Chapter 2
I heard my mom say something and she didn't sound too happy. Oops, I must have drifted off into my thoughts. Oh well might as well get this over with.
"Stephanie! Did you hear a word I said?" my mother asked sounding very annoyed.
"I'm sorry mom. What did you say?"
"I said that just don't think because your sister is here that you are off the hook."
Shit, here we go.
"What did you do now Steph?" Jack asked me with a twinkle in his eye. I want to punch him in the face. When it comes to me and my mother he loves to egg on the fight.
"All I did was get a new job." I told him innocently
"A new job she says, she is going to be a bounty hunter for Vinnie." My mother said in a loud but not quite screaming voice.
"Ellen leave her alone; she knows what she's doing and she is going to get training." My dad shot me a smile as he was speaking to my mother. My dad the hero.
"Steph, who is going to train you?" Jack asked
Jack's words brought my mind back to this afternoon when I first met Ranger and Tank.
After the station I'd made my way back to the office and I noticed the black Bronco parked out front. I went inside hoping to catch an up-close look at the two guys from this morning.
"Hey you're back. How did it go?"
"Piece of cake!"
"Steph this is Ranger and Tank."
"Hi, nice to meet you both"
"I was just telling the guys that you were just starting out and that you could use a few pointers."
"Well, that is if you guys have time. I wouldn't want to interfere with anything."
Ranger spoke up. "It's no problem. We've already set up a training regimen for Lula, adding you to the mix will be no big deal. How about we meet for lunch tomorrow and discuss this in more detail?l"
Oh my God, he really is a gorgeous man.
"Okay, that sounds good. Um, where should we meet?"
"Pino's, 1:00?"
"Okay, see you then. I gotta run."
I made my way back out to my car. One thing I knew for sure...Ranger is HOT! I hope I don't do anything to embarrass myself when I'm around him.
In the back of my mind I heard my mother's shrill voice bringing me back to the conversation at hand.
"You are still not paying attention!" Why can't my mother just leave things be and let us all enjoy a quiet dinner?
"Sorry mom, it's been a long day."
"Stephanie, what are you going to do about Joseph? I'm sure he is not going to approve of this job. He...
I had to cut her off before things got really out of control. "MOM. Listen to me. I honestly don't care what Joe thinks of my job!"
Growing up my mom always told me to stay away from those Morelli boys. I never listened. When I was 6 and Joe was 8 we were playing choo choo in his dad's garage. At the age of 16 he relieved me of my virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry behind the éclair case. When I was 18 I hit Joe with my dad's Buick and broke his leg.
Morelli had grown up a lot since then, but he really is the same old Joe. When he wants us to get together, he calls and tells me that the boys miss me. What the hell kind of line is that? If he really loved me and wanted me in his life he would take me out to dinner, maybe send flowers or God forbid make love instead of just having sex.
Now that Joe was an adult, my mother loved him and saw him as my last chance for marriage and babies. Two things I don't think I ever want.
"That is no way to talk about Joseph. That man loves you and the two of you are good together."
"Mom..."
She cut me off. "Enough. Girls, why don't you help me clear the table and get the cake ready?"
"Okay grandma." They were so eager to help.
"Boy Steph, some things never change." Val said while smirking at me.
"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You and mom always fighting about something. So what is really going on with you and Joe?"
I looked over at Val and wanted to smack her. "Not funny Val. Don't tell mom but Joe is coming over tonight and I'm breaking things off with him for good."
"Are things that bad with you two?" Jack had asked me. I had almost forgotten that he and Morelli were the best of friends growing up.
"Well..."
I shut up when I saw my mother coming out of the kitchen.
"Stephanie, where is Joseph tonight?"
"He's working." I mentally added to myself "I think he's working, I have no idea and I don't care."
"I just don't like this whole idea of you being a bounty hunter. It's not the kind of job for you. It's time that you settled down with Joseph, got married and had babies."
I could talk until I was blue in the face and she still wouldn't get it.
"Mom, I'm never going to settle down with Joe. I don't think I ever want to get married again and I'm not really sure I want to have kids."
"What do you mean you don't want to get married again or have babies?"
Ok I think that statement may have just broken my mother; she looks like she is going to go on a drinking binge like no other. I didn't want to tell her this before I had the talk with Joe but it looks like I'm going to do it anyway.
"Look things with Joe are not working out, now you can either accept all of this or not. But I'm warning you, mom, I'm not going to do things the way you want. This is my life and if I want to chase skips for Vinnie then dammit I will. I have never been "Burg," mom, and I never will be."
I can't take much more of this right tonight. I stood up to leave. There was dead silence in the house. If grandma was home she would be jumping up and down right now.
"I have to go; I have some things I need to do before tomorrow. Val, call me so we can get together and catch up." I didn't wait for an answer; I just ran out of the house and got into my car.
TBC
