Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“You think I don’t know that? You think I’m blind to the way tourists look at her, or how the ranch hands jack off thinking about her when they go home? She covers herself from head to toe in sweats so she doesn’t draw attention, but she can’t hide who she is.”
Logan curled his fists at the image of any man using Skylar as a means to get off. But he’d have to deal with that later. The chip on Jake’s shoulder was wider than the Grand Canyon, and he needed to rein him in before he erupted. “Jake, I’ve seen and done things most men can’t comprehend.” Jake opened his mouth to argue further, so Logan raised his hand to stall him. “Hear me out. If you still want to break my nose when I’m done, I won’t stop you, but know I’ll put your ass on the ground then throw it in jail if you can’t control your temper.”
The kid’s jaw ticked, but he leaned his back fully against the wall in a show of restraint.
“War makes men out of boys. Overnight in some instances. It teaches us responsibility. How to survive. How to recognize good from evil. And how to use our instincts. All of this,” Logan spread his arms wide to encompass Ennis, “is fucking heaven compared to what’s out there. I grew up in foster care. Didn’t have shit I could call my own until I entered the army. I’m not the type of man who trusts easily, but when I do, it’s rock solid. The closest thing I had to family died in front of my eyes a year ago, so I discharged from the army to heal and find some semblance of peace. The moment I met your sister, I found that peace. Knew she’d been waiting here for me to find.”
His brows pulled tightly across his forehead in disbelief.
“You think because we only met three days ago, she wasn’t waiting for me?”
“What I think is that you’re screwed up by war and you’re latching on to the first kind woman who has crossed your path.”
Logan pushed off the wall and dropped his head back on his shoulders then rolled his neck for patience. He might have thought the same thing in Jake’s position, but the kid didn’t have a clue what Logan felt for his sister, so he’d give him a pass for now.
“Do you believe in God, Jake?”
The kid shrugged. “Yeah.”
“Do you believe in fate?”
“Like predestined shit?”
“Exactly. Persons or events who are predestined to meet or happen.”
The kid scoffed. “You think fate brought you to Ennis to meet Skylar?”
“I believe everything that’s happened in the past year set me on a course to be exactly where I am now. If you believe in a just God, like you say, then you have to believe He puts people in our path for a reason. And if I believe all of that, which I do, then I have to believe Skylar has been here waiting for me to find her.”
“This is crazy talk,” Jake growled.
Logan took a step closer to Jake and lowered his voice so he wouldn’t be overheard. “There’s nothing crazy about the way I feel about your sister. My world shifted for the better the moment we met. She’s the fire that warms my soul. The breath in my lungs since the moment we met.”
“Right. A complete stranger solved all your issues in a day.”
“Look, kid, you can believe me or not, I don’t really give a fuck, but I’m telling you the moment we met on the side of the road, a part of me knew the truth.”
“And what truth is that?”
“That God brought us together so we could fight each other’s demons.”
Jake seemed confused by Logan’s admission. “Skylar doesn’t have any demons.”
“Then you’re not as smart as I thought. She was close to drowning, Jake. Barely treading water. Think back three days to your fight in the truck.” Guilt masked his features and he looked away, swallowing hard. “She laid it out for me while we were on the road, so I’d know what she was dealing with. I won’t let her go under, but you need to man up and ease some of her burden or you’ll answer to me.”
Jake turned his head and stared into the distance, chewing on the inside of his mouth while he thought about what Logan had said. “Her demons involve Josh and me, don’t they?”
Logan nodded. “She promised your father she’d keep the three of you together, no matter what. She’s been treading water since his death, but Chance put a weight around her neck.”
The kid raised his hands and grabbed the back of his neck. “And Josh and I fighting all the time just made it worse, didn’t it?”
“Don’t worry about Josh, I’ve got him under control. Just concentrate on getting a scholarship. You do that and it’ll be one less thing for Skylar to worry about.”