Page 30 of Axe Backwards
Chief Mitchell greeted me with a big smile. He was in his late forties with a thick mustache and stern dad energy that reminded me of my brother Gus.
“You’ve got quite the résumé.” He leaned back, making his desk chair creak. “A hotshot. Bureau of Land Management special operations, national forest certifications, squad leader of the Northern Tahoe region, specialized training in hot spotting, tree felling, and structure protection?”
I took a deep breath. I wasn’t the kind of guy who sat at a desk or did a lot of work using a computer. It had taken meall weekend and a lot of help from Jude to double-check my certifications and get it all typed up. It was strange, to distill all my experiences and hard work into typed words on a page.
He stood and reached out. “I want to shake your hand again. This is quite a record of service.”
I got to my feet. “Thank you, sir.”
“While I’m thrilled to meet you and would love to hear your war stories over a beer, I’m not sure I’ve got a job for you.”
Lips pressed into a line, I nodded. It had been a long shot at such a small department, but I wasn’t qualified for much else.
“We’ve got a limited budget and no open positions at the moment, but if something opens up.” He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “It would also be quite different for you. We’re first responders. We don’t fight overly complex fires or craft strategy here. What we handle is far more basic.”
“I understand,” I said, keeping my tone even. A routine, boring gig was precisely why I wanted it. “I’m a father now.” I shoved my hands into my pockets. “I can’t deploy to fires for weeks at a time. I can’t take the kind of risks I used to.”
“I get it. Wish I could help.”
Though I was disappointed, Tess and I would be okay if I didn’t find a job immediately. I had been living off the payout I received last year when Owen had sold the family timber company, and I wasn’t at risk of using it up anytime soon. It wasn’t a ton, but it was enough to keep us comfortable for now. Career-wise, I wasn’t sure where I’d land. I was proud of the specialized skills I’d obtained over the years. Unfortunately, they didn’t seem to be in demand up here, and I couldn’t go back to the West Coast.
Being a dad was my first priority. But I wasn’t used to not working. I preferred to be useful. To be of service in some way.
With a nod, I pulled my keys from my pocket. “Thank you for your time.”
“You know.” He scratched his chin. “My cousin runs the Katahdin search and rescue team. They’re always recruiting qualified talent.”
The Appalachian Trail ran through Maine, culminating at Mt. Katahdin, so this region attracted a great number of hikers, campers, backcountry skiers, and those looking for remote fly-fishing. Which was great for Finn, who had recently started a flight tourism company. It was booming, which meant the forests of Maine were seeing plenty of traffic. It made sense that the search and rescue team would be active and hiring.
I couldn’t be out in the wilderness away from Tess, and despite the résumé he’d complimented me on, few of my skills would translate.
“I’d love to learn more.” I might as well get the information, though I imagined emergency medical certifications would be a must, and I’d only had basic EMS training.
“Good man.” He slapped my back and walked me out.
I fought back a forlorn sigh. I’d made it another day, yet I was no closer to figuring out what I was doing.
From the firehouse, I turned left and headed for the diner. My mom had taken Tess to the playground and was planning to drop her off later, so while I had a little time to myself, I’d drown my sorrows in a slice of blueberry pie. Or maybe two.
I patted my stomach. Fitness used to define me. It was the first and most important requirement of my job. We trained relentlessly, hiking while wearing sixty-pound packs and having pull-up competitions in our spare time.
Anymore, hauling boxes of diapers was the closest thing I got to a workout. But I was feeling less like myself with each passing day. I needed a job, a routine, and to set a path for the future for Tess and me.
At the moment, it looked like that path would involve a dad bod, and I’d have to deal with that.
When I slid into a booth, Bernice greeted with her usual snarky charm.
“Where’s the cute baby?”
“With grandma,” I said, lacing my fingers on the tabletop. “Coffee, please. And pie.”
“Your girlfriend prefers apple.” Her tone was one of disbelief.
Apple pie was objectively delicious, but up here, it was heresy to acknowledge the deliciousness of any pie that wasn’t blueberry. Any pie that wasn’t Bernice’s blueberry, really.
“I don’t have a girlfriend.” I kept my tone polite. With the way gossip grew and spread around here when I was a kid, I figured there wasn’t much more I could do.
“Sure you do. Lou’s niece. Trust me, take her a slice of apple. She’ll be grateful.”
