A/N: Enjoy the next installment, and thank you for every single one of your reviews. I'll try to get the chapters of this story up more quickly, whenever possible. Thanks, guys.

He recoiled from a kiss that wasn't his to accept. His toes curled, against their will, at a touch unknown to his skin. When Stephanie's fingers tiptoed their way up the length of Ross's arm, Chris was certain he scowled, a bitter passenger on a moving train he was desperate to hurl himself off of. Graham tugged on his arm, asking about an item on the kids' menu, and Chris was thankful for the distraction. He wasn't prepared to tolerate much more of Ross, who was leaning in frequently to kiss Stephanie's cheek, or forehead, or lips. Ross's attendance at their group dinner was akin to a cell phone ringing during an opera — one of life's big, unwelcome interruptions.

Stephanie didn't seem to mind the influx of attention, however, and was enraptured by the sight of Ross, tugging playfully on his earlobe with her fingertips while Chris struggled to keep his eyes on his own menu. He was trapped in a game of water torture, except instead of the incessantly dripping faucet, his challenge arrived in the form of undying kisses and canoodling, none of which should have been his concern. A single thought set his heart at ease, somewhat, and that was the acknowledgment that Stephanie's happiness came before his desires. He had to remind himself that his utmost hope was for Stephanie to have immense joy in life, the same amount she put forth willingly to others, even if he wasn't the man to supply her such a grand gift.

Graham, tiring of Chris's obvious distraction, leaped out of his seat, and it wasn't until his son rounded the table and entered his view that Chris even realized he was gone. Graham tapped Stephanie's arm, and she pulled away from Ross, turning to see what he needed. "Hey there. Are you okay?"

"I don't know what to get," Graham admitted.

Chris's daydreams withered like a frostbitten flower, left to chance in a brutal snowstorm. Any way he diced it, he was ignoring his son to relish in his thoughts of a woman, and he certainly wouldn't be awarding himself Father of the Year anytime soon because of it. Graham had asked for his help, but he was too busy pining for the woman across the table, like a schoolboy whose hormones were thrust all out of whack. Chris couldn't have blamed Stephanie a single bit if she redirected Graham to him because, after all, it was his job to meet his own son's needs. Still, he wasn't surprised when she met Graham's request with kindness and warmth, offering to help him out. She was the warm blanket that draped itself over their shivering bodies, day in and day out.

"You don't?" she asked, holding a hand out for Graham's menu, which he released to her. He leaned against her chair, and she shifted in her seat to face him, a smiling Ross watching the exchange closely. Acute jealousy whirled in Chris's chest, threatening to torpedo right through his body and wipe out every internal organ in its path. He was practically planning a telethon to cover the costs of the relief efforts required to heal his wounded body, a victim to the war brought about by self-destruction. "You've sure got a lot of choices," she noted, eyes grazing over his menu. "That can be tough, huh?"

"This side of me wants the hot dog and macaroni," he said, motioning to the left side of his body, "but the other side wants the spaghetti."

Stephanie's body shook with laughter, and soon, Chris, Ross, and Amanda were all joining in. Caylie, tucked away in Amanda's lap, fed off of the joyous mood and let out a few giggles of her own. Chris beamed with pride, the kind only a father could have for their son. Graham was the only child he knew who could manage to be so charming, without even putting in an effort to come off that way. Not only did Graham have him wrapped around his pinky finger, but it seemed he had captured Stephanie's heart as well. She placed her hand on his arm, smiling.

"Aren't you just the cutest little boy ever?" she asked.

"Mmm...I dunno," Graham shrugged, met with more laughter. His smile grew sheepish, and he caught Chris's gaze, asking, "What, Daddy?"

"Nothing. I'm just looking at you, that's all," Chris replied. "You have to make a decision. The waitress is coming back soon."

Graham's eyes lit with the sudden arrival of an idea, and he put on his most sly grin, irises twinkling like the nightly constellations. "Could I have both?"

"That's a tall order," Stephanie said, checking on Chris from across the table. "What do you think? I don't mind getting him both. It's no problem at all, but it's up to you."

"You can't eat all of it, Graham. If Stephanie wants to get you both, then that's fine, but you're going to have half of each plate, and we'll box the rest up and bring it home for later," Chris said. Home. When he first began living under Stephanie's roof, it was difficult to refer to her home as his own. It almost felt wrong. Now, he had no problem mentioning his new dwelling with ease, but a part of him couldn't help but wonder if that was only because he was more territorial with Ross around.

"Could I please have them both?" Graham repeated, turning his pleading eyes onto Stephanie as he clasped his palms and held them in front of his chest, even going so far as jutting out his bottom lip. She handed the menu back to him with a smile.

"You can have both, since it's okay with your daddy. Go have a seat so you'll be ready to order, okay?"

"'Kay. Thank you!"

"You're welcome," she answered.

Graham rushed around the table and fell into his seat with a whooshing thud, tipping to the side and hugging Chris's arm. Chris pulled his limb away and wrapped it around Graham's shoulders instead, kissing the top of his head as they waited patiently to get their dinner underway. With the completion of a busy workweek, Stephanie had been the one to extend the offer of taking them out as a group for a low-key, enjoyable meal that they could all use as an unwinding mechanism for their weekly stresses. Ross slipped his arm around Stephanie's shoulders, in a move that mirrored Chris's almost exactly, and he turned his attention to the youngest male at the table.

"So, Graham, I hear you're getting a new kitten," Ross chatted. He already knew all about the cat situation but was trying his damnedest to make conversation.

Chris was interested to see how Graham would react to a discussion with someone new. He wasn't a shy child but was generally reserved, until he got to know someone. That small tidbit didn't seem to factor into his behavior that evening, however, and a smile zipped across his face at the mention of the kitten he had coined Freddy. "He's not my kitty yet, but he's gonna be, 'cause Stephy says I could keep him if nobody else says he's theirs. His picture's outside for everyone to see, and if nobody wants him, we could have him, and I get to name him Freddy!" he recited gleefully.

"Oh yeah, I remember the night you all put out those fliers," Ross nodded, taking a sip of a soft drink through his straw. "It's really nice of you to try to find his owners. I'm sure if he's missing from someone's house they will be really happy to get their pet back."

"I don't want him to go." The smile melted right off of Graham's face, and he stared sullenly at his menu. Chris rubbed his back between his shoulder blades and tousled his hair. He caught sight of Stephanie nudging Ross in the side, an attempt to get his attention and probably ask him to steer the conversation to a lighter topic. So much for perfect little Ross. Perhaps he wasn't all he was cracked up to be. Either that, or Chris lacked the ability to assess the situation clearly.

"It's okay, kiddo," Chris consoled him. "We have to keep our heads up no matter what happens. Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you tell me how school was today?"

While Chris distracted Graham with talk of his day, Stephanie squeezed Ross's thigh beneath the table, wanting to wipe the grimace off of his face. He hadn't meant to say the wrong thing, but the pressure was mounting, and he couldn't help but want all of Stephanie's friends to like him. His wish was only natural, but he felt undying tension from a mile away and couldn't pinpoint its source. Everyone was generally nice, but there was an unease lingering overhead. As a result, Ross stuck with the only safe bet: holding quiet conversation with Stephanie until the food arrived.

Stephanie's lips eased into a smile during her walk with Ross after dinner. She stood facing him, holding each of his hands in her own as she swung them lightly in the air. Since the group had taken two vehicles to their dinner excursion, she had sent everyone else back to her house in the other vehicle and took advantage of the rare alone time with Ross. While everyone else had ordered various desserts at the restaurant, she and Ross had foregone any of the delectable treats on the menu, instead saving some extra space in their stomachs for an ice cream outing. The line was only three people deep, and Stephanie kept herself happily occupied with Ross while they waited their turn.

She raised both eyebrows comically high, managing a smile without bearing any teeth. Ross had tried to keep a straight face, but he couldn't, eventually laughing at her expression. She released his hands, but only long enough to reach up and pinch his cheek, painting the rose color right into his flesh. "Don't look so bummed out, sweetie."

He shook his head, clutching tighter to her waist. "I was terrible back there. Did you see the way Chris was looking at me after I upset his son? I thought he was going to reach across the table and rip my throat out, and I didn't even upset the kid on purpose. I was just trying to make conversation."

"Chris is completely sweet, and so is Graham, I promise you," Stephanie said. "He might have been a little defensive over Graham, but can you really blame him? It's his child. I would be defensive over my kids, too, if I had any."

"I know. I just felt bad," Ross replied. "Graham seems like such a sweet kid, and I wouldn't have wanted to dash his hopes about keeping the kitten. I think I was searching so hard for the right things to say that I made it even worse. It's hard being yourself around people you don't know."

"Yeah, but you didn't know me at first, and see how quickly we warmed up to each other?" she winked, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

"I guess you're right. It's just going to take some time."

He nodded toward the front counter when they were next in line, and Stephanie spun around to order what she wanted, thankful they were in a warm enough building to keep them snug while they enjoyed their frozen treat. Hot weather in Connecticut was rare enough that they pretty much just had to bite the bullet and enjoy ice cream during the winter months. Otherwise, they would never get the chance to eat it. When they both received their disposable containers filled with ice cream and had placed their leftover bills inside the tip jar, Ross led Stephanie to a table in the corner of the establishment, and they seated themselves across from each other.

"You look beautiful tonight," Ross told her. "I don't think I got the chance to tell you that, but you really do."

"Thanks. You look handsome yourself. Quite dapper."

"Thanks. I was thinking, I'm finding it a little hard to spend time with you, since you work so much and, plus, you've got appearances in your free time. I was wondering if you thought it might be a good idea for us to start having lunch together on weekdays. I might not be able to swing it every single day, but I can try to get over to your building and pick you up," he suggested. Stephanie pursed her lips, as the first thought that consumed her was the possibility of having to break off her regular lunches with Chris. Bringing Chris and Ross to lunch at the same time was an option that would likely only end in disaster, so she didn't even entertain the idea. Ross must have caught sight of her troubled expression, asking, "So...is your silence a no? I don't want to cut in on your free time if you think that's what will end up happening."

"No, no, it's not that at all," Stephanie responded, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his arm. "I love being able to see you, but...can I be honest without you getting upset with me?"

"Of course. I wouldn't ever want to make you feel like you couldn't talk to me openly," Ross answered. He spooned some ice cream into his mouth, scooping another bite out of his container and holding it up across the table. Stephanie leaned forward and savored the bite, sighing her satisfaction.

"That's so good."

"I know, it's the best. I get it every time I come here. Good old Buttercrunch Toffee."

"I think it's only fair you try some of mine now," Stephanie said, holding her spoon out so Ross could sample a bite of her Imperial Cherry flavored treat. "What do you think?"

"It's awesome," Rich smiled. "I don't mean to completely change the subject, but can you finish what you were about to tell me earlier?"

"Oh, yeah," Stephanie began. "See, Chris has been living at my place for the past few months with Graham, and ever since he began working for me, I've taken him to lunch. It's sort of become our little thing, and we don't even have to discuss it anymore. It's just understood that when lunchtime comes around, we're going to spend it together. I guess I'm just worried that if I tell him we can't do it anymore, he won't understand why, or he'll take it the wrong way."

"I know he's your friend, and I wouldn't want to come between that. Listen," Ross reached for her hand across the table, enclosing it in his own, his fingertips skirting over her knuckles, "I trust you, and I trust your judgment, and if you think it's best not to rock the boat, then I want you to go with that. We get gut feelings for good reasons, and if your gut and your heart are telling you to stick to what works, then I'm with you. We'll find other times to get together, I'm sure."

"Really?" Stephanie's eyes softened like a downy blanket. "You mean it?"

"Of course I mean it. I want you to be happy because, let me tell you, there's no excuse for anyone on this earth to wipe that beautiful smile off of your face," he told her. She bit her bottom lip and ducked her head bashfully, smiling into her ice cream scoops and hoping her avoidance of his gaze was curtailing the blush that threatened to blaze across her cheeks. Ross's lines weren't rehearsed and, instead, came from the heart, making the underlying sentiment all the more meaningful. "I was talking to my mom about you the other day. She hasn't met you yet, of course, so she's just curious about you, like all moms are when their son gets a new girlfriend, and I was telling her how sweet you are and that you smile and laugh all the time. I think that's one of the things that drew me to you the most. I love happy people like you."

"Ross..." she brought her hand to her chest.

"I'm serious. You have a real zest for life, and just being around you puts me in a better mood," he said. "I showed my mom some video footage of you on Raw and stuff, because she's not a wrestling fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I was showing her so she could see who you are. She thinks you're really pretty."

"Are you just trying to butter me up for some reward?" she joked.

Ross held her warm gaze, responding, "Being with you is reward enough."

Chris sat directly behind Graham, legs outstretched, as they played with Freddy. In his right hand, Chris held his cell phone, struggling with whether or not to go through with calling Melissa. She was the serum that was going to force his mind into forgetting Stephanie, but to think of her in that light was nothing more than using her for ulterior motives, which, in the long run, wasn't going to be fair to either of them. When he asked for her number, his intentions had been pure, but after the dinner he had just been a part of, watching Stephanie and Ross cuddle across the table, he wasn't so sure he could enter a relationship in a objective state of mind.

In the presence of any female, he would likely find his mind's eye involuntarily comparing the other woman to Stephanie, enabling a mental diagram that would place them side by side and determine who was the best option. He shook his head free, smiling and petting Freddy's head each time Graham turned around to check on him, but on the inside, his body was lodged deep in battle, a fight between instincts and uncertainties. His entire life, he had been able to seamlessly win over the girls of his dreams, but never before had a woman been as untouchable as Stephanie was. She was leaving him in ruins without a single clue, a tornado passing through the trenches of his heart and leaving only scraps and shreds behind.

And still, he was alert enough to realize nothing productive would come over pining for a woman who could simply never be his. Stephanie was a welcome addition to his daily routine, overseeing him to ensure he made it successfully from one point to the next in life, and the sooner he saw her in that light all of the time, the easier his life would become. He owed it to himself and his son to set realistic goals, and that, in essence, was exactly what Melissa boiled down to — the decidedly more realistic option. His choosing Melissa couldn't be considered settling, not when the only alternative was a woman far too high for him to reach.

He scrolled through the contacts on his phone and found her name, rolling the highlighter over seven simple letters, and watching as her name glowed against the dull background. Chris kissed the top of Graham's head, excusing himself and asking him to play nicely with the kitten while he was gone. Chris entered his bedroom — leaving the door wide open in case Graham needed him for something —and made the call to Melissa, smiling when her voice floated over the line. "Hey, is this the cute blond guy I met at the restaurant the other day?"

"That would be me. The name's Chris, or did you forget?" he quipped.

"I sure had a lot of time to forget, since you didn't bothering calling me until just now, days after the fact," she said. There was just enough cheer in her voice to assure him she wasn't actually angry. "I thought you weren't going to call me at all. I kept wondering why you would have asked for my number if you weren't going to use it, but then I thought you might have been playing that silly game that all guys play, where you have to wait a certain number of days before calling."

"Okay, well I wasn't doing that. I promise, I wasn't. At least, not intentionally," Chris explained. "I've just been really busy with work and my son. I'm trying to make time for you, though, if you would be open to letting me. I can't expect a spot in your life, but I can hope for one, right?"

"You sure can be corny, Chris."

"Wow, thanks," he laughed, shaking his head when he heard her burst into raucous laughter on the opposite end of the line. "I hope you're just pulling my leg and that that wasn't a genuine assessment of me."

"Come on, you know I'm only kidding," she said. "I'm really glad you called. It's not every day that I meet such a nice, cute guy who seems to have his head screwed on straight."

"Thanks. It's not every day I meet a girl who challenges my wit and general sense of humor, so you've got that going for you, too," Chris said, gearing himself up for what he wanted to ask. "So...I'll quit being a chicken and just come right out and say it: Will you let me take you out this coming Sunday evening, maybe for some dinner and possibly a movie?"

"It's a date."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she cemented, not waiting to dive right in. "So, what are you into? Reading, writing, long walks on the beach?"

"Well, I'm not normally one to brag, but I'm a damn good baker: cakes, cookies, pies, the whole works. Um, let's see, I also make a pretty good gardener, not to mention my awesome whittling skills. You don't even want to know all the things I can carve out of a good piece of wood," he laughed.

"I think I like you already."

Time got away from Chris the better he got to know Melissa over the course of their conversation, and by the time he hung up with her and re-entered Graham's bedroom, his son was sprawled out on the floor, eyes fluttering as he struggled to maintain a wakeful state. Chris smirked, kneeling down beside Graham and scooping him up in his arms, which Freddy didn't take so kindly to, purring loudly at Graham's sudden absence. Chris carried him into the bathroom, asking Graham to give his teeth a good brushing so he could change into his pajamas and hit the sack. For about the past week, Freddy had been sleeping in a square bed lined in cushioning and placed at the foot of Graham's bed.

Once Graham was changed and his school clothing was set out for the next morning, Chris led him to bed, tucking him in and giving him a goodnight kiss to boot. He occasionally read to Graham before bed, but Graham was clearly too drowsy for a story, so Chris picked Freddy up, scratching lightly behind his ears and placing him down gently in his bed for the night. He turned the lights out, wishing Graham a good night and cracking the door, but not before flicking on the nightlight near the door as well. Amanda had turned in with Caylie almost immediately after returning from dinner, and he couldn't blame everyone for their exhaustion.

In the midst of wavering on whether or not to head downstairs for some late-night television before bed, or whether to call it a day, Chris made out the dull thumping of a set of footsteps following the trail of stairs. He slowed his pace, expecting to find that Amanda had gone downstairs for a drink before bed and was returning to her room, but, instead, he found Stephanie clutching her purse straps against her shoulder as she smiled her way up the stairs. Their eyes met, and she tipped her head in that way she always did, coming to a stop at the pinnacle of the stairs and resting the small of her back against the bannister. "Hey," Chris greeted.

"Hey," she returned. "I hope you had fun tonight."

"Of course. It was a great time, and thanks for being so nice to Graham," Chris said. "You're always so patient with him, and it doesn't go unnoticed."

"Well he's a wonderful little boy."

Chris opened his mouth to speak, but, for the first time, was stuck on his words, the thoughts he wanted to voice locked away in a cage he couldn't find the key to. Stephanie's eyes burned into him and only made his tied tongue even more defunct, so he took a breath and cleared his mind of everything except the present. "These past few months of living with you have been...I don't think I can even come up with the right words to express my gratitude. Graham and I wouldn't have anything that we have now without your help, and I just hope someday we can repay you for all you've done. I know you say you're not expecting us to, but you're a hero to us, and we want to make things right."

"They're already right. They became right the second you both came to live with me."

He grinned. "We'll make it righter."

"You just don't give up, do you?" she chuckled, pushing lightly off of the wall. "I'm going to update some work files on my computer and then head to bed. Are you staying up?"

"Nah, I just put Graham to bed with Freddy, so I'll probably go to sleep now, too."

"All right, I'll see you in the morning. Have a good night, and thanks for coming to dinner tonight."

"Thanks for having me. Goodnight," Chris said, waiting until Stephanie passed to followed her path toward his bedroom. He only had one foot inside his bedroom when her voice brought him to a brief stop, as she uttered a sentence that quirked his lips into an automatic smile.

"I'm excited for our lunch break on Monday," she noted.

"So am I."