“Yes, hello.” She reached out to shake his hand, but their hands barely touched before Gage grunted and pulled her hand back.
“Ho, ho, so that’s how it is. Let’s get this over, then.” He led them to the back of the station and into his office. “Please take a seat.”
“Thanks, Sheriff McCain.” Hope stepped around the chairs and took a seat to the right, leaving the left for Gage.
“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 Spring WaterDiner. He held the door open. The door dinged as they entered, grabbing everyone’s attention.
“Gage!”
A woman threw her arms around him, and he encircled her in his arms, lifting her. Jealousy surged through Hope as she stared at the beautiful woman. She’d never had a chance to date or be in a relationship, so this experience really stung. She attempted to choke back the insecurity and straightened her shoulders, brushing a small bunch of hair out of her face and while making herself look unbothered. She might not have been in love before, but she had experience of hiding her emotions.
“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. The genuine happiness in her eyes baffled the young woman.
“Hope, this lovely yet crazy woman is my mother, Grace.” Gage wryly chuckled.