Page 60 of The Cattleman's Unforgettable Love

"You were meant to," said Cash. "You and Blane are getting worse."

He had a point. Amelia had worked with the guys for a long while now. Mav and Blane could never have been described as easy-going types, but over the last year or so, they both seemed to have gotten more and more dour – or to use Cash's words, fucking miserable.

Blane's face appeared on the screen beside Mav's. "Would you quit your whining? And if you keep bitching about us like that, we might change our minds."

Amelia's gaze darted to Mav's, and he gave her a slight nod. If she wasn't mistaken, there was the ghost of a smile on his lips too, but she wouldn't put money on that.

Cash rolled his eyes at her. "They think they're a fucking comedy double act these days."

"Make your mind up," said Mav. "Are we a pair of miserable bastards or a comedy duo? Which is it?"

Cash let out a short laugh. "Most of the time I couldn't tell you from one minute to the next. So come on, we're done with the meeting. Did you come back on just to torment me? Or...?"

Amelia held her breath as she watched Mav and Blane exchange a look on the screen. She had a feeling she knew what was coming. She glanced at Cash – and she'd guess that he was thinking the same thing.

"We're doing it," said Mav.

"What? Driving me nuts?" asked Cash. "Yep, but that's not news."

"Zip it, would you?" said Blane. "Or like I said, we'll change our minds."

Amelia had to laugh. "I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them how similar working with you guys is to working with a bunch of school kids."

She laughed when all three of them glowered at her. There was a time when she first started working with them that she might have felt intimidated, but not anymore. They might be big, tough guys who put the fear of God into most people – and with good reason – but she knew she was good with them.

"What?" she asked. "Will one of you just spit it out so that we can get on with the rest of our day?"

"What's the hurry?" asked Mav. "You have a hot date tonight?"

She could feel the heat in her cheeks, but she didn't let that stop her. "As a matter of fact, I do. I've been contacted by an outfit in DC. They want to hire me, and I believe they'll treat me better than this cowboy outfit I've been working for."

Of course, she was only joking, but her words seemed to stun both Mav and Blane into silence. Even Cash turned to scowl at her.

She laughed. "Geez, guys, I'm joking. Don't look at me like that."

"Don't even say shit like that in jest, honey," Mav told her. "It's not funny."

She shrugged. "Okay, I won't do it again then." She met his gaze and held it. "If you don't pick on me."

He gave her a rueful smile. "You got yourself a deal."

She was fairly certain that they all knew that he'd been referring to Ford when he asked about her having a hot date, but she'd never allowed her private life to be a matter of discussion. She certainly wasn't going to start now that Ford was part of her private life.

"Okay, so moving on before Amelia decides she's going to leave us," said Blane. "Drum roll, please," he said to Mav, who rapped his hands on the desk in front of him. Blane smiled and said solemnly, "We've decided it's time; we're coming home."

Amelia grinned. Their announcement meant the world to her. Blane gave one of his rare smiles, and she knew that it meant even more to Cash. While he and Mav looked at each other in that way they did – she'd swear that they had entire telepathic conversations when they locked gazes like that – she smiled at Blane.

"I'm happy for you. I met your sister last weekend – she's lovely. I bet she'll be thrilled."

Blane scowled. "Do me a favor and don't say anything just yet. I want to tell her myself."

Cash chuckled. "You'd better get your ass back here quick, then, or I'll tell her."

"Don't do it, Cash," Blane ground out the words.

Cash just shrugged happily. "Then come on home so I won't have to. I want to celebrate right now, but I'll believe it when I see it. We've been talking about making this move for a long time. Just get your asses back here so that we can get things set up, huh?"

Mav smiled at Amelia. "He's never happy, is he? He's finally getting what he wants, and all he has to say about it is hurry up."

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