Chapter 1
My name is Stephanie Plum and something strange has happened to me. Since the "incident" that the world likes to call a marriage to Dickie Orr I have had no want or need to get married, have children, or be tied down to one person. Joe Morelli has asked me numerous times, and most women in Trenton would jump at that opportunity but I cannot do it. I broke it off with him two months ago and we've kept it to ourselves. Now after my birthday I keep having these weird dreams and I feel like my biological clock is ticking. I want to have a baby.
I cannot just go have a one night stand and hope I get pregnant, I don't do casual sex and goodness only knows what kind of weirdo I'd end up with knowing my luck. I can't ask Morelli because asking him would come with a ring and a whole lot of other things that I do not want to do. I thought about going to a sperm bank, but I think my Mother would kill over at that option. Plus, I couldn't imagine having a baby with someone I've never met (not to mention that I heard that Mooch Morelli had recently been making donations to the local sperm bank, ewwww we're not even going to go there.) So I guess that brings me to where I'm at now, asking the biggest favor of my life. I don't even know if favor would describe what I'm about to do, but it's the only word close to it. I'm going to go have dinner on 7 with Ranger and talk to him about the situation.
As I fob my way to the 7th floor my stomach is full of butterflies. I don't know how to even bring this up, I have not seen Ranger in 3 months and he just got back into town about 4 days ago. Julie turned 18 and wanted to go on a trip around Europe, so he took her. I'm so glad that they have gotten as close as they have over the past few years and I only hope it keeps up when she starts at Princeton in a few months. I smell Ella's cooking and can feel my mouth watering, nothing is better than Ella's cooking, well maybe a few things but nothing that is a good conversation at the dinner table.
"Ranger, I'm so glad to see you," I say as I hug him and kiss him on the cheek when I enter the apartment. "I missed you and I have something to talk to you about"
"Babe, I missed you too. I actually got you a gift, Julie insisted I bring you back some chocolate from Belgium." He leaned down and kissed me on the lips and put his arm around me as he led me to the table.
"Chocolate, you know the way to my heart. Tell Julie I said thanks when you talk to her again." I said as I poured a glass of wine and we began to eat the chicken and rice that Ella made.
After dinner was cleaned up we made our way to the living room and sat on the couch. I was really nervous to have this conversation, but I guess I just needed to rip the band-aid off and get it over with.
"Ranger, you told me a long time ago that you would do anything for me. There is no price for what we do for one another." I started out.
"Yeah, but you're making me nervous Babe, what do you need? Is someone after you again?" Ranger raised an eyebrow at me.
"No, no one is after me. Let me start at the beginning. About a month after you left Morelli and I broke it off for good. No one really knows because we haven't made it "Burg news". Lately my biological clock has been ticking, and I've decided I want a baby. You told me once that you would get me pregnant and I wanted to see if you would still make good on that offer?"
A lot of different emotions passed through Ranger's eyes before he finally answered me. "Yes Babe, I will do that for you if that is what you want."
"Yes that is what I want. Now since you're on board I will talk to my doctor and see what you need to do so we can get your sperm to their office and get everything started. You don't know what this means to me Ranger." I said with a tear in my eye.
"Talk to the doctor? Let me get something clear Babe, if we're making a baby we're doing it the old fashion way with a bed and naked skin. We're not having a test tube baby." Ranger said as he kissed me on the lips.
Holy hot flash, what in the hell did I just get myself into?