Chapter Three

After they had dessert, Steve leaned back stretching. Though Steve tucking in his napkin didn't bother Kayla it was now blocking her view of his form. At the realization of where her thoughts were directed, Kayla looked away to hide the blush on her cheeks. It wasn't quick enough.

"What's wrong with you?" Frankie asked.

Feeling her cheeks grow redder by the second, Kayla turned around. Acting as nonchalantly as possible, she shrugged while saying, "Nothing."

However Frankie was not one to let sleeping dogs lie, so he pressed on, "You got all red though. You aren't embarrassed to be seen with us are you?"

Sighing, Kayla shook her head. "No, Frankie, it's not that at all."

"Well, what is it?"

"Nothing, really," she told the teenager. She was careful to not look at Steve though as Kayla felt one look and he would know exactly what she had been thinking. Since her attention was so focused on the boys, she didn't notice when Steve jerked up and blew the party whistle in her face making her jump.

Everyone including Frankie laughed as Kayla glared back at Steve.

"Sorry, Baby," Steve said, not looking the least apologetic, "I just wanted to get you to relax."

After the laughter died down, Max got up and grabbed Frankie's hand, pulling him towards the bathrooms. Recognizing his little brother's needs, Frankie looked at Steve and Kayla explaining, "He needs to go to the bathroom."

"Do you want me to take him?" Steve asked, but Frankie shook his head no.

"No, I got him."

Now alone, Steve had a moment to observe Kayla while she watched Frankie take Max to the bathroom. Though she was always so beautiful, tonight she seemed especially so. He wasn't sure if it was because of the fun of the evening or something in the way he had caught her looking at him. Her looks always seemed to take his breath away.

"He's so protective of Max. No matter how rude Frankie is you can see he loves his little brother very much."

Before he could stop himself, Steve answered, "Big brothers are meant to take care of their little brothers."

Kayla now turned her attention to Steve and he mentally kicked himself for forgetting she knew about his past. She didn't say anything though, instead, she just looked at him. Out of all her looks, this is the one that got to Steve the most. It was like she could see straight into his soul or something.

"What?" he said gruffly.

"Have you told the boys about what you went through when you were a kid? I think what Frankie needs now is to realize they aren't the only people who had hard luck while they were young."

"No, it isn't their business. In fact, it isn't yours either."

Kayla couldn't argue with that, but she couldn't let it go either. "Then why did you tell me?"

"Because you wouldn't understand about the social worker if I didn't."

"But you didn't have to tell me everything. You told me how you felt, the parents that adopted…"

Steve kept looking over Kayla's shoulder. Where the hell were those kids? He signaled to the waiter they needed their check. He purposely didn't answer.

"Steve?" Kayla asked.

"I don't know, Kayla," he answered as he got his wallet ready. "It's like when I started talking about it, it all came out at once. I don't usually do that." Steve left off at the end of that last sentence "except with you".

Kayla was giving him that look again. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Frankie and Max walking out of the bathroom. Leaning over to her, Steve said, "I can, however, show you what I usually do if you would let me, Sweetness."

Kayla's face went from empathy to anger so quickly it surprised even Steve. Just as the boys walked up, she said, "Why do you do that? Why do you have to ruin a nice moment?"

For once, Frankie didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what to say at all in fact. Looking at both Kayla and Steve, he broke the uncomfortable silence. "Um, we're back."

"Good," Steve said. The check had arrived and Steve was ready with the money. "It's time we got out of here." Making sure the mood wasn't changed with the kids, Steve got out his harmonica and began playing for Max's benefit. Kayla got up and followed them out the door wondering if she was ever going to figure out Steve Johnson.