Page 48 of In Love with a Ranger

“You’re leaving?” Houghton said candidly, glancing at Jill and then looking back at Max. “How long? Are you coming back? What are we talking about?”

Before Max could answer or Gideon could speak up, Christina leaned forward and raised a hand, smiling. Daphne started chuckling, and Ortega groaned aloud, rolling his eyes. Lena smirked and laid her head on her husband’s shoulder.

“We’re going to Texas to visit Gideon’s family but haven’t set a date yet – nor do we know how long we’ll be gone.”

Houghton looked at all three couples, almost in a happy disbelief, like a proud papa watching the baby birds leave the nest.

“You’re stuck with me, man,” Ortega grinned, and before Houghton could say anything, his cell phone rang again. He pulled it back out of his pocket, rolled his eyes once more, and didn’t bother leaving the table this time.

“Harley,” Houghton began glibly. “Let me guess, Logan or Griffin called you first, and… wait… they didn’t? What’s going on?”

Gideon looked at Christina, who shrugged – followed by several other unknown shrugs. Jill was the only one who seemed wary… and Lena. The blonde woman’s gaze was now looking up at Jake, her brown eyes huge in her pale face.

“What happened? Oh no… oh, I bet,” and then Houghton laughed. “What’s his call sign? Are you kidding me? That’s like an alcoholic taking a call sign of Whiskey. I’ll just bet he’s in a royal ‘panic’… no, you’re right. It’s not funny. Yeah, just give me a heads-up and I’ll make a place for him if I don’t have a cabin yet.”

That three-letter word hung in the air for all of them. It wasn’t a threat, nor a promise, but rather an acknowledgment that some creative planning and moving the ‘chess pieces’ might occur sooner rather than later for all of them.

“I’ll help,” Houghton said simply, nodding. “It’s no problem.”

Hanging up the phone, the man looked up at Jill and hesitated.

“Shall we step out, Babe?”

“No,” he hesitated, looking at each of them. “They’ve become our family, so they might as well hear it from ‘big brother’s’ own mouth.”

Gideon reached for Christina’s hand – who had already moved toward him, reaching for his too. News was coming, and it didn’t sound like it would be the greatest. He had been the object of a phone call himself and wondered if this discussion happened before he was brought here, too. Had his sister’s husband, Austin, made the call – or was it Giselle? Had the news of each of their arrivals brought such strain, concern, or stress? If so, what made them open their homes to someone? There was so much to Houghton and Jill that they didn’t know.

“The first phone call is a friend asking to hide someone here who is needed to testify on a case,” Houghton began and everyone drew in a breath at the implications. He’d asked if Jill was safe – which meant this person was in danger. “The second call is a pilot who had a breakdown and is suffering from PTSD. I don’t know the details yet. I don’t know if it’s loud noises, planes flying overhead, or what the triggers are, but I might need help building another cabin on the property.”

“Houghton,” Daphne said quietly, speaking up and looking down the table toward him. “We can be ready the moment my truck is, and you get word that they are headed this way.”

“If things are bad…” Christina volunteered, looking at Gideon first for approval. “If you need another cabin, we can empty ours for a few weeks or longer.”

“You’re stuck with us,” Ortega chuckled, winking at the man—the room filled with uncomfortable laughter at the bald statement. Neither was fit really to take off to another city and visit someone. He knew Ortega had no family here in the United States. Lena did have family, but it would expose her to her old friends who had put her on this path. She was not ready to be around anyone else for fear of a relapse into her drug abuse. Here, she was in a safe place and thriving. The two were comfortable, and it suited them – and the Houghtons.

“Good,” Houghton said gruffly, smirking. “Nobody else would put up with your smart mouth.”

“I know, right? I don’t know how Lena does it…”

“I tune him out,” Lena quipped, smiling up at her husband as everyone laughed again. “We’ll help however we can.”

“I really appreciate it, everyone, and I’ll keep you posted.”

“Y’all are becoming like our family,” Jill said gently, touching Lena’s hand and Christina’s because they were closest. “And I don’t ever want you to feel like you have to leave. This is a second home for you – and you’ll always be welcome at our table.”

“Amen,” Houghton said softly. “Friendship, trust, and understanding… right, my love?”

“Exactly.”

13

* * *

CHRISTINA

Sometime later…

“I’m nervous about meeting your mom,” Christina began, looking at Gideon. “What if she doesn’t like me? What if she thinks I’m weird? My family can tend to be pushing, stubborn, or strong-willed and some people don’t like that. What if your sister’s don’t like me? I mean, it could happen – and I’m picky. Are they opposed to picky eaters? I hate the stuff on my plate touching and nooooo mushrooms. Oh my gosh, that fungus-looking stuff is just plain nasty with all the little caps. They grow in…”

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