Read Sidelines (Wounded Hearts #1) for Free Online

he’s seen his fair share of stress. Judging by the look of his town, I can understand why.
    “Yeah, we’re good. Dad had a tree fall on the barn, though. We’re headed over there in a few.” The good sheriff nodded my way before doing a double take. His wide eyed look is missed by the football star who can’t pry his own eyes off the blackened building. “A fire? Really?”
    The sheriff shakes his head, apparently used to Logan’s single-track mind. “Yeah. Power surged when lightning hit the transformer. The place needed an update ten years ago. Looks like they’ll have to replace the electrical now. We were able to contain it to just the one room though. Should be able to get things back up and running in a couple of weeks.”
    Logan and I sigh heavily at the same time, bringing an amused look too the good sheriff.
    “You staying long, Allie?” Remembering my manners I reach out my hand and formally introduce myself. The sheriff blushes a little when we shake hands, but the ring on his left hand makes me chalk it up to just being star struck.
    “I’m doing a piece on our favorite wide receiver here.” Logan’s jaw ticks again. “I just drove in from San Antonio today, but it looks like I’ll be in and out for the next few weeks.”
    “Well, welcome to Walker, although you picked a doozy of a day to arrive.” He nods at us with a tired smile before being called away. I take in a deep breath and cringe at the sight of the fire damaged building in front of us.
    “Awesome.” Logan’s sarcasm isn’t lost on me.
    “What now?” My irritation bleeds out a bit more than it probably should but his long gaze down at me tells me that he’s about to do something he probably ought not to and that picks my hopes back up.
    “Looks like you get to meet my family.”
     

 
    Chapter Four
     
     
    The truck bounces over the cattle grate while I take in the picturesque sight in front of me. A weathered, two-story farm house with a welcoming front porch faces the dirt drive that wraps around to the east side of the house and leads straight toward a newer looking big red barn. The barn, with large, white X’s on the sliding doors, would look like a storybook barn if it didn’t have a ninety-year-old tree leaning into and crashing down the south wall. A skirt of grass wraps around it, exposing the roots of the old tree. A green John Deere tractor is creeping its way toward the toppled tree, an older version of Logan at the wheel.
    Logan parks his massive Dodge Ram next to a short line of other farm trucks, a well-kept 90s Ford Explorer, and a tiny Toyota Corolla that looks like it’s seen a few better days. When Logan comes around the front of the truck and offers a hand to help me climb down from his land yacht, two ladies coming down the wide front porch steps stop and do a double take. The older lady with the most adorable red ringlets I’ve ever seen has the same eyes as Logan and judging by the excitedly warm smile on her face, I’m guessing she’s his mother. The younger girl has the same shade of hair as Logan’s but her shorter stature and dark brown eyes give her a totally different appeal. The pleased grin on her face tells me she has to be way warmer than her older brother.
    “Logan, honey. Thank you for coming.” Logan’s mother reaches up and wraps strong, lean arms around his wide shoulders and kisses his cheek. Then she turns to me and holds a hand out. Her skin is soft, but firm, a definite sign that the majority of her day is spent keeping this place in line and there isn’t a task that she isn’t willing to jump in and help out with. “I’m Jillian, Logan’s mother.”
    Her mother hen eyes shoot him a look that clearly chastises him for one, his bad manners, and two, not letting her know that he was bringing company.
    “Mom, Lucy, this is Allie Mooreland. Allie, my mother and sister. Allie’s came to help .”
    I’m not sure if the emphasis was to remind me that this wasn’t the