Page 6 of Caught in the Axe
As Gus pocketed his phone again, he turned to me. “I gotta run. There’s a truck stuck at the three-mile marker and they need my help. Pick an office and get yourself set up. Supplies are down the hall. Molly left to pick her kids up at school, but she’ll be in tomorrow to answer any questions you have.”
With that, he strode out of the office and down the hall.
“Hey.”
I jogged to catch up to him. How the hell was I supposed to get started? This place was a wreck. My head was spinning as my stomach dropped.
“This is a big job.” One I wished like hell I could get out of.
He stopped and clapped me on the shoulder. “I know. That’s why Finn and I found an assistant for you.”
I frowned. “Sorry, what?”
“She’s great.” He smiled for what might have been the first time since I’d arrived. “You’re gonna love her. She’s great at all the nerdy accounting shit just like you.” He pulled his phone out and checked the time. “She’ll be here in twenty minutes. Meet her down there, would ya? I’ll be back in an hour or so to help you get going.”
And then he was gone, jogging down the stairs, leaving me staring, open-mouthed.
What the hell had I got myself into?
Chapter 3
Owen
Iwas well and thoroughly fucked.
The feds had returned a few dozen boxes that they’d seized originally. Not one was labeled, and all the documents had been tossed into them haphazardly. So I set myself up in an empty office and decided that my first task would be sorting.
God, I missed Linda. She’d been my right-hand woman for the last eleven years, and if I’d brought her along, she could have this place organized in a matter of hours. I could not do my job without her militaristic organization skills and no-nonsense attitude. In addition to being my assistant, she was a mother to four teenagers, so she had a lot of practice keeping people in line.
As much as I wished she was here to take charge and clean up my father’s mess, she was holding down the fort in Boston. DiLuca Construction was now the largest construction company in Massachusetts, and, as CFO, I couldn’t take a sabbatical, no matter how badly my family needed my help.So while I was helping clean things up for Hebert Timber, I’d be working remotely. That meant I needed her on the ground in Boston to coordinate with my staff. Together, we’d keep all the balls in the air.
As I flipped through a stack of papers, they slipped from my hand and scattered to the floor. Cursing my clumsiness, I stood and started gathering them, only then realizing that my new assistant would be here at any minute, so I left the mess and headed downstairs.
While this task really needed a team of four or five MBAs, there wasn’t the slightest chance I’d find anyone qualified in Lovewell.
Including this assistant Gus had hired for me. I had no doubt that taking the time to explain the intricacies of what I needed to get done would only put me even further behind schedule. Gus meant well, but he didn’t get it.
As I strode down the hall, I assessed the photos of my great-grandfather. With each one I took in, my stomach knotted further. What would he think of this mess?
Once I hit the main floor, I found a woman waiting at the front door. She was tall and willowy, with shoulder-length brown hair. She had on a black puffy coat and jeans—hardly job interview attire—and wore a bright, unassuming smile.
I opened the door, trying to ignore how pretty she was up close.
“Hi, Owen. So great to see you.” Her voice was high pitched and musical in a way that made my body want to relax, though I refused to give in to the urge.
Without hesitation, she walked up to me and pulled me into a hug.
God, who was this woman?
She smelled sweet, like vanilla, but with floral undertones. Instantly, my body locked up even tighter than it had been all day. This right here was why I hated small towns. People were entirely too familiar with one another. And far too trusting. This young woman had just waltzed into a half-empty building in the woods without a care. I could be an axe murderer for all she knew.
Jesus.
“It’s been so long!” As she unwound her scarf and unzipped her coat, she stepped farther into the building and took it in with wide eyes and a bright smile. “Your mother must be so happy to have you home. And this is such a good time of year to visit!”
Despite my confusion, I nodded and smiled. It was impossible not to. Something about her gray-blue eyes and sincere smile completely disarmed me.
“I came right from the diner. Finn and Gus cornered me this morning and said you could use my help.” She walked through the lobby, totally at ease, like she’d been there before.
