Page 56 of Wilde Hearts

I quickly glanced around to make sure no one heard us, then leaned closer to my sister. “I don’t think it’s serious. I mean, I think Berkeley wants it to be, but you know our brother.”

“So a no-strings kind of thing?” Emeline asked.

I nodded. “The only reason I know is because I’ve seen her leaving the barn a few times, and I saw her car parked outside your old cabin one morning when I was out riding.”

After Emeline married Levi, she’d moved in with him and the kids, and Gatlin moved into the small cabin that once belonged to our great-grandmother, where Emeline previously lived.

“Really? I’m surprised he’s having her come to the ranch. If Mom sees that, she’ll start planning a wedding.”

I covered my mouth to keep from laughing. Turning to see if Colt was talking to Logan still, I frowned. “Are they leaving together?”

“No, he surely came with his parents.”

Narrowing my eyes, I forced myself not to grit my teeth. I had absolutely no reason to be jealous, and it was honestly none of my business. Still…

“Then why did he help her with her coat? And now she’s got her arm around his as they walk out the door.”

Emeline drew in a quick breath. “He wouldn’t. Would he?”

I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but my heart sank as Colt and Logan disappeared out of sight. Emeline and I both turned and looked at each other.

“She’s up to something,” Emeline said, with an expression that said if I needed her, she’d be next to me during the war.

Nodding, I took one more glance in the direction of the exit as I agreed, “She’s totally up to something.”

Colt

As I walked out of the event center with my mother, father, and Logan Miller, I couldn’t help but feel that the young lady clutching my arm was up to no good.

“How in the world did your parents leave without you, Logan?” my mother asked, clearly as confused as I was.

“Oh, they’ve done it before. I think they’ve grown so used to me not being around, they simply forgot that I came with them.”

My mother stared at her, as my father and I exchanged a look that said neither of us believed the story she was dishing out. The girl had spent most of the evening following me around, thinking up one reason after another to talk to me. She couldn’t have been more than twenty, maybe twenty-one.

We were almost to my truck when I spied Janet Miller, Logan’s grandmother.

“Janet!” I called out, and she turned and looked at me. I’d run into her earlier in the evening, and she’d asked a million questions. Where had I been? Why hadn’t I come home sooner? Then she asked me if I wanted to do an interview for her column, which I’d politely declined.

She smiled. Then she saw that Logan was next to me, and a look of confusion crossed her face, but it was gone almost instantly.

“I’m glad we caught you before you left,” I said. “Logan needs a ride home. Her parents left without her.”

Logan made an odd sound beside me, then she started sputtering. “Oh, they, um, they didn’t mean to leave me, Gram. But the Owens were nice enough to offer me a ride home, so I’m good.”

“Logan, wouldn’t it be easier to ride home with your grandmother, since your parents live right next door to her? You do still live at home, correct?” my mother stated. “It’s a bit out of our way to take you home if we don’t need to.”

Logan’s nostrils flared, but she managed to force a smile in my mother’s direction. “Yes, Mrs. Owens, you’re right. It would be easier for everyone if I rode home with my grandparents.”

Janet’s eyes bounced around the group before settling on her granddaughter. She seemed to give her a warning look before turning her attention back to my parents. “It was good seeing you, and I’m glad you’re feeling better, Jacob.”

My father tipped his cowboy hat at Janet before saying, “I’m a bit tired; we should be hitting the road.”

“Of course, of course,” Janet said, as she motioned for Logan to start making her way to the car.

“Good night, everyone!” Janet called out, as she turned and followed her.

“You lucked out with that one.”