A lovely job. You write Laura very well and have the gift of being able to imagine her apart from Steele, as a fully realized character. I liked how she and Wilson fall into the relationship somewhat by default, just two people who, even in their own estimation, seem outwardly compatible, but find their lives diverging on different paths.
I find it easy to credit your theory that, during her stressful time at Havenhurst, Laura would crave the stable environment that Wilson represents. Their eventual break-up unfolds as I would imagine it, with Wilson's stiff-necked avoidance of confrontation and the regretfully penned note.

Beautifully and thoughtfully written. I loved the way you interspersed Wilson & Laura’s past conversation in between Laura’s current thoughts in order to lead us through their relationship. Interesting idea to delve into a subject that a lot of us don’t give much thought to Laura’s relationship with Wilson. Bravo!

This is a thoughtful, sensitive exploration of Laura's relationship with Wilson, as well as a study of the emergence of "Laura Holt, PI." You did an excellent job of building up Wilson's character from the scant clues given in "Vintage Steele." As you stated in your synopsis, you've drawn him in such a way that we can see why Laura loved him. But the streak of stuffiness in him shows through, too...and spells out ultimate incompatibility for them.

Very well done, how you've shown the rational process by which she concludes she's in love with Wilson. It's a forerunner of what Steele accuses her of in "Sensitive Steele": using only half her brain for thinking, when what he's interested in is the half for feeling.

Your descriptive talents are very much on display, here; I get a very vivid picture of her physical surroundings as she runs.

How *would* a strong woman like Laura deal with the callousness of Wilson's departure? I think you hit the nail on the head: the reassurance that she's anchored in her home. Very true to character and a nice foreshadowing of the devastation she'll experience in "Red Holt Steele" when those props are kicked out from under her (but by then she's got Steele to replace it...sort of.)

One thing to watch for: overuse of proper names, especially in dialogue, but in exposition as well. Pronouns serve much better in a two-character scene once their identities are established.

A lovely read, Ms. Adict, in your usual lyrical style. Thank you!