Page 31 of All in with the Maverick Montana

“Not gonna be able to call you president of Lonely Valley much longer, am I?” Ryder said.

“I think you need to go back to work.”

“I’m serious, man. This is good for you. I’ve been saying forever that you needed to get back out there after… What was her name? Erin? Eliza?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Josh muttered.

Ryder looped his arm around Josh’s shoulders. “That’s the spirit.”

Josh shrugged him off, practically escorting Ryder back to the truck. Amy would have laughed at the sight if not for the giddy butterflies dancing in her chest. Josh’s friends clearly thought she was a good thing. It reassured her to know they approved of…whatever this was.

“It was good meeting you,” Noah said, pulling Amy’s attention. “We’ll have to catch up later. We’ve got plenty of stories about Josh you probably want to hear.”

“I’d like that,” she said, then waved as the brothers drove off. She didn’t miss Ryder shooting kissy faces in Josh’s direction through the window.

Josh cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry about them.”

“Don’t be. They seem like great friends.”

“For the record, you can’t trust ninety percent of what Ryder says.”

“Sure.” Amy winked at him. “I think you just don’t want me to have access to all this insider information.”

“I’ll tell you whatever insider information you want.” Josh smiled at her so warmly she could have melted against him. “I should be getting back though.”

She didn’t want him to go.

“I’ll call you later,” he said.

Amy nodded. “I sure hope so.”

Josh backed away down the sidewalk, like he wasn’t quite ready to stop looking at her. Or maybe that’s just what she was telling herself. When he turned around, Amy slumped down on the nearest bench, feeling like she needed to catch her breath.

***

Faith dumped the basket of washing on the bed between them, and Amy reached for a towel, folding it neatly and setting it aside. Next she picked up a few pillowcases, folding them into perfect little rectangles. She usually hated doing laundry, but at least with Faith as company it felt like less of a chore.

“Why do you always avoid the fitted sheets?” Faith asked as Amy tossed one sheet-looking clump back into the pile.

“Because they require an advanced degree in mathematics to fold.”

Faith cocked her head and shook out the sheet. “Grab that end and help me.”

Amy did, dutifully following Faith’s directions as they folded the sheet.

“So, I can’t help but notice that you were out with Josh. Again.”

“Is there something you want to ask?” Amy said, hearing the unsaid questions in Faith’s voice.

“Did you have a nice time on your walk?”

“I did,” Amy said. “He took me down part of the Tenacity Trail.”

Faith wrinkled her nose. “That old, overgrown thing?”

Amy laughed. “Part of the trail leads to a clearing that Josh is fond of. I guess he used to go there as a boy. It was quite beautiful.”

“If you say so.”