Episode 314

“Is everything alright?” Richard questioned sensing that something was troubling his son and Gabe once he and Judy had gone over to speak with the couple.

“It’s fine,” Gabe offered up vowing to not let Noelle’s presence at the party ruin the night that they’d hoped to enjoy. “Really.”

“No it’s not,” Guy shook his head and frowned, “His ex-wife is here and she’s nothing but trouble. She’s started this stupid custody battle with Gabe over Brittany when the fact to the matter is that Noelle can’t be bothered with her. She wants to ship Brittany off to some boarding school where Gabe will never see her again just so that she can be able to keep getting a paycheck each month to spend on her shopping habits.”

“It’s fine,” Gabe tried to keep Guy’s voice down as it was clear that Noelle struck a nerve in Guy as well. “She just refuses to stop making my life miserable and I’m just worried about what her latest situation will do to Brittany. She’s too young to understand all of what’s going on.”

“She shouldn’t have to understand what’s going on,” Richard noted thinking about what Gabe and Guy had told them. “Tell me something--with the custody arrangement you have now, how is that working out for you?”

“Noelle and I have joint custody,” Gabe explained with a heavy sigh running his finger through his blonde hair. “She is supposed to have Brittany half of the time as am I. However, since she started her latest cause of the moment…”

“Which is a never ending shopping fiesta,” Guy noted with a scowl adding his own two cents.

“She hasn’t had time for Brittany. She dumped her off in Coral Valley and left her, but now that she thinks she can get something out of it, she’s trying to take me to court and prove that I’m not a fit father,” Gabe admitted with worry evident behind his eyes. “She’s spouting off about the fact that most courts wouldn’t even dream about having a child live with her gay father when she has a mother who is clearly capable.”

“Noelle isn’t capable of finding her way home after a party let alone of raising Brittany,” Guy added his gaze sweeping over the room to see if he could spot Noelle again wherever she was lurking.

“Even so I’m not going to get her to work me up into doing something that could hurt my chances of keeping Brittany. I’ve tried to be reasonable with her, but it seems that the harder I try, the more she pushes to take my daughter away from me,” Gabe sighed worry carrying in over his neck and shoulders. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost Brittany because she’s everything to me.”

“You aren’t going to lose her honey,” Guy touched his lover’s shoulder hoping to offer up support during a time when it was clear that things were in an uproar.

“I hope not, but with Noelle pushing and her scheming…” Gabe admitted feeling as if Noelle was already working on destroying the relationship Gabe had with his daughter.

“It sounds like she’s the one who isn’t fit to be a parent,” Judy added listening to Gabe’s tale. “No mother would just abandon their child if they were a good parent.”

“I know it and you know it, but I’m afraid when I get into a courtroom a judge won’t see that. All they are going to see is a gay father living with his lover and…” Gabe confessed his worries aloud.

“That isn’t always how it goes,” Richard added before Gabe got lost in his concerns of what may or may not happen. “From what you’ve told me I don’t believe there is a judge out there who would take your daughter away from you. Your sexuality shouldn’t come into play where your daughter is concerned. You’re a good father to her and anyone with eyes can see that. I’m sure if you would like me to help, I can get someone to represent you in this custody case considering that I really believe that you have a lot to work with.”

“Really?” Guy’s eyes widened as he turned to his father. “You would do that?”

“Of course I would,” Richard nodded in confession, “The last thing I would want for his little girl is to have her mother destroy her life the way it sounds like she’s hoping to. I know first hand how a mother who is controlling and manipulative can scar her children and I wouldn’t wish that on any other child ever again.”

Judy’s palm constricted around Richard’s arm as she knew full well he was talking about Brooke. “Rick’s right. I’m sure that he can help you if you need someone on your side. You’re a good father Gabe and Noelle can’t make that go away even if she would like to. Brittany deserves to be with you plain and simple.”

“I know that,” Gabe nodded in agreement. “I just hope that a court will see that when push comes to shove.”

“If you let me help you, then I promise you they won’t see anything other than the great father that you truly are,” Richard added further hoping that somehow he could help Gabe’s daughter from ever having to live through some of the agony that Richard’s children had been forced to endure after years of Brooke’s manipulations and lies. Having lived through the worst of it, Richard couldn’t even begin to imagine anyone else having to face that kind of misery in their lives especially not Gabe’s daughter with Noelle, who seemed as self absorbed as Brooke was.

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

“You ready to go sweetheart?” Kyle questioned wrapping his arm around Sarah’s shoulders carefully seeing her nod slowly. “Alright then, we should get a move on I suppose.”

“You suppose?” Sarah laughed sliding her hand in over his abdomen, moving her hand up and down slowly to feel the ripples of muscle underneath her fingers. “You know--I have a feeling that you are going to be a great father.”

“I know I will be,” Kyle replied motioning Sarah to wait for him for a moment before going to grab his jacket he left on the chair. He looked down at his torn coat and shook his head slowly, thinking about what had happened with Heather. Wanting to get it out of his mind, Kyle loosened his tie and pulled it off before unbuttoning four buttons on his shirt. A small smiled pressed over his lips as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders, thinking that it could possibly be Heather he turned around quickly. Sarah’s dark eyes met his as he let out a long breath. “Are you ready to go?”

“Ready as I ever will be,” Sarah wrapped her arm around his waist, feeling him wrap his left arm around her shoulders as they walked over towards the exit. “Kyle Houston is going to be my future husband. This is something I had dreamt about for a very long time.”

“I know,” Kyle took in a deep breath looking down to the side before shrugging his shoulders and looking back at the people behind him. “I’m glad your dream is finally coming true.”

“My dream?” Sarah eyed Kyle over carefully seeing his eyes turn back to look at her as she raised her hand up to touch his bare chest. “I thought this was your dream Kyle?”

“With a few differences,” he cleared his throat uneasily before shaking his head slowly and nodding over towards the door. He knew that if he talked anymore Sarah would be questioning every word he was saying and he didn’t want anymore of that tonight. “Let’s just go.”

“Hey Kyle,” someone called out his name as he felt someone jump into his arms and wrap their slender arms around his neck. “Oh my god, I am so happy for you.”

“Mindy?” Kyle laughed seeing her back to her feet before smiling down at her. He grabbed his shoulder, pretending to be hurt as he let out a long breath. “Either you really hit me hard or I’m getting old.”

“Poor baby,” Mindy reached out rubbing his shoulder and looking up at him with her dark eyes. She patted him on the chest before shrugging her shoulders. “I guess when you get older that just happens to you.”

“Hey,” Kyle gasped reaching out to grab her in his arms and pull her in closer to him. “What’s that supposed to mean? I thought you always thought I looked good. You used to have a crush on me you know.”

“You says I still don’t?” Mindy challenged back at him seeing him arch an eyebrow at her in response as she played with the open dress shirt he was wearing. “Anyways, I think the peak of my crush was when I was twelve years old and you saved me from big old Frankenstein.”

“He wasn’t that big,” he teased back leaning down and pressing a kiss against her cheek before leaning back and seeing the way the rose color rose in her face. “How’s your boyfriend kiddo? What’s his name Hunter or something like that?”

“It’s Hunt,” Mindy hit him in the chest lightly before seeing the way he laughed at her and grabbed her wrists in his hand gently. “I can’t believe you. All you do is kid, I’m starting to worry about you Kyle Houston. Though, Hunt is great. I really love him--I don’t know what I would do without him.”

“Well,” Kyle looked over his shoulder at Sarah before leaning to tease Mindy more knowing that she had the biggest crush on him for so long. He leaned in closer to her before pushing back her hair so he could whisper in her ear. “I bet I could be better.”

“You are such a kidder,” Mindy pushed him back seeing the way his nose wrinkled when he laughed showing her that he really was playing with her. She saw Sarah come up next to him and rest her hand against his back, making his laughter die down when he looked down at her. “Actually, I was coming over here to congratulate the two of you. I’m so happy that you guys are actually getting what you wanted. I‘m glad our little talk worked, I didn’t know if you were going to listen to me or not.”

“I’m going to the car,” Sarah informed Kyle with a deep breath before walking over towards the door. “Meet me out there soon Kyle.”

“Okay,” Kyle nodded before looking back towards Mindy and rolling his eyes. “You’ll have to excuse her, she’s not really in the best of moods right now.”

“That’s what being pregnant does to you,” Mindy pointed out before shaking her head slowly and letting out a small laugh. “You know though, I’m glad that Kyle junior there still works after I got you to agree to talk to Sarah.”

“Oh god, don’t remind me,” Kyle placed his hand in front of his groin before shaking his head slowly. He straightened out his shoulders before looking out at her. “You know what’s really weird though? I haven’t used Kyle junior here for quite a while now if you get my point. So, I guess Sarah has been pregnant for a little while now.”

“Wow, has it been like two months or something?” she questioned seeing Kyle nod slightly as if he didn’t know the real date, but knew it was close to that time. “She looks normal, like you wouldn’t even notice.”

“I know,” Kyle looked back towards the door before shrugging his shoulders and thinking about the whole situation. Sarah would have made out with anybody back in the day, but there was no way she wouldn’t have grown up by now. There was no other person that could be the father of that baby, it had to be him. “I guess I should get going then.”

“Bye my big teddy bear,” Mindy felt him hug her in his arms tightly before pressing a small kiss up against her forehead. “Take care of yourself, okay?”

“I promise,” Kyle gave her a small wink before heading outside and throwing his coat and tie into the back of his truck before getting in the truck and seeing Sarah waiting for him. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay, let’s just go home,” Sarah turned on the radio as Kyle pulled on his seatbelt and motioned her to do the same before he drove away. “You really are turning into a worried person aren’t you.”

“I’m not going to risk losing my baby,” Kyle pointed out hearing a familiar song on the radio as a wide smile spread out over his features. “Hey, do you remember that one day Heather and you hung out with me. That one day that we were playing basketball and I broke the net, you remember that?”

“You mean the day that I planned on hanging out with you all day and Heather came in when I went to go get drinks,” Sarah began taking in a deep breath remembering what she saw. “And I saw her kissing you.”

“That’s not exactly how the day went. I was there really early and you were off with some guy. Me and Heather were just playing some video games,” Kyle replied remembering what was really going on when Sarah wasn’t there and they were teenagers.

“You know, I can’t believe she does this to us,” Heather leaned back on the wall as her and Kyle sat on her bed playing Atari together. “I mean, she says she will be here and she goes out with some guy again. She’s seventeen and shouldn’t being doing stuff like that with all those guys, I mean one is okay…”

“Heather, really,” Kyle set down his controller after pausing the game and offered up a small smile. He ran his hand through his short blonde hair before shrugging his shoulders. “We really have nothing to worry about. Sarah won’t ruin the day because she isn’t here.”

“Well, what are we going to do?” Heather turned towards Kyle feeling his hand slide in against her neck as he leaned forward pressing his lips up against hers making her move in closer to him. “You’re right, we don’t need Heather here.”

“I know,” Kyle got out before she leaned in to kiss him again, nibbling at his bottom lip as his hand slid in against her back gently. His lips moved with hers as she let out a small breath pulling away from him. “What is it?”

“I don’t ever want Sarah to know that I care about you,” Heather whispered placing her hand over his chest, feeling him push back a piece of her hair carefully before looking up into his hazel eyes. “I don’t want her to know what we do together, she’ll try and take you away from me. If there is a ever a chance she catches us doing something, I want you to pretend you don’t like me.”

“Are you kidding?” Kyle questioned leaning in to kiss her again as she put her fingers in front of his lips, making him look at her. “You’re actually being serious about this? Heather, I love you--I can’t pretend something like that.”

“Just do it for me,” she begged curling her fingers in over his slightly muscled shoulders. A small smile appeared over her lips as she shrugged her shoulders. “You’re becoming muscled, you’re on the football team and the basketball team. Oh and the baseball team--you’re becoming everything she wants.”

“I don’t care if she wants me because I want you Heather,” Kyle frowned squeezing her hand in his tightly before reaching out to caress her cheek gently. “I can’t be stupid about something like that.”

“Do it for me?” Heather whispered again seeing him nod slowly as she leaned in to kiss him again, but the door flew open making her jump back and Kyle grabbed his controller seeing Sarah walk in. “Sarah, hey.”

“We were just playing a video game, that’s all,” Kyle pointed out seeing Sarah’s dark eyes look over at him as he shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, then we went into my game room at my house…”

“That was the time when she jumped on you and started making out with you,” Sarah informed him with a small sigh before seeing him look the other way, “because she knew I liked you.”

“I hate pretending around her,” Kyle whispered wrapping his arm around Heather’s shoulders carefully after Sarah had left the room. He grabbed her and pulled her in over him gently. “I just want to talk about you and say all the things I like about you…”

“Really?” Heather smiled feeling Kyle lean up half way to meet her in a kiss as he sucked on her bottom lip gently, her arms settling in against his neck. “What do you want to say about me?”

“Well first,” Kyle kissed Heather over and over again before pulling away and looking up at her with a wide smile. “You have great lips and the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.”

“You’re are so cute,” Heather smiled leaning in and kissing him again only to hear the door open as she pulled away after hearing Sarah drop the drinks. “Sarah…”

“Oh,” Kyle saw Heather nod at him as she motioned him to get her off him. “Heather, what are you doing?”


“I remember what happened, we were in the back playing basketball and then she told you that you were a loser,” Sarah reminded him seeing him nod slowly before biting down on his bottom lip. “Something you really liked to remember I guess.”

“It really was,” Kyle nodded thinking about what had happened after Heather had left and he left twenty minutes after. Heather had met him at his truck and they had gone out to the hill like they had always done before. In fact, when they were on the hill the song that was on the radio was on the same exact day he was with Heather.

“I like this song,” Heather smiled turning up the radio as she leaned back against the seat in Kyle’s old truck, feeling his hand slide in against her neck carefully. She looked over at him to see his upset expression and she rested her hand against his arm. “Kyle, what is it?”

“I don’t want to act like a jerk to you Heather,” Kyle frowned watching her before shaking his head slowly. “This isn’t right, you get it enough from your mother and Sarah, I don’t want to pretend to be a jerk.”

“Kyle, don’t worry about it,” Heather hushed him placing her finger over his lips before moving in closer to him, touching the side of his face as she spoke. “I know you are worried about me, but when I turn seventeen I’m going to run away and make a life of my own. You’re going to be with me Kyle, nothing is wrong about that.”

“I’ll be there when you want to leave, my parents will understand,” Kyle nodded slowly feeling her lean forward and press a small kiss up against his lips. “I’m not going to let you go alone when I love you too much.”

“Good,” Heather reached down to the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up his abdomen waiting for him to raise his arms before she pulled it off of him. She reached out to run her fingers in over the growing muscle of his abdomen before smiling widely. “Soon you are going to be huge.”

“Not that big,” Kyle smiled looking down towards his stomach feeling her hands run in over his chest carefully before she got in over him carefully. “I’ll get as big as you want me to be.”

“I want you to be Hulk Hogan’s size,” she joked with him seeing his nose wrinkle as she shrugged her shoulders and he let out a small laugh. “You would do it for me, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course I would,” Kyle nodded leaning forward to meet her lips in a kiss as he felt her fingers pull apart his belt carefully. “I’ll do anything for you.”

What Kyle had told Heather that night was very true, he would do absolutely anything for her still to this day. Sarah was the first he made love to and every day of his life he regretted that because Heather had left him. She left on that train without him that day and left him behind, leaving him to wonder where she had gone. She wanted him to get bigger than Hulk Hogan, he got bigger just for her hoping that one day she would have come back to him.

“Hey Sarah, am I bigger than what Hulk Hogan used to be like?” Kyle questioned with a small laugh seeing her look over at him like he was crazy as she shrugged her shoulders.

“Who cares?” Sarah yawned seeing Kyle shrug his shoulders before giving his attention back towards the road. “What part of you are you talking about?”

“Just forget it,” Kyle whispered shaking his head slowly when he thought about Heather. There was no use in even thinking about her right now, she didn’t want to be with him. “It’s not worth it anyways.”

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

“Need some help?” Grady walked out on the deck seeing Kevin struggling to hold Heather up in his arms as Kevin nodded quickly. Grady held onto Heather as Kevin grabbed a cloth from his suit pocket, seeing Grady fall to the ground with Heather in his arms. “Ouch.”

“It’s okay, I know she’s a little out of it right now,” Kevin pointed out with a small smile sitting down and reaching out to Heather feeling her fall back into his lap, the back of her head resting against his chest as she looked up at him with her green eyes. “Hold on sweetheart--we’re going to get you cleaned up.”

“You have pretty eyes,” Heather whispered looking up at Kevin and feeling him wipe at her lips carefully. “Really pretty eyes, they are upside down right now, but they are really pretty.”

“Thank you,” Kevin smiled his nose wrinkling as he spoke up and finished wiping off her lips. “I think you have very pretty eyes too. In fact, they are probably the prettiest green eyes I have ever seen. Isn’t that right Grady?”

“That’s very true,” Grady agreed as they both helped Heather up into a sitting position like them on the ground of the balcony, making her rest against the wall. “I know that a lot of people would die to have eyes like that.”

“I would love to have your eyes,” Kevin pointed out with a small smirk feeling Heather reach up and touch the side of his face gently. “I think a lot of people would find me more attractive that way.”

“Oh please,” Heather threw her hands up in the air before shaking her head slowly. “You and Grady don’t have to change at all--you both are extremely handsome. Kevy, you have amazing light brown eyes and they fit you so well. I love them, I don’t think you should change them at all.”

“I have to agree with her Kevy, you have amazing brown eyes,” Grady teased seeing Kevin smile and look back down at Heather as Grady offered up a small sigh. “What are you doing here with Heather?”

“Kellen threw me with her because I was looking for Angie and he decided he wanted to be the one to look for her,” Kevin informed Grady seeing Grady nod slowly as Kevin shrugged his shoulders. “Cameron was looking for her and I was worried.”

“Who is Angie?” Heather questioned looking over at Kevin with a small frown seeing Kevin look at her with his chocolate brown eyes. “I mean really, who is she?”

“Angie is my best friend,” Kevin answered her question seeing Heather frown before she shook her head slowly and let out a small hiccup. “What was that for?”

“I saw that look in your eyes when you said Angie,” Heather pointed out looking over at Grady and hitting him in the chest lightly. “Didn’t you see that look in his eyes when he said Angie? You know like the I love her look? Who is Angie really?”

“She’s my best friend,” Kevin answered seeing Grady and Heather both eye him over carefully as he shrugged his shoulders and held his hands up in the air. “Fine, she is my ex-fiancée.”

“Oh, I knew it,” Heather snapped her fingers before clapping her hands together and shaking her head slowly. “And you still have feelings for this Angie.”

“No I don’t,” Kevin blurted out seeing Grady and Heather both give him the same glance. “I love Ria, I have Ria as my fiancée now--I can’t love someone else.”

“Please Kevin, have you ever read a Donna Nevik book?” Heather questioned seeing Kevin’s eyes widen as he shrugged his shoulders not quite knowing how to answer that. “You are able to love two people at once, it’s possible. What happened with you and this girl?”

“I’ve always wondered that too,” Grady pointed out seeing Kevin roll his eyes before leaning back against the gate of the balcony. “What happened Kevin?”

“I spent fifteen years of my life with her continually making mistakes,” Kevin took in a deep breath before shrugging his shoulders and looking out at the both of them. “I was never good enough for her, so she left me over and over again.”

“How many times were you two together during those fifteen years?” Heather questioned seeing Kevin look down towards his hands as Heather frowned. “A lot?”

“Boyfriend wise, probably about six times,” Kevin answered her question before shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head slowly. “Sexually, I was the one she came to when she was upset. So, I don’t know how to answer that.”

“You mean, you were like her robot?” Grady let out a small laugh seeing Kevin nod slowly as Grady let out another deep laugh. “So what was is it like. Did she come and say something like Kevin, I’m upset and then you knew to pull the zipper down or something?”

“Actually, that’s exactly how it went,” Kevin nodded seeing Grady look away from him as if Grady thought it really was a big joke about everything. “I mean, don’t worry about I eventually got used to it. I just made some stupid mistakes here and there when she married and stuff like that.”

“You mean you did that when she was married?” Heather eyed Kevin over carefully as he shook his head slowly before feeling Heather nudge him in the ribs roughly. “Kevin, I may be drunk, but I want to hear this. Is she still married and what did you do?”

“No, her husband died a long time ago,” Kevin informed Heather with a small nod before shrugging his shoulders and thinking things over. “I was with her the night her husband died. We had…”

“Slept together,” Heather blurted out seeing Kevin look at her as she placed her hand over her mouth. “Sorry about that, didn’t mean to blurt out like that.”

“It’s okay because you were right,” Kevin stated seeing her green eyes widen as he shook his head slowly. “I was still in love with her, her husband had hit her that day and we slept together. When I was with her, someone had killed her husband that night. She was upset because they figured it happened while we were sleeping, but still. I made some mistakes, but it helped me realize who I really belong with.”

“Who killed her husband?” Grady questioned eyeing Kevin over carefully as he shook his head slowly. “I mean she did get hit that day and you did love her.”

“Hey now,” Kevin let out a small laugh holding his hands up in the air before shaking his head slowly. “I was in bed with her until the morning, it wasn’t me that killed him. I can tell you that right now, it wasn’t me. I don’t know who did it, but that man was just trouble. It doesn’t matter though because I love Ria and that’s the woman I want to be with. I bet if Angie had the chance she would get with another guy just to hurt me if I still loved her. That’s how she always is, that’s why I love Ria so much. She loves me for me…”

“I had that once,” Heather gulped down holding her index finger up in the air before shaking her head slowly. “I had a man that loved me for me and he was great, but I never went after him and caught him. Now he is off the market and I’m left feeling horrible, that’s not a good feeling. You know is name was…I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Oh no,” Kevin quickly got up with Grady as they rushed over to Heather holding her in their arms as she leaned over the edge. Kevin rubbed her back gently as he hushed her gently. “It’s going to be okay, you’re going to be alright.”

“What’s going on?” Ria stepped out onto the balcony seeing Grady and Kevin attending to Heather as Kevin shot her a pleading look. “Grady, what happened?”

“She’s getting sick,” Grady informed Ria with a small gasp as he looked over at her. “You’re a doctor right? You can help us here.”

“Sure,” Ria nodded quickly rushing over to help them as Kevin held onto Heather tightly his eyes getting wide as he felt her lose her footing. “Let’s see what we can come up with.”

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

“Kipp honey,” Zoë held onto Kipp’s arm tightly seeing him look down at her with his brown eyes. “I’m glad you are here tonight because I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t.”

“About that mom,” Kipp took in a deep breath seeing his mother look up at him with her dark eyes as he nodded slowly. “There is something I really need to talk to you about.”

“Okay honey,” Zoë fixed Kipp’s collar on his suit as he stopped in the middle of the room, grabbing her hands in his. He tried to think of what to say to her before stopping and shaking his head slowly. “Obviously this is something very important to you. What is it honey?”

“Mom, I hate telling you about this here, but I have to tell you,” Kipp declared knowing that he had to be truthful with his mother because she was taking him in like her son already without even hardly knowing him. “Mom, I’m gay.”

“And?” Zoë questioned seeing his eyes get wide as she shrugged her shoulders and nodded slowly. “What is the part you were worried about honey?”

“You mean, that’s okay with you?” Kipp watched his mother nod slowly as he let out a small laugh and shook his head slowly. “Wow, I can’t believe this. You actually knew?”

“Well hello,” Zoë chuckled to herself pushing back Kipp’s hair slowly before shaking her head. “You have one hell of a hunk walking around your apartment half naked. I think I knew you were gay honey, I never had a problem with it.”

“You don’t?” Kipp took in a deep sigh not believeing how easy this was going for him as she nodded slowly and let out a small laugh. “I can’t believe this. I actually thought it would go worse.”

“Worse?” Zoë repeated his words before shaking her head slowly and nodding over towards the dance floor. “If anything honey, I have to tell you that you have amazing taste. That Kellen is one good looking guy with beautiful blue eyes. He has good taste too and…”

“I know Kellen is great,” Kipp replied seeing her smile as he wrapped his arm around her gently, giving her a small squeeze. “I love Kellen and I’m glad to hear that you accept that.”

“Of course I do,” Zoë nodded seeing Daniel near by as she motioned him to come with her and she touched Daniel’s shoulder gently. “Daniel honey. This is your brother Kipp.”

“Oh, hey,” Daniel smiled reaching out to shake Kipp’s hand in his before noticing who Kipp really was. “Hey, it’s great to meet you Kipp. I was actually hoping to talk to you. Your father is Douglas Mahoney right?”

“Unfortunately,” Kipp nodded before letting out a small laugh and seeing his younger brother step forward. “Why? What’s on your mind kiddo?”

“You see, I’m what you would call a big movie buff and I really want to be able to make movies one day,” Daniel explained with a wide smile before throwing his hands up in the air. “I mean, I write movies myself. I wrote a play for my school and…”

“Really?” Kipp questioned placing his hand on Daniel’s shoulder before nodding slowly. “You’re going to have show me these things you have written and as soon as you do, I would love to help you out kiddo. Let’s just get to know each other first and then we can go on with all of that stuff.”

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

“Look I realize that neither one of us were looking for anything more out of this,” Angela began teasing her fingers through her short, dark hair. She sat beside Brant on the bed knowing that she should be getting up and out of the room before things grew even more tense between them, yet she remained frozen beside him, trying to will herself to let him go. “I mean we came together for fun and…”

“And we’ve obviously got a little more going between us, don’t we,” he motioned to her body, his eyes drifting to where the sheet covered her, “Why didn’t you try to find me and tell me?”

“I know you’re married…” she shook her head, “Were married…are married or what ever. We don’t know one another…”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re pregnant though does it,” Brant questioned giving her a long once over.

“I know it’s complicated, but…” Angela fought for the right words hearing some kind of shuffling going on from beyond the door.

“Um, look I know I said I’d give you two some privacy, but I can see that neither one of you is in any real hurry to get out of bed. Not that a blame you of course, but I can see that you’ve both got a lot happening here so I’m just going to get going. We can do lunch or something Angie,” Kellen offered up with a small smile before nodding towards Brant, “and you, well Mr. Love Machine, I think you need to stop feeling so cranky and just savor the moment. You obviously were having a good one. Both of you best of luck.”

“Kellen,” Angela spoke up seeing her friend walk towards the door again.

“Yes?” Kellen glanced over his shoulder at her.

“I’ll call you or something,” Angela began feeling suddenly stupid sitting in the middle of some strange room naked with a man she hardly knew other than on a physical level. Sure he’d fathered her children, but she knew nothing more about him--nothing that certainly could be used to build a relationship on, “and when you leave, make sure that you keep the door open.”

“I have a paperweight keeping it in place,” Kellen nodded accordingly, “oh and before I forget you might want to check in with Kevin since he’s looking for you. Of course you may want to wait until you’re completely finished in here.”

“Right,” Angela nodded seeing Kellen step out of the room before she turned to Brant’s curious eyes.

“Whose Kevin?” he asked a flicker of jealousy sweeping in over him at the mention of another man, “Your boyfriend?”

“Not exactly,” Angela replied drawing in a slow, unsteady breath, “He’s just someone that…”

“That what?” he couldn’t help but ask. “I notice that you seemed a bit on edge both times that Kellen mentioned him, so what gives? Am I to take it I’m not the only one who maybe is holding out on some personal information about myself?”

“I’m not holding out on anything other than…” she paused throwing her hands up in the air, “We shouldn’t have done this. We shouldn’t be in bed together like this and…”

“And what?” he reached for her arm touching it gently, “Are you going to tell me about you or am I going to have to hunt you down all over again?”

“Oh right,” she rolled her eyes at him with a huff, “You did one hell of a job trying to find me, didn’t you?”

“I never stopped looking after you ditched me, though now that you’re pregnant you would think that maybe you might’ve thought that you could find me there. You would’ve maybe said to yourself that perhaps I was worth locating if for no other reason than to tell me that hey, I’m going to be a father,” he tossed back at her with a skeptical look, “Unless of course you had your reasons for keeping it from me like maybe you weren’t sure that I was the father…”

“Oh you,” Angela’s face wrinkled up as she reached out to shove him off of the bed with a distinct thud, “That’s so typical male to assume just because a woman decides to give herself to someone that she’s just handing it out all over the place. I mean is that what you thought I was?”

“I was just saying that you took a long time to find me and…” Brant tried to defend himself seeing her leap out of bed this time making a run towards where her clothes were and unlike the last time, she was making progress in getting dressed.

“And of course you figure that now that I have, I’m trying to pin something on you that isn’t your doing. That’s it, right?” Angela threw her hands up in the air, “It just figures that you would think that I would actually want something from you. That somehow I was trying to take you for a ride when I was just going for honesty, but hey if you don’t want to believe the twins are yours, then don’t. I don’t need you anyways. I don’t need a damn thing from you. I can completely take care of myself and…”

“Now wait a minute. I never said,” Brant took a small step towards her stumbling over her high heeled shoe on the floor. He fell forward onto his face. Lifting his head up he saw her just in time to watch her pick up her shoe and wiggle it onto her heel.

“I don’t need anything from you Brant and after tonight I don’t want anything to do with you,” Angela blurted out stubbornly, tears burning behind her eyes, “I was fine all by myself without you and I’m sure my children will be better off if they never have to see you for the jerk that you really are. This was a mistake.”

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

JT felt Eve’s legs wrap around his, her body pressing in against him in all the right places as her lips sought out his in a demanding kiss. There was something about this girl--something about the way she kissed about the way she came on so strong that really left him no room to play up his seductive charms. He felt the fire in her touch and his arms wrapped around her holding her closer to him. Taking in the kiss, he couldn’t help but notice the tempting scent of her perfume. It was something that he knew very well…something that Diane had once worn long ago. That did it. That killed the moment then and there.

“Slow down,” JT groaned tearing his lips away from Eve’s. He watched her lean forward to collect another kiss from him, but he turned his cheek to her, fighting to keep his breath even.

He wiggled out from underneath her straddling him, making a quick rush to the fridge. The hell with not drinking. He needed a cold beer and fast. He pulled out the bottle and held it up to his forehead feeling the immediate chill rush over him. He ran the cold glass over his heated skin until he saw her standing in the doorway to the kitchen, the top few buttons of her shirt undone, her hair down around her shoulders and her eyes full of lust. That was all the encouragement he needed to twist off the cap and toss it into the sink.

“We’re not doing this tonight,” JT explained hearing the bottle cap clink in the sink where he’d deposited it. He took a long, hard swig trying to ignore how nice it had felt to have her in his arms. Sure, she would’ve been a very good, very easy bedmate, but that wasn’t why he’d kept her around. Not tonight.

“Why not,” she frowned taking a small step towards him, “Don’t you find me exciting?”

“I find you too exciting,” JT swallowed the quick jolt of alcohol remembering how those lips felt against his, “which is exactly why I’m stopping us before we make a mistake.”

“We’re two very capable, very willing adults JT,” she sauntered over towards him, “If you’re afraid I’m the clingy type, you don’t have to worry about that. I’m not looking for anything more than some fun.”

“Which is all the reason why I’m not the man for you to be doing it with,” JT blurted out surprising himself with his words. He’d never turned down a night of easy sex, but there was something about this girl--something about the way she looked at him that had him thinking more than he normally did. That was enough to make him see he’d be making things worse. That and well he was still fresh out of the situation with Diane and that had effected him in ways he hadn’t thought possible.

“Of course you are,” she reached out to tease her fingers over the center of his chest, “I mean I see the way you look at me. I know that you’re interested.”

“I’m not going to pretend I’m not, but…” JT paused straining to find the right words. Finally he settled in on the truth knowing that would surely be a buzz kill. “I had someone special in my life only things kind of turned out bad for us. She was having my baby…”

“You mean your girlfriend is pregnant?” her eyes widened in astonishment and for the first time all night she seemed to stop trying to jump him.

“She wasn’t my girlfriend,” JT corrected with a heavy sigh taking another sip of his beer, “but I cared about her a great deal only she decided that I didn’t fit into her perfect fairy tale life. Things got ugly--really ugly and in the end she lost my baby. It wasn’t too long ago that all this played out, so I’d be lying if I told you I was over it. I’d be lying if I told you that I didn’t want to sleep with you here and now, but at the same time, well with that on my mind, I just can’t bring myself to get into something right now. Does that make any sense?”

“So let me get this straight,” she walked over to the fridge pulling out a beer herself. JT tried to swipe it from her, but she wouldn’t let up on it. She backed away to take a seat on his countertop, “You were in love with some girl, she lost your kid and stomped on your heart in the process so now you’re all closed off from the rest of the female population?”

“Something like that,” JT nodded with a half smile, “Sounds pathetic doesn’t it?”

“No, not really,” she decided popping the top off of her beer and taking a long drink, “Though it explains a lot. I think I get you now.”

“You get me now?” he repeated arching a curious brow. “Is that right?”

She nodded, “Sure, I mean I’ve heard all the stories about what a party guy you are, but lately you haven’t seemed that way--at least not to me. You’ve been all serious and moody and I took it as your trying to parent me, but this isn’t really about me, is it? It’s about your kid.”

“There’s more to it than that,” JT tried to argue with her keeping a safe distance from where she sat. He wasn’t happy with her drinking the beer, but it kept her away from him which at the moment was a good thing.

“So tell me,” Evie questioned curiously, “Were you excited to be a dad? I mean is it what you wanted?”

“I guess I never really thought about it,” JT admitted with a heavy sigh bringing his fingers up through his dark hair, “I mean when Diane and I got together, it wasn’t like it was something we planned on. I was just trying to remind her why we were good together. I wanted her to see that we could still have something special…”

“Ah, so you really are a romantic,” Evie noted clearly taking in everything he was saying, “So why did she break your heart? This Diane, what made her so special?”

“I guess she was the first woman that actually seemed to give a damn. We had a lot of fun together and I guess I confused that with something more,” JT shrugged his shoulders, his eyes drifting to the bottle in his hand, “We wound up having some wild times back when I was in high school, which feels like forever ago…”

“Oh come on. It can’t be that long ago,” she shook her head at him.

“It’s long enough to remind me that I’m way too old for you,” JT shook his head before letting out a pained laugh, “Trust me if you had any idea about the guy I was at your age, you wouldn’t look twice at me.”

“Of course I would especially considering how hot you are,” Evie replied with a bright smile unable to resist throwing in a small flirt.

“Yeah well you’re pretty hot yourself. Probably too hot for someone as screwed up as me,” he sighed sipping his beer again.

“So what happened with Diane? After she lost the baby you two kind of fell apart?” she couldn’t help but ask further.

“Well, she was sort of in a relationship when we were together last time,” he admitted with a small shrug, “I mean that was never anything to stop me before, but still. I guess I just kind of got it in my head that she’d see I was far more interesting than her boyfriend, but she had other ideas. They went all domestic and when she discovered she was pregnant, she tried to play it up like he was my child’s father. It got ugly and in the end she had a miscarriage and I never had the chance I wanted with my child. I mean yeah maybe someone upstairs thinks that I’m not father material, but I think I would’ve made one hell of a good dad if I had a chance.”

“I’m sure you would have,” she nodded setting her beer bottle aside to step down off of the counter, “and for what it’s worth, I don’t think that Diane bitch deserved you. She obviously had her priorities in all the wrong places because if I had a guy like you wanting me, I’d never be able to look at another man.”

“Don’t say things like that sweetheart. You’ll feed into my ego and we’ll wind up in trouble again,” he teased half seriousness in his tone as he watched her move in across the room towards him. He felt her place her hands on the countertop beside him, her dark eyes catching his for a long moment before she spoke up again.

“I’m only telling you the truth JT. I mean yeah you can be a huge pain in the ass especially when it comes to doing the right thing, but in a strange way, well you’re growing on me,” she smiled up at him, her eyes full of warmth and concern for him.

“Yeah you too sweetheart,” JT reached out to touch her cheek gently, his eyes fixed on her face and remembering all over again just how beautiful she truly was. He let out a long sigh, “Which is why I know I’m in trouble.”

“You’re not in trouble,” she paused a wicked smirk pressing over her features, “yet.”

“Always alluding to the fact that I’m going to still get in over my head with you since you never let up, aren’t you?” he couldn’t help but laugh at her.

“Something like that, though I promise you I will try really hard not to get you worked up tonight,” she winked at him leaning into his touch, “Unless of course you want to be.”

“Eve, it’s just not the time,” he sighed heavily knowing that as much as he wanted to be with her, helping her was more of his priority since he’d taken to trying to do something right for a change.

“Fine, then tonight we play a new game by my rules,” she piped in with a wiggle of her brow, her hand dropping down onto his knee.

“Eve, I…” he started once more.

“Trust me. This one is guaranteed to make you smile,” she teased her fingers over his leg gingerly, “thought I can’t promise you that I’ll behave when we play it because in this particular scenario all the rules are off! Regardless of that however I know you‘re going to love it. Just put yourself in my hands tonight. It‘ll be so worth your while.”

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

“Jen, hey,” Avery waved at her friend from across the room. Tugging on Russell’s arm, she urged him to follow her over to where Jenna was with Hart clearly in a conversation. “Let’s go talk to her.”

“Sure, but…” Russ opened his mouth to protest the idea of speaking with Hart, but found himself at a loss when Avery had already dragged him across the room to see her best friend.

“Hey Jenna,” Avery called out to her friend once again, this time reaching out to embrace her, “Girl it’s so good to see you here.”

“Hey you,” Jenna hugged her friend in response. “I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”

“Yeah, well we weren’t sure if we would come here or not, but it’s for a good cause,” Avery replied her eyes lingering over to Hart who was glaring at her. Trying to ignore the way he was watching her Avery spoke up again, “So how are you feeling?”

“Better than I was a few days ago,” Jenna admitted with a small smile, “most of the queasiness has passed and now I’m just enjoying having a good time. Well trying to anyways.”

“I can see that you’re doing a fine job at having a good time since it’s clear that neither one of you wasted any time taking the opportunity to rub your newfound happiness in Brant’s face,” Hart mouthed with a dry tone rolling his eyes at Avery.

“Just like you didn’t waste any time in hopping into my job at BBK, right Hart?” Avery’s voice was thick with sarcasm as she glared at him.

“What can I say,” he shrugged his shoulders simply, “Brant just felt he needed to have a better man in the position. Someone who wouldn’t backstab him and run him into the ground. I suppose you proved your worth a few weeks ago when you showed him just where your loyalties were.”

“If you have a problem Hart you can take it up with me,” Russell stepped forward to meet Hart’s disapproving eyes. “Leave Avery out of this.”

“Oh I’ll leave her out of it, but you on the other hand. You just couldn’t be happy until you destroyed Brant, could you? The man is your own brother and yet you continue to kick him while he’s down. Even tonight you know that the only reason you two are here is to rub it in his face that you are together and make him feel even worse,” Hart added with a tight scowl. “You both should be ashamed of yourselves for what you’ve done.”

“What we’ve done,” Russ repeated with a small huff. “I can’t believe this coming from a man who helped Brant lie not once but twice in the name of keeping Avery and I apart. First you and Don tried to doctor up the paternity test to say that Erin was his daughter when everyone knew full well there was no way in hell that he could be her father and then you and Don plotted to keep up Brant’s little charade when he was faking being in a catatonic state there. Yet here you stand ready to point your finger and place judgment on Avery and I when you know damn well what you and Brant were doing was a whole hell of a lot worse. What you’re still doing is beyond reprehensible.”

“Okay, I think we’ve had enough of this,” Jenna weaved her way in between the two men before things got ugly. “Let’s just change the subject, why don‘t we?”

“He’d enjoy that far too much. They both would because then they wouldn’t have to feel guilty for ruining a man’s life,” Hart snarled in response seeing the heavy disapproval behind Jenna’s eyes. He took a step back before throwing his hands up in the air. “Jen, I’m going over to the bar to get a drink. Catch up with me when you’re done with this trash here.”

“Hart wait a second,” Jenna watched him stalk off to get himself a drink. She spun around to face Avery and Russ with an apologetic expression, “Look he doesn’t mean that.”

“Yes he does,” Russ mouthed in response seeing the arrogance that Hart carried with him. “He meant every word of it and I don’t care what he does or says. He and Brant were wrong. They still are.”

“Look, I just…” Jenna found herself at a loss as she turned to Avery.

“Just go talk to him,” Avery suggested with a heavy sigh. “We’ll just catch up later with one another.”

“Are you sure? Avery, I really don’t want to have to end talking like this…” Jenna shifted her gaze between Hart and her friends. “He’s just moody tonight and…”

“It’s okay girlfriend,” Avery reached out to hug Jenna once again. “I’ll just call you later in the week.”

“Okay,” Jenna nodded taking off after Hart as Avery watched her leave.

“I’m sorry about that,” Russ touched Avery’s arm gently, “I know how hard it has to be with her being your best friend.”

“Hart hating me isn’t going to stop our friendship,” Avery spun around to face Russ again. “I’m not going to let what Brant’s done tear up everything in my life. Jenna is still my best friend and she’s always going to be. If Hart can’t deal with that, then it’s his problem. She won’t tolerate him behaving like a jerk even if she loves him.”

“I hope you’re right,” Russ replied glancing over at Hart and Jenna as he wondered if things would ever be the same in Coral Valley now that Brant had turned all of their worlds upside down.

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

Jenna marched up to Hart tapping him on his shoulder as a frown touched over her lips. When he spun around to face her he saw full well that she was extremely upset with him. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a word out she was already yelling at him.

“Where the hell do you think you get off doing that to my friends?” Jenna questioned with a scowl placing her hands on her hips. “Yes, I know that Brant was upset by what happened, but you and I both agreed that we were going to stay out of it.”

“Hey, they were the ones spreading it around and making Brant look like a jerk,” Hart frowned in response, “They keep rubbing it in his nose that they are together and happy now.”

“Why shouldn’t they be together and happy?” she questioned with a huff, “From where I stand they have a lot to be thankful for starting with the fact that their daughter was given the chance at having her parents together and having a real family after Bruce Mathis tried to kill her.”

“Jen, that’s not what I was getting at,” Hart mouthed in response trying to defend himself. “You know full well how much Brant loves her and how he would’ve given anything to be with her. He was good to her and…”

“And it still doesn’t make what he did right Hart. You know full well that lying about someone’s paternity is going to cause more problems in the future. Think about how you felt when Beth did that to you about Sam. You missed out on so many years with her and for you to even consider helping Brant do the same thing to Russ, well it’s just shameful,” Jenna continued to lash out at her lover. “You didn’t think about how something like that could hurt him, did you?”

“I was trying to help my friend,” Hart offered up in response, “Brant is a good man and he loves Avery. He could’ve given her and Erin the world and you know it just as well as I do.”

“What I know is that Russ and Avery have been together for like ever and no matter what happens no one is going to keep them apart. They have something special and while I’m sorry that Brant got caught up in the middle of it, what he did was wrong,” Jenna continued with a huff, “and for you to stand there and justify all of the things Brant has done shows just how warped your logic is right now.”

“Jenna, I was just trying to be a friend,” Hart pleaded with her watching her turn around to leave. He snaked his arm out to catch hers before she could walk away. “Wait, where are you going?”

“To get some air because if I stay here I’m going to blow up at you and I don’t want to do that especially about this,” Jenna admitted with a heavy sigh feeling tension coil in over her body.

“Look I’m sorry okay,” Hart apologized realizing that having a fight over Brant and Avery’s failed relationship was the last thing he’d wanted to do at a time like this. “I didn’t mean to do what I did. I was just upset and I guess I kind of lost it. I just hate to think of Brant being alone tonight while they have each other.”

“Hart for all you know Brant will bounce back soon and find someone else who loves him like he deserves to be loved,” she replied facing him more completely. “If he had spent his life with Avery he would’ve always been second best in her heart and that’s the last thing he would’ve wanted. Now he’s free to find someone who can love him for him--someone who won’t leave him wishing for something he’ll never have. Sure, right now he’s hurting, but in time the hurt will heal and he’ll be able to let love in again. I’m sure of it.”

“I wish it were that easy, but I’ve never seen Brant fall for anyone as hard as he did for Avery. I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to open himself up to something like what they had again. He’s always carried himself in this protective shell--always keeping people out except for those in his inner circle. With Avery she seemed to penetrate those walls he keeps around himself. Now that she broke his heart, I just don’t know if he’ll ever be able to move beyond that--if he’ll ever really give himself the chance to fall again and that worries me,” Hart divulged wondering if his friend would ever truly find happiness again. “He risked a lot to be with Avery and it was a gamble that burned him bad.”

“Even so he has to be willing to open himself to something again in his life. If he closes himself off, then the only person he truly has to blame is himself,” she paused reaching out to touch his arm gently, “but I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. I don’t want to fight with you over the stupid decisions that our friends make.”

“Neither do I and for what it’s worth, I am sorry for how I behaved. I was out of line,” Hart reached out to curl his arm around her waist, pulling her in closer to him.

“You were and I’m not going to let you get off the hook for what you did, but for now, well I guess I’ll have to accept the apology for the time being,” she decided leaning up to kiss him as Hart vowed not to let his friend’s problems get in the way of his relationship. Sure, Brant might be miserable right about now after what Avery did to him, but Hart wasn’t about to travel down the same path and give up the happiness that he’d finally found in his own life. Somehow Brant would just have to work it all out on his own!

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

“You keep saying that Angela, but I don’t think that it is. I think there was a reason that we found one another tonight,” Brant tried to plead his case watching Angela finish with her clothing. He had started to get dressed as well knowing full well that he wasn’t about to relish the idea of someone like Kellen walking in on him all over again when he was stark naked. Now of course he was more concerned about Angela after he’d snapped his pants to a close, “I don’t think that you and I finding one another is a mistake especially not if you’re pregnant.”

“What difference does it make? You’re not going to buy that you’re the father and it’s obvious that we don’t have anything between us,” she waved her hand in the air wildly, “Sex isn’t the basis for a long lasting relationship. I know that and this was just stupid. You were looking for fun, not fatherhood and I’ll have you know that I’m not asking for a thing from you. The twins will have a good life with me because I have enough resources to take care of them. I don’t want anything from you at all…”

“Could you just slow down please?” Brant took a small step towards her, “These are my children we’re talking about here.”

“They are my children Brant. I’m the one that lives with them growing inside of me day in and day out. As of this point you’ve only been a sperm donor and really I don’t want anything more out of you,” she explained refusing to meet his gaze as she finished with the clasp on her shoe.

“Yeah well maybe I want more out of you. Maybe if you’d stop rambling on and on about what you want, you’d take the time to hear what it is I have to say about what I want,” he blurted out interrupting her in a huff, “Maybe you’d hear me for the first time since we found one another again.”

“Brant, I think what happened between us speaks for itself. It’s the past and we both know you can’t…” she stood up feeling him reach out to her. He pulled her into his arms boldly, their eyes meeting in a tense union.

“Angela, I don’t give a damn about what you’re going to say because it’s not nearly as important as this is,” he blurted out leaning forward to claim her lips in a hungry kiss, his arms wrapping her up as if he’d never let go. There was still so much to say between them--so many things that he wanted to tell her--things that he knew they had to work out between them, but before he could convince her with his kisses, he heard a noise from behind him.

“There you are,” Don’s voice called out as he stepped into the room taking a look around, “I mean I know you said that you were going to investigate, but I didn’t think it would be this long and…”

“Don, give me a second,” Brant pleaded not bothering to look back at his friend while Angela wiggled out of his arms. “Please just listen to me…”

“I have to go,” Angela blurted out rushing out of the room without giving Brant a chance to explain himself.

Don watched her rush by and he blinked his eyes confusion settling in over him. He motioned to the door before eyeing Brant curiously, “What was that? I thought that you and Avery were getting divorced yet…”

Brant noted the way that Don’s gaze lingered over to the bed, to Brant’s shirt that Brant reached for and quickly slipped his shoulders into. He knew full well his friend had plenty of questions, but he didn’t have time for answers.

“I have to go talk to her,” Brant explained making a move towards the door.

“Brant, buddy I know that you love her, but we saw her with Russ and know that she’s not capable of giving you what you need. What you…” Don tried to buffer his friend from any further disappointment before he chased after his soon to be ex and ruined his life all over again.

“Don, she’s not Avery,” Brant blurted out in a moment of desperation, his dark eyes shining with mixed emotions, “She’s not who you think she is. Her name is Angela and if I don’t get a chance to go after her, then I’m afraid I’m going to lose her forever and I can’t risk that happening--not now--maybe not ever.”

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

“Guys, I’ll be right back,” Kevin let go of Heather making sure that Grady had a good hold on her. He nodded over towards the door before offering up a small frown. “I have to go find Angie or make sure Kellen did. I’ve got to make sure she is okay.”

“I understand honey,” Ria nodded slowly reaching out to squeeze his hand in hers tightly before feeling him push back a piece of her hair as the wind picked up. Kevin leaned down meeting her lips in a small kiss before pulling away slowly. “I’ll be here.”

“He’s a good man you know,” Grady whispered after Kevin left the balcony to go find Angela as he felt Heather wrap her arms around his neck slowly. “He was talking about you and how much he loved you. He really sounds happy.”

“Very happy,” Heather added before resting her head back against Grady’s chest. She looked over towards the door seeing Kellen and Kipp step out onto the balcony before letting out a small laugh. “There are three of you Kellen.”

“Oh no, she really is bad right now,” Kellen stepped up grabbing Heather in his arms before picking her up off the ground. Heather’s head rested against his chest as he looked up at Grady and Ria. “I think I have it from here. We’re going to take you home Heather Babes.”

“Hey Kellen,” Ria called out to him seeing Kellen turn back around to face her with Heather in his arms. “Did you happen to find Angela because Kevin went off to go find her.”

“Oh no,” Kellen frowned biting down on his bottom lip hoping to god that Kevin wouldn’t be able to find her because his heart would be crushed. “I hope he doesn’t find her, let’s just say that. I’ve got to go.”

“Alright,” Ria nodded watching Kipp and Kellen leave before feeling Grady touch her shoulders gently. “So, how are you doing Grady.”

“I’m fine,” he replied seeing her turn to face him as a small frown appeared over her features. “This Angie really bothers you doesn’t she?”

“I don’t know what it is,” Ria took in a deep breath thinking about everything Kevin had told her about Angela. “It’s just I met her once and the things she said to me…”

“Don’t worry,” Grady hushed her placing his fingers over her lips gently before shaking his head slowly. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about because I talked to Kevin earlier and all he said was how much he loved you. He told us that when he was with Angie, it was a mistake because he knew that he was meant for you and only you.”

“He said that?” Ria questioned seeing Grady nod slowly as she shrugged her shoulders and thought about what he said. “I guess you’re right, I have nothing really to worry about with Kevin, it’s just her I’m worried about. Just the day she talked to me, she wanted to make it sound like she hated him, but I just can see it when she looks at him. Like tonight, she looked at him the way I look at Kevin. That’s not normal Grady. I just…I don’t know.”

“Hey, I know Kevin would never leave you because he really does love you. I mean you are his fiancée,” Grady pointed out seeing her dark eyes look into his as he clapped his hands gently. “Congratulations by the way, I learned about it a while ago by Seth. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks,” Ria smiled reaching out to hug Grady quickly before looking up into his eyes and seeing him shrug his shoulders. “I saw you with your date tonight, she’s very pretty.”

“Yeah she is,” Grady agreed before taking in a deep breath and thinking about everything that had gone on. “Though you know, she’s great and all…”

“But?” Ria eyed him over carefully as he struggled to find the right words to say. “What’s on your mind Grady?”

“I guess I just feel a little guilty about all of this,” he took in a deep breath resting back against the wall before shrugging his shoulders. “Me going on a date with Deana makes me feel like I am hurting Jade in some way.”

“Don’t worry about it Grady, this is a good thing,” Ria hushed him reaching out to touch his shoulder gently before shaking her head slowly. “Jade would want you to be happy. You should know that.”

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

“She’s so cute when she sleeps,” Guy informed Gabe as they walked through the hallway and Gabe had Brittany in his arms as she slept after they had picked her up from the neighbors house. “I mean, look at her. She’s beautiful…”

“And I might lose her,” Gabe frowned as Guy opened the door for him and looked back at Gabe with a worried expression. Gabe walked over towards Brittany’s bedroom, setting her down gently and make sure that she was tucked in tightly. “I might lose my daughter Guy and that scared the life out of me.”

“You aren’t going to lose her Gabe,” Guy promised seeing Gabe sit over on the couch in the corner and Guy followed him taking a seat next to him. “I promise.”

“You can’t promise over something like this Guy,” Gabe pointed out shaking his head slowly before thinking about everything that happened at the party. Noelle showed up to try and scare him tonight and she succeeded in what her goal was. There was nothing that scared him more than losing his baby girl and that was the one thing that would truly kill him inside. “Noelle is going to do whatever she can to get Brittany away from me. I know it.”

“Gabe, you love Brittany so very much,” Guy tried to think of a way to get Gabe to calm down and what better way could work other than the truth? Gabe was perfect with Brittany and she loved him so very much. There was never one day that Gabe thought about only himself and not his daughter. “Gabe, love is stronger than anything in this world and that’s all you have to use to get through this.”

“But all the evil people in the world are always winning Guy,” Gabe snapped thinking about all the things he had seen on the television when you knew someone was guilty of something, but because they had a good lawyer they got off. “You can’t stop this from happening when someone is evil enough to do anything to take the one thing you love away from you.”

“I know that Gabe, but you can’t look at it like that,” Guy hushed him before shaking his head slowly. “You can’t be thinking about that because you have to be strong for Brittany. If you aren’t strong for her, who can you be strong for? Who will be strong for her when she needs your strength the most?”

“Daddy,” Brittany whispered catching Gabe’s attention as Gabe got up and walked over towards the edge of the bed. “I had a really bad dream.”

“Don’t worry honey,” Gabe hushed getting in bed with Brittany and holding her in his arms tightly. “Daddy is here for you and he is never going to leave you, I promise.”

“I’ll get her some water,” Guy got up and walked over towards the door before taking one last look back at Gabe and Brittany. He wasn’t about to let Gabe give up. Not now.

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

“It’s great that you finally met your brother,” Lindsay informed Daniel with a wide smile seeing him smile as he leaned back against the stage and brought her with him. He sat down on the edge and motioned her to do the same before looking over at her with his brown eyes. “After all these years…”

“It’s great,” Daniel agreed taking a deep breath thinking about all the times his mother had spoke about Kipp. “It makes my mother happy to have him back and I’m happy for her. I’m happy to have my brother back and that’s a very good thing.”

“Well, I’m happy for the two of you,” Lindsay informed him with a wide grin before looking out towards one of the clocks. “I told my brother that I would check in with him, but I never did. I guess I should probably get going.”

“Alright then,” Daniel jumped down before reaching out to her hand and grabbing it in his carefully, making sure she got down alright in her heels. “I guess I should thank you for hanging out with me tonight and not making me look like a loser. And thanks for not telling my mom about all this.”

“No problem,” she smiled widely before shrugging her shoulders feeling him reach out to hug her before she pulled away from him. “I guess this just means we have to hang out again after this because it has to look real right?”

“Exactly,” Daniel nodded seeing Tara walk back up to him and he rolled his eyes looking over at her. “What do you want now Tara?”

“I decided over the time I was watching the two of you that I don’t believe you,” Tara informed him with a small frown folding her arms out in front of her chest. “I think she is pretending to be your girlfriend.”

“I am not,” Lindsay replied reaching out to wrap her arm around Daniel’s abdomen pulling herself in closer against him. “I love Danny and there is nothing we have to do to prove it.”

“That’s exactly what I want from the two of you,” Tara informed them flipping her dark hair back, her eyes narrowing out at Daniel and Lindsay. “I want you to prove it.”

“You want me to prove it? Fine, I will,” Daniel nodded grabbing Lindsay in his arms and leaning her back, so that they were facing away from Tara. He leaned forward before pressing a small kiss against her cheek. “Just play along with me here.”

“Alright,” she nodded slowly before watching him smile and pull her back up and Tara was gone. “I guess she really feel for it. You did a good job there Danny.”

“I guess we did do a good job,” Daniel smiled feeling someone grab onto his shoulder as he turned around and Lindsay stepped in closer to him.

“Dad,” Lindsay gasped seeing Rob standing before them with an angered look over his features. “What are you doing?”

“That’s what I want to know from you,” Rob informed Lindsay after seeing her kiss this guy. “What do you think you were doing kissing him like that?”

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

“Thanks for going to the party with me tonight,” Grady mouthed walking out towards his car with Deana on his arm. “I know that I wasn’t exactly the best date, but I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

“I actually had a great time,” she replied tilting her head up to look at him with a warm, welcoming smile. “I mean it’s been a while since I’ve been out this late and with an adult. Most of my nights are dominated by work or watching the Disney Channel with Zane. It’s pretty sad, but I think I have all the shows down pat. It’s gotten to the point that I think I’ve seen ever episode of everything they’ve gotten on there. In fact, I think I’ve seen repeat after repeat and…”

She stopped a blush rising in her pale cheeks, “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“No, not at all,” he shook his head before letting out a small laugh, “I happen to like the Disney Channel. There is some good quality programming.”

“Now you’re making fun of me,” she curled her lip in a pout, “Aren’t you?”

“No, not at all,” he repeated with a bright grin, “Okay maybe a little, but seriously the Disney Channel is pretty cool. And I think it’s even cooler that you take the time to spend with Zane. That says a lot about you.”

“That my life is my son,” she replied with a warm expression, “Not that I’m complaining at all because he’s everything to me, but sometimes it helps to have another adult around.”

“I’ll bet,” Grady nodded his gaze now fully upon her. He couldn’t help but find himself lost in her brown eyes, “So tell me, what kind of adult are you looking for when you have grown up time? Any particular type?”

“One that doesn’t mind listening to me ramble every now and then about my son,” she paused standing still for a moment as they stood with one another underneath the moonlight.

“Ah, so there’s still a chance for me to fit the bill even after the bit of the tension I had earlier in the night,” Grady winked down at her before growing suddenly serious, “About that thing with Cameron…”

“I know why you were upset and you know I’m not going to hold that against you. I mean if that’s what you’re worried about, you shouldn’t be worried. You haven’t screwed up this date big time yet,” she informed him with a tiny grin, “At least not yet.”

“Tell me something, would I blow it big time if I thought about maybe trying to go in for a kiss,” he raised a speculative brow noticing the way she eyed him closely.

“Is that what you were hoping for? That maybe you’d get a moment before you took me home?” she couldn’t help but ask her curiosity piqued.

“Maybe I was kind of sort of hoping for something like that,” he took a small step closer to her, “That wouldn’t be completely out of line, would it?”

“Well I don’t think it would be completely,” she shrugged her shoulders making a small forward movement, “Unless of course you think I should hold some kind of objection here.”

“You could, but in doing so I think we’d both be missing out on something pretty special,” he whispered extending his fingers out to touch her cheek gently, “Although I would like some kind of reassurances that you won’t try to deck me or knee me in the groin for trying.”

“I guess it’s just a risk you’ll have to take and see if it pays off for you,” she flirted back feeling him moving in closer to her. She tipped her head up, her eyes focused on the beautiful green intensity of his gaze. His thumb pressed out over her left cheek before his fingers tapered off into her hair.

“Here I go. Last chance to back out if you want to,” he mouthed bridging the gap between them.

Grady’s lips found hers in a soft, tantalizing caress. His fingers teased into her hair, while his one arm slipped around her waist drawing her nearer to him. The wind skimmed on overhead causing the trees to sound out with the chill that had arisen, yet it was irrelevant to the warmth that had been created with one simple kiss.

“See,” Deana mouthed as they parted from one another, “you’re still all in one piece.”

“So I am,” Grady cracked a small smile, “maybe today is my lucky day after all.”

“Actually,” she paused another warmth spreading through her, “I know this might sound silly, but I don’t really get a babysitter too often and since it’s still kind of early, well the truth is I’d really rather not go home yet. Unless of course you’re looking to get rid of me.”

“Are you kidding,” he couldn’t help but grin down at her, “That’s music to my ears because truth be told I didn’t want this night to end just yet.”

“So once again we are in agreement,” she smiled brightly.

“So much so that I know exactly where I’m going to take you next and I promise you’re going to love it,” Grady promised cryptically knowing that tonight he would give Deana a night she would never forget.

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

“So Zack,” Michelle slid out of her jacket while taking the time to look around his posh hotel room, “you mentioned that you were a doctor.”

“That I am,” he nodded watching her saunter over to the bar area in his penthouse hotel room, “A very talented one at that.”

“Talented which implied well compensated, yes?” she questioned sliding around the bar to pour herself a drink.

“I suppose that’s one way of looking at it,” he nodded his gaze traveling over her body greedily, “So what about you Michelle? Are you used to being ‘well compensated’?”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” she replied smugly pouring herself a drink before motioning to the bottle, “You interested Zack?”

“That’s one way of putting it,” he nodded his gaze sweeping over her once again.

“I meant in a drink,” she held the glass up in the air shifting it out towards him, “Can I entice you with a drink?”

“For now,” he loosened the collar on his shirt before accepting the glass she offered, “So what is it about you? I know you say you’re all about revenge and you’re eager to get to the Ashfords, but why?”

“Let’s just say I have a score to settle with a few of them,” she frowned remembering how Brant and his buddies had stepped in and spoiled her big score with Ken. “I should be Mrs. Kenneth Ashford right now and I would’ve been if they hadn’t banded together to destroy me.”

“Ken?” Zack practically choked on his drink, “You were involved with Ken?”

“You say that like it surprises you,” she wrinkled her nose at him.

“Well maybe a little bit given that you are what I would consider to be more Brant’s type,” he explained with wide eyes before pausing, “No offense.”

“None taken. At least not any offense that will hurt your chances of sharing a drink with me,” she raised her glass in the air holding it out towards him before taking a long sip. “So tell me Zack, what about you and the Ashfords? What’s your beef with them?”

“Well I really don’t have one,” he shrugged his shoulders, “I mean Ken was almost my brother-in-law, so you know…”

“Brother-in-law,” Michelle gave him a strange look, “Really?”

“That’s right,” he nodded, “He wanted to marry my sister Caitlin and probably would’ve if she hadn’t died in that airport bombing. I’d imagine that’s why he’s been falling to pieces these days.”

“He was pulling his life together and he would’ve been well set with me if his idiot brother hadn’t spoiled it,” she explained with a small snarl, “If I could bury that man somehow…”

“A woman like you is clearly capable,” Zack noted with a smirk, “which is why I figured we could talk about that little proposal you tossed out at me earlier. You know the one about us helping one another?”

“I remember,” she nodded, “You’d mentioned something about Blake, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right,” Zack nodded back at her, “She and I should’ve been together and we would’ve been together if life hadn’t gotten complicated. However, I only make a mistake once before I find a way to fix the problem. I’m done with being Mr. Nice Guy and now it’s time for me to take back what’s mine.”

“And you’re sure that I can be someone to help you with that, yes?” she tilted her head to the side, a smile building up over the corners of her lips.

“Well you mentioned wanting your revenge and if you’re still wanting Ken, well I do happen to have some clout with him. I may be able to put in a good word for you,” he shrugged his shoulders casually popping open another button on his shirt, “If you’re interested that is.”

“Oh I’m interested, but what is it you want out of me,” she circled around the bar eyeing him intently. “What do you crave Zack?”

“Another shot at winning the prize and I’m sure if I had someone like you helping me out, then there won’t be a thing to worry about where Blake is concerned. I won’t have to think twice about whether or not she’ll take the bait that I have laid out for her. She’ll see she was wrong and ultimately she will want me back again. It’s that simple,” he mouthed a confidence spilling over him, “She won’t be able to resist me.”

“And what is it exactly that you’d like me to do,” she questioned teasing her fingers over the buttons on his shirt. She pulled open a few more before dropping her fingers down against his warm skin.

“Right now, well I think we should focus on enjoying our evening together,” Zack curled his arm around her waist instinctively pulling her to him. His mouth hovered over hers in a seductive fashion, “We can iron out the details later at this rate.”

“In that case I’m going to hold you to it,” Michelle decided rising up to kiss him heatedly while deciding to go along with the mood of the evening and have a little fun with Zack. Tonight it could be pleasure before business, but in the morning she was going to make damned sure that there was more business happening between them. Business that would lead her to her ultimate revenge against Ken and his family for thinking that they could outsmart her!

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

Blake stood near the back of the room watching the party come to a close. Things had worked out perfectly after all, she thought to herself with a proud smile. Granted there were a few shaky moments in the night, but now she felt like she’d truly accomplished something. There was plenty of money raised and the community center could now be on it’s way. Everything was as it should be except for…

Frowning Blake spotted Diego over by the coat check area and she couldn’t help but make a point to do something about it. Marching over towards where he stood she decided it was time to set a few things straight with him once and for all.

“Listen you,” Blake blurted out causing him to spin around and face her, surprise behind his eyes.

“Blake hello,” Diego smiled at her pleasantly, “this was a fantastic party. You should be very proud of yourself for all that you’ve done here.”

“And you should be ashamed of yourself for what you’ve done,” she wiggled her finger in his face anger pouring over her. “Sarah and Kyle are happy together and you’d be smart to just leave them the hell alone. They have worked like mad to find happiness with one another and the last thing that they need is a jerk like you trying to take that away from them.”

“Excuse me,” Diego blinked down at her shock registering over him, “Blake I really don’t think that…”

“You don’t think and that’s your problem. Rather than be the smart guy that you pretend to be, you act like a lecherous creep who won’t leave Sarah alone. Can’t you see that she’s in love with Kyle and that’s never going to change? While she might’ve made one huge, mondo mistake in sharing a night with you, the fact remains that Kyle is the one who holds her heart--who will always have her heart and if you had any ounce of cerebral intelligence in there in that melon head of yours, then you’d see fit to leave her alone. You’ll forget about anything that you two may have shared with one another and you’ll let her be happy.”

“Look Blake, I realize that you’re trying to be a good friend, but I really don’t think that you know what you’re talking about,” Diego tried to defend his position to her, but seeing her wound up he knew it was no use.

“No you listen here. Sarah and Kyle are about to get married. They are about to have a family now and the last thing they need is some bored, pathetic loser who couldn’t get a date if he tried following them around and trying to cause them trouble. I’m sure that when Sarah slept with you it was a sympathy screw, so chalk it up as just that and leave her alone,” Blake continued to lash out at him, “She doesn’t want you. She wants Kyle and now that they are engaged you need to back off!”

“Look Blake, I’m not going to argue with you about this considering that…” he began again.

“That you’d be wrong. You were wrong to think you had a chance with Sarah and you’re wrong if you keep trying to pursue it. Stop trying to make the rest of the world as miserable as you are and let her have a life. Just because someone took your happiness away from you doesn’t mean that it gives you a right to do it to everyone else,” Blake snapped ready to tear into him further when Barbara approached the two of them.

“What’s going on here?” Barbara asked innocently sensing the tension in the air between Diego and Blake.

“You’d better watch your date,” Blake finally blurted out after a long moment of silence, “He’s not to be trusted. And you, well Diego you had better watch yourself. I would hate to see you wind up in over your head because things might get ugly--very ugly.”

Barbara watched Blake stomp off before she looked to Diego curiously, “What was that all about?”

“Nothing,” Diego lied feeling a moment of guilt sweep over him at what Blake had said. Was he really trying to ruin Kyle’s happiness simply because his had been taken from him when Maria had died? Had he really restored to that?

“Diego, it didn’t sound like nothing to me,” Barbara added touching his arm lightly, “You both seemed so upset. What’s going on?”

“I think we should just leave,” Diego sighed forcing himself to ignore Blake’s verbal lashing in the name of just getting out of the party in one piece, “Blake was just having a moment and I guess I upset her.”

“I’ll say,” Barbara glanced over at Blake once again, “but you’re not going to tell me what it was about, are you?”

“I’d really rather not,” Diego confessed with a heavy sigh.

“Fair enough,” she nodded curling her arm in his, “because right now I’d really rather forget about the party and start talking about what I’m going to have to do to land myself another date with you.”

“Barbara, I’m pretty sure that’s now what you want right now considering…” he started with a polite smile.

“Ah, I can see it’s going to take a lot of work here, but rest assured I am determined,” she smiled at him guiding him out of the party as he wondered if he could ever find a way to make things right in his life ever again. Granted he was in love with Sarah, but was that enough for them to have a future with one another? Thinking about how she had accepted Kyle’s proposal he realized that maybe Blake was right. Maybe he should leave it alone after all.

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

Kellen kept Heather in his arms as Kipp opened the door to their place. Walking inside Kipp exchanged worried looks with Kellen before motioning that he was going to check in with the babysitter and see how everything had gone with Charles.

“I’m taking her to bed in the guest room,” Kellen explained carrying Heather down the hallway and hearing her let out a long moan.

“Oh God, I feel like hell,” she muttered with an exaggerated sigh, “My head feels like it’s going to explode and my stomach already has like ten times over.”

“Yes sweetheart, we know that tonight you wouldn’t be winning a beauty contest, but it’s okay. You’re home now and we’re going to pamper you,” Kellen promised setting her down on the center of the bed, “You can borrow some of my pajamas tonight and take it easy.”

“Kellen,” she reached for his hand a tired grin pressing in over her, “Thank you for everything.”

“Don’t mention it although if there is something you want to tell me about,” Kellen sank onto the bed next to her, “We can start with you and Kyle. What was going on there earlier?”

“We were dancing,” Heather closed her eyes, her smile widening, “and it was fun.”

“I’m sure it was, but I was talking more so about what I walked in on. You two were kissing and…” he searched for a further explanation, “You mentioned that he married you a long time ago.”

“That’s because he did. His mom set it all up for us and it was great,” she opened her eyes again, a dizziness overtaking her, “Much better than when I’d married Cameron. That was so rushed that I couldn’t enjoy it, but with Kyle, well I always enjoyed the time I spent with him.”

“So you two spent a lot of time with one another then, huh?” he asked curiously.

She nodded, “We were together all of the time. In fact he was the first guy I kissed you know. I mean I guess he probably wasn’t hoping it was me he was kissing, but it was. We had a lot of fun times that didn’t end at kissing…”

“What did they end at?” Kellen’s brow perked up.

“A good girl never tells,” Heather giggled with delight seeing his interest.

“True,” he touched her cheek gently, “but you and I both know that you’re about as much of a good girl as I am sweetheart, so why not spill it?”

“Let’s just say we had a lot of fun together,” she wiggled her brow at him teasingly, “A real lot of fun.”

“Oh I’ll bet,” Kellen could see the way her eyes perked up at some memory that he was only more than eager to hear about.

“But it wasn’t just about the fun stuff,” Heather sighed sinking further into the pillow beneath her, “It was just about being with Kyle. He was a lot of fun in so many ways other than, well that… He’s a great guy to be with.”

“Obviously,” Kellen noted seeing a yawn spill from her lips.

“Did you know he was the first guy I ever fell in love with?” Heather questioned lazily snuggling in against the blanket beneath her. She yawned again, “Come to think of it, I think he was and is the only guy I’ve ever truly loved…ever…”

“Wait a second,” Kellen’s blue eyes grew wider, “You mean you’re still in love with him?”

“I could be,” she nodded with another tired laugh, “especially when he kisses like he does. I could be very in love with him all over again.”

“Could be or already are?” Kellen nudged her shoulder gently, “Heather?”

“I guess it all depends,” she murmured under her breath, “I mean if I told you, you couldn’t tell.”

“I won’t tell, but I need to know,” Kellen leaned in closer to her laying down on the bed beside her. He searched her eyes for a long moment before watching her close them again, “Heather, are you in love with Kyle?”

“I’ve always been in love with Kyle,” Heather confessed with tiny voice, “but he’s always been in love with Sarah, which leaves no room for someone like me…”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Kellen mouthed watching her fall to sleep as he wondered if there was more to Heather and Kyle’s history with one another than anyone knew about. Judging by the things Kyle had said to Heather and the way that Kyle had kissed her, Kellen was betting that there was a whole heck of a lot more going on between them than either one of them wanted to admit to and Kellen was just the man to get to the bottom of the mystery!

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

Kyle sat outside in his car after dropping Sarah off back at the mansion leaving her alone for a while because he had told her that he left something at the party, but that was far from the truth. All Kyle needed was a little time to himself and now that he was at the one house he knew he should never be getting close to now that he was engaged to Sarah, he found his mind becoming more fogged up with confusion.

“Am I doing the right thing?” Kyle questioned to himself taking in a deep breath before shaking his head slowly and resting back against the seat. He saw a light go out in the house as he got out of his truck and shut the door. “I don’t care if this is the right thing.”

Kyle quickly walked up the sidewalk to the front door, banging his fists against the front of the house over and over again until Kellen opened the door with a confused look over his features.

“Kyle, what are you doing here?” Kellen questioned with a small shake of his head before folding his arms out in front of his chest. “I thought you would be home with your darling fiancée right now.”

“Blow me Kellen,” Kyle pushed Kellen out of the way of the door before closing it behind him, seeing Kellen fall on his butt over dramatically. “Forget that, where is she Kellen? I know Heather is here, I want to see her.”

“Like she wants to see you while she’s staying in our guest room right now…” Kellen blurted out placing his hands over his lips seeing Kyle walk over towards the guest room, making Kellen jump up from the ground. “Kyle wait, Kyle no.”

“Leave us alone Kellen,” Kyle opened the door and shut it quickly locking the door so Kellen couldn’t get in. The room suddenly lightened up with a mini lamp as Kyle turned to see Heather slowly raising up to look at him with her tired eyes. “Heather, I need to talk to you.”

“This late?” Heather reached for her clock looking at the time and running her fingers through her messy hair before shaking her head slowly. She looked up noticing that Kyle was still partially in his tuxedo as she frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Listen, I don’t care what I did at that party,” Kyle reached out to grab Heather’s hand in his and pulled her up to him hearing her let out a small gasp. “I don’t care about what I did and I don’t care what Sarah said because I’m going to cut this whole thing off.”

“Your engagement?” Heather questioned arching her eyebrow up at Kyle as he nodded slowly and she let out a small laugh seeing him nod slowly. “No you’re not, Sarah is having your baby and you two are going to get married.”

“Yeah, if she was having my baby I think she would be a little bit bigger right now,” Kyle pointed out making that realization while he was in the car by himself all that time. “What I’m trying to say Heather is that I’m not in love with Sarah, I’m in love with you. I can’t lose you like this when I have a chance to be with you, I’m not letting that train drive you away from me again.”

“Kyle, you don’t know what you’re saying,” Heather placed her hand over her head feeling him catch her wrist in his hand as he watched her carefully. “Kyle…”

“Tell me you love me too,” Kyle begged reaching out to caress her cheek gently with his left hand, seeing her lean into his touch as her green eyes stared up into his. “Please tell me you love me because if you don’t…”

“Kyle,” she hushed him with a small smile tugging gently at the collar to his dress shirt before leaning up on her toes to press her lips up against his. She felt his arm wrap around her waist hesitantly before pulling her in against him roughly. “I love you too.”

“You don’t know how happy that makes me to hear you say that,” Kyle smiled widely lifting her up off the ground and pressing her in against the wall, feeling her legs wrap around his waist. He pressed a small kiss against her lips before feeling her hand run through his hair slowly. “Tell me you love me again.”

“I love you,” she let out a tight breath feeling his lips press in against her neck, his tongue moving in against her heated skin while her hands ran in over his shoulders. “Kyle, are you sure about this?”

“I’ve been sure about this since I was fifteen,” he replied in a tight voice meeting her lips in a demanding kiss, making her let out a small sigh against his lips. Her grasp tightened around his neck when she felt his tongue meet hers, testing the chemistry that still lingered between them. Kyle leaned back for a moment reaching down for the bottom of the purple satin nightgown she had on, slowly inching it up her body as she held her arms up for him carefully. “Please tell me you aren’t still hung over and won’t remember this in the morning.”

“No, I’m very aware right now,” she let out a small moan feeling his body grind in against hers, making her scrape her nails down his back. A small growl escaped Kyle’s lips as she struggled to get out of his arms and down to the floor. “I think it’s my turn to get you out of your shirt.”

“Hey now,” Kyle chuckled feeling her grab his shirt and rip it open before sliding it down his muscular shoulders. A small fire built up inside of him as he saw her throw his shirt to the corner of the room before he picked her up in his arms and set her down on the bed carefully. “That was an Armani I hope you know.”

“Like it means anything to you that a dress shirt is ruined,” Heather pointed out biting down on her bottom lip as she felt his hand palm her breast making her arch up against his touch. “I think I know you enough to know when you are upset about something.”

“Oh yeah?” Kyle smirked reaching around her to unclasp her bra and slide it down her arms carefully before throwing it to the side. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he stared at her beautiful body before him. “You’re so beautiful Heather, I don’t ever want you to forget that.”

“Kyle,” she gasped out feeling his lips center in over her breast as his hand slid in underneath her panties, caressing her carefully. She tugged on his hair gently, begging him for another kiss as his lips met hers. There were so many things she was feeling right now as Kyle touched her in ways she never imagined he would ever again. “Kyle, I need you.”

“I know,” Kyle hushed reaching down and pulling at her panties, ripping them off her body as she let out a long gasp. Another laugh escaped Kyle’s lips as he watched her eyes widen in shock. “What? What is it?”

“That’s a Victoria’s Secret,” she informed him almost shocked at the way he had torn apart her clothing, only to see him simply shrug his shoulders before leaning back. “I can’t believe you just did that--do you know how much that cost?”

“I’ll buy you a new one,” Kyle promised pressing another heated kiss up against her lips as he felt her arms wrap around his neck as if she was never going to let him go. A noise echoed throughout the room as he motioned Heather to wait for a moment. “On second thought, I will be right back.”

“Okay,” Heather nodded not quite sure how to react when she saw Kyle stand up from the bed and walk over towards the door, pulling it open quickly to see Kellen fall flat out against the floor. “Kellen! What are you doing?”

“Kyle,” Kellen felt Kyle pick him up and throw him over his shoulder as Kellen let out a small squeak. “What are you doing to me? Let me down.”

“You’re not going to ruin this for me,” Kyle informed Kellen throwing him into the coat closet and shutting the door quickly, throwing the chair in front of it so Kellen couldn’t get out. Kyle turned back around to see Kipp staring out at him slightly confused by what was going on as Kyle shrugged his shoulders. “He’s going to be staying in there for a while.”

“Okay,” was the only words that Kyle heard from Kipp as he walked back into the bedroom and shut the door behind making sure that it was locked. He reached over to the stereo turning it on before returning his attention back to Heather who was sitting down on the bed waiting for him.

“What did you do with Kellen?” Heather let out a small laugh seeing Kyle shake his head slowly before stepping in closer to her. She slid her hands up his chiseled abdomen slowly and up over his chest seeing him close his eyes. “What did you do?”

“I just made it so I don’t have to worry about him,” he informed her in a tight breath feeling her pull apart the loop of his belt, pulling it out of his pant before dropping it to the ground. “I didn’t want anyone to interfere with this.”

“That was a good idea,” Heather informed him with a wide smile pulling apart the button on his slacks and carefully pulling down the zipper. She pressed her lips up against his abdomen, her warm kisses centering in around his belly button as she heard him let out a deep sigh. Wanting to waste no more time with Kyle she tugged down his slacks, her gaze settling in over his now very aware masculinity. “Oh wow.”

“Thanks,” Kyle grinned widely moving forward so that she laid back against the bed, while he settled in over her carefully. He rested his waist against his hands before looking into her green eyes. “Are you going to be okay with everything?”

“Of course I am,” Heather whispered leaning half way up to meet him for a heated kiss, feeling him suckle at her bottom lip for a moment before feeling him motion her thigh up and over his waist. “It’s just been a while since I saw you like this…”

“Don’t worry,” Kyle hushed reaching up to outline her lips with his thumb carefully. A small breath escaped his lips as he felt her suck at his fingertips gently, making him bite down on his bottom lip. “I’ll be gentle, I promise.”

“Kyle,” Heather leaned her head back against the pillows feeling him join their bodies as one, her nails digging into his shoulders and he let out a small groan. “Kyle come on…”

“What?” Kyle opened his eyes to see Sarah standing before him as he let out a long breath noticing that he was just having a dream. Sarah touched his shoulder carefully looking down between them as she let out a small gulp. “What is it?”

“Uh Kyle,” Sarah felt a color rise up in her cheeks as she noticed him looking up at her with his hazel eyes, his jaw tightening as she pointed down between them. “What exactly are you thinking about?”

“Oh shit,” Kyle noticed where his hand was as he quickly pulled it out of his boxers before shaking his head slowly. “I was just…well, I guess you know what I was doing. If it’s not obvious what I was doing--I’m just going to stop talking right now.”

“Hey, you know what that means right?” Sarah slid in over his lap hearing him let out a small groan as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “What is this, the first night that you have had a…”

“Sarah, you said you needed rest for the baby,” Kyle tried to speak up only to feel her lean forward and nibble at his neck making him let out a long breath. “Sarah, I really don’t know…”

“Don’t waste this Kyle,” she whispered placing her fingers in over his lips as she leaned forward nibbling on his earlobe gently and feeling his hands slip in over her hips. “You know, I saw Heather with a really handsome looking guy. It looks like she has her priorities set straight right now if you asked me.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Kyle nodded feeling her slide in next to him and press her lips up against his neck, her fingers sliding in underneath his boxers as he let out a tight breath. “Sarah…”

“Just relax Kyle,” Sarah hushed him nibbling at his warm skin as he leaned his head back against the couch and let out a deep sigh. She caressed his body over and over again trying to find a way to get him to stay at the place he was at. “You know this could be a good thing and…”

“Oh god, I think I’m going to be sick,” Kyle placed his hand over his mouth getting up from the couch in the bedroom and running into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. He removed his hand away from his lips and locked the door before reaching over towards the water to turn it on. He heard a knock at the door as he grabbed a cup from the corner filling it with water and dumping it into the toilet. He let out a fake groan before shaking his head slowly. “I’m so sorry Sarah, it must have been something I ate.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sarah let out a long sigh hearing another sound like he was puking into the toilet as she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I’m going to be fine sweetheart,” Kyle dumped another glass of water into the toilet before letting out another fake groan of pain. “I can be out in a couple of minutes if you would like and we could finish what we started.”

“No, that’s really okay,” Sarah assured him as she heard him turn on the water to the bathtub as she took in a deep breath. “Just get it all out and maybe take a shower. Brush your teeth…”

“Thanks so much sweetheart,” Kyle groaned again hearing her lay down on the bed as he let out a thankful breath, turning off the water to the bathtub as he jumped into it in his boxers. He sank underneath the water for a moment, trying to find a way to relax before coming up above the water again. “What am I going to do?”

Kyle thought about his fantasy and about what he obviously truthfully felt towards Heather. He reached over for the phone before setting it back down thinking things over twice. Heather didn’t want to talk to him right now. He was probably the last thing on her mind.

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

“You’re mine now Evie and I swear once I get up inside your defenses, you’re going down,” JT explained excitedly feeling her poke him in the ribs.

She glanced over at him sticking her tongue out before replying defiantly, “Take your best shot big boy because I am going to smoke your butt!”

“Oh no you aren’t,” JT shook his head eagerly concentrating on the television screen in front of him.

Evie had suggested that they pull out his old Play Station and get a game going. At first he’d been reluctant, but in seeing her enthusiasm, he couldn’t help but set it up for her. Now that they were playing a sniper game with one another, he found himself buried deep in the competition. So far she’d taken out more than half of his players, but he still wasn’t giving up. He looked over at her seeing her bite her lower lip in complete concentration while he moved his player around onscreen. He was almost there sneaking up on her guy onscreen until…

“Ha I got you JT!” Evie squealed excitedly bouncing up from her seat. She stood up and wiggled around doing a victory dance now that the words GAME OVER flashed on the screen alerting that she was the new reigning champ of the video game.

“You so cheated,” he laughed lightly setting his controller aside to lean back against the couch. He watched her prance around the room embellishing in her winnings and all he could do was laugh. “You know you mentioned that you liked this game, not that you know how to cheat at it.”

“I didn’t cheat. You just suck at it and you’re being a sore loser,” she stuck her tongue out at him before bouncing around in front of him excitedly.

“I’ll give you sore loser,” he reached out to her tripping her and pulling her down next to him. His eyes met hers and he chuckled lightly. “We’ll see how you can squeal now that you’re in my grasp.”

“What?” she asked feeling his fingers teasing over her ribcage tickling her mercilessly. She kicked her legs out, her laughter roaring over her, “JT stop! JT come on!”

“You may have won the video game, but I’m not about to let you gloat about it especially not since I have been the champ at that for years now,” he informed her tickling her mercilessly.

“That’s it,” she reached out to him bringing her hands out underneath his sweater to tickle him in response. She was afraid for a millisecond that it would be a useless venture, but when he broke into laughter as well she knew that she’d gained the upper hand. Pushing him back into the sofa further, she climbed over his lap bringing her fingers over his body with malicious intent. “Who is torturing who now JT? You’re going down!”

“Oh you think so huh?” he chuckled watching her fight her own tears of laughter. He curled his fingers around her back watching her writhe over him with giggles. She was probably the most ticklish person he’d ever spent any significant time with and now that tears pooled behind her eyes he couldn’t help but ignore his own laughter focusing on her.

“Stop! JT!” she squealed placing her hands flat against his chest. That brought the laughter to an end as her dark eyes fell over his. Suddenly they were very aware of the warmth brewing between them--of the way her fingers curled over his muscled torso.

“Evie, I…” he started feeling a lump forming in the back of his throat.

“It’s okay. I might let you win tonight after all,” she breathed dipping in to tease her lips against his in a slow, gentle fashion.

At first he didn’t react, but then after a long moment, his arm curled around her body, squeezing her slender frame over him more completely. He felt her hands push up the material of his sweater until she discarded it on the couch behind him. Their lips parted and both were breathless.

“I think we need to cool this down,” JT mouthed running his fingers through her long hair, “This will be a mistake.”

“If you try to stop me from touching you, then you’ll be making a huge mistake,” she murmured nibbling on his lip again before bringing her hands over his strong, solid shoulders. She ran her fingers down his back, her arms wrapping more securely around him. He found himself responding to her kiss, to the feel of her as his hands fell to her hips crushing her in against him in a far more intimate movement than he’d intended. Things were heating up, burning out of control with each passing second until…

“You would not believe the night from hell I had tonight. If I have to see that little witch again trying to ruin my life, then I swear I‘m going to kill her,” Valerie’s voice shrieked. She launched her purse across the room directly onto the couch just behind JT’s head. That movement caused JT and Evie to come to an abrupt halt in their kissing. Suddenly Valerie realized JT wasn’t alone, “Well, what do we have here? Bimbo of the moment?”

“Valerie,” JT cleared his throat seeing the blush that rose over Evie’s features upon the interruption, “This is my friend Eve. She’s…”

“An idiot if she’s here with you,” Valerie glanced over at Evie like she was a fly on the windshield, “Look while I know you’re probably looking to get humped and dumped here by our JT, I think you should do yourself a favor and split. He’s not your type, not interested in your type and quite honestly I really don’t want to have to deal with one of his bimbos right about now.”

“Valerie, don’t talk to her that way,” JT frowned at his roommate feeling Evie stand up.

“No JT, I can take care of myself,” Evie promised spinning around to face Valerie, “Look I don’t know who the hell you are and truthfully I don’t care. In case you haven’t noticed JT and I are busy and we really aren’t in the mood for company--especially not your company. So, why don’t you do us all a favor and take your whining elsewhere? If we miss you, we’ll call, but until then why don’t you take a hike?”

“Um excuse me I don’t know who you think you are, but you’re really of no relevance here. This is my place too and I want you out. I don’t like rude people especially when they are insignificant and…” Valerie started to sneer at Evie.

“She’s got a point Valerie,” JT pulled himself up off of the floor to stand behind Evie, “I wasn’t really expecting you back tonight, so why don’t you just go back to wherever it was you were earlier? I’m sure someone misses you.”

“JT, are you kicking me out for the night?” Valerie huffed her eyes widening with astonishment.

“As a matter of fact,” he nodded after a moment’s contemplation, “Yeah, yeah I am, so why don’t you get your purse and see your way out for a while?”

“No,” Valerie refused with a huff stomping her foot down, “I’m not going anywhere and if anyone is going to leave, then it’s you two because I live here. You both can get some cheap hotel or something.”

JT watched Valerie stomp over to her room before slamming the door shut behind her in a huff. He let out a long groan wanting to strangle her then and there.

“What a bitch,” Evie wrinkled her nose at Valerie, “Please don’t tell me she’s your girlfriend.”

“Far from it. I let her stay here, well no I don’t think I ever really let her stay, but she won’t leave even when I tell her she has to move out and tonight,” JT glanced over at Evie, “Well I know she’s not going to leave again, so why don’t we boot up the game system again? I think I might be more motivated to win this time now that Valerie is back.”

“You and me both,” she replied with a nod thinking about JT’s rude roommate as she began to wonder if perhaps she could return the favor to JT in helping him get rid of his miserable roommate since he had tried to help her out. Maybe that would be Evie’s new project. It might actually be pretty fun.

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

“What do you mean she’s not Avery?” Don questioned confusion settling in over him now that he and Brant stood with one another in the secret room. “Brant you said that you were looking to dig up information on Cameron, yet I see you in here shaking up with Avery and…”

“She’s not Avery,” Brant blurted out once again with a frustrated groan, “Her name is Angela and I met her a few months ago. When Avery married Russ, Angela and I met on the beach and we, well we had this really wild Christmas with one another. We wound up sharing some really erotic days with one another and yes the fact that she looks just like Avery didn’t pass over me there.”

“So wait a second. You’re telling me that you went out and found yourself an Avery look-alike when Avery left you high and dry?” Don’s blue yes widened in astonishment, “Brant I had no idea that you would even think about doing something like that considering that…”

“At first it was about her looking like Avery, but then when I was with her something changed,” Brant explained knowing full well that he wasn’t making any sense, yet there was something about Angela that he couldn’t overlook--something that he didn’t want to overlook, “There’s something special about her and…”

“Yeah she looks just like your almost ex-wife and it’s got your head making all these silly ideas,” Don frowned slightly, “I mean I know you have trouble letting go, but…”

“What I feel about Angela has nothing to do with Avery. I knew that after I’d only spent a short time with her,” Brant confessed openly a heaviness hanging over him, “I knew it from the first time I’d touched her that she was different--special really and in a lot of ways I think I tried to mold Avery into what I wanted in my life that only Angela could give. I know it sounds crazy, but after I spent time with Angela, I felt like I was falling for her--that I could easily walk away from the dream that I had of being with Avery and share the rest of my life with Angela.”

“You got all of that from a fling?” Don eyed him wearily, “Okay who are you and what did you do to my best friend? You’re not the romantic type--at least not usually…”

“Yeah well there’s just something about her,” Brant confessed thinking to the passion that he’d just shared with Angela, “and I can’t let her slip away twice in a lifetime.”

“Brant, if what you’re saying is true, then do you have any idea how warped all of this sounds?” Don couldn’t help but ask.

“I do, but she’s pregnant Don. Not only is she the woman that I’ve been dreaming about since I met her, but she says she’s having my children,” Brant explained with an impassioned tone, “She’s having my babies and if that isn’t a sign that my instincts were right all along about her, then I don’t know what is.”

“Your babies, but…” Don stopped himself shaking his head, “Brant, how long have you known her?”

“I met her on the island and she tossed me out on my ass before I could tell her how I felt about her. I tried to forget her, but it never happened. Even when I was with Avery, I knew that I was trying to compensate for what it was I had with Angela. I’d convinced myself that Avery was my dream girl, but all this time it was Angela,” Brant finished surprising himself with the confession he’d just made.

“Brant, I know how you feel about Avery and…” Don tried to remind him.

“And it was all an illusion. Every second of it was my trying to build on something that I’d already had with Angela. Sure, I’d always believed Avery was my key to happiness--that there was something about her that would ultimately bring me what I wanted, what I needed, but when it gets down to it, from the moment Avery and I were together I couldn’t stop thinking about Angela. Even when I was out trying to get Wendy back home all I could think about was Angela and now that I know she’s having my children,” Brant mouthed a sudden panic pressing down upon him. His dark eyes widened and he looked to his best friend with worry, “Don I have to find her before the best thing that ever happened to me walks out of my life and I never see her again.”

“Brant, I know you want to think that she’s someone special and that maybe she can make up for what you had with Avery, but…” Don offered up letting Brant’s words sink in.

“I’m not trying to make up for what I had with Avery,” Brant snapped at his friend, a sudden determination filling his features, “but rather I’m trying to hold onto the only thing that’s ever really mattered in my life. Sure, Angela and I were all about sex when we met and yeah maybe tonight that’s where we were headed with one another again, but now that I know she’s pregnant all the rules have changed. I don’t care about the things that I don’t know about her. All that matters is that I know I need to be with her. I need to find her again and stop her from leaving because I’m certain if she walks out of my life one more time, she’ll vanish into thin air. I’ll lose any chance at finding out what it is about us that I can’t help but want to hold onto and that’s something I’m not ready to let slip away from me Don. We have to find her.”

“Alright man,” Don decided stepping aside and motioning towards the door, “Let’s go find your dream girl and get her back before she walks away.”

“I thought you’d never let that one happen,” Brant let out a relieved breath before rushing out the door with Don at his heels ready to help his friend find the happiness he believed was slipping away from him.

“Whether or not your friend is going to try to help you make that happen, I‘m not going to give you the chance to find her again,” a voice emerged from the shadows revealing Chris, who had been masked in the darkness in the room separating the library from the secret room. He’d happened upon the door in his search for Angela when he’d started to get worried about her not returning. Once he’d heard voices he took in a closer look realizing that it was his long time enemy inside and the newsman in him was hoping to find something that would help him bury Brant Ashford once and for all. Of course what he found instead was even more motivation to want to see Brant far from where he wanted . There was no way in hell he was going to let Brant near Angela even if what Brant was saying was true about having fathered Angela’s children. As far as Chris was concerned Brant Ashford was a menace and a danger and there was no way in hell he would serve one of his best friends up on a platter for him. If Brant wanted to try for Angela, he’d find himself greatly disappointed because Chris vowed then and there to make sure that it never happened for Brant. Not ever!

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

Angela rushed through the long, narrow corridor realizing that she needed to leave the party. She couldn’t turn around and go back to Brant even if that’s what her heart was telling her to do. The fact that they’d fallen into one another’s arms again after so long of a separation only proved that she’d lost her mind completely. She’d never intended to find him again--never thought she’d see him but when she’d made love to him, she realized that she’d never stopped wanting him. Even now she knew that she longed to stay with him, to try to ignore the realities of the world around her long enough to spend eternity with him.

“You don’t even know him,” she thought to herself trying to keep her aware of the warnings that swirled in her mind.

Brant was trouble. Brant was dangerous and he was essentially a stranger. Sure, maybe they had bonded in a very physical fashion, but that didn’t mean love, did it? No of course not, she tried to reason with herself. So what if he was the father of her children? It didn’t mean anything and if she stuck around to keep chatting with him, she would’ve only caused herself more agony.

“I just need to get out of here,” she repeated aloud rounding a corner so fast that she wasn’t even aware of the mass of muscle in front of her until she slammed into the chest in front of her.

“Hey,” Kevin’s voice rang through her ears. She felt him pull on her shoulders and she looked up at him in panic, “I’ve been searching for you all night.”

“I have to go. Kevin, I need to go back to Chris’s or to a hotel or to the island,” Angela blurted out uneasily fearing that Brant might catch up to her.

“I won’t argue that especially considering that Cameron’s looking for you. I kind of sort of mentioned that you might be here and he didn’t seem to happy,” Kevin began ready to explain the encounter with her brother to her.

“No, he’s not happy at all especially considering that you lied to him,” Cameron’s voice interrupted as Kevin and Angela both looked up to find Cameron standing in front of them, “And right now I think it’s about time you tell me what’s really going on here Angel. Why did you lie to me and why are you still in Coral Valley?”

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

...to be continued...