Page 160 of Tempting Wyatt
I frown as I realize it’s about to land in the pasture beside the barn. Talk about terrible timing.
“What the hell?”
A few dozen guests are littered around the clearing. Women clutch their dresses and hats as the chopper sets down a couple hundred feet from us.
We watch as a man in military fatigues jumps out, followed by another man in dress blues.
The guy in camo stays by the chopper while the other man jogs toward us.
“Asher,” Isaac calls out excitedly before I can. “He said he’d try to make it, but I didn’t think he would.”
“Well, look what we have here,” I say as he reaches us. “Captain America making a grand entrance, just in time.”
Asher looks exhausted, but he grins at us. “Gentlemen. Heard there was a wedding today. Wanted to make sure the bride sawallthe Logan brothers before she made her final decision.”
I nod. “SEALs haven’t trained the overinflated ego out of you, I see.”
“Probably made it worse,” he admits with a shrug.
A few months ago, I’d have shaken his hand. Today, I pull my brother into a firm hug.
“Means a lot to me that you’re here,” I tell him, giving him a solid clap on the back. “Thanks for coming, brother.”
The surprise is evident on his face when we separate. I grin. Ivy has changed me, softened me, and taught me to show the people I love that I love them every chance I get. I’ll never be able to say the words I wish I had to my dad, but thanks to my soon-to-be wife, my family won’t go another day not knowing what they mean to me.
Asher smiles. “Congratulations, Wyatt. Can’t say I wasn’t surprised to hear your grumpy ass was getting married. But I’m so damn happy for you, brother.”
Isaac hugs him too, adding, “And to someone fromCaliforniano less.”
Asher arches a brow. “No shit? She do yoga and make you eat tofu?”
Isaac responds before I can, “It’s kale, and I think he might be starting to like it. I’m pretty sure watching her do yoga is how he ended up proposing.”
I shake my head. Some things never change. But if my brothers giving me shit about my beautiful wife for the rest of my life is my fate, then I’ll take it.
Asher thanks us for the care packages, then glances at his watch.
“I don’t have a ton of time, unfortunately,” he tells us. He gestures to the chopper. “That’s a buddy doing me an unsanctioned favor, so we’ll have to get moving as soon as the ceremony is over.”
“Just glad you made it,” I tell him. “Make sure you meet Ivy and see Mom before you go.”
“I will. And I wouldn’t have missed it,” he tells me.
“Still can’t tell us where you’re going to be?” Isaac glances to where the wedding party is lining up near the barn.
Willow stands with Lucifer, who Ivy insisted on being the ring bearer. My sister adjusts the floral wreath around his neck, and I’m half expecting the fucker to trample me and run off with my bride himself.
“It changes fairly often,” Asher says, averting his gaze. “I could tell you. But then I’d have to kill you.”
Isaac snickers. “You could try, SEAL.”
Asher forces a grin, but he’s carrying tension like a fifty-pound rucksack. He and Caleb are twins, but Caleb still looks his age. The military is aging Asher rapidly. I didn’t miss that he winced in pain when we hugged. There are shadows in hiseyes that weren’t there before. It’s taking serious effort for him to stand still right this moment. His gaze darts all around, as if he’s securing the perimeter constantly.
Asher was always the best shooter of us kids. Had a knack for it, even when we were little. My mom hated it, but my dad took us hunting and to the range, even clay shooting, quite often. Asher outshot grown men when he was ten years old. They weren’t happy about it.
We’re all fairly certain he’s a sniper now. He’s never confirmed it, but whatever he’s doing, it’s taking a toll. He told our mom he was a mechanic, and I’d believe that, too, since he was always the one to fix shit around the ranch. But I’ve seen him receive expert rifle marksmanship medals at several ceremonies and be the youngest one receiving them.
His knuckles look recently healed, and there’s the faintest hint of bruising along his jaw. I doubt repairing airplane engines would have done this to him.
