A/N: Sorry about the abrupt ending of the last chapter. I didn't realize that my daughter had "Helped" So when I saved the file it chopped it off. LOL I looked it over after a few of you let me know about the short talk. It works ok, as long as I put this chapter with it.

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"I miss you Tank. I want you to come home." Then she kissed me, it was just the softest brush of her lips, but it was probably the most amazing kiss I'd ever experienced. When she whispered "Please." I thought that was going to be my undoing. I couldn't think. I grasped her hips with my hands, and I was about to kiss her back when the kitchen door swung open and she jumped away from me.

We both turned to see who was coming in the kitchen and Angie blushed an amazing shade of red when she saw my mother standing there with a grin on her face.

"Pierre, your guests are arriving. I know this isn't your thing, but you really should go greet them."

"Yes Ma'am." I said as I lightly ran my hand down Angie's arm. "I'm coming."

"Good. You and Angie will have time to talk later." She said standing there, obviously waiting for me to join her.

I looked at Angie and gave her a small smile. "Talk later?"

She nodded and glanced over at my Mama before looking back at me. "Yeah. Go see who's here."

I stood up and walked over to the door and took my mother by the arm and gave Angie one last glance, but she was already hard at work getting things set up for dinner."

I walked out to the living room with my mom, and smiled as Bobby and Lester introduced their dates Brandy and Tiffany. I smiled politely and shook their hands. Bobby held up a bag and asked me if I he minded if he ran it back to the kitchen. I didn't mind at all, so he headed back to drop off a few things with Angie. Just as Bobby was walking back to us, Cal and Hal showed up. Stephanie began ushering us into the dining room, when we were all seated she poked her head into the kitchen and let Angie know every one was here.

Bobby set a bottle of wine on the table and handed me the cork screw. I raised an eyebrow at him because the guys knew I didn't like having alcohol around to tempt Angie. I didn't say anything though, I just popped the cork and poured the wine. Almost as soon as I sat down, Angie came out with the salads. I was suddenly having a hard time swallowing. She was wearing a beautiful dark green dress that swirled around her legs as she walked. I gave her a smile as she began serving the salad course. As she placed my salad in front of me she whispered softly. "Steph made me dress up."

I gave her a smile and a quiet chuckle as she walked away. It took her two trips to get out all the plates, but once we were all served she spoke quietly. "I hope you all enjoy tonight's meal. I would like to know how you would like your steaks prepared." She looked at each person as they answered her question and amazingly she never wrote anything down. She just slipped back into the kitchen with a smile.

I just sat quietly and listened to the quiet conversation going on around the table. I couldn't believe the girls that Bobby and Lester had found for tonight. I swear they hadn't said anything intelligent in the last 10 minutes. I leaned over to my mom and whispered quietly. "Listening to those two makes me glad that Angie's smarter than I am"

My Mom whipped her head around to look at me and I could tell she was trying really hard not to laugh out loud. She leaned over to whisper to me in return. "Behave. You're not to old for me to take over my knee."

I had to bite the inside of my cheek at the mental image of my five foot nothing mother taking me over her knee, but the one sobering thought that helped contain the laughter was the realization that she would do it too.

I just lowered my head a little with a quiet. "Yes Ma'am"

Stephanie was trying her best to look interested in what Brandy and Tiffany were saying.

"and we were so totally excited to get to come here tonight. It's not often we meet really hot guys working in the Restaurant Depot." Brandy said.

Angie came back out with a second bottle of wine and handed it to me before she started to clear away the salad plates. Before I could say anything to her though she had disappeared through the kitchen door taking the dishes with her. I poured the second round of wine and Steph spoke up. "Angie said she picked each wine to go with each course. She's been working on this menu with Ella for two weeks."

Before conversation could really get started again, Angie returned with the plates of New York strip steak, and grilled Lobster tail. I had to hand it to her, she had done a beautiful job. She even made sure to serve the men with large steaks, but had cut down on the portion size for the women. Angie had to take three trips this time with the bigger plates. On her third trip out I made sure to catch her wrist. She leaned over so I could tell her how wonderful she looked, and how amazing I thought she had done on dinner tonight.

"Stephanie. Your caterer is amazing. You'll have to give me her number." Tiffany said about half way through her steak.

"She's not a caterer. She's my girlfriend." I found myself saying. I must have said it loud enough for Angie to hear because I heard glass crashing against the kitchen floor, at the same time Stephanie and my mother were giving each other a High five. I felt my eyebrow raising at that. My mother didn't high five.

Stephanie on the other hand was busy on her cell phone sending out a text.

"Steph, who are you texting?" Ranger wanted to know.

"Ella. Trust me. She wants to know." Ranger just shrugged while Lester and Bobby grinned like idiots. Cal and Hal were both coughing a little trying to keep straight faces.

Hal finally stood up. "I'm going to go see if Angie needs any help after that crash."

Hal disappeared into the kitchen, only to come out a few minutes later and sat back down and tucked into his dinner.

"Was everything ok?" Lester asked.

"Oh yeah. She told me she was fine and to go sit down and eat because she was fixing dessert."

The look on his face told me she had probably said it a little differently than that, but no one bothered to ask for more clarification. Angie peeked her head out of the kitchen to check on our progress. I held my hand out for her to come over to me. When she got close enough I grabbed her hand pulled her closer as I stood up and wrapped my arms around her, and lowered my head to kiss her lips.

We finally pulled apart when I heard my mother say. "I told that boy he got a good one. Its about damn time he listened to his Mama."

Angie's face was bright red as I stood there holding her at my side.

"Wow. It's really warm in here. I think we need Ice cream. Who wants ice cream?" She didn't even wait for an answer before escaping to the kitchen. I wanted to follow her, but I knew she needed a minute to collect herself. I picked up my wine glass and drained it before glancing at everyone at the table. "Excuse me. I'll be right back."

I walked into the kitchen and moved to stand right behind Angie and wrapped my arms around her middle. "Relax baby."

I felt more than heard her let out a deep breath as she relaxed against me for a minute. "I am relaxed." She told me and I laughed as I leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"No, relaxing is where you sit on the couch, remove your arsenal and watch mind numbing TV in your undies." I couldn't help but smile even bigger as she laughed hearing me repeat her own words to her.

"Ok, let me phrase this differently. I am as relaxed as I can be right now. Let me get these desserts out, and then after an appropriate amount of time we can kick every one out and talk."

I laughed and let go of her when she stood up straight again. "I can go kick them all out now if you want."

She looked at me over her shoulder and shook her head. "No, enjoy your birthday. Steph worked so hard to make tonight perfect."

I leaned over and kissed her lightly. "Tonight became perfect when you kissed me for the first time."

She just smiled at me and turned to dish up the dessert. "Go sit down. I'll be out in a minute."

I didn't want to leave, but Angie had a point. The sooner we finished this meal the sooner we could be alone. I walked back into the dining room and took my seat once again. The conversation was pretty quiet, it seemed no one really had much to say after that little display. I thought I should say something, but I was saved by Angie walking out of the kitchen with a large tray on her arm where she had martini glasses filled with blueberries and topped with a scoop of what looked like sorbet.

She easily balanced the tray as she began serving dessert. The entire table knew when Steph took her first bite, the moan that escaped her lips made it obvious. Once everyone had been served Angie rested the tray against the wall and looked at all of us.

"Don't be afraid to eat it guys." I knew she was talking to all of us Rangeman employees. "It's made with yogurt and honey. No sugar or artificial flavoring I promise." She bent over to pick up the tray and started to stand up. Before she could stand up all the way she fell to the floor and that's when I heard the gun shot.