Page 30 of More Than Meets the Eye

“Yeah, you look like a black coffee kind of guy.” Logan purposely ignored the implication that his conversation was less than straight. He wouldn’t take that bait. Hamilton could glower and insult Logan all he wanted, but he wouldn’t dance to the other man’s tune. He was the one doing the leading, and if he wanted to swirl around the dance floor in circuitous patterns, then by George, that was what he’d do.

“Zach, don’t be rude to our new neighbor.” Eva swatted her bear of a brother on the arm.

Logan watched the sibling byplay with interest. Hamilton turned his hostile glare to Eva after she tapped him, but the daggers shooting from his eyes had no apparent effect on her.

What did have an effect was the crowd slowly milling in their direction. When Eva turned to smile reassuringly at Logan, her gaze shifted behind him, where an increasing amount of hoof stomping and harness jangling indicated that families were starting to collect their buggies and wagons for the ride home. Her smile faltered and her chin dipped, hiding her beautiful eyes from him as she stared at her feet.

Logan wasn’t the only one to notice.

Hamilton immediately unfolded his arms and touched Eva’s shoulder in a manner so gentle that Logan would not have thought it possible from such a hard man.

In a low voice, Hamilton murmured, “I’ll get the buckboard.”

Eva nibbled her bottom lip and nodded.

“Actually,” Logan interjected, earning a glare that rivaled the heat of molten iron from the brother who had taken two steps away from them, “I was hoping that since we live in the same direction, I might be permitted to walk your sister home.”

“No.” After voicing that single syllable, Hamilton turned to resume his stride.

Well, he hadn’t been lying about not liking to sugarcoat things.

“Yes.”

Logan’s heart drummed a victory cadence at the soft feminine rebuttal. He knew better than to read too much into the situation—walking with him was a minor matter, after all—but that didn’t change the fact that Eva had just chosen his wishes over those of her brother.

Which left Zacharias Hamilton less than pleased.

He spun around to face her, a growl reverberating in his throat. “You don’t know this man, Evangeline. I don’t know this man.” He leveled another glare at Logan. “I’m not about to leave you alone with him.”

“I know him well enough to accept his escort.” She lifted her chin, her inner fire overriding her desire to hide herself away. “We’ll be on a public road in full view of anyone passing by. There’s nothing improper about a man seeing a lady home.”

Hamilton’s face hardened, another denial surely about to spring forth. Until Eva touched his arm and turned pleading eyes on him. A less-trained observer probably wouldn’t have noticed much change in his features, but Logan swore he saw Hamilton’s resolve crumble that very instant. His features softened just a hair, his posture went from ramrod straight to slightly pliable, and his eyes glanced away, as if unable to withstand the pressure of her entreaty.

Her quiet words only made it worse. “Please, Zach.” Her voice lowered even more. Logan had to strain to hear as he fiddled with Shamgar’s saddle and pretended he wasn’t listening. “He looks and speaks to me as if I’m normal.” His chest tightened at that admission. She was normal. Better than normal, in his opinion. “Never once has he made me feel self-conscious or uncomfortable. I trust him.”

She trusted him? A con man would rejoice at those words, but Logan simply felt awe and a deep sense of responsibility not to let her down. The ache in the region of his heart intensified, and an odd swirling sensation afflicted his gut.

“If it will make you feel better,” she said, a tiny smile playing at the corners of her lips, “you and Seth can follow us in the wagon.”

Hamilton harrumphed. “While you walk? For three miles?” He shook his head. “Watching paint dry would be a better use of my time.”

Logan kept his body language neutral even as he pumped a victorious mental fist. Getting Eva to open up about her odd behavior would be difficult enough without her overprotective brothers watching their every move.

Hamilton prowled over to Logan and glared at him across Shamgar’s back. “If my sister’s not home in an hour, I’ll come looking.” He eyed Logan up and down. Logan jutted out his chin and accepted the perusal, silently praying Hamilton wouldn’t see his father reflected in his features. Hamilton frowned, and his eyes narrowed, as if not particularly impressed by what he’d seen. “I promise it won’t be pleasant if I have to come find you.”

Logan accepted the threat as his due and nodded. “You have my word that I’ll see her safely home.”

“Emphasis on the safely, mister. She so much as stubs her toe, and you’ll answer to me.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Eva shoved Hamilton’s shoulder. He swayed slightly but gave up no ground. “I traipse all over the countryside by myself seven days a week. I think I can manage to walk the road from here to home without endangering my health.”

“It ain’t your capability I’m questioning.” Hamilton’s stare never left Logan’s eyes. Logan knew exactly what he was questioning. His honor. But the way Eva’s forehead wrinkled proved her too innocent to fully comprehend the implication.

“Sure sounded like it,” she grumbled. “As if I need a man’s arm to keep from stumbling over my own two feet. You make me sound like an invalid.”

Logan finally broke Hamilton’s stare to smile at Eva. “You are far from an invalid, Miss Hamilton. I find you delightfully . . . robust.”

A strangled noise gurgled out of her brother’s throat, but Eva’s giggle banished the sound. “Robust, am I? I do believe that is the most unique compliment I’ve ever received.”