Title: The Best Is Yet to Come
Author: Robin
Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters are JE's. The song, The Best is Yet to Come was composed by Cy Coleman, with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh.
A/N: I've never written a song fic before, so I hope this doesn't suck. Response to a challenge from another site. Challenge prompt is underlined.
Rating: PG-13 for minor language
I drummed my perfectly French-manicured nails on the white table cloth, bored to tears. Well, actually there were no tears yet, but the night was still young. Tonight was the annual Trenton Fraternal Order of Police Charity Ball and while the word ball conjured all kinds of romantic images of Cinderella, her prince, glass slippers and all that jazz, so far it had been a bust. I yawned behind my hand and sat up straighter in my chair, trying to enjoy the big band and get into the spirit of things. What I really wanted to do was slump over on the table and prop my chin up on one hand. I couldn't because then I would wrinkle. I was slumping on the inside, all the same.
I might feel miserable, but at least I looked fantastic. I ought to. I'd spent three hours primping, preening and polishing, taming my hair into the sleek twist on my head. The crystal beaded comb in my 'do coordinated perfectly with my delicate sandals and dangly earrings. And my dress was heavenly. Floor length chiffon in cerulean blue that swirled around my ankles when I twirled on the dance floor.
Too bad I wasn't dancing.
This was probably because I wasn't speaking to my date. Joe and I had had another blow up on the way here. Same shit, different day. I almost wish we'd just turned the car around, but that would have been a waste of three hours of hard work. So, we were here, but we weren't speaking with each other. I think we both knew this relationship was in its final death throes, and at this point the only humane thing to do was deliver the killing blow. Neither of us have had enough balls to put us out of our misery. The longer I sat here, the more willing I got.
Joe had gone directly to the bar and had managed to spend the last hour ignoring me in favor of a clutch of younger women who were hanging on his every whiskey-laced word. I'd found a seat with some of the officers I knew from the Burg, my work (and countless misadventures) and I'd been nursing a soda and a bad mood ever since. I did dance a couple of times, once with Eddie Gazarra and once with Carl Costanza. But the rest of the time I'd been feigning interest in my cousin, Shirley Gazarra's whining and concentrating on not gritting my teeth to powder when yet another person asked where Joe was.
I glanced through my program, hoping maybe there was a Sudoku puzzle inside, but only found advertisements from the companies sponsoring the event. There was one pretty good ad from Pino's that offered a discount to all law enforcement officers. Hmm. I wonder if I could find a way to convince Anthony that I qualified. Hey, I was involved in law enforcement and a standing ten percent discount at Pino's could translate into big bucks over the course of a month. At the center of the program was a list of all of the sponsors. Pino's Pizzeria was a Gold Sponsor as was Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. Vinnie, the slime-ball, was here somewhere. I'd seen him dancing with Lucille when I came in, but I was glad that we hadn't crossed paths since. I really didn't want a pity dance with The Duck Lover.
I scanned down the rest of the businesses, pausing when I got to the sole Platinum Sponsor: Rangeman, Inc.
I felt a little thrill of excitement as I considered that Ranger might be here somewhere. It was silly, I know. I'd come here with Joe… hell, I was still technically Joe's girlfriend, but as I'd been getting ready tonight, I'd been thinking about Ranger. And I'd been wishing silly, impossible things… I'd been wishing that he'd play Prince Charming to my Cinderella. I glanced around the room. I hadn't seen him tonight, but the ballroom was large and crowded. Plus, I'd been wallowing and wasn't really all that aware of my surroundings. I stood, trying to see if I could see the tables across the dance floor. Hmm. Maybe I should walk over there and mingle a little.
As I was trying to discreetly crane my neck, I heard someone gently clear their throat behind me. I smiled and held my breath before I turned around.
Deflating in disappointment, my shoulders sagged when I recognized that the man standing behind me was the singer from the band, not Ranger as I'd hoped.
"Ms. Plum?" he asked. "Are you Ms. Plum?"
"Yes," I answered uncertainly. I couldn't imagine what he'd want with me, but if my mother had volunteered me to play the cello that would be the freaking frosting on this cupcake.
"I'm Michael. I have a message for you from a friend," he said as he pulled an ivory envelope from his inside pocket.
There was a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach as I thought about taking it. In the past few years I'd gotten psycho letters, body parts, death threats and incendiary devices. Mysterious mail was not usually a good thing. But I decided that surrounded by Trenton's finest as I was, I should be relatively safe.
I lifted the flap gingerly, holding my breath in case it was an Anthrax-o-gram and pulled out a card embossed with the initials, RCM. Ranger. A tingle skittered down my spine as I turned it over with trembling fingers to read:
Babe,
I heard a song the other day, and—
The card slipped from my fingers, fluttering under the table. I started to bend down to retrieve it when Michael stopped me with a hand on my arm.
"Wait… let me find it for you," he said, stooping down to peer under the table and pick up the card. "Here you go Ms. Plum," he said, returning it to me. "Please excuse me, I need to get back. Our next set is about to begin."
"Thank you," I said, clutching the card more firmly this time. When he'd walked away I looked at the card again.
Babe,
I heard a song the other day, and thought of you. Dance with me?
Yes! I answered silently as I looked up, searching the crowd for him. I still couldn't see him, but now I knew he wasn't far. And then in one of those magic movie moments, the people parted on the dance floor like the Red Sea when faced with Moses, and he was there, standing on the other side.
On a regular day, Ranger was breathtaking. In a tux, he was indescribable. Unlike most of the men in the room, he wore it with an ease born of supreme confidence and self-awareness and utter comfort in his own skin. And what it did to that yummy skin. Holy hot flash. He was perfect.
As he crossed the room to me, I heard Michael begin to sing, a capella.
Out of the tree of life, I just picked me a Plum
You came along and everything started to hum
Still it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come
Ranger pulled me into his arms, whispering along with the lyrics, "The best is yet to come, and Babe won't it be fine."
He swung me onto the dance floor as I listened to the song, letting the music and Ranger's touch fill me up. His arms were strong around me, guiding me flawlessly through dance steps I'd never learned. But, as with everything else in my life, I trusted him completely. And as usual my trust was completely justified. Ranger danced like he did everything else in life, with sensual confidence and perfect execution.
He held me close to him, a current of desire binding us together. I think we were attracting attention from nearby couples, but I really couldn't bring myself to care. Ranger's eyes were mesmerizing and in his arms, nothing could hurt me. A ripple of noise ran through the crowd and I'd guess that Morelli had caught sight of us. Maybe I should be worried about that, but I wasn't. Because this… being in Ranger's arms like this… felt so right. He was overwhelming my senses. There wasn't room for anyone else. There hadn't been for a very long time.
As an instrumental section started, Ranger swung me out, spinning me twice before gathering me back to him. I couldn't hold in the laughter that welled up in me. Ranger met it with a half-smile, light dancing in his eyes. He embraced me tightly against him as he guided me around the floor and I closed my eyes, resting my head on Ranger's broad shoulder, letting the music and Michael's silky voice flow through me.
The best is yet to come
Come the day your mine
Ah come the day your mine
I'm gonna teach you to fly
We've only tasted the wine
We're gonna drain that cup dry
ooo
Wait till your charms are right, for these arms to surround
You think you've flown before, but you ain't left the ground
ooo
Wait till you're locked in my embrace
Wait till I draw you near
Wait till you see that sunshine place
Ain't nothin' like it here
ooo
The best is yet to come, and Babe won't it be fine
The best is yet to come, come the day your mine
Come the day your mine
I've got plans for you Babe
And baby you're gonna fly
Ranger dipped me low as the song came to an end. When he raised me back up to him, he held me for a moment, our eyes locked. I knew what he was asking without words and I answered him by tiling my head and lowering my lashes. A heartbeat later, his lips were on mine, kissing me breathless, in front of colleagues, the Trenton City Council and half of the Burg. The thought that my mother would be wearing a hole through her ironing board flitted through my head before Ranger deepened the kiss and left no room in my mind for anything but the sensations he was creating.
A soft sigh escaped me as our lips parted and it took a few moments for the clouds to clear. Ranger's eyes were soft, melted chocolate and there was tenderness in them that I'd never seen before.
No one else understood me the way that Ranger did. This was the only man I wanted in my heart, in my bed, in my life. And unless I was reading him wrong, the feeling was mutual.
We stood perfectly still as the world swirled around us. He held me tightly against the hard planes of his body and with quiet intensity, said, "You're mine as of this moment. Someday starts now."
And baby you're gonna fly
The end
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The Best Is Yet to Come
Music by Cy Coleman
Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh
Out of the tree of life, I just picked me a plum
You came along and everything started to hum
Still it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come
ooo
The best is yet to come, and babe won't it be fine
You think you've seen the sun, but you ain't seen it shine
ooo
Wait till the warm-up's underway
Wait till our lips have met
Wait till you see that sunshine day
You ain't seen nothin' yet
ooo
The best is yet to come, and babe won't it be fine
The best is yet to come, come the day your mine
ooo
The best is yet to come
Come the day your mine
Ah come the day your mine
I'm gonna teach you to fly
We've only tasted the wine
We're gonna drain that cup dry
ooo
Wait till your charms are right, for these arms to surround
You think you've flown before, but you ain't left the ground
ooo
Wait till you're locked in my embrace
Wait till I draw you near
Wait till you see that sunshine place
Ain't nothin' like it here
ooo
The best is yet to come, and babe won't it be fine
The best is yet to come, come the day your mine
Come the day your mine
I've got plans for you babe
And baby you're gonna fly