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Amelia took a deep breath and stared out across the water. She could see the two cowboys slowly riding toward the swimming hole and then watched as the horses lowered their heads toward the water to take a drink. They looked so big and the horses looked small. Not that Amelia knew much about horses, but it appeared as if the cowboys riding them were extra large. She couldn’t help but wonder if one of them were one of Regan’s brothers. Any of them would be great to see.
“They make me crazy sometimes. Plus my brothers are especially hard and critical. They’re ex-military you know. Special Forces, Green Berets, and stuff. Each of them is their own arsenal.” Regan gave a small laugh. When Amelia turned to look at her, Regan was raising each of her eyebrows in a silly manner as if hinting at Amelia’s obvious attraction to them.
Amelia gave Regan a little shove.
“Cut it out. I’m not interested and they’re your brothers. I wouldn’t want to cause another fight around them. God knows how Mad Dog or even Sniper, would react,” Amelia said sarcastically.
Regan laughed. “They each are a force to reckon with. That’s brothers, I guess,” Regan said then smiled.
“I wouldn’t know. Even when my brothers were alive, life was hard and they were indifferent. You’re lucky, you know? To have four brothers who care, and of course three dads, and a mom. God, I can’t even get over that still. It’s so cool.” Amelia leaned back and watched the cowboys. As soon as the horses had their fill, the cowboys headed up toward the area where Amelia and Regan sat. It would take them some time to get up the hill at their slow pace.
“You saw them last night. They were there the moment you needed assistance.”
“Murphy did help me out with Tucker. Of course afterward the others did reprimand me. I think Sniper basically said I was immature and flaunted myself, asking for Tucker’s actions.”
Regan made a sound with her mouth.
“I wouldn’t worry about Sniper. He keeps to himself and mostly has nothing nice to say anyway. My brothers can be indifferent, too. I think being in the military hardened them and made them untrusting.”
“Your brothers were in the military for a long time. Of course they’re affected. But they seem pretty confident and they’re all working.”
“I guess so. I mean it is obvious that they care. It just gets on my nerves sometimes. I think the best part of last night, was finally meeting your mystery airport man, that ultimately introduced you to the sexy possibilities of living the single life in Houston.” Regan teased Amelia. Amelia felt her cheeks warm as she shook her head.
“Yeah, well first impressions are kind of screwed up and inaccurate sometimes.”
Regan laughed.
“I’m going to head up to check my cell phone, and to see if Galen called. My sister, Velma, asked me to check out the three outfits she brought for her birthday in two weeks.”
Regan stood up and smiled.
“She’s beautiful and looks way older than twenty. I bet your brothers will start worrying about her and maybe give you some slack.” Amelia winked. Regan chuckled.
“Honey, you don’t know the Haas brothers like I do. Will you be okay out here by yourself?”
“I’m going to sit just for a little while longer. I promised your mom that I would help her with dinner.”
“She’ll love that, just as I’m sure that everyone will love that cheesecake you made.”
Amelia smiled then leaned back and closed her eyes. She started thinking about her new life here. The hospital was ten minutes from the condo and Regan said she spoke to Murphy about finding an apartment to rent near her new job. Of course Regan said she was fine with having Amelia stay with her for however long, but Amelia overheard Galen asking about sleeping over, and Regan denied him. Amelia didn’t want to stand in the way of her friend’s love life.
She crossed her legs and allowed the relaxing atmosphere to ease her mind.
She wasn’t too surprised that she thought of her brothers, Kyle and Edward. She really thought that she could have saved Kyle. But she learned that people have to have some bit of hope of desire to live, or else it was useless. Why couldn’t she have brothers like Regan did? As the thought hit her mind, she realized that she wouldn’t want them as brothers. She couldn’t even pretend to see them in that light or with that label. Seeing them as brothers was the farthest thing from her mind.
“How did you find one of the best spots on the ranch?”
Amelia jumped as she sat forward and looked behind her. The sudden sound of a man’s voice startled her.
“Oh God, Ricky, you scared me.”
She watched as Ricky walked around the bench and stared down at her. He kept one hand on his hip and holster. It was taking some getting used to, seeing so many people carrying firearms wherever they went. Back in New York, weapons were concealed, and usually carried by cops and thugs. Ricky was sporting a black gun. She had no clue what kind because he looked so sexy.
“Didn’t mean to scare you, darling. You looked so lost in thought,” he said and she tried to look into his eyes, but the black Stetson he wore was low. It made him appear dangerous. She had the silly “butterflies in her stomach” sensation, and she wasn’t certain why.
“It’s so peaceful out here. You all must have loved growing up on the ranch,” she said as she pried her eyes off of the man and forced herself to look toward the two men getting down off the horses. Mad Dog.
She didn’t know who the other guy was. Her eyes zeroed in on Mad Dog and how his presence instantly magnified the atmosphere around them.
