Counting Stars (A Donnelley Brother's Novel) (7 page)

I offered the men a
polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you, as well.”

Next, Gracie led me over
to an older man whom I was assuming to be her husband. “John, this
is Reese. Reese, this is my husband.”

John held his hand out
for me to shake and I shook if firmly, something my father had
taught me to do. John approved. “Firm shake. Strong girl.”

“Thank you.” I replied
before letting go. “You have a lovely home. I couldn’t see much of
the land while I was driving, but I can’t wait to explore it.”

“Thank you, Reese.” He
looked over my head to Gracie, his lips curling into a loving grin.
“Get the little girl some tea, she looks exhausted. I’m sure she’d
like to find a bed at some point tonight, if Logan ever plans to
stop harassing her.”

A hoot sounded and I
recognized Collin’s playful voice. I had a hunch that he was the
youngest of the four boys, but I couldn’t be certain. “I can show
her a bed.”

I didn’t turn around,
but I heard a thud and then a ‘ouch’ and then there was laughter
and manly jabs. I wasn’t positive, but I had a pretty good feeling
Logan caused Collin’s pain. Kyle and Luke were teasing heartily and
when I glanced over my shoulder, Logan was staring at me with dark
eyes. He looked furious.

I turned back to the
counter. I needed tea and I needed to get out of here. Things were
getting weird and my heart wanted nothing more than to escape the
dark eyes of Logan Donnelley.

Wringing my hands, I
waited as Gracie dropped two tea bags into the steaming water. “Do
you take cream? Sugar? Milk?”

“Honey?” I questioned,
feeling breathless.

She nodded. “Honey it
is.”

I watched as she dunked
a large scoop of honey into my tea before handing me the mug. “Come
on, sweetie. Let’s leave these hooligans to their own devices.”

“You should take a
blanket.” A deep voice sounded above the loud yammering’s and I
turned slowly to face Logan, who was still eyeing me intensely.

“I’ll be fine.” I
assured curtly. “Thank you.”

“You’re in a skirt and a
tank top.” He growled.

I rolled my eyes and saw
him stiffen. His black eyes narrowed and I explained hurriedly,
“It’s a maxi skirt.”

“I don’t know what that
means.” He frowned, unbending. “Take a blanket.”

“It means it’s long.” I
replied matter of fact. “I don’t need a blanket.”

“Reese,” Logan stepped
forward, and again, the room silenced. What in the world was wrong
with this goon? And who did he think he was, bossing me around like
this?

Gracie spoke. “We’ve got
a blanket, Logan.” I glanced back at Gracie who was now holding a
blanket in her arms. “Can we go outside now?”

Logan didn’t reply. And
when I glanced back at him, his eyes were on me. I doubted that
he’d even removed them once. Turning back around, I followed Gracie
from the house onto a massive wooden patio.

Gracie led me to a set
of brown wicker chairs topped with thick green cushions. I set my
tea on the glass topped wicker coffee table and stared at the
blanket Gracie held out to me. “You should use this.”

“I’m really fine.” I
replied, taking the blanket regardless. I almost feared Logan would
come storming out here and wrap me in it if I didn’t use it. “Thank
you, though.”

“You’re very welcome,
Reese.” She made herself comfortable in the chair across from
me.

“Logan’s pretty, um,
intense.” I spoke after a few minutes of sipping the tea. Logan had
been right—it was pretty chilly outside and I was happy I had a
blanket to snuggle up in. I wasn’t dressed warmly like Gracie. It
had been a hot day and I liked wearing flowing skirts in summer. I
always had. Never before had I thought I would ever encounter a man
who responded to my way of dressing as Logan had.

Gracie eyed me curiously. “I’ve never met
that
Logan.”

“Pardon?” I questioned.
I didn’t understand what she was saying.

“The Logan you saw is
not the Logan I raised or know. I wasn’t lying when I told you
about him being the lone wolf. He doesn’t bother himself with those
around him and he never watches a woman the way he watched you.”
She brought her tea to her lips and I had a feeling it was to hide
a smile. “I think he likes you.”

“I assure you, he
doesn’t.” I felt the need to nip this in the bud before she blew it
out of proportion. “I don’t want him to.”

“Well,” she began and I
interrupted.

“Within the first five
minutes of meeting, your son and I were already arguing about who
was being presumptuous. He practically told me to get in my car and
drive myself back to the city where I belong.”

Gracie’s eyes widened.
“Logan’s not very fond of city folk, but even that sounds unlike
him. He’s really a very silent man.”

“I disagree. The man
says everything that comes to his mind, hurtful or otherwise.”

Gracie nodded, looking
slightly disgruntled. “I’m sorry for your experience with him, I’ll
have a discussion with him if you’d like.”

“No!” I was quick to
argue. The last thing I needed was to deal with an angry Logan. The
man was frightening enough as it was. I’d prefer the growly grump
to a possibly angry grump—especially if I was going to be spending
the next month with him alone in the wilderness. “Please don’t. I’d
rather not cause further animosity.”

“You call it animosity.
I call it heat.”

I blushed and looked
down into my tea. From the liquid, I stared at the reflection of my
sad eyes. “You know that’s not what I need, Gracie.”

She didn’t reply and I
looked up at her. “What you need comes in many forms, sometimes
it’s hard to see for yourself through the barriers and notions
you’ve put in place for yourself.”

This was getting too
personal—too close to him. I still needed him. “How did you do
that?” I pointed to her boot before tucking a strand of hair behind
my ear.

“Oh this,” she sighed.
“I slipped while I was hiking with Kyle and I guess I just went
down on it wrong. Thankfully, I don’t need crutches. That would
really cramp my style.”

I chuckled before
turning serious. “Do you think there’s anyone else who could take
me on the tour?”

She shook her head. “I’m
sorry, Reese, there’s no one. The other three boys have tours
booked all of August. And even if they didn’t, I still think you
should go with Logan. He’s really the best fit for you.”

“How?” I asked. I was
feeling frustrated and disheartened. “We’re toxic together, or
haven’t you noticed?”

“I’ve noticed
something.” Gracie said. “Apart from being a male, Logan has
everything you were looking for from a tour guide.”

“Can I reschedule?”

“Can you?” She asked,
raising a brow. “I thought you sold your house and don’t have
anywhere to stay. I thought you were planning on considering moving
out this way, or somewhere else, after the tour?”

I sighed, feeling my
throat tighten with emotion and frustration. “No, I can’t
reschedule.”

“I’m really very sorry,
Reese.” And I knew she was. I could see it in her eyes.

“It’s not your fault,
Gracie. I was just really looking forward to getting to know you
better.” I shrugged, trying to ease her guilt over something she
couldn’t change. “I’m sure the tour will be—enlightening.”

“I’m sure it will as
well, Reese.” She replied softly. “I’m sure it will as well.”

“Are you sure you’re
alright staying in the house?” Gracie asked for what felt like the
billionth time. “I really don’t mind getting one of the boys to
walk you out to a cabin if you’d prefer privacy.”

“I’m fine, Gracie, thank
you.” It was already so late and I didn’t want to bother anyone to
set me up in a private cabin. I pointed to the alarm. “What time
should I be up for?”

“Well, Logan plans to
leave around nine. He likes getting an early start.” Gracie replied
and I glanced at the clock. The glowing green numbers that read
1:43 a.m. mocked me. “So, I’ll have breakfast ready for you two at
8:00 a.m. if that’s alright?”

“It sounds perfect.
Thank you, Gracie.”

She nodded with her hand
curled around the doorknob. “I’m really happy you’re here, Reese.
I’ve never felt so certain about something as I do right now. This
is right where you belong.”

And then she shut the
door.

The alarm was the last
thing I wanted to hear. I nearly had a heart attack as the
unfamiliar sound beeped in my ear. Why I set the bedside table
alarm and not my cellphone was beyond me. Obviously, I hadn’t been
thinking much about anything last night.

Throwing the blankets
from my legs, I glared at the now silent alarm before padding
across the room to the bathroom. Glancing in the mirror, I groaned.
All my life, I’d wished I had curly hair, but I was stuck with
impossibly straight light brown strands. Thankfully my hair grew
quick, because I wasn’t one for short hair on a girl. It simply
wasn’t my thing.

. . . Looking into the mirror now makes me think of you
and the way you used to tell me how beautiful I was. This last year
has been so hard for me without you, Derek. I’m trying to accept
what happened—the accident—as Gods plan. I know, I’ve never really
been religious, but I need to believe in something now that you’re
gone. I need to believe your soul has gone
somewhere.

Your soul was so
beautiful. You were such a kind and gentle man—always so eager to
help those in need. That’s part of the reason I fell in love with
you.

Standing in front of the
mirror now, I try to remember all the ways you used to describe me.
Golden almond shaped eyes, high defined cheekbones, straight nose
and kissable lips . . . yes, kissable lips. I know just how
kissable they are now that you’re gone.

They are the reason
you’re gone.

I never thought that one
last kiss could be the variable that took your life. I never
thought that one last kiss could possibly be so damning.

I’m so sorry . . .

I shook the thoughts of
Derek from my mind as I gazed over my image in the mirror. What I
saw was so different from what he’d seen when he’d looked at me. I
preferred his description over my own, but I couldn’t say that I
hated the way I looked either. In all honesty, I thought I looked
pretty good. I was healthy. I was thin, but there was meat on my
bones and a curve to my hips. Standing at just over five feet, I
was pretty short, but I didn’t mind that either. I had a strong
body, and for that, I was thankful. What else could I possibly ask
for?

Turning my back to the
mirror, I stripped from my tank top and booty shorts before
climbing in the shower. As I showered, I thought of Logan—and my
heart raced. Could I really wander out into the wilderness with a
man I barely knew? It was crazy, but I did trust him—somewhat. The
man was stern and blunt and a little bit of a bully, but he was
also firm in his beliefs. I could see that much from the few
minutes I had spent in his presence. I didn’t think he would harm
me—but how much had Gracie told him about me? About what I was
hoping to find here? Did he know about him, about Derek? Did he
know what he was getting himself into by taking a grieving woman on
a private tour through the wild Alberta Mountains?

On a sigh, I finished my
shower. Wrapping the towel around my body, I ambled from the
bathroom to the window. Pulling the curtains back, I peered outside
and felt something inside my body ease. The sun was shining
brilliantly. Through the glass of the window, the rays were warm on
my face. Seeing nothing but nature in the distance, a sense of calm
serenity found me and I reveled in it. I could have stood there all
day long if I didn’t need to be down for breakfast in twenty
minutes.

Pushing away from the
window, I moved to the large hiking backpack I’d set on the floor
at the foot of the bed. I plucked a pair of black spandex shorts
and a loose mint green workout tank-top from the bag. I had a
feeling Logan would scold me for my choice of attire, but workout
gear was much more comfortable than the typical cargo type of
clothing most people wore while hiking. And it efficiently absorbed
sweat.