Unfinished Business

it. I admire you. What I don’t see is why your talent would have to be an obstacle to our being together.”
    “It’s just one of them,” she murmured.
    He took her arm, slowly turning her to face him. “I want to marry you. I want to have children with you and make a home for them. We can do that here, where we both belong, if you just trust me.”
    “I need to trust myself first.” She took a bracing breath. “I leave for Cordina next week.”
    His hand slid away from her arm. “Cordina?”
    “Princess Gabriella’s annual benefit.”
    “I’ve heard of it.”
    “I’ve agreed to give a performance.”
    “I see.” Because he needed to do something, he opened a cupboard and took out a glass. “And when did you agree?”
    “I signed almost two weeks ago.”

    His fingers tensed on the glass. “And didn’t mention it.”
    “No, I didn’t mention it.” She wiped her hands on her thighs. “With everything that was happening between us, I wasn’t sure how you would react.”
    “Were you going to wait until you were leaving for the airport, or were you just going to send me a postcard when you got there? Damn it, Van.” He barely controlled the urge to smash the glass against the wall. “What the hell kind of games have you been playing with me? Was all this just killing time, lighting up an old flame?”
    She went pale, but her voice was strong. “You know better.”
    “All I know is that you’re leaving.”
    “It’s only a single performance, a few days.”
    “And then?”
    She turned to look out the window. “I don’t know. Frank, my manager, is anxious to put a tour together. That’s in addition to some special performances I’ve been asked to do.”
    “In addition,” he repeated. “You came here with an ulcer because you could barely make yourself go out on stage, because you pushed yourself too far too often. And you’re already talking about going back and doing it again.”
    “It’s something I have to work out for myself.”
    “Your father—”
    “Is dead,” she cut in. “He can’t influence me to perform. I hope you won’t try to influence me not to.” She took a calming breath, but it didn’t help. “I don’t believe I pushed myself too far. I did what I needed to do. All I want is the chance to decide what that is.”
    As the war inside him continued, Brady wondered if there could be a victor. Or if there would only be victims. “You’ve been thinking about going back, starting with Cordina, but you never talked to me about it.”

    “No. However selfish it sounds, Brady, this is something I needed to decide for myself. I realize it’s unfair for me to ask you to wait. So I won’t.” She closed her eyes tight, then opened them again. “Whatever happens, I want you to know that the last few weeks, with you, have meant everything to me.”
    “The hell with that.” It was too much like a goodbye. He yanked her against him. “You can go to Cordina, you can go anywhere, but you won’t forget me. You won’t forget this.”
    There was fury in the kiss. And desperation. She fought neither. How could she when their mirror images raged within her? She thought that if her life was to end that instant, she would have known nothing but this wild wanting.
    “Brady.” She brought her hands to his face. When her brow rested against his, she drew a deep breath. “There has to be more than this. For both of us.”
    “There is more.” With his thumbs under her jaw, he tilted her head back. “You know there is.”
    “I made a promise to myself today. That I would take the time to think over my life, every year of it, every moment that I remembered that seemed important. And when I had done that, I would make the right decision. No more hesitations or excuses or doubts. But for now you have to let me go.”
    “I let you go once before.” Before she could shake her head, he tightened his grip. “You listen to me. If you leave, like this, I won’t spend the rest of my life wishing for you. I’ll be damned if you’ll break my heart a second time.”
    As they stood close, their eyes locked on each other’s, Joanie strolled into the room.
    “Well, some baby-sitters.” With a laugh, she plucked Lara up and hugged her. “I can’t believe I actually missed this monster. Sorry it took so long.” She smiled at Lara and kept babbling as she fought her way through the layers of tension. “There was a line a mile long at the grocery.” She glanced down at