Page 64 of The Cattleman’s Unforgettable Love: Ford and Amelia (MacFarland Ranch #11)

After he ended the call, he went back to the kitchen. Amelia hadn't come down yet, neither had Nat, but Hunter was in there.

Ford leaned over the counter, lowering his voice. “Hey, little man, I need your help with something important.”

Hunter’s eyes lit up. “Is it a surprise for Auntie Amelia?”

Ford grinned. “It is. I need you to write something for me. On paper – not on your phone. And don’t tell her.”

Hunter grabbed a pad from the drawer and a pencil, then glanced up. “What do you want it to say?”

“Something like… okay, so… I want to get her something engraved on the ring.” Ford hesitated, then cleared his throat.

“Something that says she’s not just… you know…

some helper that drops in and then disappears again.

She’s not a subroutine. I want it to say that she’s the one running the show now.

And that I’m good with that.” He gave the kid a sheepish smile.

“But I don’t speak computer. Can you maybe help me say that in your kind of language? ”

Hunter's face broke into a grin. “She’s the main program.”

“Yeah,” Ford said softly. “That’s the one.”

Just as Hunter finished scribbling, Nat walked into the room and narrowed her eyes at them. “Okay, what’s going on? You two are terrible at secrets. You both look guilty as hell.”

“So, get in here and help us out. Hunter’s helping me figure out what to engrave inside the ring – I’m going up to town to get it this afternoon.”

Her face lit up as she reached for the paper where Hunter had written:

run(mainProgram)

“I thought it might be simple like that,” Hunter explained. “Like… saying everything started because of her. That she’s the reason the system runs.”

“And you did great,” Nat told him. “Do you think you could maybe add something, too?”

“Sure,” Hunter nodded eagerly.

Nat turned to Ford. “Maybe I’m wrong and maybe in computer speak what you already have there is enough to tell her what you mean, but… oh, never mind. It’s great as it is.”

“No, go on,” Ford encouraged her. “You think I should add something – help me out. I didn’t even think to get a ring before I proposed, so that should tell you that I need all the help I can get.”

“Well, you call her Lil’ Bit. That’s like… your thing.” She turned back to Hunter. “Can you work that in somehow?”

Hunter’s tongue stuck out as he carefully added something to the paper. He turned it around to show them:

run(mainProgram: Lil Bit)

“There,” he said. “That’s how I’d write it if I was telling a program to start.” He looked up at Ford and grinned. “You’re saying your life runs because of her now.”

“All our lives,” Nat said with a smile.

Ford nodded happily. “I think it’s perfect. Thanks, guys. And you both approve?”

“I do,” said Hunter. “And I think Auntie Amelia will love it.”

“It’s actually… kinda beautiful,” said Nat. “Nerdy. But beautiful. Just… whatever you do, please tell me you’re not going to engrave it in that awful cowboy font.”

“Cowboy font?”

“You know, those ones with spurs on the letters? I’ve been messing around with my phone – don’t make fun of me. I have taste.”

Hunter snorted. “She’s been researching. She says it’s so she doesn’t look dumb when she texts Tanya.”

Nat shot him a glare. “Exactly. And that’s why I have opinions now.”

Ford chuckled. “Got it. No cowboy fonts.”

He spent the rest of the morning getting in Boone's way. He couldn't focus on anything other than hoping that he'd be able to find the right ring. Thanks to the kids, he now knew what he wanted engraved inside it, but there was still the not so minor detail of what the ring itself should be.

When Wade swung by to pick him up, Boone grinned at him. "You'll be fine. You'll know it when you see it – and if you can, come down here and show it to me when you get back, would ya?"

That made Ford laugh. "You like looking at engagement rings now?"

"Yeah, I want to see what you get her. Maybe give me inspiration for if my day ever comes."

"In that case, sure, I'll come show you when I get back."

Wade grinned at him as he climbed into the passenger seat. "Are you ready to go do this?"

Ford patted his pocket to make sure that he had Hunter's piece of paper in there. "I am. Thanks."

"Glad you wanted to ride with me."

As they drove up East River Road, Wade smiled at him and jerked his chin. "Recognize this spot?" he asked.

It took Ford a moment but then he smiled. "This is where we found Sierra – the first time you met her when she'd gone off the road."

"That's right," said Wade. "And you're welcome."

Ford shot him a puzzled look. "What for?"

"If you think about it, if Sierra and I hadn't gotten together, you'd never have met Amelia."

"Shit." Ford took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair.

"You're right. In that case, not only thank you, but I'll never be able to thank you enough.

I never thought I'd want a family, but now I can't imagine being without them.

" He chuckled. "It's not exactly smooth sailing, especially with Nat, but you can't blame her for being so prickly and I love them both with all my heart. "

"It shows – and you're really good with them.

She might be prickly but she respects you – more than that, she loves you, it's easy to see.

" Wade laughed. "If you remember, that night that we found Sierra out here, you left me to deal with her because you said you couldn't handle emotional females.

Now you're handling Nat like you were born to do it. "

Ford shook his head slowly. "I never said I couldn't do it – just that I didn't want to.

That's all changed now. Nat can be a challenge, I won't deny that, and Amelia has her emotional moments – not that she's difficult, just that she's out of her depth, and I can honestly say that there's nothing I want more than to be able to help them both through – and Hunter, too.

He's such an awesome little guy. I feel so lucky, Wade, so yeah – thank you. "

Wade nodded happily. "I can't take any credit, but I'm happy to feel like I was maybe part of bringing your little family together. Back then you were talking about our future as the old bachelor brothers of MacFarland Ranch. I still had hope even before I met Sierra, but I never would’ve dreamed we’d be on our way for you to buy an engagement ring someday. "

Ford smiled. “Me neither. Oh, and on the way back, I need to make another stop – I need to buy some hats.”

They fell silent after that, and as they sped up toward town, Ford stared out the window at the mountains with a big smile on his face. He'd known and loved those mountains his whole life. He'd only known his new family for a short while, but he loved them more than anything.