Page 36 of All in with the Maverick Montana

Amy grinned back at him. “Eyes on the road, cowboy.”

“I could drive these roads blindfolded.”

“Please don’t,” she said. “There’s an awful lot of cattle roaming around.”

Josh turned back to the road and realized she was right. The Coreys’ cattle had gathered at the edge of the road, some of them roaming back and forth. Josh slowed so there wouldn’t be any accidents, and hung his head out the window, whistling and calling out to get the cattle to move out of the way. He looked at the break in the fence.

“I wonder what happened,” Amy said.

“Might have come down in the last storm we had.” It was the wetter part of the year still, with temperatures varying from cold enough to need gloves to warm enough to shed your coat. They’d lucked out with nice weather this past week though, and he’d spent a good portion of it outside with Amy. “Or the board was loose and an adventurous cow decided to make a break for it.”

Amy turned in her seat to watch the cattle disappear as they turned onto the Coreys’ property. “They sorta look like they’re waiting to be picked up for a night out.”

“It’d be great if they’d just realize that they could walk back the way they came.”

“Now why would they make it easy for you?”

“Because I’m a nice guy.” The tires crunched over more gravel. He pulled up beside an old weather-beaten truck that both he and Shane had driven up and down this road as teens. He wasn’t all that sure it actually functioned anymore or if it had merely rusted in place.

“Hey,” Shane called as they got out of the truck. He came clomping down the porch steps and clapped Josh on the shoulder, pulling him into a hug. His thick black hair was shorter than it had been last time Josh had seen him, which was probably Angela’s doing, and he’d apparently decided to try out a neatly trimmed beard. It suited him, Josh thought, as Shane broke away, making him look older. At least until Josh spotted that too-bright smile that usually meant mischief. Then it was like they were kids all over again. But this time Josh suspected Shane was looking at him that way because Amy came walking toward them and not because he had his mind on a prank.

“Shane, this is Amy,” Josh said, introducing them.

“Good to meet you,” Shane said, shaking Amy’s hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“This is becoming a regular thing now,” Amy said, probably referring to the fact Noah had told her the same thing.

“Don’t worry. I’ve only been told the best,” Shane assured her.

He flashed Amy a smile that usually made women swoon and Josh nudged him. He didn’t need any other competition.

“So, getting tired of our poky little town yet?” Shane asked.

“Not quite,” Amy said. “It’s got a few interesting things going for it.”

Shane threw his head back and laughed. “I hope you don’t mean this guy.”

“Josh said you moved back from near Helena?”

“Yeah. A breakup chased me out.”

“I can sympathize there.”

“A girl after my own heart. Or whatever pieces remain,” Shane joked.

They walked up the porch steps and Josh introduced Amy to Angela as she popped out the door, greeting him with a hug. She was short enough for Josh to rest his chin on the top of her head for a beat. He pulled away, noting new strands of grey by her temples and new wrinkles by her eyes, but her hug had felt as sturdy as ever. That was Angela Corey in a nutshell: sturdy, fierce, with the patience of a wrangler breaking in a wild bronco. Except when it came to his love life, of course.

“You hungry?” she asked, pushing a few curling strands of hair from her face. “Look hungry to me. Come inside.”

“Gram, we have to go get the cattle,” Shane interrupted.

Angela waved him off. “Where’re they gonna go? Not like they’re gonna hitch a ride into town.”

Shane rolled his eyes.

“I saw that,” Angela said even with her back turned.

“I’m gonna go grab the supplies for the fence,” Shane said, eyeing Josh. “Finish up here and come find me.”