A Bride for Logan by Barbara Goss (free children's online books TXT) 📗

awakened by a pounding on the front door, shortly before dawn. She heard Tim get up to answer it. Minutes later, he knocked on Emma’s door, calling her name.

“Emma, are you awake? Logan’s here for you.”

Emma climbed out of bed and opened the door a crack. “I’ll get dressed right away.”

“He’s outside. He won’t come in.”

“All right. Don’t wake Rachel. I’ll write her when I get home.”

Emma quietly opened the front door, pleased to see Logan and Lady on the other side. “You brought Lady!”

“Of course. She’s your horse.”

Emma mounted Lady, and the two of them rode off.

Every five or eight miles they stopped to rest the horses. Sometimes they sat beneath a tree, or walked around to stretch their legs. They mainly talked about generic things like the weather and the ranch. Emma dared not mention Rachel or the uncomfortable situation. Logan seemed unusually quiet, but his smile and the sparkle in his eyes told her he was glad to see her. When he smiled at her, she often felt a slight tickle in her chest. She wished she’d asked Rachel if that was a sign she was in love.

On their third stop, Logan pulled a package out from his saddlebag.

“Lunchtime,” he said.

Emma clapped her hands silently. “What have you got? I’m starving.”

“Irma made us some chicken sandwiches.” Logan spread out a red tablecloth and sat beside it. “Sit down. I’m sorry I have nothing to drink except the water in our canteens.”

“No tea? I’m shocked,” Emma said with a giggle.

When they’d finished. Emma prepared to mount Lady, but she turned to see Logan sitting on the ground instead of mounting his horse.

He patted the grass beside him. “Sit with me for a minute more. We have time.”

Curious, Emma sat beside him.

Logan took her hand. “I have a confession to make.”

Emma looked up at him, praying he wasn't about to confess his love; she didn’t have an answer for him, yet.

“I know I’ve never been a praying person, and I've never enjoyed going to church services, but I visited the barn service yesterday—it’s why I’m a day late to meet you. I don’t know why, but the service touched me. Maybe it was because I was at an all-time low. I’m not even sure what motivated me to go when I’ve always disliked the services. I suppose that finding Rachel the way I did made me want for something, but I didn’t know what. I felt confused, and I knew I needed something.

“The traveling preacher was excellent. He talked about Jesus and His dying on the cross. It touched my heart to know that God would sacrifice His only son for us. After the service, I met with the preacher. His name is Joshua Price. With his help, I gave my life to God, and I feel like a new person. I want to hug every person I meet—I don’t, but I feel moved to. I plan to make some changes in my life to reflect my decision to follow God.

Logan took a deep breath. “I want you to know that I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Emma opened her mouth to speak, but he put his finger on her lips.

“No, you needn’t say anything. I don’t expect an answer, and I don’t really want one. It’s my confession, not yours. But because the changes in my life might affect you, I need to tell you that no matter what I do over the next week or two, remember: I love you.”

His confession of love caused Emma’s heart to lurch in her chest, but the changes of which he'd spoke worried her. It was as if he were a different Logan.

“What do you mean? What are you planning to do?”

“I’m not sure. Marrying you to get my inheritance doesn’t sit well with me now. It was dishonest.”

“But your father meant to change the will back to you.”

“What I did was deceitful, and it wasn't fair to you.”

“Logan, it was God-sent. I had no one and no place to go. Your offer was an answer to prayer.”

“I’m glad I did it, then. It was probably all in God’s plan. I’ll never regret having you in my life, no matter how it happened.”

Emma pulled her hand from his. “What are you planning?” His confession made her uneasy. It sounded like he was about to end their relationship.

Logan stood. “I’m not sure yet.” He brushed off his pants and mounted his horse. “Let’s go home.”

The conversation with Logan had left Emma with a sense of impending doom. Things had suddenly changed. She was happy about Logan’s having devoting his life to God. She’d prayed for that, but because it had happened suddenly, it caused her to question it. Had it been a reaction to having met his mother? She hoped his decision was real and for life, no matter how it had come about. His whole demeanor seemed to have changed. He was quieter and surer of himself. He’d been afraid to confess his love for fear of rejection, but he seemed to have overcome it. Had God already given him the confidence he'd lacked before?

Still, she felt warm inside, knowing that Logan loved her. She wished, more than anything, that she could tell him she loved him back, but she’d never say it unless she was sure it was true.

What she dreaded was the changes he planned to make.

Chapter Seventeen

It was late by the time they got back home. Logan took the horses to the barn after Emma had gone into the house. He thought it a good sign that she was happy to be home. He’d worried she might have preferred it at Rachel’s house—he refused to think of her as his mother.

He thought more about what he planned to