“She calls from payphones.”
Ford frowned, surprised at that.
Amelia looked thoughtful. “Do you remember any of the numbers that she’s called from?”
“Only that they’re 407 numbers, but that’s most of Orlando.”
“It’s okay – we’ll find her,” said Ford.
He frowned when Wade came and opened the door next to him. There had been plenty of room for the three of them to sit back here on the way from the airport, but Ford didn’t want to crowd Hunter.
“Want to get in the back?” he asked Wade. Since Cash always insisted on renting Suburbans, Wade could use the third row.
Hunter surprised him when he said, “It’s okay. I can scoot up.”
Amelia held Ford’s gaze with a shocked look on her face as Hunter climbed onto his lap. The kid seemed to pick up on their reactions and looked up at him.
“Is this okay? I mean, you’re my uncle, aren’t you?”
“It’s fine by me,” said Ford.
At that moment, Cash and Ty arrived and climbed in the front. Wade got in next to Ford and slammed the other door.
Cash turned in his seat to look back at them. “How are we doing, folks? It’s nice to meet you, Hunter.”
Ford was amazed by the kid’s resilience when he smiled and said, “It’s nice to meet you, too. Thanks for coming to get me.”
He looked at Ty and Wade in turn. “Thank you. Can we go find Nat now?”
Amelia finally found her voice and said, “That’s the plan.”
Cash started the engine, and Hunter asked, “So, you guys are all cowboys, then?”
Wade chuckled. “Was it the hats that gave us away?”
Hunter smiled at him but didn’t answer.
Ford was still a little shocked to have the bony little guy sitting on his lap – not that he minded. He was shocked in a good way. He’d been expecting that it would take some time before the kid trusted anyone.
“I should introduce you to everyone,” Amelia said.
“Yeah, I thought it would be just you coming to get me. I didn’t know you were married.”
Amelia tensed beside Ford, and he shot her a quick smile. The last thing he wanted was her freaking out about the kid’s assumption. A ball of disappointment settled in his stomach when she said, “I’m not.”
When Hunter looked up at him, Ford winked and said, “Yet.”
“Oh. Sorry,” said Hunter. “I thought… when I asked if you were my uncle…”
“I want to be,” Ford told him.
“We all want to be,” said Cash from the driver’s seat. “Right, Amelia?”
She finally smiled and seemed to relax as she said, “That’s right. These guys are… Wade – Uncle Wade.”
Wade held his hand out and as Hunter shook it, he said, “Nice to meet you. When we get back to the ranch, I’ll introduce you to Mateo and Maya – my kids. I think you’re about the same age as Mateo.”
“And this is your Uncle Ty,” Cash jerked his thumb, and Ty turned in the passenger seat. He, too, shook hands with Hunter.