**I want to say a really big THANK YOU to everyone who has stuck by me for
this story. I'm really sorry about the lack of updates, I had to basically
start over from scratch with my home computer and work has been too busy
for me to work on this there, so here ya go. As far as the "Everything
Works" story goes, I'm debating on whether I should just start over or if I
should continue from where it's at. If you have any suggestions, please let
me know. Thanks again!!**
That night, Steph was packing everything up and feeling pretty low. She had talked to Vince and explained that she had gotten everything squared away, so at least that was taken care of. But she couldn't help but feel nervous about facing Matt.
She had everything packed and was on her way out of the arena when she seen that someone was leaning against her car. As she got closer, she seen that it was Paul. Paul was leaned against her car wearing blue jeans, his black leather jacket, his hair down and in his hands, he was holding a single white rose.
Steph smiled, "What are you still doing here?" She asked him once she got to her car.
"Well, I knew that you had had a really bad night, so I thought that I would bring you a little something to cheer you up. And I remembered that white roses were your favorite, so I got you one." He said handing it to her.
Steph blushed and took a long sniff of the scent. "Thanks Paul, I really appreciate it. But how did you know that I had a bad night?"
Paul smirked, "Well, where to begin, first, you had to re-write the whole card because Jeff was late, then he finally shows up and you have to send him home. And then for the rest of the night, you walked around the back looking super pissed, so I just put them all together and drew my own conclusion."
"Well thank you for the rose, I really appreciate it. It really means a lot to me." Steph said smelling it again.
Paul put her stuff into her trunk for her. "I thought maybe if you didn't have anything going on, you might want to go and get a bite to eat." Paul asked her.
Steph had thought about just going back to the hotel and taking a long hot bubble bath, but something to eat sounded really good too. "I'll tell you what. If you don't keep me out too late, I'll go out to dinner with you."
Paul smiled, "That sounds great, do you just want to drive together?"
"Sure. That's fine. Hop in." Steph said climbing in her rental car.
On the way to the restaurant, Paul and Steph talked about the show, and what was good and what could be improved.
They arrived at a nice café and sat down at a table across from each other. Stephanie ordered coffee, a glass of water and a cup of soup. Paul ordered water and an omelet.
Steph was so frustrated and fried that she felt like she could break down crying at any moment. Steph began day dreaming of how the news of her firing Jeff would go over at the airport the next day.
The only thing that snapped Steph back to reality was when Paul wrapped his hands around hers, "Steph are you here with me?" He said with a chuckle.
Steph shook her head, "Yeah, I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now, I'm really sorry. What did you say?"
"I wanted to tell you that I think that you did a great job today at the show." Paul repeated himself.
"Thanks, but I don't feel like I did a great job." Steph replied.
The waitress brought out their drinks and Steph began doctoring up her coffee.
"Steph, I'm really glad that we've become friends again. I really missed having you in my life." Paul said to her sincerely.
"Thanks, I missed you too." Steph replied. It was the truth. Paul knew her really well and she could talk to him about the business in the same manner as she would talk to Shane or her father.
"Steph, I've really come a long way from the guy I was when we were together. And I have something that I want to ask you." Paul said reaching across the table and squeezing her hand.
Steph took a deep breath, she couldn't lead him on anymore, "Paul, before you go any further, there is something that you need to know."
"What's that?" Paul asked.
"I'm seeing someone. We're coming up on our two month anniversary." Steph replied.
"You're seeing someone? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Paul asked. He was hurt that she wouldn't tell him right away.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't know how you would react. I didn't know if you would demand to know who he was or where he lived or what he did for a living or what. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner and I'm really sorry if you felt like I was leading you on." Steph said apologetically.
"Jesus Steph, I would think that for all of the time that we've spent together, you would have told me something like that by now. I mean, I know we have an explosive past, but damn." Paul replied. In a way he was angry, but he was more hurt. But what he couldn't stop wondering was did she not tell him because she still had feelings for him and to admit to him that she moved on would really mean that she had moved on.
"I'm sorry." Steph began apologizing again, but the waitress came and gave them their food and interrupted Steph's train of thought.
"Look, I understand. I just hope that you've found someone that makes you happy." Paul replied to her.
Steph couldn't believe that those words had come out of his mouth. He truly had grown up. She smiled and squeezed his hand. "He makes me happy, but I don't know for how much longer I'll make him happy." Steph said sadly.
"What do you mean? Do you want to talk about it?" Paul asked. He had truly meant that if nothing else, he wanted her as a friend.
"Let's talk at the hotel, it's more comfortable. I want to sit in the hot tub." Steph replied. "And there you can join me."
"Deal." Paul said.
The two of them scarfed down the rest of their food and flew back to the arena to pick up Paul's rental. Then they flew to the hotel and met up in the parking lot. "I'll meet you down there in 5 minutes." Steph said to him.
"Deal." Paul said and they both headed off to their rooms.
Sure enough, 5 minutes later, the two of them met up again at the hot tub. Steph climbed in and breathed a sigh of relief. "Ok, you want to know my problems? What I'm about to tell you is strictly confidential on a professional level and cannot be repeated until it's public knowledge, got it?"
"Steph, I won't repeat it. What's going on?" Paul asked.
"Well, I had to fire someone tonight. Their brother is my boyfriend, and I don't know how well it's going to go over tomorrow when we meet up." Steph said.
"You're dating Matt Hardy?" Paul asked in a shocked voice. He couldn't believe that the two of them would be compatible.
"How did you know who I was talking about?" Steph asked.
"Who else's brother works here that would have needed to be fired tonight?" Paul asked her sarcastically.
"Good point." Steph replied. "I just don't know what to do. Jeff never liked me at first, then we wound up getting into a fight and we worked it out, and now we're on bad terms again and I know how close Matt and Jeff are and I don't know what Matt is going to think."
"Steph, I think that you need to realize that hopefully Matt is smart enough to remember that even though you are Stephanie McMahon his girlfriend, you are also Stephanie McMahon, person in charge. You did what you had to do because of the circumstances. If he can't understand that, then you're better off not wasting your time with him." Paul said rationalizing with her. "I know it's hard because they are really close, but I'm sure that Matt has some idea that Jeff has his share of problems around here."
Steph nodded, "I know, and I told myself that. But see, tomorrow night, Matt and I are going to a party at Shannon's house and I'm nervous about that also."
"Shannon.Moore?" Paul asked. He just couldn't picture her having a good time hanging out them.
"Yeah. Matt, Jeff, Shannon and Shane Helms are all really good friends, and they like to get together and throw parties, and the very few people that know about Matt and I like to give him a hard time that I don't know how to have a good time. Well it's not that I don't like to have a good time, it's just that my idea of having a good time is a little different than theirs."
"Steph, do what you feel comfortable with. But I really think that if Matt flips out on you about this Jeff thing then he wasn't ready to date you." Paul said sensibly. "That's just how it needs to be. It may be a harsh thought, but he needs to realize that when you're dating someone in charge, that doesn't make you of your family exempt from punishment."
Steph nodded and hugged Paul, "Thanks Paul. I don't know what I would have done tonight if I didn't talk to someone."
Jeff had been staying at the same hotel as the wrestlers for obvious reasons when he decided he wanted to get few sodas and watch some late night tv. On his way to the pop machine, he walked past the pool and the hot tub and stumbled across Steph and Paul "snuggling" in there. Jeff was outraged, "That bitch will pay. There is no way in hell I'm letting that little tramp hurt Matt." Jeff vowed. He turned and headed back up to his room to order room service instead.
**Well, tomorrow is the big day. Steph must face Matt and Jeff. What will Jeff say to Matt? How will everything go over?? Please continue to read and review!!**
That night, Steph was packing everything up and feeling pretty low. She had talked to Vince and explained that she had gotten everything squared away, so at least that was taken care of. But she couldn't help but feel nervous about facing Matt.
She had everything packed and was on her way out of the arena when she seen that someone was leaning against her car. As she got closer, she seen that it was Paul. Paul was leaned against her car wearing blue jeans, his black leather jacket, his hair down and in his hands, he was holding a single white rose.
Steph smiled, "What are you still doing here?" She asked him once she got to her car.
"Well, I knew that you had had a really bad night, so I thought that I would bring you a little something to cheer you up. And I remembered that white roses were your favorite, so I got you one." He said handing it to her.
Steph blushed and took a long sniff of the scent. "Thanks Paul, I really appreciate it. But how did you know that I had a bad night?"
Paul smirked, "Well, where to begin, first, you had to re-write the whole card because Jeff was late, then he finally shows up and you have to send him home. And then for the rest of the night, you walked around the back looking super pissed, so I just put them all together and drew my own conclusion."
"Well thank you for the rose, I really appreciate it. It really means a lot to me." Steph said smelling it again.
Paul put her stuff into her trunk for her. "I thought maybe if you didn't have anything going on, you might want to go and get a bite to eat." Paul asked her.
Steph had thought about just going back to the hotel and taking a long hot bubble bath, but something to eat sounded really good too. "I'll tell you what. If you don't keep me out too late, I'll go out to dinner with you."
Paul smiled, "That sounds great, do you just want to drive together?"
"Sure. That's fine. Hop in." Steph said climbing in her rental car.
On the way to the restaurant, Paul and Steph talked about the show, and what was good and what could be improved.
They arrived at a nice café and sat down at a table across from each other. Stephanie ordered coffee, a glass of water and a cup of soup. Paul ordered water and an omelet.
Steph was so frustrated and fried that she felt like she could break down crying at any moment. Steph began day dreaming of how the news of her firing Jeff would go over at the airport the next day.
The only thing that snapped Steph back to reality was when Paul wrapped his hands around hers, "Steph are you here with me?" He said with a chuckle.
Steph shook her head, "Yeah, I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now, I'm really sorry. What did you say?"
"I wanted to tell you that I think that you did a great job today at the show." Paul repeated himself.
"Thanks, but I don't feel like I did a great job." Steph replied.
The waitress brought out their drinks and Steph began doctoring up her coffee.
"Steph, I'm really glad that we've become friends again. I really missed having you in my life." Paul said to her sincerely.
"Thanks, I missed you too." Steph replied. It was the truth. Paul knew her really well and she could talk to him about the business in the same manner as she would talk to Shane or her father.
"Steph, I've really come a long way from the guy I was when we were together. And I have something that I want to ask you." Paul said reaching across the table and squeezing her hand.
Steph took a deep breath, she couldn't lead him on anymore, "Paul, before you go any further, there is something that you need to know."
"What's that?" Paul asked.
"I'm seeing someone. We're coming up on our two month anniversary." Steph replied.
"You're seeing someone? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Paul asked. He was hurt that she wouldn't tell him right away.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't know how you would react. I didn't know if you would demand to know who he was or where he lived or what he did for a living or what. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner and I'm really sorry if you felt like I was leading you on." Steph said apologetically.
"Jesus Steph, I would think that for all of the time that we've spent together, you would have told me something like that by now. I mean, I know we have an explosive past, but damn." Paul replied. In a way he was angry, but he was more hurt. But what he couldn't stop wondering was did she not tell him because she still had feelings for him and to admit to him that she moved on would really mean that she had moved on.
"I'm sorry." Steph began apologizing again, but the waitress came and gave them their food and interrupted Steph's train of thought.
"Look, I understand. I just hope that you've found someone that makes you happy." Paul replied to her.
Steph couldn't believe that those words had come out of his mouth. He truly had grown up. She smiled and squeezed his hand. "He makes me happy, but I don't know for how much longer I'll make him happy." Steph said sadly.
"What do you mean? Do you want to talk about it?" Paul asked. He had truly meant that if nothing else, he wanted her as a friend.
"Let's talk at the hotel, it's more comfortable. I want to sit in the hot tub." Steph replied. "And there you can join me."
"Deal." Paul said.
The two of them scarfed down the rest of their food and flew back to the arena to pick up Paul's rental. Then they flew to the hotel and met up in the parking lot. "I'll meet you down there in 5 minutes." Steph said to him.
"Deal." Paul said and they both headed off to their rooms.
Sure enough, 5 minutes later, the two of them met up again at the hot tub. Steph climbed in and breathed a sigh of relief. "Ok, you want to know my problems? What I'm about to tell you is strictly confidential on a professional level and cannot be repeated until it's public knowledge, got it?"
"Steph, I won't repeat it. What's going on?" Paul asked.
"Well, I had to fire someone tonight. Their brother is my boyfriend, and I don't know how well it's going to go over tomorrow when we meet up." Steph said.
"You're dating Matt Hardy?" Paul asked in a shocked voice. He couldn't believe that the two of them would be compatible.
"How did you know who I was talking about?" Steph asked.
"Who else's brother works here that would have needed to be fired tonight?" Paul asked her sarcastically.
"Good point." Steph replied. "I just don't know what to do. Jeff never liked me at first, then we wound up getting into a fight and we worked it out, and now we're on bad terms again and I know how close Matt and Jeff are and I don't know what Matt is going to think."
"Steph, I think that you need to realize that hopefully Matt is smart enough to remember that even though you are Stephanie McMahon his girlfriend, you are also Stephanie McMahon, person in charge. You did what you had to do because of the circumstances. If he can't understand that, then you're better off not wasting your time with him." Paul said rationalizing with her. "I know it's hard because they are really close, but I'm sure that Matt has some idea that Jeff has his share of problems around here."
Steph nodded, "I know, and I told myself that. But see, tomorrow night, Matt and I are going to a party at Shannon's house and I'm nervous about that also."
"Shannon.Moore?" Paul asked. He just couldn't picture her having a good time hanging out them.
"Yeah. Matt, Jeff, Shannon and Shane Helms are all really good friends, and they like to get together and throw parties, and the very few people that know about Matt and I like to give him a hard time that I don't know how to have a good time. Well it's not that I don't like to have a good time, it's just that my idea of having a good time is a little different than theirs."
"Steph, do what you feel comfortable with. But I really think that if Matt flips out on you about this Jeff thing then he wasn't ready to date you." Paul said sensibly. "That's just how it needs to be. It may be a harsh thought, but he needs to realize that when you're dating someone in charge, that doesn't make you of your family exempt from punishment."
Steph nodded and hugged Paul, "Thanks Paul. I don't know what I would have done tonight if I didn't talk to someone."
Jeff had been staying at the same hotel as the wrestlers for obvious reasons when he decided he wanted to get few sodas and watch some late night tv. On his way to the pop machine, he walked past the pool and the hot tub and stumbled across Steph and Paul "snuggling" in there. Jeff was outraged, "That bitch will pay. There is no way in hell I'm letting that little tramp hurt Matt." Jeff vowed. He turned and headed back up to his room to order room service instead.
**Well, tomorrow is the big day. Steph must face Matt and Jeff. What will Jeff say to Matt? How will everything go over?? Please continue to read and review!!**