Page 10 of Challenged By the Rugged Lumberjack

Sunset paints the mountains in shades of gold and purple, light spilling through my windows as I review the Bennet invoice. The final figures look good—better than I expected. Enough toget me through the next few months easily, especially with the Johnsons' roof repair coming up in September.

A movement outside catches my eye. I glance up, then freeze, pencil still poised over the paper.

Elisa is walking up my driveway, Mason balanced on her hip. Her hair is pulled back in a neat ponytail, and she's wearing different clothes than this morning—a simple blue dress that catches the last rays of sunlight. Even from here, I can see she's cleaned up, a far cry from the sleep-rumpled woman who watched me chop wood.

"What the hell?" I mutter, setting down the pencil.

Did something happen? The generator broken down again? But why bring the kid if it was just a mechanical issue?

I stand, oddly conscious of my own appearance—worn jeans, faded t-shirt with a tear near the collar, three-day beard. I run a hand through my hair, which does nothing but mess it up more, then abandon the effort. What do I care how I look?

A soft knock sounds on my door. For a split second, I consider not answering. I could pretend I'm not home. But my truck is parked outside, and smoke rises from my chimney. She knows I'm here.

I open the door, keeping my expression neutral. "Problem with the generator?"

Elisa blinks, looking momentarily thrown by my greeting. "No, it's running fine. Thanks to you."

I wait, saying nothing. Mason peers at me from the shelter of his mother's arms, then holds up his rabbit in greeting.

"We, um..." Elisa shifts her weight from one foot to the other. "We brought you dinner. As a thank you. For everything."

That's when I notice she's holding a covered dish in her free hand. The scent of something savory wafts from beneath the foil.

"You didn't have to do that," I say, the words coming out more gruffly than intended.

"I know. But I wanted to." She holds out the dish. "It's just a casserole. Nothing fancy. But it's hot, and there's plenty."

I stare at the offering, unsure how to respond. When was the last time someone cooked for me? My mother, maybe, before everything fell apart. Thirty years ago? More?

"Unless you've already eaten," she adds hurriedly, misinterpreting my hesitation. "Which, of course you probably have. It's dinner time. I should have thought—"

"I haven't," I interrupt. "Eaten, I mean."

Relief crosses her face. "Oh. Good."

We stand there in awkward silence for a moment, the casserole between us like some strange peace offering. Mason breaks the tension by pointing at my cabin.

"Bear house?"

Despite myself, I feel one corner of my mouth twitch upward. "Yeah, kid. Bear house."

Elisa smiles, a real one this time, reaching her eyes. "We won't stay. I know you probably value your privacy. I just wanted to say thank you properly."

I should take the dish, thank her, and close the door. That would be the sensible thing to do. The safe thing.

Instead, I find myself stepping back, opening the door wider. "You want to come in? It's getting cold out there."

Surprise flickers across her face, followed by something that might be pleasure. "Are you sure? We don't want to impose."

No, I'm not sure. This is a terrible idea. But the sun has dipped below the mountains, casting long shadows across my porch. The temperature is dropping rapidly, as it always does up here after sunset. And the boy is watching me with those trusting eyes, his tiny body shivering slightly in the evening chill.

"I'm sure," I say, though I'm anything but. "Come in."

She hesitates only a moment before stepping inside. Mason's eyes go wide as he takes in my cabin—so different from Hargrove's ramshackle rental. My place is solid. Built to last. Every piece of furniture handcrafted, every surface well-maintained.

"Your home is beautiful," Elisa says, looking around with genuine appreciation. "Did you build it yourself?"

I take the casserole from her, "Most of it. The original structure was here, but I gutted it, rebuilt from the inside out."

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