Part 210 (2/2)

she wore it to please him. He gave her a pair of chunky gold earrings

set with multicolored stones. If they were a bit gaudy, it hardly

mattered. He had fastened them on her himself.

When they pulled up in front of the small, uptown gallery, her stomach

began doing calisthenics. Drew patted her hand.

”Come on, Emma, it's not as though you're going on stage in front of ten

thousand screaming fans. It's just a little picture show.” With a

laugh, he helped her out of the limo. ”Loosen up. People are going to

buy Brian McAvoy's little girl's snapshots whether they like them or

not.”

She stopped on the curb, incredibly hurt. ”Drew, that's not what I need

to hear right now. I want to do this on my own.”

”Never satisfied.” He s.n.a.t.c.hed her arm hard enough to make her wince.

”Here I am, trying to be a good sport about all this, trying to support

you in what you're h.e.l.l-bent on doing no matter what the inconvenience

to me, and you bite my head off.”

”I didn't mean to-”

”You never do. Since you want to be on your own so badly, perhaps you'd

like to go on in alone.”

”No, of course I don't.” Nerves and frustration intensified the pounding

behind her eyes. She could never seem to find the right thing to say,

she thought. And tonight of all nights she didn't want to alienate him.

”I'm sorry, Drew. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just nervous.”

”All right then.” Satisfied with the apology, he patted her hand and

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