Written by: Dallas Walsh

"I could have sworn you told me that you had to get to the office about an hour ago," Celeste Baldwin smiles to Cole Rockwell as they leave the country club and slowly walk to their vehicles, after sharing an unexpected lunch together. While she wasn't amused that Cole crashed his car into her vehicle and then later proceeded to dumped coffee on her, she can't deny that she has grown to enjoy his company. And, the fact that he's easy on the eyes, certainly doesn't hurt anything.

"I do have to get to the office," he flashes his million dollar smile back to her, unable to hide his growing attraction to her. "But, I certainly didn't want to rush our lunch. I had a good time."

"You say that as though you're surprised," she chuckles back to him.

He runs his hands through his hair. "I guess I just feel like we got off on the wrong foot, you know with the whole car accident thing."

"My car should be ready at the end of the week," she informs him. "But my rental is pretty good."

"That's good to hear," he tells her. "Otherwise, I'd have to offer to drive you everywhere."

They stop at the back of her car. "This is me," she says as she brushes some of the hair out of her face. "Thanks again for lunch."

"Yea," he replies to her quickly. "It was my pleasure."

"Well, see you around?" she asks him as she turns to leave.

He reaches out and grabs her arm, causing her to turn around. "Celeste, wait," he says coming up to her. "I know you said you have a boyfriend…"

"I do," she replies to him, licking her lips.

"But I can't help myself," he whispers as he draws her in and gives her a passionate kiss. The kiss lasts for only a moment and then she pulls back, surprise by what just happened.

"I…I have to go," she stutters before she moves up to the car and quickly gets inside. Cole watches as Celeste drives off, unable to erase the smile from his face, over the fact that he just kissed her.

***

"Well, it's about time you got here," Lex Rockwell announces to Cole, as he opens the door to Mac's office at Rockwell Mining. Lex quickly checks his watch, that has diamonds on it, and realizes that it's almost home time and Cole is just arriving for the day. He knows Cole just got home from rehab but his tardiness is unacceptable. "Decided to sleep in?"

Cole shakes his head at his brother. "Sorry, I guess I didn't realize how late it had gotten. Have you heard from Mac? Has he landed in Belgrade already?"

"Look Cole," Lex tells him as he continues to read the information on the IPad in front of him. "A lot of things have changed since you went to rehab, okay? You can't just barge in here whenever the hell you want and expect me to be okay with it. We have a business to run!"

Cole chuckles at his younger brother's attitude. "You love this, don't you? While Dad's away, you think you're in charge and can boss me around?"

"I don't think I'm in charge," Lex corrects him. "I know I'm in charge. I've been the one running things while you were in New York. So, if you're not here to work, I suggest you leave and we can replace Lydia's position with someone more…I don't know, qualified."

"You know damn well I'm qualified for this job," Cole grits his teeth at his brother as his annoyance grows. "You can cut the attitude anytime, we're on the same team, Lex."

"Are we?" Lex asks him, finally looking up at Cole and glaring at him. "If that were true, you wouldn't be hours late for work."

"I give up with you," Cole throws his hands in the air. "I'm not going to fight with you about this."

"Do me a favor," Lex ignores Cole's message to him. "And, don't be late again."

"Or what?" Cole asks him, turning back to look at him.

"Or you'll answer to me."

***

BELGRADE, SERBIA

Mac sits in a trailer that is not very large, or very well kept. He knows that life on the mines itself is very different from the corporate side of diamond mining. Mine life is dirty, grungy and can be dangerous when the explosives go off so the crew can get underground. Housekeeping usually comes in, but they never really get the trailers sparkling clean again. Since the crew works in the mine's, the trailers are usually dirty as a result. He hasn't been in a trailer since he lost the mine in Kelsey Lake years ago, something that is still somewhat of a mystery to him. But as Mac looks around, he realizes that he has missed being so close to the mine life.

As he waits, he recalls how he caught Lydia in bed with Kent one night years ago. Devastated, he drank heavily and confronted his wife about her affair. She pleaded with him for forgiveness but he told her he wanted a divorce. The following day, Mac was positive that his bid would be the winning bid that would allow him to keep the Kelsey Lake mine, but to his surprise Blackmore Ltd outbid him. He has no idea how Blackmore knew how much he was going to bid, but since he lost Kelsey Lake, Mac has been buying mines internationally to keep his company going. And, to his pleasant surprise, he has been very successful at it, to the point where he realizes that Kent Blackmore is now starting to try to get into the international mining himself. He still hates, however, that he lost Kelsey Lake to Kent Blackmore. If he could change that, he most definitely would.

"Mr. Rockwell," a young Serbian man says as he comes into the trailer, carrying a heavy accent. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Mr. Jankovic is just arriving. He will see you very soon."

"Thank you," Mac nods back to him, drawing his attention back to the deal that he is trying to close instead of dwelling on the past. Within a few moments, Novak Jankovic enters the trailer as Mac stands up and prepares to shake his hand. "Mr. Jankovic," he says as their hands meet. "Thank you for meeting me."

"It was nothing at all," Novak tells him. "And, please call me Novak, I insist we have no formalities."

"Very well, Novak. I suggest we get right down to business," Mac replies to him as they stand across from each other.

"Straight to the point, my kind of business man," Novak gives him a grin. "Before we talk business, how about a drink? Would you like a Rakia?"

"That sounds lovely," Mac tells him as he sits down and is passed the drink. The two men toast before Novak sits across from Mac. "So tell me, how is production at the mine?"

"Very well," Novak informs him. "Just yesterday, we excavated three new areas that will be mined. You see, here in Belgrade, we have the finest diamonds in the world. Even finer than the ones that you have in your watch."

Mac looks at his unique, one of a kind, diamond encrusted Rolex and is surprised to hear that Novak has finer diamonds then what he is looking at. "That's very impressive to hear," Mac tells him. "I'm assuming that you're willing to talk money then?"

"Of course," Novak smiles before he takes a sip of his drink. "But just so you know, you are not the first mining organization to show interest in the mine."

Mac arches his eyebrow wondering who else could have made a bid on the mine. "Well, I am confident that you will think my bid is most generous. I don't want to know the details about the other company, but I can ensure that Rockwell Mining is the best company that you could partner with, Novak. Trust me on that."

Novak grins back to him. "I trust the company that shows me the most money," he informs Mac, before he takes a sip of his drink. "Now, let me see your offer and I'll be in touch once I've had time to think things over."

***

Kent Blackmore's office is almost as large as Mac's, and equally as lavish. His building isn't as tall as Rockwell Mining's, but it is in the same district of the downtown in Kelsey Lake. He sits at his desk looking at the Serbia mine details that he knows he has to make an offer on to prevent Rockwell Mining from buying the mine so he can have the larger profit scale. Blackmore Ltd deserves the mine, he tells himself as he reviews the details of the deal. And, he wants to ensure Rockwell Mining goes down in flames, because his company should be the leading diamond empire.

"You look deep in thought," Lydia Rockwell announces as she walks into his office, wearing a large diamond necklace. "What is it? The Serbia deal?"

Kent looks up and nods to her. "I need a drink," he informs her, as she moves over to the bar and pours him a scotch. She brings it over to the desk and gives him a quick kiss on the lips before she runs her hands down his back. "Thank you for that. I am trying to figure out how to stop Rockwell Mining from getting this deal."

"You know I'm here for whatever you need," she purses her lips together. "It's getting late in Belgrade, are you going to make the call?"

He sighs heavily and takes a sip of his scotch. "I'm only going to get one chance at this," he tells her, nervously. "I have to make sure my bid beats Mac's."

"You will, darling," she replies to him as she moves over to the other side of the desk and passes him the phone. "Do not forget who you are, you're Kent Blackmore, no one outbids you, not when you really want something. You proved that with Kelsey Lake years ago."

"You're right," he puffs out his chest as she inflates his ego. "I'm going to get this deal if it's the last thing I do."

"That's the right attitude," she smiles to him. "Now, make it happen."

***

"What a day," Lex tells Jarek Williams as he sits next to him on the white sofa in Jarek's large condo in the downtown of Kelsey Lake, fresh from the office.

"You look tense, you want a drink?" Jarek asks his lover, as his eyes lock with Lex's.

"I'd love one, what are you going to have?"

"A Manhattan?" Jarek asks Lex, who nods back to him, as he moves over to the bar. "Tell me about your day, why was it so long?"

Lex sighs as he gets more comfortable on the sofa. "Cole showed up 3 hours late today," Lex recalls to him as Jarek starts making the two drinks.

"Isn't it, like, his first day back? And, isn't your Dad away on a business trip right now? Seems ironic that while your Dad is away your brother shows up late to work. You know, while the cat's away."

"Right?" Lex smirks back to him. "Anyways, he didn't like it when I told him that I was in charge. As the older brother, he thinks everyone should be bowing down to him."

Jarek returns to the sofa and passes Lex his drink. "I hope you showed him he's boss," Jarek winks back to his lover.

"I can handle Cole," Lex replies to him quickly before he takes a drink of the Manhattan. "I just hope he doesn't go running to Mac that I was a bad brother or something pathetic like that."

"Do you think he would?"

Lex shrugs. "I have no idea. Cole has been away for a year, I'm sure he's changed a lot in that time. I just don't want him coming into Rockwell Mining and expect to be running the company. I worked too damn hard to get where I am to have him ruin that for me."

"You have worked hard," Jarek smirks back to him. "Have I told you how sexy you are when you defend yourself like this?"

Lex smirks back to him and sets his glass down. "No, but I love hearing that."

"Well, you do," Jarek licks his lips back to him. "I've been thinking about something."

"What's that?" Lex moves his hand to rest on Jarek's leg.

"Let's move in together," Jarek suggests to him. "You're almost always here anyways, you know I want to be with you."

"I know you," Lex nods back to him. "I just…"

"You're not ready, are you? You're not ready to come out to Mac or Lydia."

"I've worked so hard to get where I am in Rockwell Mining," Lex informs him. "I don't want something so silly, like who I sleep with, to change that."

"And you think it would?"

"I don't want to take that chance," Lex tells him. "You understand, don't you?"

Jarek sighs and leans back into the sofa. "I guess. I just don't want to feel like we aren't going somewhere. I want to have a long term relationship."

"I know you do," Lex smiles to him, as he crawls on top of Jarek and kisses him passionately. "How about you settle for a good fuck right now? I know I could use one."

Jarek kisses him back passionately. "You know I can't resist your ass," he says in between kisses, as he grabs Lex's firm butt.

***

In the morning, Mac stands in the living room of his mansion and pours himself a coffee from a fresh pot that his maid, Ingrid, brought in. He took the redeye home so he could tell Lex and Cole about the trip to Serbia. Plus, he plans on having lunch with Stacey, as she requested to see him when he got back to Kelsey Lake. On top of that, he knows that he wants to see his fiancé so they can finish planning their engagement party.

"Dad, welcome home," Lex announces as he comes inside the room and spots his father.

"Thank you," Mac replies to him. "Help yourself to a coffee. Is Cole with you?"

Lex rolls his eyes, wondering how late Cole will emerge from bed today, since he knows that he was late the day before. "Nope," he says matter-of-factly.

Before Mac can reply, Cole enters the living room in a suit and tie. "Good morning," he announces to them. "Lex, I glad to see you still here, I was hoping we'd drive over to the office together."

"Uhh, sure," Lex tries not to roll his eyes back to him. "You're up early."

"Very funny," Cole jabs back at him as he pours himself a coffee.

"Enough with the bickering," Mac tells his sons. "We have a lot of work to do. Now, I have a good feeling about Serbia. I met with Novak Jankovic and we have a very good talk."

"So, the deal is done then?" Cole asks his father before he takes a sip of his coffee.

"I didn't say that," Mac replies quickly. "Apparently another mining company was also bidding on the mine."

"How is that possible? That mine would only deal with the very best mining companies. I don't know who else would compete with us? Unless it's Jasper Kennedy, who is in South Africa right now," Lex tells his father, making Cole realize that Lex is very knowledgeable about the mining industry right now.

"I don't have all the answers," Mac replies to him quickly. "Novak didn't get into details, nor did I pry. I suppose I could have, but if I happen to lose this deal, which I don't think I will, you better believe that I will be asking who the winning company is. I won't be made a fool of."

"Which makes me think about the Russian deal," Lex continues, as Cole listens in, trying to absorb all of the information. "We couldn't possibly lose Serbia and Russia. It would kill us the rest of the year."

"Agreed," Mac tells Lex. "Which is why I want you to start doing as much research on the mine in Russia as soon as possible. I want to know all the details I can so there is no way that I will lose that deal. Like you said, it would be devastating."

"None of this would be happening if we didn't lose Kelsey Lake all those years ago," Cole interrupts the men's conversation about the upcoming deals. "It's a shame that happened."

"Well it did happen," Mac yells back to Cole, thinking his son is incredibly insensitive. "And, now this is our reality. But, we haven't lost Serbia yet and we will not lose Russia, we will keep moving forward. This company will not suffer any more than it already has!"

Lex looks over at Cole and gives him a nasty look for mentioning the Kelsey Lake mine to Mac, which is obviously a sensitive subject to their father. Cole puts his head down, not realizing it was such a touchy subject.

"Now, you two start working on the Russia deal while I await to hear from Jankovic," Mac tells them. "And, I have to go to the country club. I'm meeting your sister for lunch. I'll see you both back at the office."

***

"Don't you look beautiful today," Mac announces to Stacey Rockwell as he sits on the patio table across from his daughter. "And, is that the necklace I had made for you?"

"It is," she replies to him as she kisses his cheek. "How was your trip?"

"It was business," he tells her. "I'm far more interested in hearing how you are doing? I know that hearing about my divorce from your mother came as an unpleasant surprise."

Stacey sighs and takes a drink of her rose. "I guess I just always believed that you and Mom would work things out," she admits to him. "I just believed that no matter what our family would stay together. Now, you're getting engaged to a woman I haven't even met yet and Mom is with Kent Blackmore."

"I know it's hard to understand," Mac replies to her quickly. "But, you know, this is for the best. Your mother and I, we haven't been truly happy in a very long time. That's all we want for each other, is to be happy."

"I want that too," she nods back to him.

"What else is troubling you?" he asks her, noticing that she's still upset. "Is it Joshua Willis?"

"Joshua ended our relationship," she informs him before she takes another sip of her wine. "And before you say anything, I'm fine. I realized that I could do better than him."

"I am terribly sorry to hear that," Mac tells her. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No, absolutely not," she quickly says back to him. "Promise me you will not go to Joshua."

"I promise," he says before he has a drink of the wine. "I just hate seeing you so upset."

"I appreciate that," she replies to him. "Just know that I feel like I am on a journey to discovering who I am. You know? Lex and Cole, they fit into Rockwell Mining and I don't think it's where I belong, but I have got to do something with my life. I can't spend the rest of my days shopping and having a good time forever."

Mac smiles back to her. "You're growing up," he tells her. "You know I want you to find your own way, Stacey. And whatever that path may be, I will support you, you know that, right?"

"I do Daddy," she smiles back to him. "I Love you."

"I love you too, baby."

***

Later, Mac returns to his office after finishing his lunch with Stacey. He immediately moves to the bar and pours himself a scotch, wondering how things are going with Cole and Lex and the upcoming Russia deal. Should Mac lose the Serbia mine, he knows that he will have to close the Russia deal, or Rockwell Mining will be in trouble for the rest of the year.

"Dad, you're back," Lex says as he opens the door to his father's office and comes inside. "How is Stacey?"

"Oh, you know, she's fine," Mac replies to him, not revealing that Stacey is going through a self-finding journey at the moment. "Have you made any progress on the Russia file?"

Lex nods back to him. "I have Cole working on some things right now," Lex reveals to him. "Look, I'm sorry about what he said earlier, he shouldn't have mentioned the Kelsey Lake mine."

"It's not your fault," Mac waves his hand to Lex. "The truth is, Cole is right. Had we not lost Kelsey Lake all those years ago, we would be in a very different position today."

Lex arches his eyebrow. "And you still have no idea how you lost Kelsey Lake?"

Mac shakes his head no. "It was a long time ago, before you were even born," Mac reveals to him. "It was the day after I first discovered your Mother was having an affair with Kent Blackmore. The following day, Blackmore Ltd outbid me on the mine. I have no idea how Blackmore knew how much I was going to bid, because he barely outbid me. But he did. This is only part of the reason why detest Kent Blackmore so much. First, that son of a bitch stole my wife, then he stole my mine."

Lex moves over to the bar and pours himself a scotch. He takes a long drink before he looks back at his father. "I know that look on your face, Lexington, what are you thinking?"

"Something doesn't make sense," Lex admits to him, as he takes a sip of his beverage. "How did Blackmore know what to bid? I know it was a long time ago but there has to be something we can do. Maybe he got the mine illegally? This could change everything if we knew what happened."

"How would we ever prove anything?" Mac asks him as he takes another drink of his scotch. "It happened so long ago."

"We won't," Lex informs him. "But if we hire a private investigator to dig around, who knows what he could uncover. Just think about it, Dad. We could maybe get Kelsey Lake back and really rule the diamond empire."

Mac gets a grin on his face. "I like where you are going with this, Lex. Hire a PI and let's see what we can uncover."

***

"How did the call go with Jankovic?" Lydia asks Kent as she comes back into his office after a few hours away. She knew that he had to make the call alone, but she is still curious to know how it went.

Kent stands up and moves up to her and gives her a passionate kiss on the lips. "Well, if that's any sign of how the phone call went, I'd say you're about to be a very happy man."

Kent grins back to her. "It went wonderfully," he acknowledges to her. "I couldn't have done this without your support."

"Like I said earlier, darling, you know that you can always count on me," Lydia replies to him.

"I'm beginning to realize that," he says back to her. "So much so that…"

"I know that look Kent Blackmore, it is that look that you have when you are thinking about something," she waves her finger at him. "What's on your mind?"

"Maybe it's time for the truth to come out," he cryptically reveals to him, as she turns back and looks at him in shock.

"What are you talking about?" she asks him in horror. "You can't be serious right now!"

"Why not Lydia? What's stopping us from telling everyone the truth about us and everything we have covered up?"

"Do you know how many lives would be ruined?" she yells at him, knowing the truth can never come out because it would change everything.

"You listen to me," he says as he grabs her arm.

She janks her arm free and slaps him hard across the face before she points at him. "Don't you grab me like that again, and don't you ever mention to me this nonsense the truth should come out. It will never come out, do you understand me? I've worked far too hard to hide the truth and I will not let anyone, not even you, expose my secrets now."

***

"Fancy meeting you here," Cole announces to Celeste as he comes up to her at the country club swimming pool, noticing how great she looks in a fashionable bathing suit.

She can't help but notice his toned, muscular chest in his swim trunks. "Here for a swim?" she asks him, asking him an obvious question which leaves her feeling embarrassed.

He nods back to her. "It was a long day at the office, I thought a good swim would take my mind off things."

"Funny, I had the same idea," she replies to him.

"Did you have a long day too?"

"I guess I had a lot on my mind," she reveals to him, knowing that she hasn't been able to stop thinking about the kiss that they shared earlier in the week.

"Me too," Cole replies to her as he moves closer to her. "We were probably thinking about the same thing."

She licks her lips and then turns away from him. "Celeste," he calls out to her as he comes up behind her. "Why are you scared to admit that you liked the kiss we shared? It's only natural for a woman to have feelings for a man she finds attractive."

Celeste turns around and chuckles. "You're so full of yourself, you know that?" she smiles back to him. "Now, I'm attracted to you, huh?"

"Well, are you saying you didn't enjoy the kiss?"

"That's not the point," she informs him. "The point is, I'm very happy with the man I have. I don't need you in my life right now. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll pass on the swim and head home instead."

"Celeste," Cole calls out to her, but she doesn't stop for him. She moves quickly into the women's washroom and leans up against the wall, trying to catch her breath. She knows that she is attracted to Cole, but she can't possibly admit that, not to anyone. Her entire future depends on it.

***

"Mom, are you home?" Jarek calls out as he opens the door to his childhood home. He moves inside and realizes that his Mom must be having a bad week because the house is not its usual clean-self. He knows that ever since his father passed away, Odette Williams has struggled on and off with depression. That's part of the reason why he visits his mother so often, to make sure she is doing okay. And because he loves her more than anything else in the world.

"I'm in the kitchen Jarek," Odette calls out, as Jarek makes his way from the entry way into the kitchen. There, he sees her baking some cookies.

"Mom, there you are," he says as he comes up and kisses her on the cheek. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm baking cookies," she tells him the obvious. "Your father's favorites! You want to take some home with you?"

"Yea, sure, that'd be great, thanks Mom."

"Of course dear," she smiles back to him. "So, what brings you by? Other than grabbing some cookies, of course."

"Do I have to a have a reason to see my beautiful mother?" he asks her.

"You're too sweet, you know that. You're so much like your father was," she manages to say to him as she puts some cookies in a reusable container. "Here you go, make sure you give me that container back when you're done."

"I will, I will."

"So, how are things with you and that cute boy of yours?" she asks him. One of the things Odette regrets is that Jarek's father never got to know that Jarek is gay because he came out to her after he passed away. She knows that he would have loved Jarek no matter what, just like she does. All she wants in the world is for Jarek to be happy in life, and if that's with another man, so be it.

Jarek shrugs his shoulders. "Good, I suppose."

"Whattya man, you suppose? I thought things were good between you two baby?"

"They were, they are," Jarek manages to tell her. "It's just, I'm ready to take it to the next level and I don't think he is. I don't know that he ever will be."

"Well, you know I think it's a catch," Odette smiles to him. "So, whatever it takes to make it work with that Lexington, you better do it, you hear me?"

"Yea, yea, I hear you Ma."

"Good, now come give me some more of that sugar hugs, I've missed you," Odette continues to smile back to him.

***

Mac sits in the dark office waiting for the phone to ring. He hasn't left for the day because he needs to hear back from Novak Jankovic on the deal about the mine in Serbia. So much is riding on this phone call; if he got the mine, he won't have as much pressure for the Russian deal that is coming up. But if he doesn't get it, he knows that the Russian mine deal is that much more critical for his success.

"None of this would be happening if I hadn't lost Kelsey Lake," he whispers to himself. "I really hope this P.I that Lex is hiring will uncover the truth about what happened. Maybe then, I can finally settle the score with Kent Blackmore."

Before he can say anything else, the telephone rings. He pauses for a moment as he tries to calm the butterflies in his stomach. Depsite working in the business for so many years, he still gets nervous when a deal is about to close.

"Mac Rockwell," he says into the telephone. "Novak, nice to hear from you. No, it's not too late. How are you?"

"Good to hear," he continues to say into the telephone. "Tell me you have good news for me….Ah, I see," he says. "Well, that's fine. I appreciate the phone call anyways. Can you tell me who won the bid?"

Mac feels the blood drain from his face listening to Novak Jankovic talk to him. "Very good. Enjoy your night, Novak. Talk soon, okay?"

Mac hangs the phone up and then walks over to the bar to pour himself a brandy. He takes a big swig of it. "Damn you Kent Blackmore," he whispers to himself. "Damn you straight to hell," he says, furious that his rival stole yet another mine from under him.