He sat up and looked at her with teeth clenching in anger, which Hope recognized when it came to concerns over her safety. “What? When was this? And why didn’t you tell me?”
“Yesterday. I…um…I forgot.” Hope didn’t really have a poker face when it came to Gage. Her husband could read her expressions like an open book.
“Don’t fucking lie to me. It was two days ago, and I know all about it. If you think for even one moment that I’d let you go out on your own without someone close by to keep you protected, you’re mistaken.”
“So then why did you need me to tell you? Ugh, Gage. I hate when you do that to me.”
“What? Protect you? You’re pregnant again with our second child.”
“I thought you were done with all that.”
“Hope, I’ll never be done protecting you. I live to see your face.”
The sounds of Ethan’s wail ripped through their baby monitor. “I’ll get him. You need to get some sleep. You’re working on the ranch with the guys today.”
Gage looked at the alarm clock. “Only two in the morning. Fine. Let me know if you need my help.”
She knew that he wasn’t done with their discussion, but he needed sleep. Hope got up and walked to the nursery next to their room and scooped little Alex out of his crib.
As she cared for her sweet boy, she remembered the encounter with Navarro.
Gage had finally let her go out unprotected, and she felt a sense of freedom coupled with a tinge of fear. She pushed the stroller through Austin and entered an exclusive baby store that catered to a higher-end clientele. She only went in because she’d received a gift card from the District Attorney’s office Gage had worked for before retiring.
It was the picture of pure elegance even for the products that were disposable. White shelves lined the place, inviting and enticing shoppers like a fly to a spider’s web. She had begun browsing when her stroller bumped the edge of another stroller. “Oh goodness. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay, Mrs. Gibson.” She looked up and saw a man she didn’t know, but he appeared familiar. “Sorry, I’m afraid we’ve never met in person. I’m Ignacio Navarro.” She gasped,taking a step back. “Please calm yourself. As I explained to your husband, I have no interest, good or bad, in you. I’m a happily married man.”
“Excuse me. Do we have a problem?” His wife approached with a bit of attitude.
“No, Princessa. This is Mr. Gibson’s wife, Hope. I was telling her, like I told her husband, that she doesn’t have to fear me.”
“Oh, you’re the one his father wanted. You’re beautiful.”
“Um…thank you. Listen, I’m sorry I bumped your stroller, but you two have a great day.” Hope pushed her son to the other side of the store to check out some new diaper bags. They hadn’t spoken to each other again before she left the store. Hope decided to cut her day out short and took the baby home. She evidently was not ready to go out alone.
“Mommy needs to get her act together. Come on. Let’s settle you back into bed, my little love.” She swaddled Ethan as best as she could in his blanket, but he was a bit chubby. Sitting in the rocking chair, she breastfed him and then rocked him back to sleep. Once she knew he’d stay asleep, she laid him down and then quietly sneaked back into bed. Gage naturally rolled over and cradled his wife in his arms as he slept. She smiled to herself, feeling blessed.
Chapter Two
Gage had let the talk with his wife stew in his brain as he prepped for a busy day on the ranch. It had always been kind of wild with a whole herd of cattle, but with the heat adding to the mix, life just got harder. Creating a future had been his plan, but he never expected it to happen at all at once.
God, he loved Hope so much that he worried about her safety more than she could even fathom. Living without her was unacceptable. He told her so and he meant it. If she left this earth before him, he’d follow her to the grave because it was the only way to go. He was halfway in love with her the moment he found her in the back of his truck, and he fell more and more in love with every damn moment that passed between them.
Gage had been in the middle of rustling the cattle from one of the fields when his phone rang. It was his buddy Alex calling. Gage’s stomach twisted as he stared at the screen. Alex normally didn’t call during the day if it wasn’t important because he knew Gage was usually out working, so it had to be something he didn’t want to know.
He picked up on the fourth ring. “What’s up, Alex?”
“Do you have a moment to talk?”
“Am I going to like what you’re going to say?”
“No, but you need to know it anyway.”
“Please don’t piss me off today, Savage.”
“Calm the fuck down, Gibson. It’s not like I can control anything. You more than anyone know how these things work and how these judges are.” Gage paled and then reddened more than his already tanned summer skin.
“Don’t fucking tell me they let that prick out on bail.”