Diane fell to the couch angrily as she shook her head. She was starting to get tired of JT’s games. It was really getting old. As Diane heard a knock at the door, she sighed out loudly.

“JT, why can’t you take a clue?” she questioned to herself as she angrily stomped to the door. Fire built up behind her as she was about to give JT a piece of her mind.

She opened the door quickly and didn’t even take the time to look up at his face.

“Can’t you take a clue?” Diane questioned resting her hand on her head. “Listen, I don’t like you and I never will.”

“Really?” Ben questioned startling her as she looked up at him slowly. “I never knew you had such strong feelings like that towards me.”

“Ben,” she gasped before shaking her head quickly, “I wasn’t…I didn’t know it was you.”

“I couldn’t tell,” Ben stated sarcastically before she led him into the house. “Who was bothering you?”

“What do you mean?” she questioned unsurely as if he knew what had just happened between her and JT.

“I mean, someone must have just pissed you off,” he pointed out as he took off his jacket slowly, “So who was it that you thought I was?”

“Oh, it was just some guy from the post office,” she replied quickly saying the first thing that came to mind.

“Really?” he questioned looking around the room. “What did he deliver?”

“He didn’t,” she informed him trying to think quickly; “He came here to tell me that they lost one of my packages.”

“What was it?” he wondered sitting down on her couch and looking up at her.

“It was nothing important,” she assured him sitting next to him and shaking her head slowly.

“So the guy was hitting on you?” he questioned seeing her raise her eyebrow at him curiously.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked seeing a confused expression cross his features.

“When you answered the door, you said that you would never like me,” he reminded her as she nodded.

“Right. Well he told me about my package and then he started hitting on me,” she began to explain seeing him nod showing her that he was listening, “I told him to get lost.”

“I see,” he nodded slowly, “So when you answered the door you thought that jerk was me?”

“Exactly,” she nodded before seeing him stand up. “What are you doing?”

“I have to go check on something,” he informed her with a small smile walking to the door. “I will be right back.”

“Okay,” Diane nodded not knowing what he was up to, but by the look on his face, it was something big.

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

“So that’s all you know?” Kyle questioned Susan once more before seeing her nod.

“I told you all I know,” Susan assured Kyle as Grady rolled his eyes before shaking his head.

“Which isn’t a whole lot,” Grady whispered catching Susan’s attention, as she seemed upset.

“He’s right,” Kyle agreed before taking in a deep breath, “This thing seems a little unbelievable.”

“Let me ask you this,” Susan began with a frown seeing the two men look towards her, “What else do you have to go off of?”

“She is right,” Grady sighed shaking his head slowly, “It is just a little hard to trust what you are saying.”

“Well, it is your choice,” Susan shrugged before seeing Grady nod, “I mean either you trust me or you don’t.”

“It sounds like a reasonable explanation,” Kyle sighed before looking over towards Grady, “What do you think?”

“The only explanation I want to believe,” Grady informed Kyle with a frown, “I hope she is right.”

“Well, what are you guys going to do about this?” Susan questioned seeing Grady shrug.

“I don’t know,” Kyle began as he leaned forward slowly, “We have to find a way to see if Cameron really does have something to do with this.”

“Which we know he does,” Grady shot out catching Kyle’s attention as he nodded.

“I know you want to believe that Cameron has done this whole thing…so do I,” Kyle started to explain how he felt before shaking his head, “But we need some solid evidence first.”

“Like what?” Susan questioned quickly before straightening up, “I mean what would be evidence.”

“Something that links to Jade,” Kyle answered before rolling his eyes, “So let’s think of what we could do.”

“Well, we could watch Cameron,” Grady suggested with a shrug, “See if he does anything suspicious.”

“That’s a good idea,” Kyle nodded before shaking his head, “The only problem is, everything Cameron does is suspicious.”

“Amen to that,” Susan laughed noticing that Kyle ignored her only rolling his eyes at her comment.

“Well, what else can we do Kyle?” Grady questioned angrily standing up quickly.

“I guess you suggestion would probably be the best,” Kyle agreed before shaking his head. “We just need to think of a good way to set this whole thing up.”

“I’ll do it,” Susan shot out as both Grady and Kyle looked at her curiously.

“Do what?” Grady questioned slightly disgusted by her presence, “What could you possibly do to help us?”

“I can watch Cameron,” she offered before shrugging, “I am the closest one to him here. I don’t mind keeping an eye on him.”

“Please Susan,” Kyle rolled his eyes shaking his head slowly, “If we don’t really trust you now…what makes you think we are going to trust you enough to do that?”

“Exactly,” Grady nodded agreeing with the words his friend just spoke, “We don’t even know if you are telling us the truth.”

“For all we know, Jade could really be locked up in your basement,” Kyle stated as Susan shook her head in disgust.

“I can’t believe you guys,” she complained before standing up, “I mean, sure me and Jade never had a good relationship, but would you ever think I would do something like this?”

“Yes,” Grady shot out, as Susan’s frown grew larger only hearing Kyle laugh at is comment.

“Alright, I have to be serious now,” Kyle began before letting one last laugh out, “I think we just want to try this by ourselves right now.”

“Fine, if that’s how you want to be,” Susan shrugged before lazily sitting down in the chair, “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“I’m sure I don’t,” Kyle slightly laughed before sitting down next to Grady. “So what do you think we should do first?”

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

Don slowly tapped his fingers along the notebook in his lap. He was starting to get a little too anxious waiting for Shannon to get home. They were married and it seemed like they never got to see each other. He just wanted to say one thing to her and somehow, there was never enough time. Don stood up eagerly as he heard the door open.

“Hey,” he smiled seeing Shannon set her keys on the nightstand lightly. “I was wondering if we could have a talk.”

“That’s right, you wanted to talk before I left,” Shannon sighed before nodding and sitting down on the bed, “Yeah, we can talk about anything you want.”

“Anything?” he questioned with a fake smile seeing her look at him as if he said something wrong.

“Almost,” she answered before he sat down on the bed next to her. “What is it you wanted to talk about?”

“Well,” Don began with a deep sigh, “I was just hoping that we could talk about our lives.”

“What about them?” Shannon questioned curiously before seeing him lie back onto the bed.

“I need to tell you something about my past,” Don explained before closing his eyes tightly, “Something really important.”

“You don’t have some kind of STD, do you?” She questioned quickly getting slightly worried seeing Don raise his head up slightly.

“Uh, no,” Don shook his head quickly before laying back down. “It has nothing to do about that.”

“Nothing that can harm me…physically?” she wondered hearing him laugh.

“No,” he answered quickly before opening his eyes, “I think if something was wrong with me, you would know.”

“Right,” she nodded slowly before thinking back to how they were together, “I think I would.”

“You would,” he agreed before taking in a deep breath, “I just think you need to know something I did. I have been hiding something from you and I don’t think that is right.”

“What could you possibly have to hide from me?” she questioned with a laugh. “Don your like a window, I can see right through you.”

“This isn’t a joke,” he shot out before closing his eyes feeling her rest her hand on his.

“What has got you so messed up right now?” she wondered seeing him frown and sit up slowly.

“You see…Shannon I have a,” Don was cut off by the ring of his cell phone as he rolled his eyes, “Hold that thought for one second.”

Shannon shook her head as Don walked into the bathroom trying to hear better. What could possibly have him so worked up?

“I have to go to work,” Don informed her with a frown before grabbing his jacket.

“What about that thing you had to tell me?” Shannon questioned as he opened the door and looked back at her.

“I’ll tell you when I get back,” he sighed before shutting the door behind him quickly.

“Okay,” Shannon shook her head slowly before walking into the bathroom and turning the water on. She had a long day and she could tell if she had any more time with Don, it would have been even longer.

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

“Oh Hunt,” Brooke smiled seeing him slowly walk into her room trying not to be noticed. “You finally made it back here.”

“Yeah, about that,” Hunt frowned biting his lip lightly, “What was it exactly that you wanted?”

“What? You won’t come here without a reason anymore?” Brooke questioned seeming a bit shocked.

“Brooke, I don’t know if it is a good thing that I come here anymore,” Hunt sighed as she gasped out.

“What do you mean?” she questioned before cutting him off from an answer. “I lost you now too? No one bothers to see me or even call to ask if I am okay.”

“Brooke,” Hunt whispered her name to only be cut off again by her ongoing pleading.

“I can’t lose you too,” Brooke replied shaking her head slowly, “I just can’t.”

“Listen, I will try and get here sometime okay?” Hunt wondered before shaking his head. “I just have a lot of things going for me right now.”

“And I am not one of your most important things?” she questioned seeming a bit agitated.

“Listen, you are important,” Hunt began shaking his head slowly, “I guess I will try and make it as much as I can--when I can.”

“I hope you can,” she started with a frown, “I have no one here to comfort me…no one. You‘re the only person in this world who truly cares about me or understands.”

“Like I said,” Hunt began to repeat himself, “I told you I would try right?”

“Yes,” Brooke nodded before shaking her head slowly, “That isn’t good enough though. I need to know that you are going to be here for me. Hunt after all we‘ve been through with one another, you can‘t abandon me now. We belong together. I need to hear you say you can be here like I need you--the way I was when you needed me. I need to hear that you‘ll do more than just consider being here with me.”

“Well, that’s all that I can give you right now,” Hunt replied strongly, “All I can say is I will try.”

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

Judy stepped out of Deidra’s office wondering if maybe her daughter was right about things turning around for their family. Maybe it was time to try to forget about the past and move forward. Smiling as she thought of how both her girls were doing well for themselves, Judy couldn’t help but wonder if maybe it was time for her to do the same. Ever since her husband’s death she’d put her heart on a shelf, well, at least until Richard had returned. Of course that romance was filled with complications, but still, maybe fate had brought them together for a purpose. Maybe it was time to think about what it could mean if she gave their love another try.

“Judy,” Richard’s voice called out from her thoughts. For a moment she’d thought she’d imagined it, but as she turned around to see her long time love approaching from behind, she couldn’t help but be overcome with a giddy feeling that always seemed to accompany the times she was close to him. Still, she tried not to let him see just how eager she was to be near him.

“Rick hey,” she smiled up at him, “how are you?”

“Better now that you’re here,” he confessed off the top of his head.

“Well, I must admit the feeling is mutual,” she confessed with a small smile, “although I wasn’t really expecting to run into you today.”

“Yeah, well there are a lot of unexpected surprises in store for the both of us today I would imagine,” he replied in a flirty fashion before his smile expanded, “Judy, you look wonderful.”

“Oh you’re such a kidder,” she waved her hand at him dismissively, “I look far from wonderful and you know it.”

“You always look beautiful to me,” he confessed tenderly stepping in towards her.

“So I take it you’re here to see Brooke,” she sidestepped hoping to avoid the contact he was sure he’d make with her if she let him get any closer.

He nodded, “Guy called me on my way home from a business trip to let me know that she’d awakened.”

“She has?” Judy’s eyes widened with obvious surprise.

Richard nodded, “It sounds like she’s making a miraculous recovery--at least from what my son told me.”

“Your son,” Judy flashed back to the moment she’d seen Guy in the hallway wrapped up in another man’s embrace. The moment replayed in her mind and she fell to silence.

“What about my son?” he gave her a strange look catching note of her expression.

“Nothing,” she shook her head gently refusing to be the one to pass gossip around about his son’s love life, “I’m just glad he called you.”

“Guy’s a good boy. He and I have had our share of difficulties and differences over the years, but I really hope that we’re working on starting anew,” Richard admitted with a soft sigh. He brought his fingers up through his hair before shaking his head, “I just wish I had a way in sometimes.”

“I think you both have been making good progress with one another,” Judy replied supportively, “and now that Brooke is awake maybe you can all get back on track with being a family.”

“Judy, while my son and my daughter will always be my family, the thing is, well, you know how I feel about my marriage,” Richard reminded her with a small frown.

“Rick, your wife almost just died. Time and time again this year she’s been put through hell and…” Judy began seeing the expression on his face.

“I realize that, but it doesn’t change the fact that I love you. Judy, as much as I tried to make it work with Brooke, the fact remains that it won’t ever be what we tried to make it be. I don’t love her and she doesn’t love me. Sure, she might want to keep making my life miserable as she keeps refusing to let me go, but when it gets down to it, the truth to the matter is that my heart is with you. It always was and it always will be.”

“Rick,” she bit down on her lower lip to keep from revealing her heart completely.

“As much as you keep fighting it, deep down you know that you love me too Judy. We’re meant to be together and nothing has managed to change my belief about that. A long time ago we had a chance, but I made a horrible mistake. This time I’m not about to do it again.”

“Rick, I wish it were that easy,” she confessed poignantly.

“Judy, nothing worth having is ever easy,” he reminded her pulling her fully into his arms, “We can make this work.”

“I’m far too old to get my hopes up for something that will never be,” she replied honestly, “I’ve endured enough and I don’t want to get comfortable with the thought of us being together if it’s never going to happen.”

“It will happen,” Richard promised her kissing the top of her head, “One way or another we’re going to make it happen for us.”

“I hope you’re right,” Judy replied closing her eyes and enjoying the embrace as she wondered if they really could find a way to be with one another after all these years apart.

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

Guy sat at the desk thinking about what has been going on with his mother. While he’d wanted to spend the evening at the hospital with her, she’d suggested that he go grab her a few of her papers that she couldn’t live without. Despite the fact that she was still far from being one hundred percent, she’d urged him to bring her the things she needed to get a jump start on some of the work related issues starting with going after a columnist that had given Beholder a less than savory review.

“I just don’t know how you do it,” Guy thought aloud thinking about his mother’s drive and passion for her company. While Guy knew full well that she probably wouldn’t have the strength to go at it like she did before the accident, he hoped that this time to look over her reports would take her mind off of other painful things.

“I thought I saw someone in here,” Marc Ashley’s voice caught Guy off guard as he looked up from his mother’s desk, “Is this a bad time?”

“Actually,” Guy hesitated before pulling together the last piece of information he needed for his mother, “we’re closed.”

“I thought that you might be, but when I saw the light I couldn’t resist,” Marc moved further into the room, “I kind of figured your mother wouldn’t be here given the nature of her accident. How is she doing by the way?”

“She just woke up,” Guy replied politely despite his urgency to get back to the hospital, “I was just on my way over to see her right now.”

“Oh then I promise I won’t take too long here,” Marc smiled down at him, “but to be honest with you, I’d really hoped we could have a small talk with one another.”

“About what?” Guy began impatiently before taking in a slow breath knowing that his mother wouldn’t want him to be rude to her business partner, “I mean what is it that I can do for you?”

“Actually it’s what I can do for you,” Marc explained with a small smile, “as it turns out I have a promotional thing planned for next week--something that the press would really like to make a field day out of. There’s a small little fashion show they’ve asked me to put on in Chelsea and I’d like to have Beholder there to work up the models. Your mother told me in the past that you can pull things together and make miracles happen, so I was hoping that trend would continue into the future with our merger.”

“I’ll see what I can do. If you give me the details--you know the time and the date then I’ll have my secretary get right on it and…” Guy began politely, “I’m sure we can work up a team to get out there and help dazzle the media.”

“That sounds good, but your personal expertise would be even better,” Marc added with a smirk, “I saw what you did on the Seduction line promotional party and I’d like to have you play a role in this show.”

“Well, thank you. That’s quite an honor, but right now with my Mum being in the hospital and all…” Guy began hesitantly.

“It would be a short trip. An overnight trip perhaps. You and your pretty little girlfriend could drive up for the weekend,” Marc replied with a suggestive look, “I’m sure she could appreciate the trip. What was her name again?”

“What?” Guy blinked back at him half listening to Marc’s proposal.

“Your girlfriend? What was her name?” Marc inquired once again.

“Mindy,” Guy covered thinking about the lie he’d had going for his mother’s sake. “her name is Mindy.”

“Well talk it over with Mindy because I’m sure that she’d enjoy the two of you having some time away from the rest of the world--at least for a little while,” Marc replied with a wave leaving the office as Guy thought to the lie he’d been keeping from his mother. Knowing full well that it had gone on far too long already, Guy swore to himself that he would find a way to clear the air between him and his mother about his sexuality just as soon as she was strong enough to learn the truth.

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

“Care to tell me what that was all about?” Nick questioned following Angela through the front door to his small beach side cabin. He closed the door behind him eyeing her expectantly.

“I’ll be happy too just as soon as we get you out of that shirt,” she replied with a shake of her head watching as the beer soaked material stuck to his muscled torso like a second skin, “I’m so sorry about that. I know you were totally unprepared for what happened in there…”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Nick tugged at the bottom of his shirt ready to pull it above his head before stopping and leaving it over his body, “I just don’t get why they would think it was my birthday over at the bar.”

“Oh I get exactly why it happened, but believe me you don’t even want to get into that right now. I suppose I could’ve prepared you for the tradition they have on the island, but…” her words came to an abrupt halt when he tore the shirt from his body. It was in that moment that Angela’s IQ dropped to an unsavory low point. Whatever she’d been talking about there with Nick was forgotten, her logic and reason traveling out with the tide the rolled out on the shore with each passing second.

“But what?” Nick questioned innocently enough, realizing that she’d given him no response. He lifted his head once again to see her staring at him. He waved his hand in front of her face only to get no response out of her. Suddenly realizing where her gaze had honed in over his body, he decided to play it up flexing his muscles. It seemed to do the trick as she snapped out of her daze.

“Huh? What?” she tried to get herself together long enough to forget about the half naked man before her.

“About the bar. You were going to tell me how it was that they all believed it was my birthday,” he reminded her, stepping forward in a slow, subtle movement.

“Oh yeah, that,” she bit down on her lower lip the warm wash of anticipation running through her veins.

“And?” he questioned again.

“And it was a misunderstanding,” her gaze traveled appreciatively over the lines of his body, “a very big, huge misunderstanding…”

“That Kevin clearly played a hand in, huh?” Nick inquired moving in closer to her. He reached out to touch her face gently to urge her eyes to meet his again, “I mean that’s what prompted the kiss in the bar and our speedy exit, right?”

“Well yes, but…” she felt her breath catch in the back of her throat, “well, he was just meddling and I’m sure he was the one who told them it was your birthday knowing full well that they’d douse you in beer and take you away from our dancing together.”

“So he was jealous of us,” he questioned with surprise behind his enchanting eyes.

“I don’t know if I’d call it jealous so much as rather he thinks he’s looking out for my best interest. You see I’ve known Kevin most of my life there and he’s just got this habit of putting his nose into my business when he perceives there is some kind of threat in my life…”

“So then you’re saying he sees me as a threat?” he arched a curious brow watching her turn away from him, the spell that had swept over her now clearly broken.

“It’s not so much you as it is me,” she explained with a heavy sigh bringing her arms up around her shoulders. “I mean he’s kind of always been this way. When I was married before, well he didn’t trust my husband and when my husband decided to run out on me, well you could say Kevin wasn’t too happy and now with my being pregnant…”

“He’s out for blood,” Nick finished for her, “which would be why he’s been talking trash about the guy that fathered the baby.”

“Oh God, I don’t even want to get into this,” she groaned throwing her arms out in the air, “For one time in my life I decided not to play it safe. I had a wild weekend with a sexy stranger and it was never meant to be more. I started to get attached to him since it was the holiday season when it happened, but then before I was able to really lose myself in this make believe romance I’d spun from a weekend of great sex, well it ended. I never looked back.”

“Until you discovered that you were pregnant, right?” Nick questioned eyeing her intently.

“Well no that’s not really true either,” she confessed honestly, “the truth is that I thought about him a lot. Finding out I was pregnant was just icing on the cake. I mean I’ve never, ever in my life just let loose of all my inhibitions and taken to bedding a stranger, but when I do, well wouldn’t you know it, I wind up knocked up from it.”

“So the father,” he began tentatively, “he’s not someone you still have in your life, then?”

She shook her head, “No, we kept it strictly discreet. I didn’t even know his last name. I just knew his first name and for a long time, well we didn’t even use our names. It was wild and reckless and shamefully it was probably one of the most exciting times in my life.”

“Then you don’t regret what happened?” he asked tentatively.

She looked up at him with sad, brown eyes, “As much as I know I should say that I do, I don’t. I mean yeah, okay so it wasn’t the smartest move on my part, but when it gets down to it, I’m going to be a mother and that’s really something that is special to me. When I was married before I kind of always imagined what it would be like to have children, but the opportunity never arose.”

“And now?” Nick questioned.

“Now, I just want to find a way to make the most of the twist of fate I’ve been given,” she confessed with a small smile, “that sounds stupid, doesn’t it?”

“No, not at all and hey, if you need someone to go with you to any doctor’s appointments or any Lamaze classes or anything, then hey I’m at your service,” Nick offered with a sexy smile, “I mean given all you’ve done for me, it’s the least I can do for you.”

“Nick, you don’t have to do that,” Angela began shaking her head at him, “That’s really asking a lot from you and…”

“And I want to,” Nick reached for her hand bringing it up to his lips to kiss the top of it tenderly, “It’s the least I can do for the most beautiful woman I’ve ever lay my eyes upon.”

“You’re just saying that because you have amnesia and don’t know any better,” she teased with a playful wink.

“No, I’m saying it because it’s the truth,” he confessed earnestly, “there’s no other woman who has me as intrigued or interested as you do.”

“That’s because I saved your life. That’s the only reason that you’re so insistent about being close to me,” she replied tilting her head up to look at him more closely, “and you know if this was a while ago I might’ve been more inclined to…”

“To what?” he questioned still holding her hand in his.

“To let you seduce me,” she revealed in a heated whisper.

“Seduce you,” Nick’s eyes widened with surprise and delight as he stepped in towards her. He placed his hand on her hip, while the other rested in against the side of her face, “so what’s stopping you from letting me do it now?”

“I’m pregnant with another man’s child. I’ve been reckless and stupid and…” she tried to reason with him, but the feel of his lips over hers silenced any and all protests out of her. She stepped up on her toes, throwing her arms around his naked shoulders in an attempt to get closer to him yet.

“Angela,” he mouthed her name pulling her up off of the floor and holding her more completely in his arms.

“Nick this is insane,” she replied threading her fingers into his hair, demanding his lips once again before she tore herself away from him, “we can’t do this.”

“We can’t?” he questioned skeptically.

“Okay, I mean technically we can, but we shouldn’t. I can’t even begin to tell you how crazy it would be for us to just go for it and…” she felt him kiss her again.

“I’ll stop if you want me to,” Nick began to put her down on the floor once again. Still his arms held her close to him.

“It’s not that I want you to, but…” Angela found herself caught up in a moment of conflict before she made her decision, “oh hell…what’s it going to hurt?”

“My thought exactly,” he couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm as she practically leapt into his arms again. He felt her fingers grip into his hair, guiding his mouth over hers with the forceful movement. Her nails scratched over his back, digging at the muscled contours of his body and as he carried her around his living room, she realized there would be no point in holding back. She was a grown woman who could very easily make her own decisions about who she wanted to be with and when. She felt him carry her into his bedroom and as they fell with one another onto the bed, she wrapped her legs around him dragging him in over her closer than ever.

“Angela,” Nick breathed her name as he tore himself away from the kiss, “wait…”

“What?” she questioned sensing his hesitation, “Nick, what is it?”

“Maybe we’re rushing this,” he confessed looking surprised by his own words, “You just told me yourself that you’ve been burned in the past and I don’t want you to think that I’m trying to be like everyone else you’ve encountered. I don’t want you thinking that…”

“Get the hell off of her!” Kevin’s voice roared as he marched into Nick’s bedroom tearing him off of Angela and throwing him to the floor. He stomped over to where Nick had landed a few feet from the bed and he looked like he was ready to attack until Angela screamed out.

“Kevin stop!” she shouted loudly, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Saving you from making yet another mistake with this bozo right here,” Kevin growled down at Nick, “You’re a dead man.”

“And so are you if you even think about touching him again,” Angela sprung up from off of the bed to face Kevin down knowing full well that it was time she set some ground rules with her oldest friend.

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

Brant stepped into the foyer at the mansion thinking about his confrontation with Ken. After he’d left the hospital, he tried to get himself together enough to return to Avery without letting her see how shaken he’d been by his brother’s total lack of respect for him. It was bad enough that Ken had found a way to hurt Avery, but to continue to try to threaten and blackmail her somehow made Brant sick.

Slipping out of his jacket, he looked to the bouquet of flowers he’d picked up for her on the way home. He hoped she’d enjoy them after the roller coaster ride that they’d been over with one another during the last twenty four hours. He brought the flowers up to take a whiff himself before he headed towards the staircase remembering that Avery promised to be waiting for him when he got back. Slowly he ascended the stairs making a silent promise to find a way to remedy the situation with Ken himself without having to burden her with his brother’s delusions. Once he made his way to the bedroom, he tapped on the door gently.

“Just a second,” he heard Avery’s voice call out to him.

“Avery, honey it’s me Brant.” he explained through the heavy wooden door.

“I know who it is,” Avery’s head popped out from behind the bedroom door before she pulled him inside with her. “At least I hope I do.”

“Well there’s only one way to find out,” Brant pulled her into his arms kissing her heatedly all the while careful to tuck the bouquet of flowers he got for her behind his back.

“Brant,” Avery tore her lips away from his, “what is that…”

“What,” he questioned seeing the strange expression on her face before he released her knowing that the thorns on the roses must‘ve poked her somehow, “Oh that…I got these for you.”

“Oh Brant, they’re beautiful,” Avery smiled brightly feeling a warmth spread out over her before she reached for the bouquet, “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to,” he confessed watching her admire the roses. The smile on her face brought a warmth to his heart and as he thought of his talk with Ken, he hoped that whatever came next wouldn’t ever take that smile away from her.

“So,” Avery began as if reading his thoughts, “I take it your visit with Ken didn’t go that well at all.”

“Why would you say something like that?” he feigned innocence, “Avery, I just thought that…”

“The flowers were a nice touch, but I know you,” she replied with a heavy sigh, “I know that look on your face when something is bothering you and given where you just were I know that something has to be Ken.”

“Avery, I…” he paused contemplating whether or not he should be honest with her. He took a step back rubbing his palms together before making his choice, “Okay, yes things didn’t go well at all.”

“What happened?” she questioned moving in beside him, “Brant, what did he do?”

“It’s not so much what he did, but more so the things that he said,” Brant confessed with an uneasiness, “Avery, he’s more delusional than I thought. He’s so lost in a world of revenge right now that I’m so afraid there won’t be a way to bring him back after this.”

“That’s what I was worried about,” Avery replied sensing his inner turmoil, “Look Brant I’m not going to tell you that I’m okay with Ken after what happened because I’m not at all. What he did was wrong on so many levels, but at the same time I can’t forget that he and I were friends for so very long. He and I have a lot of history and…”

“And when he was with you that night, you knew it wasn’t him, yes,” Brant couldn’t help but ask after he’d heard his brother’s insistence about the night he’d shared with Avery.

“Of course I was sure,” she paused feeling a sudden strain in the room between them, “Brant, you believe me, don’t you?”

“Of course I believe you,” he nodded again dismissing any doubt that Ken might have planted into his mind, “but you know I just wondered if…”

“If what? If I knew that Ken was in bed with me and I decided to just go for it anyways?” Avery challenged sensing the things that were clearly running through his mind, “I mean is that what you’re trying to say?”

“Avery, I’m not…” Brant began knowing he’d touched a sore spot in her.

“That night I was upset. I had a nightmare. I had a dream about Bruce trying to kill me and my baby. In the dream Grady was there and he shot Grady,” Avery blurted out horrified by what her dreams had frightened her with, “I woke up a complete and total mess. When Ken came into the room I thought it was you. I was so scared and…”

“And you were too upset to see what Ken was doing,” Brant nodded in response.

“Brant, I don’t know how I couldn’t tell. I don’t know why I wasn’t able to realize he wasn’t you, but with the way he was talking to me--the way that he was holding me, promising me that everything would be alright,” Avery’s eyes misted over with tears, “I know on some level I should’ve figured it out, but…”

“But nothing,” Brant stepped in closer to her, “My brother is good at manipulating people into believing what he wants them to believe. I remember one time when we were ten he’d even convinced Annie that he was me. We used to love these chocolate chip cookies that she’d made and one day when I was out in the garden, Ken came inside and got his cookie, but he wanted another. He went upstairs and changed into what I was wearing and when I came inside later, well Annie wouldn’t let me have a cookie because she’d said I’d already had one.”

“I think this is a little bit different than it was with cookies,” Avery groaned in response. She shook her head before feeling overwhelmed by the talk of Ken. “Look Brant, I’m really sorry about…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Brant reached out to her cupping her face in his hands, “Avery, I love you and I know your heart. I have no doubt in my mind that if you thought you were making love to me, then that’s what you truly believed was happening. Ken was the one who kept the truth from you and for that, well he’s going to have to pay…”

“But something tells me that we’re going to pay a higher price, aren’t we?” she questioned searching his eyes as she still felt a distance behind them, “Brant, what did he say to you?”

“Avery, it’s nothing that I can’t deal with,” he started not wanting to burden her with his brother’s behavior.

“Brant, please. Tell me what happened,” she begged of him bringing her hand up over his, “Tell me what he did.”

“It’s just that he…” Brant opened his mouth to tell her about his encounter with Ken when there was a knock at the bedroom door. Brant glanced over his shoulder at the door before speaking up gruffly, “Not now.”

“Look, Brant I realize you probably don’t want to be bothered, but I have a message for Avery,” Heather shouted through the door, “Cheryl Denton just called here. She said it was something about Grady…”

“Grady,” Avery repeated not really sure what Heather was up to, but as she thought of everything Grady had gone through, she motioned for Brant to open the door and let Heather inside.

“Thank you,” Heather smiled at Brant brightly before she looked to Avery, “Did you hear me?”

“You said something about Grady,” Avery nodded.

“That’s right,” Heather added, “there was something on the news about Jade going missing and Cheryl said that Grady’s a mess.”

“Jade’s missing,” Avery repeated confused, “since when?”

“I don’t know, but Cheryl said if I saw you, that you might want to know about it,” Heather shifted her gaze from Avery to Brant, “I hope that won’t pose too much of a problem for tonight with the both of you.”

“Not at all,” Brant watched Heather’s exit before turning to Avery again, “What do you think happened?”

“I don’t know,” Avery frowned, “but if Cheryl called, something has to be happening. Maybe I should go over there.”

“Okay, we can both go over there,” Brant suggested catching the strange look on Avery’s face.

“Brant, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Avery paused biting on her lower lip nervously while trying to think up the right words, “I mean I know you mean well, but…”

“But you’re not sure if Russell’s parents are going to take to your new husband, right?” he questioned with a small frown of his own.

“Brant, it’s not that I’m trying to leave you out, but given what they’ve been through…well, if Grady’s going through something right now,” she started to explain.

“Then you need to be there with them since you’re still a part of their family through Russ,” Brant replied stiffly thinking about the man who had once held his wife’s heart.

“Brant, please don’t make it sound that way. Please, I just need…” she began hating the expression on his face, “This isn’t about us.”

“I know,” he sighed heavily, “but at the same time I’m not going to pretend that this isn’t something that doesn’t get to me. I mean when it gets down to it, it’s always going to be about your being Russell’s wife and not mine.”

“Brant, that’s not what this is,” she argued with him seeing that he was clearly upset by her decision, but at the same time she had to wonder if this was more about Ken than her. “Brant, listen to me you’re a very important part of my life.”

“But just not part of that aspect of your life, right?” Brant threw back at her sarcastically.

“Brant, listen to me. Right now I need to be there for Grady. With Cheryl and Elliot, well I think I should talk to them before I go in there saying, ‘Oh and yeah I married Brant after Russ died on the spur of the moment, so please don’t hate me’,” she tossed back at him with a roll of her eyes, “that’s not going to fly too well with them and you know that.”

“What I know is that you’re my wife and a few hours ago we were going to make love before the whole world exploded. I thought that we’d really made some progress with one another--that we’d finally worked through the issues and that you and I could actually give our being a real couple a try.”

“We can do that Brant. That’s what we are doing,” she stepped towards him, “but tonight, well I need to check on Grady.”

“Because that’s the life you wish you were still in,” he questioned insecurity evident in his tone.

“Because it’s still a part of my future and eventually there will be a time when it will be okay for me to take you with me, but right now, Brant I know this is hard for you, but you have to understand,” she begged of him, “I love you.”

“Do you?” he questioned in a grumble, “Do you really?”

“After what we were just through, how can you question it?” she blinked up at him feeling as if the wind was knocked out of her with his statement.

“Put yourself in my position Avery and you tell me you wouldn’t be wondering about all of this,” he pointed out firmly, his body rigid with tension as he felt her fingertips press in over his arm gently. Reluctantly he faced her again.

“Brant, please, don’t make this about something it isn’t. I realize that we have a lot to talk about with one another, but right now,” she stopped herself knowing that this was one battle she wasn’t about to win. “On second thought, maybe you’re right. Come with me.”

“What?” he questioned in confusion, “What did you just say?”

“I said ‘come with me over there’. You’re my husband and everyone is going to have to adjust to that sooner or later,” Avery took in a long breath, “My past with Russ is over and you’re my future. I’m always going to love Russ and his family will always be my family, but so are you. You’re my husband and the man I want to be with. Russ is dead and they can’t hate me for wanting to find happiness in my life again.”

“Is that what I am to you? Happiness?” Brant questioned searching her eyes.

“Of course you are,” she inched up on her toes to get closer to him, “Brant, if I didn’t have you in my life, then I don’t know where I’d be. You’ve done so very much for me and while it’s taken me a long time to be honest with myself, the truth is that deep down I’ve always felt something for you--something about us.”

“Something that you really believe will make you happy even after everything that’s happened since you married me? I mean with Ken and with your mother,” he started melting against her touch as he coiled his arms around her, “are you sure that this is still what you want?”

“Brant, how could I not want a man like you given all you’ve done to try to make my dreams come true for me,” Avery questioned behind impassioned dark eyes, “You’ve given me and my daughter the world and there isn’t anyone else that I want to be sharing this with right now other than you.”

“You mean as long as there’s no Russ, right?” he questioned with a pained expression.

“Brant, I’m sorry that you’ve felt like you’re my second choice, but…” she started feeling him press his finger in over her lips gently.

“But Russ was your first love and he’s your daughter’s father. I know how much he meant to you and I realize that it’s something I have no right to feel jealous over. Russ was a good man and I’m glad that he made you as happy as he did when he was a part of this world,” he replied forcing a small smile.

“And he’d be happy to know how good you’ve been to me,” Avery reached out to touch his face lightly, “Brant, I do love you.”

“I love you too,” he confessed leaning in to kiss her chastely, “which is why I know I was out of line to push you on the issue of taking me with you. Right now I think you need to be there for your family.”

“You can be there with me,” Avery replied faintly.

“No, not this time, but I appreciate that you were willing to take me along with you. That says a lot considering,” he replied gazing into her dark eyes and feeling as if maybe things would work out for them after all.

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

“Franklin,” Cameron called out to his butler quickly seeing the man turn around.

“What can I do for you sir?” Franklin asked politely as Cameron took in a deep breath.

“I need you to get the car ready for me,” Cameron informed him quickly. “You need to hurry too.”

“Alright sir, but do you mind if I ask why you are in such a rush?” Franklin questioned seeing Cameron nod.

“I have to leave Coral Valley for a while and that’s all that matters,” Cameron declared putting his hands in his pockets.

“I will get the car ready for you,” Franklin nodded before walking down the hallway.

Cameron quickly walked up the stairs going to go and pack some more things. He had to leave quickly and he was moving too slow.

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

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Seth took in a deep breath hating to feel this way. Hating that all the worry in his body was building up.

“It is going to be okay,” Blake assured him running her hands along his shoulders lightly. “I promise.”

“How could you promise me something when you don’t even know the truth yourself?” Seth questioned snapping at Blake before sighing deeply. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

“It’s okay,” Blake hushed before taking a seat next to him, “I have no idea what it is like to have on of my siblings missing. You were right.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Seth replied covering his burning eyes only to see the vision of his sister hurt. “I mean you don’t know where she is.”

“Let me ask you one question,” Blake began slowly as her hand slid into his lightly, “Do you think she is okay?”

“I, I don’t know,” Seth shook his head slowly as he got off the couch and walked over to the window.

“That’s not an answer Seth,” Blake firmly replied getting up and walking over to Seth who seemed to slightly shake with fear, “Do you think Jade is okay?”

“I want to believe it Blake,” Seth explained before looking up into her blue eyes, “I really do. I just don’t want to believe anything else other than she is coming home to me.”

“She will be,” Blake assured him with a frown watching him lean against the windowsill, his expression looking quite hopeless.

“Blake, I failed her,” Seth declared before feeling his eyes begin to burn and his heart begin to tighten, “Not only did I fail her once, but now I have failed her again.”

“You haven’t failed Jade at all Seth,” Blake protested seeing him shake his head quickly.

“First was when those guys raped her,” Seth replied shaking his head, “I could have stopped it. I could have been there.”

“You couldn’t do anything about that,” Blake reminded him with a sigh as she ran her hand down his arm slowly. “You had nothing to do with that.”

“I had everything to do with that,” Seth shot back before looking out the window, “If I could have just been there for her, I could have stopped the whole thing.”

“Jade never blamed you for that Seth,” Blake insisted before beginning to speak up again, “She always thought the best of you and nothing less.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Seth declared before shaking his head slowly hating the way he felt inside, “I should have just stayed with her the other day. Then I would know that she would be okay.”

“She was the one that told us to leave,” she reminded him as he shook his head.

“That doesn’t matter. I knew she was hurting and I should have waited for her,” Seth repeated before standing up quickly. “I have failed her Blake.”

Her body froze as she saw tears begin to build up in his eyes. If there were any wish that she could have granted, it would be having Jade back. She hated to see Seth like this and she knew this was eating him up inside.

“Come here,” Blake sighed pulling him down into her arms holding him tightly. “You have to trust me now more than anything Seth. Everything is going to be okay.”

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

Shortly after Avery left Brant found his way to the library where he’d intended to catch up on a few business reports, but instead he found himself looking out the window thinking about the various changes that had overtaken his life in the past year. He’d gone from starting to run the company, to falling for Avery and losing out every step of the way. He could remember a time when he’d thought he’d lost her forever, but now as he looked at his wedding ring on his finger, he felt a small smile tug on the corners of his mouth.

“She loves me,” Brant mused to himself making his way over to the desk he had set up in the far end of the room. Taking a seat Brant decided to come up with something special to surprise Avery with. Given what Ken had put her through he had to find a way to take her mind off of what was happening in the here and now so that they could focus on their future with one another.

“We’re going to beat this,” Brant promised looking to the far corner of his desk where his eyes fell upon a portrait of his father. Reaching for the photo frame, Brant felt his body tense up as he closed his eyes thinking back to a point in his life when he’d almost taken that very same path--to a time when his obsession had nearly bowled him over. He could’ve been trapped there forever if it hadn’t been for that one special woman in his life--the woman who would forever change his destiny in her own way. Opening the top desk drawer he reached for the clippings his private investigator dug up on her not so long ago. He pulled one out to find himself staring at her beautiful face again with the memory of her flooding over him.

“I’m serious,” Brant’s smile faded as he watched Angela closely, “How is it that fate brought you back to me from out of my dreams when I needed you more than ever?”

“Well, I suppose fate knew we were both looking for something like this,” she offered up before tearing her eyes away from him, “then again I’d planned on just being here for the holiday alone considering.”

“Considering that you weren’t smart enough to step outside a short while before you did and snag me up sooner,” he poked at her ribs as she smiled back at him.

“I wish it were that easy, but in this particular situation I was really hoping to spend the holiday alone,” she sighed heavily, “as I really hate Christmas.”

“How can you hate Christmas?” he gave her a sideways look, “How can anyone really ever hate Christmas especially after what we just shared with one another?”

“It’s easy,” she frowned, “but I’m sure you don’t want to hear about it.”

“Enlighten me,” Brant threw out at her, “unless of course you’d like me to give you a spanking there for keeping the reason you’re less than jolly about the holidays from me.”

“Fine, if you really want to know,” she paused turning her eyes away from him, “I hate the holidays because it’s when I lost my father.”

“What?” he gave her a strange look, “but I thought that…I mean I just assumed…” he grew silent for a long moment before speaking up again, “what happened to him?”

“He trusted the wrong people and it killed him,” she answered in a hollow tone as her eyes darkened with something that went far beyond the casual sex they’d shared a short time earlier, “I found him in his office face down in a pool of his own blood when I went to coax him into coming home for Christmas. I had no idea I’d find that when I went to see him, but now, well even at this moment I can’t forget what I walked in on as I saw my father slumped over his desk…”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Brant offered up slowly coming down from the sex induced high he’d been on, “I didn’t mean to bring it up considering that…”

“Well, you wanted to know why I hated Christmas,” she shifted in his arms as she offered up an ironic smile, “and now you know.”

“I…I really…I’m sorry that I kept pushing the issue,” he watched her for a long moment feeling an air of guilt sweep over him as he thought of the reasoning he’d had behind taking her to bed so to speak, “and the rest of your family? Your mother…”

“My mother’s dead too,” she answered with a sigh, “She died during childbirth--having me actually and well, my father was my world. When I lost him, well, nothing was really ever the same.”

“I…” he began at a loss as she sat up and he felt compelled to say something, to do something to lighten the mood, but as he rose up to reach out to her he offered up a piece of information about himself despite his vow to keep things light and fun, “I lost my father not too long ago as well.”

“Really?” her dark hair cascaded over her shoulder as she turned slightly towards him.

He nodded poignantly, “He was a mean son of a bitch, but he was my father and while I spent most of my life cleaning up his mistakes, well, he was one of the few people in this world that understood me…though that’s not saying much considering that the man was a lunatic, but still…”

“And your mother,” she questioned facing him once again.

“She died when I was younger,” he confessed openly, “She was visiting my aunt out in Los Angeles and there was a quake. You know, I never really had a chance to say good-bye to her either because my father was so set in his ways. Time and time again he was firm in his approach and everything had to be the way dad wanted it. He wouldn’t just let his children be children and now, well I’m starting to wonder if I turned out just like him…”

“Sounds like he was a monster,” she replied taking in his words, “and you’re no monster, Brant. You’re an incredible man.”

“No, I’m really not,” he shook his head in response, “I’m no where near that and if you really saw me like everyone else does, well you’d see the truth…”

“What I see is a man who managed to turn my world around with a smile and now, well, now I think that I’ll take something with me about today and keep it with me from here on out,” she leaned forward kissing him tenderly, “as you’re one in a million, Brant.”

“Now I know those words are the orgasms coming back to haunt you,” he teased in response drawing his arms around her.

“Maybe a little, but you know the way I see it, we can work on giving us both something more to make me delirious with passion induced madness,” she offered up with a hint of laughter.

“Hmm…now that sounds like something I could learn to appreciate,” he decided with a low growl as he pulled her into his lap, “although I do have one confession to make.”

“What’s that?” she questioned breaking the contact between them as their gazes locked once again.

“I’m feeling a little guilty about giving you the rug burns I know you’ll wake up with tomorrow after our earlier love making,” he admitted openly as he cupped her face in his hands, “so I was thinking maybe we could take this to your bedroom--assuming that you have one here that can accommodate us.”

“I think we can work on making that into a very distinct possibility for us,” she nodded in agreement, “and Brant, just for the record…before this turns sour on us, I just want to say thanks…”

“For the orgasms,” he teased back with a wink, “hey, it was all my pleasure believe me.”

“No not for that silly,” she chuckled in amusement swatting at his chest playfully before growing serious, “For making my day a bit less miserable as I really thought I’d be spending today lost inside myself.”

“So did I,” he confessed realizing that things had turned out quite the opposite of how he’d envisioned them from the moment Kenneth had informed him that Avery had left the island.

“I thought I heard someone in here,” Heather called out standing in the archway to the library dressed in a silken, black robe that fell to around her ankles. She sauntered into the room with a small smile on her lips, with her hair shielding the burned side of her perfect face.

Brant glanced up to see her and suddenly he felt guilty for thinking about Angela when he and Avery had made some progress with one another. Shuffling with the clippings, he tucked them back into the top desk drawer before sitting up straighter. “Heather, hey what are you doing still up?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Heather admitted with a sigh, “I thought that I was tired, but I was wrong. What about you?”

“Avery’s out so I thought I’d stay up and wait for her,” Brant confessed with a small shrug seeing the corner of one of the clippings sticking out of the desk drawer. He reached over to push it back in before looking at her, “So…”

“What was that?” Heather arched a curious brow as she’d noticed his movement.

“It was just some papers for BBK,” Brant replied with a shrug, “nothing really.”

“It didn’t look like nothing,” Heather noted before offering up a shrug of her own, “but whatever. Hey, you know since you can’t sleep and I can’t sleep, maybe we should make the most of it.”

“Come again?” he blinked up at her.

“Well, you know it’s been a long time since we’ve had the mansion all to ourselves,” she paused for a moment, “I mean I’m assuming that Blake’s not around since her boyfriend is dating Jade or something, right?”

“You know I never thought about that,” Brant frowned thinking about his younger sister.

“And with Ken, well we know he won’t be returning tonight, so maybe we should find a way to amuse ourselves while we’re alone,” she flashed him a sumptuous smile, “What do you say?”

“I think I should probably call Blake and check in on her,” Brant rose from where he’d been seated, “Thank Heather.”

Heather watched him walk out of the room and a frown touched over her lips, “No problem although that wasn’t really what I was looking for Brant.”

Grumbling to herself Heather looked to the top desk drawer once again. While Brant was clearly lost in his own little world, she knew he had to be stewing over what Avery had done. He could see from the look on his face when she’d first walked in, he was in some kind of deep thought there. The question is what was going on in his mind.

“We’ll just have to find out, won’t we,” Heather circled around his desk, sliding into his leather chair before reaching out to open the top drawer. Unfortunately it was locked, but that was really no problem because the way Heather saw it, with Avery gone she had plenty of time to work her magic in on Brant. Sure, maybe he had moved on and she’d sworn to Kipp that she wasn’t interested in Brant, but if there was a chance that she could find a way to get Brant back into her good graces like he once was, she sure as hell wasn’t about to let that opportunity pass her by--not for anything in the world.

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

“What are you going to do to me Angie?” Kevin questioned fiercely tilting his head at her.

“Don’t give me that Kevin,” Angela spat out before shaking her head, “You know full well what I can do to you.”

“I don’t understand you Angie,” Kevin began as he shook his head, “I don’t know why you keep trying to throw you life away.”

“Throw my life away?” Angela questioned raising an eyebrow in curiosity. “How am I throwing my life away?”

“By allowing pricks like this guy get into your life,” Kevin stated with a sign of disgust behind his voice, “Allowing them to hurt you like they always do.”

“What are you to me Kevin?” Angela wondered as she held her hands up in the air. “It seems to me that you are just trying to give me trouble lately.”

“I’ll tell you what I am,” Kevin began to remind her why he was doing all of this, “I am your best friend who is just trying keep you safe. I am the person who has tried to keep you from being hurt anymore than you already are.”

“Kevin, I don’t think you understand me when I say…I make my own decisions,” Angela shot back as Kevin raised his eyebrow at her, “I’ll do it if you think it is a good idea or a bad one.”

“I’m just trying to save you from being hurt,” Kevin repeating holding his hands up in the air, “If that’s a sin…then I guess I am guilty.”

“I understand that you want me to be safe, but I think we need to talk about how you are doing things,” Angela snarled before seeing Kevin nod and look back at Nick.

“Could you excuse us for a moment?” Kevin questioned moving his hands towards the door in Nick‘s general direction.

“He doesn’t need to leave, he knows exactly what is happening here,” Angela shot out before seeing Kevin roll his eyes.

“You know what? He is right,” Nick nodded before standing up slowly. “I will give you guys a couple of minutes to talk.”

“Stay right there Nick,” Angela demanded looking up at Kevin, “It won’t kill him if you are in here.”

“What is with your attitude towards me Angie?” Kevin questioned shaking his head. “If I do recall, there was a time where you actually cared for what I had to say. A time where you really acted like I was your friend. Or was that all an act too?”

“That was never an act Kevin,” Angela sighed shaking her head slowly, “You have always been my best friend.”

“Then why don’t you ever listen to what I have to say?” Kevin wondered shrugging his arms lightly. “You want to tell me why you don’t care what I think anymore?”

“I do care what you think Kevin,” Angela began before taking in a deep breath, “You just can’t run my life Kevin.”

“All I ever wanted to do was make your life perfect Angie,” Kevin stated as his dark eyes looked down at her, “Don’t you understand that?”

Nick slowly tiptoed into the hallway wanting to leave them alone for while. He shook his head as he closed his bedroom door behind him and laid down on his bed hearing the voices of Kevin and Angela. He closed his eyes as he tried to listen to what was going on.

“Kevin,” Angela started trying to think of what to say next, “You can’t just run my life.”

“I’m not Angie, I just want to protect you,” Kevin reminded her biting down on his bottom lip, “I don’t have many people who care for me in my life.”

“Kevin, you have me,” Angela replied seeing him nod, “That’s not what I was trying to say.”

“I know, but what I meant was…I want to protect the most important person in my life. Not sit back and watch yet another guy tear your heart out and serve it on a platter,” Kevin shook his head slowly. “I couldn’t stand seeing you like that again.”

“Kevin, Nick isn’t that type of guy,” Angela insisted trying to explain her case before Kevin cut her off.

“You can’t tell me that he hasn’t tried to get you into bed,” Kevin rolled his eyes before holding his hands in the air; “I can see the way he looks at you.”

“You mean the way you first looked at me?” she wondered as he laughed slightly.

“This isn’t about me Angie,” Kevin shot back looking away from her, “I want to make sure that prick doesn’t hurt you.”

“He isn’t going to hurt me Kevin,” Angela repeated once more, “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

“I don’t have to hear you tell me that,” Kevin informed her raising his eyebrow slowly, “I want him to prove that to me.”

“I’m sure he will,” Angela nodded before looking up at him, “Will you at least try and give him a chance?”

“Will you try to be safe and not let him get too close?” Kevin questioned seeing her nod. “Well, then I guess I wont be as hard on him. I also promise that I won’t try and get so involved in your life.”

“I want you involved in my life Kev,” Angela sighed before pushing him on the shoulder lightly, “I just don’t want you to think you can make my own decisions.”

“Do you need me to walk you home or something?” Kevin wondered as she shook her head.

“I am going to stay here for a while,” she informed him before leading him to the front door. “It would probably be best if you left now so you can calm down.”

“Are you sure you will be okay?” he wondered seeing her nod as he walked out the door and shut it behind him.

Kevin slowly slumped down sitting on her porch lightly before taking in a deep sigh. Why were things getting to be so hard with her? No matter what she said, he was still going to keep a look on that new guy. He was going to make sure Nick didn’t hurt her. Angie’s approval or not, he was going to keep a strong eye on that man.

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

JT threw his keys onto the table before picking up his phone to check his messages.

“What in the world?” JT questioned hearing Valerie’s voice at the other end of the phone telling him that she wouldn’t be able to meet up with him today. “What is she up to?”

With that in mind, JT dialed her cell number and walked over to his window looking out of it.

“Where are you?” JT questioned hearing Valerie answer her phone.

“I am at a really important photo shoot right now,” she informed him with a slight giggle hearing him sigh in disgust.

“You do realize that his sister is missing right?” he wondered before starting to explain where he was coming from. “Which means it would be a perfect time to get closer to Seth.”

“I know that,” Valerie agreed biting on her lower lip, “But this photo shoot is way too important to miss right now.”

“Fine, but I must let you know that you just made a big mistake,” JT informed her with a frown, “This would have been a great time to get closer to him and you just missed it.”

“I will have time when I get back,” she assured him sounding slightly busy, “Listen; I have to go…we can meet up when I get back to town.”

“Whatever,” JT scowled before hanging up the phone and walking over to the couch sitting down before putting his feet up on the table slowly.

It was really too bad that Valerie was too much of an idiot to actually realize that this was a great time to move in on Seth. She was so dumb to go to that shoot. However, what else could he expect from her? Nothing really.

“Oh well,” JT shrugged with a wicked smile, “Just because she missed a shot with Seth doesn’t mean I can’t get to Diane. She is still in town.”

JT rubbed his hands together slowly as all the thoughts of what he was going to do to get back Diane replayed through his mind. This was going to be great.

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

Avery knocked on Grady’s front door not really sure what she’d find once she was inside. She waited for a moment or so feeling the winds pick up around her as the door came open. She came face to face with Cheryl and immediately her mother-in-law embraced her.

“Thank you for coming like you did. I know it was late, but Grady’s just so upset and…” Cheryl started to explain.

“Where is he?” Avery questioned looking around the living room and realizing it was empty.

“He’s in his room. Susan came over earlier and he hasn’t come out since,” Cheryl admitted her voice full of worry and concern.

“Susan?” Avery repeated with obvious confusion, “What the hell was she doing here?”

“I’ll tell you what she was doing here,” Kyle announced stepping out of Grady’s room. “She’s causing trouble and I’m worried that she won’t be able to back it up there.”

“Back what up?” Avery questioned looking between Kyle and Cheryl.

“Susan claims she knows where Jade is and who played a hand in what’s happening,” Cheryl revealed, her eyes filled with worry.

“And who did she say is responsible for all of this?” Avery asked almost hating to hear the answer.

“Cameron Stone,” Kyle replied his jaw tight with tension, “and I swear to God if he did, then he’s going to wish that he never set foot here in Coral Valley by the time I‘m through with him.”

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

“Everything is in order,” Franklin replied handing Cameron the last carry on bag that Cameron had packed for the flight, “Sir, is there anything else that I can do for you?”

Cameron shook his head, “I think this just about covers it Franklin. Thank you.”

“When shall I expect you back again,” Franklin questioned curiously.

“I’m not really sure as I have a few things to take care of out of town for a while. I’ll call and check in when I can, but for now I think it’s best if I keep my distance,” Cameron explained hearing the sound of footsteps approaching from the foyer.

“I’m afraid that isn’t going to be a possibility at the moment,” Lieutenant Julian Kurts announced making his way into the Stone Estate. “Your travel plans are about to change.”

“Who the hell are you,” Cameron looked to the uniformed officer before him.

“Look sir, we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Julian motioned to his handcuffs that hung from his belt, “Your choice.”

“What is this all about?” Cameron asked incredulously, “What right do you have to come into my home like this and dare to invade my privacy?”

“We need to ask you a few questions about the disappearance of Jade Alexander,” Julian replied with a scowl, “and I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with me to the station.”

“That’s nonsense, I’m not going anywhere with you,” Cameron protested with a glare, “Get the hell out of my house!”

“Fine, have it your way,” Julian shoved Cameron aside slapping handcuffs on his wrists before reading him his rights.

“Franklin,” Cameron looked over to his butler, “Call my lawyer right away because I’m going to strip this man of his badge.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Julian remarked before motioning to Franklin, “but Mr. Stone is right. Call him a lawyer because I’m pretty sure he’s going to need one by the time we’re through with him.”

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

...to be continued...