Mimi seemed to search Dasher's face. "You're in love with Kate. What are you planning to do about it?"

Shrugging, Dasher said, "There's not much I can do. She's disappeared."

"Do you know where she is?" Her mother's eyes were steady and warm.

"Probably at the hotel. The one in San Francisco owned by her sister and my friend Stefanie. She goes there a lot."

"Is there a way to know for certain if she's there?"

Dasher had thought about calling Stefanie more times than she could count, but didn't want to drag them into her misery.

"I don't want Stefanie to feel awkward about it. That's not fair."

Her mother became agitated. "Dasher Pate, have you ever heard the expression 'all's fair in love and war'?"

"But-"

"Stop being so freaking honorable and go after her! I mean it, she needs you."

At that moment Dasher's cell phone vibrated. She had forgotten to turn it off in the hospital. Actually, she'd refused to, in case Kate called. She prayed she hadn't just whacked someone because of her negligence.

Mimi looked hopeful and Dasher couldn't get the phone out of her pocket without fumbling a few times.

"It's a text message."

"What does it say?"

Dasher stared at the small screen. "It's from Stef. It says, 'She's here.'"

Chapter Fifteen.

Laurel and Stefanie stared across the table at Kate as she picked at her poached egg on dry toast. Laurel couldn't fathom why she'd ordered such a tasteless meal, especially since she was bordering on too thin. She seemed lost in her own world, barely acknowledging their futile attempts at small talk.

Kate had either stayed in her room or stuck on sungla.s.ses and a Giants baseball cap, as well as an old flannel shirt worn at the cuffs and baggy jeans, and wandered the hills and wharfs of San Francisco. Few recognized her in that disguise, especially with no makeup and her hair carelessly stuffed into the cap. If someone did, she denied that she was a famous star and scurried back to the hotel, ordering room service for the rest of the day. Sika let them know that Kate barely touched the meals.

Laurel eyed Stef, then gently prodded her under the table with her knee to get her attention. When she snapped out of her own reverie and met Laurel's gaze, Laurel could see the worry in Stef's expression, and maybe a little nervousness. Laurel tried to subtly tilt her head toward the exit, hoping she wouldn't have to manually throw Stef out of the dining area. Stef seemed to finally remember the plan they'd discussed in bed that morning and cleared her throat.

"Well, I'd better get going. I have a punch list a mile long. You two have some fun today." She pushed her chair back and gave Laurel a brief but tender kiss, then squeezed Kate's shoulder as she pa.s.sed by her.

Gazing at Stef until she disappeared around a corner, Laurel turned back to the table and was surprised to catch Kate watching them. Usually Kate would unblinkingly study her food if Laurel and Stef were affectionate. This time she seemed close to tears and glanced away.

Laurel took her hand. "Kate, what is it? What's bothering you? You suddenly appear and haven't said more than fifty words since you got here."

"You told me you needed help with the final preparations for the hotel, and here I am. End of story." Her voice was flat and lifeless.

Sighing, Laurel muttered, "Keep telling yourself that." She had a million things to do to get ready for the opening and here she was, yet again, listening to another of Kate's dramas. This was getting old.

Kate's eyes flashed. "You're welcome. Listen, just because your life is perfect and you have everything you've ever wanted doesn't mean others are so lucky. So back off."

"Kate, what are you talking about? Everything I've ever wanted? If I recall, you are the golden one in the family. You have always been the star, always been the most popular, the best. Now I'm the one with everything? Where's this coming from?"

Looking ready to pounce, Kate snapped, "You tell me. Tell me you aren't happy. Tell me you aren't in love. Tell me you can't be exactly who you are. Tell me!"

Laurel sat back, stunned at the pain she detected in Kate's accusations. Suddenly Kate closed her eyes and put her face in her hands, elbows on the table. Whatever energy she was using to fight had disappeared.

"Katie, I'm sorry. I thought you were the happiest woman on earth. You've always had everything you've ever desired. You're beautiful, rich, famous, and everybody envies you. Now tell me which one of those Hollywood bad boys you're upset with and we'll figure out how to dump him." Laurel doubted her words, but this was Kate's usual pattern.

Holding up a hand, Kate gave her a sad smile. "You don't envy me, though, do you, Laur." It wasn't a question.

Taken aback, Laurel could only be honest. "I used to. I mean, you always had a lot of attention. But I suppose the answer is no, I don't envy you. I have no idea how you live up to all those expectations. I should thank you, because having all that attention focused on you allowed me to get by. Although I've always suspected that Mom and Dad were disappointed with the lesbian thing."

"Oh, G.o.d." Everything Laurel said seemed to upset Kate more.

Laurel slipped into her protective big-sister role. Something was definitely different about Kate. Usually her unannounced entrances were brief and filled with drama. This time Kate had arrived quietly and stayed to herself most of the time. Laurel touched Kate's arm. "What's wrong?"

Kate automatically glanced around the room. The dining room had closed for breakfast an hour earlier and Kate had appeared only then. Since the hotel was in its shakedown phase, not many knew it was open. Apparently satisfied that no one was around, Kate met Laurel's concerned gaze with the red-rimmed eyes of a woman who had been crying for a long time. Laurel waited, sensing something extraordinary was about to happen.

"I think I'm in love."

There it was. Katie was in love. But why the stealth? Why the tears? She'd uttered those precious words like her announcement was a tragedy. Laurel suspected the answer but decided to proceed carefully.

"Well, that's wonderful, right?" Kate's expression filled with raw anguish, and as much as she wanted to comfort her baby sister, she knew she had to wait for her to continue.

After what seemed like a long time Kate sniffed loudly and met her gaze. "Tell me about Roch.e.l.le."

Laurel was speechless. This conversation had taken a decided turn. Was Kate actually asking her about her abusive ex-partner? Was someone hitting Kate? Why was this subject coming up now?

After taking a breath, Laurel kept talking. "Remember the last time you visited Roch.e.l.le and me in Berkeley? When you wanted to get rid of your latest dating disaster and were afraid he'd get to the tabloids first?"

Jerkily nodding, Kate shivered.

"Roch.e.l.le always had a crush on you, always made a fool of herself when you were around. I knew she made you uncomfortable." Laughing mirthlessly, Laurel added, "Her behavior was humiliating."

Kate took her hand and seemed to steel herself for the question she asked next. "Did that woman hurt you?"

"Not then, at least not that much. But she escalated." Laurel had automatically tried to shield Kate and not paint Roch.e.l.le in such stark colors. Perhaps she was still embarra.s.sed that she'd chosen such a violent partner. But no longer. The next step was Kate's. If she reacted like she always had, she'd simply accept that answer and move on.

Kate took a breath and Laurel recognized the determination in her expression. "Tell me."

Quietly, with little inflection, Laurel released Kate's hand and hugged herself as she went down that painful path. "She was jealous and possessive. She demeaned me when she could. I knew she was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around on me with students, but she told me I was worthless without her. At first, she contented herself with verbal abuse, but the more she drank and the more I stepped out from her shadow, the more physical she became."

"That b.i.t.c.h." Kate was clenching her hands into fists.

Laurel thought about rea.s.suring her, but Kate had asked, and Laurel needed to finish this. "The day you were there she only shoved me and told me to never embarra.s.s her again by implying she wasn't welcome in our conversation. When she found out I had discovered papers that revealed the hotel's past and kept them from her, she beat me. She didn't even know about Stef." Laurel smiled slightly, as if seeing her partner's image in front of her.

"This hotel, as ramshackle as it was then, was my refuge." Laurel managed to gather herself. "The women here were my friends, and Stef was my salvation. I fell in love with her. Eventually I found the courage to tell Roch.e.l.le I was leaving. I thought she would kill me, Kate. I really did. I found my way back to the hotel and Stefanie, and that's when my life really began."

By that time both of them were crying and hugging. Kate said, "Laur, I'm so sorry. I should have realized that if she creeped me out, she was even worse for you. I've been so absorbed in me for so long. I apologize."

Laurel wiped her nose with a napkin. "I guess, in the long run, it all worked out. I learned that I have to stand up for myself. And if anyone finds love, real love, she should grab it and hold on for dear life. She should never let anyone tell her who to be."

Laurel watched the anguish on Kate's face ratchet up another level. "Kate, why did you want to know all that? Is someone hurting you?"

Shaking her head, Kate said, "Laurel, I think I'm a lesbian."

They sat in silence for a moment. Finally, Laurel ventured, "You're in love with Dasher Pate."

Kate's head whipped around to meet her gaze. "How did you know?"

"Well, did you open the package I sent with the proof sheets from the photo shoot? Some of them were, um, lens-fogging."

Nodding slowly, Kate reacted as if that question threatened to sever the final tendril that was keeping her from coming apart. She absently rubbed the flannel material of the shirt she'd worn every day since her arrival. Her eyes began to well.

Laurel abruptly stood and took her hand. "Come on, not here. Let's go to your room."

They hurried through the kitchen past a silent Sika Phelps, who stood chopping vegetables and seemed not to notice them. Laurel knew Sika never missed a thing and suspected she was merely giving Kate her own s.p.a.ce.

Once in the private elevator, Kate said, "I'll bet Sika heard every word."

"Probably." Laurel was preparing to a.s.sure her that Sika would never divulge anything, but Kate just nodded as if she already knew. Kate, who trusted so few, seemed to trust the women of the hotel, including Laurel.

Laurel was surprised at how relieved she was to finally share that awful part of her life with Kate. And she was even more surprised, and gratified, that Kate had wanted to know.

Once inside Kate's suite, they sat down on the couch and Kate squeezed her hands together as if waiting to hear a prison sentence. Laurel waited because Kate had to be the one to say her own truth.

"Ironically, I don't even know if she loves me. I mean, Mom and Dad will be heartbroken, Joe will shoot me, my fans will disown me, my career is over, but all I'm worried about is if she loves me back. What a joke."

Okay, that was a beginning.

"Kate, have you told her about your feelings for her?"

"G.o.d, no. What if she laughed at me? What if she told all her friends what a fool I am? What if she-"

"Told you she loves you, too?"

Kate recoiled as though scalded. She stared at Laurel and then flopped back on the couch. "Oh my G.o.d. What if she does love me?"

Noticing Kate's cell phone vibrating across the coffee table and Kate regarding it guiltily, Laurel asked, "Does she know where you are?"

Kate only shook her head, eyes riveted to the phone.

"She must be worried."

That seemed to be all it took, because Kate leapt at the cell and answered it.

"h.e.l.lo? Oh, Joe. Yes, I'm out of town. I'm in San Francisco helping my sister. Don't worry, Joe. I've handled all the interviews. No, I won't be back for a while. I've got to go." Laurel could hear him squawking at the other end as Kate ended the call.

"When do you plan to fire that man?"

Sighing, Kate said, "When I signed with him he told me I didn't need to sign a contract sanctioned by the Screen Actors Guild because his was much better and, like a fool, I believed him. He's got me until he releases me, period. Believe me, I've had attorneys look at the contract."

"d.a.m.n. And you signed with him because-"

"Because Dasher Pate made me feel things I'd never experienced before and it scared the h.e.l.l out of me. Because I'm an idiot. A f.u.c.king idiot. There, how's that for a revelation?"

"Has Dasher called you?"

"Yes."

"Have you talked?"

"No. I haven't picked up."

Laurel sighed in frustration. "Kate. Figure out your relationship first, then worry about the rest. And I would strongly suggest you work this out with Dasher, not by imagining what she is or isn't thinking."

Seeing the trepidation in Kate's eyes, she added, "Buck up, little sis. You're very brave. You can do this. I say so, and I'm your big sister."

Snorting, Kate gravely replied, "Yeah. You and Eleanor Roosevelt."

Judging by the look on Kate's face, she thought Laurel should understand her strange statement. Laurel stuffed her question and kissed her on the top of her head, like she had when they were kids and she needed to calm her. "Are you going to call Dasher?"

Kate picked up the phone and pressed a number she obviously knew by heart, then finally left a message for Dasher to call her and looked hopelessly at Laurel.

Offering her hand, Laurel hefted Kate to her feet. "Come on, let's go see if Stef needs us for anything, then maybe we can ditch work for a few hours."

Kate looked close to tears. "Thanks, sis. I think I need the distraction. I may have permanently screwed this up."

"Maybe not. At least you got the ball rolling."

They rode the elevator down in silence. Laurel was already planning a few errands they could run together when the doors opened on the ground floor.

There, standing beside Stefanie, was Dasher Pate. Stef's eyes went round, then she pulled Laurel out and gently shoved Dasher inside the lift. "Have fun."

The door closed with the two of them staring at one another.

Laurel turned to Stef. "How?"

"I sent her a text message."

"Why?"