Page 13 of Burning Hearts

“Please, I want to know you’re safe.” Then she would head back to the Lower 48 and get on with her life—with Tristan there. Safe.

“Logan is here. He will get you out.” Her brother walked to the door. “I’ll make sure your path is clear, and then I’ll be back when it’s time for you to leave.”

Logan said nothing, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Jamie turned back to the map. There was always a simplicity in numbers. This string of digits on the side of the map begged her attention, like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

More often than not, she wished people were more like numbers. That the sequence of events or a pattern of behavior made rational sense according to some kind of pre-established equation. But it never worked like that.

Least of all with Logan.

Until things came to a head and he took off. That part was always the same. They reached a stalemate, both realized nothing would ever change, and he left to go fight fires somewhere else.

First Australia.

Now Alaska.

She couldn’t believe they’d actually bumped into each other up here.

“Why don’t we just make a run for it?” Logan asked. “We don’t need to wait for your brother if he isn’t coming.”

She shook her head, part of her mind puzzling over these numbers.

“Jamie.” He touched her shoulder.

“Listen, Logan, I got up here on my own. I’ll get back home on my own. I never asked you for help, and you obviously need to get back to your job.”

What was the point dragging this out? They weren’t supposed to be together, and shehadbeen doing just fine without him. Focusing on work. Helping her mom when she needed it. Going to church and…Whenwasthe last time she’d attended Sunday service?

She’d been watching it at her desk most Sundays for a while now.

She should go back to in-person. Get some fellowship. That would help her nurse her again-always-never-healed broken heart once she was back home and trying to forget about Logan.

She should ask Kelsey if she wanted to go out for lunch.

Logan didn’t argue with what she’d said, which meant he reallydidneed to get to work.

He said, “I’ll make sure you’re safely out of here. I left my gear by your car. When we get there, we can go our separate ways.”

“Better than rehashing it all and realizing we have no more answers than we did two years ago.”

If she’d needed help, she would’ve hired a whole team of protection specialists like Samuel had suggested. She wanted to explain that to Logan, but she tried not to use her wealth like that in arguments. Her mom and brother sort of knew how much money she made with the company, but aside from her colleagues, not many other people knew who she was at work.

“I’m sure you don’t need to worry about Tristan. He’s made it this far, and he always seems to land on his feet.” His tone was infused with sarcasm. “Even if he’s risking getting killed or put in jail every second of the day. How is your mom, by the way? Is she on the wagon, or did she fall off?”

She stared at the map with her teeth clenched. “It wasn’t your business before. You didn’t care. So why would I tell you now?” She looked at the locations indicated by an X and said, “And if it was Bryce, or your sister Andi who needed your help?”

She was pretty sure theyhadand that he’d come running. It seemed like the twins always showed up for each other. When she and Logan had been dating, she’d appreciated that about their relationship.

How many times had she wished someone would show up for her?

But her family? Apparently they didn’t measure up to being worthy of aid.

Logan huffed. “If Bryce kept making bad decisions, there would come a point he’d have to get himself out of the mess. I wouldn’t keep bailing him out if it didn’t help him. I’d only be prolonging him hitting rock bottom. And that might beexactlywhat he needed.”

That’s what he thought this was?

Logan had spoken. He’d proclaimed judgment on what her mom and her brother “needed,” and his word was law. Just because he believed it, that meant it was true.

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