Page 25 of The Cattleman’s Unforgettable Love: Ford and Amelia (MacFarland Ranch #11)

Amelia climbed out of the vehicle and turned around in a circle, taking in the amazing views. Ford came to stand beside her with a smile on his face.

"Wow. It's so beautiful," she exclaimed.

"Isn't it?" he agreed. "I haven't been up here in a while, but this may just be my favorite place on Earth."

"I can see why." She pointed to where she could see the ranch in the distance. "And all this land between here and there belongs to you?" she asked.

"To the ranch, to the family," he said. "Yeah, I know it looks like it from up here, but we don't own the whole valley or anything."

She smiled. "I know that much, but I had no idea that it was this big." She looked around again. "And what did you say it's called up here? Where the cows come on their summer vacation?"

She burst out laughing at the look on his face. "I'm teasing you, Ford," she told him. "I might not know anything about the cattle business, but I like to think that I'm a reasonably intelligent human being."

He narrowed his eyes at her but couldn't hide his smile.

"You got me with that one," he told her.

"And I wasn't thinking that you were stupid.

It'd be reasonable for anyone to relate something that they know nothing about back to familiar concepts from their own lives.

And in a way, I guess this is like a summer vacation for the cattle.

" He shook his head at her. "But we call it summer pasture. "

"That was it," she said. "I just couldn't remember the words."

She turned to look out at the view again. The mountains seemed to stand like guardians over the valley, with the river a ribbon of silver that flowed through the center. She could see why Ford liked it up here so much.

He’d driven her all around the ranch in the side-by-side – that's what he'd called the vehicle they were riding in. She glanced back at it. It was kind of cool.

He followed her gaze with a smile. "Do you want to drive it back?" he asked.

She grinned. "Would that be okay? I'd love to give it a go. I think I might turn out to be more competent at that than at riding a horse."

He'd offered to give her her first riding lesson this afternoon, but when she'd seen a bunch of the hands hanging around near the round pen, she'd opted to take him up on the offer of a tour of the ranch instead.

She didn't mind the hands – they seemed like nice enough guys – but she'd never been comfortable learning something new in front of people.

Obviously, she'd be okay with Ford watching.

He'd have to watch if he was going to teach her, but not a bunch of strangers.

"I think you'll do fine at both," he told her. "The side-by-side’s easy enough to drive," he chuckled as he added, "and it has a roll bar."

She cocked her head at him. "I'll have you know that I've taken both defensive and evasive driving classes in my time."

"Sorry. I didn't mean... I was only messing around with you."

She went to him and touched his arm. "I know. It's okay. I'm guessing that you'd tease any of your siblings in the same way, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, it's what we do," he told her.

"Then I'm glad that you're treating me the same way you would them – no matter which way you explain it, I'm not offended."

"Yeah, but I shouldn't... I'm not one of those guys who thinks women can't drive or something."

She laughed. "That hadn't even occurred to me. Relax. It's all good. I'd love to drive it back down when we're ready to go. But are you ready to go yet?" She watched him take in the view, loving the small smile that played on his face.

"We can hang out here for a while if you want to," she told him. "You said that you haven't been up here for some time, and yet it looks to me like you enjoy it here."

He turned back to meet her gaze with a smile. "Like I said, it might be my favorite place on Earth. When I was a kid, I used to come camp up here with the herd for most of the summer." He nodded, looking lost in his thoughts. "Those were good times."

"But you don't do it anymore?" she asked.

He let out a short laugh. "I haven't done it in years.

There's too much for me to do back at the ranch.

Last year, I didn't even get up here to check on the herd.

" He shrugged. "I'm lucky I have Boone, although sometimes I wish I could trade jobs with him – leave him in the office while I come back up here. "

"Then you should do that," she told him.

He chuckled. "Boone wouldn't last five minutes in the office."

"Then one of your brothers," she suggested. "Couldn't one of them...?"

"No." She was surprised that he cut her off so abruptly, but what did she know? It looked like she'd touched on a sore point, and she wasn't going to push it.

He came to her and slung his arm around her shoulders. "I didn't mean to bite your head off. I apologize. It's just that I've made my peace with the fact that things work best the way they are."

She rolled up onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "I want to argue with you. Want to help you brainstorm something else, but I can tell that you've looked at it from every possible angle already, haven't you?"

He gave her a rueful smile. "I have. And thanks for the thought, but..." He glanced back over his shoulder at the side-by-side. "What do you say? Should we head back down? You can drive, and when we get there, I'll take you to see your horse. See if a name strikes you."

"I'd like to see him. I'd like to name him; I don't like him not having a name. That doesn't seem right."

Ford chuckled. "Maybe when we get down there, he'll tell you what it is."

She smiled at that. She wouldn't have had him down as the kind of guy who thought that way – but she liked it.

~ ~ ~

Ford was impressed with the way Amelia drove the side-by-side back down to the ranch. He gave her a quick lesson before they set off, and she was a natural. The trail wasn't too bad – there were a few stretches that he’d been a little concerned about, but she negotiated them easily.

When they got closer to the ranch, he spotted Kolby and Callie walking with little Levi in his stroller.

Amelia must have noticed him looking, and she brought the side-by-side to a stop.

"Am I following the trail back toward the barn, or should I take the driveway?

" She jerked her chin toward Kolby and Callie. "Do you want to see them?"

"I was wondering if you’d want to see them?" he said.

"It's not about me – they’re your family. I figured you'd want to go say hi."

He smiled. "I can say hi to them anytime. I was just trying to figure out if you'd want to see them – and see little Levi – or if you've done enough peopling this weekend."

"I'd like to see them," she said. "I had a good chat with Callie last night, and Kolby seems cool, too.

If you're asking if I'd be uncomfortable, then the answer is no.

" She let out a short laugh. "Although, if you were asking if I'm the kind of person who wants to go and make cooing noises over a baby, then I'm afraid my answer is also no. "

The way she phrased it gave him pause. Maybe he was just reading too much into her words, or maybe he was just getting so far ahead of himself that it wasn't even funny.

But he felt like she was trying to make clear that she wasn't the kind of woman who had any time for babies – who would want children.

He gave himself a mental shake. He didn't want kids of his own either, so even if that ever became a question for them, it wouldn't be an issue. He'd been surprised by how much he loved his role as Uncle Ford, but Dad? That was something else entirely.

She gave him a rueful smile when Kolby spotted them and raised his hand in greeting. "Looks like the decision has been made for us."

"Then let's go say hi," he said. "I doubt they'll keep us for long but just kick my foot or something when you've had enough."

"Thanks. I doubt I will, but it's nice to know I have the option."

She slowed the side-by-side before she reached them. "Do you think I should turn this thing off and we should walk to them? I mean, do you think that it’ll upset the baby – the noise of it?"

"No, you've got no worries there. He's a ranch kid; he's used to whatever goes on around here. He'll be fine."

She still stopped the side-by-side a little way short of Kolby and Callie, and they came over to greet them. Kolby gave Ford a knowing smile while Callie greeted Amelia.

"Hey, it's good to see you. And look at you, driving that thing. I keep threatening to learn, but I haven't gotten around to it yet."

Kolby smiled at her. "You will when you're ready. It's not like you don't have anything else going on, is it?"

Callie shrugged happily. "Levi keeps us both busy, it's true."

"And you've been writing again," said Kolby.

"How's that going? Are you enjoying it?" Ford asked.

Callie smiled. "I am. I'm finally ready, and it feels so good."

"Are you thinking about performing again? Or are you happy just writing?"

For a moment, Ford wanted to kick himself for asking. Callie didn't need the pressure of people always asking if she was going to start performing again. He relaxed a little when she smiled.

"I'm thinking I might, and if I don't, it'll be because I have so much else going on in my life these days.

" She smiled at Amelia. "I was scared for a while after everything that went on with the stalker.

I thought I'd get over it and want to get straight back out there, but now.

.. I'm not worried about going back on stage or even on tour, but I don't know that I want to leave these two. "

Kolby smiled. "I've told you, if you want to go, we're going with you. It's still my job to keep you safe, whether we're here on the ranch or out on tour."

"We'll figure it out," said Callie. "But what about you, Amelia? How are things going for you? Are you getting settled in okay? How's work?"