Guarding Hope

“Call me Ray,” the sheriff suggested as he sat down behind his desk.

“I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Hope insisted.

“We’re practically cousins. At least Gage and I are.” He shrugged.

She twisted in her chair, grabbed the arm of it, and narrowed her brows at Gage. “You two are related?”

“Yes.” Another personal thing he’d kept from her. She wanted to get up and storm out of the office, but she had nowhere to go. That only angered her more. She loved Gage and hoped that he would treat her with the love and respect he claimed he felt for her.

“Oh. Okay.” She sat back in her seat and faced the sheriff. Her back remained straight, and her face hardened.

“Uh, oh. That’s never a good sound.”

“We’ll talk about this later. I need to get them before they come back. I have enough problems at the moment.”

“That you do. That you do,” Ray chuckled.

“Here’s the copy you need.” Gage slapped the flash drive onto the desk.

Ray popped in the flash drive and opened the file. Gage had copied thirty minutes in total. While the video played, Ray filled out the paperwork.

“Yep. This is what we need. Thanks, Gage. Please read this and sign here. We’ll be after those bastards today.”

“Here ya go.” He slid the signed document back to his cousin and then stood up. “Come on, baby. Let’s get dinner while we’re here.”

“Are you sure you want to be seen with me?”

The tone of her voice caught Gage by surprise, but the look of pain in her eyes nearly broke him. “Don’t start that shit.”

Gage shook his cousin’s hand and took the copy of the paperwork with him. He slid his hand around Hope’s waist and led her outside. Gage could feel her tensing up and trying to pull away. They walked to the SUV, and before he opened the door, he pinned her to it. “You’re mine.” With a growl, he crashed his mouth down on hers, kissing her desperately.

When he pulled away, he winked. “I don’t want my mom to meet you because I don’t want her to steal your time from me, and I know she will.”

“When were you planning on telling her about me?”

“She knows all about you, honey. I told her about you the day after they arrested your father, but she’s been busy working, and so have I. I’m sure she’ll be at the ranch very soon.” He loved his mother, but he already had a hard time getting Hope alone with him. The ranch work demanded more effort on his part than he remembered, including the paperwork.

“That’s understandable.” He read her expression very clearly. The stiffened form and flat mouth told him she didn’t believe him.

“So how about the diner down the street?” Gage pointed to local diner just half a block down and across the street.

“I’ll be happy with any place you pick as long as we’re out.”

“Of course. I’m sorry I’ve kept you in so long. The diner will be great.” They walk down the street to the Jollyville Diner. He held the door open. The door dinged as they entered, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“Gage!”

Hope watched as a woman threw her arms around him and he wrapped her up in his arms, lifting her. Jealousy surged through Hope as she stared at the beautiful woman.

“Oh, my goodness! You must be Gage’s Hope.” She threw her arms around Hope, shocking her. The woman pulled back, gripping Hope’s biceps and smiling at her.

“Hope, this lovely yet crazy woman is my mother, Grace.”

Hope’s eyes widened. She did a double take between the two. His mother looked about his age. “Your mother?”

“Yes. See why I didn’t introduce you two sooner?” Gage laughed and pulled Hope to his side.

His mother swatted Gage’s forearm. “Where are your manners?”

“Are you dining here?” Hope asked Mrs. Gibson.

“No, actually, I own the diner with my sister, Kelly.”

Hope nodded, putting it all together. “Oh, well, that’s amazing.”

“Please take a seat over here. I’ll bring you a menu.” She kissed her son’s cheek and walked away.

“Thank you.”

“Come, baby.” Gage took her hand and led her to a seat.

“This is a nice place.” Her voice had a curious lilt in it.

He grabbed her hand and pressed. “Go on, get it out. You’re curious.”

“Okay, I had no idea she was your mom. She looks so young.”

“Well, she’s about almost fifty. She had me at eighteen.”

“Wow, she’s glowing. I thought…”

“I know what your pretty little head thought, but I haven’t been on a date in a long time.”

“I’m silly.” Hope played with a strand of her hair, ducking her head down.

“No, you’re not. I’d murder any man who’s arms you jumped in to.”

“Ha. Well, that’s never going to happen. Unless we break up and I date someone else.”

Gritting his teeth, Gage said, “We’re not going to break up. End of story.”