The Second Time Around (Read 7,679 times)

[heroicmuse]

That. Was. Perfect. This was everything about Maggie I love. I'm glad she was able to help Kayla.

Thanks for the bonus chapter unavitasegreta

[Kpatch]

That was a great Kayla/Maggie conversation and reminders of the connections and all the history. I love how Kayla just happens to have lots of pictures of her granddaughter to show off. Thanks for the bonus chapter!

[unavitasegreta]

Chapter Thirty-One

“I need that report now,” Stephanie answered after her desk phone buzzed to indicate that her secretary was calling back to her on the intercom. “I don’t want any more excuses from them.”

“Maryanne took a coffee break.”

Stephanie frowned, “Philip?”

“I think you need a coffee break too.”

“I have too much to get done,” Stephanie insisted. “Where are you? And where is Maryanne?”

“She took a coffee break,” Philip told her again. “I’m at her desk. I told her I’d catch the phone if it rings.”

“You don’t work here!” Stephanie stated, exasperated.

“I’m just kidding,” Philip replied. “She went to the bathroom. In fact, she’s coming back now.”

“Just come to my office,” Stephanie told him with a sigh.

“Is she in a bad mood?” he asked, presumably to Maryanne.

“I can hear you!” Stephanie shot back.

“Sorry,” Philip answered. “If this is a bad time…”

“Just come to my office,” she repeated, her tone sounding more annoyed.

Philip made his way back to Stephanie’s office and knocked on the door, then slowly pushed it open. “Is it safe to come in?”

Stephanie looked up at him, her hands resting on her keyboard like she was in the middle of typing something. “I’m just really busy. We’ve got to get some stuff filed with the SEC and it needs to be done today.”

“Tonight,” Philip corrected. “It’s past five o’clock now.”

“Whatever,” Stephanie replied, going back to typing, “it’s got to get done.”

“So you can’t do dinner then?” he asked.

“No,” she shook her head, looking at her computer screen.

“What about tomorrow?”

“What about it?”

“Can you do diner tomorrow?” Philip asked.

She continued to look at her computer screen. “Oh, yeah, sure.”

“I think I should go,” Philip stated, about to close the door when Stephanie realized he’d not even fully entered her office yet.

“Wait!” she called out, taking her hands off the keyboard.

Philip pushed the door back open, “yeah?”

“I’m sorry,” she sighed. “I’m a little stressed out.” Philip just looked at her. “Okay, I’m a lot stressed out and I’m in a bad mood.” She pushed back from her desk. “You mentioned dinner tomorrow?”

Philip nodded. “You. Me. Ava, maybe,” he suggested.

“Ivy and Julian took her to New York to see Cinderella this weekend.”

Philip’s eyes lit up, “so you don’t have to go home then?”

Stephanie shook her head, smiling, “no, I don’t.”

[Kpatch]

Ooooh, Ava's away. Philip struck gold! It was so cute that he answered the intercom, and really sweet that he is looking for opportunities to meet Ava. He's a really good boyfriend!

[heroicmuse]

Philip is so darn cute. LOL I thought he bribed Maryanne to step away so he could talk to Stephanie.

Yay for him that Ava is away. Hopefully he can help Stephanie relax

[fluffysmom]

Stephanie's mood completely changed in that scene. I hope she finishes her work. I'm looking forward to their date.

[unavitasegreta]

Chapter Thirty-Two (this is a short one ... sorry!)

“What do you want to hear first?” Philip asked as soon as Stephanie answered the phone, “good or bad news?”

“Uh, I guess the bad,” Stephanie answered.

“I have to cancel our lunch plans tomorrow.”

“Oh, well, there will be another time,” Stephanie replied, the disappointment evident in her voice.

“The good news is that we can do dinner instead,” Philip suggested.

“Oh, okay,” Stephanie perked up. “What do you have to do tomorrow? Are you going somewhere?”

“Uh, not really, just an errand that has to be done.”

“You can’t do it another day?” she asked.

“It was to be tomorrow.”

“We could go together and get lunch wherever you have to go…”

“That’s a good idea, but there’s just too much going on to make that work,” Philip insisted.

“But you’ll make it back in time for dinner?” she asked.

“I’ll make sure that I do,” Philip promised.

“Okay,” Stephanie agreed. “Where do you want to go for dinner?”

“There’s this great place I know in town…”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, very private and intimate. Good lighting, great music selection. No one there to bother us. Great location.”

“And where is this perfect place?” Stephanie asked, playing along with him.

“As I said, great location. It just happens to be in my apartment.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Stephanie laughed.

“I want to make dinner for you,” Philip insisted.

“And seduce me?” she added.

“You’re making my motives sound impure.”

“I hope they are. I was looking forward to being seduced,” she admitted.

“In that case, maybe we’ll just skip dinner…”

[heroicmuse]

I am absolutely loving the banter between these two!!!! I can't wait to see their actual date.

[Kpatch]

I love Philip's plan. It's so transparent, but Stephanie apparently doesn't mind. I also love the buildup and how they've taken it (relatively) slow, outside of the pool hall date. Looking forward to more!

[unavitasegreta]

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Hey, Dad,” Stephanie greeted, after accepting the FaceTime request on her iPad. “Ava’s not here. She went to New York for the weekend.”

“Four years old and she’s already taking weekend trips,” Steve mused.

“This is actually the fourth or fifth time she’s gone.”

“Your mom took her?” he asked.

“No, Ivy and Julian,” Stephanie corrected. “But mom did come to visit us last weekend. Ava wanted to know when you’re coming.”

“Soon, I hope,” Steve stated.

“Me too,” she agreed.

“You look dressed up,” he noted.

“Date night,” Stephanie smiled.

“You’re sure about this guy? He’s broken your heart before.”

“Believe me, I remember,” she replied.

“Just checking,” he told her. “But you know if he breaks your heart, all you have to do is call. I know people.”

“That’s not funny, Dad,” Stephanie stated, even thought she couldn’t help but laugh.

“How’d your mother take the news about him?”

“Good, I think,” Stephanie shrugged.

“You think?”

“Uhm, she was worried,” Stephanie remembered.

“Worrying is her hobby.”

“Yeah,” Stephanie nodded, “and she’s worried about Ava too. She’s either going to hate the idea of sharing me or get really attached to Philip.”

“It’s not such a bad thing for her to get attached to him if he’s going to become an important part of her life,” Steve reminded her.

“What if I’m not being realistic? Philip and I broke up before. Maybe that was a sign that we aren’t meant to be together.”

“Do you want to be together?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then what’s the problem?” he asked.

“I don’t know how to articulate it, Dad. Mom asked me the same thing.”

“What did you tell her when she asked?”

“That I’m afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Of being wrong about this relationship.”

“Then it sounds like you should break up with Philip,” Steve suggested.

“What? Dad! Why would I do that?”

“You just said you think you could be wrong about the relationship,” he reminded her.

“But I don’t want to be wrong.”

“Then don’t be,” Steve replied.

“That’s easier said than done.”

“No, it isn’t,” Steve insisted. “Even when we are hundreds of miles apart and haven’t seen one another for only god knows how long, your mother is still the only woman in the world for me. I feel it in every part of my being. If you want this relationship with Philip to work out and he wants the same thing, then it will You don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen. Stop over-thinking and enjoy the journey.”

“I could give you the same advice,” Stephanie countered.

“I am enjoying the journey,” Steve insisted.

“Without mom?” she pushed.

“It’d be better with her,” he admitted.

[Kpatch]

Great chapter. I love how you have involved every member of the family. I wish Stephanie was one of the people returning for the 50th. I didn't care about her until I started reading this story.

LOL at Steve knowing people.

[fluffysmom]

I enjoyed the banter in Philip and Stephanie's phone conversation.

I could picture Steve and Stephanie having this conversation.

[heroicmuse]

I loved the conversation between Steve and Stephanie. I especially loved him saying that Kayla was the only woman for him even if they were apart. It's awesome how you involved Stephanie's family in this story.

[unavitasegreta]

Chapter Thirty-Four

Looking down into her half-empty wine glass, Stephanie toyed with the hem of her knee-length dress as she sat by the bar. The place was noisy, but she was too lost in her own thoughts to be bothered by it.

She hadn’t heard from Philip in a few hours, not since he’d texted her that he was on his way back to Chicago. The message was short and to the point: Meet me at the Peninsula at 8. She had expected to meet for dinner, but clearly he’d been delayed. And she’d expected to go to his apartment, not a hotel bar.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Stephanie turned to shrug the unwatched touch away and realized that Philip was standing beside her. She felt a wave of excitement pass through her. He was such a handsome man.

“Hi,” he smiled brightly, bending his head down to kiss her. He then sat beside her, and placed his hand on Stephanie’s knee. “No miniskirts tonight?”

Stephanie gently shook her head, “I figured it didn’t matter what I wore since I don’t plan to be wearing it for long.”

“Damn,” Philip swore under his breath. “You still manage to surprise me, Stephanie Johnson,” he smiled widely. Philip reached out and took her hand in his. “I have a feeling this is going to be a perfect night.”

“Me too,” Stephanie smiled. “So where did you have to go today?” she asked, letting go of his hand to reach for her wine glass.

“No where important,” Philip waved his hand dismissively.

“Well, it took a lot longer than you thought.”

“I hope I didn’t make you wait too long for me,” he deflected the question.

Stephanie shook her head slightly, “not too long, no.”

“I’m glad. I know it was only a few hours, but I missed you.”

“Now you sound like some fool in love,” Stephanie teased.

“You’ll find out how in love I am after dinner when…” Philip started, and then stopped as the bartender brought the check for Stephanie’s wine.

[heroicmuse]

Ooh... What's Philip up to? Its way to early for an engagement ring but WHAT? Inquiring minds want to know lol. Great chapter unavitasegreta!