Page 52 of In Love with a Ranger

Stunned, she stood there for a moment as Gemma, Georgia, Greg, and Gideon’s father all pulled out a wooden spoon from their back pockets and she saw his mother was holding hers modestly at her side. The musical strains of ‘We Are Family’ by Sister Sledge started to play loudly. Everyone began dancing, singing, pulling Gideon forward, and grasping Christina, pulling her into the fray that was moving as a single blob toward the open front door. Gary was standing there, silhouetted in the door frame, singing at the top of his lungs.

Christina looked at Gideon – and he shrugged, smiling sheepishly, before joining in and singing, pulling her spoon forward so he could lean into it. They sang into kitchen spoons, too?

“This is my family – and they are going to love you,” he chuckled – only to see both Giselle and Austin running around, jumping out, and dancing among the crowd.

“It’s the Beck Bonanzaaaaa!”

* * *

That night, Christina and Gideon lay down on a pair of twin beds pushed together in what was her husband’s old bedroom. It was adorable to see the photos of him playing high school football, the photo of him when he graduated from boot camp, and a variety of other photos.

“They are a bit much sometimes, but they mean well,” Gideon said in a hushed whisper, smiling as she snuggled up against his side. She knew to keep her voice down because she could hear other people mumbling in the distance in the other bedrooms. Yes, the Beck household was quite full, and some of Gideon’s family members lived nearby, except Giselle and Austin.

Giselle had pulled her aside and informed her that her best friend had a farm and was looking for a person to work with, helping the herd grow if she was interested.

She was. It was her first real job opportunity, and a possible position at Baird Farms near Yonder would be really nice. If it was a temporary gig, then maybe she could open a practice or…

“What are you thinking?” Gideon whispered, interrupting her thoughts. “I really wasn’t expecting you to be so cuddly on the plane. That was nice, and I like it when you are comfortable enough to just reach out. Sometimes I feel like I’m always touching you or pawing at you…”

“You are,” she chuckled tenderly, angling her head and kissing his chin. “I love it.”

“I love you, and just being near you makes me happy.”

“I’m glad.”

“You know, the singing is kind of a fun twist and makes your family feel very down to earth. I hope that we can do something like that with our family…” she whispered in the darkness, wondering if he was picking up on the hint.

“If you like singing that much, I don’t see… wait…”

Christina chuckled at Gideon’s frame tensed beside her. He quickly rolled to his side, dislodging her slightly as he turned on the lamp beside the bed, looking at her.

“Shut that off,” she grumbled. “It’s bright, and my eyes were used to the dark already.”

He did as she asked and didn’t move an inch.

“Christina… are you pregnant?” he whispered softly, sounding so hopeful and excited that it brought tears to her eyes. She loved this man with her entire being, heart and soul, and couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of his world.

“I am,” she replied tenderly. “I’m so excited, Gideon.”

He pulled her into his arms, hugging her close, as he began to kiss her tenderly where she lay beneath him. Breaking the kiss, he softly began to sing ‘Be my baby’ – and she joined in quietly, their two voices together in the darkness, celebrating this miracle together as they made love.

EPILOGUE

One year later…

“Shhhh…”

Christina heard the loving whisper and zeroed in on it immediately. She had just gotten home from delivering a breech calf that nearly killed the mother cow over at the Baird Farm where she had been working the last six months. It had been a long night for everyone involved. She wanted nothing more than to come home to be held except someone else had Gideon’s undivided attention.

I certainly don’t mind either, she mused, standing in the doorway of the nursery silently. She loved watching him with their daughter, Galina. Their sweet daughter was so tiny in Gideon’s arms where he sat in the rocking chair holding her.

The baby was fussing slightly, her little arms reaching for his face which he insisted on keeping close so Galina could see him. He kissed the tiny fingertips that scratched at his chin and nose blindly as the baby whimpered and then cooed at him. She probably had gas again but would keep that to herself because Gideon swore up and down that she was ‘talking’ to him.

“Well, that is fine, princess,” Gideon whispered. “We can sing it together…”

And Galina cooed again as if to answer.

Her husband’s warm voice began crooning ‘Baby of Mine’ from Dumbo to the infant – and Christina’s heart swelled with love. She couldn’t think of anything more breathtakingly beautiful than her husband singing to their daughter, who was utterly precious to them both and a symbol of their love.

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