Command Control

* * *

AN HOUR LATER, Logan sat in the long-term parking lot, staring at the terminal. Everything was in place for his return. He had a ticket. Aunt Lou had arranged for a friend to pick up his truck at the airport. In a few short hours, he’d be back where he belonged. He’d worked past his grief and found his way forward. He was ready to ship out with his team.

First, he’d have to face the fallout from the Sadie/MJ Lane scandal, but he hoped he could push past that obstacle. And part of him trusted Sadie to make things right, he realized. A woman who put her family first—she might not see it that way, but he knew it was the truth—she would not strip away another’s career to sell more books. She would not drag an innocent child like Charlotte into the spotlight.

Sadie was her father’s daughter through and through, her career choices driven by love. And like her dad, she believed she’d failed the people she loved most even when she was doing her best to help them.

Logan watched as a plane landed on the tarmac behind the terminal. He needed to get in there, clear security and catch his flight. He reached for the truck door, but didn’t open it.

What drove his choices? On the surface, he was a soldier, a ranger who’d ridden a horse through Afghanistan and made one bad call during a mission. But who was he beneath that? There was honor and purpose in his job, but was it worth walking away from Sadie?

“Christ.” He closed his eyes. He’d been here before, at the crossroads between love and duty. In the end, circumstances beyond his control had made the decision for him. This time it was on him. Did he go after the woman who lit up his life with her laughter, who turned him inside out with longing and who listened without pushing when he needed to unload?

What if he chose Sadie and went after her only to find out he wasn’t ready to hand over his heart? The memory of Sadie demanding kisses, pulling him past his fears and hesitation reminded him that he wasn’t alone in this. Together, they could find a way forward.

Logan let go of the door, reaching for the key still in the ignition. If he drove through the night, he’d reach New York City by morning. He pulled out his cell and dialed his commanding officer.

“Sir,” he said quickly. “I need permission to go to New York City. That show is airing tomorrow morning and, sir, I need to be there.”

“If you’re worried about a court-martial, son—”

“No, sir. I’m worried about living the rest of my life knowing I walked away fr

om a second chance at love.”

22

THE SUN ROSE over Central Park, illuminating a sleepy New York City. At five-thirty in the morning, the sidewalks below her sixteenth-floor studio remained empty. The quiet didn’t feel that different from Aunt Lou’s farm in Mount Pleasant, even though Sadie knew it was a world away. In a few hours, the city streets would be overflowing with people rushing to work. She loved watching them from her perch above the city each day before she turned to her computer. But right now, she would rather hear the sound of cows mooing in the distance.

Don’t think about it.

There was no going back now, only forward. Any minute the car service from the morning show would arrive and take her the few blocks to the studio. She was ready. She’d selected a simple green sundress for the interview. The fabric was soft and feminine and the color highlighted her eyes and red hair, which she’d pulled back into a simple twist. Not the bombshell outfit or diva hairstyle her publicist had recommended for her public debut. But then, she wasn’t planning on giving them a sensational, headline-grabbing interview.

She’d stopped crying about an hour outside Mount Pleasant last night. The long hours in the car had given her time to think. She’d realized that by striving to succeed for her family, she’d risked the thing she was trying to protect.

And that stopped today. She would do the interview and have her say, but after that she planned to slip away from the spotlight. Sadie Bannerman/MJ Lane would continue to write her books, but she would make it clear that the public was not welcome into the lives of the people she loved.

Her sister was right: Sadie always went after what she wanted. She wasn’t afraid to use her voice. Now it was time to stand up for herself and demand that the people in those pictures maintain their privacy. If she wanted to go after Logan, she had to do this. Until she made room in her life for her loved ones, until she put them first, she didn’t deserve him.

The phone on the wall rang. Sadie answered and told her doorman she would be right down. She was ready.

Ten minutes later, Sadie stepped out of the town car and walked into the studio. She smiled at her waiting publicist, who was already typing furiously on her phone.

“Good. You’re here.” Anne-Marie frowned. “I thought we decided on a black dress, something sultry, and your hair down.”

“It’s a 9:00 a.m. interview. I don’t think sultry is appropriate.”

“But you’re MJ Lane.”

“I’m also Sadie Bannerman. And she prefers this dress.”

Realizing she’d lost, Anne-Marie led her down the hall to the makeup room. “Have you prepared your answers? Do we need to run through anything?”

“Yes. I’m prepared.” Sadie didn’t say another word, instead focusing on the cheerful young woman intent on transforming her face.

At nine, Sadie took her seat opposite the friendly blonde morning show host, Kelsey Wise. The name, real or not, suited her. Ms. Wise looked sharp and focused. Determined.

Sadie smiled, knowing she was about to derail the host’s plans. Ms. Wise might be shrewd and ready for battle, but Sadie was in love. And now Sadie knew that trumped ambition, work—everything.