Page 40 of The Cattleman's Unforgettable Love

"Do you honestly not remember?"

Amelia stared at her for a few moments before it came back to her. "Well, crap," she exclaimed. "I absolutely had forgotten, and now I feel guilty."

"There's no need to feel guilty. I wouldn't have brought it up again if I didn't think there was another reason that you might decide to move here now."

"I kind of have moved here for work."

"I know that's the reason you came, but... oh, heck, I'm going to say it. I hope that Ford might end up being the reason that you stay. I'd never try to hold you to the promise that you made me when we both thought that we might die that day, but..."

Amelia had to laugh. "Don't give me those big eyes. You might be able to pull off the sweet innocent little thing with most people, but I know you too well, remember."

Sierra laughed. "You know me better than almost anyone – and certainly well enough to know that I'd never try to manipulate you."

"I do, but I'm glad you reminded me of that promise I made."

Sierra raised her eyebrows, and Amelia smiled. "I have a feeling that there may come a point when I have to make a pros and cons list about staying here. Being able to keep a promise to you is a pretty big pro."

"Then I'm glad I brought it up," Sierra said. She looked over at where the others were still standing in their own little crowd around the bar. "They're good people. Not like the people we used to know back in San Francisco. They're different, but they're good people in their own way, and I have to say, much more decent people in many ways."

Amelia nodded. She knew exactly what her friend meant. "I'd take cowboys and ranchers over trust fund kids and hedge fund managers any day, now that I've had experience with both."

"Me too," said Sierra. "And it's not just the guys. I love all the girls, too."

"I don't really know them yet," said Amelia. "I think I'll have to reserve judgment there."

"If you like, I'll take you around to meet them, or we can have everyone over to the house if you want."

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass for now. You know me – I prefer to meet people one at a time, naturally."

Sierra laughed. "That's right. I forgot. You don't do groups of women if you can help it, do you?"

Amelia shook her head with a shudder. "I don't. These girls may well turn out to be different, but..." She glanced over to where Laney and Frankie were out dancing at the edge of the dance floor.

Sierra followed her gaze and said, "I found them intimidating too, at first."

"I don't know that I'm intimidated," Amelia told her.

"Yeah, sorry. We're different in that respect, aren't we?"

"Not necessarily." She didn't want her friend to think that she was calling her weak – too many people had told Sierra that in her life, and it really wasn't the case. "I'm no tougher than you. We're just different. You may even be braver than I am. You're intimidated because you're determined to stick around and face people. I don't feel the same way because I know I can just disappear."

Sierra laughed. "You may have a point there, although I never thought of it that way before. But, Lia, please don't disappear from here. Not yet. I love having you around, and it seems to me that Ford does too."

At the mention of his name, Amelia looked for him in the crowd at the bar, and a rush of warmth filled her chest when she spotted him – staring right back at her.

"Oh, my," Sierra exclaimed. "You guys have got it bad. I can't wait to see where this goes."

Amelia didn't even deny it.

"I think he's asking if you want your drink yet," said Sierra. "And we should get back over there. I didn't even let you have one before I dragged you away."

"That's okay. I'm glad you did. We haven't had the chance to catch up, but you're right..." She smiled when she saw Ford holding up a bottle above the others' heads.

As she elbowed her way through the packed saloon back toward the bar, forging a path and letting Sierra follow her, she had to admit that she'd liked the way Ford had tucked her under his arm earlier. As she'd told him, she didn't need anyone to do it for her, but it was a new and wonderful feeling to have someone at her side – and more than that, to know he had her back. Especially when that someone was Ford.

~ ~ ~

"Callie said to tell you that she thinks Amelia's awesome."