Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, Janet Evanovich owns everything.

Alert: Minor spoilers though book Eighteen.

Thank you again to everyone who has left me a review or added an alert to Holiday Weekend. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it.

"Are you two going to join us anytime soon? I'm wasting away in here waiting for you guys to eat." With that he turned around and walked back into the house.

Crappity, crap, crap!

Chapter 4

"Come on Babe, let's go inside, before then send out the reinforcements." Ranger spoke once the door to the house very quietly closed.

I opened my mouth to speak, to let him know that I couldn't go inside. What if his family hated me? I knew very little about Ranger and next to nothing about his family. I wanted to yell at him and tell him how mad I was at him for springing this on me. I had so much I wanted to say but no words would come out. I felt like we were standing there staring at each other for what felt like hours, but was probably only a matter of minutes. My feet wouldn't work, my mouth wouldn't work, and I felt like Ranger's eyes were peering into my soul with the way he was watching me.

The next thing I knew Ranger had swung me up into his arms and was carrying me bridal style over to the stairs. Oh hell no, I was not going to be carried into a house full of his family like some baby. I shifted my body in his arms to glare and speak to the man keeping me captive.

"Put me down."

"No" was his very quick response.

Does this man not know me at all? I began to shift and rock in his arm causing him to stop walking for fear of dropping me. We came to a halt right at the bottom of the stairs. After taking a few deep breaths I spoke to him again but it came out more as a growl through my clenched teeth.

"Put me down NOW."

Ranger looked down at me in his arms with soft eyes but I could tell he was a little exasperated. As he began speaking his voice took on the quality of a parents when addressing a child. "Babe, I'm only going to put you down if you agree to go into the house. You look like you are trying the figure out the quickest escape route."

I didn't respond, I couldn't, he was absolutely right as always but I didn't care I was scared to death.

Ranger must have sensed this because he began to speak again after squeezing my body to his. "You have nothing to be afraid of Babe, my family already loves you, and they have been asking to meet you for years. I promise, everything will be okay."

I swallowed a very large lump that had formed in my throat and squeaked out a very quick "fine." I trust Ranger completely, and if he promised it was going to be okay, I was inclined to believe him. Very slowly he lowered me to the ground, kissed my curls, and began to walk us up the stairs with his hand at the small of my back. We were just about to make the turn onto the deck when I stopped short causing Ranger to bobble alongside me. He glanced over at me and raised one eyebrow, which I took to mean as 'Babe, why are we stopping?' I took a deep breath and asked the question that popped into my head causing me to cut short my movement "Ranger, what do you mean your family already loves me, they've never met me?"

I am obviously amusing the man of mystery at this point because he just shakes his head and gives me his best 200 watt smile. He begins to take the turn to the deck with a little extra pressure at the small of my back so I am forced to continue walking. Just as we reach the door he leans down and mumbles in my ear "they already love you Babe, because I love you" and with that he opened the door and pushes me inside.

As soon as Ranger shut the door behind us, everyone must have been alerted to our presence as the entire house fell eerily silent before complete and total chaos took over. Before I had a chance to process what was happening a sea of people surrounded me and Ranger was no longer at my side. So many people were speaking at once I could only make out little pieces of what they were saying.

"I'm Pillar…"

"Tío* Carlos, Tio Carlos…"

"Lexi stop…"

"You're here…"

"Up…"

"Let's eat…"

"Estefanía …"

Out of nowhere someone whistled making everyone stop dead in their tracks. I rocked my head from side to side in order to locate where the offending noise came from, when a women standing just beyond the crowd calls out "enough, let Carlos and Estefanía get inside the house before you scare the poor girl off causing Carlos never to forgive any of us."

I was shaking my head in disbelief when the women who had spoken made her way over to me. Just as she had reached me I realized that is was Rangers Mom, Maria. I had met Maria briefly in the hospital after the Scrog incident a year and a half ago. Tank had made it a point to introduce us but with my emotions on overload the whole meeting was blurry at best. She took my hand gently in her own and pulled me into a warm embrace. When she released me she kept here hands grasping mine while she spoke, I couldn't help but to stare into her eyes as I finally realized where the eyes of the man that I love come from. "Estefanía where so happy to have you here hija de mi corazón**. Please come in and sit down, I will introduce you to everyone and then we will eat." With that being said she released my hands and turned to walk down the hallway with everyone else following suit.

I took a deep breath and began to follow the crowd, my mind overheating trying to process everything. Did she just call me her daughter, I know that my Spanish is pretty limited, mostly to items on the Taco Bell menu, but I am pretty sure that hija means daughter. Walking into the kitchen I can't help but gasp at the beauty of the view that is behind the windows and sliding glass doors. Off to one side of the large open room with a massive island is what looks like dunes with a few houses off in the distance. Behind the sliding glass doors of what appears to be the kitchen table is an incredible walkway that leads to ocean as far as the eyes can see.

"Do you like Babe?" I hear Ranger ask from directly behind me and I can't help but jump a little bit, I didn't even know he was there. I turn around to face him and the quarter smile on his lips tells me his thinking about reminding me that I need to be more aware of my surroundings. I should be annoyed, but I'm too distracted to care.

"It's beautiful Ranger," I replied honestly as he guided me to a spot at one of the stools on the island. I was just about to ask him whose house we were in when Ranger began to address everyone.

"Everyone meet Stephanie Plum, Babe I would like you to meet some of my family. You already spoke with my mother Maria, this is my father Ricardo or Ric" Ranger said while pulling the man over to me.

Ricardo leaned over and kissed me on both cheeks before speaking "I'm pleased to see you again novio***." With that being said he walked over to stand behind his wife pulling her back to his front in a move that was so familiar of Ranger and I, I turned my head away before looking back again to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me.

Next Ranger pulled a pretty woman into his side with long dark hair, whose skin tone was a shade darker then my favorite mocha latte color. "This Babe is my older sister Celia." When he mentioned the word older, Celia discreetly elbowed him in his non-existent gut, with a grace that showed she perfected the move with years of experience.

Celia stepped away from Ranger and moved to stand in front of me. When she was in reachable distance I stretched out my hand to shake hers. "I'm pleased to meet you Celia." No time like the present to use my Burg manners.

With our hands still touching she pulled me into a quick hug. "I am so happy to finally meet you Estefanía, I have heard so much about you" was Celia's reply and I wanted to scream out 'it wasn't my fault'. Celia continued talking, which saved me from embarrassing myself, at least for the time being. "This is my husband Diego, and our eldest son Rafael who is twelve, and our twins Lexi short for Alexia and Renzo shot Lorenzo who are four." When Celia was calling everyone's name they had all come to stand around her. I gave a quick finger wave to the kids and reached out my hand to Diego's outstretched one. Just when I was about to speak to Celia's husband I had to glance down because I felt something pulling at my right leg, which was hanging loosely as I sat back on the stool.

When I looked down Lexi looked up at me with her beautiful big brown eyes and said "up" while pulling at my leg again.

I not typically a huge fan of little kids, they cry, drool, and that is not even taking into account the mess that they make but something about the way this little girl looked at me erased all my reservations. I reached down and picked little Lexi up sitting her on my lap facing forward. Apparently this was not conducive to her plan, because she very carefully turned her tiny body in my arms so she was facing the side and could look at me. She gently traced the side of my face with her little hand before wrapping one of her fingers around one of my curls. When she spoke I couldn't suppress the smile that came to my lips.

"You have curly hair like me" she said matter-of-factly.

The only way I could think to reply was "you're right, I do."

She seemed to find this to be an expectable answer because she spoke again "Tía**** Estefi will you build a castle with me tomorrow on the beach?"

You have got to wonder how little kids can change the direction of their thoughts so quickly. Castle on the beach, hmmm, right, Sandcastle I could do that "Sure Sweet Pea" I responded. Wow, where did that nick name come from. My answer must have made her happy because she spun herself around to face forward again, relaxing into my body. I glanced over at Ranger and he had and expression on his face I couldn't read, I shouldn't be surprised.

Ranger walked over to us in the attempt to get Lexi off my lap. As he moved closer with his arms outstretched she was shaking her head back and forth- no. Once Ranger reached us he made a little grab at Lexi while saying "Come here Munchkin"

I felt Lexi's hands grasp at my dress when she replied "NO" rather loudly.

"Come on Lexi let Tío Carlos hold you while I introduce Stephanie to everyone else." Lexi let out a breath that sounded remarkably like a sigh (did I mentioned how much I like this little girl) and released her hands from my dress. Ranger swept her up quickly, swinging here around once before placing her on his hip. Once Lexi settled in Ranger walked over to where a pregnant woman was sitting. She stood up when he reached her with a smile almost as beautiful as Rangers gracing here face. "Babe, this is my other older sister Pillar"

I stood up to walk over to Pillar, trying to make it easier on her pregnant feet. She began to move my way and while she walked past Ranger she smacked the back of his head. "I may be older Carlos, but I am also wiser" she said and I could not help the chuckle that escaped my lips. I peaked at Ranger and he was actually glaring at me. Pillar pulled me to her in a tight hug, not letting go for what felt like minutes but was probably only a few seconds. "I am so happy that you are here Stephanie" Pillar said as she released me. "My husband Marcus is out on the deck checking on the steaks, I am sure he will find you when he comes back inside" reaching around to pull a couple of children to her sides, as she continued to speak. "These are our rug rats Danica who is six" as her mother mentioned here name the little girl quickly scurried behind Pilar's legs in the attempt to hide from me "and Alejandro who is three going on thirty." The little boy with long dark hair proceeded to move away from his mom and stand in front of me. I watched as his eyes scanned me up and down in a very Ranger like move. It was easy to see why Pillar said he was three going on thirty. He was apparently happy with what he found because he proceeded to smile at me before heading over to the table where Rafael was sitting.

"It's nice to meet you Pillar, you have a beautiful family" I said. "Can I ask when you're due?" I continued while glancing down at her belly. Before she had the chance to respond the sliding glass doors off the kitchen opened and who I assumed was Marcus walked in. I recognized him as the man who called out to Ranger and I while we were in the driveway.

Marcus walked over to the island and placed the platter he brought in from the grill behind me. The smells of the steak and fish engulfed me and my stomach decided to announce is presence with a very loud grumble. As I looked around at Rangers family, I felt the blush creeping across my cheeks. Before I had the chance to apologize, I found myself being picked up and swung around then placed in a chair at the kitchen table. I looked up to see Marcus kneeling in front of me, he picked up both of my hands placing a kiss on each set of knuckles and with a slight chuckle said "I'm Marcus, let's get you fed Estefaní." He proceeded to stand up and announced "let's eat."

Food and plates started appearing out of nowhere, all being placed on the large island. Ranger appeared next to me, giving me his hand in an offer to help me out of the chair, Lexi still happily perched on his hip. We made our way over to the island and I began to fill my plate with steak, what Ranger told me was Swordfish, a few grilled vegetables to make Batman happy, and some of the most delicious looking macaroni and cheese with bread crumb topping that I had ever laid eyes upon in my life. As we walked back over to the table I grabbed Rangers plate so he did not have to balance the two dishes along with Lexi. We proceeded to sit down with Lexi wiggling herself directly between Ranger and I on the bench seat. This curly haired girl was just too cute.

Ricardo placed a wine glass in front of Ranger and me while Celia gave Lexi a sippy cup. Maria stood up at the end of the table taking a look around at her entire family of twelve including myself. After she was finished looking around she raised her wine glass and began to address everyone. "We give thanks to God for allowing us all to gather here this evening, to enjoy each others company, and share a beautiful meal. We give thanks to Carlos for finally sharing his Estefanía with us. May tonight be the start of a wonderful weekend. Salud!"

With that the entire family including the children raised their glasses and echoed her "Salud!"

The meal and cleanup passed in a blur with light conversation being had by all. I was thankful that for the time being the attention seemed to be off of me. Every so often while we were eating Ranger would reach behind Lexi and give a quick squeeze to my shoulder. I tried to help with dishes only to be shoved out of the kitchen by Maria and Ricardo.

I found myself seated back at the table next to Ranger as Lexi had taken off to parts unknown. I spent a few minutes observing everyone around me. You could feel the love radiating through the entire family, and being able to see the man of mystery without his typical blank face on all evening was a beautiful sight in itself, something I will treasure.

Out of no where a ball of black curls launched itself into my lap and began speaking rapidity for a four year old. "Tía Estefi, Tía Estefi, tis time to go watch the hill, come on"

I looked down at the little girl trying to comprehend what she was saying. She wanted me to go watch a hill, I know she is only four but that doesn't make any sense. Ranger must have read the confusion on my face and proceeded to clarify what she meant. "We are not going to watch the hill munchkin, we're going to Watch Hill, so you can ride the merry-go-round."

"Yeah, and, and we get ice creams. Come on let's go" Lexi replied to her Uncle. The little girl hopped down from my lap and grabbed one of each Ranger and my hands attempting to pull us up from our seats. The determination of this four year old was amazing me.

I made my way to the front door with Lexi holding my hand. As everyone proceeded outside and down to the driveway Pillar grabbed my other hand and began pulling me in the opposite direction of Ranger and the guys. When she spoke I felt the majority of the nerves and tension return to my body, that had since began to dissipate. "You can ride with us in the girl's car Stephanie."

I feel the interrogation coming on. Gulp!

Edited 12/28/12

*Tío= uncle

**hija de mi corazón= daughter of my heart

***novio= sweetheart

****Tía= aunt

Translations were made using freetranslation . com using English to Spanish (Latin American)