“I think we’ve gone far enough,” Sawyer communicated as he turned around to face Amanda. “You get the idea, right? It’s about five more minutes to the southern edge of the logging site. Look around a bit and familiarize yourself with the area, and then we’ll go back down.”
“Okay.” She nodded and spun slowly around. It seemed simple enough, and she could spot several of their red markers from where she stood. “I got this. Not remotely sure why I need to, but I’m good.”
She followed Sawyer back down the mountain much faster than they’d ascended. Sawyer shifted and dressed, and they were back in the truck in no time.
Logan pointed out the windshield. “Instead of heading back to the condo immediately, I’m going to show you how to get to Laurie’s from here. Her house is the closest to this main road. It’s about a half a mile.”
“And all five of you have a portion of land here, right?”
“Yep. I was in the middle of getting the foundation started on my section when I met Logan last Thursday.” Sawyer chuckled.
“And that was funny?” She glanced back and forth between them, wondering what was so comical.
“Not even close.” Logan grimaced. “I was a bit hotheaded when I arrived. We hadn’t even met, and I tore into Sawyer like he was the devil incarnate.”
“Why exactly?” A smile spread across her face as she took in his lighter demeanor. She could tell the story would be one they’d laugh over for years.
Logan glanced at her, a twinkle in his eye. “Because he was building the house I’m going to live in for the rest of my life and didn’t bother to get my say in the design. Or yours for that matter.”
“What? How did you know that before you met him?”
Sawyer set a hand on her thigh. “Same way we know Cooper and Sharon are destined.”
“Ah. But it could have been Sharon you were meant to mate, right?” she asked Sawyer.
“Yes. Right up until Sharon paid me a visit that morning and verified it wasn’t her.” He grinned. “That left one option, and this asshole over here went ballistic when Sharon returned to the lodge to inform him not only was she not my mate, but I was already laying down the two-by-fours for the foundation.”
Amanda laughed. “I can see that.”
Logan pulled off the road. “We’ll swing by so you can see the plans.”
She shivered and rubbed her arms where goose bumps rose. “Weird. Knowing you were building a home I was destined to live in, and I never even knew it.”
“Imagine how I felt?” Logan teased. “I did know it.”
She widened her gaze as they pulled off the main road onto a gravel drive that wound around until it reached the construction site.
Sawyer hopped down from the truck and turned to lift Amanda behind him. “Come on. My little trailer isn’t much, but you can see the blueprints. In fact, we’ll take them with us. I got a bit carried away designing the house before I met you both, mostly to keep my mind occupied while awaiting the inevitable.”
“Which was meeting Sharon and/or Logan and mating,” Amanda concluded.
“Yes.”
Logan took her hand as they rounded the truck and headed for the trailer. “Believe me. I saw the blueprints. He did an amazing job designing this place. I’m sure we won’t have many complaints.”
»»•««
Edmund wiped the sweat from his brow and stopped pacing to stare at his wife. “Ada, all of your ideas are futile. We can’t execute any plan that would raise a red flag to the deputies. We’ve already asked our members to remove their kids from the school.”
“I don’t think Mary got the message,” Ada said. “Obviously not since Caleb says Amanda has another interview with this college professor tomorrow. Thank God that teacher is so excited about hiring Amanda Williams that she keeps yapping about it in class.”
Edmund stopped pacing to address the other three people in his office more directly. “I’m afraid I have other information that makes this situation even worse.”
Ada rolled her eyes. “How could it get worse?”
Edmund continued. “It seems Amanda Williams is in a relationship with Logan Masters and some guy from the reservation.”
Florence jumped to her feet. “Are you serious? This again? What’s wrong with people these days?”
Cecil crossed his legs and frowned. “Florence, sit down.” He waited for her to lower herself back into her chair before continuing. “Legally we’re in a bind. Once again, there’s nothing we can do about who a woman chooses to live with.”