Page 32 of All in with the Maverick Montana

Amy hummed. It was a shame that the revitalization of the trail fell through. More people deserved to enjoy the beauty that Josh had shown her. Even so, she felt like she’d been given another small glimpse into Josh’s world, and she was eager for more.

“You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with him,” Faith said. “I wondered if maybe it’s turning into more than friendship?”

Amy matched up a pair of socks before meeting Faith’s eye. “I’m not sure if us talking or hanging out or whatever’s happening now was ever just friendship.”

“Okay!” Faith climbed onto the bed. “This is the good stuff. Keep talking.”

Amy sat down, disturbing the laundry piles. “I don’t know. Everything feels so easy with him. Even the silences. And he’s sweet and thoughtful and my heart races when I hear that bell over the door in the store. I’m always hoping it’s him. And the other day on the ranch when we went riding…” She trailed off. “Is it ridiculous to feel this way already?”

“No,” Faith said. “I don’t think so. These things sort of just happen the way they happen. Time isn’t necessarily a factor. When it’s with the right person, when everything clicks and makes sense, you feel like you’ve known them your whole life. Like there was already a hole carved out for them, just waiting to be filled.”

Amy knew part of her was talking about Caleb now, and she grinned at her sister’s soft expression.

“Do you think Josh feels the same?” Faith asked.

“I mean, I think there was definitely a moment today.”

“A moment? What kind of moment?”

“You know.”

Faith shrugged.

Amy huffed. “The kind where you lock eyes and it feels like you’re just a breath away from stumbling into a kiss for the first time.”

“He almost kissed you? Where?”

“On the street. When we came back from our walk. A couple of his friends showed up before we got around to it, but I was pretty sure it was going to happen.”

Faith wrinkled her nose and groaned. “Amy… Don’t let the first time be on the street where you’ll obviously be interrupted.”

Amy laughed. “I can’t exactly curate it. The moment happens when it happens. Anyway, it caught me a little off guard, but not because I didn’t want it to happen. I just didn’t realize how much I wanted it to happen.” In many ways, it seemed like they’d only just met, and yet Josh showed up in her life and parked himself at her side and hadn’t strayed far since. Part of her felt like being with him was the most natural thing in the world. When they were apart, she missed his company: his soft, gruff words. His thoughtful questions. That dark stare. The way only one of his cheeks dimpled when he smiled. As the list went on in her head, Amy flushed. She’d wanted to kiss Josh very much. She sort of wished she could just go back to that moment. She would have closed the distance and pressed her lips to his, just to know if he felt all the same things she felt. Were there actually sparks there? Or was she just imagining everything?

“Well, you deserve to have some fun,” Faith said.

“I am having fun.”

“You know, I was so worried about you moping around here, I got Tori, Elizabeth and Carly on the phone.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “You did not drag them into it.”

“Tori told me to get you on the dating apps. She even offered to make your profile.”

Amy huffed. “I can’t believe you four are having secret meetings without me.”

“And that’s not even the group chat Elizabeth started.”

“There’s a group chat I’m not in?” Amy demanded.

Faith burst out laughing. “I’m just kidding. Of course not.” She narrowed her eyes playfully. “Or am I?”

Amy whipped out her phone. “I’m messaging Elizabeth right now to ask.”

Faith nudged her. “I really am kidding. But I’ve given the girls the low-down on Josh. They all agree it’s a good thing. He’s brought your spark back. I’ve missed it.”

Amy wanted to deny it, but she knew Faith was right. She felt more like herself now than she had for months. She picked up a pair of her jeans, shaking them out and tugging on the waistband a bit. “I need to stop putting my clothes in your dryer,” she said. “I think they’re shrinking.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my dryer.”