Page 1 of Heat Stroke

Chapter One

Wren

As the phonerings for the tenth time, I sigh and grab it before it can ring again. “LeSalle Lumber. Good afternoon. Wren speaking. How can I help you?” I automatically say into the receiver as I use my face and shoulder to hold the phone while continuing to look through the pile of paperwork on my desk.

I know that Purchase Order was here when I left last night.

Where did you go?

Did someone come into my office and grab it before I got here this morning?

I’ve told them 1000 times not to touch shit in my office.

I listen to the woman on the other end of the line and tell her to hold for just a second so I can transfer her back to the store front. Once I transfer the call and make certain it was picked up, I flip through the papers on my desk once more and glare at the spot I left the now missing-in-action Purchase Order.

Growling as I stand, I push my rolling chair back with my shins and swipe my empty coffee cup from the corner of my desk. Grumbling to myself, “How many times have I told them to leavemyshit alone?! If it’s in my office, then, they need to ask me for it. Messing up my damn mojo…” I stalk to the door.

The smell of fresh coffee wafts down the hall from the kitchen and I inhale deeply before deciding to detour. After my coffee, I’ll track my dad down to ask if he stole my missing P.O. I need to create the invoice.

Grrrrrr. I hate when they touch my shit.

A laugh causes me to look up. Standing by the coffee pot is my little sister, Alena. She grins at me. “Who’s messing up your mojo, Wren?” Stepping aside, she gestures to the coffee pot. “Get some happy juice.” She’s holding two cups of coffee herself.

Stepping past her, I push the button to fill my cup with fresh, dark roast Community Coffee. Once the black liquid is near the top of my cup, I lift it to my lips and take a sip. It’s so hot. It burns my lips and I moan as they tingle before blowing into the cup. Turning, I face Alena and rest my hip on the counter. She’s cattycorner to me and sipping from her own mug while the second cup sits beside her on the counter. She asks again, “Who’s pissed you off? What are you grumbling about?”

Chuckling, I give her the stink eye. “Has anyone been in my office today?”

She laughs and nods, “Yeah, Daddy was in there looking for a Purchase Order this morning. They called and wanted to know if they could pick up the lumber this week instead of next. The weather is cooperating and they can really start on the new community center if we can have the shipment ready.”

I groan. “Really? It shouldn’t be an issue. It’s already cut. They’ll just need to stack and wrap it.”

Alena nods. “Yeah, that’s what Daddy told him. He told the guy he could pick it up tomorrow.”

My brow raises. “Tomorrow? They’re going to have to work on it all day to have it ready for pickup.” I sigh and take another sip of my delicious coffee. “I guess once I get my purchase order back, I can head to the mill to help.” Glancing down, I see my worn denim and flip flops. I’ll have to change into the steel toe boots I keep in my office.

Alena wrinkles her nose. “Why do you always do that? You’ll be completely covered with saw dust and dirt. You’re the office manager, Wren. I’m the store/warehouse manager. Daddy and the guys are supposed to handle the mill.” She shudders.

Laughing at her, I reach out to pull on one of the long brown wavy locks hanging loose from the braid that I’m sure is purposely supposed to look messy. “I do whatever needs to be done, Sis. Besides, to have that order ready for tomorrow, I’ll need to help. You could help, too, you know…” Alena shudders with real horror and I chuckle.

After setting my coffee down, I release the elastic on my now loose ponytail and gather my thick tresses at the top of my head and re-secure it. My hair is so heavy… “So, where is Daddy with my Purchase Order anyway?”

Alena wrinkles her nose at me again before picking up the second cup of coffee from the counter top. “No way. I’m not getting covered head to toe in sawdust.” She shudders again and glares at me as I smirk. Tossing her chic braid over her shoulder, she grabs the other cup of coffee and jerks her chin at me. “Come on. I’m heading that way anyway. I came back to brew a fresh pot and bring one to Daddy. He’s up in the warehouse right now. The builder for that order is supposed to come by this afternoon to look at hardware and grab more supplies.”

Nodding, I follow behind her. We walk side by side for a bit before she casually says, “Hey, I think you actually know him. I’m pretty sure we went to school with him.”

What?

Alena is only two years younger than I am, so, she’d know if I know the builder? She’d know him, too.

Who is it?

It could be anyone. Everyone knows everyone here anyway. Welcome to Smalltown, Louisiana.

We’re ten minutes from Baton Rouge, but, we still have enough of that small town feel that I love it. The convenience of the big city while still enjoying grass and sugar cane fields. Though the community leaders are trying to take that away from us now, too. More rooftops and more taxes is all they care about!

I mean, who gives a shit that they’re destroying the very things that attract people over to us.

Traffic is total shit getting into Baton Rouge now.

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