The Reckoning E-Book

Lorhainne Eckhart

• Herausgeber: Lorhainne Eckhart, INC.
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: The Wilde Brothers
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 117

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Tensions arise during the Wilde family's holiday reunion as two brothers, Logan and his younger sibling, grapple with long-held resentments stemming from their father's past actions. Can love and forgiveness prevail this Christmas?

During the holiday season, the Wilde family gathers for what should be a joyous reunion. But unresolved conflicts between two brothers, Logan and his younger sibling, threaten to mar the festivities. Ever since their father's abandonment in their youth, Logan has held onto his anger, never fully forgiving him despite his parents' reconciliation. As Christmas approaches, the Wilde brothers and their wives are about to experience a powerful lesson in love and forgiveness that could heal old wounds and bring them closer together.

Leseprobe

The Reckoning Copyright © 2014 by Lorhainne Ekelund

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Editor: Talia Leduc, Leandra Hanes

THE RECKONING

The Wilde Brothers

Book 6

LORHAINNE ECKHART

Contents

Keep in touch with Lorhainne

The Wilde Brothers

About this book

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

What’s Coming Next in The Wilde Brothers

New in The O’Connells

The Family Secret, Chapter 1

About the Author

Series Available

Links to Lorhainne Eckhart’s Booklist

Keep in touch with Lorhainne

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The Wilde Brothers

Step into the world of the Wilde Brothers, a captivating family of Idaho, where the rugged charm of the west meets the allure of hot men and strong women in this delightful romantic family saga.

THE WILDE BROTHERS:

THE ONE: A passionate and stirring love story: After losing her job as a surgeon, Margaret retreats to her hometown — where she runs into Joe Wilde, the man she’s wanted for years.

THE HONEYMOON: In "THE HONEYMOON," Joe surprises his bride, Margaret, with an unconventional camping trip for their honeymoon, leaving her unsure about their future together.

FRIENDLY FIRE: In this gripping romance, Julia finds sizzling chemistry with Logan, a Marine veteran and the new town sheriff. But when Julia’s daughter goes missing, can Logan protect them both from harm?

NOT QUITE MARRIED: In “Not Quite Married,” Julia and Logan’s whirlwind romance faces challenges, and doubts arise as unexpected events test their love and trust in each other.

A MATTER OF TRUST: When oil executive Ben Wilde is sent to pitch a pipeline project in Kit Cove, he clashes with environmentalist Carrie Richardson, who opposes his plans. Despite their differences, a strong attraction develops between them, leading to a conflict between their feelings and their respective responsibilities.

THE RECKONING, A Wilde Brothers Christmas: The holiday season and family dynamics can be a wonderful reunion. Only the battle between two brothers, a father and son with unreconciled differences could ruin Christmas for the Wilde Brothers.

TRADED: When Chris overhears football star Jake begging his ex for a second chance, she can’t help offering him advice. And as they grow closer, their unlikely friendship sparks an attraction neither of them can resist…

UNFORGIVEN: Junior lawyer, Samuel Wilde has an unbreakable bond with his brothers—that is, until one woman comes between them, threatening to divide the Wilde family forever.

THE HOLIDAY BRIDE: Trinity Cooper Wilde longs for a quiet Christmas with her hidden baby, but a snowstorm brings Deputy Garrett Franke, the man she's sworn to hate, to her door, unaware that the baby is his. As they become snowbound together, secrets unravel, and Trinity's plan to reveal the truth faces unexpected challenges.

About this book

Tensions arise during the Wilde family's holiday reunion as two brothers, Logan and his younger sibling, grapple with long-held resentments stemming from their father's past actions. Can love and forgiveness prevail this Christmas?

During the holiday season, the Wilde family gathers for what should be a joyous reunion. But unresolved conflicts between two brothers, Logan and his younger sibling, threaten to mar the festivities. Ever since their father's abandonment in their youth, Logan has held onto his anger, never fully forgiving him despite his parents' reconciliation. As Christmas approaches, the Wilde brothers and their wives are about to experience a powerful lesson in love and forgiveness that could heal old wounds and bring them closer together.

ChapterOne

The door was white, with a brass handle and diamond-shaped cutouts in the Plexiglas. This was the sort of suburbia that Jake could never have imagined his brother Logan living in, this cute bungalow on a quiet street buried in a foot of snow. No, out of all the brothers, Jake thought this would best suit Samuel, the lawyer who lived a mile from him in Seattle, the brother he’d done everything with. He wondered for a moment, as he went to knock, whether he should have called. He hesitated a second and then rapped on the door, then squeezed his cold hands, wishing he’d brought his gloves. He wasn’t dressed for snow, for the Idaho cold, and he shivered in his leather coat and stomped his feet in the Oxfords he also should have left at home. Then he noticed the doorbell.

He didn’t bother to push it, though. He could hear the footsteps, the creak of the floor, and voices inside—his brother’s deep voice, which always grounded him. Today he felt odd, out of place. Everything felt so different. Logan had his own family now.

The front door opened, and there was something about looking into Logan’s blue-gray eyes, strong and confident as always, that made Jake feel as if he could handle anything life threw his way. Maybe that was why one look at his brother let him know everything would be okay. This softness was a side of Logan that Jake hadn’t seen before, though. The hard edge his brother had always carried now seemed smoother. Must have been a woman’s touch.

“Hey, I didn’t know you were coming tonight!” Logan held the door and gestured for Jake to come in, and Jake listened to the chatter and footsteps inside the house—Julia and the twins.

“Hope it’s okay,” he said. “I didn’t even think about calling until I pulled up here. Guess I’m used to just showing up, but it might not be okay to do that now that you’re married.”

For a moment, he ached at the thought that he might be intruding on his brother, a brother who’d always been there for him, anytime, anywhere. Logan was everything to him—had been everything to all of the younger brothers: him, Samuel, Joe, and Ben. But Logan wasn’t just any brother, he was who Jake had always looked up to. He knew that out of everyone in his family, Logan would walk through fire for him. His brother would always be there. For a moment, he found himself taking in the threads of gray that were taking over his brother’s dark hair. He looked older, probably from carrying the weight of everyone else on his shoulders.

“Get in here, would you?” Logan said.

There was something in his gaze, in the way Logan studied him, that made Jake need to figure out what was going on with him. Logan didn’t often say much, but he always knew when trouble was lurking around each of the brothers. He called often just to check in and make sure they were okay. Jake may have never told him, but he missed Logan calling, tracking him down. He still called, but he no longer grilled Jake like he used to. Even though it irritated Jake to be treated as if he were twelve years old, knowing his brother loved him and was there for him made him feel as if Logan always had his back.

Logan narrowed his eyes. Yeah, he could still read his brothers well. Jake had never, out of all the brothers, been able to hide anything from him.

Jake dropped his overnight bag on the beige carpet with a clunk. He didn’t wait for Logan to hug him like he always did. Instead, Jake reached out first and felt the muscles bunch in his brother’s back at their embrace. Logan had always looked after himself, and even though Jake was the football star, with ripped triceps, biceps, pecs, and abs—and those linebacker shoulders—Logan came in a close second. He’d noticed something else, too, the last few times he’d seen Logan, in the lines around his eyes. Ever since a roadside bomb had ended his career in the marines, Logan had changed, and even more so now that he’d married Julia. As he stood there with his brother, Jake flashed back to a moment he never wanted to relive: getting that call and not knowing whether Logan would live or die. It was something that stuck with him, the fear of losing someone so important that life wouldn’t have been the same without him.

Logan patted his back and then held his shoulders when he stepped away, looking at him closely. “You okay?” he said.

“Logan, who’s here?”

Jake heard Julia before he could come up with an excuse. She waddled around the corner wearing a long nightgown, a pink housecoat overtop, too pregnant to close it. She had short dark hair and the most beautiful green eyes, though they were puffy and shadowed with traces of darkness. Her hand was pressed to her back as she walked, and her face lit up when she saw him. Logan reached out to her, and she went right to him, sliding up against him, leaning into him.

“Hi, Jake! I didn’t know you were coming,” she said, snuggling against Logan. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, her hair sticking up in front. A gold band flashed on Logan’s finger as he held Julia and slid his large hand over her shoulder and arm, caressing her. It seemed so natural, the two of them together, and Jake was glad for his brother and thankful for this happiness he’d found. Out of everyone, he deserved it. Jake found himself wondering for a moment whether Logan would continue slipping away from them, though.

“I just found myself driving,” Jake said. “I was supposed to go up to Mom and Dad’s first, but I saw the sign to McKay…and, well, here I am. I hope I’m not intruding?” He felt Logan’s hand on his head, rustling his short dark hair.

“You’re kidding, right? You’re always welcome, you know that.”

Jake wondered for a moment whether Julia felt the same way. Women could be funny about that sort of thing—as he’d found out with Jill.

Julia glanced up at Logan and then back to Jake. “Logan’s right, Jake. Of course you’re welcome. You were coming with the rest of the family for Christmas dinner anyway, so what if you’re a day early?” She reached out and touched his shoulder, and then she yawned. “Oh, I’m sorry. I haven’t been getting much sleep. I can’t get comfortable at night now. I wake up often.”

“Maybe I am intruding,” Jake said. He didn’t know the first thing about babies or pregnant women.

“Uncle Jake!” Trinity, one of his eleven-year-old nieces, ran toward him and threw her arms around his waist. Dawn, her sister, was right behind her. Dawn’s dark hair was shorter than Trinity’s, which fell to her waist. They were both barefoot in pajamas. They were cute—a handful, he thought, although he didn’t know them well.

“I hope I didn’t pull you two out of bed,” he said. It was late, of course. With single Logan, Jake had never had to consider the time. Married Logan meant he had to think first before just showing up.

“We’re just getting ready for bed,” Dawn said. “We weren’t there yet, though, and we’re not tired!” She beamed up at Jake, and he noticed her green eyes were lighter than her sister’s.

“Hey, it’s late,” Julia said. “Even though you don’t have school tomorrow, you’re still going to bed.” She looked to Logan, maybe for backup, Jake thought.

Logan kissed the top of her head, squeezed her shoulder, and said something to her in a low voice.

She glanced up at him and rolled her eyes. “Okay,” she murmured.

“Girls, why don’t you help me make up the sofa for your uncle to sleep on?” Logan said.

“I’ll get the blankets!” Trinity yelled and started down the hall after her sister.

“Are you hungry? Did you have dinner?” Logan said. “Julia made a beef stew, with fresh bread she brought home from her cafe. Thankfully, today was her last day.”

Julia rolled her eyes. “I told you I can’t just hand my business over to anybody. I had to hire and train someone to fill in for me when I have the baby.”

Jake wasn’t sure what to say. Logan had told him that Julia owned a small cafe in town that served specialty coffees and lunch, but that was all he knew. Logan exchanged a glance with Julia. Whatever passed between them, Jake was pretty sure it had to do with him.

“No, I’m good,” he replied. “I grabbed a burger on the road.” His stomach still burned from the greasy, soggy burger he’d picked up at a truck stop. It had filled the hole, but that was about all.

“How about a beer, then? You look like you need one,” Logan said as he slid his hands over Julia’s shoulders and back as he walked with her into the kitchen.

Jake followed the couple. “Wouldn’t mind some water.”

Julia started to the sink, but Logan stopped her, turning her around. “No, I don’t think so,” he said. “You’ve done enough today. I want you off your feet.” He pulled out a chair and then scooted another chair in front of her, lifting her feet so she could put them up. Julia sighed as she leaned back, resting her hands on her protruding belly and letting Logan take care of her. It was a sight that shouldn’t have bothered Jake, but Logan was now so focused on his wife that he wondered whether he’d forgotten about his brothers.