Kayla had always tried to avoid putting Shane in awkward situations when Andrew was around, so she waited until the maid escorted Andrew out of the foyer before she approached Shane. Physically, he seemed fine and she breathed a sigh of relief as she smiled at him.
Holding Stephanie, Kayla could not exactly give him a big hug, but she reached out with her free hand and gave him a one-arm embrace. "I was so worried about you," she said softly. "I missed you so much." At her touch, she felt Shane tense up, though he wrapped an arm around her shoulders for a moment before pulling away.
There it was again; he was distancing himself from her. What was wrong?
From where she stood, next to the door, Kim spoke. "Shane? Is everything okay?" Obviously, Kim had detected his odd mannerisms as well.
"Yeah," he said slowly. He almost sounded nervous. "Um . . . Everything's fine. Actually, it's better than fine." He ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I'd better start at the beginning and try to explain."
"Explain what?" Kayla asked. She reached out a hand to touch his arm, but he pulled it back. Just what is going on?
"Please, let me explain."
"Does this have to do with your mission?" Kim asked.
Shane nodded. "Everything." He paused. "Let me start by telling you that what I'm going to say can't be repeated to anyone. I could - no, I would get in a lot of trouble if it got out. And I mean very serious trouble."
Kayla looked at Kim, whose face showed an equal amount of confusion. Trouble? What was Shane talking about? Kim nodded.
"Go ahead," she said. "We'll keep it a secret."
"Okay." He seemed to think for a moment, as if he was struggling to figure out what to say. "This mission . . . It was a rescue mission. To find a man." Shane hesitated. "God, this is hard to explain."
Kayla stepped close to Shane. "We can talk about this later if you want. There's no need to do it right now."
"Actually, there is," Shane said. Kayla saw him glance sideways toward the staircase. "Um, anyway, this mission. It was a success and we got the man out."
Why was he so nervous? Was it the mission or is it me? Kayla wondered. All of those uncertainties that had plagued her since Shane left Salem came flooding back. "Stop it," she said, interrupting him. "Before you say another word, I need to know something. You've been acting so strange, even before you left Salem." Kayla no longer cared that Kim was in the room. She needed answers now. "Have your feelings for me changed, Shane?" She reached out, took his hand and looked up at him.
What she saw was a very small, but sad smile on his face. With his free hand, he reached out and caressed her cheek. Then he pulled that hand back. "Everything's changed, Kay. Everything."
Kayla felt her a hollowness in her stomach. "What do you mean? Tell me."
"The man. . . . " Shane said. He looked up at the ceiling, obviously struggling for words. "He changes everything. You can be happy again."
"Shane!" Kayla's voice rose and she clenched Shane's hand tightly. "What do you mean 'I can be happy again'? Who is this man?"
From behind her came a voice. "It's me, baby. It's me."
Kayla turned toward the voice and saw, at the top of the staircase, the man she truly loved.
"Steve?"