Page 59 of Pain in the Axe
God, keeping my hands to myself had been torture, but remaining busy helped. I coordinated with JJ on some of the new initiatives and was slowly coming around to their way of doing things.
I also brought Clem to work with me as often as I could. Chloe could not resist her, and the sight of her lavishing my skittish, abused dog with love was one I’d never tire of.
The party was in full swing by the time I arrived. I had a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand, and in the other, a wrapped pack of Bonne Bell Lip Smackers I had to drive two towns over to purchase. My mother had trained me from a young age to never arrive empty-handed. While these had been some of her favorite things a long time ago, I had no idea what the forty-year-old version of Chloe liked, so I’d thrown in a bottle of prosecco too, just in case.
Music poured out of the house, and the backyard was lit up festively. This house was a wonder. It was an estate, really. It hadbeen built by some friends of my grandparents a long time ago and had been a vacation rental until recently.
Music floated on the air, and Karl stood behind an outdoor bar that looked out at the lake. Outdoor lights illuminated the space, and several guests were lounging on chairs while others played cards at a large teak table.
A distinct laugh sent a zing down my spine, and of their own accord, my feet changed direction. A moment later, there she was. Wearing tiny black shorts and a sparkly plastic crown with a glittering40on it.
Her hair was down and curling in the humidity, and her eyes danced as she laughed at her sister, who was gesturing excitedly.
Cedric and Calvin, Chloe’s brothers, were here too, as well as a handful of people from town. It was a small crowd, but they were all smiles.
I had just stepped onto the patio when Chloe’s head snapped around and she zeroed in on me. My entire body came alive, as if she’d reached out and touched me from afar.
Game on.
She stomped over to me, wearing sexy sandals that laced up her calves. “What are you doing here?”
“Happy birthday, Dragonfly,” I said. “Celine invited me.”
“Ugh.” She whipped around and scowled at her sister, who was busy destroying Calvin at foosball. “Celine,” she barked. “Why did you invite my nemesis?”
Her sister gave me a warm smile. The resemblance between them was clear, but their personalities were vastly different.
“He’s nice, and he’s easy on the eyes,” she trilled, with a wave of a hand. “And you don’t actually know that many people here. Figured the more the merrier.”
Chloe dropped her head. “I think my tipsy sister is telling me I have no friends.”
“I’m your friend,” I said, handing her the flowers and gift bag. “But I’ll leave if you’d like me to.”
Her eyes widened at the large bouquet, and she bit her lip, clearly fighting a smile. She still loved sunflowers. Noted. “You’re already here,” she said. “If you promise not to annoy me, then you can stay.”
With that, she walked away, leaving me standing on the patio, a wide grin spreading across my face. That was the warmest welcome I’d received from her yet.
I grabbed a beer and said hello to the various guests, making sure to stop and chat with the LeBlanc boys about their recent timber competitions. They were both great athletes and happily filled me in on the summer season.
From there, I wandered over to the dock area and sat in one of the Adirondack chairs so I could admire the truly spectacular view.
I’d spent my entire life in this state, yet I never got tired of the scenery. Lake Millinocket wasn’t particularly massive, but it was flanked by the Appalachian Mountains and a thick forest. I learned to swim in this water, and I’d kayaked with my brothers more times than I could count. The number of times we’d gotten ourselves in trouble here was almost as high.
At the sound of approaching footsteps, I was pulled from my reverie.
A moment later, Karl sat next to me, giving me a nod and raising his beer.
He was tall, easily six feet. And though he was lanky, his tattoo-covered arms were muscled and strong.
And while he was usually smiling at me, it was the kind of expression that silently conveyed a warning. In the last few weeks, he’d proven himself invaluable. It was no wonder Chloe claimed she couldn’t live without him. I swore he had the ability to be in two places at once some days.
“Good to see you,” I said, turning back to the lake.
He shifted my way, his face neutral but his posture tense. “I hope you’re not here to fuck around with Chloe.”
I held my hands up, reeling from the surprisingly blunt admission. “I’m not here to cause any trouble.”
“I mean it.” He looked me up and down. “You upset her, you’ll be at the bottom of that lake. You may be a big, burly wall of lumberjack, but I’m scrappy as fuck, and that woman is the most important person in my life.”
