Page 4 of The Cattleman’s Unforgettable Love: Ford and Amelia (MacFarland Ranch #11)

Ashton raised his eyebrows and inclined his head toward the last piece of garlic bread.

“Sure, you can have it.”

“Thanks, Uncle Ford. I can help if you want to ask her out.”

“Appreciate the offer, kid.” He checked his watch. “You want to help me with the dishes instead? We’re going to have to start the movie soon if we’re going to get you home on time.”

“Don’t worry; Mom won’t be mad at you if we’re late.”

“It’s not about that – it’s about keeping our word. We said we’d have you back on time, so we will.”

Ashton sighed as he got up from the table. “We should ask if I can come on a Friday or Saturday – she’d let me stay later then.”

“We can do that. But it’s not about how late you can stay – it’s about doing what we say we’ll do, when we say we’ll do it.”

“That’s part of the cowboy code, right? Being a man of your word.”

Ford smiled. He knew that Tanner used the concept of a cowboy code a lot with Ashton. He understood why, but… “I think it is, but either way, it’s about being a decent person – doing what’s right.”

Ashton nodded solemnly as he gathered the plates from the table. “Right – you’re a good man and you’re not a cowboy, so it’s not just a cowboy thing, is it?”

“It’s not.” He opened his mouth to continue but closed it again when he realized that any attempt to explain the difference in his mind between a cowboy and a cattleman would probably be lost on Ashton.

More than that, it would be about rationalizing it – defending himself in a way that wasn’t needed.

“Do you want to wipe the table over or load the dishwasher?”

“Wipe the table,” Ashton said with a grin. “Then I’ll be finished first and I get to take your spot on the sofa and control the remote.”

Ford chuckled as he started to load the dishwasher. He wasn’t going to tell the kid that he was happy to give up both – most nights, he had the remote and the entire house to himself.

He checked his watch again, wondering what time Amelia might be back.

He had no problem sharing his space with her, either.

~ ~ ~

Amelia took her coat from Shane with a smile. “Thanks. And thanks so much for inviting me over. This was great. I want to say we should do it again soon, but… I can’t. Not yet.”

Shane gave her a puzzled look. “Why not? I thought you were sticking around now.”

Cassidy laughed. “She is sticking around. What she means is, she doesn’t want to invite herself back again too soon. And that she can’t exactly invite us over there , right?”

Amelia smiled. “You got me.”

“Ah, right,” Shane nodded.

“You could invite us anyway,” Cassidy said with a smile.

Shane rolled his eyes. “It’s all right, Ford wouldn’t blame you , Amelia – he’d know damn well that Cass had invited herself, and that there was nothing that you – or I – could do to stop her.”

“I’m just saying, it might do Ford some good to have people over once in a while.” Cassidy grinned at Amelia. “And I’d be happy to come. I like Ford. He’s a good-looking guy.”

“Excuse me, wifey dear. Husband standing right here.”

Cassidy laughed and slapped his arm. “You know no one compares to you. But there is something to be said for that dark and broody thing. Right, Lia?”

Amelia shook her head with a laugh. “I’m not getting in the middle of it with you two. I value my life too much.”

Shane gave her a puzzled look. “Fair enough. But you’re not even going to comment on Ford?”

Amelia raised an eyebrow. “Do I really need to? He is a good-looking guy. He’s a good guy, too.”

Cassidy nodded. “I have a feeling it won’t be long before the two of you are inviting us over for dinner.”

Amelia opened her mouth to protest, but Cassidy waved a hand at her. “That’s all I’ll say for now. But if I’m right, you can bet your ass I’m going to remind you I said it.”

Shane laughed. “Speaking from experience, I can tell you that my lovely wife does enjoy saying those three little words.”

Cassidy waggled her eyebrows. “‘Told you so.’”

“I’d better get going.” Amelia shook her head with a laugh.

Cassidy gave her a hug, and then Shane leaned in to do the same.

“If I don’t see you around,” said Cassidy, “I’ll give you a call about coming over again soon. You don’t need to feel like you can’t come again or that we have to take turns or anything. We’ve known each other too long for that.”

“Thanks.” Amelia turned to go, and Shane opened the front door for her. They watched her jog down the steps and climb into her car. Shane didn’t close the front door until she’d started the engine.

She’d noticed that the guys around here all seemed to be that way. They looked out for everyone.

She wasn’t used to it. She never had been. Something in her wanted to be irritated by it, but she couldn’t quite manage to.

She might not be used to it, but a part of her liked feeling as though she wasn’t the only one who had her back anymore.

As she drove down East River Road, she realized she was still smiling.

She seemed to be doing that a lot since she’d come to Montana – well, with the exception of last weekend, when things had been tense.

The day after she arrived, Shelley, the girlfriend of one of Cash’s friends had been taken hostage by some relative of an old guy who thought he could get Shelley to change the will.

Amelia was proud of herself; she’d been instrumental in the rescue.

Her smile faded, and she glanced through the windshield at the big Montana sky. It wasn’t quite dark yet, but the stars were already starting to shine.

A therapist she used to see back when she lived in San Francisco had this theory: that Amelia took such pride in her work – in being able to help save people – because...

Her shoulders sagged.

Because she hadn’t been able to save Danny.

She glanced up at the stars again. She liked to talk to them, to imagine that Danny could hear.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

It wasn’t her fault. She knew that. But that didn’t make it any easier to live with.

She eased off the gas as the road curved to follow the bend of the river. There was no point dwelling on what couldn’t be changed – she knew that. Then again, there was no harm in allowing herself a sentimental moment every now and then.

Looking up at the mountains, she had to admit that there was something about the landscape out here. The beauty of it made her more prone to... being emotional.

It wasn’t like her.

But it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, either.

When she reached the pullout next to the river, she turned off the road and parked. She wasn’t in a hurry. It felt important to pause and take in the moment.

She braced her hands against the steering wheel and leaned her head back to look up through the sunroof. The sky was getting darker now, and the stars were coming out in full force.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to stay in Montana, although she wasn’t completely opposed to the idea.

Her best friend, Sierra, had lived here for a few years now.

Cash had decided he was staying. And from what Mav and Blane had said, they were planning to move the whole operation out here and set up base on Mav’s ranch.

She enjoyed working with them. So, it would make sense for her to stay.

But stay wasn’t a word – or even a concept – she was used to.

She didn’t need to decide yet.

She stared at the river rushing by, its constant motion reminding her of the way she’d lived her life since...

She blew out a sigh.

Since Danny died.

She didn’t know why he was on her mind so much lately. She was used to him not being around. He’d been gone for years. She could go days without even thinking about him – weeks, if she were honest.

But lately, even before she even came to Montana, he’d been on her mind a lot.

She checked her rearview mirror at the sound of a vehicle approaching. A farm truck sped by.

She smiled. She’d already noticed that drivers with local plates acknowledged each other with a one-fingered wave, and barely slowed down when they passed vehicles with out-of-state plates parked at the pullouts and lookout points.

She couldn’t blame them.

But it wasn’t just that she picked up on that detail. It was because she knew she was an outsider.

She was used to not belonging. And mostly, she preferred it.

It wasn’t like she was looking to belong somewhere. She hadn’t felt as though she’d belonged anywhere since her dad passed.

And yet... she’d been saying to Cash just this morning that she wanted to buy herself a vehicle here.

Not because keeping the rental she was driving would get expensive.

But mostly because... she wanted local plates.

She frowned. Even if she was finally looking for a place where she might belong, she could hardly see it being here in Montana.

Even though Sierra and Cassidy were here.

Even though it looked like her work was going to be based here.

Even though she’d gotten to know – and like – the MacFarland tribe.

She still felt like a spare part.

Sierra had her own little family. Cassidy had Shane and the Remington crew. Pretty much everyone she knew here was coupled up.

Of course, Cash wasn’t. But Cash was... Cash.

Not only did that man seem to belong everywhere, but he also seemed to own every room he walked into.

The only other … She realized she was smiling again, without even meaning to. The only other singleton around that she could think of was Ford.

Not only was she smiling – she was also starting the engine again.

Ford was having dinner with his nephew this evening. She’d been kind of shocked when he told her that. But she was undeniably curious to hear how it had gone.

She drove the rest of the way back to the ranch a little faster than she needed to, telling herself it wasn’t really because Ford sometimes turned in early and she wanted to see him before he did.

She turned off the road under the carved wooden archway that marked the entrance to the ranch. As she drove up the long driveway toward the big house, she spotted him walking toward the barn, a small boy at his side.

She didn’t really know Ashton yet, but she recognized him.

She slowed the car as she watched Ford bend down. The boy climbed up onto his shoulders in a way that looked well-practiced. He scrambled up and grabbed Ford’s hat so he wouldn’t knock it off, then placed it on top of his own and flapped his legs like he was riding a horse.

Ford apparently read the move the same way she had and broke into a jog toward the barn.

She slowed to a crawl.

As much as she loved witnessing the moment between man and boy, she had the impression that Ford might be uncomfortable if he knew she – or anyone – had seen it.