The Backup Plan

by Sherryl Woods

  Only six months, Dinah thought, oddly dismayed. Her old contract, the one she’d walked away from, had been for three years with built-in extensions the network had always been eager to exercise. The short-term deal Ray was suggesting was proof that she really was going to have to prove herself all over again to everyone. But given the circumstances, it was a fair deal. And it would get her back to Cord that much more quickly if things worked out the way she expected them to.

  “Six months sounds good,” she said at last.

  “Then I’ll make some calls and get back to you later,” Ray promised, then cautioned, “Don’t set your hopes too high. There’s always a chance they won’t go for it, Dinah. The new VP for news is a tough guy who’s trying to make his own mark and you burned some serious bridges on the way out.”

  “But your word will count for a lot. If you want me back, they’ll listen,” she said, needing to believe that.

  “Up to a point,” he agreed, then hesitated. “I know this one will hurt, Dinah, but if they want to see you in person, see for themselves that you’re ready to work again, are you willing to fly up to New York?”

  As Ray had obviously anticipated, Dinah chafed at the implication that her past performance wasn’t recommendation enough. Maybe she should have called her old agent, after all, and let him handle this negotiation, but she hadn’t seen the need for it. Besides, she’d burned that bridge too, when she’d quit so unceremoniously. She bit back her instinctive huffy retort and said only, “I’ll do whatever I need to do, Ray. I’m anxious for this to work.”

  “Okay, then. We’ll make it happen,” he said more confidently.

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. Who the hell would thank someone for helping them put their life on the line?”

  He hung up on her before she could respond.

  Cord regarded Dinah with dismay as he listened to her end of a conversation she was having on her cell phone. She’d been nervous all evening, evidently waiting for this call. Now he understood why. There was no question about what was going on. She was taking off on him. She was going back to work, back to that hellhole, just as he’d feared.

  When she finally disconnected the call, she hesitated for a long time before meeting his gaze. “You heard?”

  He nodded. “You’re going back,” he said flatly.

  “Please try to understand,” she said, her pleading gaze locked with his. “You said it yourself, this is something I need to do.”

  It made him sick when he thought about it, but he resigned himself to the inevitability of it. “When will you go?”

  “Two weeks,” she told him. “They need to make some decisions, figure out who to move around, assign me a new photographer. It’ll take that long to work out the details.”

  “I see.”

  She crossed the room and slipped onto his lap, then rested her hand against his cheek. “Please don’t be furious with me, Cordell. This isn’t about me not being happy with you.”

  “I know that and I’m not furious,” he said, trying to pin a label on what he was feeling. “I guess I’m disappointed, but I told you I would support whatever you decided, so I can hardly take it back now.”

  “It’s not forever,” she told him. “That’s the deal. It’s just for six months with one possible extension. That’s it.”

  “So, we’re talking a year at the outside?”

  She nodded.

  “What if it gets your adrenaline pumping the way it used to?”

  She looked everywhere but directly into his eyes. “I don’t know,” she said at last. “I don’t think that’s going to happen, but I can’t promise it won’t.”

  Cord bit back the desire to curse a blue streak at her naivete. The stupid job had consumed her for ten years. It had become her life. They both knew it would turn out that way again. He had lost…again.

  Worse, he had no one to blame but himself this time. He’d actually been stupid enough to encourage this folly.

  Still, he forced one of his trademark wicked grins. “Then I guess we’d better make these next two weeks count.” He intended to store up enough memories for a lifetime.

  Time slipped away far too quickly, and Cord’s level of frustration grew. As intimate as he and Dinah had be come, he still had this nagging feeling that there was more to her decision to go back than she’d ever shared with him. Maybe if he understood what it was, he could make peace with her decision, but every time he’d broached the subject, she’d shut down on him. He had to wonder if all those sessions with Warren had really gotten to the bottom of things, after all.

  Normally he was not a patient man. He was used to spotting problems and solving them quickly and decisively. There was one way he could do that with Dinah. All he had to do was pick up the phone and call her bosses. Hell, he might even be able to get answers on the Internet by tracking what had happened in Afghanistan around the time Dinah had come running home. Much as he wanted the answers to come from her, he was prepared to do it the hard way if he had to and risk her wrath in the bargain. At least there would be no secrets between them when she left.

  Before he could act on his decision, though, Cord heard the outer door of his office slam, heard Bobby’s terse greeting to their secretary, then saw his own door being wrenched open and slammed against the wall as Bobby strode in. Judging from the glint in his brother’s eyes, Rianna hadn’t kept her end of the bargain. Cord braced himself for the inevitable scene. If Dinah leaving was his worst nightmare, the one about to begin came in a close second.

  “You and Dinah!” Bobby shouted, clearly infuriated, though there was unmistakable hurt behind his tone. “That’s why I was exiled in Atlanta for weeks on end, so you could get it on with Dinah Davis?”

  Cord leveled a look at this brother. He wouldn’t lie to him and make it all worse. “Yes. How did you find out?”

  “Does it really matter?”

  “No, I suppose not, but my guess is that Rianna blabbed. I knew when she walked away after finding Dinah at the house with me that she was incapable of keeping a secret,” he muttered.

  “Forget about Rianna’s role in this. The point is that you should have told me yourself,” Bobby said. “You should have called me up weeks ago and told me Dinah was back in town.”

  “Probably so,” Cord admitted.

  “Then why the hell didn’t you?”

  “I decided it was a bad idea.”

  “Why? You know how I feel about her.”

  Cord raised an eyebrow at that. “Really?”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Cord, Dinah and I will al ways be friends.”

  “And if she wanted more than that?”

  Bobby’s already grim expression turned downright explosive. “What the devil do you mean by that?”

  “Dinah came back here specifically to see you,” Cord admitted reluctantly. “She was all caught up in some ridiculous nostalgia thing. It wasn’t healthy, Bobby. Not for either of you.”

  “Who were you to decide that? Didn’t you think I had a right to know?” Bobby asked incredulously. “Dammit, Cord, what gave you the right to keep us apart? I thought you learned your lesson that last time you tried to come between us. You know how much I loved her.”

  “That was a long time ago,” Cord said defensively. “I’m your brother. I was looking out for you back then and I’m doing the same thing now.”

  “Oh, really?” Bobby said skeptically. “As if I believe that.”

  “Okay, if you want the unvarnished truth, here it is. Maybe I was looking out for myself,” Cord conceded. “Dinah turned up at the house one night and to tell you the truth, I think I went a little nuts. The woman always did twist me in knots. That night was no exception.”

  His straight answer promptly deflated Bobby’s outrage. He sank into a chair and stared at Cord. “She came to see me and you just decided you had to have her for yourself.”

  “It wasn’t like that, at least not entirely. In case you’ve forgotten, you
have a fiancée. I assume you’re in love with her.”

  Bobby regarded him incredulously. “You kept quiet and kept me away to protect Rianna? Please, Cord. The noble act doesn’t suit you. This is all about you.”

  “Not entirely,” he insisted. “I was thinking about your engagement.”

  “And the rest? I’m assuming it was more than your usual need to get some forbidden female into the sack, because if it wasn’t, Cordell, I will personally skin you alive.”

  It was now or never. He had to admit the truth and let the chips fall where they may. There was no other choice.

  “I’m in love with her,” Cord said quietly, then gave his brother a wry grin. “Ain’t that a kick in the pants?”

  Bobby blinked hard. The last of his temper dissipated. “It is a surprise, I’ll give you that.” He studied Cord intently. “Are you sure?”

  Cord laughed at his brother’s doubtful expression. “As sure as a man like me with no experience in that particular arena can be.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  “Since we’re getting all the cards on the table, you ought to know that she came home because of that stupid backup plan the two of you agreed to years ago. She didn’t just want to see you, Bobby. She wanted to marry you.”

  Bobby’s mouth gaped. “Then she really did come home for me? That wasn’t just some crazy idea you got in your head?”

  Cord shook his head. “It was all about you.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Bobby said again.

  “How do you feel about that?” Cord asked, feeling surprisingly uneasy.

  Bobby’s expression turned thoughtful. “Honored, I guess.”

  “And? Would you have dumped Rianna and married Dinah?”

  “Hell, no,” Bobby said without hesitation. “Dinah was like this dream for me. I loved her, no question about it, but the handwriting was on the wall for the two of us years ago when she turned down my proposal. I knew that no matter what happened, she’d never love me the way I loved her.”

  Cord breathed a sigh of relief. “Good to know.”

  “I could have told you sooner if you’d asked me,” Bobby pointed out.

  “I didn’t know how much the answer mattered until you walked in here just now.”

  Bobby’s gaze narrowed. “What would you have done if I’d said I still wanted her?”

  “I’d have done the right thing,” Cord said. “I’d have walked away.”

  Bobby shook his head. “Who are you trying to kid, Cordell? No, you wouldn’t. You never did like to share. This time you’d have fought me tooth and nail to keep her. I’m not blind or dumb, I know that stunt you pulled years ago wasn’t entirely altruistic. You wanted her for yourself even then, but you couldn’t make yourself admit it to me, to Dinah or, more than likely, even to yourself.”

  Cord grinned, accepting the truth of his brother’s words. He’d had his fill of being noble about Dinah the last time around. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I would have fought you for her this time. Keeping the two of you as far apart as possible seemed like a good way to prevent her from coming between us.”

  Bobby gave him a long, considering look. “Does she feel the same way about you?”

  “We’re working on it,” Cord admitted. “Her life’s a little mixed up right now. In fact, she just announced last night that she’s going back to Afghanistan for a while. Says it’s something she has to do.”

  “And you’re okay with that?” Bobby asked, obviously shocked. “You’ve got her now and you’re letting her go?”

  “To tell you the truth, I hate it, but what are my choices? It’s been plain since she got here that her head’s all messed up. If this is what it takes to finally make her feel good about herself again, then how can I stand in her way?”

  Bobby shook his head. “The self-sacrificing crap doesn’t suit you, Cordell. Lord knows, I don’t want you to make the same mistake I did by just standing by and watching her walk away. Fight for her. Make her want to stay.” His expression turned thoughtful. “Maybe I should talk to her.”

  “Forget it,” Cord said fiercely. “I do not want my baby brother interfering in my love life. I can work this out with Dinah just fine on my own.”

  “Yeah, I can see that,” Bobby said scathingly. “You’re about to watch her jet back into a war zone.” He gave Cord a disgusted look. “And people say you got the brains in the family.”

  “What would you suggest I do?”

  “Ask her to marry you,” Bobby said at once. “And if you can’t talk her into doing it before she leaves, then get the damn commitment in writing and set a date. If her mama’s got a wedding all planned, that ought to guarantee Dinah will come back to you right on schedule. Mrs. Davis will see to that, if she has to fly over there and haul her back.”

  The idea held some appeal, but Cord knew he couldn’t do it. Dinah had to come home when—and if—she wanted to, not because she had an obligation to show up for a ceremony. It would never work otherwise.

  “Sorry. Not a good idea,” he told Bobby. “But thanks for the advice.”

  “I think you’re making a mistake,” Bobby said.

  “Won’t be the first time,” Cord retorted blithely.

  Unfortunately, though, it might be the only mistake that had ever truly mattered.

  23

  Dinah was packing when she heard a male voice downstairs, then footsteps heading her way. Assuming it was Cord, she kept right on packing.

  “If you aren’t a sight for sore eyes,” Bobby said from the doorway of her room.

  Dinah whirled around, a smile spreading across her face. “Bobby!”

  She flew into his outstretched arms. “Oh my gosh, it is so good to see you,” she said, holding on tight.

  She studied his once-familiar face and saw the new maturity in the lines around his eyes, the softer line of his jaw. He hadn’t aged as well as his older brother, but he was a handsome devil just the same. And, oh, how she’d missed him. She hugged him harder.

  “Even better to see you,” he said. “I just found out you’ve been hanging around Charleston for weeks now.”

  “You didn’t know? I thought Cord was going to let you know I was back. I assumed when you never called it was because of your engagement.”

  “Does it really matter now?” he inquired lightly.

  “I think it does,” she said stiffly.

  “Even though you’ve spent all these weeks making a fool of yourself over my brother?”

  She tried to work up the proper indignation over Cord’s latest betrayal, but it simply didn’t matter anymore. She was with the man she was meant to be with. She let the surge of anger go and grinned at Bobby. “Is that the way he tells it?”

  “Is that the way it is?” he countered.

  “Pretty much.” She met his gaze and was happy to discover that there wasn’t the slightest spark of attraction. There was just the warm comfort of being with an old and dear friend. It was nothing at all like what she felt with Cord.

  “I love him,” she admitted candidly.

  “Then why the hell are you packing?” he asked.

  “I have to go back to work.”

  “Have to or want to?” he demanded, sitting on the edge of her bed and regarding her with an unflinching look that insisted on an honest answer.

  She faltered a second under his unyielding gaze. “Have to,” she insisted. “A lot happened when I was there before and I need to face it and put it behind me once and for all.”

  “You can’t do that here?”

  “Actually I have done a lot of that here,” she said. “Unless you’d seen me when I first got here, you can’t possibly have any idea how much better I am. But I have to go back to take the final step.”

  “And what about my brother?”

  “I won’t be any good to him unless I do this,” she said, hoping Bobby could understand. She wasn’t entirely sure Cord did. He said all the right words, but the hurt was in his eyes every time
she looked at him. It killed her. It reminded her that she’d once done the same thing to his brother. Cord knew from experience that she wasn’t all that reliable when it came to coming home for a man.

  “I do love him, Bobby. I want to come back here and be with him.”

  “That’s something, I suppose. But I swear if it was me, you’d never walk out that door. I wouldn’t take a chance on losing you.”

  She gave him a sad look. “But you did just that when I left ten years ago.”

  “I know and I regretted it. That’s why it’s a whole lot easier for me to see what a mistake it is. A job’s just a job, Dinah. It’s love that matters in this world. It’s the only thing that matters. I hate to see you and my brother throwing it away.”

  “We’re not throwing it away,” she argued. “We’re putting it on hold for just a little while.”

  “And what if it turns out to be forever?” he asked. “You won’t be the first person to die over there, Dinah.”

  She knew better than he could possibly imagine how true that was. “I have to believe it won’t turn out that way,” she said simply.

  “And what if you’re wrong? Is it okay with you that Cord will be back here living with a broken heart because the only woman he ever loved is gone and he never had the chance to love her the way she deserved to be loved?”

  Dinah thought about that long after Bobby had gone. Was it okay with her? Look how she’d felt after Peter had died. Had it been worth it knowing that he’d died doing something he loved? Had it been okay that she’d had to go on alone? Aside from the fact that he’d died practically in front of her eyes, no, none of it had been okay. If she’d had a choice, would she have wanted Peter to spend the rest of his life doing the kind of camerawork at which he excelled, knowing that he was at risk of dying every day?

  It was a hard question, especially knowing how things had turned out. But, yes, she conceded reluctantly, she would have encouraged him to continue, be cause it was what he loved. And that was the unselfish gift Cord was giving to her.