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offense but bullshit.”
    Owen laughed loudly at that. “You don’t believe me?”
    “No. You’re too… No.” The idea was incomprehensible.
    “Yours is possibly the most flattering reaction I’ve ever had to that confession. You’ve made my day, Archer. Possibly my week.” He sighed. “Most of the time it doesn’t bother me. I look at my family, at my books, and I know I’ve accomplished as much as or more than someone who had the educational opportunities I didn’t. But some days I’m that kid who had to quit school when I was in eighth grade because I was too different to stay in.”
    “And this was one of those days?”
    “Something like that.” Owen clapped him on the shoulder. “Think about her offer. We’ll make it happen if you want it to.”
    They went back to the picnic then, and Archer considered what he’d learned. He watched the family through different eyes, seeing subtle little nuances that he hadn’t picked up on before. He’d known they were close but he saw now that they protected each other as much as they teased.
    They weren’t perfect, he realized as Ben teased his sister Rachel to the point where she turned and lashed out at him. But he had no doubt that they’d circle the wagons and protect any member of the group if it became necessary.
    “You seem awfully serious for someone who’s at a party,” Jack remarked as he came over. “Everything okay?”
    “Yeah. Just considering something. You’ve got a nice family here, you know that?”
    “I do.”
    “Thanks for inviting me up here.”
    A tiny scowl appeared on Jack’s face. “You sound like you’re leaving.”
    “No, I just appreciate that you’ve included me. I’m not used to people doing something for me without expecting anything in return and it means a lot.” He left it at that.
    Jack rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Wait until you get to know us all a little better. You’ll be asking me why I got you involved with a bunch of loons.” He winked, telling Archer he wasn’t serious.
    By the time the celebration ended late that evening Archer was close to making up his mind. He was fairly certain he was going to take Amelia up on her offer. He’d be stupid to not. And if there was anything his brother had tried to stress to him over the years it was that illiterate did not equal stupid. He’d be letting Logan and himself down if he didn’t at least try.

Chapter Six

    A fter dithering about Amelia’s offer for a couple of weeks, Archer decided to bite the bullet. The next time he saw her at one of the family’s regular Sunday dinners he told her he’d reached a decision. When he told her what it was, she cheered and jumped up and down.
    “But can we keep it private? That you’re teaching me?” he asked, shushing her. He glanced around, relieved to see that no one in the family had noticed her enthusiasm. “Your parents will know obviously, but I’d prefer to let it just be the four of us. At least until we see if it’s going to take.”
    Amelia squeezed his arm. “Of course. But you’ll do fine. I’m sure of it.”
    The next few months were some of the most challenging and rewarding he’d ever faced. The learning didn’t go smoothly at first, to the point that he was almost ready to give up a couple of times, but then something clicked. Once it did there was no holding him back. Archer was reading everything he could get his hands on–magazines, books, fliers, cereal boxes, even. When Owen and Sarah seemed as proud of him as though he were one of their own children he didn’t know what to think.
    The first time he was able to read one of Logan’s letters without help he actually cried. Not buckets of tears but he got a little choked up. For the first time in years he had hope that his future held something more than him being just a grease monkey. And for an instant he allowed himself to think about what that meant with regards to Emma. Only for an instant, though.
    Some of the