A/N: Thank you for all the support! The reviews, and messages mean the World to me! Keep them coming, You are all amazing! Also, didn't have much time to proof-read so it may be full of mistakes. Sorryyyyyyyyyyyy :)

xoxo-Brit*

**Characters are the property of Janet Evanovich, I make no profit- all mistakes are mine**

Moving into the new house has been stressful, exhilarating, and exhausting- but completely worth it to be hands on with everything. Julie's little loft area is perfectly teen. I must say, and I'm sure Carlos can second this... you haven't had a long day until you have been on a bedroom décor exploration with a teenager, and her best friend.

My poor Carlos has been tortured in third world countries that I will never know the name of, but after 4 hours in Pottery Barn Kids with Jules, and Angie, I think that if she would have shown him a $10,000 bedroom suit, and décor he would have done it just to get the hell out of there. If I wasn't so miserable myself, it would have been pretty comical.

His words during hour 3 of our excursion of "Julie Michelle... make sure you pick out something you are going to enjoy until you are old enough to move out, and pay for it yourself. I will shoot myself in the leg before I go back in a Pottery Barn with 2 teenagers again. Choose wisely, little princess, and choose quickly."

I was brought out of my musings by a knock at my office door. In strolled the love of my life (I will never tire of saying that...) clad in a sexy Armani suit straight out of a meeting to discuss some figures with me before we draw up the final proposal for a deal tomorrow. I have to say, it has been pretty seamless to work side-by-side, and go home to life with a teenager without killing each other.

That isn't saying we haven't had our fair share of bickering... he is set in his anal retentive ways, and I was thrust into motherhood, and being a wife (almost) pretty quickly with no transition time after living my entire life trying to be the anti-wife. So... pretty much, I have my moments, and then I wake myself up to the fact that Carlos doesn't want a Burg clone, and Julie is pretty much the greatest kid in the world. You know, normal drama.

We sat for about two hours going over figures, and details on his new proposal, and then he headed to his office, and I headed out of RangeMan to go to the grocery store before heading to pick up Jules, and Angie from school.

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It has almost been two weeks since the move, and it is finally Friday, so Julie gets to have a sleepover, and this week is at Casa de Manoso. We have been trying to start alternating Friday night sleepover nights with Val, and Albert who are attempting to salvage their marriage. Val is starting her new job as the front of the house secretary at RangeMan Trenton. We think it may have a better appeal to have a nicely groomed, non intimidating person manning the desk (of course with a panic button, and a guard station a few feet away for safety.)

Val is hoping that taking these steps to make herself happy will help make her family happy. This is why I started implementing alternating weekends with our girls- Mary Alice, and Lisa are staying with Mr. & Mrs. Kloughn so that while the girls are in the loft, Carlos, and I can start on planning our wedding. This weekend, we will all cook dinner together, and watch the movies that the girls will pick out at the RedBox on the way home.

Tonight is homemade spaghetti, and meatballs night per Julie's request, and for dessert is flan. Carlos just shook his head, and laughed at the menu when we discussed it, saying it was absolutely perfect just like our little family. Italian, Cuban, and mismatched, but perfectly matched.

I have learned a lot about myself since becoming a homeowner. I work well with my family... We have come up with a system to get all the chores done, and I have realized I am a pretty good cook when I don't have an alcoholic Martha Stewart wannabe breathing her whiskey tinged breath down my neck.

I absolutely LOVE making homemade pasta, and am really enjoying learning how to cook Cuban dishes. Tonight will be my first try at flan, Carlos' favorite, so I am excited to learn how to do it. The kitchen in the new house is an absolute dream, and Ella bought me everything I could ever need culinary wise as a housewarming gift. She is seriously an angel.

At least 3 days a week the 3, and sometimes 4 of us (if Ang comes over after school) crank oldies music up, laugh, dance, sing, cook, and make an absolutely ridiculous mess. It is so much more fun to do things as a family... I have no idea how Helen Plum can handle the life she carved out for herself. Being the solitary person in the kitchen, making sure it is all perfect just sounds lonely, and depressing.

Isn't making an absolute mess, and having everyone pitch in part of the fun? I mean, aren't these the moments that I want my daughter to remember when she has her own family (you know, in like 25 years...) ? Special memories of her Father, and Mother including her, teaching her, communicating with her, and showing complete love for her during monotonous daily tasks? I have to say, Pot Roast will never be a dish at our home. I think I could do without it for the rest of my life.

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I made it to the grocery store at around 1:30 so that I could do all the shopping, and go straight to get the girls. I pulled up a the market closest to RangeMan, which is unfortunately uncomfortably close to the Burg. With my time constraints, I had to go with what was most convenient.

I would rather suck it up, and go through a Burg-centric store, than bring 2 hopped up for the weekend teenagers with me- somehow I would come out with $100 extra dollars in random crap that will never be consumed. The one time I brought them with me, when I made it to the checkout line, I found jars of baby food (WHY?!),a container of wheatgerm, and some pomegranate.

After getting the groceries in the car, the girls copped to having a plan to help me have a baby that I didn't know I was trying for by purchasing things from the store that they read about on the internet. God help me. That was the end of the joint trips to the store unless Carlos agrees to accompany us. I'll let him sit in on the discussion that our child is in cahoots with her best friend to attempt to help us add to our family. I mean good Lord, we have a wedding to plan, it's not like I am vetoing children, that will come hopefully after the wedding. Those girls are insane. Life was much more simple before you could Google everything. I've got my hands full with these crazy girls.

Using my list, it didn't take long to navigate the isles at the Shop'N'Bag, but hit a bit of a roadblock when none other than Helen Plum walked in. Obviously, the Burg Grapevine was in full force- an impressive feat- I had only been in the store a total of 20 minutes before I spotted her walk through the doors. Just what I need.

I sent out an S.O.S text to the Core team, and a special text to Carlos to make it this direction, just in case there was some sort of trap set up with Joe Morelli outside waiting to ambush me. I can't put anything past these crazies.

I continued my shopping, acting like I didn't see her stalking towards me, trying to grab the remainder of my list so I could get the heck out of dodge. I am enjoying the whole living life under the radar thing, and would rather not bring the Inebriated Circus Main Event to the Shop N'Bag for God, and everybody to witness.

I had made it to the fresh oregano when she finally cut me off with her cart. I looked straight at her and said;

"Oh... Helen! What a surprise. What brings you here?"

She looked at me with annoyance in her eyes;

"What do you think, Stephanie? I am a wonderful homemaker. I am getting things so that I can have dinner on the table at 6:00 sharp, unlike some people who are brainwashed into living a life out of their means. I mean, are these groceries for that thugs' hired help? We all know you can't boil water, so his enslaved cook must be in charge of that. How embarrassing that must be for you. What do you say- leave that buggy here, and come with me. I will cook, and you can get fixed up to try to get that outstanding Joseph back in his good graces."

I seriously looked at her like she was sprouting horns. She truly thinks I have no mind of my own. It is beyond infuriating. I gave a curt smile and said;

"Well Helen, there is a lot you obviously don't know. I cook with my fiancée. and daughter at least 3 times a week, tonight being a special night to cook with Angie also. My fiancée is amazingly supportive, and it is really narrow minded, and ignorant of you to call one of the most successful real-estate investors, and security professionals in the Tri-State Area. You, and your little Joseph need to get a grip, and this conversation is O.V.E.R. DONE. FOREVER. Also, maybe you should do yourself a favor, and head home. You are shit-faced drunk at 2 pm, and I'd hate to know what the neighbors thought about THAT. "

She stood there eyes wide for a few seconds before I felt a tingle on my neck. Right in time as always.

Seconds later a warm Mocha Latte hand spanned my hip, and turned me so I was facing him.

"Hey, Babe. I got out of my meeting early, so I figured I'd stop in here while you finished up, so we could pick up the girls together. I wanted to get my family weekend going with you. Are you about finished?"

I smiled, and gave him a tender kiss.

"Yup. I'm done here. Let's go home, Sweetie. "

I started maneuvering my cart out of the isle where I had been blocked with Ranger in tow, and turned around where she was still standing gaping like a fish.

"It's time you give up. This is your last warning. Next time you, or your precious Joseph break your restraining order, I will be more than thrilled to throw your pitiful drunk asses in jail. Leave my family alone, Helen. I mean it."

With that, Ranger, and I headed to the checkout, and loaded up the car. Ranger walked me over to the passenger seat, gave me a passionate kiss, and said;

"Proud of you, Babe."

Seriously... who needs more that that? I love that Man.

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The rest of the evening went by with lots of laughter, messes, and most importantly amazing food, and company. By the time we cleaned up, and sent the girls to get their P.J's on, and head up to the loft to watch their girly movie, I was beat.

Carlos, and I moved to the couch with a glass of wine, and started looking at the wedding binder my Fairy God Ella had given me. Cards for Florists, Cake decorators, musicians, the whole nine. Beyond overwhelming.

We decided to pick our color scheme as Fall colors. Oranges, Yellows, Golds, Browns. Our backyard has amazing trees that will leave beautiful foliage for our backdrop.

We also decided to give Ella some of the reigns. She has been picking out my things for years, and is always perfect. I can't wait to work with her on it all.

Our Official wedding date is October 18, at 5:45 pm. I couldn't be more excited to find a dress, and do all the things I never got to do with my first wedding. It feels amazing to know when it's right. Carlos has so many ideas, and I can't wait to see it all come together. I just want to be Mrs. Manoso!