Page 8 of All in with the Maverick Montana

“Because it’ll probably end badly. So avoiding the whole thing seems wiser.”

“Sure, if you never put yourself out there, you’ll maybe save yourself the heartache, but you also might miss out on something really great.”

Ryder laughed, almost choking on his beer. “Listen to the two of you, carrying on like the Quilting Club. Josh, you know what your problem is? You need to get laid and stop thinking so much.”

“We can’t all be a Lothario,” Josh muttered.

Ryder grinned and nudged Josh’s shoulder. “I’m serious. Every lady likes a grand gesture. Do something spontaneous, get her attention, and I’m telling you, she’s yours.”

“I don’t know.” The idea of doing anything particularly bold made him uncomfortable, especially without knowing if Amy was in any way interested.

“Better than you sitting around here moping with the cattle about it.”

“I’m not moping.”

“What would you call it then?”

“Look at it this way,” Noah cut in. “If you don’t ask her out, Ryder will probably try. So just think of it like that. You’re saving the girl from a far worse fate than you.”

Josh burst into laughter as Ryder scowled at his brother. Noah spilled his beer down his shirt from snickering so hard.

***

In Josh’s experience, telling himself not to think about something only made him want to dwell on it more. And he was beginning to think that he wasn’t ever going to be able to shake Amy from his thoughts. He’d tried in a lot of ways since his conversation with Noah and Ryder a couple days ago. Really, he had. He’d thrown himself into his work. He’d gotten up earlier and went to bed later. He’d started projects he’d been putting off, and even made an effort to pop into the Tenacity Social Club to catch up with his neighbors.

The problem with ranching was it left him with a lot of time to think. Cattle weren’t the best conversationalists, so his mind wandered. And no matter how often he redirected them, his thoughts inevitably returned to Amy.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and Josh yanked it out, eager for the distraction. An image of his mother filled the screen. Josh answered it. “Hey, Mom. Thought you and Dad would already be on your way.”

“Hi, honey. We just boarded the ship, but we don’t depart for another couple of hours. They need time to get all the passengers and luggage on board. Can you believe your father almost misplaced his passport this morning?”

Josh checked his watch. Seattle was only an hour behind Tenacity. His parents would be destined for Alaska before lunch.

“Your father’s disappeared in this breakfast buffet somewhere. I’ve never seen so much food. Harry!” she shouted suddenly. “Harry, get over here. Josh is on the phone!”

Josh laughed. He could just imagine his father heading straight for an all-you-can-eat platter of bacon. His mother would be spending the entire trip hounding him about his cholesterol.

“Anyway,” his mother continued. “We just wanted to check in before we left. I don’t know when our next chance will be. I’m sure reception will be spotty once we’re out at sea.”

“Right.”

“How are things going?”

“Good. The ranch is good. Calving season is on track.”

“Mmm hmm,” his mother said. “And is that all?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t pester the boy, Margaret,” he heard his father say in the background.

“Quiet, Harry,” his mother said. “I’m talking about this young lady that you’ve met.”

Josh’s jaw dropped. How the heck did she know about Amy all the way in Seattle? “I don’t… I don’t know—”

“Don’t play that game with me, son.”

“What game?”