Page 41 of The Cattleman's Unforgettable Love

Ford turned to Kolby with a smile. "Good to know."

Kolby chuckled. "Glad you think so. I didn't know how you'd feel about everyone offering their opinions. You usually play your cards close to your chest."

"I guess I do."

"But not this – not you and Amelia. I'm guessing that means that whatever's going on between you two is different, right?"

Ford shrugged. "This is our first date. We don't know what it is yet."

Kolby smiled. "Maybe, but you haven't brought a date out with everyone since I've been home. I don't think I've ever seen you like this. And..." He jerked his chin to where Amelia was chatting with Callie and Shayna. "She's different. She's not just a date – she's one of us already. Not just because she works with Cash and Mav, but because she's Sierra's friend, and I think every single one of us owes her in one way or another."

Ford turned to his brother with a frown. "What do you...?"

Kolby laughed. "What I mean is that Amelia's helped us all over the last few years. If it wasn't for her we might never have known Shayna was missing, until it was too late. She helped with tracing Callie's stalker. Who knows how Sierra would have held up when Jared took her if she'd been by herself. And then there's Nessa – Amelia was the one who found where she was being held. And just last weekend – how would we have found Shelley, Harper, and Jim if we didn't have Amelia on the case?"

Ford glanced over at her again. Of course he knew that she'd been instrumental in saving so many people since he'd known her, but it hadn't registered in the same way until now.

He'd been impressed by the way she'd worked when Shelley had gone missing – from right here at Chico, just last weekend. He'd given her a ride back to the ranch, helped her set up her gear when they got there and then had only been able to stand back and watch as she worked her magic – and located Shelley's cell phone and sent the guys up to the cabin in the mountains to get her back.

He smiled as he watched her laugh at something Shayna said. She was just a little thing – even compared to most of the other women – but she was a powerful little lady in many ways.

"Or are we all jumping the gun?" Kolby asked. "Are we getting our hopes up while you're not that invested? That wouldn't surprise me."

Ford let out a breath. "What surprises me is that I feel like I'm getting my hopes up. I didn't intend to. I'll admit that she caught my eye that first time she came to visit, and..." He gave Kolby a rueful smile. "I tried to, but I couldn't forget about her ever since. I was happy when Cash asked if she could stay at the ranch last weekend. I was looking forward to seeing her again. And with the way things worked out – with Cash deciding to stick around, and asking Amelia to stay too... I was glad that she was staying. Thought maybe we'd go out a few times, but... after today?" He shrugged. "Like I said; I'm getting my hopes up."

Kolby slapped his back. "And what's wrong with that? Why shouldn't you?"

He glanced over at her again. The way she interacted with the group of women reminded him of himself. She did more watching and listening than talking. Only speaking up occasionally, but when she did speak, they all listened.

He turned back to Kolby. "Because I don't deal well with disappointment."

Kolby chuckled. "None of us do, big brother, but it's a chance you have to take."

"What is?"

They turned when Tanner appeared at Ford's side.

"What's going on?" he asked. "What kind of chances are we taking?"

Ford shook his head, and Kolby shrugged.

Tanner rolled his eyes. "It doesn't take much guessing to figure out that we're talking about Amelia. But what kind of chance?"

"I was just saying that in relationships like with anything in life, nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Yup."

Ford gave him a puzzled look. "What, aren't you going to spout words of encouragement like everyone else has?"

He was surprised to feel disappointed when Tanner shook his head slowly.

"Why not?" Kolby asked.

Tanner glanced over at the women. "Because Everly's not convinced."

"Why?" Ford asked with a frown. He liked Everly. He felt close to her; if she had reservations about him and Amelia, then he wanted to know what they were.

Tanner grinned. "Don't worry. She's just gone all mama bear about it." He turned to Kolby. "I don't know if you know the whole story, but Everly and I might not have made it if it wasn't for Uncle Ford helping us out – talking me through it and being there for Everly. And of course, Ash worships his Uncle Ford so..." He winked at Ford. "Amelia's going to be on probation, for a while at least, because Everly won't let anyone hurt him."