Thank you for all your encouraging reviews. Lee Anne
A Wish Come True
Chapter 4
Tank picked up his cell phone on the first ring. "Yo."
"Ho Ho, It's me." Delaney was speaking fast.
He was chuckling hearing her voice. "Hi, Delaney."
"Hey, I bet Ranger told you he's my Dad cause your best friends."
"Yes, he did. I take it you're happy."
"You bet, Ho Ho, but I need your help. Mom and Dad are going on a date tonight. Will you make sure he's not late? That wouldn't be good."
The second in command couldn't wait to get that Cuban man out of the office. He was the grand marshal of sourpusses since returning from Philadelphia. Ranger told him about the great Christmas he had with Stephanie and Delaney, but he was a grump missing them. He called a couple times a day he knew to chat. How could he chat with his one word answers he usually gave to everything? Tank contemplated drugging him and dropping him at 'The Quiet Corner' curb so Rangeman was peaceful again. It didn't help that Bobby and Lester, particularly Santos, were teasing the boss by hanging a picture of a sad sack clown on his door.
"I'll kick him out of here myself."
"Thanks, Ho Ho. I knew I could count on you. I don't want anything to mess up my plan to get Mom and Dad together."
"Neither do I. Bye, Delaney," he was laughing with the image of Stephanie and Ranger glued together.
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Raising his hands up, Tank let out a huge 'Thank you!' as the elevator doors closed.
"I heard that!" Ranger barked opening them back up.
"Go get ready for your date! Delaney called me so you're not late and I will not answer to that little girl. Go!" Tank pointed up with a finger yelling at the anxious man.
"I am!" Shaking his head he couldn't help the chuckle, Tank was afraid of his pint-sized wavy haired daughter.
Ranger was never so glad to be driving out of Rangeman. His black Cayenne was washed, polished, and vacuumed for his date with Stephanie. He even had his hair trimmed for the big night.
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Delaney was lying on her stomach on top of Stephanie's bed watching her mother get ready for her 'date' with her father. "Mom, Dad is going to miss his mouth. Don't let him get too messy."
"Delaney, what do you mean?" Stephanie asked clipping her earrings.
"You look hot. Dad's eyes will be on you and not where his fork is going.
Don't make a big thing about it if it falls on the floor. Let the waiter get it."
She couldn't imagine the Cuban man not being aware, but she had to laugh at her daughter. "OK, Delaney."
"Something else, Mom. Lindsey, Billy, and me have been talking. We're thinking of maybe playing baseball on a team. Can I ask Dad to help with training? I never played ball so I bet I'm lousy at catching, hitting, and throwing. I bet I throw like a girl. It's a hand-eye thing. Billy's dad isn't around much so he hasn't had any experience other than on the Wii, too."
She studied her daughter for a moment trying to form an answer. "You can ask for his help because that's not my specialty, but don't be upset if Ranger can't all the time. He has four offices he oversees and will be training government people over the next year."
"OK, something is better than nothing," Delaney agreed. "You finish getting pretty to knock his eyeballs out and I'll go wait for him," she jumped off the bed and went running.
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"Dad, can I ask you something?"
Ranger was smiling at his little girl in his arms. "What, Delaney?"
"Lindsey, Billy, and me are thinking about playing baseball. Do you know karate? I'm going to need some training and baseball is a hand-eye thing. The Internet says that's good for that. I know you're busy, but could you help some?"
"The Internet says that, really? I'm a black belt. If you want me to help, I will. I'll work your training into my schedule. I own the company."
"Cool! Can we even get those white pajamas?"
"It's a Do-Gi actually and we'll ask your mother if there is a place for a Do-Jo, that's where you practice Karate," he explained between his chuckling.
"We got the empty room on the third floor."
Stephanie heard their conversation stepping into the living room.
"Sweetheart, if someone is having a relaxing facial or massage, they don't want to hear yelling or jumping."
Her daughter's shoulders slumped. "Oh, I didn't think of that."
"Depending on how much room Ranger would need, maybe he could work with the three of you in the basement. It's warm down there. But, I think Cass and Tina would have to give permission for something like Karate."
"The basement would work. I can get some mats to put down and
Do-Gis," Ranger agreed. Anything to make his little girl happy and it would give him an excuse to be here more.
"Or, depending on much room you would need," Stephanie continued with another thought, "there is the storage area above the garage. We could put in a heater if it was too cold." She wanted to encourage the relationship between father and daughter. Delaney never had one with Joe Morelli.
"Babe, you look beautiful," Ranger was finally was able to say the words because Delaney had been monopolizing the conversation. He produced from behind his back two chocolate roses wrapped in gold trimmed cellophane. He handed one to Stephanie and the smaller one to Delaney.
"Oh, your good, Dad."
She took his breath away when she stepped into the living room. Stephanie had a simple blue scoop neck dress that came down past the tops of her flat black boots that reached below her knees. Her dark curls were all around her face, framing it and all he wanted to tangle his long fingers in it.
"Very handsome," she said breathlessly suddenly nervous. This man was beyond gorgeous in dark charcoal dress pants, black highly polished shoes, and a deep maroon dress shirt open at the neck with a couple of buttons undone.
"Now, you two have a good time," Grandma Mazur came out of the kitchen with a deck of cards. "We're going to be playing some Poker."
Momma Petunia, Auntie Del, and Slim Jim were all smiling silly behind her to be the babysitting quadruple. Maybe Delaney and Ghost were actually watching the seniors.
Stephanie bent down to kiss her sweet little girl, "You be good, Delaney."
Ranger took his turn hugging his daughter.
"Dad, there's some tips," she said into his ear slipping a folded piece of paper in his pocket. She produced her deck of cards. "Hi or Lo?"
"Lo."
She split the deck showing a '2 of Hearts'. "That's a good sign, Dad. Lady Luck's kismet is smiling on you tonight."
"Thank you," Ranger shook his head.
Holding up Stephanie's long leather coat, she slipped into it and she returned the favor holding up his.
The Philadelphia Museum was open late during the holidays so they were having dinner in the restaurant and strolling through the Renoir Exhibit and viewing the large Impressionist collection.
"What's that?" Stephanie asked seeing Ranger take a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. Both ordered a glass of wine and seafood cocktails they were waiting to be brought to the table so he was able to read Delaney's note.
He was hiding his face behind a large hand and his body was shaking from his laughter. "Our daughter gave me dating tips."
They read over the list: 1) Listen.
2) Talk some current events.
3) Save something from your date (Mom will like that).
4). Hold her hand.
5). Talk about me.
They couldn't help laughing over the last tip.
"She's putting on the pressure, isn't she?" Stephanie became shy. She knew their wonderful daughter hoped her parents would date and get together so they could be a family. The little girl wanted that before knowing Ranger was her father.
"Babe," he brought her hand to his lips, "she wants all of us to be happy. Can I bring up something and get it out of the way?"
Stephanie nodded not sure what was making her date so serious.
"I'm a bounty hunter at times," Ranger began warming her hand between his two. "I've put a lot of criminals in prison and it will come out eventually that Delaney is our daughter." He added quickly, "I couldn't be prouder of her, but I also worry about your safety and hers. Being in Philadelphia, you're both are removed from the bounty hunting reputation. Will you let Rangeman install a security system? I don't want to frighten you, I want to protect you. People you don't know sleep in your house."
The bounty hunting Stephanie was aware of along with his security business and she knew this would come up eventually. Tank wanted to put in a security system when she moved, but she put him off deferring it to discussing it with Ranger. "It wouldn't be good for my B & B business if they were sleeping in a fortress."
"No, but I can make it very invisible. My concern is you and our daughter. My biggest worry is strangers staying upstairs and your living quarters are very open. Those swinging doors closed with a slide lock aren't much of a defense. I know Ghost is there, but we could install a sensor for at night, it will go off if someone breaks it and sensors on the widows if someone tries to open them from the outside along with the security system. You and Delaney sleep on the ground level." At that second images of Delaney binging Morelli with a sling shot and gluing the old ladies ran through his head. Ranger bust out laughing.
The fear she felt when Stephanie thought something happened at 'Cut n' Curl' and the out-of-control Joe all came back. Stephanie wouldn't survive if something happened to her lovable little girl. The emotion changed and she couldn't hold a giggle thinking about her gluing Angie Morelli and Grandma Bella. Delaney would be able to take care of them if something happened with her quick thinking. That must be from her father.
"No bars on the windows?" Stephanie asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"No bars," Ranger smirked with his own arched eyebrow. "You won't even know it's there." He was doing a happy dance inside. This would give him additional time with his girls. He wasn't planning on being in Trenton many nights.
Wandering around the galleries, Ranger had Stephanie's hand securely in his. They were surrounded by beautiful French paintings but in his eyes the woman next to him shined brighter and he couldn't keep them off her.
"This one is beautiful," Stephanie told him stopping in front of a Monet's 'Marine View with a Sunset.'
"It is," Ranger agreed, "but you're more beautiful." He watched a pale blush form in her cheeks. "You are, Babe." He turned her in his arms and she melted into his body. "I meant what I said on Christmas Eve I found you again. I want to be with you and Delaney as much as you will let me, but."
Stephanie interrupted him, "I haven't said too much to you about that. It's hard, because the mother in me wants to protect Delaney. I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt her. It scares me that as crazy as everything happened with us meeting again in Gatlinburg, it seems so right."
Ranger only nodded hoping Stephanie was going where he wanted her to go.
"I want you to see Delaney as much as you want. I like you being there and it unnerving how quickly my feelings for you have grown, Carlos Manoso. I guess we need to take one step at a time."
Leaning his forehead against hers, he let out a contented sigh, "Family steps, Babe."
Ending the evening at "The Naked Chocolate Café", Ranger and Stephanie sat in a corner window booth drinking coffee and sharing a fondue pot. Being around his girls, dessert was going to figure into his diet more regularly.
Blowing in the cold night air, there were some snowflakes when Ranger parked in front of 'The Quiet Corner'. Their kissing delayed them stepping out of the warm SUV into the house and it abruptly stopped hearing a loud 'HONK!' They both were laughing at the little girl on the front porch blowing Edna Mazur's horn breaking them apart. Ghost came down the few steps to meet them.
"Dad, it's warmer in here for that."
"Thanks, Delaney," Ranger called opening the SUV door for Stephanie.
Stephanie called out, "It's cold out, Delaney! Get in the house!"
The little girl in her pajamas had the storm door open. "Mom, I'm waiting for details."
"Your father and I had a wonderful evening." the mother told her daughter handing over a dessert box from the café.
She took off running in her slippers for the kitchen giving a "Cool" over her shoulder because she had something better.
Taking off their coats, Grandma and her Southern crew were putting on theirs. "Where are you going?" Stephanie asked.
"The Casino, Baby Granddaughter. All the good machines should be free."
"It's snowing out," she reminded her grandmother.
Auntie Del had on her coat, hat, gloves, and boots already, "A few flakes don't stop us."
Seeing an opportunity, Ranger handled Slim Jim the keys to his SUV. "It's warm." He ran out and back before anyone realized Ranger was gone with a gym bag containing sweats and sneakers that he kept in there.
A chocolate faced Delaney was standing in the entry with forks and a piece of Mocha Fudge Cake on a plate. Each took a bite of the dessert and as they passed Ranger going out the door he handed each $20. "Gamble on me."
"Lady Luck is feeling lucky, Grandma!" the smeared little girl whoops.
Grandma tugged on his shirt so he leaned over. "I knew you'd be good in this family." Her lips smacked his cheek.
Momma Petunia and Auntie Del each kissed a cheek cheering going out the door with extra nickel slots money. Slim Jim and Ranger did a manly handshake. It was extra time alone with Stephanie and Delaney in the bed and breakfast and he didn't have a car to drive back to Trenton.
"Are you contributing to their gambling?" Stephanie asked watching the four figures get into the expensive automobile.
"Babe, would I do that?"
The night ended perfectly. Ranger and Stephanie tucked Delaney into bed after a TV game of knocking down the bowling pins. Ghost was stretched out at the bottom of her wheeled bed. They watched the fire lying on the sofa listening to 'Enya' and 'Mannheim Steamroller' CD's.
The gamblers weren't back so Ranger's plan all came together with Stephanie sleeping snuggled into his side when they went to bed.
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He walked into the Rangeman morning meeting in his sweats just making it in time having left Philadelphia after breakfast. There were looks between his men he saw but nothing was said. It was going along as it normally did when Ranger couldn't help it, he bust a gut laughing.
"What?" Tank yelled wanting in on the joke.
"Still," he choked holding his side. "Blew." "My money."
The room of black dressed men kept glancing at their boss waiting for the story.
"Tell us!" Tank yelled again seeing Ranger was getting under control.
It was too much for Ranger. It sounded beyond crazy when Edna Mazur told them this morning. "OK," Ranger began. "Granny Gun was making a special batch of moonshine in her secret still for New Year's Eve. She added too much of something and it blew up. They were at the casino when they got the bad news. So Stephanie's Grandma and her gang stayed away longer, I gave them gambling money. With the winnings from my money, they're buying Granny Gun a new still! Delaney wants me to drive them down to the backwoods of Virginia somewhere to see it."
"Ranger, can we come, too?" Lester spoke up for the room of laughing men. "Technically, it's your still."
Nothing like this would have happened in his wildest dreams; it took his two dark haired girls entering his life.
"Sure, we'll all drive down in the Rangeman rig to see the Rangeman still!"
The room broke out in a loud cheer, "Rangeman road trip!"