Page 18 of Caught in the Axe
God, this guy was too nice. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Most people in Lovewell were outwardly hostile these days, if my brothers were to be believed.
Henri had every reason to hate me and my family. My dad had been responsible for the death of his. His business had struggled for years because of my dad’s illegal and quasi-legal manipulations.
And here he was, making small talk and dropping off fresh eggs.
Though I suppose this could be pity rather than genuine kindness. That wouldn’t surprise me in the least. If anyone understood what we were going through financially, it was the Gagnons. We’d sold some acreage to them last year, which allowed us to pay our employees through the winter. Through the whole process, Henri and his brother Pascal had been professional and helpful. They clearly took no joy in the demise of our family business, thus establishing them as much better human beings than I could ever be.
God, being here was torture. I was a living, breathing reminder of all my father had done. And although I could not atone for his sins, I could at least acknowledge them.
“I’m sorry,” I said, holding his gaze. “About your father.” It was awkward as fuck, and I felt like an idiot, but I had to say something. There was no protocol for this type of thing. At least I hadn’t blurted out nonsense like “sorry my dad murdered yours. Thanks for the eggs!”
He pursed his lips and gave me a nod. “Thanks, man. You gotta know, we don’t blame you or your family.”
“Yeah,” Tucker added with a firm nod. “We likeUncle Finn. Dad was mad at him for a while, but now he takes me up in his plane.”
That sounded like Finn. Kids adored him because, deep down, he was one. It wasn’t hard to imagine how perfectly he fit in with this nice, close-knit family. I was happy for him. He’d found what he wanted. Family. Belonging. In the most unexpected of places. Namely, this town.
Sadly, what had become a safe haven for him still felt like a nightmare for me, with unforeseen dangers lurking around every corner.
Henri cleared his throat. “Just thought we’d stop by to welcome you and make sure you’re settling in. There’s a decent amount of firewood.” He gestured to a neat stack on the covered porch. “And there are instructions on the wall about how to light the wood stove.”
“I can handle it.”
“My wife almost burned the place down a couple of years ago. I wrote them for her, and they’ve stayed up. Last year, she framed them and hung them on the wall.”
Tucker shook his head, executing the perfect teen eye roll. “Mom.”
“You should be all set. We’ve got a whole shed full of firewood up the hill. You can drive up anytime and help yourself.”
“Or you could chop some,” Tucker said. “My dad and I chop it all ourselves. Sometimes my uncles help too.”
I smirked. This kid had zero issue with shaming a grown man he’d just met. I liked it.
It had been many, many years since I’d chopped wood. As common as the chore was up here, it wasn’t necessary in a city like Boston. I was probably six or seven the first timeI chopped wood using a small hatchet my dad had given me. Each of us boys had our own. In retrospect, arming us with sharp blades at such a young age was wildly dangerous and inappropriate, but occasions like that, where we got to spend real quality time with him, were few and far between, so we were always eager to go along with whatever manly shit he was trying to shove down our throats.
“I can chop wood,” I said, giving the kid a gentle glare. “I may live in Boston, but I grew up here.”
“Good.” He gave me a chin tip. “Because my dad and uncles compete. I’m gonna too, once I’m sixteen. Sometimes Uncle Paz and Uncle Remy come over and race.”
Jesus. The last thing I wanted to do was get into some kind of lumberjack competition with the Gagnons.
“Uncle Finn comes too. Aunt Adele is better than him, but she’s pregnant now, so we’re helping him train.”
NowthatI’d pay to see. Finn might be an ace pilot, but like me, he wasn’t exactly a mountain man.
“Text me the next time Finn comes over,” I said. “I’d love to see him make a fool of himself.”
That got a smile out of the kid.
Once they’d made their way back to their house, I sat on the porch in an Adirondack chair, taking in the scenery. The moon was almost full and the stars were so bright they lit up the forest. I pulled my knit hat down over my ears, sipped my beer, and tried to make peace with my circumstances.
Yes, I hated this town. But this cabin and this view were pretty great. And then there was Lila.
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to ignore the pull I felt toward her. She was an employee, temporary or not, and mylittle brother’s ex-girlfriend. Not to mention a decade younger than me.
Yet none of those pesky details mattered when she smiled at me.
And when she did, it was like standing in the sun. Her attention was warm and comforting, and it created an ache inside me, one I’d never felt before and couldn’t identify.
