Author's Note
A Guest Reviewer called Angie posted this on the lasted chapter: FORGET CLOSURE! Take her and RUN!
I'd like to thank Angie for that, because I had to laugh for a good ten minutes.
Of course I want to thank the rest of you for reviewing too. Those comments mean a lot to me.
I am sorry for the long wait. Work hasn't been going well and it made me grumpy. So everything I wrote was for the trash.
I want to apologize for the confusion regarding Ric's name in this story. Out of habit I posted always Ranger's POV, where it should have said Carlos's pov.
Also someone asked me why Steph calls him Carlos, where as everybody else calls him Ricardo/ Ric?! For me only the person he loves can call him by his middle name and maybe his parents/ close family, whereas friends and acquaintances will need to call him by his first name. Hope this makes somewhat sense.
This chapter is again on the short side. Sorry about that, but I had to write this as a filler chapter. Hope you still like it.
Enjoy!
Steph's POV
"Hey…how are you?" I question as I pick up the phone.
"Good good…listen cupcake; I can't make it to Dinner tonight." Joe replies.
"You are going under?" I ask and feel somewhat relieved. Lately things haven't been quiet good between us.
"Yes…and when I get back…uhmm we need to talk." Joe informs me and I can hear some sadness in his voice. I think we both know where that talk will lead to.
"I know…Can't we talk today? I can cancel dinner!" I want to get this over with, as quickly as possible.
"Sure, I will be over in an hour" He hangs up without as much as a goodbye.
Flashback
Two days earlier
"Manoso and you looked quite cozy in there" Joe says from behind me, making me jump as I walk out of the backdoor of Vinnie's.
"What do you mean?" I question and place one hand over my heart to calm myself down.
"The way you two where sitting together in there, so close…what is going on between the two of you?" Joe asks harshly and steps a few steps closer. I can smell the alcohol from where I am standing, hoping he will not make a big scene.
"Are you drunk?" I ask, still frozen to the spot.
"I just had a couple with Big Dog" Joe answers and steps closer. "So what is going on between you and Manoso?"
"Nothing is going on between us, Joe" I look him straight into his eyes, willing him to see the truth behind my words.
"I don't believe you. The way he was looking at you…like he wants to have you for dinner" Joe snarls.
"There is nothing going on….hold on…Did you spy on me?" I can feel my temper rising.
"I wanted to come in and pick you up, as a surprise, but you two looked busy with each other" Joe answers and he doesn't need to speak out what he is implying.
"He bandaged my hand" I raise my voice and show him my hand. "By the way I am fine, thanks for asking!"
"He is still in love with you… even a blind man can see that" Joe says quietly, blowing my anger away. "And I think you love him too."
"Joe…" I sigh, not knowing what to answer. Do I love still love Carlos? I don't know. Are there still unresolved feelings? Sure.
"Sort out your own head Stephanie. I will see you in a few days" Joe presses his lips to my temple and walks away without saying another word.
End of flashback
I didn't fall asleep that night. I sat on my bed all night, starring into nothingness, trying to determine what I felt and for whom. Lula's word kept going through my head 'Girl you gotta figure it out. You can't string Joe along like this'
I avoided Carlos like the plague on Saturday and thankfully yesterday was my day off, which I spend in my thinking position again. In the end I came to a decision. If it is going to be the right one, I have no idea, but it is the best for the moment.
Joe knocks on my door and hour exactly an hour later. He has a key, but I think given the circumstances, he doesn't want to use it.
"Cupcake" He nods and walks in with a small box tugged under his arm.
"Joe" I say in return and motion for him to go into the living room.
For a few minutes we sit on the couch, neither one of us knowing what to say until I break the silence.
"I…uhm…I am sorry Joe." Tears are pooling in my eyes and I try to hold them at bay. I may not love him as much as I thought I did, but I loved him nonetheless. And ending this is hard. He has been my friend for the past three years, before we got together two years ago. To see this end is sad. "I can't marry you…I don't think I can give you what you want."
"It's okay cupcake. It's Manoso isn't it?" He questions and sets the box onto coffee table.
"Yeah…" I sniff "Since he has been back, it just brought back all these old feeling and I don't want to string you along. You deserve better." I found it is better to be honest. There is no need to lie here.
"So do you. He isn't good enough for you, cupcake. And if he hurts you, I will find a way to make him disappear." Joe growls.
"Don't worry; I won't let it come to that. We just gotta find closure, so that we both can move on" I tell him and Joe stands.
"Take care cupcake" He pulls me out of my seat and for the last time into his arms. "If you need anything, I will be here for you."
"Right back at ya" I mumble into his shoulder and inhale his scent for the last time. "Just don't come back with more holes in your body."
"I am good at what I do" He laughs and we pull apart. I hand him the box with his things and he leaves.
I am surprised he took it as well as he did. No lectures about how I was associating with a criminal or that Carlos is guilty. I know even if I find closure, Joe and I are better of being friends than lovers.
I take a deep breath to compose myself and get ready for work.
Carlos's POV
"Hey…what are you doing here?" Steph questions as she rounds the corner to the bar and bumps into me.
"Uhm…this is where I work" I reply and can barely hold back my grin.
"Funny" She says and hits me with the papers she is holding "I meant, what are you doing here today? You are not on till Friday!"
"Marcy didn't tell you, that she asked me to swap with her?" I ask. "She has some kind of family emergency and asked if I could help her out."
"No she didn't, but that's okay. You feel ready to take on the Bar by yourself?" Steph probes.
Monday and Tuesday nights, the bar part of Vinnie's is closed and the bartenders are allocated to the Restaurant Bar, Marcy usually works these two days, but that job falls to me today.
"Yeah I think I will be fine" I reply and motion to the papers she is holding. The top one says 'Staff Party' in big bold letters. "A Staff Party?"
"Yes…Twice a year, once in summer and once before Christmas, we close the club in Newark, hire temp staff and empty the liquor cabinets." Babe informs me with a big smile. I can see the excitement in her eyes. "It's in two weeks." She adds and hands me a flyer. "One will also be attached to your pay slip this week."
"Okay…Thanks." I say and look at the sheet. The paper is pink and the writing huge, with lots of small pictures of the previous staff party next to it. "Looks like you guys had a blast at Christmas" I have to keep myself from laughing at a picture of Steph and Lula, both are wearing party hats and look considerably drunk, but yet incredibly happy.
"I only get to drink twice a year on my cousins dime, I may as well enjoy it" She quips and turns on her heel, but not before looking at me with a smile "Now… Don't you have work to do?"
"Yes Boss" I salute her and I can still hear her laughing as the kitchen doors close behind her.
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