Read Online Wild Hearts (Novella) by Tina Wainscott - Free Book Online
Authors: Tina Wainscott
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“Courtney’s here, says she’s not leaving until you sign the divorce papers. Cheating bitch has some nerve showing up after what she did to you. Mom didn’t kick her out, but she’s making her wait out on the porch.”
Knox’s chest tightened. Not at the prospect of seeing his soon-to-be-ex-wife. Not even at signing the papers, something he’d been putting off for over a week. Their marriage had been over for years, so that was merely a formality.
Ethan, as usual, wanted to prod the issue. “How come you don’t seem as angry as the rest of us? Whoa, wait a minute. Did you cheat on her?”
“No.”
“Yeah, I knew you wouldn’t do that. Cheating’s not in you.”
Knox never would have cheated on Courtney, even if he’d been tempted to. Unlike some of his comrades, who were always looking for some action, he hadn’t been interested in banging some stranger. In truth, he’d shut down that part of himself years ago.
Knox beckoned with a wave. “Come on up. There’s something I need to straighten out.”
“You know I got your back,” Ethan said, illustrating by slapping him right between the shoulder blades.
“I know.” Knox gave his brother a grateful smile.
He’d seen more of Courtney on a computer screen than in person these last tenyears. As he approached the porch that wrapped around the house, he thought she didn’t appear much different than she had when they’d married right out of high school. Except she looked sad. With a little bit of angry thrown in.
She came to her feet when she saw him approach, her expression wary. The lack of an iced tea or lemonade on the table next to her chair showed just how mad his mom was. She always did the hospitality thing.
The Logans hated Courtney, no doubt about it. They’d come to his defense just as they had after the defuckle, knowing that there was more to the story than he could tell. Believing in him. They wouldn’t have accused him of screwing up a mission, just as they’d never accused him of being responsible for Callie’s death.
Speaking of his mother, she must have been watching, because she stepped out onto the porch, too. Good. Saved him from having to call her to come out.
Courtney became even more wary at Mrs. Logan’s appearance, though he could see her resignation at having to deal with his family’s hostility. Once she’d been their darling. It had taken Knox a long time to figure out why. And to realize why he’d married her. He sure as hell wished he’d known then what he knew now. Hindsight and all that. It would have saved a lot of heartache.
“Can we talk alone?” Courtney asked the moment he reached the bottom step. She gripped the papers that would free her to marry her lover. She’d accused him of punishing her by withholding his signature. He didn’t think he was, but honestly, maybe his pride was rebelling.
“No, there’s something I need to say, and I want my family to hear it.”
Her eyes fluttered in preparation for what she must have thought would be a rebuke. “Fine. Have your say. I’m a filthy, cheating whore. Isn’t that right? I cheated on a man who was off risking his life for our country. I’m the worst sort of woman.” Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she took in his brother and then his mother. “I let you all down.”
His mother had told him that was the sentiment in their small town. Despite the defuckle, he was considered a hero. He had made one appearance at a welcome-back gathering, but other than that, he’d sequestered himself at the ranch.
Knox leaned against the railing, meeting Courtney’s gaze. “I let
you
down longbefore you ever cheated.”
“Knox, don’t you let her off the hook,” his mother said.
He didn’t take his eyes off Courtney. “You remember when we started dating, how everyone said we were so perfect together? They put all these expectations on us.”
She nodded, her eyes filled with raw hope that he was going to exonerate her. “Homecoming
Knox’s chest tightened. Not at the prospect of seeing his soon-to-be-ex-wife. Not even at signing the papers, something he’d been putting off for over a week. Their marriage had been over for years, so that was merely a formality.
Ethan, as usual, wanted to prod the issue. “How come you don’t seem as angry as the rest of us? Whoa, wait a minute. Did you cheat on her?”
“No.”
“Yeah, I knew you wouldn’t do that. Cheating’s not in you.”
Knox never would have cheated on Courtney, even if he’d been tempted to. Unlike some of his comrades, who were always looking for some action, he hadn’t been interested in banging some stranger. In truth, he’d shut down that part of himself years ago.
Knox beckoned with a wave. “Come on up. There’s something I need to straighten out.”
“You know I got your back,” Ethan said, illustrating by slapping him right between the shoulder blades.
“I know.” Knox gave his brother a grateful smile.
He’d seen more of Courtney on a computer screen than in person these last tenyears. As he approached the porch that wrapped around the house, he thought she didn’t appear much different than she had when they’d married right out of high school. Except she looked sad. With a little bit of angry thrown in.
She came to her feet when she saw him approach, her expression wary. The lack of an iced tea or lemonade on the table next to her chair showed just how mad his mom was. She always did the hospitality thing.
The Logans hated Courtney, no doubt about it. They’d come to his defense just as they had after the defuckle, knowing that there was more to the story than he could tell. Believing in him. They wouldn’t have accused him of screwing up a mission, just as they’d never accused him of being responsible for Callie’s death.
Speaking of his mother, she must have been watching, because she stepped out onto the porch, too. Good. Saved him from having to call her to come out.
Courtney became even more wary at Mrs. Logan’s appearance, though he could see her resignation at having to deal with his family’s hostility. Once she’d been their darling. It had taken Knox a long time to figure out why. And to realize why he’d married her. He sure as hell wished he’d known then what he knew now. Hindsight and all that. It would have saved a lot of heartache.
“Can we talk alone?” Courtney asked the moment he reached the bottom step. She gripped the papers that would free her to marry her lover. She’d accused him of punishing her by withholding his signature. He didn’t think he was, but honestly, maybe his pride was rebelling.
“No, there’s something I need to say, and I want my family to hear it.”
Her eyes fluttered in preparation for what she must have thought would be a rebuke. “Fine. Have your say. I’m a filthy, cheating whore. Isn’t that right? I cheated on a man who was off risking his life for our country. I’m the worst sort of woman.” Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she took in his brother and then his mother. “I let you all down.”
His mother had told him that was the sentiment in their small town. Despite the defuckle, he was considered a hero. He had made one appearance at a welcome-back gathering, but other than that, he’d sequestered himself at the ranch.
Knox leaned against the railing, meeting Courtney’s gaze. “I let
you
down longbefore you ever cheated.”
“Knox, don’t you let her off the hook,” his mother said.
He didn’t take his eyes off Courtney. “You remember when we started dating, how everyone said we were so perfect together? They put all these expectations on us.”
She nodded, her eyes filled with raw hope that he was going to exonerate her. “Homecoming
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