Model Attraction by Sharon C. Cooper Page A

attention to the passenger side window as if she’d said too much. It went without saying that Austin had missed her, too, but he didn’t want her to jeopardize her career by acting too hastily regarding her manager.
    â€œJanna, we were so young. What we had happened a long time ago.”
    She turned sad eyes to him. “That doesn’t lessen what I felt for you. What I’ll always feel for you.”
    Austin loosened his grip on her hand. The traffic started moving again and he used that reason to release her as the silence inside the car grew heavy. Her admission caught him off guard. Was it possible that their feelings for each other could have really stood the test of time? She still held a special spot in his heart, but he couldn’t let himself believe that she felt the same way.
    â€œNelson has managed my career...my life for almost ten years. Who knows what else he has done that might not have been in my best interest?”
    Austin hated seeing her like this. He wanted the happy-go-lucky girl he once knew to show herself.
    â€œI also talked to Mama Adel last night,” she continued without prompting. “I asked her why she never told me that she’d given you Nelson’s telephone number. I would have been happy to know she’d given you the number. All of these years, and I can’t believe she never told me. Until yesterday, I had no idea you tried reaching me. They both knew how hard it was for me to stay in Milan with you being in the States.”
    He understood her pain. He knew about the ache in her heart that she probably thought would never heal. He knew about the constant questions running through her mind as she experienced sleepless nights thinking about him. And he knew the feeling of hopelessness that had followed for months after they parted ways. He prayed she hadn’t felt the same pain that he’d experienced. He wouldn’t wish that time in his life on his worst enemy.
    â€œMy mother said that we were too young to be talking about marriage. She said that when I told her that I hadn’t heard from you, she thought it was for the best. We both had great opportunities, me with the modeling and you with several scholarships. We needed to pursue our own individual dreams, according to her.”
    He exited the highway, trying to shake the melancholy that suddenly filled the space. He turned up the air conditioner and gave himself a mental shake to clear his mind of memories he wanted to forget.
    They arrived at Austin’s home and he pulled into the long driveway. Anger rattled inside of him. Back then, everyone thought they knew what was best for him and Janna. Sure, they’d been young, but Austin had known what he wanted, and it was to spend the rest of his life with Janna.
    â€œYour home is incredible.” Janna quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand. He’d been so busy trying to rein in his anger, he hadn’t noticed the tears or her red eyes.
    â€œThanks.” He pulled into the three-car garage and lowered the automatic door, trying to figure out what to say to her.
    Instead, he shut the engine off, unhooked both of their seat belts and pulled her into his arms. Holding her close, he placed a kiss against her temple and just held her. He’d missed having her in his arms.
    They sat silent for a few minutes and he kissed her again before releasing her.
    â€œI’m sorry...for everything. I have ruined our lives, and now I’m ruining our evening,” she mumbled against his chest.
    â€œStop. Baby, just stop.” He rubbed the back of her neck. “All of that was in the past. Let’s agree to leave the past in the past for good. No more talks about what could or should’ve been. No more talks about who’s to blame. Agreed?”
    She nodded and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “We leave the past in the past.”
    Austin felt her tension ease as she glanced around his