After she closed the door behind her, Laura sunk onto the toilet and rested her head in her hands. Why was an evening out never simple? She wanted to be home alone, on her couch with a mug of tea, an old movie, and her knitting. To her that sounded like bliss.

She knew that she would have to keep her mask on all night, and that she would go back to the hotel exhausted because of it. If this was Davis's idea of showing her a goodtime he was way off base.

Laura knew why he had brought her here now. It wasn't to impress them it was to impress her with Cassandra Stevens, and under other circumstances she probably would have been, but all she was now was stressed.

Her phone buzzed and she reached into her small purse and pulled it out to see who was calling her. The number was Tabitha's. Wonderful. Well, she would deal with it later, she had tonight to get through first. Standing up, she looked at herself in the mirror to make sure that every hair was in place. As usual it was. She stood there for a few more moments before realizing that she couldn't hide any longer.

Taking a deep breath, she put on her game face and opened the door. She almost jumped when she saw Davis leaning against the wall.

"You alright?" he asked with a concerned look.

"I'm fine." She gave her charming smile and turned off the light behind her.

"No, you're not, but you hide it well, I'll give you that." He took her arm to lead her towards the others but she hesitated, causing him to stop.

It went against everything in her, but there was a part of her that really liked Davis, and she didn't want him to think poorly of her.

"I'm sorry I'm being so rude tonight. I know that I'm ruining your evening, so maybe I should just go?" Please say O.K., please, Laura pleaded silently.

He turned to look down at her, his eyes searching hers. "I'll admit that you were rude to Caleb, who was giving you a sincere complement, but considering what you expected this evening to be, I get that, not to mention the man in the elevator at the hotel probably made you put your guard up automatically."

"You noticed that?" Laura asked, unable to mask her surprise.

"Yes, I did, and I felt like hitting him, or at least calling him on it, but I guessed that would only make you more uncomfortable."

This man didn't miss much. Laura looked down at her hands unsure. "It's my job to be on display, I can hardly complain when it happens, even if I don't want it to, complaining about it is a bit hypocritical."

"There is looking at a woman with admiration and then there is looking at a woman the way that man was looking at you. Not only was he with someone, but he was looking at you as if you were someone with no feelings at all."

"Well, in photos I don't have feelings do I. It's hard to turn that thought process off when you see the real thing."

Davis reached out and put his hand on her arms and gave her a little shake. "Why are you justifying the way a stranger feels? Who is this that is talking? Because I don't think it's you Laura. You are the woman who just, very eloquently, told off my sister."

Laura looked down at her feet. He was right, it was her father talking. She had heard him say that to her many times when they had been in public together and she was openly stared at by one person or another. Wanting to end the conversation before it went any further she forced a smile. "Well I'm sorry. That's all I'm trying to say."

"Are you going to apologize to my sister?" Davis asked with a touch of humor in his voice.

"No, I'll apologize about making you uncomfortable with what I said, but I'm not sorry that I said it." Laura looked into his eyes, letting him know she meant it. His sister had been just as rude to as she had.

"Good. Lizzy was unbearably rude. It really isn't like her, and I am pleased that you were just as rude to her as she was to you."

This time Laura's smile was sincere as she shook her head. "I can't figure out what you want Davis?"

"I've already told you what I want Laura." He took her hand and led her down the hall towards a backdoor and a wide patio that was encircled by paper lanterns and comfy looking furniture. There was a fire pit in the middle and a built in grill off to one side. Surprisingly, there was no pool just an acre of grass that was bordered by lush foliage. It was true oasis right in the middle of the big city.

"It's lovely isn't it?" Cassie asked, coming up next to her. "Caleb designed it for us a few years ago."

"Yea, and you still haven't paid me." He held out his plate to the man at the grill who placed a steak on it.

"Laura, this is my husband Mason. Mason this is Laura." Cassie introduced as she approached him with a plate of her own.

Laura looked at the handsome man grinning at her. His face was instantly recognizable as the actor Mason Stevens, but what caught her off guard was just how much Davis looked like him, especially when he smiled.

"I know you're astounded by my beauty. It happens a lot." Mason winked at her before turning back to the grill.

"No, I am just amazed at the family resemblance, that coupled with the name Stevens should give most people enough clues to figure out the connection," Laura said honestly.

"Surprisingly, not many people do," Davis said, reaching for a plate.

"Would you like a steak?" Mason asked, holding up a large slab of beef.

Laura's stomach turned at the thought. "No thank you, I am not that hungry."

"Trying to watch that girlish figure?" Lizzy asked from across the patio.

Not wanting to continue to be rude Laura just forced a smile and shook her head. "No, I'm just not that hungry."

"Where are you from?" Caleb asked, trying to change the topic quickly. Here seemed to be the peace maker in the family. Laura now felt even worse for being so rude earlier. She gave him a genuine smile as she accepted a glass of wine from him.

"I'm from Virginia."

"That's a beautiful part of the country. I remember our mother took us there often to learn about our founding fathers and the founding of this great nation. Our father is English and I think she worried that we would side more with the Red Coats when the story was told." Caleb led her to a chair.

"And that all depended on the day." Davis laughed.

"And who was telling the story," Mason added. "We had one guide who Lizzy swore was a witch, she was so afraid of her."

"Yes, we all put on our best English accents and did our best to send her to an early grave." Davis laughed again at the memory.

"But the rebels were acting against the king," Davis said in a perfectly posh English accent.

"They were traitors against our country," Caleb added in the same accent.

"How can you dare defend such anarchists?" Mason said as he clutched his chest, continuing on with the story.

"We went on like that for about five minutes before our mother was called and asked to remove us from the audience." Caleb shook his head. "I think she was more proud of the fact that we had planned and acted out the whole charade as unit than she was mad at the fact that we were rude."

"It still didn't save us from our punishment though, did it?" Davis reminded them as he took a bite of his steak.

"What was that?" Cassie asked, not having heard the story herself.

The three brothers looked at each other and grinned.

"She made us copy every word in the United States Constitution," Mason said

"It took us all summer," Caleb added.

Laura was able to remain silent the rest of the evening as the rest of the group talked and enjoyed their night together. It was fun to watch them interact with each other. Their love and affection for one another was evident, and it was so unlike her family, which was filled with so many secrets it made it impossible to fathom that kind of understanding acceptance, and she didn't want to because it wasn't her reality.

"Laura, Davis tells me that you enjoy my music," Cassie said, ignoring the others and reaching for her hand.

Laura couldn't help the blush. "Yes, I do enjoy your music," She admitted as she allowed Cassie to pull her up from her chair and lead her back into the house and towards a large piano. The room she was led into was cozy. The wood was dark and the furniture was in hues for reds and golds making it feel almost like a Bedouin tent.

Laura turned her attention from the room to the woman behind the piano, whose fingers were caressing the keys. "Do you have a favorite song?"

"I have many," Laura said, watching the redhead as she nodded in agreement. "There are too many good ones to choose just one."

Laura watched as she started to play and a Gershwin tune unfolded. Laura sat mesmerized as one after the other Cassandra Evans serenaded her with old show tunes. The others all remained on the back porch, not interested in Cassie's impromptu show.

Laura couldn't say for sure how long she played, but eventually Davis joined them.

"I hate to break up the party but we have an early day tomorrow." He leaned down and gave Cassie a kiss goodbye and then turned to Laura.

"Are you ready to go?"

Laura nodded, standing, as the magic of a private performance by Cassandra Stevens started to wear off and reality began to creep in again. They had to be up at 3am so that they could get some shots in the dark. They were planning on shooting at the Gramen Theater.

"Thank you for dinner Cassandra," Laura said as she held out her hand.

"Please, call me Cassie, and I feel bad, you did all of the cooking and you didn't eat a thing." Cassie took her hand with a smile.

"Don't worry, I have a secret stash of food in my room. If I wake-up hungry in the middle of the night I won't have to go far."

Davis put his hand in the small of her back and steered her towards the door.

"Goodbye brother," Caleb said from behind them. "Laura, it was nice to meet you." His smile was sincere and Laura couldn't help but return it.

"It was nice to meet you as well." Davis started pushing her out the door while he was still talking to his family, and Laura quietly allowed herself to he led away.

"So what's the verdict?" Davis asked after they were loaded back into the truck and on their way back to the hotel. "I know it started off a little rough, but I did manage to get you a private concert from Cassandra Stevens. Surely that is worth another date?"

"I'll think about it. I was forced to cook dinner and insulted by your sister numerous times." Laura couldn't keep the smile out of her voice as she responded.

"I'm sorry about that. She has tried the protective role before, and it didn't go over well then either."

Laura knew she would kick herself later for asking but she couldn't resist. "With your other girlfriends." Laura tried to make her voice sound casual as if the answer didn't matter.

"So you're my girlfriend?" Laura could make out Davis's grin in the dim light from the dashboard. "Are we going steady?"

Laura couldn't help but roll her eyes at the horrible cliché. "No to both."

Davis shook his head but his smile remained. "She was rude to my sister-in-law Grace. She wasn't pleased about her appearance on the scene."

"But she was never rude to Cassie?" It felt odd to refer to Cassandra Stevens as Cassie.

"No, surprisingly she took to Cassie and Dana right away. Which considering Mason is Lizzy's twin makes it a little more odd. I would have expected her to be a little jealous about Cassie."

"Mason and Lizzy are twins?" Laura took a moment to let that fact sink in. "Who is Grace married to, and Dana?"

"Grace is married to my eldest brother Bryce, and Dana is married to the third eldest, Quinn."

Laura's head was spinning. "I am totally confused isn't there one missing?" Cassie had mentioned six brothers.

"Rainer is the second eldest then comes Mason, Lizzy, me and Caleb is the youngest."

"But only Mason, Bryce and Quinn are married?"

"Lizzy is married too."

Laura kept her thoughts on that subject to herself.

"We all agree that her husband is a very brave man," Davis said, reading her thoughts.

"I didn't say a word." Laura said defensively. Was the man a mind reader?

"You're easy to read Laura, at least for me." His voice was so soft that she almost didn't hear him, and since she didn't know what to say to that she pretended she didn't.

"What about you, is Charlie your only sibling?" Charlotte had insisted on having him call her by her nickname.

"No." She knew he was just trying to make conversation but a conversation about her brother would lead nowhere good.

The rest of the journey was made in silence as the mood in the car changed. When they arrived at the hotel the silence continued until they were outside their rooms.

"Goodnight Laura," Davis said, watching her as she fumbled with her keycard.

"Goodnight Davis," she returned as she opened her door. When she turned it was to find him watching her with a quizzical look.

"You never did tell me if I would get another date or not." He moved to his door and opened it.

"I'll think about it and let you know."

His gaze dropped to her lips. "Your sure you don't want to ask for a goodnight kiss Laura?"

The way he said her name made her toes curl. His voice was low and rough, and Laura couldn't help but let her gaze travel down to his lips. She must have been staring because she saw them twitch in amusement.

"I'm sure, Davis." she said as she turned and slammed her door behind her.

What was wrong with her? Could she have been more obvious? She threw herself down on the bed with a groan.

She felt like a teenager not a grown woman.