Grace pulled her jacket tighter around her as she climbed the steps to the building that housed her office. She had just entered the warmth of the lobby when she heard her name.

"Grace!"

Grace turned to see Rainer towering above the others as he hurried to catch up to her in the lobby.

Why now, why him. She had survived seeing Bryce, wasn't that enough?

Rainer expression was stern as he caught up to her. When he reached her he stopped, looking down at her as if he was trying to figure out a puzzle.

"Rainer, I was just on my way to my office before my class."

"Lead the way." He held out her had for her to proceed him, she sensed that there was no way he was going to easily let her get away. She had never experienced the displeased Rainer before and it was almost as intimidating as a displeased Bryce.

Sighing, she started up the stairs with Rainer's arm tucked in hers. "I only have half an hour before my class starts so we will have to make it quick."

Grace didn't miss the glances Rainer was getting as he was recognized. There was plenty of female attention thrown his way and even a few breathy hellos from the females.

As the entered her office Rainer closed the door behind him, but the window next to her door told her that some of the women she worked with were taking the long way around the offices to get to their desks, and it made Grace smile.

'What's so amusing?" he crossed his arms.

"You," she pointed to the window, "them."

He turned to look out the window and caught a few women looking at him. Giving his most charming smile to them before he closed the blinds. When he turned back towards her he had turned his look of displeasure on high.

"Did your roommates tell you that I stopped by to visit you a few weeks ago? You were out with your new boyfriend James." He crossed his arms in front of him.

Grace felt her smile fade as she sat in the chair behind her. "No, they didn't mention it."

She knew that Christine and Angie would have told him all. Even if they had been able to keep the secret with everyone else, Rainer would have had it out of them in only a few minutes.

He watched her silently as she stared at him. She wasn't going to admit something that he might not know.

"I'm confused Grace." Rainer took the seat opposite her desk.

"Are you Rainer? Grace pulled her satchel onto her lap and started to unpack her days work. Gathering the things she would need to take with her to class because it kept her from having to look at him.

"I remember a conversation we had in my apartment where you said that Bryce believed that you had given me something that he wanted that you wouldn't give to him. Now, I may be mistaken, but I had assumed that you were talking about sex. Was I wrong?"

"No." Grace cleared her throat.

"So imagine my surprise when I find out that you were pregnant."

"Were is the operative word there Rainer." Grace's voice broke as she fought the tears.

Rainer looked at her for a moment, allowing her to collect herself.

"Just how well do you know Brian Alexander?"

Grace lifted her head in shock. That was not what she expected.

"I have never met the man but I hear he is a very attractive and rich man." Rainer continued at her shocked silence.

It was really happening a second time. Rainer was accusing her of having an affair with Brian just as Bryce had done. What was it about the Stevens men? Maybe it was in there genetic makeup to not trust women.

"He is," Grace said as she felt her anger start to rise.

"Cassie said that you both seemed very friendly."

"We were and still are. What of it?"

Grace dared him to accuse her of something. She wanted to be angry and Rainer was just as good a target as Bryce. She felt the anger as it rose in her and it made a wonderful change from the numbness she had felt for so long.

She was angry at Bryce, angry at Rainer, angry at Brian, but mostly she was angry at herself for allowing herself to fall for a man who would never love her back.

"Did you have an affair with Brian Alexander?" Rainer asked with a false calmness.

"Did your brother send you to ask that question?" As soon as she said it she shot up as all color drained from her face. "Did you tell him?"

"Tell him what Grace?"

Damn it, he had tricked her. "Did you tell him?" She felt panicked as she gripped the desk. Bryce couldn't know, he couldn't know  because then he would know what a failure she really was. Not just at their relationship, but at carrying their baby as well.

Their baby. The thought made her drop to her chair and the tears started to flow freely.

"Oh God Grace, I'm sorry." Rainer rose and moved to crouch in front of her.

"It was Bryce's, it would have been a little piece of him that I could have kept with me."

Rainer's arms came around her and held her as she cried.

"What happened Grace?"

"It's a long story and it doesn't matter."

"Does he know that you love him?"

"Yes, he has to, but part of him also thinks that I had an affair with you as well as Brian." She started to pull herself together. She had a class to teach. She reached for some tissues and wiped her eyes and nose. "You didn't tell him about the baby, did you?"

Rainer shook his head. He had a grim look on his face. "But you should have Grace."

"I would have in time, but I was so happy. I knew that he would think that I was trying to trap him and then he would have hated me."

She sighed as she stood up. "It doesn't matter now does it?"

Walking over to the mirror on the back of her door she started to fix her face. She looked horrible. "You really know how to make a girl glow Rainer." It was a weak joke.

"Are you free tomorrow night? The journalism department is giving me an award, and I need a date for the evening. We'll get all dressed up and have a night on the town. Black tie the works."

"No thank you, Rainer. I don't feel up to it."

"Please, Grace," he begged, "Look, I am sorrier than you will ever know. I really put my foot in it. Please go with me, then I will know that you and I are O.K."

"No, thank you Rainer, I am not interested in going. I accept your apology and we are O.K."

She moved back towards her desk and started to gather her things for her class.

"Great, I'll pick you up at seven. Wear that gown you wore to the Foster's fundraiser. You looked wonderful in that." He gave her a kiss on the nose. "I'll see you then. You can keep all of the panting females off of my back."

"Rainer!" But before she could protest he was gone.

Sighing she headed towards her class. She had to dedicate the next two hours to listening to final presentations about assorted topics none of which promised to be very interesting.

The class moved slowly, and she sat in the front off to one side as she watched the presentations. The last presenter was wrapping up when the door at the back of the classroom opened and distracted the class.

Grace followed everyone else's gaze and saw Bryce standing at the top of the steps looking down at her. He didn't seem angry which was what she would expect if Rainer had told him.

She urged the student to continue and barely heard a word he said as he finished his presentation. When he was done she gave her normal closing statement for the class wished everyone luck and sent them on their way.

Grace didn't move as she watched Bryce. He was watching her and they both missed the interested looks they were getting from her students.

After the class had emptied she cleared her throat. "Hello Bryce."

"Grace," he said as he started down the steps towards her.

His gaze was so intense she needed something to do so she started to gather her things.

"I had a meeting on campus and I thought we could go to lunch." His voice sounded odd even for Bryce.

"No thank you, Bryce. I really don't think that's a good idea."

"There's something I want to talk to you about."

"A benefits package no doubt."

Bryce flinched at her words.

"Why are you here Bryce? I don't want to have lunch with you, so just tell me so we can get it over with." She was convinced that he was going to lay into her about the pregnancy. When he remained silent she looked up at him again.

He was regarding her silently his face closed. "Clive contacted me about another dig and I wanted to talk to you about it, see if you were involved."

Grace felt relief. Rainer must not have told him. "No, don't worry, I haven't been asked to return to England."

They looked at each other and the world stopped for just a seconded. Bryce looked as if he wanted to say something else, but when he only nodded she forced herself to look away. "If that's, all I have to grade some papers."

She picked up her bag and walked away, not knowing why he had sought her out in person when an email would have done, but she pushed the thought aside, not wanting to look to deeply into it.