EXCERPT CHAPTER 1 - LOGAN'S LEAP

Hey everybody! Here is a two part excerpt form Chapter 1 of Loan's Leap - This is the next installment of the Harper's Rock Novel series. Logan thinks love is for fools - Can Jayna and her baby change his mind?

Logan Harper rolled out of bed at five a.m. He was more than ready to face the day. The grocery store he owned would be taken care of by his assistant manager while he was out at the family’s now defunct ranch. Today was his day to ride his frustrations away on Digger, his horse. He dressed quickly, grabbed something to eat on the way, and left the apartment he kept above the store.

The minute he stepped outside he knew something was brewing. It was unseasonably cold for late August. He ran back into the store and up the stairs to his apartment, grabbing a jacket and gloves. Five short minutes later he was in his truck, headed just outside of town to the ranch his family owned and lived on. It hadn’t been a working ranch in quite some time, but his mother, Evelyn Harper, was turning it into quite a homestead. 

His younger brother Dylan lived at the lake house. The old bunkhouse had been renovated and turned into a cottage that Evelyn now rented out.  And Logan was building a house on the ranch. He wasn’t in any hurry to finish it though. Living above his work place was convenient and since he didn’t have a family and never planned on having one, he was taking his time.  His brother Russell had just moved back home to Harper’s Rock, and would probably build his own place on the family land someday or even take over one of the other rental buildings on the property. 

Logan parked his truck and entered the horse barn. There were only six horses left and the old building felt so empty. In its heyday it had been packed full of work horses. Their one ranch hand had already been there that morning so all Logan had to do was get Digger ready. He would be riding free in no time at all.

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He settled her into the passenger side and propped her up with an old blanket, then he buckled her seat belt. 

“Mmmm, where am I,” he heard her say softly.

“In Harper’s Rock, at my brother’s cabin,” he answered.

Her eyes shot open and she struggled against the seat belt. “Who…who are you?”

“I’m Logan Harper and I’m taking you to the hospital. You passed out and that can’t be good for your baby.”

Her hand went quickly to her stomach and she sighed. “He’s still moving,” she murmured. Looking back up at Logan, panic colored her expression. “Please don’t take me to the hospital! He’ll find me there.”

“Who will find you?” The hair on the back of Logan’s neck stood on end. This woman was bad news. When she didn’t answer he lifted her face to look at him. “I asked you a question.”

“Just take me some place where no one will see me. Please. I just need to eat and then I’ll be fine. I haven’t eaten in almost two days.”

Logan sighed and ran his hand through his dark red hair. “Okay, I’ll take you to my place and feed you, but then you need to leave. I’ll give you some cash, drive you back to your car and then you can head on to the next town.”

“The car is dead,” she whispered, tears starting to fall.  "I’m supposed to look someone up here in Harper’s…I don’t feel well.”

“Breathe,” he commanded a bit harshly. “Don’t pass out on me again.”  But he was too late. Her head lolled against the seat. After checking her pulse and breathing, he ran around and got into the driver’s seat.  Since a restaurant was out of the picture because she didn’t want to be seen, he had no choice but to take her back to his apartment.  His day sure had turned south quickly.