Page 33 of Burning Hearts

“That isn’t what you guys were talking about though, right?” He squirmed in his seat. Kane crossed the runway, walking beside Sanchez. The last ones to head back from dinner.

Sanchez headed for them. She pulled a paper from her pocket and held it out. “When you were in that compound, did you guys see this man?”

Jamie took the photo, then handed it to Logan. “I didn’t. Logan moved around more than me though.”

He studied the picture of an older man with a pale-colored shirt, hands together in front of him, but the photo was cropped, so he couldn’t see below the wrists. Thin. Maybe too thin. He looked like a man in poor health at best.

He looked at Sanchez. Behind her, Kane had a dark expression on his face that Logan couldn’t figure out. “I didn’t see him. Sorry. Who is he?”

Sanchez took the photo. “Thanks for looking.”

Kane stared after her for a beat and then moved to catch up with her.

Jamie frowned. “She’s not normally like that, right?”

Logan didn’t know what to make of Sanchez just now either. But he wanted to get his conversation with Jamie back on track. “I wasn’t trying to freak you out, leaving you alone at dinner. I was trying to help you get a reprieve from all of it—from me.” For all he knew, Neil had made it sound like that stuff was commonplace around here. “Sorry.”

And then she’d told him that she wasn’t a hero. She was just herself.

He needed to figure out where her head was at, because he might be intent on letting her go—or pushing her away—but she was here. She wasn’t okay, and he cared about her.

He probably always would.

He said, “We survived today, didn’t we?”

Thanks to the Lord putting a hand of protection on them.

“But Tristan didn’t get out. He’s still back there.”

“It’s not easy to feel powerless.” Logan had certainly felt that way, hearing what Bryce had gone through. But his brother had trusted in the Lord as well, and God had guided him through it. Now Bryce and Penny were healing and enjoying spending time together. Things had definitely calmed down, which was good.

Logan wanted to tell Jamie that when he felt powerless like that, he tried to give it over to the Lord. But even though she was a Christian, it seemed like there was a wall there she didn’t want Logan to get past. As if Jamie had put a barrier between the strength of her faith and the people in her life.

He wondered if she might not want to hear what he had to say about trusting God.

“No, it isn’t easy.” She spoke quietly, as if deep in her own thoughts.

“I know you’re scared for him, Jamie. But Tristan is probably glad you’re safe. As a brother, I would guess he’s just grateful you got out even if he didn’t.” Logan looked down at his clasped hands, between his knees. “I know if it was Andi who’d waded into a dangerous situation to help me out, I’d be glad when she wasn’t in the line of fire.”

“You don’t think it’s better to weather that stuff together?”

Logan needed to tread carefully. “I think he has less to worry about if he knows you’re safe. He can focus on what he feels like he has to do.”

“So I shouldn’t have come. Pretty sure you already said that a few times.”

Yeah, he had. She knew exactly where he stood. “Even if he doesn’t show it, I know Tristan appreciates how much you want to be there for him. How you put everything aside and try to help him out.”

“Even if it’s a terrible idea?”

“It’s better than feeling like you’ve been forgotten by people who are supposed to show up for you.” He sat back in the seat, watching the fire pop and crackle, sending embers up into the air.

It felt like the Fourth of July out here—a night where you wanted to set off fireworks, but it got dark so late in the evening that waiting to celebrate felt almost endless.

Sitting around outside in the daylight, waiting for the sun to go down.

At least the fire beat back the chill in the air.

Hopefully it also helped to subdue any wildfires overnight. In the morning, they would assess the situation, and Tucker would decide if they needed to go out—or more likely, just where they would be going. He didn’t like the idea of leaving Jamie and going out to fight a fire, but at least she was safe here while she waited to hear word of her brother.

---