“I think we all look so beautiful!” exclaimed Emma. “You chose such lovely colors for us, Holly, and that turquoise is perfect on you, Laura.”

Holly smiled, “Thank you, I seem to be your personal stylist these days, and you do so well in green. Dan asked me to get Missy something as a surprise, and she wears that blue better than anyone I've ever known.” She looked at Laura. “You don't need any help. You have a better sense of style and color than I do.”

Laura smiled. “Thanks. I do love this dress, and yours is a knockout.”

Holly looked down at her own dusky rose-colored dress with a smile. “Yeah, Pete loves this color.”

“It's like we're Team Slinky gone all rainbow!” exclaimed Emma.

Laura exchanged a look with Holly. “You know, Em. I wish you'd come up with a different name for us. I mean, I like the idea of us as a team, but every time you say that I think of those springy toys that walk down the stairs!”

Holly laughed with her as Emma blushed. “Oh.” She looked at them both, crestfallen. “I never thought of that! It doesn't sound so good anymore.”

Holly put a hand on her shoulder. “It never did, sweetie. I just didn't have the heart to tell you.”

Emma laughed. “Oh, well. You'll just have to come up with something better, then.”

Holly looked up to where Pete and Jack were climbing up onto the stage. “I don't know about us, but we definitely need a name for the guys! It's like drowning in a sea of hot tuxedos!”

Emma smiled. “And here comes your smoking hot man now.”

Laura turned to see Smoke making his way over to them. Her heart raced as he met her gaze. There were a lot of hot men here tonight, but none of them came anywhere near her Smoke.

“I hope you've accepted the inevitable by now?” asked Holly. “Cos you would be one crazy lady to let that one go!”

“I have,” said Laura with a smile as Smoke reached her side. He took hold of her hand and she squeezed. “I have no intentions of letting this one go.” She loved the way his eyes bored into her as he tightened his grip on her hand, telling her he wasn't letting go of her either.

***

The band was good. After listening for a while, Smoke excused himself and headed to the bathrooms. He'd enjoyed the dinner, enjoyed laughing with Missy as Laura and Dan had regaled them with tales of their childhood. He loved the feeling that he was beginning a new chapter in his life. A chapter where he would have a home, and a new take on his career. He and Laura would be together, in whatever way would work for them both, and they'd be surrounded by good friends, all the people at their table tonight. He shuddered as he crossed the hallway. All of them except Laura's friend, Leanne. She'd caught his eye whenever she could and had been giving him major signals the whole evening. He was giving her a very wide berth. He wanted nothing whatsoever to do with that woman.

When he came out of the bathroom, Leanne was lingering near the Ladies room. She smiled and came over to him, putting a hand on his arm. “You've been avoiding me, but you don't really want to, do you?”

He looked down into big round blue eyes and shrugged her hand off. “I've been avoiding you because you disgust me. Laura thinks you're her friend and you're coming on to me like a bitch in heat.”

He saw the surprise register in her eyes. He was pretty sure that men never spoke to her like that. He would never normally speak to a woman like that himself. But this needed to stop, right here, right now.

She recovered quickly and gave him a sultry smile. Stepping closer to him, she reached up and straightened his bow tie. “There's no need to act the innocent with me, Smoke. I know you want it. I'm saying you can have it.”

Smoke caught a glimpse of someone over her shoulder. He looked up in time to see Michael turn on his heel and walk back into the ballroom. Jesus! That was all he needed—Michael thinking he was making a move on this one. The poor guy was welcome to her. He stepped back, pushing her hands away. “What will it take to get through to you? Watch my lips. I. Am. Not. Interested!”

She was still smiling at him! “I watched your lips, but what I want is to feel them...all over me. Come on, Smoke, be honest. You want me, you just don't want Laura to find out. She doesn't have to. I know your sort. You want as many women as you can get your hands on. I'm saying I want your hands on me, and no one else need ever know.”

She was moving towards him again. Smoke was starting to think she might be crazy. No normal woman would act like this.

“You don't get it. I don't want you, or any other woman. I love Laura!”

He started walking, needing to get away from her and back to his lady.

“Smoke wait!” She stepped in front him and his momentum carried them both forward. He stumbled but managed to catch her and keep them both from falling. As he regained his balance and let go of her he looked up to see Michael and Laura in the doorway. Michael looked pissed. Oh, for fuck's sake! He'd had her in his arms to stop her from falling, nothing else. Laura looked...horrified? Smoke's heart stopped. Surely she wouldn't believe that he'd have his hands on another woman? He loved her and she knew it. She trusted him...didn't she?

***

Michael was the first to speak. “What are you doing, Smoke?”

Laura shook her head. No! It was Leanne! And Laura knew full well what she was doing.

“Listen, Michael.” Leanne at least had the good grace to look embarrassed. “It's not what you think. It's not what it looks like.”

“It's not what it looks like at all.” Smoke's eyes were boring into Laura's as he spoke. He looked...what? Angry? Hurt?

“It's okay, Michael,” said Laura. “It really isn't what it looks like.”

Smoke stepped toward her now his face starting to relax. “You know that?”

“Yeah,” Leanne was looking at her, her face a plea for understanding. “She knows what I'm doing. Don't you, Laura?”

Smoke stopped in his tracks, his face a picture of confusion, soon replaced by anger. He stared at her now, waiting for an explanation.

“I do,” she nodded, sad that Leanne's misguided attempts to protect her looked like they might ruin everyone's night. She looked at Smoke. “She thought you were only using me, that you'd still make a move on other women if you could.”

Smoke seemed to explode. “So you set me up? You and this,” he gave Leanne a venomous look, “bitch. Set me up? To test me? Is that how much you trust me, Laura? Is that how much you love me?”

“Smoke, no! It wasn't like that! I didn't...” She couldn't believe it! He was turning around and walking away. Her heart hammering in her chest, she ran after him. “Please, Smoke. Wait. Let me explain!”

He stopped a moment and stared down at her, his face etched with pain. “No, Laura. Let me explain. You don't trust me. So this is me gone.”

She stared after him as he strode across the lobby and out. This could not be happening!

“Laura, I'm so sorry. I....”

“Not now, Leanne. I know you were only trying to look out for me.”

Michael put a hand on her shoulder. “I don't know what the deal is, darl'. But I reckon you've got one shot to go after him. Go do it.”

Laura nodded and began to run across the lobby. She found him outside, pacing back and forth. “Smoke, please listen to me.”

He shook his head. “There's no point. You don't trust me. There's nothing left to say.”

“I do trust you, just let me explain. You can't go like this. I need you to stay, listen to me, hear me out.” A cab was pulling up. The doorman held its door open. “Please don't go, Smoke. You can't go, I love you.”

He stood beside the cab and looked into her eyes. “And I love you, lady. You have my heart, you have my soul. But you don't trust me. I can't live with that.”

“Please, just stay, it's a misunderstanding. You'll see. This is you in fight or flight. I'm begging you to stay and fight. For us. Don't choose flight.”

“Flight is what I do. You know that. This is me flying away. This is me, gone.” He ducked into the cab and slammed the door behind him.

As she watched the cab pull out into the traffic, Laura felt the first hot tears begin to fall.

She pushed her way back through the lobby doors. She needed her purse, her phone. She needed to call him, talk him down.

Michael came and put an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, darl'. What do you want to do?”

She shook her head. “I don't know. He's gone, Michael.”

“I'm so sorry, Laura.” Leanne was white-faced. “What can I do?”

“It's alright. You meant well. I know that. Would you go and grab my purse? I need my phone. And Lee, don't say anything to anyone.”

Laura stared at the entrance, hoping that by some miracle he'd come walking back through those doors—tell her he'd been too hasty and that it was all okay. She knew it wasn't going to happen, though. His mother's words echoed in her mind. Making him feel that we didn't trust him was what hurt him the most. And that's what she herself had just done to him. It wasn't true. She did trust him, but he felt like she didn't and it hurt him enough to make him run—fly away.

Leanne returned with her purse. “Here you go. Do you have your room key?”

She nodded. They'd taken one each when they'd checked in, just a few hours ago. When they'd been so happy together. She felt more tears well up. “You two should get back to the party. The others will wonder where you are.”

“No way,” said Leanne. “I'm coming with you.”

Laura shook her head. She understood that Leanne had meant well, but she didn't want to be with her right now. “No. You're not.”

Leanne nodded, understanding. “I'm so sorry.”

Michael, who still had an arm around her shoulders, took charge. “You get back in there, Leanne. I'll see Laura up to her room.” He guided her towards the elevators.

Once they got back to the suite, Laura couldn't hold it in any longer. The tears started to fall in earnest. Michael wrapped his arms around her. “It'll be okay, darl'.”

She shook her head. “You don't know him, Michael. He feels like I don't trust him. He won't come back from that.”

“He will. I can promise you that. I've watched the two of you together. It might take him a while, but he won't be able to stay away forever.”

She wiped both hands across her face, not caring that she was spreading tears and mascara stains everywhere. “What makes you so sure?”

“I've been where he is. As much pain as he's in right now, feeling you don't trust him, it's nothing compared to the pain that'll come once he starts thinking about a future without you in it.”

She shook her head. “I don't want him to be in any pain at all, Michael. He's known too much already.”

“Give him time, darl'. It'll work itself out. Do you want me to stay or go? Want me to send one of the girls up?”

“No. Thank you. You go, you'll be missed. And please don't send anyone, don't say anything. Let them enjoy their night.”

“Are you sure?” He raised his eyebrows. “You know you're setting me up for more grief from Miss when she finds out I didn't tell her.”

Laura smiled. He really was a good guy, trying to make her smile even now. “You can handle it. Do me a favor though? Don't let Leanne come back up here. She truly meant well, but I don't want to talk to her right now.”

Michael frowned. “Yeah. She explained to me while you went after him.”

“Don't look like that, Michael. She really did mean well.”

“I know. I just hate how it turned out for you. She should have stayed out of your business, no matter what she thought she was doing.”

Laura shrugged. “It's done now.” She went to the door and opened it, needing for him to leave—needing to call to Smoke, and needing to lie down and cry on the bed where only hours before Smoke had been loving her.

Once she'd closed the door behind Michael, she dug her phone out of her purse. She dialed Smoke's number and listened to it ring. The tears started again when she heard his voice. It was his voicemail, but at least it was the sound of his voice, and his familiar message.

“This is Smoke. You know what to do.”

“I'm going to keep calling, Smoke. So you may as well pick up.”

She hit the end call button and stared at her phone, hoping against hope that he would call her back. After a few minutes she tried again. This time it went straight to voicemail. He must have switched it off.

“I'm not giving up, you big Neanderthal. I'm going to keep calling until you talk to me.”

She hung up again and went to check the mini bar. Fresh tears came when she saw the Hamilton Groves logo on some of the bottles. She decided on a miniature bottle of whiskey. What had Ben said? Whiskey was for when serious stuff hit the fan. This was pretty serious stuff. It shouldn't be. It wouldn't be if Smoke would listen to her, let her explain, but he refused to. He was running scared and hurt. She took her drink through to the bedroom. Seeing the rumpled sheets, she wondered how they could have come to this after being so happy together just a few short hours ago.

***

When she opened her eyes, Laura squeezed them shut again. Her head was pounding. She lay there and winced as it all came back to her. Smoke's face when he'd thought she'd set him up to see if he would cheat on her—as if she would do that! The hurt in his eyes as he'd looked down at her. You don't trust me. His sad, lost face in the moment before he got in the cab. This is me gone.

She groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. She'd emptied all the little bottles of whiskey while she kept trying to call him. She reached for her phone which was lying next to her. Lying where he should be.

He'd sent her an email!

Laura

Love you always, lady.

Cole

xxx

Go to the airport with the others. Jason will drop you in San Francisco.

As she read it the tears came. Why wouldn't he just talk to her? Listen to her? She closed her eyes and shook her head. He was giving up on them because he thought she didn't trust him. Yet he'd jumped to that conclusion—he didn't trust her enough to let her explain! He was a coward. He'd run. And she couldn't even be mad at him, because she understood why.

No way was she going to the airport, though. She couldn't face flying in the back of the plane with everyone. If she couldn't sit up front, with Smoke, then she didn't want to fly at all.