Hey there, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I will update again as soon as I can but for now, enjoy ch.7!

A Drastic Change?

Chapter 7

"Listening In"

Steph's POV

I walked into the office with donuts and coffee for us. Lula was yapping away and Connie was recoating the bright red color nail polish to her nicely done manicure.

"Hey girl! We were just thinking of you. God! You're the best," Lula said as I dropped the box of donuts in front of her on Connie's desk and gave a curious glance at Connie.

"Apparently, Lula has a hard time keeping it a secret from her Tankie," Connie said to me as she returned her attention to her nails.

I turned and rounded at Lula, "You didn't tell him did you!"

"No! Of course not! But from what I hear, you got yourself a run in with Ranger and my man last night," Lula countered back with the certain gossip gleam in her eye.

"Yea, but…" I gave them the details they wanted keeping my emotions and feelings that I had about it to myself.

"Huh, so nothing happened?" Lula asked with disappointment. Connie was clearly upset and disappointed as well.

"Yeah," I said while helping myself to another donut, "you really didn't tell Tank, did you?"

"No, I swear I didn't tell him. I tried changing the subjects again and again," Lula looked thoughtful for a moment, "but he could tell I was hiding something and-"

"Lula! We signed contracts!" Connie scolded her, "I'm in no mood or way to become bankrupt because of YOU!"

"Guys!" I raised my voice before they could even begin arguing, "the faster we get me out of this, the better for both of you as well. We need ideas, plans and whatever! No arguing! We need to get control of this situation and fast!" I sound like as person with so much authority that it silenced all three of us. Ah, yes, awkward! Who knew I could ever be so in control like a dictator. Clearly, I'm not me anymore, I thought.

"Stephanie's right," Connie finally broke the awkward silence, "if we get her out of her own contract, Lula and I will be free from ours, but-"

"It's difficult to do. I know that," I finished.

"Well, we got, what? Eight months? We got some time," Lula said sounding very optimistic.

"Eight months can go by fast," I said.

"But a lot of stuff can happen in so little time."

"But once those eight months are gone, you'll be forced to marry Jeremiah," Connie said, "not that's he bad, but you don't love him."

"Yeah…," I stared out the window, "why did I sign this contract! Because only someone like me with no other future would. Why? Because I'm fucking insane and signed it!"

"He was an old college friend of yours. Let me guess," Lula looked at me seriously and then at the ceiling, "first, he said 'please Steph?' and second, you guys went over details and different choices of options. With those two things, you usually go 'what can I lose' and go for it."

I glared at Lula, but she was right. "I'm going to blame the Burg for making me into this type of person, yup!" Denial, one of my best things. Yep, it was all the Burg mannerisms.

Connie and Lula looked at each other and then Connie shrugged. I wanted nothing but to be alone now. Irony, here I was lonely for the past three months and now I just wanted solitude.

"Uh, Connie, got any skips for me?" I asked before I can take my leave.

"Just Mooner and Dougie," she handed me the file.

"Want me to tag along?" Lula asked.

I shook my head. "Nope, I got this one. Let's go out tonight, the three of us. How's that?"

"Girl's night! Hell yeah!" Lula said.

"What about Jeremiah?" Connie asked. She made it sound as if I was the wife tied down with a husband and family already.

"He's off to New York City for the week. He'll come back here for another week. Then, he'll head home in Texas and I'm going to stay here until two weeks before the wedding, if we don't get me out of it, but he'll drop by for a day or two sometimes," I explained.

"Busy man?" Connie chuckled.

"Never stops working," I answered, like someone else I know. "I'm going now. How's seven tonight?"

"Great! Call later for where and now I got to cancel on Tankie."

"We can do it tomorrow if you still want to-"

"Steph, you've been gone for so long, I think Tank will understand. Plus I haven't had a girl's night out in so long," Lula said as she went through her purse for her cell.

"See you," I walked out of the office and into my car.

Ranger's POV

Now I was slightly confused and I could tell Tank was too. I watched him answer his cell and tell Lula it was okay if she canceled their plans for tonight. So, she doesn't love him, but agreed to marry him in terms of this contract, I thought, she doesn't love him, she doesn't love, she does not love him….

"We need a copy of those contracts they've been talking about," I stated, "Steph must have copies in her apartment.Let's go."

Ten minutes later, we entered her apartment. Still the same, except there was a sleeping bag in the bedroom floor. Good, they're not sharing the bed, I thought and felt relived as I entered the bedroom. I knew I could be the possessive and jealous type, but I never knew I could be that possessive over a woman, but Stephanie isn't just any woman, she's mine. I love her. Wait, LOVE? …yes, I do, I'm inlove withher. I shook my head out of my thoughts and continued to look around.

"Ranger, I think I found them," I heard Tank call from the living room. He was looking though a briefcase. There were several copies of three separate documents.

"Let's take one of each," I began taking the copies and Tank glimpsed at the window.

We headed back to Rangeman and once we entered my seventh floor apartment. I called up Bobby and Lester. I felt as if I needed them here. Once we all sat down with beers and got comfortable. I started going through the contracts with them.

Half an hour later, I was sitting there stunned at the contracts. The only way out of my babe's contract was depending on me! Me! God, what was she thinking! That and finding Jeremiah a suitable wife to replace her even if I did come through for my babe. I was shocked. My men were shocked. We kept drinking our beers and even more bottles of beer from our shock.

"So…" Tank began, "what are you going to do?" They all stared at me. Only problem is, I didn't know what I was going to do….yet.

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