Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Well, I bet if you practiced enough, you could. I’m sure your dad couldn’t do all this at twelve either. And if you can’t, who cares? I can’t build tables, but I’m good at other things, and you are too. That’s what makes us all unique and special. We all do and like different stuff.”
“That’s what Dad says, but he kinda has to say things like that,” Logan replied.
“Maybe, but I don’t. And really, your dad doesn’t. My father wouldn’t have reassured me that way. I have a feeling when your dad speaks, it’s because he means what he says,” I answered honestly.
There was a noise behind us, and I turned to see Knox standing in the doorway to another room in a pair of jeans and no shirt. Holy mother of sexy, beautiful lumberjack gods. My knees went weak, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I was drooling. His black hair was wet and messy, and that damn beard had little droplets of water in it too. God, I wanted to feel it scratch against my face, my entire body, really…my ass…my…
Knox cleared this throat, jerking me back to reality. “Sorry. Running a few minutes behind. I didn’t realize you were here.”
But he’d listened to us talk. I could tell by the way he was looking at me, all intense and appreciative and…confused. That part threw me some. “It’s okay. I was actually early. Is this a shirtless event?” I teased. Not that I was complaining. If there was a series of shirtless events featuring Knox, I would be at all of them.
“Ha-ha. Very funny,” he replied, before looking at Logan. “Take your meds? Got your inhaler and everything?”
“Yes, Dad. God, when don’t I have it, and when don’t I take my medication?”
“Hey.” Knox gave him a hard look that shouldn’t have been hot but totally was. It wasn’t angry, just warning. “I was only asking. There’s no reason to have an attitude. I’ll finish getting dressed, and we can head out.”
He turned and went back into what I assumed was his bedroom. I could see the edge of a rustic, also dark wood, four-poster bed inside.
“Wanna go outside with me?” Logan asked.
I figured it wouldn’t be appropriate to say I wanted to be locked in that bedroom with Knox, so I said, “Sure.”
We went outside and sat on the swing. “Dad treats me like I’m a baby.”
“I’m sure it feels that way to you, but I think he treats you like a son he loves.”
“Did your heart thing make you feel weak when you were little?”
“It did. If people make a big deal out of it, sometimes it still does, but I try to remind myself that it comes from a place of concern. And that I’m lucky people care about me so much.”
“I wish I was more like my dad…” Logan looked down into his lap. “I bet he does too.”
“No.” I shook my head. My heart was thumping and breaking in my chest. It was so damn hard to feel like you weren’t enough, like there was something wrong with you, that the people who were the most important in your life would love you more if you were different. I didn’t believe Knox did anything to make Logan feel that, at least not intentionally, but I understood the emotions behind Logan’s view. “He doesn’t. I promise you that. He loves you, and he’s proud of you. You should have seen how excited he was to have you come and live with him. He likes you just the way you are, and it might not mean much, but I do too. The world can only have so many lumberjacks.”
I nudged his arm, and he chuckled.
“I’m serious, okay?”
He nodded and pushed his glasses up his nose just as Knox came out. “Why do I always feel like I’m missing something when I see the two of you? I’m feeling left out.”
“Guy talk,” I told Knox.
“Oh, and I’m not a guy?” Knox asked, locking the door.
“Not a cool enough one,” I joked, earning a laugh from Logan.
“Fine. I see how you are. Don’t invite me into your cool-kids club.”
“It’s actually a badass-cool-kids club,” I corrected.
“Yeah,” Logan added, then, “We’ll consider your membership.”
Knox smiled at his son. “Deal. Now let’s get out of here. I swear you two took forever to get ready.”
We laughed and headed for the truck. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so at ease, so comfortable. Like I fit, when really I didn’t. Not with them. This wasn’t my family, and I didn’t even know if I could consider Knox a friend or if I was just the dude his kid liked.
“Should we play road-trip games?” I asked when Knox pulled onto the highway.
“No,” Knox said in unison with Logan’s, “Yes.”
“Two against one. You lose. Also, that’s a point in the no column for the badass-cool-kids club. You’re not convincing us very well.” I cocked a brow. Knox looked over at me through his thick lashes, those eyes of his holding me in some kind of trance.