Amanda began pacing and Cameron knew she was uncomfortable. He thought it was just this situation but Amanda knew better. Being alone with Cameron……in his place…..with Gary nowhere to be seen……this was not good.

"What's wrong??? Aren't YOU going to DO something? Call someone!! Find out what's going on, please…..before I lose my mind!"

"Calm down, Amanda. It's just a little power outage. I'm sure the building super already knows the lights are out. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that! I'm sure he's taking care of whatever he can. But, as you can see, the power's out all over the place. So we're just going to have to sit tight and wait."

"Sit tight and wait?? Patience is NOT one of my better virtues, I can assure you."

"That's obvious!"

"I beg your pardon?" Amanda was surprised at his tone.

"Come on Amanda! Just relax. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we have light again. But until then, all we can do is wait…..would you care for something to drink?"

"No thank you. What I'd really like to do is go home."

"What? Before all the fun starts? Don't do that!" Cameron couldn't help but laugh as he grabbed a cold beer from the refrigerator and sat down on the sofa.

Amanda couldn't relax. No matter what she tried. Being in the dark here, now, brought back memories when she was a young girl. She was deathly afraid of the dark. There were some nights her father had to literally sit by her bedside until she fell asleep. And if he heard her whimpering during the night, he returned to that chair beside her bed and rubbed her back until Amanda's eyes closed.

She tried to close her eyes and almost could feel her father's hand on her back again until she realized where she was and with whom, that brought her back to reality…..and Cameron.

"I can't do this! I have to get out of here!!" Amanda screamed.

Cameron put his beer down on the coffee table and went over and grabbed Amanda by her shoulders. They felt warm…..he looked into her eyes and could see tears there. She was frightened. This was new territory to him. He never had dealt with a woman this vulnerable before.

"Amanda, sit down…please…" He handed her something to wipe away the tears, then sat down beside her.

"We'll be ok…..I know we will. The lights will be back on before you know it…everyone will be here….and we'll have a great time. Gary will tell some of those stupid jokes of his and we'll laugh just to make him feel good. Trust me. I would never lie to you."

"You wouldn't?"

"No."

"Then why don't you…..why don't you…. like me?"

"Me not like you?"

"That's what I said. Ever since we met and I made that unfortunate mistake of being late for our meeting….."

"Unfortunate mistake?…..is that what you called it? You knew you'd be delayed and yet you made me sit there with no word. Then you get mad at me for leaving before our 'scheduled' meeting? Unfortunate mistake? HA!"

Amanda just glared at him after his last comment. She could feel the tears coming again and she tried to stop them. She didn't want Cameron to see he had upset her….that he had some kind of effect on her.

It didn't work. She began to cry and it made her angry with herself. Amanda got up from the sofa and was going to grab her pocketbook and get out of there as quickly as she could. But the floor was a bit slippery and she fell, hitting her head on the rough edge of the sofa. Cameron rushed to her side, picking her up gently and making sure she was all right.

"Amanda…..are you ok?? Talk to me! Tell me nothing is broken."

Amanda was stunned for a moment. Falling surprised her because that was something that a Cory didn't do. That and now…looking into Cameron's eyes and seeing the worry there.

What happened next was unexpected. For several seconds, they just stared at each other. Suddenly, Cameron's hands moved from his side to take Amanda's hands in his. Then, he slowly guided his hands up her arms until he had her face cupped between them. He lifted her face toward his as he bent down and kissed her.

Her lips were full and sensual and delivered what he needed. His kiss was warm and comforting. The longer the kiss, the more her arms seemed to circle his waist, and pull him in closer.

Then Cameron broke away. He was breathing hard and so was Amanda. His hands immediately resumed their place on either side of her face.

"That's what I had to know. It wasn't just me who felt this thing between us!"

"No…..ooo……" she said, surprised by the sound of her own voice. "It wasn't just you!"

Cameron motioned for her to follow him into the other room. Amanda held back until he tugged on her hand……….then her cell phone rang.

"Amanda, you ok??"

"Gary??…..where are you??"

"I'm right outside the apartment building! Janeen is here too. We're waiting for the super to manually open the doors then we'll be right up. Is my brother taking care of you?"

She handed Cameron her phone. Gary told him they had heard about the power failure nearby and were assured by the police and the Electric Company that everything would be restored within the hour.

"Gary, she's fine. Nothing's happened to either of us. Don't worry!" He gave Amanda the phone and went over to the table where he took a long sip of his beer.

"I am fine Gary. You'll be here soon? Promise?" Their conversation was brief. Then Amanda hung up.

She couldn't look at Cameron. She was confused. This 'thing' that was between them, that caused these feelings to come out ….it scared her.

"Amanda……..what happened before…"

"I know……I know….It will never happen again!"

"NO! That isn't what I wanted to say. Please….listen to me….."

"I can't! I should have left when I said I wanted to."

"But what happened…between us…….we need to talk about this…."

"I can't! I just CAN'T!!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gary was right!!! The lights in the city were functional within the hour and he and Janeen were inside Cameron's apartment in less time. Gary noticed the tension between Cameron and Amanda but thought it had more to do with the blackout than anything personal did.

Amanda begged Gary to take her home. He couldn't blame her for wanting this evening to end, so he obliged. Cameron tried to catch Amanda's attention before she left but it didn't work. They said their good-byes and she and Gary went home.

Janeen was as comforting as she could be, but Cameron and his mood would not be shaken. He nibbled on some of the appetizers, sipped some of the wine and talked little. He mumbled something Janeen couldn't understand. She felt she was in the way so she left. He hardly noticed.

Cameron stood a long time at the window looking out over the park. He knew what had happened and he knew what he had to do.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During the next week, Amanda kept herself quite busy. The last of the billboard designs had been approved and would be up by week's end. The plans for the masquerade ball were finalized. Carson assured her that this cover would make people sit up and take notice of Amanda Cory's publishing abilities.

Amanda seemed unsure of things. When she had relocated from Bay City to New York, she was unsettled. She had left the only home and family she had known to take on the 'unknown'. Things were working in her favor. Meeting and getting into business with Carson St. Jeune revitalized her…. gave her new perspectives, new outlooks, everything!

Her friendship with Gary was something she didn't look for but needed in her life. Someone who respected her abilities and let her know how it is in the world. She could tell him anything. More importantly, he made her laugh.

Now this…….this episode with Cameron had rattled her. She didn't know who to talk to or what to say about it. What was it anyway? Did he think she needed consoling for some reason? Or was it something else? Something they were both lacking in their lives?

Whatever it was, Amanda didn't want to know. She called the airport, and made plans for the Cory jet to be ready within the hour. She left a note with Paige for both Gary and Carson….for them not to worry, but she had to get away. She also left specific instructions with Paige that no one was to know where she went. NO ONE!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carson had her models hopping during the week. More photo shoots for the future were a necessity but so was promoting the February issue of Brava. She had followed Amanda's requests to the letter and was more than a little bit surprised at Cameron's questions of where Amanda was.

"Frankly, Cameron….I know probably as much as you do. She said this trip came up at the last minute and it was something that she needed to do. Would you like to read her note to me? I would have thought Gary had already told you what was said. I understand our notes were fairly similar!"

"I know that Carson and no…..I don't need to read anything. It's just that I haven't seen Amanda…. Miss Cory since the blackout and I wanted to make sure she was alright!"

"And why wouldn't she be? She's on the verge of having everything she wanted…success, power,…….how could she NOT be all right? Unless…….Cameron, do you know something I don't?"

"No….I don't. I just thought we were all getting along better, and she takes off. Right before that billboard over there was unveiled. What can I think?"

Outside of Carson's office window, you could easily see the third and last billboard promoting the February issue of Brava. The man in the mask was there, sword in hand and making the mark he became famous for…..the mark of "Zorro"…..with these words underneath:

"Surrender to me…in the February issue of Brava, on sale Monday!"

"Things will never be the same for you after that issue comes out. You know that Cameron, don't you?"

"Of course I do. But I have more important things on my mind right now, Carson. Things I have to settle. If you don't mind, I'm going to have to say no to lunch today. Can I have a rain check?"

"Sure thing. But please tell me this has nothing to do with Amanda! I don't think I can't take two of you running away at the same time!!"

"Oh no.I'm not running from anything!"

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The calming breezes of Oahu helped Amanda relax to the point she could fall asleep during the day. She hadn't been able to take a nap since she was a small child. Her father had read her stories when she was younger and she could talk to him about anything.

She thought she had no one to talk to about this…….she knew Carson would not understand. Amanda was always the one who said mixing business with after hour activities was an unhealthy thing to do. Too many 'things' getting in the way, she said.

She couldn't say a thing to Gary. What would she say? How would she explain it? She knew they were friends, but always thought Gary wanted more. Some days she did too.

Perhaps her mom would understand. Amanda took the phone and dialed her number.

"Hello!"

"Hi Matt! Is mom home?"

"She's right here. Are you ok, sis? You don't sound too good."

"Oh I'm fine. Let me talk to mom, please."

"Sure. Here she is?"

"Hello mom!"

"Amanda, where are you? I called your office and your secretary said you told her not to tell anyone where you were. I'm NOT just anyone!"

"I know that mom. I had to get away. Things were closing in on me and I didn't know what to do!"

"What's wrong, darling? Is everything working out with Brava and the February issue?"

"Yes. It's ready for print. It will be out on schedule."

"Well….what is it then?"

"Mom…it's something that happened between me……and Cameron."

"Cameron? I don't think I've heard you mention him before. I thought you were seeing Gary Sinclair!"

"I am…..we're friends…..good friends……Cameron is Gary's brother. And he's one of the models featured in this issue."

"Is Cameron the one on the cover too?"

"Yes!"

"I see."

"You do?"

"Amanda. I always know when matters of the heart affect one of my children. I can feel it. "

"The thing is, mom…..I don't know what I feel."

"So you just ran. Have you talked to Cameron about this?"

"No. I can't!"

"That's why Paige wouldn't tell anyone where you were. You didn't want Cameron to know how to find you."

"Yes."

"My darling, if I was there with you right now, I would take you in my arms and tell you to follow your heart, no matter where it may lead you."

"But how do I know that where it leads me will be good for me…or is really what I want?"

"You won't know that until you talk to Cameron, now will you? And Amanda?"

"Yes, Mom?"

"Running away can never solve anything. Your problems will be right where you left them once you return."

"Maybe I shouldn't come back!"

"Now Amanda Cory, don't talk foolishly. Your life is in NY now. Brava needs you…someone with vision to see it succeed. I believe you can do it. And I know your father has faith in you."

"It's not the magazine I'm worried about."

"Well, my dear, if whatever happened between you and Cameron is affecting you as much as I think it is, you owe it to yourself to deal with it. You owe it to Cameron too!"

"I always knew you would understand."

"Amanda, tell me you're going home and make your mother happy!"

"Ok mom……I'll leave tomorrow….the sunsets here are too spectacular to miss. Besides, I simply cannot do that to the pilot again. Getting him to bring me here on less than 2 hours notice was a miracle in itself!"

"Then Matthew and I will be seeing you next weekend…at the masquerade ball!"

"I love you mom!"

"I love you too, darling!"

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday morning didn't come soon enough for anyone involved with this February issue. The magazine was on the newsstands when Carson made her way into the office. In fact, she was able to pick up the next to the last copy for sale.

She carried it with her into her office and while walking past her secretary, noticed she had the issue too, on her desk. Amanda would be pleased.

Amanda, too, knew the issue was a success when she had messages from practically every board member waiting for her once she arrived in the office. They had all tried to buy issues of Brava on the way to work. Most of the newsstands were already sold out.

She paged through the magazine, not even paying attention to the face on the cover…..until she came to the feature article. There he was. Cameron. And the rest of the models.

Everything was perfect….everything with the magazine that it…….

Amanda was lost in thought until Paige came in and said that there was a Mister Sinclair on the phone for her.

"Put him through Paige."

"Miss Cory?"

"Yes Paige?"

"I LOVE the magazine. "

"Thank you."

Amanda sat down behind her desk, flipped through the remainder of the magazine, and waited for her phone to ring. When it did, she answered with a bit of hesitation.

"Amanda Cory."

"Hello Amanda."