Aware Bob was waiting, Reese signed the picture with a flourish, then handed everything back to him. Pasting another smile on her face, she hurried inside past the main foyer filled with pictures of famous television celebrities from the past. Her aunt’s face made up part of the collection.

Lilian Jaynes, the elder sister of Reese’s mother, had been one of the soap greats on Laguna Nights, playing the role of Kathryn Shaw right up to the week she died.

At fourteen, Reese had gone to live with Lilian after her parents had been killed in a car accident. Then halfway through college, just before she had turned twenty-one, she had got the surprise of her life. Her aunt had talked the producer into letting Reese audition for the part of Kathryn’s long-lost daughter Carly on the show.

Reese knew the storyline well. So often she and her aunt had laughed over the ridiculous scenarios the writers thought up.

Carly Shaw had been stolen by her father when she was a baby. Kathryn hadn’t been able to find them. When he’d died, the twenty-year-old Carly had searched for her mother and eventually found her so they could be united.

The role of Carly had had immense appeal for Reese because she’d loved her aunt and it would be easy to play the part of her daughter on the set. But acting hadn’t been Reese’s interest. She’d only auditioned for the part to please her wonderful aunt. She had never dreamed anything would come of it.

Amazingly, Phyllis had listened to them read together and loved their interaction. She’d pronounced it a match made in heaven.

So Reese had taken time off from school to play the part. She had a hunch her aunt had used her considerable influence to get Reese hired so the two of them could spend more time together. Reese had been deeply touched by her aunt’s desire to stay close to her and give her the love that her parents no longer could.