She smiled. “You speak as if it’s a competition.” And maybe it was, she thought. The two men had always been contentious and driven where this mission had been concerned. Completely different motivations, but the combativeness had been there. Though perhaps not terribly different. Lara hadn’t known about Cara. She felt a rush of warmth. She was grateful for Kaskov’s help, yet she couldn’t let Kaskov think that she was on anyone’s side but Tanner’s. “It would be hard. But if Tanner tried, he might be able to do it. He’s made a habit of being the best. Of course, he doesn’t have a family, either.” She was looking back at the cottage. “I think I’m definitely going to meet your granddaughter, Kaskov. Are you coming to introduce me?”

He shook his head. “They’re expecting you. I’m tolerated but not welcomed.” He turned back toward the car. “I’ll have Nikolai take me to the airport. I think you’ll be here awhile. I’ll phone Tanner and let him know Nikolai will put you on a later plane.” He glanced back at her. “Don’t think I’m soft. It’s not as if I cared. I did it all for Cara.”

“I know.” She smiled gently at him. “And for the music.”

*  *  *

New York City
8:40 P.M.

“Well, you do look happy.” Tanner’s skeptical gaze was narrowed on Lara’s face as he took her duffel and headed for the limo stand. “Kaskov said that he’d already taken care of a number of your problems, and I wasn’t to interfere. I told him to go to hell. Is everything okay?”

“I believe everything may be very much okay. I’ll tell you all about it later.” She chuckled. “I got the impression that Kaskov was a little annoyed that you’d seen fit to take over getting me settled here in the U.S. He particularly mentioned Juilliard. I think he was outraged you’d interfered with his plans. I decided he may be regarding it as a competition.”

“Too bad.” He stopped her before she got into the limousine and pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Did you tell him I always win?” He kissed her again. “And I’ve no intention of losing this one. It’s too important. The stakes are too high. Kaskov doesn’t stand a chance.”

“I told him you like to be best.” She reached up and caressed his cheek. “I didn’t tell him that you were definitely the best for me because that would only have irritated him. He was sure I couldn’t ignore what he was offering me.” She shook her head in amusement. “He researched me very thoroughly. He made it almost irresistible.”