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"I can wait," Ella said and stood beside me. "Their pastrami on rye is the best."
While we waited, we discussed the renovation and where we were at.
"They're finishing the new drywall this week and the floors. Once the new fixtures are in, we can start picking furniture."
"Steph's coming today, right?" I asked, remembering Ella telling me that Steph was coming for a stay. "You two can go out and shop together."
"I want us to pick stuff out, too," Ella said, a touch of protest in her voice.
"Oh, sure, we will," I said. "All the big stuff. Sofa, television, sound system. But you two can pick out all the decorations and smaller stuff. I don't have to okay everything. I trust your taste."
"We're probably going to focus on the wedding dress and bridesmaid dress," Ella said. "Of course, I'll show you my choices, but she has to pick out her own dress. That was her one requirement."
I smiled. "I can't wait to finally meet her. The mythical Steph has loomed large in my life since I met you."
"She's tall and doesn't want anything to make her look taller and as she called it, giraffe-like."
"How tall is she?"
"She's probably almost six feet. She played basketball."
"That's tall for a woman," I said, picturing her in my mind based on photos Ella had shown me.
"She's been self-conscious about her height all her life," Ella said.
Just then, our table opened, and we went to it, glad to finally be inside. We removed our coats and sat at the table, taking the menus the waitress offered, even though we both knew what we wanted to eat.
We placed our order and then sat back, looking at each other, both of us smiling.
"I'm so happy," Ella said and reached out to take my hand. "I was trying to psych myself into being a step-mother, and I was ready to accept it if you were the father, but I'm so glad you're not."
"I feel incredibly relief that a one-moment lapse might make me a father before I wanted to be."
"I hope everything works out for her," Ella said softly, and I loved her for her empathy.
"Me, too, but right now, I want to talk about us. Will we go to the penthouse with Steph and show her the place?"
"She'd love that," Ella said. "I'm so happy you'll finally meet her. We'll take her out for dinner and then drop by the penthouse. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good. Where should we go?"
"She wants meatballs," Ella said with a laugh. "She encouraged me to meet you for dinner that first time and now she wants to have them herself."
r /> I laughed and kissed her knuckles. "It's quite the love story."
"It is. It has a happy ending, too."
"It does."
We had a nice lunch, chatting as we did about everything -- the penthouse, the wedding, Steph's visit.
When lunch was over, we walked back to the office and I kissed her goodbye, sending her off to her office while I went up to mine. For the rest of the afternoon, I kept busy with work and barely thought about anything but business. I was so relieved to have the paternity test out of the way that I could focus on the Chronicle in a way I hadn't been able to before I got the results.
One thing I did before the end of the day was to call the Ritz and reserve the same hotel room I did for Steph and Ella the last time Steph was in town. Steph could have stayed with us at the apartment, because we had an extra bedroom, but I knew it would be extra fun for them to stay at the Ritz. It was a treat for them both. It would give me a chance to work through the weekend, trying to get caught up with the issues arising from the data breach. I knew Ella would be happy, spending time with her best friend at the Ritz so it was money well spent.
* * *
Steph arrived just after six, and Ella met her in the lobby, too excited to wait for her to come up on her own. She brought her right up to the apartment where I was waiting. Ella was right -- Steph was tall, and pretty with long wavy blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was imposing but was quite attractive at the same time.
