Page 51 of All in with the Maverick Montana

Clearly he was never serious about her, likely stringing her along the way only some big-time, sleazy Hollywood actor could. And though Josh didn’t know what it was like to have the father of your baby run off and marry someone else, he did know what it was to have his heart stomped on, so as torn as he was about the news, he was also sympathetic to what Amy was going through. And he was also a little ashamed of himself for just walking out on her.

Wasn’t that what Tru had done?

God, he was better than this. Josh pounded his fist against the steering wheel.

He was better. He was just… Scared? Worried? Completely out of his depth?

He knew things were different now. They’d changed the moment the words had left Amy’s mouth. He just wished he knew how they’d changed. Was everything that had happened between them meaningless now? Had all the moments and feelings and smiles and laughter been for nothing?

No, he reasoned. It didn’t need to be. Tru had left Amy. He didn’t want to be in her life. He’d chosen someone else. So this didn’t change anything.

But as soon as he had that thought, another question rose to the forefront of his mind. What if Tru didn’t want to abandon Amy once he found out she was having his child? Yes, he did just get married. And yes, he’d chosen someone else. But maybe becoming a father would force a change of heart. Maybe he’d come to his senses and see the error of his ways. He’d finally realize how wonderful Amy was and want to start this family with her.

And where did that leave Josh? Would he want to stand in Tru’s way if he decided he wanted to be a real father?

Yes! Josh’s heart shouted. A thousand times yes.

But that wasn’t the right answer. He’d never want to deprive Amy and her baby of the baby’s father. That was jealousy talking, and Josh knew he wasn’t handling this well. He’d walked out on Amy, he was jealous of Tru McCoy, and he really wanted a drink. That might not help him in the end, but it was the only real plan he’d come up with.

His eyes drifted down the road, past the shops on Central Avenue to the sign for the Tenacity Social Club. It was a former speakeasy turned gathering place in the basement of the building that housed the town’s post office and barbershop. Local musicians often performed, but Josh was most interested in the fact that he might be able to drown his sorrows there on a weeknight.

He turned into the parking lot, got out of his truck, and walked inside. It was a dimly lit space, filled with dark-stained tables. There were no televisions mounted to the ceiling here or craft brews on the menu, and Josh liked it that way.

He nodded to people he knew, which was practically everybody. Tenacity was small, but the crowd here was even smaller. The kind of place where everybody knew your name and your daddy’s name and your granddaddy’s. Josh didn’t know if he was quite in the mood to sit down and join any of them, so he opted to take a seat at the bar instead. The bar itself was an old wooden plank with lovers’ initials carved into it. It read like a who’s who of Tenacity, and Josh’s stomach turned thinking about Amy as his fingers brushed over the carvings.

“You look like you just got kicked by a horse,” Mike Cooper said as he offered Josh a beer from behind the bar. He was a fellow rancher who often moonlighted as a bartender. He was younger than Josh, with brown curls, and a kind smile. Mike had the kind of soft, sympathetic stare that often had Tenacity locals spilling their guts, especially after a few drinks.

Josh huffed a humorless laugh. “Sorta feels that way.”

“You know, this job’s made me pretty good at listening.” He took a couple glasses and filled them, passing them down the bar. “If you need an ear or just someone to bounce things off of, I’m not a bad option.”

Josh dipped his head. He appreciated the sympathetic ear, but he wasn’t about to spill Amy’s business all over town. In a place like this the news would spread like wildfire and the rumors would twist and turn until it was impossible to set people straight. The last thing Josh wanted was to chase Amy out of town.

He just sipped his drink and brooded. “Not sure talking it out is gonna help much.”

“That’s fair,” Mike said. “You can only talk around a problem so much. Sometimes you just need to take action.”

If only Josh knew what that action was.

He drank his beer, and his thoughts swirled worse than before. The drink likely wasn’t helping. He could go back to see Amy. Or at least call her. But after watching him walk away, would she want anything to do with him? And if he did call, what would he even say?

It was a stupid decision, but Josh told himself that another drink might help clear things up. He knew it was a lie but he could pretend for a few minutes. “I’ll take another when you’ve got a second,” he said to Mike, downing the last gulp and pushing his empty bottle back across the bar.

Mike handed him another beer on his way by with a tray of drinks destined for a table in the back. When Mike returned he started cleaning glasses.

“Do you ever think love can be hell?” Josh said.

“Figured that’s what you were in here about.”

“Isn’t that most of your patrons?”

Mike nodded. “It’s either love or land out here.”

Josh almost wished it were something to do with the ranch. He could handle that. Matters of the heart were so much more complicated. Just when he thought everything was going so perfectly, just when he thought that Amy might turn out to be the one, the universe charged in and wrecked it all. Maybe he really wasn’t suited for love. Maybe it was time he stopped looking for Mrs. Right or Ms. Right Now or Ms. Whatever.

Josh snorted. “It’s definitely not the land.”

“I didn’t think so.” Mike sighed. “I’m not a stranger to it myself, so I know that feeling.”