Wild Hearts (24 page)

We said good-bye and I put down my phone.

“Need an alibi?” Amy asked, setting a can of Diet Coke in front of me.

“A big one. Logan and I are going camping on Saturday,” I said, watching her eyes widen. “Jack threw out his back and has to rest. So we're moving cattle up Blackheart Mountain.”

“He asked you to do that?” Amy's smile was replaced with a frown.

“Yeah, he asked if I wanted to do it. Obviously, I want to help him
and
spend time together.”

“But Brie, it's
Blackheart Mountain.
It's dangerous! Experienced ranchers die up there every year. Herding cattle is tough, too. Are you sure?”

“Logan said I'll be fine,” I said. “He'll make sure I'm safe. I trust him.”

“I don't know,” Amy said, twirling the straw in her soda. “I trust Logan, but the mountain is unpredictable, especially now. Storms pop up so fast . . .”

“It'll be fine,” I said, waving my hand. There was no way I'd pass this up. “We're leaving on Saturday, so I'll be spending that night with you, aka Logan, okay?”

“Okay.” Amy took a sip of her soda. “As long as you swear to be careful,” she said, staring.

I opened my drink. “Promise!” We clinked cans and I shook my head.

“Oh, my God. I'm going to sleep over with a
guy
. With Logan. In a tent.” Short sentences were all I could muster.

Amy laughed and scooted closer to me so we were sure no one could overhear.

“I'm betting a month's worth of eBay money that you'll be making out all night long and you'll forget about the cattle.”

Rolling my eyes, I turned over on my back and shielded my eyes from the sun. “No comment!” I said, my tone teasing. “Okay, so it's time. Spill the details of Amy Banks's boy history.”

Amy laughed.

“Okay, so first kiss was Aaron,” Amy said. She told me all about her first sloppy kiss in fifth grade. As she talked, I couldn't stop my mind from wandering.

You're going to sleep over with Logan. Plus, big-time lies to Mom and Dad!
My brain yelled at me.

After a few minutes, I managed to push away the thoughts and focus on Amy. I lost myself in Amy's stories and we giggled all afternoon.

I was sore from laughing so much when I waved good-bye to Amy. When her car disappeared, I pulled out my phone and texted Kate.

Can u talk? Kind of a big deal.

Are you ok? Call me!

Totally fine! Finding a private place to talk!

“Brie?” Mom called my name just as I had started to open the balcony door.

I put my phone away. “Yeah?” I called.

“I'm going for a walk, hon. I'll be back just before dinner, okay?”

“Okay, Mom.” I tried to keep my tone even. When the door in the kitchen shut I plopped on the couch and looked at my phone. I didn't have much time before Dad got home, although he was often home long after dinnertime.

I pressed the number for Kate's speed dial. She picked up on the first ring.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. “I wasn't trying to scare you, but what I have to talk about is kind of urgent.”

“Tell me.”

I launched into a semi-edited summary of what had been going on and finally got to the invitation for an overnight trip up Blackheart Mountain. A trip without parents, on terrain that could be a little risky, and with Amy as the cover for my absence.

“Okay,” Kate said, taking a deep breath. “I have to ask the tough questions now.”

“Okay.” My voice was barely audible.

“I want to preface my questions with this: really hear me when I say there is
no
and I mean
zero
judgment from me no matter what you tell me. You're my sister and I love you. You haven't said anything to me about being in love with Logan enough to take that big step. Have you two been together?”

“We haven't,” I said. “Oh, I'm so glad I'm talking to you. You're the only person that I can be completely honest with who knows . . . you know. Stuff.”

“Aw, B. You can always talk to me.” Kate paused and I just knew that she was smiling on the other end. “So, do you
want
to?” Kate asked.

I paused. Did I? Yes. No. Ye—no. “Um, well. Yes. But actually no. I mean, well, maybe.”

Kate burst into laughter and so did I. “Wow, Brie. That was the clearest answer
ever
!”

“I'm always that concise,” I said, trying to catch my breath. “My final answer is:
not yet.
”

“He's been a thousand percent respectful of that, right?” Kate's tone was without laughter now.

“Always! He's never pressured me about anything. Ever.”

“Good, then I don't need to bring a baseball bat.”

“Kaaaate.”

She laughed. “I've got to look out for my little sister. So, back to the big question: the sleepover.” She sighed. “I can't say ‘Yes! Go! Have an awesome time!' But I also can't tell you not to go. Is the trip dangerous?”

“Logan said it can be. But he's really experienced and he would never take me with him if he didn't think he could protect me.”

“What's your cover story with the parents?” Kate asked.

I sat up on the couch and positioned myself so that I could hear one door and see another in case Mom came back from her walk. “I'm going to tell them that I'm sleeping over at Amy's for the weekend. Like it's supposed to be one long girly fest. Face masks, doing our nails, TV, junk food—all that kind of stuff.”

“Okay, baby sis,” Kate said, her tone a little less light. “I'd be a hypocrite to advise you to stay home. I spent the better half of my teenage years climbing in and out of my window at night.”

I laughed. “Remember how when I caught you when I was little, you used to pay me not to tell Mom or Dad?”

Kate laughed. “I gave you enormous sums with quarters and dimes.”

“That turned into five-dollar bills as I got older.”

We both laughed. I stopped, hearing the back door open.

“Mom's home,” I said quietly. “I'm so glad we got to catch up,” I said in my normal tone. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too!” Kate said. “Be careful and don't think twice about calling or texting. Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Pass the corn, please,” I asked Dad. I'd pulled my hair back, half up and half down, and tried not to look as if I'd spent the better half of the day trying to figure out how to deceive my parents. I was
not
cut out for this—lies weren't part of my relationship with my parents. I kept telling myself that I was lying for a good reason—Logan—but that didn't stop the guilty feelings.

My sweaty fingers could barely grasp the corn dish. If they said no about the sleepover at Amy's, everything would be ruined. But I'd given them no reason to say no. Part of me desperately wanted to tell Mom what was going on, but that would put her in an awkward position. She'd either force me to tell Dad or she'd keep my secret. That wasn't fair for either of us. It was better for her if I kept this to myself. For now, anyway. I sneaked a look at Mom, sad that I was about to lie on a
monumental scale to her. I just couldn't pass up this chance to help Logan and spend a weekend with him.

“How was work, Dad?” I asked, keeping my voice light. I didn't want to seem more interested than usual.

“Would have been better if those damn horses hadn't shown up,” Dad grumbled.

Under the table, I clenched my hands into fists to keep from saying something that Dad wouldn't like.
Why did the horses have to pop up again now?
I thought to myself.
This is the worst timing ever.

“Amy said she heard from a friend that Jack was making calls to find space to hold the horses just temporarily,” I lied. I was going to need a notebook to keep my stories straight if this kept happening.

“Amy isn't friends with Logan, is she?” Dad asked.

“No,” I said quickly. “They just work together sometimes.”

Dad nodded and took a bite of his steak. “Oh.”

It was now or never. “Speaking of Amy, she invited me over for a sleepover on Saturday. Can I go?”

“Are other kids coming over?” Mom asked, peering at me from down the table.

“Nope,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Just Amy and me. We were going to watch movies and eat a bunch of junk food.”

Mom's and Dad's eyes connected before they looked back at me. “No drinking?” Mom asked.

“No drinking,” I said.

“Fine with me,” Mom said, and Dad nodded his approval. The pepper steak barely slid down my throat and I couldn't
sit still much longer. I was about to burst from excitement
and
lose my cool from the stress of all the lies that I'd just told. I kept my eyes down, afraid I'd give something away. “Dessert?” Mom asked, drawing my attention back to the meal.

“Definitely,” I said with a smile. This was going to be the best weekend ever. Kind of. I swallowed, not able to dislodge the lump in my throat that had grown with each lie I'd told.

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

If a man allows you to ride his favorite horse, he's paid you the highest compliment.

On Saturday I wanted to look camper-chic, so I left my tousled hair down with a few random skinny braids and put on jeans with a baby-doll T-shirt.

The forecast called for rain tomorrow. I hoped it was wrong and that Logan and I would have good weather as we made our way along Blackheart Mountain. I pulled out the backpack that had been hidden under my bed all week and peered inside at the contents, winter clothes that Logan swore I would need: two sweaters, a pair of jeans, gloves, and a hat. I tossed in a tube of mascara, a mini hairbrush, and lip gloss so I'd look semi-decent.

I put on my Converses and took one last look in the mirror. My normally pale-ish skin had a bronzed glow from spending time outside. I looked like a girl who was excited about solo time with her boyfriend. I grabbed my bag off my bed and walked into the living room.

“Mom?” I called. “I'm going to Amy's now!”

She appeared from the dining room, where she had been rearranging the lilies on the table. “Got everything?” she asked, nodding toward my backpack.

“Yep,” I said, walking through the dining room and heading for the kitchen door. I'd never lied to her about
something this big before. Sneaking around with Logan was different. This was a whole new level—I was climbing a mountain with the guy I had been forbidden to see. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

“What time?” she asked. “Your dad and I want to go out to eat and we thought we could all try the new Italian place outside of town.”

What time? I couldn't say
I don't know what time Logan and I will make it down the mountain.
“Six?” I asked, playing it safe.

“Six is fine,” Mom said, kissing the top of my head. “Have fun and call me if you need something.”

“I will.”

I biked to WyGas. The plan was that I'd leave my bike there and Amy would pick it up after work and take it to her house. Logan and I had to drive to the McCoys' for supplies and to get our horses. I pedaled hard and looked at Blackheart Mountain—serene and vibrant against the clear sky. In a few hours, Logan and I would be up there.

I burst through the WyGas door and spotted Logan restocking the chip aisle. “Ready for me?” I asked with a grin. I pulled my sticky T-shirt away from my body. It was humid enough to make my eyelashes curl.

“I'm always ready for you,” he said, placing his hand on the back of my head as he kissed me.

I wrapped my arms around him. “I'm so happy to see you,” I said.

“Me, too. Give me two minutes and then we'll go.”

“Okay. I'm going to grab a couple of Twizzlers for the road.” Logan pulled the key for the cash register off his key chain and handed it to me before heading to the back of the store to grab his bag. I headed for the candy aisle and within minutes, my arms were loaded with more than the licorice. I unlocked the cash register, put money in, and slid the drawer closed. When Logan returned, I handed him the key.