Counting Stars (A Donnelley Brother's Novel)
impossibly deep. “I thought
that request was a condition from whoever put that diamond on your
pretty little finger.” He smirked, oblivious to the wild pain
rearing its ugly head in my heart. “Don’t worry, city girl. I’m not
judging. We get a lot of bored women out here, and just like them,
you’ll get over whatever crisis you’ve got going on and you’ll be
back in the city—to your life—before anyone’s even noticed you’re
gone.”
    My voice was thick with
pain and barely even audible. “Get out.”
    At the low sound of my
voice, Logan’s smirk turned to a frown. “Reese,”
    I screamed. “Get out!
Get out! Get out!”
    “Okay,” Logan raised his
hands, stepping back. “I’m going.”
    I reached forward to
pull the zipper down in a desperate attempt to conceal the
onslaught of tears. As soon as I was shut off from Logan’s confused
eyes, I curled up in my sleeping bag and cried. Silent sobs wracked
my body for what felt like hours. As I had been crying, Logan had
built a fire. I could hear the crackling of the coals in the heat
as I lay silently, my heart and head aching. My stomach had growled
a few times, but I couldn’t seem to peel myself from where I was
laying on the sleeping bag.
    A tap sounded against
the tent and I opened my eyes to see Logan’s shadowed form standing
by the door of the tent.
    “What?” I croaked,
hating the sound of my voice.
    “I have to go catch
dinner.” He said gruffly. “I need you to come out here and watch
the fire.”
    I sat up, “You’re not
teaching me to fish?”
    “Not tonight.” He
answered and then added. “I’d prefer you watch the fire the first
night. Make sure nothing gets out of hand.”
    “Okay.” I replied
quietly. How could I have possibly allowed myself to fight with him
within our first twenty-four hours? What was wrong with me? “I’ll
be right out.”
    Logan didn’t say
anything. I watched his shadow disappear as he walked away. As I
looked around the tent, I regretted not bringing a compact mirror
with me. I was certain my eyes were puffy and red from my crying.
I’d never been a pretty crier and for some reason, I didn’t want
Logan to see me this way.
    Taking in a deep breath,
I rubbed my hands over my face before fanning my flesh. When I felt
normal enough, I crawled to the door and unzipped the tent. It took
serious courage to step out from the safety of the shelter. I
didn’t want to see judgment in Logan’s eyes, but as I walked
forward, my eyes found Logan, and there was no judgment. There was
no pity or even curiosity. There was nothing. It was both a relief
and depressing. I didn’t know why I felt that way.
    Logan twirled the
fishing rod between his fingers as he toed a bucket. “I shouldn’t
be too long. I’ll clean the fish down by the river and then we’ll
foil it and cook it up here. Do what you want while you wait, but
make sure you feed the fire.” He lifted his eyes to my face and I
felt a blush warm my cheeks. “Any questions or concerns?”
    I shook my head.
“No.”
    “Good.” He turned to
walk toward the trees, but before he disappeared into them, he
turned. “If you need me, call out for me. I’ll be able to hear you.
The river isn’t all that far.”
    I nodded. “Okay.”
    Logan didn’t say
anything else as he turned and walked into the trees. How he knew
where he was going was beyond me. It was a maze out here. Over the
course of our hike we’d walked over rocky trails, through dense
trees and over mossy ground. We’d come to a few clearings along the
way, but now that we were settled I had a feeling Logan had been
searching for a place to settle near the water.
    I couldn’t wait to take
a few hours to explore the land. I wondered if Logan would allow me
to wander alone, or if he would demand to come along. The man
thought I was brainless. There was no doubt in my mind he was
prepared to return to camp to find the fire dwindling down to coals
and dust. As I had the thought, I stood

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