The Wayward Sister (The Wayward Sons 5)

Smith pushes his fist out and presses it to mine. Holden does the same. I sense the reluctance in both of them. I sense it in myself. They’re right, though. I like this girl, a lot, and the last thing we need is the three of us fighting over her and getting tossed on the street.

The creak of a door alerts us to her coming out and we all straighten, pretending like we didn’t just have this conversation. I scoop eggs and bacon, arranging them on plates. She pads up on bare feet in a long T-shirt that hits at her upper thigh. If she’s wearing shorts underneath there, or anything at all, it’s hard to tell.

“Good morning,” she says, stretching her arms over her head, letting that shirt tug a little higher.

The three of us look at her, trying to keep the gawking at a minimum. She’s gorgeous, even still half-asleep, hair messy and out of control.

“Good morning,” we all say, averting our eyes. I hand out the plates, realizing that it’s a good thing we just had that talk, because living here? Rules are definitely going to have to be in place.

I just hope we can keep them.

13

Sierra

The road to Lee Vines is never very busy, but with the fire in Yosemite, things seem extra quiet. Katie told me they’ve had cancellations at the lodge and a disaster like this can really throw off the tourist season. None of that is why I’m driving up to the Wayward Sun.

The fire rattled me. I’d had a nightmare. Smoke filled my lungs and I stumbled through the house in Lee Vines, calling out to the boys. I woke with a start, sheets twisted and sweat down my back, knowing they were safe. The fire hadn’t spread that far, but I needed to see them for myself.

I feel a strange apprehension as I drive up the road. What if they don’t want to see me? What if they’re upset at me for abandoning them? Especially George and Charlie. What if I walk in the shop and don’t want to leave? The pull of home—of my business and family was strong—but I’d left for a reason. I need to get my head on straight and that hadn’t happened yet.

Haze from the fire lingers as I enter the small town of Lee Vines, passing the Epic Café and the Outdoors Shop. I pass the diner and green lawn on the lodge, slowing before the main office. Through the window, I see Katie talking to another girl at the counter. Starlee. My stomach rolls. I owe her an apology. I owe everyone an apology.

I blink at the little town I’d made my home. I can’t do this. Not yet.

I pull into the small driveway in order to turn around. My heart pounds as an eighteen-wheeler barrels down the road. I wait, the road is on a curve, and the truck drivers don’t always slow. It’s even worse with the hazy smoke, making visibility harder. Looking over my shoulder, I wait until it’s clear.

The knock on the window scares the crap out of me.

“Holy--!”

George’s handsome, grownup face fills the window. With my heart in my throat, I roll down the window.

“Hi.”

“Sierra. What are you doing here?” He glances toward the shop. I follow his gaze and see Jake standing on the step, apron covering his chest.

“Hey, I, uh, came to check on everyone. You know, the fire.”

I look him over, then back at Jake, scanning him. He looks perfect. They both do.

“The fire was wild, right?” he says, opening my door. “It was close—just a mile or so away, coated the place in smoke, but we’re okay. They stopped it before it spread too far.”

His hand is on the top of the car—it’s not an invitation to get out.

“I wanted…I wanted to come up and see how you’re doing.”

“We’re fine, the shop is fine.” His jaw tenses. “We piled a lot of shit—stuff—on you over the years. It’s not a surprise you needed a minute to yourself. We’re okay.” He glances up at Jake, whose crystal blue eyes shoot daggers in our direction. “Even if we may need a little more time.”

“Charlie, he’s okay?”

He nods, a smile breaking across his face. “Freaking nerd got a huge scholarship. He’s at a tournament right now.”

“Good.” I think of all the times I told him to get off the computer. Now he’s going to school for his passion. “I’m so proud of all of you.”

Jake watches us carefully, my heart hammering around my chest. He’s huge, preparing for college football. I can’t help but notice his tight, set jaw, and the dark hurt in his heartbreaker eyes.

“Dex told us that you’re cleaning up the house down in June Lake.”