LITMIR.BIZ

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had known the boy since birth, but during recent months he’d only seen Zeke a handful of times and the baby twice.

      Thankfully, the ranch foreman who had worked for Gage’s uncle had stayed after his passing. Along with the other cowboys, Ford had been covering for Gage’s absence this week. The man had given Gage a crash course in cattle ranching over the last two years. Without his coaching, Gage would have failed a thousand times over.

      Thankfully Emma had also agreed to help him out today by coming with him to pick up Hudson. When he’d asked her to consider accompanying him, she’d answered, “What’s there to think about? Of course I will.”

      Her giving heart made his resemble a lump of coal.

      They’d already loaded the car with piles of Hudson’s things. Toys. Clothes. Gage had baby equipment he wouldn’t have a clue what to do with up to his ears and mashed against the windows of his Grand Cherokee.

      He couldn’t believe he was doing this. Taking a baby home with him. But his name was on the paperwork, so here they went.

      You’d think with how much he’d loved Zeke, this would be second nature for Gage. He should be saying things like, Of course I’ll take the baby. This is what Zeke chose and I want to honor my friend. But their friendship didn’t mean he was the right person for this.

      Which made him wonder why he’d said yes when Zeke had asked him to take care of Hudson. It had been shortly after Leila had passed away from complications from childbirth. Sounded medieval, but it still happened on rare occasions. Zeke had been a mess. Obviously with good reason. Gage had simply been trying to reassure him, never thinking that one day a casual promise would turn into this. Never thinking that Zeke would be killed in a plane crash when his son was just nine months old.

      Now, not only was he grieving the loss of his friend, he was supposed to fill his shoes in his son’s life? And how, exactly, would he do that?

      At least he had help in the form of the cheerful, capable woman currently opening the back door of his vehicle.

      Gage slid the car seat in, and Emma climbed in after, securing it while he went around to the driver’s side.

      After some adjustments—making sure the seat was snug, removing their jackets for the drive and buckling themselves in—they were on the road. Emma sat in the back seat with Hudson, talking to him in that soothing tone of hers until he cooed back at her.

      A few miles later, Emma announced that Hudson had fallen asleep.

      “Good.” Nap time Gage could handle.

      “It’s going to be okay, Gage. I promise this is all going to work out.”

      He met her bright eyes in the rearview mirror. “You can’t promise that, Emma.”

      “It’s not a me promise, it’s a God one. He works things together for good. Even the kind of mountains that don’t appear climbable.”

      Gage wanted to tell her that Hudson wasn’t a mountain and ask if she could turn down her optimism for the day so he could just stay worried and distraught. But asking Emma not to be positive and hopeful would be like requesting she forgo the use of her limbs. It was as much a part of her as the blood pumping through her veins.

      “I know this isn’t what you wanted for Hudson. And that you plan to find another, better—” Emma’s version of polite sarcasm laced the last word “—home for him, but in the meantime, while you’re keeping him, you need to want him, even if it’s only temporary. It’s important. Especially with how he’s being uprooted. Babies can sense more than we realize, and he’ll know if you’re only halfway in. So at least be committed for the time you have him. Please.”

      “I don’t know what I’m doing.” Gage said it more for himself than in answer to Emma.

      “You don’t have to. Just love him. The rest is gravy.”

      Gravy. Emma made it sound so easy when it would be anything but. His hands strangled the steering wheel, then loosened. But Emma was right. Gage had been raised in a fantastic home with parents who thought he hung the moon. It did matter what Hudson felt over the next few days or weeks or however long this situation lasted until they found a more suitable family for him.

      “You can do this, Gage.” Did Emma have a cheerleading background he’d somehow missed hearing about? Did the woman hoard pom-poms in her closet? She was full of confidence in him that was undeserved. He’d already botched a marriage and could so quickly and easily mess things up with Hudson.

      “Did I say too much?” The mirror framed Emma’s face as it contorted with concern.

      “No. I needed to hear it. Thanks.”

      She beamed in answer, and her attractiveness ramped up to a level that caught Gage by surprise. Her lightest-shade-of-brown hair was up in a ponytail today, and she wore skinny jeans, Converse shoes, and a charcoal sweater with a jumbo-sized white heart on the front. Emma had a simplicity about her. An even-keeled nature. She reminded him of...homemade chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven. That’s the kind of comfort she offered.

      “Thanks for coming with me today. It was over and above.”

      “You’re welcome. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with this cutie.” Emma’s mouth softened as her gaze rested on Hudson.

      God had worked today out, that was for sure. Gage would give Him all of the credit for the woman in the back seat currently making everything better for every passenger in the car.

      When they arrived at his house, vehicles belonging to Luc and his twin sister, Mackenzie, were parked out front beside Emma’s car. Gage twisted, meeting Emma’s not-so-innocent look. “Any chance you had something to do with this?”

      “What? Me? Never.” The suppressed chuckle that followed contradicted her words. She couldn’t lie to save her life. A good quality in Gage’s book.

      The front door of the house opened and the group exited as he parked and cut the Jeep’s engine—so much for giving Luc a key in case of emergency.

      Luc stayed to help unload the car while his wife, Cate, their four-year-old daughter Ruby, Emma and Mackenzie focused on getting the car seat with a still-sleeping Hudson inside. Gage doubted it took four females to transport the boy, but he didn’t mind the reprieve.

      In true Colorado nature, the weather had changed yesterday, swinging from freezing to a pleasant fifty degrees. With the heat from the sun, the day felt balmy.

      “So,” Luc slapped him on the back, “how you holding up?”

      Gage opened the back hatch, amazed everything didn’t tumble out. “Okay. I guess. Think I’m in shock. I only found out about being named Hudson’s guardian a week ago. Still haven’t wrapped my mind around it.”

      “Understandable.” Luc snagged a saucer that had various stations of activity around the top. “I can’t say I totally get what you’re feeling, but then again...”

      True. Luc hadn’t found out Ruby existed until last summer. So his friend got the surprise part in all of this. And probably the feeling-inept portion, too.

      Gage scooped up a box labeled Toys. “How am I supposed to do this?”

      “Not sure. Wish I had answers for you.”

      “Emma seems to think if I close my eyes and make a wish, unicorns and rainbows will appear and all will be well.”

      Luc laughed. “She’s probably expecting this to turn out like one of those romantic books or movies she’s hooked on. We have cable just so she can stream the Hallmark Channel.”

      “I would make a good leading man.”

      A snort from Luc followed his quip.

      The next few minutes unloading with Luc felt like a sliver of normal. The smell of the ranch—a mixture

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