Not my characters, I'm just playing around with the characters. I don't make any money off of this.

Chapter 15

Ranger POV:

I normally didn't keep my phone on me while working out. If anyone needed to contact me, they would call Rangeman, and someone would find me. Today when I got up later than normal, a recurring routine since coming back from my latest mission, I had the nagging feeling to take my phone with me. I was thankful I did.

I was on the treadmill, my phone propped on the top in the cup holder. I was in the middle of my seventh mile when my phone rang. I almost couldn't believe my eyes when her contact popped up. I admit it might be a little creepy that I found her number to put in my phone, but I couldn't help myself.

When she told me to meet her at the diner, I was already jumping off of the treadmill, not bothering to stop it. Tank raised an eyebrow at me, but I ignored him. I ran down the stairs taking two at a time. Whoever was on monitors was getting a show.

I came out of the elevator, going to the closest car, which happened to be the Turbo. I parked in the diner parking lot and walked inside. The back of my neck tingled, and I caught sight of her sitting at the back table on the right side. She had a coffee cup sitting in front of her. Her eyes met mine and she leaned back in the booth waiting for me to approach.

I slid in across from her, the waitress coming over before either of us could say anything. "What can I getcha?"

"A cup of coffee."

"Anything else?" she asked, I shook my head.

"Alright, I'll bring that right out along with her breakfast special," she replied before going back to the counter.

"Steph," I started, breaking the silence. "I didn't expect you to call me so soon."

"We need to talk, an actual adult discussion," she said. I saw her eyes flick over my shoulder just before the waitress set a plate in front of her and my coffee cup in front of me. I adjusted myself slightly trying to not leave myself so vulnerable.

That made her smirk. "At least some things don't change." I watched the wistful look fade from her face. It turned into a much more serious one.

"Why did you make the deal with me?" she asked.

I let out a full-on sigh. Her eyes widened slightly at the noise before returning to the neutral mask. "Well, I think we can agree I was an idiot for making the deal with you. I did it because I knew we were attracted to each other. I was hoping that I would be able to get you out of my system but that didn't work. Hell, if anything it made me want you more. Why did you go along with it? You could have said no at any time."

"You're right, I could have. But DeChooch wanted a man to take him in and it gave me an excuse to go through with the deal. It gave me an excuse to act on my feelings when I wasn't brave enough to do so."

I didn't expect that answer and I think the shock showed on my face because Steph chuckled. "I've has a lot of time to think, Ranger. Probably too much to be honest."

"I did too, Babe. That's what made me want to find you and apologize. Like I told you, I don't want you to just forgive me or just start a relationship with me when our trust is broken like this. Our hearts would just get broken again. What if we just tried to be friends?"

She paused for a moment. "Could we even be friends? After everything?"

"I don't know," I said, my voice falling more into a whisper. "Just know I never meant to hurt you."

"We can try, Ranger."

"How about we start over? We don't forget, but learn?" I asked, hopefully. I offered her my hand. "Hi, I'm Ricardo Carlos Manoso."

I saw the corner of her mouth quirk up. She took my hand, shaking it firmly. "I'm Stephanie Plum."

"How's business been in Philly?" I asked her, trying to keep the conversion light.

"It's been pretty good," she answered going along with my subject change. "I'm working for multiple bondsmen and freelancing as a PI. But you know that."

She didn't say it in a spiteful way, she was just acknowledging that she knew I was a nosey asshole where she was concerned. Over the time that she finished her breakfast, we chatted. It was slightly strained but we both powered through it.

When it was time to leave Steph paid the tab, ignoring my objection, and stating I only had a cup of coffee. I walked with her to the parking lot. I had happened to park next to her SUV. She glanced at the Turbo shaking her head. "Some things never change."

I chuckled. "That's true."

"I'll guess we'll see each other later," she said. I nodded. I got into the Turbo and waited for Steph to drive away before I pulled out of the parking lot.

Steph POV:

I parked in front of my parent's house a few hours early, but I could at least spend some time with my nieces. Walking inside, however, I contemplated backing out the door, but my mother spotted me.

"Stephanie! Get in here. You can help us in the kitchen." I released a sigh and nodded.

"Where should I put MA's present?"

My mother looked at the small box in my hands with intrigue. "On the dining room table."

I nodded, taking off my jacket and leaving it on the coat rack by the door. Once the present was placed on the table, I went into the kitchen to help.

After two hours of prep, the party finally started. It was another two hours of supervising young children running around in birthday hats and playing games outside before it was time for presents and cake. I watched as MA opened her presents thanking everyone as she went. Mine was left for last and she picked up the small box.

She opened it with a frown, pulling out the papers inside. She unfolded them as Valarie leaned over her shoulder. I watched as it dawned on both of them what she was holding. "OMIGOD!" Mary Alice squealed.

My mother raised her eyebrow in surprise. "What is it?"

"A year of horse-riding lessons!" she said, bouncing in her chair. She rushed towards me hitting me like a Mac truck as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Thank you so much, Auntie Stephie!"

"You're welcome, Mary Alice. I hope you enjoy it." I grinned down at her.

Valarie looked at me slightly wide-eyed. As MA went to show everyone the letter I turned to Valarie with a low voice.

"I can take her back and forth to lessons if you need me to. It's once-a-week group lessons, and once-every-two-weeks private lesson. All are under trainer supervision. The facility is supposed to work well with parents also, you could always observe her riding."

"I don't know what to say, Stephanie."

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to give her something she would love, and I know she's been asking for a horse."

"If you had gotten her a horse, I don't know what I would have done!"

I laughed. "I don't know either."

A few more hours passed before I needed to leave. I didn't want to be late for my dinner date with Jay. I slid into my SUV and made the drive to Rossini's on autopilot, the events from earlier today running through my mind. The parking gods were on my side as I scored a spot in the front of the restaurant. I locked the car behind me, pocketing the keys as I heard the familiar rumble of Jay's lowrider.

I smiled seeing him pull into the parking lot. He saw me leaning against the back bumper of my SUV and saluted me as he passed to pull into a vacated spot a few spaces down. I met him at the front bumper, and he pulled me into a hug.

I laughed, patting him on the back. "Miss me much?"

"You're hard not to miss," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and walking me inside.

"Reservation for 2 under McAllister," Jay said as we came to a stop in front of the maître de.

After taking a quick look at the reservation book, he nodded motioning for us to follow him. "Right this way, Mister McAllister."

We were placed in a booth, and Jay allowed me to take the side with the back to the wall. The maître de handed us both the wine list. I let Jay take the lead with ordering wine for us since I wasn't much of a wine drinker. Handing back the wine list, he left, promising the waiter would be by soon.

"So, tell me what's been happening and what's on your mind," Jay said, sitting back and focusing on me.

I sighed, all the tension in my muscles releasing. "It'd probably be easier to tell you what isn't on my mind."

He chuckled. "That's probably true."

"Work has been wonderful. I love going to work now. I love the challenge, even the investigation I'm working on for the police, as fucked up as it is. I'm still waiting for my contact to get back to me. She's got proof but I have a feeling she's going to want more."

He nodded, leaning back in his chair to observe me. "You know at any time you can quit that investigation."

"I know. But I won't. I don't want to leave anything unfinished, and I don't need that staining my reputation in Philly. It also gives me an in with the department."

He nodded his understanding once again. "Just yell when you need help, Steph. Don't wait to call until you're in over your head."

"I know, Jay." I smiled. "I know how to ask for help now."

He laughed softly. "So, what else is on your mind?"

I snorted. "Well, my personal life is a bit of a mess. I'm conflicted."

"That's understandable."

"Whatever I have with Blake is unlabeled but serious. I don't even know if I want to put a label on it, that might ruin it. Then Ranger popped back up, and that dredged up some feelings. Feelings that I don't want to deal with. Despite everything he put me through, I just have the urge to run back into his arms." I sighed. As I paused to take a breath the waiter brought our wine, setting glasses on the table and pouring it in front of us.

After he took our order, he took the menus and walked away. I turned back to Jay. "To be honest, it has me pretty messed up. I know I love Ranger, hell, I'm in love with Ranger, but I'm not sure I can give him another chance like that. At the same time, though, my body and heart say I should. The only thing holding me back is my brain."

"What about Blake?"

"I don't know. Blake, he's so nice. I don't think I deserve him."

"You deserve everything, Steph. You deserve to be happy," he said, cutting me off. "Does Blake make you happy?"

"Yeah."

"That's all that matters. If you aren't in love with Blake, though, you need to let him go."

I nodded. I spotted our waiter walking towards our table with our plates in his hands and spotted someone behind him. Probably the last person I wanted to see, and our eyes locked.

A/N: We're just going to pretend I didn't disappear for a few months. Sounds good to me. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm slowly chipping away at finishing the story, but I can't guarantee when the next chapter will come out. Thank you for your patience and wonderful reviews 3