. “Of course. Is it for Julie or Chris?”

“Chris. She never misses your show.” He handed her the latest copy of Soap Craze.

To make it easier for her, he’d opened it to the page featuring some of the cast of Laguna Nights. He used his finger to point to the picture of her in Fabio’s hard-muscled arms.

There was Alex again. Big as life. As long as she came to this studio every day, she couldn’t escape him.

“Sign there, will you? It’ll make her day.” Bob handed her a pen.

Hard to believe Reese’s signature could make anyone’s day, but it was a phenomenon she would never complain about. Being an actress had brought in a terrific income, and she could never complain about the great working hours.

But she’d promised herself she would finish college. After today’s show, she was going back to school full-time at the University of California in San Diego to get her undergraduate degree in American History. It would take five more semesters. Then it was on to graduate school.

Anything to stop thinking about Alex, who was eight years older than her twenty-three. He was a self-made, hard-working man turned actor who because of his origins brought a fascinating dimension to his role as her would-be lover.

An awful emptiness stole through her at the thought of never seeing him again. This had to end. Thank heaven it was her last day. Their last taping.