His desk had been removed before she got there that morning and her papa had stayed up late last night re-assembling the crib. Aunt Jennifer told them to go ahead and use it if they chose not to buy a new one. It remained just inside the room for now, until Stephanie could clear away the last of her father�s things. With both of her parents working full shifts that week, she had instantly volunteered to get the baby�s room all fixed up.

There wasn�t much for her to do on this visit home but get together with family and friends. It would only be a two-week visit before she had to return and prepare for her next race. So far, her parents hadn�t said much about her being on the team. It was the same, that�s wonderful news remark, followed by a long moment of silence. Her membership was temporary and short, so they really had no cause to be upset by it.

Stephanie figured correctly that the reason was linked to how long she would be away for now. She knew Kayla had hoped she would be around to help her with things. It did make her feel bad that she was missing out on so much, but it was either doing something for her career or staying home and thinking about it. She wasn�t going to be gone forever and while she was there, she would do anything to help her parents out.

Steve had spent a good deal of their lunch a couple of days ago making little biting remarks about Elliot Lansing. Stephanie could understand his apprehension regarding the man. Considering what his parents did to her papa, she would be first, if not second on the bandwagon to discredit him. But in the same token, she would also have been unfriendly towards Benjamin. Yet just the opposite was true with either man. She liked them both and was good friends with both. Her father loved Benjamin and he was a DiMera. So, why the disgruntled attitude towards Elliot?

It was moments like that where Stephanie really didn't know what to make of her papa. He acted almost jealous that they had become friends. Picking up another of his boxes, she carried it out to the hallway and proceeded to go down the stairs. Before she was able to reach the bottom step, the doorbell rang and she left the box just by the sofa in the living room. Answering the door, the person who had been in her thoughts that past minute now stood smiling at her on the doorstep.

"Elliot! What are you doing here?" She looked up at him in surprise as he smiled gingerly down at her and gave a small nod of his head.

"I'm here to see you. May I come in?" Elliot was anything if polite and courteous.

Giving herself a soft slap on the cheek, Stephanie stepped aside and motioned for him to enter. "Yes. Of course. Don't mind me." She told him, silently chastising herself. "How did you know I was here?"

Elliot had walked into the living room and took a cursory look around, noting the furniture and decorations. He paused a moment seeing the boxes by the sofa before looking back at Stephanie to answer her question. "Simple deduction. I just assumed, if you weren't at the loft, you must be here... and I guessed correctly."

Giving a small half laugh, she walked up to him and motioned towards the sofa. "Please... have a sit. Can I get you anything... coffee... no wait, tea!"

"Thank you, no" Seeing her dressed down attire and that her hair was in a ponytail behind her head, he inquired about the boxes. "I fear I may have interrupted something. Were you unpacking...?" He asked her as she saw where his attention was focused.

"Oh, no, nothing like that. I'm helping my parents by fixing up the nursery. They're both working full shifts this week and wanted to get started on it, so... I said I could get things unpacked already." Pointing to the boxes Stephanie mentioned they were Steve's. "My dad still had a few of his things there, so I packed them up for him."

"I see." He simply said.

Looking at him a moment, Stephanie wondered if she could get him to help her out. "You know, now that you're here, maybe you could help me with the room. There's still a couple of more boxes that need to come down and the crib has to be moved... or do you not do manual labor." She leaned in closer and took a look at his hands, which were currently hanging loosely at his side. "Hmmm?" She said. "Such clean and polished nails... maybe not?" She told him, her eyes lit up in mischief.

"I assure you, Stephanie, I can quite handle any task you may have." Unbuttoning his suit, he removed his jacket and folded it carefully, letting it drape over the back of the sofa. Giving her a small smile in return, he pointed towards the staircase and inclined his head towards her. "Shall we?"

"All right, follow me." She laughed and bounded for the stairs. He walked behind her as she half ran up the steps and down the hall to the nursery. Elliot's steps were steady and measured in comparison and he appeared but moments later in the same room. There were still several bags of baby articles on the floor by the closet as well as a few unopened boxes. The last of Steve's personal belonging were in two large bulky boxes and Stephanie lifted one and unceremoniously dumped in into Elliot's arms when he came up behind her.

"Here, you take this and bring it downstairs." She ordered him, as she bent down again to retrieve the last one. When she got up and turned around, it was to see him still standing there watching. "Well go on!"

Letting his grin grow, he turned and walked briskly out the door, and back down to the living room. He placed his box to join the others and when Stephanie came up to him, she added hers on top of his. "Okay, now, we need to move the crib. Let's go."

They tried moving it to one wall first before she remembered that Kayla wanted it on the other side closer to the window. Elliot looked to where she pointed and gave a slight shake of his head. "Won't there be a direct draft if we place it there. Perhaps nearer the closet is better."

Stephanie looked to where he was suggesting and frowned slightly. "I think the changing table was suppose to go there."

Walking back to where the crib was meant to go, he looked at the level of the window to the crib and thought for a moment about the placement. "I suppose it would be all right... so long as we don't put it too close to the window."

"You seem to know a lot about these things?"

"Not really. I just remember nanny saying something like that to the gardener's wife when she was expecting. Even a closed window will emit a slight breeze of air."

"You had a nanny?"

"Yes. Nanny Sanderson took care of me until I began my education."

She looked back at him, half amused and half in awe. "I don't think I ever knew anyone who had a nanny before. I don't suppose she was anything like Nanny McPhee."

"Do you mean, did she have warts, stringing hair, a large front tooth and carried a magic cane in her carpet bag?"

"Did she?" Stephanie asked laughing.

"Well not during the day. When the sun was out, she was quiet respectable looking, but after hours? Well... I caught her once removing her hair... the nightmare I suffered afterwards!" He shuddered at her, as she laughed some more.

"That's the first joke you ever made... did you realize that?"

"It was the first one I ever thought of." He had leaned back against the crib to watch as she picked up one of the shopping bags and began to empty the contents. Several baby blankets, towels, washcloths, dressing gown were placed on top of the boxes as she sorted through them.

"You should laugh more. Your whole face lights up when you do." She was kneeling on the floor then, taking the matching sets and placing them in different piles as she reached for another bag.

"How do you know I don't laugh often? Perhaps when I'm at work, I laugh all the time."

"I hardly think so!" She told him. Her face was so full of doubt at the idea. "You really come off as being the serious type. I mean look at how you dressed!"

Looking down at himself, he glances quickly at his trousers and see a small smudge of dust. He wipes at it and looks up to see her half laughing at him. "Tell me, have you tried to wear more casual looking clothes more than twice in your life? Every time I see you... you're always in a suit."

"I consider myself to be quite smart looking."

"Oh believe me, you are that, but sometimes smart looking... can equal to dull looking and even stiff looking!"

"Well I do dress casually."

"When?"

"When the occasion calls for it."

"The occasion...? Oh boy! Do you need lessons in how to relax?"

He suppressed a smile at her cheeky comment, but called her on it just the same. "You don't seem to find me stiff when we're racing?"

"That's because that's the only time I don't see you in a suit." Then she thought about it and amended herself. "I meant a business suit, not racing... well you know what I mean."

Giving her a chuckle, he admitted she had good points. "I guess you can say, racing is the only opportunity I have to...let my hair down? It's why I can never give it up, even when I still have my company to run."

"See... now that's something I don't get. I know racing isn't a lifetime job, but you already have a company... well you're part owner of one. Why start up your own when you can run Brymera with Benjamin?"

"You mean, why don't I follow in the family business?" When she nodded at him, he crossed his arms across his chest and lowered his head to think. For a minute, she watched him as he contemplated his answer. When he looked up at her again, he unfolded his hands and made a brushing gesture with his fingers against the underside of his cheek. In a good imitation of Marlon Brando as the godfather he answered her question " The family business... it's a tricky matter." He gestured widely with his hands as Stephanie burst out laughing. "It was an offer I couldn't refuse... but... I didn't have a horse, so I wasn't worried about saying no."

"Oh that was mean!"

"Actually I did have a horse when I was younger."

"See you should do that more. Laugh... joke around."

"Maybe." He let out a sigh as he watched her putting more things in the bottom drawers. She had gone through another bag when he brought up her next two races. "Have you gotten any practice since you've been here? You should be on the track every day, even if it's just for an hour."

Shaking her head at him, she lifted another pile of blue blankets and put them away. "No. I've been really bad since coming home. I know... I know... if I want to get ahead... I've got to stay focused and just do it."

"Maybe... deep down inside, you know it's just temporary." He suggested to her.

"You mean in like... fifteen years or so, I may not be doing this...?" Sighing deeply, she shrugs her shoulders and sits back down on the floor by the bags. "I don't want to think about what could happen then. It's the now that concerns me."

"Perhaps... I could meet you with you at the tracks tomorrow... if you want to do some practice runs."

"You're offering to help me... your competition? Max would never do that!"

"I'm not Max Brady." He told her as his eyes gazed down at her as she sat looking up at him.

For an instant, Stephanie felt her face grow warm as Elliot smiled at her. "No... you're not." She felt a funny little flutter in her stomach. It never happened before, least wise not with Elliot Lansing.

"Of course... if you'd rather not accept my help."

"Oh no. I'll take it!" She stood up suddenly. "I think Max will be at the track tomorrow too. I love it when I leave him in the dust. He always looks so small when I view him from my rearview mirror."

"You've got a killer instinct... it's good, in a way. You need that to win in racing."

"So..." She had placed her hands in her pocket as she rocked a little on the balls of her feet. "You are coming to see me race in Hamburg?"

"Perhaps." He grew silent for a moment. "Will Benjamin come to see you?"

"He didn't say either way. He hasn't been to the other four... so maybe... I don't know. He can't seem to make any real plans right now."

"Yes, I know. I've gotten the quarterly reports and he's been so preoccupied trying to learn everything all these months. I know the last thing he wants is to run Brymera... but if he doesn't...?

"It has to be family?"

Nodding his head at her, Elliot confesses, he didn't want to do it. "I supposed it was wrong of me to lay all of the burden on his shoulders... but once he's more familiar with the company, he should be able to delegate some of his duties and take some much needed time off."

"Did you spend a lot of time growing up together?"

"No. Not really. I didn't actually meet him until he came to England to attend university. He stayed with us then, while on holiday."

"You seem to get along really well."

"Benjamin's a good man. I quite respect the man... and look up to him."

"I guess you really didn't get to know your other cousins. I was lucky because my Aunt Kim lived close by and I had my cousins Andrew and Jeannie to hang out with. I only saw my Aunt Adrienne's boys a few times and my cousins here in Salem... I met when I finally came here to live here. Abby and I have become really close though."

"She quite a beautiful young woman." Narrowing her eyes at him, she suddenly felt a little jealous that he would notice Abby. "But then again... so are you." He added with a smile and she felt all warm and fuzzy inside.

"You're being a tease now."

"You did say you wanted me to joke around more."

"Me and my big mouth." She laughed out loud. Reaching for one of the large boxes on the floor, she called him over for some help. "Come here." She ordered as he immediately obeyed her. "This needs to be opened." She hands him some scissors as he cuts away at the top.

Pulling out a tall looking compact pail, it reminds Elliot of a paper shredder but with a funny looking hole on top. "What is this?" He asks her perplexed.

"A diaper trash can. See you push a soiled diaper here." She points to the opening. "...And it closes afterwards so you don't smell anything."

Grimacing slightly at the thought of soiled diapers, he just smiled at her and turned away. "How very... useful." She had started folding the empty shopping bags and placed them on a chair. He saw another box on the floor and bent down to pick it up. It contained a musical mobile to be placed attached on the crib. He was just about to open it when Stephanie stopped him.

"Oh wait. I think my dad wanted to do that when my mom got home."

"Understood." He told her as he placed the box down on the floor. Noting the happy expression on her face, he commented on how she must be feeling regarding the new sibling she would soon have. "You must really want a brother or sister?"

"Of course! I am so happy for my parents, especially my dad. He missed out on my growing up." Elliot's happy countenance suddenly fell when she said that and she recalled how it had been his parents that kept her father away from his family. "Elliot... I didn't mean you were to blame..."

"No need to apologize, Stephanie." He quickly replied back. "It's no secret my parents were involved."

"They were... but you weren't."

Looking at her a moment he tries to change the subject back to the baby. "You won't be an only child anymore. But it would be different to have another sibling now... after all.. it's not as though you'll have to share your toys with him."

"No. I'll probably have to baby-sit instead." She said grinning. "You're an only child too."

"Yes." He told her, sighing.

Stephanie watched him, wondering if she should even bring up Portia. He never spoke about his mother and it was understandable. Benjamin had told her how Portia left her family behind. Even when she met with Elliot years later, she still was distant to him, never allowing herself to love her son. Of course, Greyson wasn't exactly a warm man either. His childhood maybe have looked ideal and attractive, but she was pretty sure, it was anything but. Whether Elliot wanted to admit it, she was quite certain he was very deeply hurt by his mother's abandonment.

Licking her lips, she just asked him about her. He probably wouldn't say much, but she asked all the same. "You never talk about her... your mom."

"There's not much to tell."

"I just can't believe... well... you spent time with her for so many years."

"I visited her here every year, since I was twelve. Each summer I would stay at her house... then when autumn came, I went back home."

"Didn't you do things while you were together? I mean she lived by the lake! You must have gone sailing or even swimming?"

Elliot looked at her a moment, recalling the summers of his childhood at Portia's castle. "She let me read her books."

Stephanie waited for him to say more, but nothing followed. "That's it. You read?" She told him aghast by the news.

"She wasn't much into entertaining or traveling... so yes. That was about all... I did."

Her face fell as he looked back at her. She was so saddened by the idea that he spent such lonely summers with his mother for years. No wonder the man barely laughed. He was what Kayla regarded as a lost puppy dog. The Brady women seemed to drawn to men like that her mother told her years ago. That why Kayla had fallen for her father, because Steve was just the same. He acted all rough and tough on the outside, but in his heart, he was just so wounded and hurt, it was all Kayla could do not to wrap her arms around him and give him a hug.

Somehow Elliot was giving off the same vibes. Stephanie wasn't a hundred percent certain, but she was beginning to think this highly accomplished and successful man, in his tailored suits was just a hurt, lost boy inside. It was pretty hard to tell from the confident way he presented himself, but he wasn't perfect. He had chinks and cracks in his armor too, just like her papa.

"After I finished the books in her library, I read her magazines, then her cook books. In the end, she let me read her diary!"

Stephanie turned back in surprise at him. He looked so solemn and serious, but then she saw the smile he was hiding. Picking up some paper on the floor, she crumpled it into a ball and threw it at him as he started to laugh. "You don�t believe me?" He teased.

"No!"

"I supposed it wouldn�t have been so bad if she only had a television. You can only read Shakespeare�s play a hundred times each before they get boring."

"Why didn�t you just ask her to buy one?"

"You mean that�s all it takes?" He hit his palm against his forehead and gave her a mock look of understanding. "Now she tells me!"

Stephanie�s laughter had floated down to the lower level. Steve heard it as he entered the house. A quick frown appeared on his face as he started up the stairs and went directly towards the nursery. What he came face to face with was seeing his girl joking around and laughing with the man who currently held the top position on his, "I don�t trust you yet." list.

Stephanie was all giggling near him and when she saw Steve, she came over to give him a hug and kiss. "Dad! You�re home. Look who dropped by for a visit?"

Elliot walked immediately over and extended his hand. "Mr. Johnson." He told Steve cordially.

He hesitated a single second before return the man�s handshake. Narrowing his lips, he pressed them together as he took another deep breath and crinkled up his nose. I don�t even have to look, he thought to himself. Steve could smell him as soon as he entered the house. Elliot was the first man he knew of who smelled like he fell into a vat of Burberry Brit.

**********

"I�d love to stay for dinner. Thank you Dr. Johnson�for the invitation."

Elliot smiled at Kayla as she stood by the dining table and put down the four sets of dishes she carried. "Stephanie, can you set the table while your father and I get dinner started?"

"Sure mom!"

Steve had not moved from the spot he stood at. His eye bulged out and his mouth opened slightly when Kayla invited that man, to their house for dinner. Now he had to eat with him too? Following her to the kitchen, he waited until they were out of ear shot before talking with her.

"Sweetness, Baby! Have you lost your mind?"

"Shhhh! Steve he�ll hear you."

"Well, then maybe he�ll leave."

"What�s the matter now? It�s just dinner. Do you want to handle the chicken or should I do it?"

"We really have to feed him?" He asked her as he roughly pulled the chicken from the refrigerator and banged it on the kitchen counter.

"Dinner usually entails eating. Look, if you�re not up to it, I�ll work on the chicken and you can do the salad."

"No you�re tired. I�ll cook that darn thing." Grabbing a knife he started hacking away at the pieces tossing them in a bowl. The noise level suddenly grew louder as he held, then dropped and slightly cursed at bottles of spice and herbs. Pouring some oil to coat the meat, he quickly tossed it and the seasonings together before placing the bowl back on the table. Then retrieving an oblong pan, he arranged the piece then placed the whole pan in the broiler to cook.

A messy trail of spilled oil, with splashes of pepper, rosemary and salt littered the kitchen counter top as Kayla, put aside the salad she was making to clean up after her husband. He had unceremoniously dumped everything he used in the sink and quickly washed his hands. Before she had a chance to question him, he moved to the door was and looked into the living room to check on the guest.

Stephanie and Elliot were sitting down on the sofa side by side looking through one of the family photo albums. When they came across what must have been a humorous picture, they both burst out laughing as Elliot easily moves one arm behind his daughter until it rests upon the back of the sofa. Steve starts making choking noises as he calls his wife over to see what that man was doing.

Kayla rolls her eyes a little as she puts the final touches to their salad and puts it back in the refrigerator. She sees Steve motioning to her to come to the doorway and she takes her time going there.

"Steve, he really seems to be nice and Stephanie likes him."

By the time she reaches his side, his eyes have narrowed. He lifts his eye brow as he pushes her in front of him and tells her in her ear to see just what was going on over there. Kayla looks in and sees a perfectly normal scene of two people looking through an album. She waits a minute, trying to make sense of what Steve is pushing at, then turns away from him and pulls at his arms to lead him away from the door.

"Well?" He asks her. "Did you see?"

"See? See what? They�re looking at pictures."

Exasperated, he gives her a crest fallen look that she hasn�t picked up on what was wrong with the whole scene. "I know they�re looking at pictures� I meant� do you see his arm around her?"

Her own confusion clearly showed on Kayla�s face now. "His arm was on the sofa back."

"But it was behind Stephanie." He emphasized.

"Because that�s where the sofa back is."

"Look� don�t you get it, why couldn�t he just leave his hands on his knees or tucked away in his pocket."

"Because it would look ridiculous and probably be uncomfortable."

"Kayla�don�t you feel anything wrong about this whole thing?"

Shaking her head, she gives him a questioning look. "He helped you, do you remember that?"

"Well, yeah, he did� but he�s also Portia and Greyson�s son."

"So you�re holding that against him. I mean if you�re doing that route, then you should be just as mad at Benjy."

"No, I�m not mad� I just wish he wasn�t hanging around here� so much."

Incredulously, Kayla opened her eyes wider at his words. "This is the first time he�s ever come to our house."

"But Stephanie keeps talking about him. It�s almost like he�s always here."

"You�re being ridiculous. Look I�ve got to finish the rest of dinner." She takes a coupe of steps and looks back at him. "Are you going to help or not?"

"All right, all right." He continues to mumble as he checks the chicken dish in the broiler, seeing it begin to brown, he lowers the temperature and gets a serving dish ready. "You know he smells funny!"

"He does not!"

"What� you don�t smell that cologne all over the house. I almost passed out it was so overpowering."

"Just stop it and get that bread cut up." She tells him as he marches over to the breakfast table and opens the bag containing a loaf of French bread.

"Then he keeps calling me Mr. Johnson all the time. Nice to see you again, Mr. Johnson� You�re looking well, Mr. Johnson� Did you have a good day Mr. Johnson?" Shaking his head and upper body, Steve just agitates himself further.

Biting at her lower lips, Kayla places a hand on her belly and rubs a small circle there before walking up to her husband. She comes up from behind and places her hands on his arms as his tirade continues. "Are you calming down yet." She gently asks him.

"No."

"Can you calm down long enough to give me a kiss?"

He turns quickly and gives her a small one on her lips before returning to the bread. She frowns behind him and smacks her lips aloud. "That was so small, I hardly felt it."

Hearing her complaint, he drops the knife on the table and wipes his hands on the dishtowel. He loosens up and pulls his sleeves back then takes his wife into his arms. Steve bends Kayla backwards in a dip and gives her a long, deep, lingering kiss as her giggles fills the air. When he pulls back up, his face final reflects a huge smile as she remains in his arms, grinning up at him.

"Now that was a kiss� Mr. Johnson."

"Now how come it doesn�t bother me when you say Mr. Johnson."

It actually wouldn't have mattered where Elliot sat at the dining table, Steve would see him and it would still affect his appetite. Though sitting directly across wasn't exactly what he had in mind. Maybe if he had been on his left, Steve could turn his head just enough that he would just be out of reach of his peripheral vision. Sadly, Kayla had him sit opposite her husband and it was enough to render Steve quiet for most of the meal. When he did take a bite of food, he seemed to chew it longer than necessary before swallowing.

If Elliot would turn his head to look at their daughter, Steve's gaze would follow as well. He would then look at her, giving Kayla that look before giving a small shake of his head and resume eating. Stephanie, bless her heart, seemed oblivious to her father's silent treatment and chattered on endless. Kayla kept up her end of the conversation while Elliot entertained both women with stories of his past racing victories and current business ventures.

"You know my dad is opening up his own private investigation company." Stephanie bragged to him about her father's plans as Elliot perked up his ears to the news. "He and Uncle Bo and Mr. Black are going to be partners in it. Right dad?"

"That's right baby."

"I had no idea you were going into business for yourself Mr. Johnson."

At the sound of his name, Steve could feel his muscles cringed again.

Was it just the man's voice that irritated him so, Steve wondered? "It's just something we want to do on the side."

"So I take it you will remain with the police force as well, Sir?"

"If you're asking if I'm quitting... then the answer would be no."

"If I may... offer my services. I can give you some helpful hints in regards to running an office and taking care of accounts."

"I don't want your ..." Kayla's foot kicked at him suddenly as he turned to her, his sentence cut off. She took a big bite of her carrot then and kept her head focused on the plate.

"You don't want what, Dad?"

Glaring at his wife, he cleared his throat and gave his daughter a smile. "I don't want Elliot to... go... out of his... way. I'm sure John can take care of all that."

"Yes of course." Elliot replied. "How remiss of me to forget. Mr. Black would know how to run a business efficiently."

Stephanie took a drink of water and brought up possible locations for their office. "But you still need to find an office space. Have you tried downtown?"

"Bo's been looking for a place." Steve told her as Kayla sweetly asked him to pass the bread. He picked up the plate and held it in his hands a second longer than necessary before passing it to her. His leg was still smarting from her kick.

"Well perhaps I could help you after all. I know for a fact that there is available office space in my building. It's on the same floor as my company, in fact."

"That would be great." Stephanie had put down her fork and leaned slightly towards the man. "If dad's office was there I could see the both of you if I went to visit."

And that precisely why I wouldn't take the space even if they gave it to me for free, Steve thought. "Hold on, baby!" He told his daughter. I haven't agreed to anything yet. I still have to run this by your Uncle Bo and John."

Elliot smiled at him and Steve instinctively sat back in his chair. That toothy wide grin just made him uneasy. "I don't believe Mr. Black would object. He's been wanting to acquire a space there for sometime, but none have become vacant until now."

"Well that settles everything." Stephanie told them as Kayla quickly looked to Steve.

"Baby, why don't you let your father look at the room first? Who knows it maybe too big or too small for what he has in mind. Let's not be too hasty about this."

"Okay then, let's go check it out tomorrow. You can come downtown right, Dad? Maybe around your lunch hour."

"No I'm really busy tomorrow."

Not to be deterred, Stephanie suggests an afternoon visit. "How about after work?"

"Tomorrow's not good." As Stephanie opened her mouth to mention the following day, Steve beat her to it. "The day after tomorrow's bad too. Thanks for the tip, but we'll probably have to pass."

But Stephanie wouldn't stop and was still determined to get him to go there. "Why pass. You haven't even seen the place."

"I'll find another location, baby! I'm sure there's other places in Salem."

"But this one would be so convenient!"

Kayla interceded then and tried to get their daughter to back down. "Maybe you father's right. There must be more available office around. Perhaps he'll find one closer to the station... or closer to home."

"I just don't see why he would even give this place a chance."

Steve rolled his eye and let his frustration kick in and speak for him. "Cause I'd rather lose an eye than..." The foot came back and struck him harder this time. Steve visible jumped in his chair as Kayla stood and offered dessert.

"So, is everyone done? I hope you all left room for dessert." She picked up her plate and reached over to take Steve's. She saw him breathing hard and looked murderous at her as she smiled back and turned to Stephanie. "Doll, can you help me."

"That was an excellent meal Dr. Johnson."

"Thank you, but the credit goes to the chef over there." She told him motioning to Steve.

"I had no idea you were a master gourmand, Mr. Johnson?"

"You'd be surprised... at all I can do."

Stephanie picked up hers and Elliot's plate and followed her mother to the kitchen. The two men were left at the table as Elliot smiled easily back at Steve. A moment of silence gathered between them but before Elliot could break it, Stephanie popped her head back.

"Dad! Coffee?"

He nodded and her as she repeated the same question. "Elliot?"

"Yes, thank you."

When Kayla returned to the table, she held a serving tray containing a large peach pie, a bowl of whipped cream and a stack of dessert plates and forks. Stephanie came back a minute later with a coffee pot. She went to the sideboard and got the cups and saucers Kayla had placed there earlier. Running back to the kitchen, she returned with the cream and sugar as Kayla handed out large pieces of pie. She placed the cream in the center of the table to allow each person to place as much or as little cream as they wanted.

When they sat down to eat. Steve picked up the bowl of cream last and put a heaping spoon beside his pie. He had been watching Elliot as the younger man worked on his dessert. He had commented that he hadn't eaten that much pie in the past, but the one he was currently consuming was noting short of spectacular. Who'd ever thought, you could describe pie that way. Oh, yes. The man was trying hard to be charming. Steve could almost see it oozing out of his pores. Turning to his daughter, he asked her about Benjy. So far, that was the one name he was expecting to hear about.

"I got an email from Benjy today. He mentioned trying really hard to catch your next race."

"Well I hope he can." Stephanie told him. "I was really disappointed he could make any of the others." Hearing that, Steve perked up some and decided to see just how Elliot felt about his cousin.

"Benjy's really someone you can admire, isn't he baby?' He put the question to his daughter. "I mean here he is working his tail off at that company, learning everything from the bottom up, and he doesn't really have to. He does it for his family. You just got to admire that kind of family devotion. Right Sweetness?"

Kayla nodded at him first. "You'll get no argument from me on that. I always knew he was a good and fine young man."

"Course he is, Dad!"

He turned last to Lansing. Steve wondered then if he would join the Benjy bandwagon or say something despairing about him. Maybe he'll show his true colors and ruin Stephanie's perfect image of him. Elliot had taken a sip of coffee after he placed his fork down to wipe at his mouth. Steve knew they had spent time together when Benjy came to England to study, but they never spoke much about those years.

"I always admired Benjamin." He told them. "He always rose above any difficult circumstance he was put into and never lost focus of who he was."

"You weren't jealous or anything when he came to live with you in England."

"Quite the opposite. We grew quite close, almost like brothers."

"Really?" Steve asked him, some doubt sprinkled across his question.

"Perhaps if we had been younger, there would have been more of a childhood rivalry... but no. We got on exceedingly well. We still do."

Stephanie smiled at him and brought up her own cousin. "That's the way Abby and I are. We're so close now, it's hard to believe we didn't grow up together."

Chewing on his lip, Steve felt strike two come up fast. Didn't matter, he said to himself. He still didn't like the guy, no matter how much he praised his cousin. Kayla knew what he was trying to do and tried to nudge him with her foot, but he just loved his leg away, so it was out of her reach. When they finished dessert, he felt sure the man would find an excuse to linger, but just the opposite happened. Apologizing for a sudden departure, he told them there was an early business meeting tomorrow and he really had to leave.

"Oh that's too bad." Stephanie remarked and stood up as Elliot thanked them all for dinner and reached for his coat. He extended his hand and thanked Kayla again then he turned to Steve to offer him the same and also for their hospitality. Stephanie walked him to the door and they said a quick goodbye. Steve thought he overheard that they would be meeting sometime tomorrow, but Kayla was already at him to help with the dishes. When the door finally closed and he was gone. Stephanie helped bring the rest of the plates to the kitchen as Kayla was already loading the dishwasher.

"Is he gone, baby?" Steve asked right off as Kayla narrowed her eyes at his question.

"Yeah, but I'll see him tomorrow."

"What for?"

"He said he'll come down to the track after his meeting and give me some more pointers." Checking her own watch, she told them she would be leaving soon herself and went upstairs to wash up before going home.

His wife kept her back to him as she finished loading the dishwasher. Steve knew she was angry with him, but she was taking her anger out on the wrong man. "Come on Sweetness." He told her. "If anyone is angry it should be me. You kick hard!"

"That's because you were asking for it."

"Look... I still don't trust him. He just so... so nice. Don't you think it's weird he's so polite all the time?"

"Maybe it's because he is a nice man."

"Yeah, well I didn't see it."

"You mean you won't see it." When he shrugged at her, she gave him a big sigh and stood up to face him. "Steve, he's not that bad!"

"Fine, he's not... but it doesn't mean he's good. That's something he still has to prove to me."

Sighing again, Kayla shook her head at him and finished cleaning up the kitchen.