Disclaimer: All the characters belong to the wonderful Janet Evanovich. I am just borrowing.
Spoilers: Possibly all the books up to Twelve Sharp
Content Warning: eventually NC17, maybe?
This is my first try at fanfic, so please be kind.
Special thanks to Haleigh for her help with editing this chapter. Without her, this chapter would be a jumble of nonsense.
Stephanie's New Deal Chapter 4
I was shocked at the crowd of people and number of lights streaming across the front of the Trenton Convention Center when we pulled up. There were flashbulbs going off constantly and it took me a moment to realize that the crowd was likely filled with reporters. I looked over at Ranger and saw him smile just slightly.
"Juniak knows his supporters and the fact that they would all love the opportunity to get into the society pages just for showing up. He's a smart man."
I nodded my head in response, the look on my face undoubtedly daunted by the amount of press that we would be facing when we stepped out of the limo. Ranger's face was well known in Trenton now that the papers had printed stories about him being wrongfully accused for Julie's kidnapping and the heroic gesture he made to save her and me. He would immediately be recognized when he stepped outside. And sadly, given that I was probably as happy about my press as he was about his, so would I. Ranger's plan to make all of Trenton aware of our "relationship" would be taking huge leaps forward with this one event.
The limo stopped in front of the door and someone opened the door for us. Ranger climbed out onto the red carpet that had been laid between the curb and the door and turned back to reach a hand down to assist me. I could see the flashes going off even faster now that the reporters knew they had a chance to capture a shot of Ranger with a "date."
The flashbulbs were like strobe lights as I emerged from the backseat. Ranger took my hand and laced it through the crook of his arm. He smiled down at me and I thought I saw happiness showing in his eyes. "You look beautiful tonight, Babe," he whispered in my ear. I managed to hear him despite all the questions being yelled at us by the reporters. We ignored all of the questions, but the voices were a constant barrage on us and by the time we got to the door of the convention center I was feeling incredibly overwhelmed.
Joe Juniak himself was standing just inside the building, greeting people as they came in. He saw the two of us enter and his eyes lit up. He finished shaking the hand of the person he was talking to and bypassed the next two couples in line in order to greet us personally.
"Ranger, Stephanie. I'm so glad the two of you could join us tonight. You didn't have any problems running the gauntlet outside, did you?" Juniak asked, shaking first my hand and then my Ranger's.
"Not too bad. You'd think they had never seen me out on a date before," Ranger said.
Juniak's eyes widened a minute amount before he could school his expression. He laughed like he thought the reporters' reactions were indeed ridiculous and I realized that Ranger had taken a very effective step in further spreading the news of our relationship.
"Stephanie, you look beautiful tonight. Do we have you to thank for Ranger actually putting on a suit?" Juniak asked. I thought there was a good chance he was trying to buy himself some time to recover from the shock of the idea of Ranger dating. If I weren't in on the plan, I probably would have been shocked, too.
"No, he did all this on his own. He's very adaptable," I said with a smile that Ranger returned in addition to pressing a kiss to my temple. I knew that it was just for the show we were putting on for people, but the feel of his lips on me made my heart race just a little, even if it was just in that incredibly innocent way.
"Well, come on in and go mingle for a bit. We're having cocktails right now and dinner will begin in about a half hour. I've got to greet some more people but I'll try to catch up with the two of you in a little while. Make sure you enjoy yourselves," Juniak said, shaking Ranger's hand again and leaning down to give mine a brief kiss across the top.
Ranger thanked Juniak and looped my hand through his arm again. "Dirty old man," he muttered to himself quietly and it surprised a laugh out of me.
Ranger's eyebrow lifted up in question and I said, "He's only in his fifties, so he's really not that old. And I don't think you have to worry about his intentions with me. He's doing the hand kissing thing with every woman that he greets." I tilted my chin in the direction of where Juniak was standing, right at that moment kissing another woman's hand.
I saw the corner of Ranger's mouth raise in a smile and he gave a small shake of his head, but the tension that I had felt in the arm I was holding disappeared.
We entered the main room and I gasped. The entire room was decorated in black and silver, from the balloons that covered the ceiling to the cloths draped over every chair. They set off the brilliant white of the table clothes perfectly and made the entire room seem very modern. The flashes of colour some of the other women were wearing cast discordant notes with the rest of the room, but Ranger and I fit in with the décor perfectly. Glittering chandeliers hung from the ceiling, accenting the silver of the balloons that hung around them.
We wandered around a bit, chatting with other couples and being generally sociable. Ranger kept his hand on the small of my back the entire time and the heat from his hand, the feel of his touch, were going to slowly drive me nuts if I focused on them too much. So instead, I put my focus on the people we spoke with.
I knew about half of the people there, mainly just from growing up in the Burg. Most of them were business owners or other people who were high up in the community. Some I knew by face if not by name. But it seemed like Ranger knew the other half of the group that I had never met, and they were the half that undoubtedly had the money in the room. Based on the conversations they struck up with us, some of them were apparently people Ranger had met through business, but most were just people he had met over the years. And it was obvious that all of them were surprised when Ranger introduced me as his girlfriend.
We followed one of the servers to our assigned table and found that we were seated at a table very close to the front of the room. If we had been at a wedding, we would have been at the table with the bride and groom's parents. I had known that Juniak liked and respected Ranger, but it wasn't until just then that I realized how much.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the MC said into the microphone. "Welcome to this evening's event." He made a motion toward someone on the side of the room and, immediately, tuxedoed servers began spreading through the room. Two walked to each of the large tables, one carrying dinner held on a huge tray and the other holding a stand.
"We hope you all enjoy the wonderful meal the chef has prepared for us tonight. We have speeches and entertainment lined up for this evening after dinner, which was made to be especially delicious in hopes of slowing down your escape."
Polite laughter sounded throughout the room, but quickly stopped as the food was served. I think I may have unintentionally moaned when I saw mine. At least I think that's what caused Ranger's lips to turn up in a smile. A decadent chocolate mousse followed for dessert and I knew that the MC hadn't been entirely joking.
When the dishes had been cleared and we were all sprawled out in our chairs, our finery straining with the effort of holding its seams due to the increased stress from the food we'd consumed, Juniak stepped up to the microphone.
"I want to thank all of you for joining us here tonight," he began. "I appreciate the support and the friendship each and every one of you has given me." He paused for some polite applause. "I can honestly say that I am blessed to have the best supporters in this country." The applause grew more enthusiastic. "As all of you know, I was part of the Trenton Police Department for many years, and so I'm big on having evidence to support my suppositions. I can't tell you all how pleased I am to have proof to support this claim as well."
An overhead projector turned on and the white wall behind Juniak was covered by the picture of a brand new, red Mercedes convertible. "We have been blessed enough to receive the donation of a brand new Mercedes convertible from an anonymous donor. And one lucky attendee here tonight has on the back of his or her place card a number that will match the number drawn from the crystal bowl my lovely wife is bringing to me. Thank you Melinda," he said as she placed it down on the podium. "That person is going to win the car pictured behind me. My campaign manager already has it in our possession and I can honestly tell you that the car is a beauty. We just couldn't see any way to bring it into the convention center without the management objecting." The laughter that followed that comment was much more enthusiastic and involved. Juniak had everyone's attention now.
"The winner of this generously donated car is the person with the number 406 on the back of his or her place card." Silence followed Juniak's announcement as everyone checked to see if they were the lucky winner.
"That's me," Ranger said as he gave me a kiss on the cheek and began walking toward the front of the room and the dais. I sat, stunned, as I watched Juniak confirm Ranger to be the winner and then shook his hand.
Ranger stepped up to the microphone. The sound of his low voice, now amplified enough to surround the entire room, caused goosebumps to develop on my arms.
"I want to thank Joe for this opportunity to get up in front of all of you. The car is definitely a beauty, but unfortunately it would clash with the rest of the vehicles in my garage." Laughter spurted across the room, the women tittering a bit harder than the men as they watched Ranger speak. Not that I was jealous or anything. Since I'm involved with Joe, it was simply an observation. Right.
"So," Ranger continued, "I'm going to donate the car back to Joe's campaign. The country could use more politicians like him and so I know the money will go to a worthy cause."
The entire room erupted in animated applause. Juniak came over and shook Ranger's hand as enthusiastically as the rest of the room was reacting to the news. Ranger smiled at Juniak for a moment, and then turned his eyes down to me, his smile still on his face. But the smile was slightly different when he looked at me than when he had been looking at Juniak and I recognized it for what it was: his wolf smile. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I realized something was up.
Ranger leaned close to the microphone again, but this time his voice was deeper, more intimate. I doubt there was a dry pair of panties in the entire room.
"Many of you who are here tonight know me, and those who know me know that I'm an opportunist. I have to admit, I can't help wanting to take advantage of the opportunity tonight has presented me with." His smile widened in direct relation to the way my heart slowed down.
I was stuck in place, torn between the desire to run out of the room in embarrassment of what I suspected was coming next, and desire to charge the stage and clamp my hand over Ranger's mouth so he couldn't finish his sentence. I suspect he knew what was going through my head because Ranger cut right to the chase.
"Stephanie Plum, we're here with many of the people who know us, and I want to share this moment with them as well." He paused for a moment, ostensibly to take a breath, but I suspect it was actually because he was enjoying dragging out the moment.
"I have loved you for years. Will you marry me?"
The room was dead silent. Or that may have just been me because I think my ears turned themselves off. People were surrounding me, their mouths moving, but no sound coming out. I felt a pinch on my arm and looked over to see Sue Ann Grebek standing next to me.
"What are you waiting for? Get up there!" she said, giving me a shove out of my chair and another to propel me forward toward the stage.
I somehow managed to navigate the stairs without tripping despite the fact I couldn't really feel my legs. Ranger was standing at the top of the dais, looking me with an expectant expression on his face. If I punched him in the nose, I wonder if he'll expect that? I thought to myself, but managed to stomp down on the urge. I looked behind me and the entire room was waiting for my response. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, and tried to speak but no words would come out.
I looked back at Ranger. He still looked expectant, but now there was a look in his eyes that suggested not all of the experience was fake, that part of him was actually wondering what my answer would be. I stamped down the thought, and reminded myself that it was fake. And my answer was fake too.
"Yes," I said, my voice no more than a whisper at first. "Yes, I will marry you," I said more clearly.
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I'm really behind with feedback, but I want to thank every person who commented on the last 2 chapters. I look forward to your thoughts on how the story is going, so please keep them coming.
Thanks
-- Josie