Story disclaimers are all in Chapter 1.
Epilogue: Right Down the Line
"Look at them out there," Julie exclaimed. "They're fighting over the grill." Still in her starfish-themed crown from her Little Mermaid performance earlier in the afternoon, she stood motionless while gaping out the expansive kitchen window onto Ranger's even more expansive backyard deck.
Ariana snorted. "My brothers may be muy macho in the real world, but Rafi and Carlos are such boys." Her smirk was one that Stephanie recognized from Ranger's face.
With that, Stephanie had to peek out the window. And then, resting her spoon in the mixing bowl, she started to laugh. Ranger— a.k.a. Carlos— was standing with arms crossed in front of his built-in grill. With his own smirk, he was undaunted by his older brother Rafi whacking his shoulder with a spatula. Both were equally large men, with Ranger's bulk being muscle while Rafi was a bit softer around the edges.
"Men and grills," Rafi's wife Linda editorialized. With a sly look at Ariana, she snarked, "The only thing missing is your Uncle Ernesto."
"Oh please," Ariana chuckled. "Once a year for the holidays is more than enough. We all grew up with the locura in Abuelito's backyard outside of Little Havana. Every cookout with Abuelito, Daddy, Tío Ernesto, and all the other uncles who were alive back then turned into the Great Mañoso Grilling War," she finger quoted, and then snorted. "You know, I don't think my brothers have ever gotten over the time when Tío Ernesto brought a live, two-hundred-something pound pig home when we were kids. Or the chickens living in his garage."
Probably seeing Julie's eyes riveted toward her, Ariana said, "Not to worry; Even Tío Ernesto eventually grew up. These days, Tío has six adult kids who he visits during the year. I think right now he's up with Cousin Sonia's family in Atlanta for a month or two."
Linda shrugged. "Regardless, we might want to grill up a second batch of steaks in here. You know, in case the ones outside don't make it through today's episode of the Great Mañoso Grilling War."
Ariana burst into laughter as she turned again to look outside at brothers' spirited disagreement next to the grill.
Stephanie grinned at the image of Ranger in the camouflage-patterned chef's apron she'd bought him after spotting a similar one at an estate while on the job for Ariana. It was definitely a step above the black "Chillin' and Grillin'" apron that his brother Rafi was wearing.
She was sure she wasn't being biased, but who could blame her if she was?
"Look at them pretending not to shove each other out of the way," Ariana said, pointing out the window.
"Are they always like this?" Stephanie asked.
"Maybe when we were kids," Ariana turned toward her. "But, as adults, this is new."
"Rafi says being around both of you has really brought his younger brother out of his shell," Linda interjected, gesturing vaguely toward Julie and Stephanie with her spoon. Her gaze drifted back to the window as she added, "Right now, though, I think maybe they're just bonding."
"Well, whatever it is, it's dumb," Julie announced, tossing a towel down on the counter. "And it doesn't get us dinner," she added while stalking to the door. With as much of a slam as Ranger's expensive, insulated doors allowed, she propelled herself outside toward the grill. Her long, dark hair streamed from under her starfish crown. From beyond the kitchen's sound-proofed glass, her arms flew open to orchestrate her words.
As one, Ranger and Rafi both stopped what they'd been doing and turned toward her. Knowing Ranger by now, Stephanie could tell he was astonished and proud at the same time. Rafi's more expressive face reflected a similar awe. The two men towered over her like knights in barbecue armor absorbing their diminutive lady's instructions.
"She really is Carlito's daughter," Ariana said with a knowing smile.
"No kidding," Stephanie concurred. It had been obvious the first time she'd met the slim, headstrong girl. She sometimes imagined that, through Julie, she got to see a bit of who Ranger had been when he was a teen. Imagining Julie's spirit in a boy, she'd concluded that it was no wonder he'd managed to get into trouble in his youth.
She smiled as he brushed back a lock of hair that had escaped its plastic crown to its proper place behind his daughter's ear.
"No wonder she's the Little Mermaid's bravest sister," Linda noted, referring to Julie's role in her school's production of The Little Mermaid.
"Oh my gosh, she was totally amazeballs today." Ariana praised her niece who was still tête-a-tête with her uncles by the grill.
"I'm glad she got us tickets to the final matinee," Linda said. "The kids were all relaxed and actually having fun on stage. It made it a lot more fun for us to watch, too."
"I loved her little swimmy-swimmy dance," Ariana said, swaying with graceful Salsa dance moves in imitation of the musical number her niece had led on stage. "And she can sing, too. She's so talented," she added as she rounded up the tomatoes that Julie had been about to dice for the tossed salad.
"She really is an amazing kid," Stephanie agreed, taking her pan of brownies to the double oven. She'd made Jello Ambrosia last night for the health-conscious crowd, but everyone knew that real dessert needed something more robust. She had considered introducing Ranger's family to the ultimate non-Cuban dessert, which was obviously pineapple upside down cake, except she'd found out that Julie loved brownies.
So, brownies were on the way, with real, sweetened whipped cream ready to go in the fridge. At which point she remembered Ranger's request to save some of that whipped cream for later, after everyone left. "Whew, it's toasty over by the oven," she mumbled as a blush blossomed across her face.
For effect, she lingered to peek in the top oven at Ariana's Cuban sweet cornbread, which Stephanie had been delighted to discover included the bits of the pineapple that they weren't having for dessert. It was just more proof that great ideas— like pairing pineapple and sugar with cakes and bread— were universal.
She inhaled deeply. "Mmm, your cornbread smells yummy," she turned toward Ranger's sister.
"It's our Abuela Arguello's recipe. Our mother's mamí," Ariana explained. Grinning with a hint of mischief, she winked. "And, my brothers both love it. I'll give you the recipe, along with the potato and egg salad."
"Mmm," Stephanie hummed in appreciation, having sampled Ariana's potato salad when they'd stopped for lunch at the other woman's apartment a few weeks ago between estate management clients.
"Sis-in-law, here, tells no lie," Linda piped up. "Rafi could maybe live on those two dishes alone. I bet Carlos is the same."
Having seen him actually enjoying food since she'd moved down, Stephanie stifled her immediate response that Ranger only ate twigs and berries. Instead, she smiled at Ranger's sister. "New recipes? Bring 'em, girlfriend."
"You got it, chica" Ariana replied. Then she continued with a provocative tilt to her head, "You know, if you moved in here with Carlos, you'd have this huge kitchen to play in, every day. Think of the recipes I could share with you, then."
Stephanie paused while pulling out a tray to start ferrying cutlery, napkins, and condiments outside for dinner. "We've actually talked a little bit about moving in together," she admitted as she resumed work. "But don't get excited: we're still in the stage where we mostly talk about 'wouldn't it be nice to have our clothes all in one place' rather than about long-term commitment."
While she spoke, her eyes traveled unconsciously toward the patio, where Ranger was now helping his eager daughter to don a pair of his high-tech grilling mitts. To the side, his older brother Rafi's expression was indulgent as he held out the spatula for her to grab. It was during quiet, sweet moments like this that she felt almost ready for talking about commitment. Being with Joe had never felt complete and satisfying in this way.
Blinking, she realized Linda and Ariana were still gushing over Ranger's extra-large, modern kitchen, and about the rest of his house by extension. She shrugged. "This place is really nice," she agreed. "I'm just not used to living in someplace so big."
"I get that," Ariana said with a sympathetic nod. "It's almost like some of the places we manage, huh?"
"Almost," Stephanie agreed, while visions of mansions and family compounds she'd visited over the past several weeks staged a mental slideshow in her head. They were big— and no lie, they were a lot of fun to visit— but none of them felt like a home. At least not to someone raised in a mid-century, side-by-side house in the 'Burg.
She glanced around, taking in the kitchen as well as the rooms she could see through the doorways. Then her gaze pivoted to the patio outside. Ranger's home here on North Beach wasn't quite as expansive as the places she and Ariana visited, though it did still feel like being at a resort. It just felt large. At the same time, she knew her sweet little condo on Key Biscayne was too small for both of them to call home for any length of time.
Blinking in surprise, she exclaimed, "I'm having a Goldilocks moment."
"You're waiting for a family of bears to come home?" Linda squinted while giving a final stir to her three-bean salad. "If so, you have two good bear stand-ins just outside. Maybe a full set of three if we include Julie. Which I think we probably should," she added while darting her eyes to the patio, where Ranger's daughter was now apparently lecturing both men with a stern flick of the grill spatula.
Stephanie burst into laughter. "No kidding," she said. "That girl is fearless." She turned toward both women in the kitchen, both of whom were starting to feel like family. "What I meant was that my place is too small, but here in Carlos' place I still feel a guest at a resort."
"Give it time," Ariana came over and put her arm over Stephanie's shoulder. "At least you don't need a map, like we do to manage the Royce-Esteban compound out on Star Island." Ranger's sister gave her a quick squeeze. "Seriously, though. Give it time. Carlito loves this place since it's right on the channel out to the bay, with a boat slip. And it has the pool and his muy grande patio for grilling. Oh, and the built-in gym," she added, eyebrows waggling.
"Jeez, how could I forget the gym?" Stephanie rolled her eyes at how Ranger kept trying to get her to use his exercise equipment. One of these days he'd discover that her whole interest in going to the gym had always been to watch him in one of his sweaty workouts. Nibbling her lip, she admitted that he probably already knew that.
And there was that blush rising on her face again while she tried to keep from squirming. She spotted Ariana's observant, sideways glance her way just as the door to the patio opened with a pressurized swoosh.
"It's safe to come outside, ladies," Ranger strode into the kitchen. The muted sounds of Julie and Rafi chatting outside mingled with the music on the outside speakers. Stephanie had been surprised by the classic soft rock music selection until he'd explained that, oddly, Julie liked it. Or, more accurately, it was his daughter's second favorite after the pop station that Ranger couldn't abide for even a single song.
So, classic soft rock it was, with a slate of tunes that Stephanie knew by heart. Without realizing it, she began to sing along to "Can't fight this feeling," under her breath in counterpoint to her stomach's gurgling appreciation of the mouth-watering scents wafting from the grill.
"So hermano," Ariana spoke up. "Who won the battle over the best way to grill?" She gave Stephanie a quick hug before stepping away.
"It's a draw. Apparently Rafi and I both had serious issues with our technique. Fortunately we got help in discovering the error of our ways," he replied with eyes crinkling in amusement.
"Family," his sister affirmed while elbowing him on her way to the oven. "We're here for you." With mitts on, she pulled out her tray of cornbread and then checked the timer for the brownies. "Five more minutes," she called out with a quick glance at Stephanie. "Are you sure that's right?"
"It's a Plum family recipe, designed and tested repeatedly by people who refuse to wait for dessert." She felt Ranger's breath of amusement flutter her hair as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Meanwhile, sensing Stephanie's distraction, Linda pulled over the tray Stephanie had been assembling, taking over for her.
"Doing okay, Babe?" Ranger murmured into her ear. "I didn't mean to be outside for quite so long," he added, his lip tipped in amusement.
She leaned into him with a quick shoulder bump. "It's a family backyard picnic with bickering over the grill. I've trained extensively for this event my whole life."
Ranger's quiet laugh drew Ariana's quick glance, followed by her satisfied, Cheshire-cat smile. She discreetly turned and began cutting her cornbread.
"I knew you were a pro, Steph," Ranger replied with a tug on one of her curls. He then let her go and carefully took the now laden tray from Linda. "I've got this," he said, "but I might need help putting everything in the right place." She could see the teasing gleam in his eyes as he no-doubt recalled her squeal the other evening when he'd simply dumped out a box of mixed plastic cutlery on the outdoor table saying something about thumb wrestling for the sole plastic knife. Of course, he'd done it to amuse her after an earlier discussion of how unnaturally focused both of their mothers were on setting the table "just right."
"Just a moment, and I'll come save the day for civilized place settings everywhere," Stephanie joked.
With a low chuckle, Ranger headed back outside. Meanwhile, Stephanie joined Linda and Ariana at the main kitchen counter to arrange the bowls and platters that still needed to go outside. In a parade that swept up Rafi and Julie as well— and with an important detour to pull the brownies from the oven to cool— the food was outside in short order.
In fact, it seemed as though only seconds had passed until they were all assembled outside around Ranger's spacious teak table. Platters and bowls made their way from person to person with enthusiasm, and yet with less serving mayhem than Stephanie expected. It was clear that the whole Mañoso family was efficient at dining. Huh, it's not just a Ranger thing, she mused while plucking one of the still toasty pieces of cornbread from the basket that had made its way to her.
Chatter diminished into the sounds of eating. And yes, with some amount of moaning on Stephanie's part, though happily she was joined by a chorus of half-murmured phrases like "This is good!" and "Qué bueno!" Music continued to play softly in the background, a lazy breeze teased a windchime hung in one of the trees, and an occasional motorboat chugged down the channel on its way to the bay.
Their dining communion was finally interrupted by a particularly exuberant plash from the moving pool cleaner.
As everyone except Ranger looked toward the pool, Julie spoke up. "Papa Carlos, you should get the kind of cleaning vacuum that has the cartoon shark's head at the end," she opined with the authority conveyed by her Little Mermaid crown.
"Carlito, you really should," Ariana agreed while waving her empty fork, "Then when it springs out of the pool, like that, we could all do the Jaws 'duh duh duh duh' song."
"I'll be sure to look into that," Ranger answered in a dry tone while his expression clearly telegraphed hell no.
"Honey, could we get a shark's head for our pool cleaner?" Linda gently elbowed her husband.
"I'll be sure to look into that," Rafi echoed his younger brother's tone almost exactly although his eyes sparkled with mirth.
As laughter ringed the table, Ariana leaned forward from the other side of the table. "Hey Stephie," she said. "Whatever happened with the Betancourt's pool yesterday?" Then, in tandem, they both quoted yesterday morning's panicked phonecall. "Someone stole all my water!" They both dissolved into giggles as everyone else at the table looked their way.
"Someone stole the water out of a swimming pool?" Julie squinted at Stephanie from the other side of her father.
Seeing the almost identical tilt of eyebrows on Julie, Ranger, and Rafi, Stephanie's amusement burgeoned again into full-out peals of laughter.
Ariana picked up the slack, providing a bit of background. "Rayos! That family is crazycakes to begin with. We worked with them to get their nasty pool and backyard cleaned up and perfect for a reception early next week. Everything was set, the pool was full and its chemicals were all balanced. And then… we got the call." She glanced at Stephanie, who by then was able to pick up her part of the tale.
"I went over there, and the whole flipping swimming pool really was completely empty. So, we got the pool management guy out, yet again, for an emergency call. He crawled around and used all kinds of high-tech gadgets to find cracks or plumbing leaks. No luck, so I was about to go rogue and look for clues, like maybe elephant tracks in case a giant critter had splashed all the water out. But, right then I realized that one of the Betancourt sons had played with the pool controls and just drained the whole darned thing. After he realized what he'd done, he snuck out and fixed the knobs so nobody would know."
"How did you figure that out, Babe?" Ranger's gaze showed the combination of enjoyment and pride she'd finally realized was his form of admiration. Unlike Joe's frequently resigned or half-disbelieving gaze, this expression meant that her best friend, her lover, actually wanted to know the answer.
She basked in triumph. "I spotted a blue candy wrapper inside the door of the storage cabana where the controls are hidden. I remembered the kid had been popping some Japanese candy from little blue bags the other day when we arranged to get the greenhouse controls fixed." She shrugged. "Of course, the knucklehead tried to deny it, but then I threatened to tell his folks about the contraband… umm... teenaged boy stuff he stashes under the old pool cushions in that cabana."
A chorus of knowing amusement about what constituted contraband teenaged boy "stuff" arose while she asserted, "Young Mr. Betancourt and I have an understanding." With a grin, she added, "And, their pool will finish filling and get all its chemicals just in time for their family's event."
"Okay, since I'm not five years old, I know you're talking about, like, girlie magazines and funny cigarettes," Julie piped up from the other side of a frowning and suddenly very focused Ranger. "But, is that the same place where they have the plastic tubes for their hamsters running throughout the house?"
"Princess Andrina," Stephanie addressed Julie using the name of her role in today's matinee. "Surely you know I was talking about the young man's Wolverine comic books and his unmanly stash of Star Wars Legos."
"Um, yeah. Of course," the girl nodded with an excess of enthusiastic obedience.
Stephanie smiled, her eyes twinkling as she spotted Ranger's brows furrowing together in suspicion. With a prim nod, she said, "Now that we're clear on that, I can tell you that Chez HabiTrail is a different house and a different family. I totally want to take Rex there for a playdate next time we have to get the thing cleaned. Which, believe me, is a big event."
She shook her head. "I don't know who rigged the clear plastic tubes to run through the family room and their mini movie theater, but at least it's angled so you don't see too much hamster poop in visible areas. You do, though, have to take it apart to get it clean. And then run some ozone cleaners in the rooms to get rid of the delightful eau du rodent."
"Stephie, I'm so glad you moved down here in time to deal with that one," Ariana said with a slight grimace. "I don't think I'd ever have thought to find a cleaning service at the zoo."
"You would've as soon as you remembered your Trenton roots," Stephanie replied. "Seriously, it's like you told me the first day, that being from New Jersey is the best qualification for this job. I just thought about all the ooky places with animals that my folks dragged me to as a kid, and came up with 'county fair' and 'zoo'. I figured a zoo would have funky habitats for critters and... Bingo. There's a nice couple that cleans the small mammal enclosures and the reptile house for the big zoo down south. They love this gig."
She felt Ranger's amusement telegraphed through his arm, which he'd rested across the top of her chair. His fingers lightly brushed her far shoulder and then tangled gently in her hair.
"You have people from the zoo clean a house?" Linda's voice wavered between amusement and a vague horror, probably stemming from the image of zookeepers cleaning her notably immaculate kitchen.
"Just their multi-room hamster-adventure whoosit," Ariana volunteered. "Seriously, we'd gone through three cleaning services by that point." She turned to Stephanie. "Remind me on Monday: I want to find out if the zoo couple have any tips for someone who can help with our new client who has a flock of peacocks along with a family of sloths, because of course they do. Permits in place, and all."
"Still better than the Chevaliers who didn't tell me about their grown-up, potbellied pigs rooting through the back orchard," Stephanie countered while leaning back. "Those things get big when they grow up. And they run faster than you'd think."
"Just remember, Babe. Let me know if I need to shoot someone."
Stephanie snorted, soft-slapping Ranger's arm.
"Carlito," Ariana rebuked from across the table. "You're not shooting any of our paying clients. With an amused twist of her lips, she added, "We could talk, maybe, about the ones who pay really, really slow."
Ranger smiled speculatively as everyone else laughed.
As they spoke, Stephanie began passing around the various dessert options. She made sure, of course, to take good helpings of everything for herself to set a good example. Well, okay, maybe she took only a small serving of the jello salad, but she was careful to balance the space on her plate by taking more of the brownies and whipped cream.
She studiously avoided Ranger's gaze after hearing him murmur "Remember I asked to save some of that for later, Babe." She had the strong impression, though, that Ariana had picked up on his comment and that she'd be teasing her about it on Monday. Well, the best way to counter that, as everyone knew, was to have more dessert. She wasted no time in setting that particular plan in action.
After another period of focused eating, with obligatory sounds of enjoyment, both her meal stomach and her dessert stomach were full. Well, actually, the basket of brownies was finally empty because Ranger's family totally didn't adhere to the fabled My Body is a Temple diet.
Dessert led to stories of a recent family dinner at Rafi and Linda's involving their toddler Richie's antics after triple-dipping into the cookies behind everyone's back. And that had led to stories of their own childhood sugar-rush escapades. Unsurprisingly, there apparently weren't many such stories of Ranger as a child. She was pleased, though, to spot Ranger's deflection when a story about him in his favorite Halloween pirate outfit came up. That was something she definitely planned to follow up sometime later.
As conversation finally lulled, she swatted away a sandfly that had gotten beyond the high-tech, bug-zapping gadgets arranged around the patio. Shoving back from the table, she started collecting plates to take back to the kitchen. As she stood, she felt Ranger begin to rise.
"It's okay," she put her hand on his shoulder. "Stay with your family. I'll do this."
"We're your family too," Rafi insisted while also standing from his position between Ariana and his wife on the other side of the table. "You ladies were kind enough to do the majority of the cooking while we were busy Neanderthalling outside, so it's our turn to help."
"Besides," Ranger shrugged as he gently relieved Stephanie of her dirty plates. "If we didn't help with cleanup, our Abuelita Mañoso would find a way to fly down from Newark tonight just to whack us both upside the head."
"Cierto," Ariana snorted. "You know that's true."
"Every day I love that woman more," Linda said while gazing sweetly up at her husband.
"That's because she never walloped you with her metal ladle," her husband replied, eyebrow arched. "Or made you grind corn in her cast iron table mill because, and I quote, real Cubans don't use blenders."
Speaking in Spanish, Ariana echoed him at the end, pitching her voice high in her throat in a way that Stephanie assumed mimicked their grandmother. Her assumption was confirmed when even Ranger added his baritone chuckle to Rafi's more boisterous laugh.
"Does Abuela Mañoso still do that?" Julie's eyes were round. "Because if she does, I think I'll stay out of the kitchen next time she's around."
"Ah, it builds character, m'ija," Ariana winked at her niece across the table. "Think how boring we might all be, otherwise."
"Speak for yourself," Rafi called out from the sliding door, where he and Ranger were standing with arms full of empty plates and a tray of tumblers.
At the same time, Julie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well I'm okay being boring."
"Too late for that, kiddo" Stephanie reached across Ranger's empty chair and rested her hand on the girl's slim shoulder. "You'll never be boring. But the fact that you're you is why you're special."
"Hmm," Julie looked down, her long dark hair draping her face as though hiding a blush. Stephanie released her shoulder to brush her fingers through the strands obscuring the girl's cheek. More quietly, she said, "It's okay. You're fine just as you are. Brave, shy, singing on stage as a mermaid princess... it's all good."
For a moment she could see Julie nibbling her lip in thought. Then she straightened her shoulders, her hair righting itself under her plastic crown as she sat back up. Turning to Stephanie, her mouth twitched into a smile. "Okay."
Meanwhile, it was apparent that Linda and Ariana had continued talking when Linda commented, "Thank heavens my sister was free to babysit today. Hey Jules, too bad you don't live in the neighborhood, we'd hire you in an instant." Without waiting for a reply, she added, "I love my babies more than anything. But I can't even remember how long it's been to have an entire day without toddler chats about crayons or dinosaurs or baby spit."
"We should do this more often," Ariana replied. "You know, now that Stephie's here, we could have a regular Ladies Night Out."
"That would be awesome," Stephanie concurred.
Linda leaned forward, "I wonder if Carlos would want to have a Guys Night with Rafi."
"Letting those two out on the world together could be trouble with a capital 'T'," Ariana warned.
"They're big boys now," Linda waved away her sister-in-law's concern. "I think spending more time with Carlos would make Rafi happy. I get the impression he regrets being distant from Carlos when they were kids. There was enough of an age difference that they really never spent much time together until this past year."
"It's true, they've both really changed," Ariana mused. "Rafi was always the big kid at the adults table for the holidays. He was Mr. Cool and we were the rugrats." She sniffed with an abbreviated eye roll. "At home, Carlito was so quiet you could almost forget he was there. But he got into trouble at school a lot, and it was always a montón de problemas. A total big deal. And Rafi was far away and hard to find."
In her periphery, she saw Julie's speculative expression. Squinting as she reviewed what was being said, Stephanie decided that knowing some of these dynamics in her long-estranged family couldn't hurt. So, she simply volunteered her own experience. "I can imagine that. And I know that things between my older sister and me are a lot better now that we're adults. We can have extended conversations without hair pulling."
"Exactly," Linda agreed. "Do you think Carlos would want that? The brothers seem to get along, now."
"I could ask him," Stephanie said.
Ariana tilted her head in thought. "You know, Stephie, I think you should. It's not just Rafi who's different. Carlos also changed a lot, especially in the past year. It's lot of little things." She lifted her hands as though trying to shape her thoughts between them. "I mean, he hasn't bailed out for a phonecall or a meeting during any of the times we've gotten together since he's been down here."
As Stephanie snickered in recognition, Ariana elaborated, "Seriously, he used to do that whenever family got together. It was a running bet how long he'd stay because we'd be lucky to see him for a half hour. Even luckier if he said anything. Now, while I'm not saying he's a chatterbox now, he's just here with us. I never used to feel he was."
Stephanie nodded. "I know. I see it too." Without revealing too much about his personal "work in progress," she explained, "Being more focused on family is something Carlos vowed to do as part of moving here. Since he was determined to spend time with Julie, he had to change his priorities. Change his lifestyle."
She looked at Ranger's slim, lively princess of a daughter as she spoke and watched as the girl's eyes widened at her words. Her youthful, full lips opened into the "oh" that her mind was likely thinking.
She reached over to squeeze Julie's hand where it rested on the table. "It was a choice your father was happy to make, and I've never seen him so free before." Releasing the girl's slim hand, she added, "Just being you helped make that difference in your father, Sweetie. And it's such a good thing."
"He's changed because of you too, Stephie," Linda nodded sagely. "I watched Carlos' eyes follow both of you when you were over for Nochebuena with the family. He was a thirsty man who'd found his oasis."
Ariana agreed. "Linda saw what I saw, mis queridas. You really are Carlito's family in his eyes. In addition to being part of our whole crazy Mañoso clan." Her voice lowered dramatically, breaking the serious moment. "You can't escape us, bwa ha ha."
Julie giggled, with Linda and Stephanie following not far behind.
And that was how Ranger and Rafi found them as they returned to the patio with a set of fresh glasses and a large pitcher of lemonade. She watched as Ranger's eyes homed immediately on where she and Julie were seated, just as Linda had claimed. His expression relaxed as his gaze brightened. A goofy grin took over her face at seeing him so happy. She could see his lips telegraph both pleasure and pride.
His relatives were right: he truly had changed in just the past few months. Of course, he did still sometimes get calls for which he needed to drop everything. It was part of owning a business as well as part of having his specific Army Rangers experience. The difference was that he now confided details he wouldn't have before, knowing that she'd keep them secret. And, she'd do it without question.
As the men resumed their places at the table, she began pouring lemonade for everyone at the table. She then passed two filled glasses to Ranger, using her chin to point toward Julie on his other side.
"Here you go, Cariña," he said, passing one of the drinks to his daughter. As she inspected her glass, holding it up to the light with brows crinkled, he explained, "It's lemonade with melon and honey. It's something they made back in Cuba. Our family often has it instead of rum or coffee after family dinners."
"So mucho mejor than Cuban coffee after dinner. Much better," she repeated. "Cuban coffee is like espresso and keeps you awake and wired all night and into the morning. Who knows why they thought that was sensible."
"Or rum. Such a bad idea." Rafi concurred, shaking his head. Then, with a quick glance at Julie, as though remembering that there was a youngster present, he paused before adding, "Let's just say Julie didn't get her singing talent from the Mañosos, none of whom can carry a tune, but that never stopped them from hours of singing old Celia Cruz ballads."
Ranger's lips quirked in amusement, while Ariana laughed out loud. Meanwhile Julie peered at Stephanie from Ranger's other side to ask, "Is your family goofy, too? Because now I know that both of mine are."
"Absolutely," Stephanie affirmed, ignoring what sounded like a snort from Ranger. "I've decided that the whole point of having a family is that they embarrass you so much that you get over it well before adulthood. And you get great stories to tell as ice-breakers, so you're never boring at parties."
"I'm doomed," Ranger's daughter said with a palm raised theatrically to her forehead. At which point she apparently realized that not only was she doomed but she was still wearing a starfish crown. Rolling her eyes, she pulled it off and placed it on the table.
"No way. You're not doomed," Ariana pronounced. "You're destined for the stage. When you're famous, you'll thank us for all the 'cray-cray' material you can draw from."
"Just don't forget us 'little people' when you're famous," Linda added.
Once again, quiet laughter again ringed the table. Stephanie relaxed, sipping her melon lemonade, while after-dinner family conversation continued. Ranger's arm, once again along her shoulders, felt perfectly natural, even though his habit of casual comfort with her was still so new. It was a level of affection and acceptance she'd never quite felt in Trenton, not even in moments of physical intimacy.
Sighing contentedly, she leaned toward him over their armrests until her shoulder was nestled against him and her hand rested on his knee. As he tightened his arm, she saw the peaceful tilt of his lips and the spark in his eyes as he slanted a private gaze down at her. It wasn't quite a kiss, but she nevertheless felt the caress of his cheek briefly against her forehead. Warmed to her core, she smiled at how good he was getting at his "still in progress" lifestyle.
Before long, the sun had begun to set and the outdoor air became brisk. They'd gone inside for another hour-or-so of companionable talk. Julie persuaded Stephanie and Ariana into placing a racing video game that, Stephanie noted with amusement, the slim girl managed to win each time.
Eventually, though, Rafi and Linda had needed to leave. Shortly afterward, Ariana had also departed, her lively brown eyes wide with mischief as she faked a couple of huge yawns.
Unaware of Ariana's ruse, Julie echoed her aunt's yawns after she left. Despite that, she willingly rallied to help Stephanie and her father finish cleaning up from the evening. Before long, the family room was straightened. The kitchen, also, bore few reminders of the afternoon's meal, other than the starfish crown settled jauntily on the bowl of fruit that Ranger kept on the main counter.
Julie stifled another yawn, though this time she obviously was a bit tired. "I guess it really is time for bed, huh?"
"You can only put it off for so long," Stephanie agreed. "Might as well give into the urge."
"Okay," she nodded. Then, nibbling slightly at her lip, she turned to her father. "Will you come up in about five minutes?"
"Of course Jules," Ranger replied in a low, gentle voice, knowing that this childish gesture had become very important to his daughter after she'd been abducted. "I'll always check in and make sure you're safe. Get ready and I'll be there soon."
"Okay," she agreed again, and then turned to head up the stairs.
Stephanie went over and put her arm around his waist. "She'll get over that fear, someday."
"If she needs me to tuck her in for the rest of her life, I'll do it."
"I know you will," she agreed. "Though someday she'll get married and her husband might want to work things out a bit differently."
"If he's someone who keeps her safe, I'll pass the baton to him." He shrugged, putting his own arm around her. "If not, he won't even have a chance."
"Her dates are going to have to pass through some serious screening, aren't they?" She chuckled quietly.
His lips pursed in silent, amused confirmation.
They stood together for a few moments while Stephanie was content to simply be with Ranger at the end of the day. After a while, though, his internal chronometer told him it was time to check with Julie.
After he'd followed his daughter upstairs to say goodnight, Stephanie shrugged on a sweater and stepped outside. The door from the family room led to a short-railed balcony that opened, after a couple of steps, to the main patio. She stood at the railing, hands resting loosely along its smoothed wooden top. They'd forgotten to turn off the stereo when they went inside, so she began humming along to the song.
The swimming pool's cleaner, with its very sensible, non-shark-headed vacuum continued its quiet plashing. In low counterpoint, the minor tide from the bay lapped water against boat moorings along the channel's shore. A distant sound of laughter from a house further down the channel gave a comforting reminder that she wasn't alone in the evening.
Looking up, she gazed at the velvet sky that was beginning to become peppered with stars. While her eyes imagined patterns in the prickling light, she mouthed "star light, star bright" as she had done since childhood. Then the door swooshed open behind her. A spattering of tingles along her back and neck reminded her that she already had her wish for tonight.
Ranger stopped just behind her, and then rested his palms along her shoulders. His fingers began kneading along her muscles. "Mmm," she murmured as she leaned back into his large, warm hands. "You always know just what I need," she said with a quiet smile.
"I do my best," he rumbled, his thumbs pressing firmly into the muscles that so often got knotted along the top of her back.
"I think tonight went really well." Her lips relaxed into a quiet smile. "Julie's gotten so much more comfortable when she stays over." She remembered the first couple of times when Julie had been on best behavior, Ranger had been awkward, and the evenings had seemed like events to complete with a hidden checklist to follow. Tonight, like the last few weekends with the girl, had become natural.
She wasn't sure if it was a coincidence. But, at the very moment she had that thought, he murmured, "It's you, Babe," into her hair. At the same time, the song on the stereo repeated the refrain, "It's been you, woman, right down the line."
His strong hands changed position to focus on the column of muscles along her upper spine. 'Mmm, Carlos," she began, her voice thickened by the downward, relaxed angle of her head. "What do you mean 'it's me'?"
He continued massaging her back while the music played in the background. Finally he said, "You're comfortable with each other, you and Julie. When I don't know what to say, you do." His shrug telegraphed through his hands. "It helps us all be at ease."
"I'm glad," she replied, slowly straightening to lean fully back against his chest. His massaging hands, relocated due to her movement, moved to her waist as he wrapped her in his arms. His masculine scent blended with his aftershave to envelop her in a perfect cloud of Ranger.
Enjoying the moment, she gazed at the patio's night lights and the rising moon reflected in the pool.
"Mmm," she exhaled. "Maybe I could get used to living here at your place," she murmured. "Though I'd miss my neighbors, especially Larissa and her Bingo nights."
"It's not a far drive. You could still go to Bingo nights. Though I'd come get you or arrange for a pick-up when it's Bingo with shots."
She giggled as he continued speaking. "No need to decide right now, Babe. Especially not until after your grandmother visits. She's definitely staying at your place, not mine."
Stephanie burst into full-out laughter, feeling Ranger's lips soft against the top of her head.
"Now, to focus on what's important. I presume you saved some of that whipped cream." His breath sparked gently against her ear.
And once again, as aching tendrils of desire ignited their way through her body, she wondered how she had ever resisted this man.
"I did," she whispered, turning within the sheath of his arms. Then, surrendering herself to his strong embrace, she sighed. "But Julie's here. So, probably not tonight."
"Her room's at the far end of the hall," he speculated, but then conceded, "But you're right. Maybe tomorrow." He paused a beat, then added, "Tonight we can go upstairs to check out my collection of Wolverine comics and very manly Legos."
Unable to stifle her giggle, she was pleased to feel Ranger's laughter rumbling along with her.
"So that's a yes?" he asked.
"Very much so," she exhaled her agreement as his lips met hers in a warm, shameless invitation to go upstairs. Lost in his kiss, in his arms, she was barely aware of the outdoor speakers as they finished the song, gently claiming, "I had no doubt, and it's been you, woman. Right down the line."
-The End-
And they lived happily ever after….
In this story— as in life— Christmas is over, the New Year has brought its own changes, and time moves on. Though the previous chapter was the planned end of this story, several readers wanted to see something of what her Miami future will be like, leading to this epilogue. There may someday be a sequel to this little romance. But for now, please let your imagination roam in Stephanie's happy world where all is merry and bright and Ranger is dedicated to keeping it that way.
The songs mentioned in this post-holiday chapter seemed to echo Stephanie's and Ranger's progress to where they are on this day. Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon is about strong attraction that hasn't quite found expression. Right Down the Line by Gerry Rafferty seems to almost speak what I imagine Ranger might be feeling in this chapter. It's such a subtle but powerful song.
In closing, I dedicate this little story to my husband. A jazz musician, among other things, he began playing one of my favorite holiday songs— Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas— in mid-November last year while the days grew long and holiday lights blossomed on houses and trees. Stephanie beckoned, the warmth of the holiday season filled the air, and this story was born.
