"I can't believe what you've done to your hair." Steffy heard Amber squeal. "You're a freaking blonde, Mama Tay!"

"I had to keep it interesting." Steffy saw Taylor play with her hair a little before resting her hand on the table. "So what's been going on around here? I can't get any answers out of my daughter."

Steffy waited for Amber's response, holding her breath as she lurked around the corner. She was actually hiding in her own house.

"Liam is a cheating ass and Steffy won't make the jump to kick him out. He walked out on her on her birthday and she found other ways to have fun, but the bastard came back and ruined it."

"Fun, what fun?" Steffy saw Taylor sit up in anticipation of the answer. "Don't stall, tell me."

"That yummy Bill—or should I say Bull Spencer."

"Wait—Steffy—"

Steffy knew she had to intervene. She had no idea Amber would go through with spilling all of her business to her mother. She wasn't ready for anyone to know any of this, especially after the way she'd handled the rest of the day.

Steffy had hidden from both Bill and Liam until she came home to face the music. What happened there had her even more puzzled than her impulsive decision to sleep with a man she hardly knew just minutes after her supposed breakup.

Steffy closed the door to her house and sighed as she leaned against it. She'd been at her grandfather's with Amber until she left in a hurry, leaving Steffy to her own miserable thoughts. She'd loved being with Bill, she wouldn't lie, but Liam showing up made her feel dirty. She'd assumed it was over, but maybe it was just a fight. Did she want to be over?

Closing her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, she sank into her own embrace. She allowed herself the chance to break. The chance to admit that she wasn't perfect and that her world was a mess. She was tired of keeping up the facade, she was tired of the endless struggle to be perfect in the eyes of her family and the public.

Steffy allowed tears to flow down her bare cheeks and only opened her eyes when she heard a throat cleared. She sank further against the door when she saw the flowers. They were probably the same flowers she had abandoned earlier in the day.

"Liam," she uttered, wishing he would just dissipate. She needed a moment to herself.

"Honey, I've been looking for you. One of the neighbors said he saw you go into Bill's house, so I went there but he said he hadn't seen you. Where did you go?"

He looked her up and down and held the flowers toward her. "What are you wearing?"

Steffy looked down at her clothes and thought about how she should answer. She decided the truth was the best option. She didn't want to live a lie.

"They're—"

"You don't have to answer that," Liam stopped her. "You don't have to explain why and where you ran and what you're wearing. I should know. It's where you always go when you need to clear your head."

Steffy smiled, realizing he really did know her, only to have it drop minutes later. "I know you and your dad have been on the outs lately, but you two always make up. I'm sorry I didn't come there first. It was insane to think you were at Bill's. You hardly know him."

He was right. She'd slept with a man she hardly knew because she was running from a man who hardly knew her.

"Liam, I—"

"Baby, just let me talk—" he cut her off again. "I know I messed up with you earlier, and I wish I hadn't said the things I did. I love you, Steffy. I'm so sorry you felt like I didn't, and I'm sorry for doing this on your birthday."

He remembered. Looking down at her feet, she felt the guilt compound in her chest. He was standing in front of her, pouring his heart out while she wore another man's clothes. A man she'd spent the most incredible morning with.

"Steffy, when you question my love for you it makes me say and do things I don't mean. I don't ever want to lose you. I really want to be your husband someday. Some day soon, baby. I love you."

Steffy swallowed hard, and before she could respond, he pulled her closer, fusing their lips. Her salty tears dropped between them, and he tried to smooth them away with no avail; her tears multiplied.

"What's wrong, baby?" He pulled back and touched her cheek. "You look so sad. You shouldn't be feeling this way on your birthday."

Steffy finally found her voice. "I can't talk about this, marriage and love. Not right now." She felt the weight of her betrayal crushing her. "This morning, I thought you left me. I wasn't thinking clearly."

"I know, and it was my fault."

"No, Liam, let me talk—" Steffy pleaded. "You don't know—"

"Steffy, let me take you to our room. Let me make love to you, baby. I miss you. I'm so sorry, and I miss you. I need you, baby. Please let me make love to you."

Steffy was powerless as he picked her up. Spineless as he carried her to their bed, and in tears as he pulled her out of Bill's comfy clothes and climbed between her legs. He kissed her and she fell apart. Her heart felt like it was combusting and he stalled, witnessing the devastation in her eyes, no doubt.

"Steffy?"

"Liam, I can't. We can't. I'm sorry."

She left the bed and he seemed broken as she did. It was the moment he probably realized it was over. It was the moment she did. She couldn't pretend like being with him would be the same. She couldn't pretend like they were the same couple they were this morning when she laid under him, wishing for all the feelings he just professed to her. She couldn't pretend like they could trust each other.

"Liam, you should go. I think it's for the best."

"Steffy," he reasoned, and she could hear him sliding down the door to the floor. "Is this about you thinking I cheated on you?" She held her breath and he started talking again. "You're the only woman for me. I knew it the minute I kissed you. I know it wasn't the same for you, and I'm okay with that. I knew it took you a while to fall for me, but you did. We fell for each other and we can keep falling. I want a life with you."

Steffy wasn't ready to believe him, but she also didn't want to leave it in limbo. She looked into the mirror and her eyes were puffy and swollen. This wasn't what her life was supposed to be like. She was supposed to be strong and independent.

Pulling the door open, Steffy's mouth fell open, seeing the sight before her. Liam was gone, but a ring box was on her plush white carpet. She flipped it open. Harry Winston, she gulped.

"Mom," Steffy called out, wiping the faux sleep from her eyes. "When did you get here?"

"A half an hour ago," Taylor supplied. "What the hell are you wearing?"

Steffy looked down and realized she was in the comfortable shirt Bill had given her again. She didn't even remember reaching for it or putting it on. It was like second nature, and for some reason she felt comfortable in it.

"It's ummh, I got it from a friend," Steffy stuttered.

"He's giving you his clothes now?" Taylor smiled incredulously. Her mother always saw through her nicely placed walls.

"Mom. I... we..." Steffy slid down into a seat. "I don't know what to do. I've made a mess of things. I thought it was over with Liam, and Bill was there being so sweet. He kinda gets me."

"Oh, he got you alright," Amber threw out and Steffy kicked her under the table. "What?" Amber reached down to rub her leg. "There is nothing wrong with admitting that you, a single woman, had a nice time with a single man."

"That's the thing, I'm not sure I'm single," Steffy blurted. "It's all mixed up, and Liam gave me this."

Steffy placed the ring box on the table between her, Amber, and her mother and their mouths hung open.

"No," Taylor gasped. "You can't accept this." Taylor pushed the box aside, and Amber reached for it, flipping it open.

"Harry Winston. Nice cut and it's gorgeous," Amber examined the ring and flipped the box closed. "But you can't keep it. That asshole is homeless and playing on your emotions."

"Liam isn't homeless," Steffy defended. "He lives here, I just asked him to leave last night, I needed to think."

"Think about what?" Taylor quipped quickly. "Steffy, you slept with another man—one that you seem to enjoy—and he seems to enjoy you too. Why on earth would you be considering staying with Liam?"

"Because it's been three years," Steffy rationalized. She took the ring out of the box and slipped it on. Maybe she just wanted to see what she was possibly turning down. It was a snug fit, actually the ring was a little too small.

"Wow," Steffy looked at the ring and tried to slide it off to no avail, it was stuck. "Is that a sign?"

"A sign of what?" Taylor snapped. "The ring not coming off just means he doesn't know what size you wear, and you should definitely dump him. Even I know you're a six and a half."

"It's an easy mistake to make, and I can't just disregard that he's been there for me. I can't just throw him away like—"

Taylor looked at Steffy, and her lip quivered. She knew what her daughter was about to say. "Like I did your dad?"

Steffy didn't speak and Taylor started back up. "Steffy, your father betrayed me. I thought you understood that." Her mother's eyes watered, and Steffy felt horrible. "Your sister had just died."

"Mom, dad says he tried to get you back and you shut down every attempt."

"He blames me for not taking him back, but I blame him for breaking us." Taylor shifted in her seat, and Steffy grabbed her hand. Amber had been inordinately quiet. Steffy just glanced at her before returning her eyes back to her mother.

"You know what it's like to lose someone you love, your sister, your grandmother, but to lose your child takes away something completely different. I didn't want to live. I wondered why God took her and not me. I'd had so many near death experiences and I made it. I'm here with you now, but my baby has one car accident and left this world. I couldn't grasp that."

"You were depressed," Steffy nodded.

"It was more than that. I felt like something inside me died. I didn't know if I could keep going. I had you and your brother, but you were both doing your own things. You dealt on your own."

"I needed you and dad. I was afraid to tell you what I was feeling because I didn't want to hurt you. I kept quiet and acted out. Mom, all those guys—"

"You didn't sleep with them. I knew that. You took forever to finally lose your virginity and I know what that did to you. It's why I'm so hard on Liam. He's only the second man to have you, and he doesn't value the treasure he has. He doesn't understand that you should be his entire world."

Steffy nodded at her mother's words, she felt them, but she needed to believe the words for herself. She didn't feel like a prize, she had spent so long feeling like a liability until Bill looked at her. The crazy way his eyes seemed to look into her soul was unnerving.

"But what you must think of me now—I practically slept with a stranger."

"Bill?" Amber butt in. "Sweetie you've known him longer than Liam."

"One night doesn't count," Steffy huffed.

"It counts when you spent months dreaming about it. I think I heard his name every day for a month after that dinner. It's why I had to meet him for myself. Yum." Amber winked.

Steffy felt like her chest was about to explode. "You met Bill?"

Amber nodded. "Went to his office while you were hiding out."

"How could you do that?" Steffy pushed away from the table.

"You know I don't play those games," Amber hissed. "You slept with him—he's been pursuing you—and I needed to make sure there were no games involved. I did the usual, questioned his intentions and threatened to stab him in the balls if he hurts you."

Taylor smiled. "Same thing I was thinking of doing." She turned to Amber. "But he's absolutely delicious, right?"

"Absolutely, but his best friend is gorgeous. Justin Barber."

His name rolled off her tongue and Steffy heard a laugh that made her skin shiver. Why did even his laugh have to ooze sex? His cologne hit her nostrils and soon they were eye to eye.

"I'm sorry to just barge in, but I was passing by and found these."

Bill handed her the keys she had probably dropped after unlocking her door. He had to have been on her porch to find them.

"Smooth." Amber nodded.

Bill blushed under the stares of the two prying women and the one who wouldn't quite capture his gaze again. Steffy felt him looking at her, and she just kept her eyes down until her touched her arm.

"Could I speak to you?"

"Sure," Steffy agreed, wishing he'd take his hand off of her before he started something they couldn't possibly finish there.

Steffy walked him into the den and stood across the room to put some space between them. She could feel his energy compelling her to speak. He waited for a while but ended up starting.

"How are you?"

It was a simple question with so many complicated answers. She went with the easiest before totally blowing it. "Fine. You didn't hurt me, if that's what you mean. I'm sore—I mean I slept well—I'm walking fine. Dammit," Steffy seethed. Her own mind and mouth were betraying her.

"I figured you would be walking fine," he laughed. "You're pretty resilient that way."

A joke. Even if it wasn't meant to, it completely disarmed her. She laughed and he stepped closer. The sparkle in his eyes, the kaleidoscope of brown and faint green made her stop and stare at him. She felt magnetized—so drawn that her inhibitions flew out the window. Maybe this was how she was supposed to feel. It also scared her. She could quickly get lost in him.

"You said you wanted to talk," Steffy shook her line of thinking away. "What's going on?"

"You ran out so quickly yesterday that you didn't have your cake and you also didn't get your gift." He pulled out a box and opened it to show her a stunning sapphire bracelet. It was her birthstone and also her favorite stone to wear besides diamonds.

She ran her fingers over the bracelet and Bill took it out of the box. "I wasn't sure what you liked more, but I saw you wearing a necklace that would match this. It also brings out your eyes. I remembered staring at it."

"It's gorgeous. Thank you, Bill." She hugged him and he kissed her hair.

"Can I?" He grabbed her arm and slid his hand down to her wrist before turning it over. Snapping the bracelet in place, he grinned at her and clutched her hand. His smile fell as his fingers curled around her ring.

Steffy rushed to explain herself, but the front door opening stopped her. Liam.

Liam looked at her and Bill—him clutching her hand—and Steffy saw the anger cloud him until his eyes focused on what had Bill so speechless.

"You're wearing the ring?" Liam asked just as her mother and best friend entered the room. They had to have heard the extra voice.

Bill looked as if he had been gut punched—her mother and best friend, outraged—Liam excited, and Steffy was trying to figure out what to say to make everything fine.

She blew it. "It fits small." She shrugged.

Liam grabbed her and swung her around in his arms and Bill just left. He didn't say a word. While Liam was the only one in the house excited about their engagement, Steffy had to admit, Bill walking out hurt more than anything Liam had ever done. What did that mean?