Chapter 2

I drove back to Rangeman and pulled into the garage and finger waved at the camera again, took a deep breath and got on the elevator. Bobby was there when I got off.

"You okay Steph?"

"NO! You and your stupid little blood test. Why didn't you just mind your own beeswax?"

"I have news for you Bombshell. This ain't something you can hide for very long."

"This is between you and me and nobody else," and I eyeballed him good. "Understood?"

He sighed, "Yes Boss." I smirked at him.

My stomach was growling after being emptied twice that morning. I went to the lounge and got a sandwich and a drink and headed to the rec room. When I walked in, a big black wall of guys yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOMBER!"

Wow, I was surprised. Ella rolled out a big birthday cake with candles lit and the guys demanded that I make a wish. I was thinking I really wish I could undo my little secret and I wish I had Nash back. Little did I know that wish would soon have real meaning. Then I fake smiled at everyone and blew out the candles. I told them all that I really appreciated them thinking about me.

Lester said, "You have some gifts to open, gorgeous." He handed me a package and I pulled the paper off and opened the box and it was a beautiful leather briefcase with my initials gilded into it. I said, "Guys this is perfect and I needed one."

Then Hal handed me an envelope and it had a $100 gift card for Macy's in it. "Wow, I love you guys!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ranger come in and place a package on the rec room dining table. I looked at it and it jiggled. I reached out and touched it and it moved again. I opened the top of the box and looked in and a pair of little brown eyes looked up at me and I heard, "Yip!"

I reached in and pulled out a fluffy little black and white puppy and hugged him to me.

He licked my face and I giggled. He was beautiful.

Ranger said, "He's a border collie. They are supposed to be the smartest breed of dog. They like to be kept busy and like to be trained. I figured we could use a mascot around here and he would have plenty of volunteers to keep him occupied and happy. What do you think?"

"I think he's so sweet. I love the idea!" I said.

"You need to give him a name, Babe." I thought for a minute. John's middle name had been Jacob. I said, "What about Jake?"

"Jake it is," and Ranger kissed me. I giggled because Jake was wiggling trying to reach both of us and lick our faces.

I hugged and kissed everyone then we ate lunch and had birthday cake. I left Jake with some of the guys and headed back to my office. On the way my mother called.

"Hi, Mom"

"Happy Birthday Stephanie. Are you and Ranger coming for dinner?"

"No Mom. I'm not feeling well today, I'm sorry. If you don't mind I'll come later in the week."

"But, it's your birthday and I made your favorite."

"Just not feeling well Mom."

"Alright then, but your father and grandmother will be disappointed."

"I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later."

I really wasn't in the mood to celebrate anything.

I thought about Ranger. We weren't talking much; it was more like we were having a decompression period after an out of control roller coaster ride. After the shock set in of the events that had taken place, we both just needed time to think. He had graciously had my new office commissioned and decorated and stepped back. I had been a snarky bitch lately to him. I'm not sure if it's that I'm really still angry with him or if it's the other thing. I can't even say the word.

I worked on a few more contracts in my office and then called it a day. Ranger met me in the hallway.

"Are you going to your parents house tonight?" he asked.

"No, I'm not feeling very well."

"How about I bring a pizza and you let me stay. I just want to be there in case you and Jake need me during the night."

I thought a minute. I was tired and that sounded pretty good. "Okay, as long as you mind yourself. I'll take Jake with me now."

He kissed me. "I bought a bag for you and Jake with some things in it you'll need. Let me go get it."

Ranger had bought some food, bowls, and a variety of little bones and chew toys. He had bought some doggie beds to scatter around Rangeman and one for my apartment. It would be nice to have a new buddy in my apartment again. I had really missed Morelli's dog Bob since we broke up and I still missed Rex.

Joe had been the first loss I suffered a few weeks ago. Joe wanted a wife and family, ironically something that I couldn't give him at the time. He had gotten frustrated and cheated on me. He wasn't really a bad guy and deserved to be happy. He was still in my life though; we were still friends.

Jake kept trying to crawl on me all the way to the apartment. He was a friendly little thing. I walked him around outside to do his puppy business and then took him up to the apartment. I put his bowls down and filled them, scattered some little chew toys around and then put the bed in my bedroom. While I was waiting for Ranger my phone rang. It was John Nash's mother Justine.

"Hi Mrs. Nash, how are you?"

"I'm fine Stephanie. You can call me Justine. How are you?"

"Pretty good I think. Today was my birthday and I got a new puppy as a gift. My hamster Rex died right after…we buried him the day Nash was…It was a sad day."

"I know it's still difficult dear. It hasn't really been that long."

"I named the puppy Jake after Nash's middle name. Is that alright with you?"

"I think that is sweet, what kind of dog is he?"

"He's a black and white border collie, supposed to be a really smart breed."

"I hope he's good company for you. I heard from Travis and the foundation is doing wonderfully. He says that the donations have already helped so many children. I'm so proud of you. I know we don't really know each other that well, but I kind of think of you as a daughter. Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"Not at all, you don't know my mother. I could use a backup."

Justine laughed. "Well, I just wanted to check on you. You keep in touch. Love you dear. Goodbye."

Jeez, I wanted to cry. She was about the kindest lady next to Ella that I had ever met. Nash had been the perfect package; he even would have come with the perfect mother-in-law. I had wanted to do something with the money she gave me for Nash. I found out that his favorite charity was one that provided help for autistic kids. His good friend Travis Parker had an autistic son whom Nash had loved. Together we had set up a foundation in John's name and Justine, Ranger, and I had sent a substantial amount of funds to get it started. Travis was doing a great job getting the money out to families who needed help for their kids.

Hector and Silvio, two of our smartest computer wizards at Rangeman, had created a beautiful web site for the foundation and donations had started to trickle in.

I heard a little knock, looked through the peephole and opened the door. I looked at Ranger bug eyed. "You actually knocked?"

He grinned, "My hands are full and I'm trying to change, remember?"

I grabbed the pizza and took it to the kitchen. He followed me and put some beer in the fridge, grabbing a couple before he closed the door. I looked at the beer. "I'll just have a soda," I said. Ranger raised an eyebrow at me.

"Sensitive stomach today." I got us some plates and we grabbed some pizza and sat on the couch.

Nothing gets by Ranger. He said, "Are you sure you can't share with me what you and Bobby discussed today?" Oh shit.

"Stop being such a busybody Ranger. I told you it was nothing, I have a stomach bug," I lied through my teeth.

"What did you just call me?" he grinned.

I changed the subject. "Justine Nash called."

He said, "She's a nice lady. I like her. How is she doing?"

"She sounds okay. She just lost her only son and she's calling to see how I'm doing. I really crapped out in the mother department. Why didn't I get one of those?"

Ranger chuckled at that.

"The foundation is doing really well already."

He said, "I know, I've been keeping an eye on it since it's new, in case you and Travis needed some help. But, you're both doing a great job. Proud of you Babe!"

About that time little Jake wiggled over, raised his tail and dropped a doodle on Rangers boot. I stifled a giggle, "At this rate of loss, you better call Ella and tell her to buy you some more boots."

He grinned and pinched me. "Ow!" He said, "I got this," and left with the offending boot to clean it. I whispered to Jake, "That was a good one little buddy," and picked him up and hugged him. He wiggled in my arms and jumped up and gave me a bunch of little doggie kisses.

Jake woke us up in the middle of the night crying. Ranger picked him up and took him out again and then snuggled back in next to me and we went back to sleep.

Early the next morning my offending body part, my stomach, woke me up and I barely made it to the bathroom in time. Ranger came in to hold my head and put a cold rag to it.

He said, "I think you should stay home today Babe. I can have Ella send you some food and I'll come back tonight to stay again."

I groaned. Shit! This was going to go on for days and maybe weeks. I wasn't ready to tell him or anybody for that matter and I couldn't stay home everyday. That would really draw attention to my problem.

"No, I already feel better after throwing up. Must be getting rid of whatever is bothering me," I lied. "We have that distraction job tonight too. I think I'll be fine." Again, he cocked an eyebrow up and looked at me. "Uh, I'm gonna get in the shower now."

I grabbed a sexy pants outfit for the distraction job and bagged it and we left the apartment with Jake. I spent the day doing paperwork in a fog. My sweet Merry Men had been coming to my office to get Jake and take him out through out the day.

My appetite was not so great. I went to the lounge and got a soda and some crackers about lunchtime. About 1600 hours, as Ranger would say, he came to tell me to get ready to go to the track.

TBC