Chapter 10

"Oh Bombshell!" I hear Tank calling out to me.

Bombshell, I really hate that name or I should say I really hate how I got the nickname.

The guys all started calling me Bombshell after a local reporter wrote a story about me and a mishap with my car. Okay fine, two mishaps while bringing in a skip. The first was a low bond skip, Johnny Miller and he was actually Lula's skip. I was helping her out because her car was in the shop. Johnny was working on his car when we picked him up, he came with us pretty quietly so she didn't cuff him. Honestly I think he was stoned and that it why he came with us without a hassle. From the backseat he lit a cigarette and I turned and yelled at him to put it out. I must have startled him because he dropped the cigarette on his jacket which lay next to him. I saw a spark, pulled over and we all jumped out of the car. We stood back and watched the flames. Cal and Junior showed up took our skip in for us and called for a ride to take us back to Rangeman.

A few days later I was helping Lula once again, this time we were bringing in Carl Walker. He was wanted for a firearm possession but it was his first offense and there for not a very high bond. We found him at work, he was outside on his break. He saw us coming and freaked out, started shooting at us and hit my car. He managed to hit the gas tank, and yup you guess it...another car bites the dust.

The headline in the paper was local Bombshell at it again. He tried to interview me but I flat out refused. Now the guy follows me around hoping to catch another blunder. The guys all loved the nickname and now I am stuck with it. Guess there could be worse nicknames to have.

"What do you need Tank?"

"I was just going to see if you were done staring at your computer. You look like you have been on another planet for a while now, Lula just called and said she was waiting for you to pick her up. She said something about shopping."

"She is going to kill me, I have to get out of here."

I started rushing around getting my things together and Tank was laughing at me.

"Steph calm down, Lula is going to meet you here."

I tried to give him the evil death glare but he only laughed harder.

"Look Steph, I don't know what the problem is but if you need to talk I'm here."

"Tank, there is no problem."

"Yes there is."

I saw Jack walking up behind Tank.

"Steph, come on you have been acting really strange lately."

"I'm fine, just trying to sort through some things. Nothing a little shopping wouldn't help." I told them both with a smile.

"Will my wife be joining you in this shopping trip to happiness?"

"Yes Jack as a matter of fact she will be, and to make matters even worse Marylou is coming with us as well."

"Tell her not to completely break us." Jack said while trying not to laugh, he knows how bad the four of us are when we get together and go shopping.

"Later boys." I turned and started for the elevator.

"See ya later Bombshell." I turned to see a smiling Tank & Jack, both trying not to laugh out loud. God I hate that damned name.

"Fuckers."

While on the elevator I couldn't stop thinking that I really didn't want to go shopping. Of course the reason is because I need a dress for Lester's birthday party tomorrow night. I just don't want to be around him and Miranda. All to quickly I had reached my destination, I wasn't paying attention and ran right into a brick wall. I looked up to see who it was, as if my day wasn't shitty enough it was Lester and standing right beside him was Miranda.

"Sorry Les, I wasn't paying attention."

"No problem Steph. Hey I want you to..."

I didn't give him a chance to finish, I knew he was going to introduce me to her but I just didn't want to deal with it.

"Les, can it wait? Lula has been waiting for me and we really need to get going."

He looked kind of disappointed. "Sure Steph, talk to you later. You are still coming tomorrow night right?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

And I quickly made my way out of the garage and into Lula's car.

"Hey girl, what has you so rattled?"

"Nothing Lu, let's get going."

We all met at the entrance to Macy's, hopefully I could find something quick and then get home. Maybe by then I will have caught some mystery illness that has to keep me home tomorrow night.

"Hey Val, Hey Mare. Sorry we're late I had to finish something up and lost track of time."

"Don't worry about it, I am just glad my mom took the boys for the night."

"How about you Val, does mom have the girls?"

"Yeah, they are spending the weekend with Mom and Dad."

"Nice, how did you pull that one off?"

"Mom said the house was still to quiet with Grandma moving out."

"Okay ladies, enough of this chit chat. Tough girl over here needs a dress for tomorrow night. Tell me again why you waited so long to go shopping?"

"Lu, you know I have really busy lately."

"You have been really busy for the last 3 months, spill it tough girl. I can tell something in bothering you."

"Nothing, I swear. How about this one?" I held up a black hater dress.

And all three answered together. "NO."

"Come on Steph, since you started working at Rangeman all you ever wear is black. You need something that has some color to it."

"Okay Mare, exactly what color would you suggest?"

"I don't know, but I will let you know when I see it."

We looked for another 45 minutes and didn't find anything so I suggested we try Lord & Taylor. I was wandering around the dresses trying to look like I was really interested, but I don't think it was working. Next thing I know I hear Val calling out for me.

"Steph, I have found the perfect dress for tomorrow night."

I have to admit the dress was gorgeous. It was the most beautiful shade of purple, the tag said the color was orchid. The dress was made of chiffon, with a deep V in the front and it had a razorback. I took the dress from Val and went to try it on. Once I put it over my head I knew I was buying the dress, no matter how much it cost.

"So girls what do you think?"

"Holy shit girl, that is definitely the dress."

Everyone seemed to agree so I went to get changed and had the dress wrung up. I already had the perfect FMP's to match at home. We were all hungry so we made our way over to the Lawrence Grill and had dinner and a few drinks.

"Steph, why don't you tell us why you are so against going to this party tomorrow night?"

"Val, what the hell are you talking about? I told you I have just been really busy lately. If they kept this up I was going to spill my guts. "Honestly there is nothing wrong, I have just been busy with work."

We managed to get through dinner and thankfully they let it go. Lula dropped me off at Rangeman around 8 and I beelined it right for the elevator and then my apartment. I just didn't want to run into Lester again tonight.

The next morning I woke up around 7:30 and didn't feel like getting out of bed so I rolled over and went back to sleep for a couple of hours. The next time I woke up it was almost noon and some one was pounding on my door.

"Hold on I'm coming." I said in my most irritated voice. "Val, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I have been trying to call you all morning, are you just getting out of bed?"

"Yeah, I'm not feeling well." I just hoped she bought it, and it would get me out of tonight.

"Liar, you just don't want to go tonight. Now what the hell is going on with you? And don't you dare tell me it is nothing, you have been acting strange for a while now."

"God Val I don't even know where to begin."

"The beginning would be nice."

"Fine, I have to talk to someone I guess it should be you."

"Gee thanks."

"I guess it started the first night we all went out, you know the night I punched Joe?" That will aways bring a smile to my face. "Lester brought me home and I told you we talked and then he left, well that wasn't the exact truth."

"Ha, I knew something else happened that night."

"Val do you want to hear this or not?" She nodded. "Well before he left he kind of kissed me, and I really enjoyed the kiss."

"That's it, that is why you are so upset?"

"No. Do you remember when we went down to West Virginia to pick up that skip?" She nodded, so I continued. "Well we kinda, sorta...we slept together."

"Holy shit Steph. So what happened after that has you so upset, was it just a one night stand?"

"The next morning I told him it was a mistake and that it never should have happened. I mean come on Val he is my boss for God's sake and we all know that I don't do relationships that well. Look how the last two turned out, they both cheated on me and I was married to one of them."

"What did he say?"

"I really didn't give him a chance to say anything, I got up and told him we should get ready to go and I got into the shower to get ready. And now it is to late to do anything about it..."

"What the hell possessed you to say that to him?"

I just looked at Val and started crying. "Val, I can't let myself get involved in another serious relationship. Don't you see, I am meant to be alone. I have never told anyone this, but even though I really didn't love him, what Dickie did really hurt me. And then there is Joe. Jesus Christ Val don't you see I am not good enough to have a man just love me, the two most significant relationships I have been involved in and they both cheat on me. Not to mention the fact that both of them cheated on me with women who have always been an enemy."

"Do you have any enemies left?"

I jerked my head up so fast I think I got whiplash, Val was sitting there with a smile on her face. "Not funny Val."

"I know and I am sorry. Look Steph I have known these guys for a lot longer than you and let me tell you Lester is not like Joe or Dickie."

"I know but it doesn't matter now anyway, it looks like Les is dating someone. I guess you will get to meet her tonight. Now do you see why I don't want to go?"

"Steph it is never to late, tell him how you really feel. Tell him that you are falling in love with him."

"Are you crazy, falling...Val I think that you have lost your mind. Not to mention the fact that he is seeing someone."

"You are going to sit here looking and acting like this and then tell me you are not falling in love with him? That is a lie and we both know it."

"I never could lie to you could I."

"So tell me how was it."

"I am not going to discuss him with you."

"It was horrible wasn't it, that is why you don't want to talk about it."

"I know what your doing and it's not going to work." I looked her in the eye and she was giving me sad eyes and I could tell the moment she knew I was going to spill everything. "Dammit. It was the best night of my life, what am I going to do now?"

"Now you get all of your stuff together for tonight and we go to my house to get ready."

"I meant what am I going to do about Lester?"

"I'm not sure, let's just get out of here. We can stop at Pino's on the way to my house."

"Fine, let me get ready and get my stuff."

Val and I had a great afternoon together, we got lunch and went back to her house. Jack made himself scarce so Val and I could have some girl time and get ready for tonight. She was right about Lester, I was seriously falling in love with him and had no idea what to do about that. Maybe he would be different, but then again I will probably never know.

TBC

dress can be found in my folder on PP & BBPFF