Page 60 of Pain in the Axe
I nodded. The dude wasn’t messing around. How much had she told him?
“I know everything,” he said, one brow cocked, as if he could read my mind.
Shit, maybe he really could read minds. That would explain how ruthlessly efficient he was.
“And I would gleefully murder you if she asked me to.”
I sat forward, my elbows on the armrests of my chair. “The last thing I want to do is hurt anyone. And I believe you. No offense, but you’ve got crazy eyes.”
A smile spread slowly across his face. “Thank you.”
It hadn’t been a compliment, but at least the death threats had stopped.
I took a sip of my beer. “Listen, I’m just trying to do my job and be a friend to Chloe.”
He nodded, his lips pressed together in consideration. “Chloe is my person,” he said. “Like mother, sister, boss, and best friend, all rolled into one tiny, angry package.”
“Fascinating,” I said. “And you’re tasked with filing her horns down every morning?”
He let out a laugh, the sound an instant relief. Thank fuck. I had hoped that he and I could eventually become friends. He reminded me of my younger brothers: loyal and reactive, but good deep down.
“How’d you meet Chloe?”
“It was after my bail hearing,” he said matter-of-factly, focus fixed on my face, as if daring me to react.
“Sorry.” I almost choked on my beer.
“I was seventeen. My parents kicked me out, and I was living on the street. Got picked up for stealing. My public defender was Chloe’s roommate. I did five months in juvie, but without any family to be released to, it was a challenge. So Lucy took me home to their apartment.
“Chloe and I hit it off, and she sort of adopted me. Kicked my ass when I was being a little shit and helped me get my life together.”
“Wow.” The magnitude of what this kid must have gone through left me practically speechless.
“Made me get my GED and go to college,” he continued. “I always hated school, but she used to drag me out of bed to get to class. It wasn’t pretty, but I managed to earn a business degree.
“She’s always on my ass about finding a better job. But she’s my best friend, and the timber industry is all I know now. In the ten-plus years I’ve known her, we’ve been through all kinds of shit together. We’ve gotten ourselves into scraps in Mongolia and Brazil and everywhere in between.”
Damn, it was hard not to admire his loyalty and love for Chloe. He probably needed to hear that from somebody once in a while. In therapy, I’d been learning that we all needed to feel seen.
“She’s lucky to have you,” I said. “You’re an exceptional employee, that’s easy to see, but you’re also an incredible friend.”
In response, his expression softened, and his shoulders lowered.
“So why did she come back?” I asked, keeping my tone casual.
“Not for you,” he sneered, the defenses back in place. “Just for a change. She’s had a hard couple of years, and I think turning forty made her miss Maine. When she made an offer on your company, I figured we’d do the biz shit, let JJ and her minions loose in the woods, and be back in Seattle in two weeks.”
Huh. So she may not have come back for me, but it was possible she was staying for me. Hope exploded in my chest like a firecracker.
Karl sat back and looked out over the lake. “She wanted to be here for the summer.”
I hummed. “Because we have the best summers.”
“Given that I’ve lived most of my life putting up with daily rain, I can admit that what this place lacks in charm, Starbucks, and decent Thai food, it makes up for in dry skies.”
“Okay, I’ll take it.”
“Good, it’s all you’re getting,” he said, crossing his arms. “I’m ride or die for Chloe, and although I think I could possibly tolerate you, I’m not spilling her secrets.”
