“No way.”
Gage had had enough. He pulled out his gun and shot Sparks in the arm.
“God, thank you,” the officer gasped.
“You can’t underestimate crazy.” Just as he said that, Sparks tried to come at them and another officer shot him on the spot, sending Sparks’ lifeless body crumbling to the ground.
“You could say that again. Let’s get this mess cleaned up,” Alex ordered. A panic alert went off around the hospital after the shots range out. It took a few minutes to stop the chaos, but thankfully most of the people understood that the situation was contained and hadn’t reacted in fear.
Hope sighed and then grunted. “I’m so hot.” She fixed her hair up in a ponytail and then took off the protective vest they put on her before Sparks showed up.
“That you are,” Gage grunted.
“Six weeks, Mister,” Alex teased.
“You two, we’re in the middle of a crime scene.”
“What? We didn’t do anything DA Jones.” It took another forty minutes before they cleared the room, leaving Gage and Hope alone.
“Someone was looking for his mommy,” the nurse said as she walked in, pushing a wheelchair with their new baby strapped into his car seat.
“I’m ready to go home,” Hope said with a tired smile.
“Come on, Mrs. Gibson.” Gage kissed her lips and then helped her into the chair.
Three hours later, Gage, Hope, Ethan, and the baby rested in their own bed at home. “It’s all over,” he whispered, laying Ethan on his chest. He leaned down and kissed Hope’s temple as she cradled their new addition to the family, Alex Gibson.
Epilogue
“Not again,” Ethan groaned, rolling his eyes as he slipped his foot into the stirrup and hopped onto the saddle like he’d been riding all his life, which he pretty much had.
“Yes, son. That’s what it’s like.” The ranch had big problems over the years, but Ethan had to start off small if he was to be one of the owners in the future. Gage had been in a good mood all day because tomorrow was Hope and his anniversary of the day they met twelve years ago and the love in his heart only grown to the point he felt his chest would explode.
“This is the third fence we need to repair in the past week. Maybe we should do a sweep of the entire line and make sure they’re all good.” Gage smiled at his oldest, waiting for the day that he’d say something like that. There were several fence issues that needed to be repaired, and the men already knew it, but it was a lesson he wanted his boy to learn. They all had been waiting and he’d figured it out.
“That’s a great idea, son. Let’s head on out and run the line. I’ll give Bill a call and let him know the plan and then we can get started.” Gage hadn’t missed the glee on his son’s face as he celebrated a win. This was one of the joys of his life. He could have a dozen children with Hope, and it might never be enough. So far they had four boys, but he knew they both wanted a daughter. They hadn’t tried for a baby in three years, but it felt like it was time.
“Are you okay, Dad? Did you get too much sun?” Gage shook himself out of his thoughts. “Sorry. I was thinking about your mother.”
“You’re always thinking about mom.” He rolled his eyes and gave a lopsided smile like his father.
“That’s because she’s special and the love of my life. I’ll call Bill now, so we can get to work.” He sheepishly shrugged.
Gage called Bill and shared the news with the elder foreman. “You must be a proud father.”
“That I am. Can you have the guys take the cattle to the far field while we fix the first post?”
“Sure, Gage. You better tell the Missus that he deserves extra dessert tonight.”
“I’m sure he’ll tell her.”
And that he did.
He made sure to tell Hope that he fixed four broken lines in the fences and one post. The area had some severe storms over the past two weeks that had wreaked havoc and caused some damage and flooding. With years under his belt, Gage and his team were able to bounce right back and work right through the destruction. Sometimes it was easier to deal with than the chaos in the house. Four boys that all had bold and daring personalities and all vying for their father’s attention.
They were about to watch a movie after dinner, so the boys set it up while Gage helped Hope clean up the last of the dishes. While she slid everything into the dishwasher, he wiped down the table. “You know Alex is just as excited to ride out with you as Ethan,” she said as she closed the washer door.
Gage dropped his head and sighed. Then he set the towel on the sink and pulled Hope into his arms. “Yes, but he has a cast on his wrist, and I can’t take the risk that something will happen to him out in the field while we are far out. The cattle aren’t little fluffy animals, and my boys are my world.”