A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Sorry, but I don't know how fast I'll update, so this is going to be a really quick story. I'm almost at the end. So sad. Thanks to everyone who's supported me and forced me to publish this (ahem Kayley). But yeah, this is a super short chapter since I have to review for exams and all. Anyway... I'm almost done with the school year! Next year I'm gonna be a senior, isn't that scary? Haha. Oh yeah. But I don't really want summer to be here, as I live in Arizona and it's HOT. )

But yayy... this summer, I'm going to Houston to visit my sister. I haven't seen her in forever! I know you all don't care! Oh well! ;)

Oh, and this has nothing to do with anything, but who knows which book it's in where they mention that Ranger has a daughter? I need it for a book report. I can't remember and don't have time to read all the books over again... sigh. They all blur together to me.

"Okay, calm down. Take a deep breath, and tell me the story again."

You gotta hand it to Ranger. He really knows how to calm people down. But whatever. I was freaking out, not able to talk straight, because, well- you gotta admit, Terry is a scary enough name. Add Morelli to the end of it, and you've pretty much got a living nightmare.

I told him about how I'd called Joe's house, and how Terry had answered, and announced it was Terry Morelli instead of Terry Gilman.

Ranger isn't one to show emotion. Like, ever. I don't think I've ever really seen him shocked, utterly speechless, at anything, but this was enough to make his jaw drop. He stared at me. "Are you sure?"

"That's what she said."

"Wow, can't believe I didn't know that."

I shuddered. "What do you think? Should I call him back, and like- talk to him? Or should we just go back to Trenton, y'know, and forget about it?"

Ranger sat down, still obviously in shock. "Uh... I don't know."

This was very un-Ranger, and not only that, it was kind of scary. Ranger wasn't supposed to not know. He was supposed to tell me what to do. "You don't?"

"Do whatever you want."

Well, we all know that's not a good idea.


I paced around my hotel room until I felt like screaming, and then I went out. Not sure where I was going, but I knew I had to get out of there. Just a hint: if you don't know where you are and you're in a strange city, chances are it's not a good idea to just go driving and walking around. Because you'll get lost, and you won't know where you are.

Not that this happened to me, or anything.

I was about to get something to eat when my cell phone rang. "Hey, Steph?"

I immediately felt angry, realizing who it was - Morelli. "Oh, yeah. Um, hey, how's the wife?"

"What wife?"

"Yours."

There was a very long pause. "Um... what are you talking about?"

"Oh, pretending like you don't know. Very cute. Listen, I called your house, and Terry Gilman answered the freaking phone, and told me she was Terry Morelli now. It was really great! Congratulations, though. I'll send you guys a present. Expect it in the mail."

I was being bitter, but I didn't care. In reality, I knew that he had every right to be married. I mean, it wasn't like I'd reserved him, or anything, and he'd thought I was dead. So of course, he had every right, but... I was still mad. Like, way to grieve, you know?

He sighed. "Okay. You know what, we need to talk about this. But I can't leave, so I'll try to explain it to you. It's not Terry Morelli."

I softened. "It's not?"

"Not yet."

Oh, so they were engaged. That's a whole lot better. Yay. "Oh, well, that changes everything."

He sighed again, and I could tell he was rolling his eyes. "Look, you know- I'm only engaged to her because I thought you were... you know. And if I had known that you weren't, you know... I wouldn't have even thought about it."

Aww. How touching. Not.

I raised an eyebrow, even though I knew he couldn't see me. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah! And you know... I was thinking and... I don't think I'm gonna go through with it. Marrying Terry, I mean. 'Cause now that you're back, I..."

Eek. Why did I have to get all mushy? Why? Why? Hang up the phone, Steph. Hang up the phone, for your own good. Don't say another word, just hang up the phone.

"You won't marry her?" Yeah, that's not saying another word. I have such amazing self-control.

"Of course not. I promise. Just as long as you're sure that this is what you want."


"Don't believe a word this guy says," Ranger informed me the next day, after I'd finished informing him of the lengthy details of yesterday's conversation. "I know, I know. He's a good guy, and you have every reason to trust him, but... you haven't talked him for six months. No one knows anything about him anymore. You know? Just... don't believe him."

"Are you being bitter?"

"Of course I'm not being bitter. I'm just saying, for your own good."

Insert big sigh and mental eye roll. "Look, Ranger- I'm really glad you're looking out for me. It scares me and yet somehow makes me feel safe at the same time, which is quite an interesting feeling, but... you know what? I can take care of myself. I know I have like, no luck with guys, and have no judgment when it comes to making good decisions, but... I really don't think people can change that much in six months."

"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You don't think people can change?"

"Well, I do, but... he was a really good guy."

"So you know, all the times that he left you in the dark about a project he was working on, that's being a good guy. That's being trustworthy?"

Okay. He got me there. Morelli had done a lot of things that made me question his trust, but at the same time, he'd never exactly proved to be doing anything hideously untrustworthy, and... why was I standing up for the guy? I didn't know.

"Look, I don't... I don't know, okay? But I'm gonna see him again, and I'm gonna give him a second chance, because that's what you do to people. You give them second chances."

Ranger nodded, and then smiled. "You're a good person, Steph. I love that in you. You're a good person."

I was a good person? And yet, here I was, being totally in love with two guys at the same time. And he's saying I'm a good person.

Oh, if only he knew...