Free It Must Be Your Love: The Sullivans by Bella Andre Page B

touring the world in support of her music career. Mia was amazed by the way Marcus had shifted his life around in such a huge way so that he could be with Nicola as much as possible. He ran a huge, very lucrative business, and she knew he could easily have stayed in Napa three hundred and sixty-five days a year to focus on his winery instead of the woman he loved.
    What, Mia wondered, had made Marcus decide to do that? Had Nicola given him an ultimatum like Ford had given her, demanding that he choose her over everything else in his life or else she’d leave him, love be damned?
    No, Mia thought with a shake of her head as she headed up the crushed-gravel walkway to Marcus’s front door, I can’t imagine Nicola ever doing something like that. Because when you were really in love the way Marcus and Nicola were, you just didn’t hurt the person you loved like that. Instead, what Mia had always thought from watching her own parents’ marriage, was that real love meant you tried to support your partner in any way that you could, while they also did everything they could to support you right back.
    That was the kind of man Mia was waiting for. One who put her first at the same time that she put him first, too. A true partnership, rather than a quick flash of heat that was doused at the first drop of rain.
    Speaking of great men, when she looked up and saw her brother Ian standing in front of her, she dropped her dress bag onto the gravel and ran into his arms.
    “You made it!”
    Her oldest brother was living in London running his investment business, and since his past few trips home had been canceled at the last minute, she’d begun to miss him terribly. Of course she loved her other brothers Adam, Rafe, and Dylan, but she’d always had a special relationship with Ian.
    His arms were strong and steady around her as his hug lifted her off the ground. “I’ve missed you, little girl.”
    He was the only one who could get away with calling her that. Well, there was the way her father called her Pumpkin. But that was it for nicknames that she would tolerate, and only because her father and brother were two of her all-time favorite people on the planet.
    “I’ve missed you, too,” she said. “So much. Please tell me you’re going to move back to Seattle soon.”
    Normally when she said that, he would shake his head as though there was no chance of his coming back to America. But this time he simply smiled and said, “I’ve got a few things to wrap up in London first.”
    Joy shot through her as she immediately forgot her grumpy mood. But as she gave a happy shout while hugging him tight, absolutely thrilled at the thought of having her big brother nearby again, he said, “Don’t say anything to Mom and Dad about it yet. I’d hate for them to be disappointed if my plans change.”
    She pulled back to poke him in the chest. “Well, you’d better not disappoint me, either.”
    He kissed her on the forehead, then frowned as he finally got a look at the dark smudges beneath her eyes. “I hate not being close enough to watch over you. You’re tired. What’s going on?”
    As close as she and Ian were, she couldn’t possibly tell him about Ford. Not if she wanted to keep her big brother out of jail, because he’d surely do terrible things to the rock star if he found out Ford had hurt her in any way.
    Fortunately, right then a toddler shot out of the front door, with her mother laughing as she chased her. Mia bent down and scooped up Emma. “Hey cutie, where are you headed in such a hurry?”
    Emma giggled at suddenly being weightless, then put her hands on either side of Mia’s cheeks and gave her a wet smooch. Oh, Mia thought as she snuggled the pretty little girl close, it’s going to be so wonderful to spend the weekend with my family. Especially when she’d arrived so off-kilter and now already felt a thousand times better.
    Chloe’s face lit up when she saw Mia. “You’re here!” When they hugged,