Page 24 of Pain in the Axe
Chloe nodded, focus fixed on me. “She is. But I’m asking you.”
“It’s not my company,” I hedged, growing weary. We’d been out for hours, and the more time I spent with Chloe, the more the confusion and hurt that lived inside me bubbled to the surface.
She frowned. “I’m aware. But since you’re my most knowledgeable asset, I’m interested to know if you have any thoughts about what we could do here.”
I scanned our surroundings. “This side of the ridge is heavy with red oak. Look.” I pointed to the ground, where a thick carpet of acorns blanketed the forest floor. “But they don’t thrive with limited sunlight, and deer eat the saplings. They are slow growers and need carefully managed conditions to thrive.
“I’d do some selective cuts to get more sunlight in here, and then put up deer fencing.” With my free hand on my hip, I turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. “That way we protect and nurture the next generation of trees. Also, if we take out the white pines, we’ll have a better ecosystem to support the oaks.”
With a nod, she snapped more photos.
“Hardwood is always in demand, and the pricing is more stable than pine. It would be a long-term investment, but we could cut a few of these big ones,” I patted a large tree next to me, “and send ’em to the specialty mill for finish cuts. That alone would pay for the other work and allow us to cultivate this area for the future.”
She crossed her arms and tilted her head to the right. Her expression and body language made it clear that she was listening, taking my suggestions seriously.
My heart twisted in an unfamiliar way. I hadn’t expected that. Mainly because my father had always brushed me off, telling me I had a great head for machinery but not for business. And I’d always believed him. I didn’t have a degree, and I didn’t do the spreadsheets like Owen did. Instead, I got my hands dirty and did whatever needed to be done. Strategy had never been my focus.
“You’re smarter than you look,” she said, the corner of her lips quirking.
I gave her a grand bow. “I’m not just a pretty face, Dragonfly.”
“Can you show me how far this sector extends and where you suggest we put up fencing? JJ will be pissed if I don’t take coordinates.”
I nodded, a flush of pride sweeping through me.
It was nearlydusk by the time we returned. We were both dirty and tired, but my entire body was lighter. Chloe hadn’t gone easy on me, but her current contempt was preferable to reliving our past.
This was her company now, and she needed all the gory details. I’d do my best to fill her in, because I wanted to help her make it successful. As much as I resented her for being here and making my days so much harder, I didn’t want her to fail.
This business meant too much to me and this town. It went against every one of my instincts to let go and let it die. So as much as it gutted me, I’d be here to help, no matter what.
“Wanna do a lap around the pond?” I asked after we’d pulled up next to the shop where the ATVs were stored. As hard as the last several hours had been, and despite how the sun dipped below the horizon, I didn’t want this day to end.
She nodded. “You’re on.”
Before I could even get my helmet back on, she was off, speeding down the trail and taking the first turn at breakneck speed. God, I’d forgotten how competitive she was.
Not one to slouch, I picked up speed steadily, hoping I could overtake her when we got around the trees.
But she had already left me in the dust, and by the time I returned to the parking lot, she was standing next to her ATV, a broad smile on her face.
I was struck by just how gorgeous she was. And how I’d happily lose and humiliate myself every day of the week to earn more smiles like that one.
“I forgot you were a speed demon,” I said.
She shrugged. “I love to ride the trails. You can take the girl out of Maine, but you can’t take the Maine out of the girl.”
Wasn’t that the truth? Her hair was disheveled, she had a streak of mud across her cheek, and her sleek black shorts were covered in trail dust.
She’d never looked more beautiful.
I stretched my shoulders, relieving the ache that riding along the bumpy trails had caused, and bit my lip. “That’s not the only thing that hasn’t changed.” Voice lowered, I spoke my mind. Told her exactly what I really thought. “You’re still painfully beautiful.”
Between one breath and the next, her smile turned straight into a scowl. “Excellent,” she snapped. “I enjoy causing you pain.”
My face flushed with shame. I should have kept my dumb mouth shut. She did not want to hear that from me.
She narrowed her eyes and took half a step closer. “Just out of curiosity. How much pain?”
