Steph, Ranger, and the Rangeguys, still belong to Janet.
"There was no stopping Olive before she could crawl," Steph told Brown, having heard his comment. "You learned that one reeeeal fast on our vacation."
Bobby's face twisted into a grimace. "I hate it when she's right."
"Which is most of the time," I pointed out.
"It is," he agreed. "And that usually leaves us sweating, sore, or sleep-deprived ..."
"And if I'm on my A-game," Steph added, "it's all three."
"You ain't kidding," Santos stated. "These flowers you got have caused a few spikes in blood pressure."
"It's not a big deal, Guys. There's enough of me to go around."
Santos' eyes ran up and down her in a way that I would've normally broken another rib over, but there was no trace of lust or disrespect in his measuring gaze.
"There could be more," he finally said. "Good thing pizza is on the way."
"If Ranger wasn't already feeling punchy, I'd kiss you for saying that."
"You can kiss me instead," I suggested.
"I have no problem with that," my wife said with a grin on her face and a swagger in her step, when she left Olive and our dogs to walk over to me.
Her lips touched mine and I was momentarily sorry we have a crowd. One thing Steph's mouth makes me do, besides want to laugh at what it says at times, it makes me wish for privacy and plenty of hours to enjoy it with no interruptions.
"I would say get a room," Santos said to us, "but I know you will ... and we'll lose Miss Olive-Pit. Plus we won't find out whose florist-connected ass we have to kick."
I felt my wife's lips moved into a smile against mine before she stepped back. "Alright, let's put an end to this. Come on, Olive, we have some investigating to do."
She tongue-clicked to Gunner and Ammo, and they like the rest of us couldn't help but follow her. Olivia put extra energy into crawling towards the elevator where her Mama and I, her puppies, and her Uncles, are headed.
Santos picked my daughter up, correctly not trusting the elevator doors. Knowing our baby is safe in the arms of a 'Merry Man', when the elevator opened on the fifth floor, Steph made a beeline for the large crystal vase containing twenty-four roses in various shades of pink ... from bright fuchsia down to the palest powder pink, with only a minimal amount of greenery filling the cut crystal Waterford vase.
"They are pretty if you're into this type of thing," Steph told us. "Aside from shopping for Olive, Julie, or Lisa, I'm not a girly-color kind of person."
I took my baby back from Santos and addressed my wife. "And the card?"
She paused and glanced at me after gesturing to 'Gunny' and 'Mo' to stop inspecting every inch of the men working today. Another dog-explanation will have to take place after this reveal so the men on the floor will know who we brought home and why.
"You do know what this is about, don't you?" She asked me.
"Do you honestly think I'd allow another man to send my wife flowers without knowing why first?"
"No. Soooo?"
"Open the card and don't scare Olive or our hounds."
"Why would I ...?" She started to say, but she stopped when she pulled the card out of an equally obnoxious flowered envelope.
Steph didn't laugh, punch anybody, or let out a sound that would scare a baby or two dogs, but her smile took over her entire face.
"I thought this day couldn't get any better, but he just made my day," my wife said.
"He? Ummm, Steph," Bobby said, worried because he's seen my temper up close, "maybe you shouldn't say another dude's making your day. Tell me who it is so Ranger doesn't have to take time away from his family in order to shoot someone."
Gunner released a bark of agreement without any prompting, causing Olivia to give the squeal I was expecting from her Mama.
Not knowing if Brown was kidding or dead serious, Steph spoke up. "Put your guns away, the flowers are from Kane."
"His nickname rears its cocky head again," Santos muttered. "He is freakin' insane, sending Ranger's lady a gift. He should know better at least by now."
"He's not totally insane, he's just a proud Daddy. The pink roses were to tell us that he and Harper found out that they're having a little girl. Did you hear that, Olive?" She asked, kissing our baby's nose as Olivia reached for a flower. "You're going to have a friend in the same Range-boat you're in."
"You're going to have fun torturing Kane over this, aren't you, Babe?"
"Oh ... yeah. He'll feel your specific pain and concern, not make fun of it anymore."
"Shit. We've been plotting to ensure that Olive is always being treated right," Santos chimed in. "Now we've got another Princess to protect?"
"Yes, but don't go turning into a stereotypical ... our girls aren't dating, we're threatening whoever comes near them, they're getting bodyguards for life. Ranger and I, and Kane and Harper, will raise two strong-minded girls who'll be able to protect, stand up for, and take care of, themselves with only a slightly more than reasonable amount of butting in from us. I consider Harp one of the strongest people I've ever met outside of Ranger and you guys, so their daughter has a jumpstart on good role models ..."
"As does Olivia," I pointed out.
Steph smiled at me. "Thank you for that. I am trying," she admitted, before turning to address the men again. "You all just being loving Uncles to both girls, and the type of men they'll know to look for … brave and kind, is enough."
"I'm sure Olive and Kane's girl will be tough as hell and twice as devastating," Bobby added, "but just in case ... I'll keep my sniper rifle handy."
