Ranger hoped that they were in fact not dating and that he might be causing her to end a relationship. After a few more minutes he noticed tears coming down Steph's cheeks slowly. Not being able to hold back any longer he entered the center and headed towards Steph. Steph felt Ranger in the room. She used the back of her now gloveless hand and wiped the tears off her face.
Ranger approached Steph and said "Hey Babe"
"Ranger, this is Matt, Matt this is my boss Ranger"
Matt stands up, nods toward Ranger and states "I will let you talk, let me know if you need anything, and Steph relax this weekend, I don't want to see you back in here before Monday, I am not sure if the bag can handle anymore of you this week."
Steph looked at him with her death rays when she realized Matt was smiling really wide as he walked away.
Ranger took the seat against the wall next to Steph that Matt just vacated. "Do I want to ask what that was about?"
"No, that was just Matt humor"
"Is everything okay, you sort of left really fast and you took the Porsche. You also left your bag on your desk."
"Oh sorry, just needed to get away to think for a few minutes."
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"Probably a good idea but not here." She responded
Ranger nodded, stood and held out his hand to help her out. He then placed his hand on her lower back and led her out of the building towards the car. "Where do you want to talk?"
Pausing Steph finally suggested "How about the park?" while biting her lip
Ranger noticed that Steph seemed to be a little nervous. He helped her in the passenger side after helping her with the seat belt. Ranger noticed that she was still biting her lip. Figuring that at the rate she was going there would be nothing left of it by the time they reached the park. Ranger leaned over closer to Steph this time, dragging his lips over hers in the softest of kisses. After a few passes of his lips he pulled back and walked over to the drivers side.
Ranger pulled the car into a parking spot, walked around the car to help Steph get out. Ranger was still holding Steph's hand from helping her out of the car. They started walking around the paved track that weaved through the park. It was a fairly chilly out being the beginning of December. Steph pulled her coat a little tighter around her. They walked for a few minutes in silence before Ranger asked, "So want to tell me what is wrong?"
Looking straight ahead Steph sighed. "Your one of my best friends. You are always there when I need you, and even when I don't need you but it is nice to still know that you care. I don't want to lose that."
"Why would you lose it?"
"Because we are getting married for a job. Unless you have changed your stand, you don't want to get married, and I don't have an urge for marriage. So it is for all the wrong reasons. I still keep asking myself what happens when the job ends. Do we just end the marriage? Do we go back pretending to be just friends? What about our parents? I love my mother, but I don't want to be compared to Valarie or ever other Burg daughter when I have to tell her the marriage is over."
"We don't have to end the marriage. You might decide that you love me and want to stay married to me."
Thinking to herself, "I do love you, that is the problem"
Ranger stood still. Steph did not realize that he had stopped till their arms were stretched to the point it pulled her back. Not sure what happened Steph looked around. She was not sure if Ranger spotted a threat but if that was the reason why is he still standing in the middle of the trail. Looking at Ranger with confused eyes she asked, "What's wrong?"
"You love me?"
"What"
"You just said, "You loved me. And apparently it is a problem to love me?"
"I said that out loud?"
"Yeah you did."
"Oh."