Page 5 of All in with the Maverick Montana

“Because it’s good for you. And because you can’t sit home every night watching 90 Day Fiancé.”

Amy made a vague hum of agreement. She was developing quite the evening routine. “I really was just trying to be friendly.”

“You could have continued being friendly over coffee.”

“Your suggestion is noted and I have chosen to ignore it.”

“I swear I’m setting you up with the next single cowboy that walks in here.”

“Good luck with that,” Amy said.

“You know, sometimes I have good advice,” Faith said, walking around the counter as a customer flagged her down for help. “You should listen to me every now and then.”

“What was that?” Amy said, reaching to turn up the radio again. “I couldn’t hear a word you said.”

Faith rolled her eyes. “You’re thirty-five. I thought you’d outgrow being annoying by now.”

“And that assumption was your first mistake.” Amy planned on annoying Faith well into old age. But even as she stood there, knowing it was best to leave handsome cowboys alone, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from straying back to Josh.

Chapter Two

There was something special about a Montana spring.

Josh knew that the mountains would still be covered in snow, but every day the valleys grew more lush and green, filled with the buds of new wildflowers. The snowfall had been heavy this year, forcing Josh to start the herd on hay to supplement the leftover forage the cattle nosed at from the previous growing season. But even the acres of land around his property had started to flourish, allowing him to finally move the cattle on from winter feeding activities.

Now the ranch was in the thick of calving season which usually began at the end of February and wrapped up in early May. As a boy Josh had learned not to get attached to the new little additions to the herd, and though he still heard his father’s words echo in his head—these aren’t pets, son, they’re our livelihood—Josh maintained that all these calves running around the property as the world blossomed made his heart light.

Or maybe he was particularly thoughtful today.

Perhaps that was it.

Spring made him think of new life and new life made him think of family, and he imagined what it would be like to have what his father had: a woman he could adore and a kid (or a couple) that he could dote on. When Josh’s dad had finally retired and handed the ranch over to him, it came with a piece of advice. He’d said that at the end of the day, all that really mattered was not what Josh did with the land, but that he had good people to call home. Not a place, he’d said. People. At twenty-four, when Josh had been given the ranch, he hadn’t thought much of that. He’d been determined to carry on his father’s legacy, to make Split Valley Ranch something he could be proud of, and he’d jumped into the sweaty, backbreaking work with all the vigor of a young man. But now he was thirty-six, and Josh was thinking about his father’s words a lot lately.

Mostly he was thinking about the way his last relationship had crashed and burned. Josh didn’t think he was asking for too much, but so far life hadn’t been kind to him as far as romance was concerned. In fact, he’d had his heart kicked around a cow pasture a couple of times. Frankly, he’d prefer to be the night-calver for a whole season, stuck waiting up all night for heifers that might have trouble birthing, more than he would like a repeat of that dating experience. Josh had sort of come to terms with the fact that this was his lot in life: his land and his cattle.

So why couldn’t he get Amy out of his head?

“What’s your deal?” his friend Noah said from the other side of Josh’s truck as they loaded the bed with supplies. Josh had noticed some downed portions of the fence when he was driving into town the other day and Noah was here to help with the repair. The cattle weren’t currently using that pasture, but it was best to repair these things when he found them. If not, he’d forget about it in the chaos of the ranch until he drove out to find the cattle on the road one day.

“What are you talking about?”

Noah shrugged. “You’re quieter than usual. That’s all.”

“And that’s saying something!” Noah’s brother Ryder laughed. He crossed the porch, a toolbox in his hand, clunking down the steps in his work boots. “What he actually means is you’re brooding worse than a hen.”

Noah inclined his head toward Josh as if to say he’s not wrong.

Josh sighed, leaning against the bed of the truck. Noah and Ryder Trent were some of his best friends. Their family owned and operated Stargazer Ranch, and though Josh had been a couple years ahead of them at school, once he took over Split Valley, he’d become better acquainted with the brothers, frequently bumping into them at the feed store and at the Tenacity Social Club on his nights off.

“Is something wrong?” Noah asked. He crossed his arms, his flannel shirt bunching at his elbows. He looked tired, dark circles lingering beneath his eyes, though as a single dad to triplet toddlers, he always had that look about him. Between working the ranch and looking after his boys, Noah didn’t have a lot of time for socializing, so Josh appreciated these visits even more. He also appreciated that they were willing to help out with a quick repair. It would save him from having to pull the ranch hands away from their work—he always employed a couple during calving season.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Josh assured him. “I’m just…thinking. That’s all.”

Ryder scoffed. “Thinking? In my experience,” he said as he placed the toolbox in the bed of the truck, “only two things make a man sigh like that. Women and money. And I doubt the ranch is about to go under, so that only leaves one thing.”

“Maybe those are the only two things you’re thinking about,” Noah said. Ryder was known for his roving eye. Josh was pretty sure he’d already dated every eligible woman in town.

“No,” Ryder said, clapping Noah on the shoulder. “I also think about how I can rile up my nephews right before bedtime.”