“Thanks. It’s nice to be back in Harland County.”
“My sentiments exactly,” a vaguely familiar male voice said from behind.
Amanda turned to glance at the newcomer and smiled as she recognized Olivia’s high school boyfriend.
“I think we just detected what made our sister scamper away,” Emily muttered before rising to her feet. “Why, Josh Masters, as I live and breathe.”
“Hey, Emily,” he said, pulling her sister in for a hug. “I’d know those curls anywhere.”
Still smiling, she waited her turn to greet the black-haired, blue-eyed dreamboat, as a rodeo magazine once called him. “Hi, Josh.”
“Hi, Amanda.” After releasing Emily, he glanced at her up and down.
She frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Just checking to see if you had a horseshoe in your hand,” came his deadpan reply.
The guy had been a witness to her horseshoe debacle all those years ago.
“Why, you!” She punched his shoulder before he hugged her close. “I was going to say it was great to see you again, but now I don’t know.”
“I thought that was great,” Emily muttered.
He released Amanda and smiled at them both. “It’s great to see you two again. Would you mind if I sit with you?”
“Mind? Of course not.” Amanda motioned for him to take Olivia’s vacant seat, noting several women giggling nearby.
“Yeah, it looks like you could use some bodyguards,” Emily said, eyeing the women. “We’d be glad to help.”
“Thanks.” Josh sighed as he sat down.
“I heard you retired from the rodeo circuit,” Emily said, reaching for her water. “What happened? No more records to break?”
He chuckled. “No. No more bones to break.”
Amanda winced. She remembered reading he’d broken his left leg for the second time a few years back. “So now what are you gonna do?
“Well, I just bought some land off my cousins’ husbands’ family.”
She frowned.
“Oh, the McCalls.” Emily smiled. “I forgot Kerry and Jordan’s last name used to be Masters.”
He nodded. “Yeah, they’re my cousins. I thought I’d try raising some bulls for the circuit. Connor’s gonna give me some pointers.”
Connor was Kerri’s husband and a cattle rancher. He was also Mac’s cousin. She smiled. That six degrees of separation thing fit most people in Harland.
“That’s great to hear,” her sister said.
“Yeah.” She smiled. “Good for you.”
Emily’s phone rang. She frowned at the screen. “Uh oh. Work,” she said before answering the call. “When? Okay. I’ll be there in ten.” She ended the call and sent her an apologetical look. “Sorry. Injured cow in the road. I gotta go.” She transferredher gaze to Josh. “Would you mind giving my sister a ride home?”
“Of course not. No problem,” he replied.
Emily started to fish in her purse, but Amanda stilled her hand. “I’ll get the bill. You just go. And be careful.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Emily told her, then rose to her feet, and Josh did the same. “It was nice seeing you again, Josh.”
