"Babe, I know you talked with Lester yesterday about this case that Rangeman is going to be handling."

Steph paused before answering, she was not sure if it was a question or a statement. Steph realized that her pause must been longer than she thought because Ranger started speaking again.

"I know he mentioned that I have to get married in order to carry out the job. And I really cannot force one of my guys to do something for a job that I am not willing to do myself."

"Ranger I understand that you signed the contract for the job, and I don't want you to be mad at Lester for telling me. I just figured it might be helpful to have a sounding board. I know that you have to get married for the job, and I am guessing it will interfere with me going with you to Miami to help Julie so if you want me not to go I understand. I don't want to make it awkward for you and your new wife."

"Babe, no I want you to come with me to Miami. And as for the wife there is only one person I would ever considering asking."

"Oh so what is the problem than?"

Ranger starts to open his mouth to talk but closes it. This happens a few times and Steph just watches in amazement that for once Ranger seems to be having trouble putting together a sentence.

"Babe I really don't know how to ask this without it being weird so I am just going to say it. Will you marry me?"

" uh uh . . . WHAT?" "Have you lost your mind? Me get married? Did you not hear how my first marriage ended? Why do you think I have put Joe off so many times. I don't want to get married, have to quit my job or be a burg mom!"

"Babe I never said anything about quitting your job. And yes I am serious. There is no one else I would even consider asking whether it was for a job or not. You are the only one. I trust you enough to ask you to help Julie. You know I don't let many people know a lot of personal information about me"
"What personal information? I know you have a daughter, most of the world knows that since the kidnapping was on the news for a week straight."

"And secondly how can you say you would consider only me. We have never dated and we only sleep together one night. It must not have been that great of an event for you since you fled the scene the next morning and sent me back to fix things with Joe. But here you say you want me to marry you for job. What happens after the job is over? Huh, we both have a second divorce to our names?"

"Babe the job would not even start for a few months. Probably sometime after we get back from Miami. And even then, the time line for the job completion is three months to eighteen months in length once the job gets underway. Who knows you might not want to divorce me when it's over. I am pretty good in the shower. "

"Ranger now is not the time for jokes!"
"You know that shower statement was not a joke. I know I proved it before."

"Look there you go again, trying to distract me with talk of sex."

"Look Babe you know the basics of the situation. I know it is a serious matter and not a easy situation. Think it over and we can talk tomorrow. If you say yes we would need to get it underway immediately. Meaning a public dinner tomorrow night with dancing and a public proposal."

"Are you sure there is no other way? Steph asked

"You know I would not have even asked if there was any other way to get the job done. We would lose a lot of money and accounts if we try to back out of this contract."

"Fine I will think about it and let you know in the morning"

Steph got up from the couch heading for the door. She stopped at the table just inside the door and placed the soda can on the table, than quickly grabbed a set of keys from the tray before continuing toward to the door. She turned over her shoulder and said "Hey Ranger you realize you are going to have to go to dinner at my parents house and you better have the wedding totally planned before my mother catches wind of the engagement or you will be responsible for dealing with her and her need for a burg wedding. You bigger issue will not be losing the account but security for a wedding in the burg"

Steph turned back around and entered into the hallway, hitting the button for the elevator. Steph heard the apartment door open behind her as she continued to face the elevator.
"Steph did you just say Yes you will marry me?"
"Ranger you know that I never turned down a job you have asked me to do before right? So why would you think I would now. So yeah I just I just said Yes"

Just than the elevator doors closed with Steph leaving a stunned Ranger still standing in the hallway.