Page 33 of In Love with a Ranger

“Actually, Gideon, I think I’m gonna take your advice,” Ortega began again, and Houghton chuckled. “I’m gonna park my keister right here and let the womenfolk serve us - like it should be.”

And everything came to a stop.

No, he did not just say that sexist crap – did he? Christina thought in amazement, turning to stare at the man. Daphne stopped mid-step, pivoted, and looked at Ortega in shock before meeting Christina’s gaze silently. Her expression was probably a mirror of her own and wasn’t hard to interpret.

Gideon let out a soft exclamation under his breath and laughed.

Christina’s focus turned to him. Surely he did not think the same way, did he? What kind of sexist pig would say that the ‘womenfolk needed to serve them like it should be’?

“Yep,” Ortega leaned back, sprawled in the dining room chair and continued goading Lena, but it was working. Lena’s eyes were blazing as she stood there, grinding her teeth and trying to ignore the man. “A hundred or so years ago, men worked to provide, and women maintained the home. How did we ever let that slip past us, boys? I mean, what I wouldn’t give to know I was going to have a hot meal when I got home from work, followed by a plump dessert that will make the angels weep,” he uttered and held his hands in front of his lap, wagging his eyebrows.

As Houghton choked on his glass of water.

Gideon was rubbing a hand uncomfortably down his face in disbelief, and that was probably the only thing saving him from Christina losing her absolute mind. No, she wasn’t a feminist by any means, but she did have a temper when it came to people treating others decently.

“You… are… a… cretin,” Lena hissed.

“I didn’t say anything to you or about you,” Ortega replied baldly, pointing at the other guys. “The menfolk were talking, and you need to hustle on…”

Lena picked up a biscuit and threw it at him – bouncing it off his forehead and into his lap. He caught it deftly and held it up for Gideon, grinning.

“See? Served.”

“Lena,” Jill interrupted pointedly, looking at Houghton – who shrugged. The women of the house looked like they were about to incite violence on one particular person, and he didn’t care? Was he waiting for someone to make the first strike? “Why don’t you sit down here with me, and we can discuss our project.”

“Ooooh,” Ortega began in almost a mocking voice. “What kind of project?”

“We are going to learn to crochet, knit, and quilt a few things,” Daphne volunteered… and winced. “Ow?!”

“Is it gonna be one of those cool-looking macrame bikini-looking getups? Isn’t that what Bo Derek wore in the movie ‘10’?”

Lena made a noise in her throat and stared at her plate.

“Ortega, please…” Houghton said quietly. “Let’s hold hands. Jill, honey, you want to start us off?”

“Gideon can go first,” Jill offered.

“I’m grateful that even with the cast, I can put a little bit of weight on my leg,” Gideon began… and Houghton quickly joined in.

“Not too much weight, soldier… and I’m grateful to have one more hand here to help out where he can. Welcome, Ortega.”

“I’m grateful for this chance and meeting everyone… especially my new roomie who has the patience of a saint,” Ortega said, looking at Lena down the table, waiting for a reaction. The man was goading her, and now wasn’t the time.

“I’m grateful for this chance to study the animals and was fascinated to see that they are responding to music, allowing me to milk the cows a little easier.”

Each took a turn before everyone mumbled ‘Amen,’ and they started passing the bowls around the table. She was sitting near Gideon, trying not to make a big scene of things. The tension in the room almost seemed like you could cut it with a knife. Part of her was worried that the tension was between her and Gideon, but a better part of her knew for a fact that it was the other ‘couple’ – Ortega and Lena. Instead, she focused on her meal and the conversation flowing between the three guys, who seemed oblivious to everything going on.

“You’re kidding…” Ortega chuckled, chewing obnoxiously before scooping up another big bite of food. The man was shoveling it in like he had never seen a decent meal before today.

“Nope,” Gideon grinned. “Why do you think I’m here? My know-it-all sister pulled some strings and contacted a few friends who reached out to Houghton.”

“Hey,” Houghton said gruffly. “I like that girl and she’s the only one that can rub two nickels together and get a dime. She and Gretchen, my replacement. After those two? The rest of y’all are screwed. Which is why Collins might be here Friday.”

“What?” Ortega uttered, nearly choking on his next bite and looking completely confused. “Max Collins? He’s coming here?”

“Yeah, and I’m not sure it’s going to be good.”

“He broke his legs like Knucklehead over here,” Ortega said easily, but there was something in Houghton’s tone that caught Christina’s attention. She looked up to see Gideon raising his biscuit in a mock salute before taking a bite. Reaching slightly, she grabbed the basket of biscuits and put another on his plate without asking, causing him to glance in her direction as he tossed her a smile.

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