"Someone is going to die," Brenda barked into the phone, and Steffy sighed.
"What happened?" Steffy was a little worried. If Brenda wanted someone dead, her husband could make it happen with little effort. So could their best friend. "Just calm down and talk to me."
"Josslyn is here, by the way, where the hell are you? Nevermind, I know that, but her dress is ruined!"
Steffy sat up quickly in bed, the sheet that adorned her chest draped. "Ruined? Ruined how? And what are you doing there on a Sunday? We…" Steffy slapped her forehead. "I absolutely forgot. I'll be there in thirty minutes."
"Make it an hour and swing by your place for fresh clothes." Brenda hung up, and Steffy fell back in bed.
Steffy huffed into the air, and Bill's arms crossed around her. "What?" He brushed a piece of hair from her shoulder and kissed it.
"I screwed up." Steffy sat the phone down, and she saw Bill's eyes glance at it.
"That's my phone," he stated the obvious.
"Yes, and I answered it this early in the morning. I wasn't paying attention. She called my phone first," Steffy waved it in his face. "I know Brenda knows, but what if it had been Wyatt or Liam? We have to be careful while we're figuring this out."
"If they find out they just do. I get it for now. So go ahead, get dressed." He lifted her and smacked her ass. "A quick stop by Forrester and we can spend the day doing absolutely nothing."
"You can't come." Steffy freaked. "Not after this. She's going to be looking at us with that little stare she has."
"She looks at everyone like that," Bill laughed. "Besides, Brenda knew of you long before you met. I've known her for a little over seven years."
"You talked about me? Not Katie or Brooke?"
"She knows about all the women I've ever fallen for."
"And?" Steffy was intrigued.
"You will have to ask her. Go," Bill slid past her after placing a small kiss on her shoulder.
"Fine." Steffy pulled the outfit she had worn over Friday afternoon and headed to her place.
She was there for a few minutes when she realized why Brenda had called Bill's phone. She had packages at her door. She had no clue when they had arrived.
Steffy lugged everything inside and was met with a few surprises. There were new pictures inside her place. Pictures of her and Liam. He had been there. Steffy wondered what he was trying to do. Pictures of their faux happiness would only drive her further in the other direction. She wished he would figure that out.
Steffy kicked her shoes off and went into her bedroom and almost came undone when she realized there was a person in her bed. She had a bat next to the closet, grabbing for it, Steffy acted fast, throwing one initial warning swing.
"Who the hell are you and why are you asleep in my bed?"
"Seriously?" Thomas sat up, quickly. "I helped move this stuff in, and now you're saying I can't sleep on it?"
"Thomas!" Steffy dropped the bat and took a deep breath. "You scared me half to death. What the hell are you doing here?"
"Dad needed his loft back, so I'm bunking here until I find a place. Probably for the best. He shared that place with Caroline, and it's just too much history there."
"Yeah, okay." Steffy stood and went to her closet. "You can stay, but not in my bed. Go down the hall. There is a whole spare down there."
"You put the comfortable bed in here," Thomas balked. "Besides, I don't think you will need this bed much. I know for a fact that you haven't been home since you left here Friday morning. Where have you been?"
Steffy rolled her eyes and didn't bother turning around. "So you're tracking my movements?"
"I came here Friday night. Liam was leaving, so I came up the back way. I didn't want to run into him and end up having to rearrange his face, so I know you weren't there. Those pictures, by the way, burn them. They're cheesy. And having pictures of your ex-husband in the house can't be the way to go since you have a new someone."
"Who says I have a new someone?" Steffy finally turned to face him and saw his huge grin appear.
"We work together. I saw you in that outfit after you stormed out after lunch, and mom was worried about you. I've been trying to send word back all weekend, but you haven't been home. You weren't with Liam, I know because he looked like a fool trotting out of her with his little memento box, so who?"
"We're not doing this right now," Steffy advised and selected an outfit to put on. "I have to go into the office." Steffy had almost forgotten about the meltdown Brenda was having. If there was something wrong with the dress, there was time to correct it, but Ridge would be livid. He had been working hard on the design. "You probably need to come with me. Brenda called about the dress."
"What about it?" Thomas sat up.
"Something is wrong, she says."
"That woman is crazy," Thomas laughed. "Both of them. A crazy, sexy mess."
"They're planning their children's wedding. By all accounts, none of this should have ever happened with their history. It has to be perfect for them. It's so clandestine that both sides are a little neurotic."
"We know a little something about history and things that were never supposed to happen," Thomas chuckled. "Our little brother, RJ is an example of those things that should have stayed a thought and not an action."
"Yeah, me and Liam too."
"Ah, so you admit it?" Thomas crossed his arms. "I've always wondered what you saw in him."
"Not right now," Steffy warned again. "I don't want to get into this with you. Besides, you were with Caroline and Sally. What did you see there? One used you like a money dripping sponge, and the other was so jealous she faked a life-ending illness to get you back. That's a problem."
"Caroline was desperate. She is the mother of my son, so she gets more of a pass in the communication department, but Sally is written off. No matter how I feel about you and Liam, he was your husband, and she interfered in your marriage. I will never forgive that."
"It shouldn't have been that easy," Steffy offered as some sort of excuse. "There was something broken between me and Liam, and it had been since I left for Paris after the baby died. I just didn't want to see it."
"But you're moving on." Thomas patted her back. "I'm glad to see you out of the Spencer orbit."
That wasn't true. She was now sucked back into the intended Spencer orbit that started this whole cycle of her love life. Bill was the one she loved first, and coincidentally the one she loved most. With him things weren't black and white, they were filled with an array of colors. She loved those colors.
"Get ready," Steffy ordered as she snatched her outfit an headed into her bathroom. She showered and got dressed, applying a light layer of makeup, and once she was satisfied, she saw her phone light up with a text.
Brenda: Meltdown aborted. Your father saved the day but get here fast. You will want to see this.
Steffy grabbed her keys and saw Thomas waiting for her by the door. "I'm taking my car. There is no telling where you might want to run off to later. Here." He tossed her a bag. "I packed you a few things in case you want to do another overnight stay. Just let me know if the bed is mine tonight." He smirked.
"Stay out of my bed." She waved her finger in his face and grabbed the bag. He would probably be pissed when he figured out where she was spending her time, but she couldn't worry about that right now. She was starting to get to the point where no one else's opinions mattered. Bill made her feel good. He made her feel safe. She could lie and tell Thomas she would be home tonight, but the part of her that already missed Bill's arms around her knew the truth. She had become used to him. Those two nights had reignited a whole past and possible future for them.
Steffy and Thomas left their place and the whole drive over, Steffy kept hearing a voice in her head. It was telling her things would be a disaster once her whole family knew about her and Bill. It also told her that he would lose his sons once the dust settled. Once again, their love was powerful and problematic. This time Katie wouldn't be an issue. She had made subtle comments about them being more inevitable than her divorce with Bill. They were in a good place.
Pulling into Forrester, Steffy ran her hand over her face and paused. The place where her ring once rested had faded. She was officially blemish free from all of her marriages. One to Wyatt, three to Liam, and now here she was, back where it all began. She had come full circle.
Steffy was still sitting in her car when she heard a knock at the window. She looked up and saw a familiar face before opening the door. Jason. He pulled it open and reached for her hand. "Thank you," Steffy acknowledged him as he helped her to her feet.
"No, thank you." He smiled. "This has been one of the most nerve wrecking times of my life. I love my daughter, but all this is out of my realm."
Steffy walked with Jason as he talked a little more, and she had to laugh a little. From everything she had been told, he was a man of few words, and this was the most he had ever talked to her. He wasn't Josslyn's real father, but he seemed to love her as much as his biological child. He had amazing stories.
"You love her, don't you? I'm not sure if you know our history, but my grandfather isn't mine biologically, but we're close. He has always been there."
"Blood doesn't determine how much or how little you love someone," he advised. "Sometimes blood is the only thing that binds people, and it's not always enough to give you a deeper connection. I have family members that I have nothing but a blood relation to, but my family that you've met, I would do anything for. Carly and my kids, Brenda and Sonny, they're closer than blood could ever be."
"And when you and Carly fell in love, did it strain you and Sonny? I know there is a lot going on in your situation."
"Sonny had Brenda. It's always been Brenda for him. We all knew it, and the sooner it was accepted on all fronts, it made things easier for me and Carly to be what we've always been. She has always been the main person in my corner, and now I get to be the person that never lets her down. We all need that, and we shouldn't be ashamed to have it. Life is too short. That's the one thing my family understands if nothing else."
Steffy couldn't be sure, but it seemed as if Jason knew what her issue was. Hurting people. He had gotten what he wanted, and it hadn't cost him. She hoped her story could be similar. It should be because Liam only loved her out of the obligation he'd given himself by committing again. He'd broken her marriage to Wyatt, and she believed it was why he was so eager to reconcile. He wanted to save face.
Steffy walked into the eye of the storm and paused as Jason held the door open for her. He split and walked to where Carly was standing, and Steffy had to blink twice. She had quite possibly seen the most beautiful girl in the most gorgeous dress. The design was a bit altered from what it was supposed to be.
"What happened here?" Steffy asked as she sat her purse down.
"You're here." Brenda grabbed her arm. "We walked in her, and a panel of the dress was ripped. We are not sure what happened, but it looked as if it had been shredded with scissors. I was freaking out!" Brenda waved her arms. "Seriously, Sonny had to walk me out of here, but your dad showed up and got rid of the messed up part, and added a something extra. We love it."
Shredded? Who the hell would do this? Steffy had a guess, but she would have to handle that later. Right now, she was just happy that Josslyn loved the dress and she looked amazing in it.
Steffy was running her hand over the dress when she heard the door open and close. Thomas was here, she smelled his cologne. She didn't turn around. She just kept touching the dress and finally smiled up at Josslyn.
"You look beautiful, are you excited?"
"I'm in love," Josslyn developed this faraway look. "Everything with us has been like a dream. From the moment we met there was this unspoken attraction between us. We were children, and it seemed impossible. Our mothers weren't exactly the best of friends, but we never let that get in our way. Now our families are one, and I love him more than the first time I laid eyes on him. I still get butterflies."
Butterflies. Steffy knew that feeling. With Bill, it was their norm every time she was around him in the beginning. They were so magnetic, she thought nothing would end it once it started. So much had happened. Steffy hoped, looking at this excited girl, that she would never have the issues she had. She hoped her life would be simple with the first love of her young life.
"Thank you, by the way. My mom told me you're stepping in for Yuri. I had my cousins and friends already in place. You're a complete life saver."
"It's my pleasure," Steffy nodded. "It will be a nice ceremony."
Steffy stepped back once Ridge called for Josslyn to come back and take the dress off. He wanted to make a few more adjustments, and Brenda made her way to Steffy's side again. They were standing quietly until Steffy felt her skin prickle. She didn't have to turn to know Bill had walked in. She just felt this indescribable feeling. Butterflies.
She hadn't noticed the shorter breaths she had began to take until Brenda nudged her. One thought of him and her whole body was in a fit. She turned her head for a second and locked eyes with him. She wanted to run across the room, but she held it in.
"You've seen him naked again, huh?" Brenda breathed out, and Steffy just stayed quiet. "It's okay, you don't have to answer. The fact that I couldn't get you on your phone and I have it on good notice that you haven't been home since Friday lets me know I'm right."
"How do you… Nevermind. You can find anyone anywhere. I forgot. So why were you looking for me?"
"To tell you that I saw that husband of yours when I came into town. Did you know he left town with that hoity-toity little blonde? I say they're a match made in neurotic hell if I've ever seen one. You really dodged a bullet with that one."
Steffy didn't know, but for some reason, it didn't hurt. It was inevitable. She had seen it coming. "I wish them well. I won't be the reason for anything falling apart this time. And they won't be an excuse for me either."
"Oh, so we're honestly admitting a genuine interest in Dollar Bill Spencer?"
"I'm admitting that whatever happens will be our decision. I won't let anyone besides us be a factor."
"Good girl." Brenda bumped her. "You know, I don't think I ever told you."
"Told me what?"
"I met Bill in 2011. I had left Sonny, and I was a mess. I was so heartbroken, and all I wanted was a shoulder to cry on. Bill saw me and bought me several drinks while we talked about the most asinine things. He could have absolutely tried something with me, I was wasted, but instead, he took me to his room and put me in his bed. He slept on the couch, and the next morning he told me the most beautiful story of the woman he had to give up. I also told him about Sonny."
"You almost slept with Bill?" Steffy knew that wasn't the point of the story, but it was the part that had her heart racing. She didn't like it.
"No." Brenda laughed. "Bill is without a doubt one of the sexiest men on the planet. He's dark and powerful like my Sonny, but he's not Sonny. I would have probably burst into tears. Besides, I don't think he would have gone there for anything. All he could talk about was his beautiful Steffy and how forgetting her would be the hardest thing he ever had to do. I'm a sucker for a good love story, I'm a part of one. So in the back of my mind, I knew. The moment I saw you, I knew."
"Knew what?"
"That you were the one. I called it with me and Sonny, Jason and Carly, even Alec and Joss. Now I'm calling it with you. You're going to marry Bill Spencer."
Steffy didn't say yes or no. she didn't try to deny something that could be a part of her future, she just bit down on her lip. Too bad her seemingly private conversation wasn't as private as she thought.
"Him?" Thomas grabbed Steffy's arm, pulling her to the side. "Bill Spencer is the man you spent days with?" Silence. Mind-numbing silence overtook the room and Ridge looked at Steffy questioningly.