A/N not mine, I own nothing but the plot.
Falling for my Best Friend
Most people don't realize that despite what they think, my best friend is one Lester Santos. We've know each other since childhood. We attended the same Catholic School all the way through graduation. I knew of his cousin, Ricky, but never met him until I began my career as a bounty hunter. He introduced himself as Ranger so I never realized that Lester was his cousin and back in Trenton until that night of the "interior decoration" job.
As soon as I heard that familiar voice ask, "Beautiful? Is that you?"
I ran and jumped into his open arms and felt like I could breathe again. The part of me that was missing since college was back and I couldn't be happier. Ranger and the other two stared at us with blank faces. I could only guess what was going on in their heads and laughed out lound when I turned around and saw them.
"Les has been my best friend since we were kids! We lost contact when he went into the Rangers when my Daddy recuited him and a few others."
"You're General Plum's daughter?" The introduced as Tank asked.
"I'm his youngest, yes."
"You're Pumpkin?" Bobby asked in awe.
" I prefer Steph or Stephanie, but yes that's what he calls me."
It looked like Ranger was trying to keep from having his eye twitch. All I could think was how fun this was going to be to mess with him and the way Lester was grinning I knew he was thinking the same thing. This was going to be good and I was absolutely right. Lester and I had so much fun tormenting him and making his eye twitch.
I already knew that despite what Ranger and I had between us, it would never go any further. He didn't do relationships, and I wouldn't let myself be used. Daddy and Lester both told me about him and his love 'em and leave 'em ways. Lester was the same way, but my heart was stupid and still fell for him.
I tried dating other guys. I tried the friends with benefits, and the one night stand thing, but it just wasn't me. I watched him go out every Friday and leave with a different woman and it damn near broke my heart. I was in the friend zone, and I was pretty sure I would be stuck there for life. He only saw me as a friend, the little girl with wild curls. The person he told everything to, but didn't share his heart with and never would.
It was another Friday night and I was out with the guys from Rangeman and their girlfriends. Lester had picked up a woman at the bar and I was the only single person there. I watched as he rubbed her back and whispered in her ear. I couldn't take any more so I gathered my purse and said good night to everyone. I grabbed a cab as soon as I got out the door.
When I got to my dinky run down apartment, my cell phone rang. It was Lester.
"Yeah Lester," I answered exhaustively.
" Where did you go, Beautiful? One minute you were there and the next you were gone, what happened?" He asked concerned.
"I said goodbye, you even waved at me. I told everyone that I was tired and heading home. No worries. When you waved I thought you knew I was leaving."
"Oh. I was waving at a chick at the bar. I wanted to get her number. I guess I missed your goodbye."
"I was feeling a bit like a third wheel. I didn't want to bring anyone down. You all were so relaxed and having fun. Besides, it's not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last that I've gone unnoticed. I'm going to get ready and head to bed. I have that install consult with Ranger tomorrow morning."
"Okay, Beautiful, sweet dreams."
"You too Les," I said softly. I hung up the phone and started to cry. Maybe I need to get the friends with benefits thing that Ranger offered a try, at least the I wouldn't be so damn lonely all the time. That would be a bad idea though, sleeping with your best friends cousin because you stupidly fell in love with said best friend was an idiot move. All I could hope was that one day he would notice me for once. Of course life wasn't fair and never worked out that way for me.
I was up early the next morning and in business casual to meet with the posible client. I was expecting Ranger to be on the other side of my door when I opened it after I heard the knock. I was surprised to find Tank waiting for me instead.
"Hey Little Girl, I'm going to be working with you today. Ranger had an important meeting with Santos on the mats this morning," he answered my unasked question.
"What did the playboy do this time?"
"He broke the number one unwritten company rule and it was finally noticed."
"What rule is that an do I need to worry about it?"
"You're the only one who doesn't have to worry about it," he replied cryptically.
I just shrugged my shoulders and decided not to worry about the stupid boys club rule if it didn't pertain to me. He probably brought some chick back to his fourth floor apartment, like an idiot.
They client was very happy with my suggestions and felt more comfortable having a woman there for the consult. She signed a three year contract with Rangeman for her home and asked to have me and Tank come consult at her place of business later in the week. We quickly agreed and set up a time that worked for all of us.
Now I was obligated to go back to the office with Tank and fill out more paperwork for the new client and get the install scheduled with Hector and his team for next Friday. Everything seemed to be going great until we actually got back to the office and I saw Lester with two black eyes and a broken nose.
"What the hell did you do Lester?!" I screeched out.
He grimaced, but turned his head away, unable to look me in the eye, "I broke the biggest rule we have here and the worst part is that I never even knew I was doing it."
He didn't say anything else to me and just walked away. I started to follow, but he spoke up, "just don't Stephanie. I need to be alone right now. I'll talk to you on Monday when we work together."
I stood there is shock for a moment. He never traeted me like this before. I must have pissed him off some how. How do I fix this? Just as I sat down in my cubicle Ranger called me into his office.
"Babe, I think it would be for the best if you and Lester were no longer partners. I would like you to work with Bobby this week and get a feel for what he does, we'll be rotating you and cross training you in other areas of the company."
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Not at all, I just feel that you may enjoy other aspects of the company more. You are one of my best employees and would like to cross train you. We actually may be able to utilize your skills to train our other offices in so many different areas. There would be a pay increase and futher compensation for a promotion such as this once we have you trained," he explained.
I furrowed my brow in thought and replied, "I mean if you think I'll be good at it, sure I'll give it a try. I enjoy travelling and agree that this may be what I need in my life at the moment."
He nodded his head and I took that as my dismissal. As don as I had my hand on the doorknob he spoke quietly, "Maybe someday he'll pull his head out of his ass, Babe, someday."
My shoulders tensed as I gave a jerky nod of my head and walked back to my desk to finish up my paperwork. How the hell Ranger had figured out my feelings for his cousin were beyond me. I was pretty sure that I had now lost my best friend and it hurt. I handed off my work to Tank and went to Bobby's office to see what was on tap for Monday. He gave me a run down of what to expect and what uniform I would need.
I went home and changed to head to my parents for dinner. When I got there I found out that Ma and Grandma went to a friends house for dinner so ot was just me, Daddy, pizza, and a Rangers hockey game on TV.
We ate in silence, but when we were finished with our meal I was surprised when he turned off the television and faced me.
"Pumpkin, I think we need to have a talk," my normally quiet Dad told me.
"Okay, what do we need to talk about?" I asked confused.
"You need to tell Santos how you feel. You can't keep going on like this, I hate to see you looking so sad all the time."
"Daddy, I'm pretty sure he already knows and I lost my best friend. I'm being trained for a promotion and once I take it, I won't see him very much any more. I'll get past this and if I don't, I'll learn to live with it."
"Oh, Pumpkin. I'm so sorry you're going through this, you deserve to be happy. If I can do anything, please tell me and anything in my power to give you is yours."
"Thank you, Daddy. I'll be alright. I have everything I need. When Ranger told me about this job, I knew exactly why he was offering it. Lester is his cousin and knew this would be the outcome. He's trying to make the transition for me as easy as posible."
He nodded and we said our goodbyes. I made my way home to a bottle of wine and a hot bath. I needed to relax. I was emotionally drained and had nothing left to give to anyone. As I walked to my building I never noticed the red mustang in my parking lot. If I had I would have been better prepared to find Lester Santos sitting on my couch.
"I am so not having a conversation with you. I've had enough today and just want a glass of wine, a long bath, and my bed," I growled out at the intruder.
"Steph, Beautiful, please just hear me out and then I'll leave."
"Fine, say what you want and leave. I've had a long day and I don't need any more crap or lines from anyone."
"You're my best friend and you never told me how you felt about me. Of course I've never told you about what I felt since middle school. I always thought you only saw me as a friend until Ranger beat some sense into me this morning.
"I've been in love with you for so long that I was blind to how you feel. I didn't want to screw up our friendship. I couldn't stand it if you walk away from me."
"You say one thing, but your actions show me otherwise. What do you think is going to happen when I take the promotion from Rangeman and I'm barely around. Will you find someone else? Will you go find someone else to screw? What do I do when you inevitably break my heart and leave me for someone with a better body and dumber than a box of rocks?"
"I can always travel with you when you get the promotion and what do you mean inevitably break your heart?"
"You forget, I've known you longer than most of the people we work with, I've seen more women leave your bed than they have. What happens when I'm not enough for you?"
"Damn it, Steph! Listen to me! I love you! I'm in love with you! I just want a chance with you. I want a future with you! I always have!" He shouted at me.
It was in that moment I realuzed he was serious. I plopped myself down on the couch next to him. I know I must have looked like a fish before I found my words to form a reply, "If we do this then we take it slowly. I can't let myself get hurt by you. It would be the end of me. We go on dates and decide if this is really what you want before we go any further."
"Absolutely, Beautiful. How about we have our first public date in a few weeks when my face and ribs are healed up. We can always have dinner and movie night here or at my house. We can even have dinner with our parents. They'll understand why I look like a punching bag. I don't want to take you somewhere nice looking like I'm a thug."
I gently leaned over and gave him a kiss to the cheek. I stood up and put in a movie for us to watch and just snuggle together. It looks like I'll get my happily ever after after all.