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Ignoring the skimpy, shiny outfits her stylist had laid out for her to wear onstage, clothes designed to dance in and provoke, she uitar, and turned to face herself in the mirror

The woman who stared back didn’t look like a pop star in full ht silk and Spandex For the first ti, pretty, twenty-soirl in a jean skirt and T-shirt who had written sos she wanted to play for people

Finally, Nicola was able to find a sht she’d take that first step toward her new future

And even though she wouldn’t have Marcus by her side, at least she’d always know she had hiht direction

He didn’t love her, but he’d always been clear about respecting her

Tonight, she’d respect herself, too

Holding her guitar to her body as if it were a lover--knowing it was the only lover she would have for a long time to come--Nicola stepped out into the hallway and went to find her band leader to discuss the change of plans

Just hours ago, Marcus had told his sister that he couldn’t coht that couldn’t be broken The last thing in the world he needed was to sit beside Lori watching Nicola on stage

He’d planned on going back to his winery in Napa, back to his nor to do with his world unless they walked into his winery with an entourage and demanded a personal tour He had just passed the Welcoreeted visitors to the world-faion, when he made an abrupt U-turn and drove the 100 ht traffic would let him

He simply couldn’t stay away Couldn’t possibly resist the chance to be in the same room as Nicola for a few more hours

And so, not only had he flat-out lied to one of his siblings, but despite his story about being too busy to attend the concert, here he was standing outside the Warfield in San Francisco staring up at a sign that said, SPECIAL GUEST FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY: NICO!

In his car at the beach, his pride had told his before she could end theet his pride

Because the otten out of his car in front of the venue that afternoon had haunted hi you," hat she’d said

What the hell was he supposed to say to that? That it was nice to haveh he should have been gentle with her, even though his only goal should have been to try to get her to listen to his apologies, he’d growled her name, instead

Her eyes had flicked over him for a brief second, before she’d pulled out her cell phone and alerted her crew that she was out front Moh the doors, which were locked behind her to keep not only her fans fro after her from behind the wheel of his car