Dreams Come Alive In Coral Valley

“And so we have it, your office is exactly like you want it,” Diego announced taking a step back to admire the work he’d spent most of the afternoon doing for Heather despite his reluctance to lend a hand. While he’d been quite agitated with her upon his arrival at her office, he found that moving her office around had been quite therapeutic in it’s own unexpected way.

“Actually, we still have to move the…” Heather started catching a scathing look from Diego before she offered up a soft smile, “it’s perfect.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Diego replied standing upright after he’d finished moving the last piece of furniture for her.

“Well, I don’t know if perfect is exactly the right word I’d use for it, but I suppose it works for now,” Heather decided standing up from her chair as she made her way over to him eagerly, “That being said I think a celebration is in order.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Diego nodded in agreement making his way across the room and reaching for his jacket he’d discarded earlier in the day. Now as he pulled it off of the doorknob, he opted to set his jacket back down on the desk top before unrolling his sleeves now that he’d finished with his work for Heather, “you should go have a great time tonight since you’ve made a landmark moment with your office here.”

“What do you mean I should?” she blinked back at him, “this was something we both worked on together and I think this calls for a celebration for the both of us. I’ll be willing to overlook the ridiculous amount of complaining that you did during the shuffling of furniture so we don’t have to worry about my being upset with you. You did a nice job today and besides you still owe me dinner from Christmas time.”

“Heather, as much as I’d like to sit back and listen to all the ways in which I owe you, I can’t go to dinner with you tonight,” he stated simply finishing up with one sleeve before moving to another.

“Don’t be silly. Of course you can as I insist,” Heather waved her hand at him dismissively, “I’m thinking that perhaps we can go somewhere expensive and maybe French as I haven’t had any really great French food in a while. In fact, now that I think about it, I know the perfect place as there’s one just outside of town in Lauren that is to die for and maybe just maybe they’ll still have an opening for us there. I mean sure it’s an exclusive reservation only kind of place, but maybe we can work around that as I can just drop a couple of names and…”

“Heather, you’re not getting it,” Diego frowned in response, “I’m not going to dinner with you tonight.”

“Yes, you are,” she snatched up his jacket from her desktop, “as I simply won’t accept anything other than a yes as you owe me that much. I’ll even be generous and pay if that’s really what you’re worried about.”

“That’s the least of my concerns,” he reached out to her snatching up his jacket from her, “as I already have plans.”

“So cancel them,” she maintained her hold upon his jacket, “It’s not like you get an opportunity to spend time with me like this every day you know.”

“And believe me I’m flattered,” he remarked with a hint of sarcasm pulling at his jacket once again, “but as it stands, I have a date tonight.”

“A date,” Heather repeated with wide eyes as shock overtook her, “You’re going on a date?”

“That’s right and if I don’t hurry up and get going, I’m not going to have time to get ready for it,” Diego snatched back his jacket as he noted the strange reaction she’d had to his news, “but perhaps some other time we can have dinner together.”

“I don’t know about that one Diego as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity I’m giving you. Next time I might not be feeling so generous,” she continued gauging herself for his reaction as he slipped into his jacket.

“Then I guess I’m going to have to take my chances because I made plans for tonight Heather. I’m sorry,” he offered up apologetically before reaching for the stuffed animal she‘d given him, “but for what it’s worth, thanks for the Oscar here and hey don‘t stick around here too late as it‘s dangerous to be in a place like this alone.”

“I can take care of myself. I don‘t really have any other choice, now do I,” she curled her lip in a pout, “especially since my company for the night has decided to bail on me.”

“Look Heather I made the plans before you called me over here,” he started impatiently, “and furthermore you’re the one who decided to pull me away from my work on a whim to get me to rearrange your office. That’s something that I made clear we wouldn’t have happen--well not the part about the furniture in specific, but I told you that I wasn’t about to be pulled away from work or an emergency just to be here when your husband can’t be. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Is that why you think I called you over,” she questioned her angers growing with the moment, “to be my babysitter?”

“Heather, look,” he sighed bringing his fingers up through his hair, “I didn’t mean it like that and for what it’s worth, I had a nice time today, but next time, well next time you want me to help you out make sure I’m not working when you call me over.”

“So that’s it, huh? You’re just going to run out the door and be on your merry way leaving me all alone here because your date might be waiting,” she spoke the words icily.

“Jealous?” Diego lifted a curious brow.

“Hardly,” she scoffed, “as I pity any woman desperate enough to spend any time with you, though maybe getting out a bit will help you improve on your lack of social skills. Not to mention that you need a good woman to teach you the art of sensuality as your kissing techniques leave much to be desires.”

“Hmm, you know Heather I must confess you’re one of the only women to ever throw out that complaint, but hey I’ll see what my companion tonight has to say about that,” he couldn’t help but tease her watching the way her nostrils flared in annoyance.

“If she’s going to be all over you tonight, then she’s a slut,” she tossed back at him, “as the kind of woman you need won’t be kissing you on a first date. You need someone slow to ease you into things again since it’s obviously been a while.”

“Well hey lucky for me that you told me what I needed to work on,” Diego remarked with a grumble, “as I’m sure I’ll take that into consideration on my date tonight, but don’t worry I’ll tell you how it goes.”

“Don’t bother,” she rolled her eyes, “as I could really care less.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” he muttered under his breath before looking to the door again, “Would you like me to walk you out?”

“No, don’t bother doing me any favors as I wouldn’t want to overwork you,” she hissed in response watching him shrug his shoulders simply.

“Have it your way then,” he threw out one last look before leaving her office as Heather sank back in her chair sulking upon his exit.

So Diego had a date, Heather thought to herself discovering that she was far more irritated than she’d like to be about the idea of him out on the town while she was stuck all by her lonesome spending yet another evening alone while Cameron was buried in his work. It didn’t seem fair for her to be bored out of her mind now that she was a married woman, while Diego Hernandez got to go out and enjoy his evening with some bimbo who certainly wasn’t worth this time.

Okay, so maybe she really didn’t have room to get a say in Diego’s personal life, but since they’d become friends, she felt it was her obligation to keep from leading him astray. Certainly the guy had been out of the loop for a while and he needed someone to ease him back into things. She hadn’t been lying when she’d said that to him as she was far certain there wasn’t a woman in Coral Valley who could really keep up with him or put up with his stuffy, agitated attitude. Heather was still working on fine tuning him and it would be a great disservice for some woman to step into the picture and undo all the progress Heather had made thus far.

Okay so yeah, there could also be the slight chance that Diego was bluffing. There could be no mystery woman and he was just yanking her chain which was something that Heather wouldn’t put past him, but still with the way he’d gone head to head with her, she could feel something behind his words. He couldn’t have been lying and that was the part that had Heather more worked up about the situation. As if it wasn’t bad enough to be alone, but to have those around you having the time of their lives while you were stuck in a rut certainly wasn’t cutting it, Heather thought to herself as she made a decision about the night before her.

“I’m sorry Diego, but I can’t let you make a mistake with that woman tonight,” Heather thought aloud realizing that one way or another she had to have Diego come to his senses about his supposed date as she wasn’t about to lose the one thing she’d come to depend on in her life.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Thank you for bringing me back here, but you know I’ll understand if you want to go back to the hospital and be with Jade,” Blake offered up as Seth pulled into the Ashford drive leading up to the mansion.

“Nah, I think she’s okay now that Grady’s awake,” he paused as he put the car into park, “Unless of course that’s your way of politely telling me to get lost.”

“Not a chance on that one,” Blake reached out to grab his arm securely, “as I was kind of hoping that I didn’t have to give you up just yet.”

“Well in that case, I guess I can stick around,” he teased pulling his keys out of the ignition as he pondered everything they’d been through over the last few days.

“I’m glad that you’re going to stay here, though I must confess I still feel so horrible for your sister. I wish that there was something more we could do for her even now,” Blake sighed heavily as she reached for Seth’s hand offering up a gentle squeeze.

“So do I as I hate to think about her hurting. Though she seems to be doing a lot better and I think she needs this time with Grady after everything that’s happened. Despite my conflicting feelings about him, I know how much he means to Jade and I‘m so thankful that she didn‘t have to lose him last night,” Seth admitted thinking about the way in which his sister’s life had been going lately.

“She really does love him Seth and even a fool can see how much they care about one another,” Blake nodded in agreement, “It seems like an angel was smiling down upon them last night when Grady pulled through surgery.”

“I just hate the idea that he was put in that position to begin with because if this was some kind of warning that Cameron was trying to push upon my sister for her fighting to stay away from him,” he trailed off thinking about how tense life had become after Cameron had laid down his claim on Jade, “I still hate the idea that Cameron’s out there, but I have a feeling that he’s not going to get anywhere near her after we spoke with Ben. I really think we’re going to turn the tables on him soon enough.”

“God I hope so as that man is nothing but trouble,” Blake nodded in agreement, “To think of all the sick and twisted things he’s done, not to mention what he’s trying to do to Jade and to Grady…it just makes me nauseous.”

“I know and I hate that you’ve been put into the position you’ve had to be in with Cameron. I wish that there was some way that I could turn back time and never have allowed myself to have gotten involved with him in the first place,” Seth sighed as he shook his head at the memory.

“I know that what happened in the past wasn’t your doing,” Blake offered up supportively reaching for his hand, “Your father did this to you and you were doing what you thought you had to in order to protect Jade. No one can fault you that.”

“That’s easier said than done as I think I live with the guilt of my not being able to protect her all those years ago,” his voice dropped with a poignant air before he shook his head dismissively, “I’m sorry. You don’t need to hear this.”

“Seth, if something’s bothering you, I want you to see that I’m here for you. I’ll be whatever you need me to be if it means helping you through a difficult situation you’ve found yourself in,” she squeezed his hand supportively, “That’s a part of my loving you, you know.”

“I know and believe me I love you so very much for everything you’ve given to me,” he leaned in across the front seat of his pickup giving her a tender kiss before easing a fraction of an inch away from her, “though right now I don’t want to think about Cameron or about anything else but you. Do you think we could try working on that?”

“I know we can,” Blake mused with a low whisper feeling a coolness rush over her as he slid out of the driver’s side of the truck before walking around to open her door for her. She accepted his hand as he helped her out onto the ground and as she jumped down from the truck, she leaned into his arms, savoring the warmth of him returning to her once again.

“This is much better,” Seth murmured tipping down to tease her lips with another playful kiss.

“Indeed,” Blake whispered in agreement sliding her arms around his muscled torso, “although do you know what would be even better?”

“What’s that?” he inquired with a knowing expression as Blake’s face lit up with a radiant smile.

“I think you already know,” she nibbled on his lower lip as her palms drifted down over his rock hard bottom giving it a quick squeeze, “How about we get inside so I can show you what I mean?”

“That sounds very tempting indeed and delicious,” he growled in response hoisting her up off of the ground and carrying her towards the house when a piercing, screeching wail broke through the afternoon bringing them back to reality once again.

“What was that,” Seth questioned setting her down as the noise roared once again.

“I don’t know,” she confessed eyeing the surrounding area while the sound continued making her want to cringe at how awful it felt over her eardrums.

“Maybe we should go find out as it sounds like it’s coming from out back,” Seth suggested as he reached for her hand guiding her around the side of the mansion as Blake felt a shiver race up and down her body.

“Seth, wait a second,” Blake hesitated, “maybe we should go inside and call the police before we get back there.”

“Blake, are you sure?”

“Well no, but after we discovered that Cameron’s had people watching us, well you don’t know what we will find. Not that I think Cameron is bold enough to do something in my backyard like that, but after he had Grady stabbed…” she began uneasily.

“I see your point. Why don’t you go inside and make the call and I’ll check it out,” he suggested hearing the sound continue as Blake tugged on his shirt clenching her fingers tighter around the fabric.

“Seth, I don’t want to leave you,” she squealed jumping at the next round of sound that overtook her.

“Blake, it’ll only be a minute and if I see anything that looks like it’s not on the up and up then I’ll come back over here,” he tried to assure her.

“How about we go together as I have my cell phone and you have yours? We can call the police as we look and if someone tries to kill us, the police will have it on tape for a conviction.”

“That sounds promising,” Seth gave her a pointed look before touching her shoulder gently, “Why don’t you just stay here for a few minutes?”

“Nope, not a chance. If you can do it, then I’m going with you. Case closed,” she stated stubbornly.

“Are you always this determined,” Seth asked shaking his head as a groan overtook him, “never mind I already know the answer to that one.”

“Hey, my determination is a good thing for the both of us,” she poked at his ribs following him around the mansion only to discover the limo outside of the garage with a man in jeans bending in underneath the hood.

“What in the…” Seth began sensing sabotage as he moved forward in a slow, tentative motion ready to take on whatever flunky Cameron had sent over, but just before Seth was about to strike the man popped out from underneath the hood causing Blake to jump with surprise.

“Simon, what the hell are you doing,” Blake questioned immediately recognizing the man before them as Brant’s driver.

“Blake, are you okay,” Simon questioned noting the expression on her face, “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Well it sounds like someone is dying out here,” Blake informed him with a huff, “with all that screeching…”

“I’m sorry about that Blake,” Simon apologized motioning to the limo again, “I had an accident the other day with the limo and I was trying to fix it up here. I guess it got a bit louder than I was anticipating.”

“What kind of accident,” Seth inquired eyeing Simon closely.

“I’d dropped Ken off at the airport rather early in the morning and it was a very long night for me,” Simon began to apologize as he returned his focus to Blake.

“Ken’s went to the airport?” Blake questioned in confusion, “was something wrong?”

“It appeared to be a personal trip as he was with Caitlin and that man you were spending some time with not so long ago. They left with Mrs. Vaughn and another woman saying something about going out west to see Caitlin’s father.”

“I hope nothing was wrong,” Blake frowned wondering what had prompted her brother to leave town.

“Things appeared to be okay for Ken and the others considering,” Simon exhaled slowly, “although for me, well I guess I wasn’t paying attention to the road ahead of me on the way back from dropping them off and I hit a tree. It’s not one of my brightest moments, but I was trying to repair the damage before anyone found out…”

“Why not take it to the shop,” Blake questioned in confusion noting the gaping dent in the hood before her.

“I was trying to take care of it myself as it costs less and well I was hoping to put some of my mechanical skills to good use there since Brant pays me for that,” Simon answered with a brief pathetic glimmer of a smile, “though I will try to keep the noise down.”

“Alright,” Blake nodded, “you just scared me for a second there.”

“I’m sorry. I guess when the metal to metal collided it made that awful sound, but I’ve finished with that part of things for the time being,” Simon promised apologetically.

“That’s okay. I just wanted to know what was going on that’s all,” Blake added letting out a breath of relief before turning to Seth once again, “ready to go inside?”

“In a minute,” Seth answered focusing his attention to the limo, “You know if you need a hand with that I’d be more than willing to…”

“I’ve got it,” Simon replied swiftly, “it’s under control.”

“It’s really no problem,” Seth began again as his gaze lingered to the ground where Simon had come out from underneath the hood of the car. There at Simon‘s feet seemed to be a piece of tattered pale blue material soaked in a deep crimson color.

“It looks like you’ve got some transmission leakage down there,” Seth motioned to the fabric before him, “You sure you don’t need a hand.”

“I said I have it,” Simon threw out once again as he scooped down to swipe up the material and tuck it into his pocket before Seth could ask any further questions.

“Simon’s really rather good at what he does around here,” Blake curled her arm around Seth trying to focus on her thoughts for the afternoon as she didn’t want to think about all the other things that were happening in her life, “so why don’t we head inside and get back to that thing we’d talked about?”

“That thing huh,” Seth couldn’t help but smile as he noted the wicked expression on her features, “well since you put it that way, I don’t mind if we do.”

“Excellent,” Blake practically giggled aloud before waving at Simon one last time, “Good luck with that.”

“Thanks,” Simon nodded accordingly watching the couple slip around the mansion once again as he pulled the fabric out of his pocket, a scowl touching over his lips at his own stupidity.

“Damn,” he muttered to himself realizing that if he wasn’t careful things could get very ugly for him and right now ugly was the last thing he’d needed as he had plans for his future starting with the changes he was about to make on the Ashford limousine.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“So I’m thinking as soon as I get out of here, I’m going to treat you all to dinner at my place,” Grady announced proudly feeling as if an incredible weight had been lifted off of his shoulders as he was surrounded by his family and Jade.

“I’m going to hold you up to that then,” Russ agreed with a tiny chuckle as Jade placed her hand tentatively on Grady’s shoulder.

“Maybe we had better rethink that,” Jade spoke up eliciting a round of strange looks from the rest of the group before she explained, “What I mean to say is that since Susan is still staying at your place, maybe dinner there isn’t the best of ideas.”

“Good point,” Grady nodded in agreement, “We’ll have dinner at Russ and Avery’s place.”

“Wait a second,” Avery frowned upon Jade’s words, “Grady, is that true about Susan?”

“Unfortunately,” he scowled back up at her, “but I’m working on changing that one.”

“That never should’ve been in the first place,” Russell piped in with a frown that matched the one that his wife had donned seconds earlier.

“I know this, but there were some legal loopholes in the divorce since Judge Carmichael hates me and now I have to deal with them before I can get rid of Susan, though I think she’s out to ruin me all over again,” Grady sighed heavily.

“All the more reason to get her the hell out of there especially since she works for Stone Corp,” Avery added swiftly, “as I don’t want her anywhere near you. I don’t trust her.”

“Neither do I,” Jade insisted firmly, “She’s trouble and anyone with ties to Cameron like that can’t be trusted at all.”

“Not to mention she’s the devil in his most wretched form,” Russell noted as he thought to the pain and misery that Susan had put Grady through in the past.

“I can’t argue that one, but legally she has every right to invade my life and be living at my place unfortunately,” Grady sighed heavily, “presuming that I’ll be able to return there if and when these charges are dropped against me.”

“We’re going to make sure you’re cleared of this Grady,” Avery promised him as the door to Grady’s hospital room opened and Dave stepped inside to join the group.

“Hello everyone,” Dave cleared his throat uneasily as his eyes fell upon Grady Denton. He remembered the last time he’d seen Grady laying lifeless on the jail cell floor, but now it seemed as if Grady had been rejuvenated--given another shot at life that had seemingly been lost that night in the jail cell.

“So there’s the man of the hour,” Grady greeted him with a hearty smile, “I hear that you’re to thank for my being here today to share this time with my family.”

“I wouldn’t go that far as the doctors did one hell of a job on you I can see,” Dave answered with a smile feeling the tension that had been eating away at him all morning slowly melting away upon seeing that Grady was on the road to recovery.

“Even so, I want to say thank you for saving my life as I know that you didn’t have to,” Grady continued his voice full of seriousness as he eyed the police chief.

“In that case, you’re very welcome,” Dave nodded appropriately.

“Now if you could just drop the charges against me, then we’ll be all set here,” Grady added hopefully thinking about the very situation that had landed him in jail to begin with.

“We both know that’s out of my hands Grady, but for what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re guilty,” Dave divulged knowing that he shouldn’t be saying such a thing, but still as he thought to the night Grady had been stabbed, it was all the more reason for him to question Grady’s guilt level. Certainly someone had wanted him dead and Dave wasn’t buying that it was because Grady was guilty of attempted murder.

“But that doesn’t really matter, now does it since we’re back to square one, huh,” Grady questioned his optimistic attitude fading a bit as he shifted on the hospital bed restlessly.

“Grady, look I’ll do what I can to help you with that, but right now, well I’m not hear to talk about those charges as I’m more curious to speak with you about what happened the night of your stabbing,” Dave explained simply, “perhaps if we can work on finding out who did this to you, then we can get a good lead on the person who shot Kipp Mahoney.”

“I can give you that answer as I’m certain it was Cameron Stone,” Russell blurted out with a grumble, “You know this situation reeks of his involvement as well as I do Dave.”

“Without evidence, I can’t just lock him away,” Dave countered with a sigh, “I wish it was that easy, but we know it’s not.”

“Yet you can lock my brother up for a crime he didn’t commit, right?” Russ threw back at him.

“There’s evidence I have in the case against Grady,” Dave pointed out, “Evidence that points the finger in his direction whether we like it or not.”

“Because Cameron planted it there,” Jade added with her own determined tone, “You know he’s the one who had Grady stabbed that night and he’s doing his best to cover his tracks.”

“I have the CSI team working on the evidence they were able to pull together at the crime scene from the night that Grady was stabbed. They have a partial print, but if Grady remembers the person who did this to him, then we’d have more to go on,” Dave threw Grady a pleading look.

“I wish I could remember more, but it’s all hazy Dave,” Grady confessed in frustration, “All I remember was the talk we’d had before Avery left and then my being transferred to a cell. Other than that I don’t remember anything until I woke up here at the hospital realizing that I’d been attacked.”

“That’s it?” Dave questioned.

“I wish there was more as I’m certain that if I knew the details of what happened that night, then I’d be able to clear my name and get back to the life that I’ve worked so very hard to obtain for myself,” Grady turned to look at Jade feeling his heart speed up at the nearness of her as the world he’d longed for was right beside him.

“Perhaps as you start to heal, more will come to you and when it does, then we can get to the bottom of this,” Dave suggested, “but until then perhaps it would be best if we kept a guard on your door here just so that…”

“That what?” Avery questioned with a grumble, “that it won’t happen again? Dave, I think once is already too much and you agreed with me on that last night. You and I talked about this and…”

“Avery, I know what you’re asking here, but if I do that, well it just can’t be done,” Dave replied quickly feeling put on the spot as all eyes were upon them.

“Why not? You’re the police chief and it’s your duty to make sure that my client is protected until the day he’s slated to appear in court for his trial. You owe him that,” Avery stepped up into full on lawyer mode as her eyes narrowed at Dave.

“Avery, I already told you…” Dave sighed back at her realizing that his headache he’d been fending off all morning was now returning to him again fiercer than ever.

“Told you what?” Grady questioned in confusion taking note of the stand off between Avery and Dave, “what’s going on here? What am I missing?”

“Something that I’m quite certain will save your life if the police chief is willing to cooperate,” Avery stated plainly leaving all the cards on the table as she awaited Dave’s response to her request, refusing to take no for an answer.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hunt took one last look at his appearance feeling himself strangely nervous about dinner with Mindy as while he hadn’t been seeking out a new companion in town, she was just too adorable to resist. Sure, maybe he’d been busy with other things in his life and finding someone like her was the last thing he’d needed, but still she was fun and entertaining and he couldn’t help but be charmed by her. She was a breath of fresh air in his otherwise cryptic life. Okay, so he hadn’t exactly been up front with her upon meeting her, but that wasn’t really important at the moment. Perhaps tonight he’d be able to share with her the things that he’d been fighting so hard to hide and if she was willing to still give him a chance, then perhaps it would mark the beginning of his life taking a new direction. Not that the direction he was taking before was bad, but it just wasn’t where he’d wanted to be at this point.

“Quit stalling and get to it,” Hunt urged himself on swiping his car keys from the counter as he whistled a tune to himself preparing to charm Mindy Carmichael all over again as it was the first time in a long time that he could truly be himself without secrets and games.

Okay, so while Hunt had always been big on those two things in the past, lately they were just getting harder to deal with especially where Brooke was concerned. When he’d met her two years ago, he’d been flattered by her attention, craving it to a point of obsession it seemed as she was beautiful and cultured. She’d opened his eyes to a great many things that he’d overlooked in his life and it didn’t take long for them to jump into the role of lovers despite her marital status.     Even now, he could think of the many ways in which Brooke was well worth spending time with, yet lately she’d been behaving strangely. He’d thought of their time together not so long ago when she’d come to spend over a week with him in New York. Things had been intense and very draining all at the same time as she’d made so many promises to Hunt--promises that he’d been waiting nearly two years for her to cash in on, but then when she’d asked him to come back to Coral Valley with her, he realized that things weren’t changing. She was still with her lowlife husband and he was taking the brunt of their secret relationship hiding in the shadows as Brooke wrote the time she and Hunt had spent together off as some kind of skiing accident she’d endured out of town. Hunt wasn’t quite clear on the details, but in seeing Brooke in such a tortured state, he realized that perhaps there was more to the story than she’d been telling him, but at this point, he supposed it wasn’t his place to ask.

“It’s time to move on Hunt,” he told himself time and time again wanting to walk away from this thing he and Brooke had going, but after investing so much time and having learned so much from her, he wasn’t sure if that would ever happen--if it could happen for them as he’d grown rather fond of her. What a sucker it made him, he silently chastised himself as he made his way to his car ready to push Brooke out of his mind for the evening when the same familiar ring tone broke through his train of thought.

“Wonderful,” Hunt muttered to himself withdrawing his cell phone from his pocket and lifting it to his ear as he tried to keep his tone neutral, “Hello Brooke, what can I do for you today?”

“Now, is that anyway to treat a woman who has spent all day thinking about you,” Brooke questioned with a hint of dismay in her tone, “I would hope that you’d have more for me than that.”

“I’m actually kind of busy at the moment,” he confessed thinking to his plans with Mindy, “You caught me at a bad time.”

“Oh I’m sorry to hear that, but the truth to the matter is that I’ve been having a rather bad time myself here at this mansion. Sure, my hosts have been gracious, but it gets lonely in this place all by myself and I was hoping you’d stop by to see me,” Brooke pouted as Hunt let out a sigh.

“I’d thought that the last time you’d had me over, you didn’t want me showing up for any more surprise visits,” he stated with a grumble, “after all what would your husband think?”

“Richard is irrelevant right now and besides, he’s not around. He’s back in Boston doing lectures this week so you won’t have to worry about him getting in the way,” she explained eagerly.

“In other words, you won’t have to worry about him being in the way,” he remarked sourly, “Brooke, I’m tired of keeping our relationship in the dark. I don’t want to be the man you call upon when your husband isn’t giving you the attention you need. I don’t work that way.”

“I know and I’ve been very cruel to you, but I’d like to make it up to you Hunt. I was thinking if you came over then perhaps we could talk about things and I could show you all the reasons why I need you in my life. I know that if you let me, I can make it up to you,” Brooke’s voice pleaded with him, “Just give me the opportunity to say what I need to tell you.”

“Tell me now,” Hunt urged her on catching a hesitance on her end of the line, “hello? Brooke, are you there?”

“I would much rather do this in person Hunt. Please just give me a few minutes,” she begged of him.

“I have plans tonight Brooke.”

“Then change them,” she insisted firmly.

“I can’t,” he answered again.

“Then at least work around them long enough to give me a few minutes of your time. I promise that I’ll change your mind about the way you’re feeling about me right now. Hunt, you know how much I care about you and I can’t bear the thought of going another night without seeing you at least once. It would mean the world to me if you would just…”

“Fine,” he sighed heavily hating that he’d fallen a sucker to her pleas once again, “I’ll be over shortly, but I can’t stay long.”

“Fair enough,” Brooke replied enthusiastically, “You can just park out back and come up the rear entrance to the mansion again as I’ve left it unlocked for you.”

“Yeah whatever,” he frowned hearing her hang up the phone as he decided that tonight was going to be the night he ended this weakness of his once and for all. Getting into his car he headed over to the mansion where she was staying when he remembered his dinner date with Mindy.

Silently cursing himself for not having the strength to just say no to Brooke, Hunt dialed the number Mindy had given him only having her voice mail pick up as he tried to think up some reasonable explanation for what was ahead of him, “Hey Mindy, it’s Hunt. Listen, I’m running behind as something came up with work, but if we can just meet up at the restaurant instead, that would be great. I’ll be there close to our reservation time, so if I’m not there when you are, just wait for me,” he paused feeling like an idiot as he tried to think of something more to say, “I can’t wait to see you tonight,” he finished hanging up the phone vowing not to let Brooke keep him too long as he was eager to see where his evening with Mindy would take him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I see you’ve done well for yourself Gabriel,” Marc noted taking in the hotel surroundings, “as a place like this seems to be the crème de la crème in Coral Valley.”

“So I’ve been told, but I don’t think you came all the way up here to discuss my choice of hotel suites, so why don’t we just cut to the chase Marc?” Gabe frowned back at him, “What do you want?”

“You of course,” Marc stated bluntly, “as it’s something that I’ve been thinking about for quite some time after our little misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?” Gabe repeated with an ironic laugh, “I wouldn’t call trampling upon my heart and trying to dictate my life a misunderstanding Marc. It was something that I’d just as soon live without these days.”

“Which explains why you’re spending your time with a boy like Guy Morrison,” Marc shook his head at him, “to think that he doesn’t care enough to make your relationship out in the open should speak about where you stand in his life. He’s not invested in you Gabriel, but more so in what pleasing his family will bring him.”

“You don’t know the first thing about Guy or about my relationship with him,” Gabe shot back at him refusing to allow Marc a chance to get him going all over again as his own insecurities hung overhead.

“I know enough to say that I’ve seen the type come and go in the lives of men like yourself,” Marc shrugged pondering for a moment, “Guy is in a phase and he’s unsure about his own intentions, but eventually he’ll come to a conclusion about his life and you can rest assured that you won’t be a part of that conclusion. That much I’m certain of as his mother’s opinion means a great deal to him.”

“Guy’s doing what he needs to do and right now that doesn’t concern you,” Gabe folded his arms in front of his chest firmly.

“Probably not, but I’m sure his mother would have plenty to say if she was aware that her son was gay,” Marc rose from the chair he’d been seated in before offering another casual shrug, “or at least that he’s been playing the part with you.”

“I don’t need to listen to this,” Gabe remarked sourly making his way to the hotel room door.

“Perhaps it’s time that you do Gabriel as you’re only fooling yourself to believe that boy can love you like I can,” Marc stated his voice full of determination as he watched his ex-lover stuck in a rage, “He’s not giving you what you need and it was painfully obvious when I saw you two earlier at the mansion. A relationship with limitations will never prove to bring forth satisfaction Gabriel and besides, I didn‘t come over here to speak of Guy Morrison.”

“Then why are you here,” Gabe spun around to find Marc standing directly in front of him.

“To talk about us--about how it was that we became so estranged and how we can work to remedy that situation,” Marc explained boldly reaching out to touch Gabe’s face in a tender gesture, “as I’ve missed what we had together.”

“I haven’t,” Gabe stated firmly, clenching his teeth as he bucked out of Marc’s embrace, “I have never looked back upon what we had together since the day we parted.”

“You don’t mean that Gabriel,” Marc let out a tiny laugh of disbelief, “as I could see it in your eyes when I encountered you this morning that you still feel something for me. Even if you wish to label it as contempt, there is still a great and powerful emotion between us, one that you can’t erase from your system.”

“You destroyed my life,” Gabe informed him bluntly, “You ruined Noelle and you made me see all the things I didn’t want in a relationship.”

“Noelle was destroyed by your inability to come clean with her about how much we meant to one another,” Marc informed him point blank, “Had you just been true to your heart instead of hiding from it as you are right now, then that all could’ve been avoided. We could still avoid all the things that you’re holding back on if only you’d open your heart to what it is we have together.”

“It’s nothing Marc,” Gabe cut back sharply, “that’s what it was back then and that’s all it will ever be.”

“I don’t believe that for a second and if you look inside yourself, then maybe just maybe you’ll stop hiding from how you feel. You’ll be able to surrender to the passion again like you once did Gabriel and in doing so, you’ll finally be free,” Marc stated boldly reaching out to seize Gabe in an embrace as his lips came crashing down upon him in a heated, demanding assault.

While Gabe fought to keep from feeling something--anything about the lover who’d damn near destroyed his life, there was no denying that there were still feelings lingering there. Feelings that Gabe wouldn’t allow himself to face as he felt Marc’s hands moving in over his body in an attempt to coax him to that same surrender that had damn near stolen Gabe’s soul once upon a time.

“No,” Gabe broke away from him shaking his head adamantly as he refused to go down that road again, “I’m not about to let you destroy my life again.”

“The destruction you feel comes from within as you’re the one torturing yourself Gabriel,” Marc stood taller, his eyes penetrating Gabe’s intensely, “In denying yourself the pleasure you’ve taken from our relationship in the past, you’re only keeping your true self under lock and key. You’re hiding from the man you’ve always been meant to be and the more you deny that, the greater your inner hatred will be.”

“Get out,” Gabe ordered with a sneer, “Get out and don’t come back.”

“You don’t mean that,” Marc replied with a confident grin, “You still need me Gabriel. I could taste it in your kiss and it’s only a matter of time before you realize just how much you still want me. You’ll grow tired of that boy you’ve been wasting your time with and when you do, well, I’ll be waiting patiently ready to accept your apologies for this dismissal.”

“Out!” Gabe snapped again throwing open the hotel room door and watching as Marc exited leaving him in a frenzy as it seemed that just when he’d started to get a grasp on his life yet another thing was ready to come back and shake it up again.

“This isn’t happening,” Gabe brought his hands up to his head trying to dismiss the old feelings that Marc had drawn out from within. Surely Gabe wasn’t interested in rekindling an old flame between them, but there was no denying the intense reaction that Marc had always seemed to be able to rip out of him. They had certainly had something intense--something beyond mere words and now as Gabe’s heart was racing in his chest--his pulse demanding the same horrible things of him where Marc was concerned, he felt himself full of a fear of how long he could be strong in his decision to never look back.

“He doesn’t matter anymore,” Gabe stated aloud hearing a knock at his door as his pulse quickened yet again, causing every excited synapse to ignite with the flames of the forbidden passion he and Marc had once explored with one another during those times when Gabe had hated himself the most. There was no denying the intensity of the physical reaction that Marc had been able to scorch him with, but he wouldn’t allow the man back into his heart. He had to be clear on that and as he heard the knocking grow more frantic, he threw open the door ready to face the man who’d nearly ruined him all those years ago.

“I thought I told you to get…” Gabe charged ready to assault Marc with his words as he found Guy standing before him looking more desperate and adorable than ever.

“I tried calling, but when you didn’t answer,” Guy began with a heavy sigh as Gabe reached out to him pulling Guy into an embrace.

“I’m so sorry,” Gabe confessed squeezing Guy in his arms as his heart was still racing with something he couldn’t keep under control. Touching Guy’s face gently, he urged Guy’s chin up so that they could meet one another’s eyes, “I’m so sorry for that…”

“Gabe I was just so worried and…” Guy began as Gabe cut him off with a desperate, longing kiss.

“I know and I’m sorry,” Gabe threw his arms around Guy unable to contain himself as he began to ease the material of Guy’s shirt up over his torso in between kiss after heated kiss, “I wish that I hadn’t done that…that I didn’t cause you to be concerned, but I need you Guy. I need you now more than ever.”

“I need you too Gabe,” Guy replied reaching out to hold his lover, “I just didn’t want you to walk away thinking that I didn’t care--that I don’t love you…”

“I know you do and I love you. I need you to know that,” Gabe threw out an impassioned plea claiming Guy’s lips in another frantic kiss as he devoted all his attentions to proving to his lover just how deep his emotions ran for Guy. Doing his best to forget about Marc, Gabe began to tear the clothes off of Guy forcing his focus to remain on his lover as they fell into passion with one another leaving the rest of the world behind for a little while with long overdue time away from it all.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“This is nice,” Blake sank back into Seth’s embrace feeling her pulse return to normal as they lay together before the fireplace basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking with one another.

“It’s heaven Blake,” Seth touched her cheek tenderly seeing all of his emotions reflected behind her blue eyes as he held her, “It’s something that I’ve waited a long time to be able to experience with you just like this.”

“I know and I’m sorry that it took me so long to get my priorities together,” Blake confessed with a sigh tracing lazy circles over his chest as she could feel his heart beating rapidly beneath her, “Somehow I think I spent so long trying to do everything and anything to destroy the good that I’d had in my life. When I found you, it all just happened so fast and I fell so hard that I couldn’t think about anything, but how I didn’t deserve this. Even now I have to wonder if I still don’t as you could be with so many other women who wouldn’t have given you such a hard time in a relationship.”

“Blake, don’t you know by now, there’s no other woman for me than the one I’m holding in this very moment,” Seth reached out to bring his thick fingers up through her golden tresses, “You mean so very much to me and I don’t know where I’d be without you. When I thought that I’d lost you forever, it felt as if a part of me was gone with you and I knew that I’d never be able to get that back without you in my life. I love you so very much and I’d do anything just to make you happy--absolutely anything Blake and at one time I believed that meant even my having to let you go to move on with your life.”

“With Zack,” she sighed feeling a shiver race over her spine at the mention of a man who’d come to mean so very much to her.

“Yes, with Zack,” he nodded in confession, “I know that you love him and I know that it’s been easy for you to forget that when we’re together, but I’m also aware of the competition I have for your heart.”

“Seth, it’s not a competition,” Blake insisted touching his face tenderly, “as I love you and I want to be with you.”

“I believe that when we’re together Blake. I really, truly do, but I also know that Zack can give you things that I can’t--things that I may never ever be able to offer you,” Seth started feeling his own lingering doubts about their future come to the surface once again.

“Seth, if I wanted all those things, then I would’ve already married some guy from one of the country clubs, but those things aren’t important to me,” Blake remarked firmly wanting nothing more than to clear up any misconceptions he’d had about where her heart was, “When I first saw you in that auto shop, I thought you were by far the sexiest man I’d ever laid my eyes upon and I wasn’t sure whether I really wanted to chew you out like I’d intended to or if I’d just throw caution to the wind and have my way with you then and there.”

“I can see what won out,” Seth couldn’t help but tease watching the color rise over her beautiful features.

“Well, I didn’t think doing a reenactment of some cheesy, low budget porno was the way to get your attention there,” Blake teased back with a flirty wink.

“It might’ve raised a few thoughts in my head, but I much prefer how things happened for us, even with the many bumps in the road along the way,” Seth sighed feeling her sink into him as she lay her head upon his chest listening to the sounds of his heart.

“So do I and while I know it hasn’t been easy, I meant what I said about my being dedicated to seeing this all the way through. I want to show you all the ways in which you’re the man I’ve been waiting a lifetime to have in my life and I want you to believe me when I say that to you.”

“I want to believe it, Blake,” he confessed gently massaging her spine as he held her, “More than anything I want to believe that all the things that have happened in the past won’t be something that can tear us apart in the future. I hate the thought of how I hurt you before with…”

“Shh…” she silenced him with her index finger as she rose up on her elbows to look down at him, “Seth, that’s not important anymore. All that matters is the here and now and right now all I wanted to be is right here with you.”

“Gee, imagine that,” he winked up at her catching note of the playfulness in her tone.

“Seth, I’m serious,” she swatted at his chest, “Don’t you know by now that I don’t just fall head over heels for just anyone here? I am an Ashford after all.”

“I realize that which is why I was just trying to prepare you for what it means to be with a man like me,” Seth confessed openly, “as I’m not exactly a black tie affair kind of guy.”

“No one says you have to be, but I will say that what matters the most to me--what’s really important is what you have right here,” she placed her hand over his heart feeling the strength of him beneath her before she threw out a playful wink and dropped her hand down beneath the thin blanket that covered their bodies as she teased her fingers over the root of his masculinity, “or was it here?”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” he reached out to tickle at her sides as he flipped her onto her back tumbling over her as their eyes reconnected, “You’re trouble in every sense of the word Blake Ashford. I hope you realize that.”

“Oh I do and I’m proud of it,” Blake confessed openly as she curled her arms around him, “although I’m even prouder of the fact that I happened to find a man who happens to love trouble.”

“It’s a curse some would say,” he offered up jokingly tipping down to nibble on her lower lip as she shifted beneath him allowing the warmth of him to fill her up completely as they surrendered to the moment with one another.

“I love you,” she breathed holding him tighter than before as his kisses tapered off over her creamy, silken skin.

“I love you,” he mouthed over her body, relearning all the places he’d devoted his attention to earlier during their lovemaking session as he thought to all the ways he intended to savor every incredible inch of Blake Ashford.

“Oh Seth,” Blake whispered behind a tortured breath feeling him awaken all those tingling sensations that had rocked her world inside out moments earlier in the height of passion. Now there was no mistaken how in tune he was with her as he knew all the right places to kiss, to lick and nibble with the clear and determined mission to arouse all of her impulses as she gave herself to the feeling ready to slip into another world altogether on her own with him as her pulse raced. However, fate seemingly had other plans for them as her phone began to ring furiously sending them both to reality.

“You know I’m really starting to hate modern technology,” Seth confessed with a groan feeling her sit upright as he fell onto his back in frustration.

“Most of the time I do too, but that ring means only one thing,” she searched the floor for her phone, “It’s Kenny and if he’s calling, well I should probably answer.”

“Yeah, you probably should,” Seth nodded in agreement closing his eyes as she placed a quick kiss upon his chest before rising to her feet again.

“Don’t you go anywhere,” she instructed answering the phone as she left the room to have a few words with her brother while Seth pondered the state of his relationship with Blake.

Over the last few weeks things had been going rather well between them--too good to be really his life, he thought to himself as he realized that Blake had gotten so deep into his system that he feared the day when she’d realize just how unworthy of her he was. He’d never imagined that he’d really meet someone as wonderful as her--someone who would turn his world upside-down and make him believe in romance and happily ever after, but there she was like a vision out of his dreams willing to bring out all those feelings he’d repressed for so very long. Sure, he’d feared that the past would keep him from happiness, but when he was with Blake, it seemed as though the past wouldn’t be able to haunt them--wouldn’t be able to take away the purity of what they felt and he just prayed that with Cameron’s threats on his sister, that his romance with Blake would continue to flourish.

Upon hearing Blake’s footsteps in the hallway, Seth opened his eyes and rolled onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow before repositioning the blanket over him carefully to give her something to dream about. He felt a smile tickling over the corners of his mouth as he thought to all the ways in which he was going to dedicate himself to loving Blake, but as she entered the living room area once again, she looked as if all the color had been drained completely from her face.

“Blake, what is it,” Seth questioned sitting up as he noticed her expression, “What’s wrong?”

“It was Ken,” she began weakly, “He’s in Seattle with Caitlin.”

“And?” Seth inquired already fearing the worst as he realized who else was out there with Ken and Caitlin.

“And her father’s doing much better. They say he should be out of the hospital in no time as there’s only some bruising and minor damage after the construction accident he was in,” Blake paused feeling her throat go dry as she tried to keep from feeling anything about the bombshell that her brother had dropped upon her.

“But what?” Seth rose up off of the floor watching as Blake sank into the couch at a loss, “Blake, what happened?”

“It’s Zack…” Blake started unable to put her emotions to words as she felt the tears she’d swore to herself she wouldn’t cry coming to haunt her, “It’s just that he…well, Ken wanted to tell me because he thought I had a right to know considering our history but…I just never…I mean I didn’t expect that he’d go off and…”

“And what? What has Zack done now,” Seth questioned noticing the way that the same pain had returned to Blake’s features as she spoke of the man who posed the greatest challenge to their relationship with one another.

“He married Johanna,” Blake blurted out unable to mask her emotions about the situation as she broke into full blown tears.

“I’m sorry,” Seth managed to get out wrapping his arms around her as he felt her trembling beneath his embrace, “I’m so sorry.”

“I just never thought that he’d…I mean I knew that they had a baby on the way, but for him to just run off and marry her like this…” Blake sniffled as her tears continued to fall freely, “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Some things just don’t I suppose,” Seth sighed feeling an ache overtake him as he could see the intensity of Blake’s tears in the moment she realized that Zack was no longer hers. In that instant he felt a strange combination of sadness and anger build up inside of him, but he continued to hold onto her refusing to allow her sadness to be the key to his undoing.

“It’s just so unfair,” Blake confessed in a tight whisper as she held onto him.

“That it is,” Seth nodded in agreement realizing that he’d already lost the one thing he’d been banking on as Blake’s tears for the loss where Zack was concerned said it all about where he stood in her heart.

“I just wish things were different,” Blake continued to sob unable to hold any of it in as he held her.

“So do I,” Seth shifted uneasily beneath her after her tears began to taper off. Suddenly feeling very out of place beneath her, he let out a slow breath knowing that he was going to have to do the last thing he’d ever wanted to face with her again. He took in a slow breath contemplating his words as his heart broke into pieces upon the realization of what their relationship was to Blake, “Blake, maybe we should get dressed.”

“What?” she questioned in confusion turning her eyes up towards him, “Why?”

“Now just isn’t the right time for us to make love,” Seth explained patiently despite the inner turmoil he was facing in a moment like the one he was in with her.

“But Seth I thought that…” she felt him move out from beneath her as she watched him with confused eyes.

“I did too, but Blake, this isn’t going to work for us,” Seth finally said the words that had haunted him from the moment she’d broken down about losing Zack, “I tried to fool myself into believing that we could make it. Hell, I wanted that more than anything, but I can’t allow myself to be guy number two.”

“Guy number two,” she repeated as her jaw dropped in realization, “Seth, is that what you think I’m saying?”

“No, Blake, that’s not it at all,” he replied poignantly seeking out his pants and slipping into him, “It’s just that you don’t have to say it. I know how you feel about Zack and I’m sorry that things didn’t work out for the both of you like you were hoping.”

“Seth, where is this coming from,” she questioned getting up from the sofa as her voice was tight with emotion, “I already told you that I love you…”

“I know what you said Blake, but the truth to the matter is that I can’t be the guy that you stay with because your first choice married someone else,” he sighed feeling a pang of sadness creep on over him as he reached out to touch her face, “Blake, I love you with everything I am, but I can’t stand back and pretend that this doesn’t hurt--that I’m okay with the way things are. I knew when we got back together that had Zack not screwed up, we wouldn’t be having this opportunity and the truth to the matter is that I can’t let his mistakes be the key to our being together.”

“Seth, they aren’t,” Blake pleaded with him, “That’s not why I’m with you. I already told you time and time again…”

“I heard what you said, but I also heard what you didn’t,” he repeated with sadness behind his brown eyes, “Blake, I know you love Zack and even with his being married to Johanna, that doesn’t change anything. He’s someone you’ve waited a long time to be with and I can’t compete with that. I won’t do it because I know in the long run you’ll only resent me for being everything he’s not.”

“I never said that Seth. That’s not how I’m feeling and right now you’re putting words into my mouth,” Blake felt her body grow tight with fear and panic, “Seth, that has nothing to do with us.”

“Fine, then tell me that you believe we have a future together. Tell me that one day you see me as the man you want to share the rest of your life with. That if I asked you to marry me--to be my wife that you’d say yes and agree to enter that bond with me,” Seth threw out at her only to be met by her silence. “See, that’s what I thought.”

“Seth, marriage is a big thing and I don’t think that anyone should just jump into it and if you’re asking me to marry you, well that’s something that doesn’t happen overnight. What we have together now is great and if it leads to that, well then hey that’s even better…” Blake offered up in an afterthought.

“Even better isn’t what I’m looking for Blake. When I get married I want my wife to be with me because she can’t live without me--that she feels in her heart about me what I feel for her without reservation. I can’t stand back and be the rebound guy because her first choice got away. I can’t deal with that.”

“Seth, I can’t pretend that I don’t care about Zack because you’ve always asked me to be honest with you. I’ve tried to give you that,” Blake pointed out with a frown feeling her tears threatening as she could feel the distance between them.

“And I’m trying to do that with you Blake. I want it all, not some illusion of happily ever after by default,” he confessed stepping in towards her as he reached out to touch her cheek tenderly, “I love you so damn much that it hurts when I’m not with you, but I can’t bear being the guy you coast through life with until your prince charming is free again. I thought that I could do that, but Blake, I can’t pretend anymore. If Zack is really what you want, then it’s not too late. You go find him and make him see that you two are meant to be together.”

“Seth I…” she sniffled unable to keep the tears from coming as she felt her heart breaking.

“He doesn’t love Johanna. He loves you and you love him and you two should be together,” Seth cupped her face in his hands, “I see that now and I won’t stand in your way any longer.”

“Seth please…” Blake cried out feeling his lips descend upon hers as he kissed her gently, sending out a rush of emotions from within as she desperately reached out to him, “Seth, don’t end it this way. This doesn’t have to be it for us…”

“It’s already too late for that Blake,” he replied taking one last look at her as his eyes filled with sadness before he turned away from her walking out of the Ashford guest house and out of her life forever as Blake found herself alone at long last lost in the very place she swore to herself she’d never be.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“So what are you saying Dave? You’re just going to wait until Grady heals and then send him right back to hell to get hut again?” Avery charged glaring at Dave as his impossible side was grating on her nerves.

“Avery, I’m not saying that, but you and I both know to make something like that believable, well it’s just never going to work,” Dave shook his head at the thought.

“Why can’t it?” Grady questioned in confusion, “I don’t think it’s a bad idea and if it helps show Cameron’s true colors then why not give it a try?”

“That’s easier said than done Grady and we both know that,” Dave frowned realizing that the odds were stacked against him as the Denton group had proven to be far more stubborn than he’d anticipated, “To actually do something like that would require the complete cooperation of the hospital staff and of the family as you’d have to make it appear as if…”

“We can do that,” Russ added his own thoughts to the subject, “especially if it means that my brother will have a chance to clear his name.”

“I could lose my career for even thinking this idea,” Dave gave them all a stern look, “Did you put any consideration into that?”

“How would you feel having Grady’s blood on your hands yet again or worse?” Avery taunted him, “Dave, you know it’s the only way and what we’re asking isn’t breaking any laws…”

“No, it’s just bending a few million of them and I’m telling you Avery for it to work, we’d have to make the world believe what we wanted them to believe,” Dave pointed out once again.

“Starting with Cameron,” Grady added.

“Which could prove to be quite difficult,” Jade pointed out stating the obvious, “as he’s not the kind of man to accept things at face value.”

“Even so, if he wanted Grady dead, then why wouldn’t he believe the story we’re trying to sell him,” Russell insisted finding himself more invested in Avery’s suggestion to save his brother more than ever, “This way it gives us time to prove that Stone is the one calling all the shots.”

“It’s not like you’re asking for an extra scoop of ice cream here Russ. You’re asking me to go out of my way to bend the rules for Grady during an ongoing attempted murder investigation…” Dave sighed in frustration.

“For a man who seemingly dropped off of the planet,” Avery added sharply, “That in itself should tell you that Cameron doesn’t want Kipp to be found. He doesn’t want anyone to know the truth about that night and if there’s a chance that Kipp Mahoney will wake up, then Cameron will make damn sure that doesn’t happen.”

“There’s no evidence leading us to believe that Cameron has anything do with Kipp Mahoney’s disappearance,” Dave added simply, “None whatsoever.”

“Well of course not because Cameron doesn’t like to be sloppy,” Grady insisted adamantly, “he’s not about to let you see he has Kipp especially when he’s out to destroy me.”

“You keep saying that, but as it stands you attacked Cameron,” Dave shot back at him.

“Only because he was threatening to hurt Jade,” Grady stated plainly.

“Threatening how?” Dave questioned again finding himself met by a silence. “Grady, if you know something and you’re keeping it from me, then you’re going to have to be straight with me if you want me to help you…”

“That’s irrelevant, but what matters is that Cameron’s not just threatening any longer. He’s taking it a step further and he needs to be stopped!” Grady snapped back at him, “And if you’re not going to do it…”

“I’m trying to do everything in my power, but you have to understand that there are rules and regulations that must be followed and if I start ignoring them…” Dave began.

“Dave, do you really want more blood on your hands?” Avery asked bluntly, “because that’s exactly what’s going to happen if you don’t help Grady out of this situation. If you don’t at least give this a try, then Grady’s as good as dead and Dave, to be quite honest with you I don’t think you’re the kind of man to willingly put someone’s life on the line,” she finished watching the tortured expression on his face as she wondered if she’d finally struck a nerve in Dave.

“I hope you realize what you’re asking of me because when this comes back in your face to haunt you and it will, I’m going to claim that I know nothing about this plan of yours,” he threw back at her realizing there was no point in fighting it any longer as Avery had a point that he hated to admit was true where Cameron Stone was concerned.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Can I get you something more to drink madam,” the waiter questioned approaching Mindy as she sat alone at the table awaiting Hunt’s arrival. While she’d tried to call him back and let him know that she’s received his message and had no problems meeting him at the restaurant, she discovered that his cell phone had been turned off. Now as she sat at the restaurant awaiting his arrival, she wondered what must’ve happened as he was already half an hour later than she’d anticipated.

“Madam?” the waiter asked again as Mindy pulled herself out of her moment of contemplation.

“No thank you,” Mindy shook her head politely, “I’m waiting for my friend.”

“Are you sure your friend is coming tonight?” the waiter questioned snidely as Mindy could see his growing impatience with her after having not ordered anything other than a water.

“He’ll be here,” Mindy insisted firmly refusing to believe that Hunt had ducked out on her, “and you know on second thought I think I would like a refill.”

“As you wish,” the snooty waiter walked off leaving Mindy to ponder what could be keeping Hunt as she turned her attention to the book she’d brought with her in the hopes that it would open up some conversation for them should they find themselves at a loss with one another.

“Okay, so you’re not getting off to a great start here,” Mindy muttered under her breath as she surveyed the restaurant taking in the other patrons as they all seemed to be absorbed in their dinner conversations, each couple laughing and sharing the evening with one another in such an intimate fashion that it left Mindy wishing that she too could have that in her life. Certainly she’d had Guy around, but well, that one spoke for itself seeing as he wasn’t interested in her. He couldn’t ever give her what she needed and she’d grown to accept that, yet here she was yet again waiting on a guy who apparently didn’t think she was worth showing up for.

“Mindy stop,” she ordered herself hating to trail down this self-defeating path once again as she always seemed to base all her future experiences on her failures with Guy. Guy was a lifetime ago and sure, maybe she’d blurred the lines of what it was she was supposed to have with him, but tonight was about starting over.

Hunt was nice and charming and he’d certainly seemed interested, yet he was no where to be found. He’d sounded so very excited about their dinner with one another, although she thought she’d sensed some hesitance in his voice. No, it just had to be her own self defeating side. He was going to walk through those doors at any minute and she was going to feel like an idiot for even had such horrible thoughts. He was going to show up.

“Just hopefully sooner rather than later,” Mindy whispered realizing that another fifteen minutes had passed since the last time she’d checked her watch. As she started to approach the hour late mark she could tell that she’d had her waiter agitated once he’d pranced over to the table once again.

“It would appear that your friend isn’t coming tonight, so if you’d like to order now,” the waiter began impatiently.

“I guess he’s not,” Mindy frowned feeling a disappointment overtake her as she threw a few dollar bills on the table top to offer up a tip to the rude waiter before she rose from the chair straining to keep from falling apart as she reached for her bag, “Sorry I wasted your time.”

With that Mindy exited the restaurant lost in the feeling of having been an idiot once again as not only had she put all her hopes into having dinner with Hunt, but she’d been stood up. It figured, she thought to herself as it began to rain down upon her.

“Wonderful,” she muttered aloud zipping up her light jacket as she started down over the sidewalk seeking out any kind of shelter from the storm that was beginning. Once she’d found an awning to wait under, she reached for her cell phone wondering if she’d missed another message from Hunt, but as she checked her voice mail discovering there weren’t any messages waiting for her, she decided to call it a night heading on over to the apartment where she was sure to drown herself in rocky road ice-cream and a movie about someone who had everything that she didn’t in terms of romance and a real relationship.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Shannon took one last look at her appearance in the full length mirror wondering if the little red dress was too much for a first date with the handsome doctor she’d met earlier at the hospital. Okay, so it wasn’t really a date--at least not officially, but it had been a long time since she’d had dinner out with anyone, well except Dave, but that didn’t count as it seemed that her nights were mostly spent at the office doing all the things that most people let go of when their work day ended. She’d spent so much time going above and beyond the call of duty and what had it gotten her other than a suspension? Sure, she might’ve been a workaholic and a bit aggressive where Brant was concerned, but this stupid reprimand was too much as she should be out there on the streets working to catch Mathis.

“Enough,” she warned herself trying not to dwell on things that couldn’t be changed. Tonight was about enjoying herself and she had to keep reminding her mind that she wasn’t Shannon Pryce agent for the FBI, but Shannon Browne nurse at Coral Valley’s hospital working alongside Deidra Byrne. Case closed. That was all she needed to know to get through the night and as soon as she stopped thinking outside of the focus for tonight, she’d be just fine.

Hearing a faint rapping at her hotel room door, Shannon felt a nervous breath of anticipation fall upon her as she took another look at herself. Okay, so maybe the dress was a bit much as it flattered her every curve. So it was a bit racy, but hey she was entitled to have some fun on tonight of all nights and if she had her date drooling at how good she looked, then all the better for her, she decided making her way to greet her company.

“Hi,” Shannon greeted Diego eagerly as she opened up her hotel room door taking her first look at the delicious looking doctor before her. While she’d noticed he was cute at the hospital, seeing him dressed up in a black colored suit spoke for itself as he looked good enough to eat and since Shannon had taken a long time away from the dating scene, she couldn’t help but admit that was a very good thing.

“These are for you. I though they might be a nice welcome to Coral Valley,” Diego held out a bundle of daisies as his eyes widened upon seeing her. “Wow, you look incredible.”

“Thank you,” Shannon felt her face grow flushed at the compliment as she motioned to the flowers, “these are beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like them,” he nodded appropriately as his eyes cast over her once again in a brief perusal.

“Oh I do. In fact, I think I should probably put them in some water,” she decided motioning for him to follow her, “Come on in.”

“Alright,” Diego nodded in response walking into her hotel suite and taking a look around, “you know I must admit I was surprised to discover that you were staying at the hotel here as I would’ve thought you’d settle in somewhere in town a bit more permanent.”

“Oh well I’ve been meeting with a couple of realtors,” she lied with a quick thought, “but so far nothing has caught my eye.”

“That’s too bad as I would hope you aren’t planning on skipping town on us,” Diego replied taking a brief look around at the suitcases that were spread out around the room as Shannon returned from the kitchen area.

“I wasn’t on going anywhere anytime soon,” she explained flashing him a quick smile, “although I’m not really sure that Coral Valley is the place for me.”

“And why is that?” Diego questioned curiously.

“Well, so far I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs and I haven’t quite settled in here,” she confessed honestly, “It seems like I’m getting mixed messages about this place.”

“Then how about we work on changing that starting tonight,” Diego suggested in a flirty tone, “as I’d hate to see you leave so soon as I’ve hardly gotten a chance to get to know you.”

“That would be a crime if we let that happen, now wouldn’t it?” Shannon replied with a sexy smile of her own as she offered her arm out to him, “Now how about we work on remedying that over dinner?”

“I say you’re on,” Diego agreed with an eager nod taking her arm in his as he lead her out of her hotel room ready to face the night of possibilities before them on this dinner date with one another.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“This is ridiculous,” Heather hissed marching into the mansion as she searched for any signs of her husband. While she’d decided she’d stick around her new office a little while longer in the hopes that maybe just maybe Cameron would pop in to pay her a visit, she’d given up on him once he hadn’t returned any of her phone calls. Now as she looked around the mansion realizing that once again Cameron was no where to be found, her fury began to bubble up inside of her.

“Where are you Cameron,” she questioned finding his office empty as her thoughts returned to the real source of her agitation. While she’d tried not to dwell on it, the fact that Diego had left her on such unsettling terms had her in a tizzy. As if it was bad enough to have been turned down for dinner, but to have it be because of another woman, well it just didn’t feel right at all.

Okay, so maybe Diego wasn’t her husband, but he was her friend and friends didn’t just abandon other friends in their time of need. That being said, Heather made her way to the door again ready to seek Diego out and give him a tongue lashing that he so richly deserved for not thinking to cancel his plans and spend some time with her.

“Oh Mrs. Stone,” Franklin beckoned her from her thoughts as she spun around to find him standing behind her.

“God Franklin you scared the life out of me,” she raised her hand to her chest with a gasp, “What is it?”

“I didn’t mean to sneak up on you madam, but Mr. Stone wanted me to send you his apologizes for being gone this evening as he’s been held up with a situation at work,” Franklin informed her simply in his polite and proper tone.

“As usual,” she couldn’t help but roll her eyes, “but hey that’s fine because I’m going to be going out for a while.”

“As you wish,” he nodded reaching for an envelope he’d set on the tabletop near the doorway, “although before you go, this came for you earlier in the day. It was labeled urgent.”

“Thank you Franklin,” she snatched the curious package from him before dismissing him with a wave, “Go and enjoy your evening.”

“Yes Madam,” he nodded accordingly taking off down the hallway as Heather turned her attention to the envelope before her.

While she really couldn’t be bothered with anything other than her mission to seek out Diego, she noticed something familiar about the name of the lawyer on the top of the package. Frowning as she realized the post mark was from Los Angeles, she wondered if perhaps William was trying to sue her for a breach of contract and as that thought sent a shudder racing over her body, she tore into the package ready to just get it over with.

“Whatever you’re trying to pull William, it’s not going to work,” Heather thought aloud skimming the page before a gasp fell from her lips and her jaw dropped in horror.

“No,” she cried out dropping the page as if it had burned her as she blinked once, twice, three times as if trying to will it away, but as she felt her eyes glued to the discarded papers, she realized that they weren’t just a figment of her imagination. Looking around the hallway, Heather took in another breath bending down to pick the pages up again. There in living color there was a petition for Douglas Mahoney to claim guardianship of her unborn child as it seemed he’d decided to change his position in his stance to pretend that Kipp wasn’t the father of her baby.

“No,” Heather repeated dropping her free hand over her abdomen as a fear consumed her while reading through the legal documents. With page after page, it seemed that she’d finally had her worst fears confirmed as Douglas was ready to make the world believe she was an unfit parent, thus taking her chance at motherhood away from her before it had an opportunity to begin.

“Cameron, where are you,” Heather rushed over to the phone dialing his office in the hopes of catching him as she felt the beginnings of a panic attack overtake her. There was no way Cameron was going to stand for this--no way he was going to let Douglas do this to her, yet as she kept listening to the ringing on the other end of the line, she realized that her husband who had promised to protect her was no where to be found. Hanging up the phone Heather realized that she had no other choice, but to go elsewhere for help as she dialed Diego’s office in a frenzy.

“Yes, I need to speak to Dr. Hernandez. It’s an emergency,” Heather spoke urgently into the phone.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Stone, but Dr. Hernandez specifically left instructions not to be interrupted tonight, though I’d be more than happy to connect you to another staff psychiatrist,” the secretary began.

“To hell with that,” Heather blurted out slamming the phone down as she vowed to find Diego on her own as her child’s future was depending on just that.