Sunset Surrender by Charlene Sands

hurry. If you want to bring it by the office tomorrow morning, that’s soon enough.”
    “I’ll do that.”
    “Thank you. Oh, and Hunter...good catch. I might have fallen on my butt if you hadn’t caught me.”
    Hunter smiled shyly. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”
    Sophia walked away from the barn thinking that Ward Halliday had raised a well-mannered boy.
    Her mood brightened even more when she spotted Edward across the yard with Blackie at his heels. The boy tossed a ball and Blackie took off running.
    Sophia came up just as Blackie returned. “Hello, Edward.”
    “Hi,” he said.
    “No school today?”
    He shook his head. “It’s p-parent’s day.”
    Sophia immediately ached for Edward. Neither one of his parents would show up for the parents’ conference today. His teacher wouldn’t share with them his strengths and weaknesses in the classroom. They wouldn’t hear about his behavior and his homework habits. They wouldn’t come home feeling proud of his accomplishments. Sophia hid her sorrow for the boy. She reminded herself that he had Constance. His grandmother was determined to make sure Edward knew he was loved. “That means it’s really kids’ day.”
    The boy grinned, and Blackie jumped up against Edward’s lanky frame, pleading for another ball toss. Edward didn’t disappoint. He threw the ball and the dog went running again. “I g-get to play with B-Blackie and then go o-on a h-hike with Mr. Slade.”
    Sophia winced inwardly. Logan was compassionate with the boy. She was glad of it, but seeing that side of Logan only confused her more. “Where do you hike?”
    Edward pointed to a low rise on the mountains. “Up th-there.”
    “And does Blackie get to go?”
    “Yep.”
    “Sounds like fun.”
    Edward gave her a thoughtful look. “W-want to come?”
    Sophia was touched by the invitation. “Oh, uh...”
    “Ms. Montrose has work to do.”
    Sophia whirled around, startled by the sound of Logan’s voice. It was the second time today she’d been nearly bowled over. “Logan, where did you come from?”
    He grinned. “Same place as everybody else.”
    She wanted to slap the crooked smile off his face, until he looked at Edward with warmth in his eyes, and ruffled the boy’s hair.
    “Hi there. You enjoying your day off from school?” Logan asked.
    “Yes, sir.” The dog jaunted back and Edward pulled the ball from his mouth.
    “Good. You get your chores done, and I’ll come get you in three hours. We’ll go on that hike, okay?”
    “Okay,” he said.
    Edward tossed the ball toward the barn, and then ran as fast as he could to catch up to the dog that had dashed after it. Once he’d gotten a good thirty feet away, he turned and waved to Sophia.
    Sophia waved back, and watched him until he entered the barn.
    “You’re good with the boy,” Sophia said, not realizing she’d spoken the words aloud.
    Logan clucked his tongue. “As opposed to being downright mean and rotten?”
    Sophia snapped her head up, annoyed at Logan for sucking the joy out of a purely innocent comment. “It’s a wonder you can stand up straight with that giant chip on your shoulder.”
    He put his head down, stared at his boots and sighed heavily. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. You paid me a compliment and—”
    “You found something sinister in an honest observation.”
    Logan’s dark brows lifted, creasing his forehead. “You make me sound like a devil.”
    Since when did Logan care what she thought of him? She searched his eyes and with a shake of her head admitted, “I don’t think you’re mean.”
    He looked away, unwilling to share a poignant moment with her, unwilling to realize that she didn’t hold harsh feelings for him the way he did for her. “Edward has had a rough childhood. His parents have made bad choices, and the boy shouldn’t have to pay for that.”
    As he spoke, she noted the pain in Logan’s voice. For a brief moment, she wondered if Logan related to Edward because