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Disclaimer: Janet Evanovich owns all characters, except my made up character Jeremiah.

A Drastic Change

Chapter 2

"Three months gone"

"Sugar pie! You done packing?" Jeremiah called out before entering his guest room that I have been using these three months. We were going to Trenton today. Apparently, because I came to Texas with nothing, I had bought two suitcases full of new clothes, shoes and accessories, with Jeremiah's credit card of course. I had called home, but only called my dad. I thought about it all and felt I should only tell my dad, not everything, but that I was away on vacation for three months and not worry. I asked him to please take care of Rex and talk to my landlord. He agreed to do so as long as I brought gifts for him when I came back. Lucky, Jeremiah decided to buy a whole television set with a plasma flat screen TV with ultra sound systems and video/dvd. We would arrive in Trenton at 5:30pm tonight, and I begged to stop right away at my parents house for dinner after we land there. The new TV set for my dad would arrive at my parents house at a quarter to seven, and I wanted to be there to see my dad to go crazy for it. You are such a nice daughter Stephanie!

"Yup, what time we leaving for the airport?" I asked as I applied my make-up at the now empty dresser.

"About a half hour," he replied and grabbed my suitcases, "I'm going to bring your suitcases downstairs for Edwardo to bring into the limo." I nodded as I looked for my eye shadow case. Being that he is rich, Edwardo is the butler, and I can honestly tell you, I spend more time talking with Edwardo and his wife, Maria the maid, then my own 'husband to be.' Three months went by fast as I kept myself occupied. Everyone back home should be proud of me. Because there wasn't anything to do for three months, I went running every morning at 8 for an hour, then to the gym at 9 to 11. I would go home for a shower and lunch, Maria's cooking is the best! By 2 in the afternoon I took yoga classes into self defense lessons and after I would go to the gun range (now I'm more comfortable carrying a gun) until I would get home around 6 to shower again and be ready for dinner with Jeremiah at 7:30. On the weekends, Jeremiah would go to the gym with her. Steph! You look better than ever! I was really proud of myself. My body looked a hundred times better than before, more lean and muscular. Not to mention the tan I got from being here. I was really happy about the changes I made with my exercises and diet.

o0o0o0o

I was nervous, no, not nervous, I'm insane! I was on a plane with Jeremiah, we are going to Trenton, I was coming home. After three months, I have gotten used to Texas, but I wouldn't really miss it. I missed home, my hamster Rex, the girls at the office, the guys at Rangeman especially batman, my family and Joe. Look out I was headed home! Just a slight problem I signed the contract with Jeremiah three months ago, so wed we would become. I stared at a diamond ring on my left ring finger. I didn't like it so much, it was too extravagant, and I thought it should have been a more simpler diamond cut and ring. What are you complaining about?! It is so much! And many would kill to be you with that ring! It was true, but I wasn't in love with him, I knew that, and perhaps that's why I hate the ring. But he was friend, an old friend from college who is kind of desperate, plus I didn't hate him, but I don't love him either.

o0o0o0o

Our limo pulled up to my parents house and dropped us off. Jeremiah gave the driver orders to pick us up at 8pm sharp and I requested that a limo would not be necessary. My father and grandmother was gapping at the limo as it pulled up, and seeing me get out with Jeremiah made there jaws drop even more! I grinned, I was home. My dad was the first to snap out of it.

"My little girl! How was your vacation?" I gave him a hug and replied, "Great! I worked hard on healthy portions of my body to myself. This is Jeremiah," I introduced, "Jeremiah, this is my father and my grandma." They nodded to each other and shook hands.

"I can see that! I am very proud of you! Your apartment is covered and Rex, well…"

"He died!" Grandma finally snapped out of it "sorry about it, I…"

"She accidentally shot it!" my dad exclaimed furious.

"It's okay," I said. I was not shocked or sad, that's the weird part. I grown used to not having him around for three months. I'm cruel, he was my best friend! But I didn't feel anything, hmm, probably something's wrong with me.

We walked into the dinning room and sat down. It was three minutes to six. My mother was putting out the food. No Valerie or the kids, looks likes its just going to be the parents, grandma, Jeremiah and me, better for me at least.

"Stephanie Plum! Where have you been?! And who's this Steph? Hello dear, Helen Plum," she held out her hand to Jeremiah.

"Jeremiah Person."

"Well please join us for dinner," she went to get more place mats for me and him.

Dinner went by nicely, I told them I was on vacation and such, but I couldn't avoid it much further, Jeremiah is sitting right next to me. I let out a big sigh.

"While you were away, Joe Morelli got a new girlfriend, she's from out of state, and I just heard today that they're engaged! If you didn't go away on this sudden vacation, it could have been you!" she sighed, she believed Joe was the last hope for me being married, she was really going to be shocked now. I felt pissed off at Joe suddenly, he got himself engaged as I went away, but then again, so did I.

"Yup! Joe went crazy looking for you for about the first month you disappeared. Ranger never stopped though, he keeps breaking in here thinking we know where you went. But we don't, Ranger has gone crazy trying to find you! Good thing he's damn hot! Or else I would have shot him from breaking and entering in here a couple of times! Whoa! I'm getting hot flashes thinking about him," Grandma babbled on about Ranger as I cringed in guilt.

"Well…. I sort of got news for you guys," I paused not knowing how to continue. I sat there watching my family look at me expectantly. "Well, you see…"

"Stephanie and I are engaged," Jeremiah finished for me. Thank god! I didn't know if I could say it! I watched as my parents sat there with confused expressions. We all sat there speechless.

"Stephanie! That's great! You finally can get married! Have kids and settle down and stop working as a bounty hunter! When's the wedding?!" My mother, of course excited! She wants me married, not want but would die for me to become married.

We went on to discussing wedding details, Jeremiah explained that we would marry in eight months time and of course, we never mentioned out contract. At exactly 6:45pm the doorbell rang, the new television set came in. My dad was ecstatic! Jeremiah said that it was an engagement gift to my parents especially for my father.

o0o0o0o

At 8, our car arrived to pick us up and dropped us off at my apartment. We grabbed our suitcases and went into my living room exhausted. Between the air flight and dinner, we lost all amounts of energy there was. Tomorrow, I would go to the office and see the girls, and I couldn't wait! I missed them. I have so many copies of the contract between Jeremiah and me, I thought of bringing a copy to them and see if they can help me out, I really needed out! Not that I hated Jeremiah but I wouldn't be happy married to him, and I knew that. Now that Joe was out of the question, Ranger was my only hope, I was screwed! He can't know of the contract, but giving a copy for Connie and Lula, perhaps they can accidentally slip it to Ranger. Oh god! I am insane, would that even work, without Jeremiah finding out?!

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