Page 109 of Savage Redemption

“Well, you’ll get fuss now. Your dad will be delighted for you. And so proud. We both are. This is a fantastic opportunity. You’ll be able to travel, performing all over the world. When do they want you to start?”

“Next month,” I mutter, “but I?—”

“Vienna is a beautiful city,” she burbles on, barely able to contain her excitement.

This is just what I didn’t want.

“I won’t be going,” I blurt.

She gapes at me as though I just sprouted an extra head or two. “What are you talking about?”

I wave my arm at Erin. “What about her, to start with? I can’t just up and go globe-trotting and leave her behind.”

“So, hire a nanny and take them both with you.”

“The Vienna Philharmonic pay well, but not that well. And where would I find a good nanny, willing to travel, by next month?”

“We’ll help, you know that. With the money and everything else. And what about Adan? Won’t he?—?”

“Adan wants to live in Paris. Or maybe London. He won’t go to Vienna.”

“Have you talked to him about any of this?” She brandishes the letter in front of my nose. “Have you even asked him?”

“There’s no point. He’s a businessman, he’ll need to be in one of the global financial centres. Not tucked away in Austria staring at lakes and mountains and learning to yodel.”

“Is Paris a global financial hub? In any case, until you ask him, you don’t know what he might want. He might like yodelling. Does he know about any of this? The auditions…?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t think it would come to anything. I’m out of practise, I was just testing the waters. Maybe later, in a year or two.”

“You need to talk to him. Maybe you could come up with something between you.”

“I love him. I want us to be together. Nothing else matters. So, Vienna is out of the question. Give me back my letter. I need to reply and let them know I won’t be coming.”

She stuffs it into her own back pocket. “You’ll do no such thing, at least until you’ve talked to that man of yours. Last I saw, he was in the kitchen.” She picks up Erin. “What are you waiting for? Go.”

“I can’t. He’ll feel obliged.”

“Adan San Antonio does not strike me as a man who ever feels obliged. If he loves you?—”

“He does! I know he does. And I love him.”

“As I was saying, if he loves you,becausehe loves you, he’ll want to know about this.”

I shake my head. “It’s no good. We just can’t?—”

“Right. If you won’t tell him, I will.”

I gasp, horrified. “You can’t!”

“Watch me.” She places Erin back on the sofa and hands her a colourful board book. “It really should come from you, though. Still, if you’re sure…” She heads for the door.

“Wait!” I shout.

She turns slowly to face me.

“Okay, okay. I’ll do it. Give me the letter.”

She shakes her head. “Insurance,” she states, simply. “In case you chicken out.”

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