There was a click, followed by a dial tone.

          She fished the last dime from her pocket and dialed the number she’d written down. She was prepared for one of the security guards to answer, as Rose had said. She wasn’t prepared for who actually did.

          “Royal Steel. Charles Charmer speaking.”

          “Uhh…Mr. Charmer?”

          “Cindra? Thank you for returning my call.” He sounded relieved.

          She stared out at the streetlamps illuminating the area. He was working this late at night?

          “You’re welcome. The reason I’m calling—”

          “Please tell me you’ll come sing at the gala. Please tell me you’ll be there.” He wasn’t so much telling her as he was begging her.

          “Yes, Mr. Charmer. I’m calling to accept your job offer for this Friday night. I just need to know when you need me and the band to be there.”

          “It starts at eight and will end sometime around midnight.” He chuckled, and the sound of it made her heart do a back flip. “It’s pretty much the same hours you work over at Rosie’s Place.”

          “At what point will I and the band get paid?” She figured she might as well get the preliminaries over with. Another chuckle answered her.

          “You’ll get paid when you arrive. But you better not skip out on me and try to leave the party early.”

          She answered his chuckle with one of her own. “Trust is a two-way street, Mr. Charmer. You pay, we stay.”

          “Is there anything I need to have ready on my end for you?”

          “What do you mean?”

          “Like…a piano?”

          Marybeth broke out in laughter. Of course, they’d need a piano! Maybe I should have had one of the guys call to set this up.

          “Yes, Mr. Charmer. We’ll need a piano. Otherwise, we’ll bring the rest of our own instruments. I’ll also need a microphone and a couple of speakers.”

          “Microphone and speakers,” he muttered amid scratching noises, which told her he was writing everything down. “Is that it?”

          “That’s all I can think of at the moment. Thank you, Mr. Charmer.”

          “Please. Call me Charles.”

          “We’ll see you Friday night,” she replied instead. “Oh, and thank you again for the job offer. Goodnight.”

          She hung up before her knees gave out on her.

          She’d get to see him again. She’d get to sing for him again and maybe have a moment or two for some more frivolous chitchat. Friday night couldn’t come soon enough. “But first I have to get a new dress. And some more makeup, since it’s all at the nightclub.” Marybeth smiled. “I can’t wait until I see you again, Charles Charmer. Until then, I’ll have sweet dreams since you’re all I’m going to think about between now and Friday.”

          She almost felt like she was walking on clouds when she left the phone booth. It was a feeling that stayed with her long after she climbed up the rope ladder and crawled back into her little attic bedroom. And lasted well into the night.