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“She hasn’t made one yet,” he disagreed.

“She’s staying here until after her birthday. Do you have any idea how much planning has gone into her eighteenth birthday? How much they love her and will miss her?” She picked up her handbag.

“I’ll let you know what happens today. But regardless, there’s no way your father can hold you responsible for any of this.”

“Papa’s a law unto himself, but I’m used to that. Don’t worry about me. Angsting about me would defeat the purpose of sticking to your vow.” Lela was entitled to a little sarcasm.

“You need me to treat your father with respect.”

“You’d give him that power.” Lela watched the chasm opening between them. “And you’d give me nothing?”

“Anything less would diminish what you’ve tried to achieve in the last decade, and would threaten the truce we’re trying to negotiate to keep your family intact now.”

Damn you for understanding exactly what I’ve fought for.

“There’s no need. You aren’t asking me to choose between you and my family. You aren’t offering me a choice at all.”

“You’ll find someone else,” he said, the pain of his rejection slicing through Lela’s heart with the ease of a knife.

“Faster than it’ll take you to find another table.”

“I didn’t say that to devalue what we shared.” He held out his hands, palms up, in a sign of peace.

“But it’s what you’ve achieved. Goodbye.”

“Notau revoir.” He waited. “Goodbye. That’s a tough call.”

“You’re not the first to call me tough.” Her voice wobbled. But Hamish had acquired the knack of being able to hurt her more than anyone she’d ever known. “I’m known for making the tough calls. Remember—assertive, unwomanly, unlovable.”

“You’re wrong. You’re strong, attractive and very lovable.”

“Except you don’t love me.” She managed another small smile. “And you forced this decision on me by saying we have no future even before we start.” She waited for him to say something. After endless seconds when her heart broke again, she said, “Let me go, Hamish.”

Chapter Eleven

Hamish knew to thesecond when her flight touched down in Sydney, imagined the taxi ride to the house, couldn’t imagine what sort of welcome she’d receive.