Page 63 of Axe-ing for Trouble
“Things are working out okay in the new place?”
He nodded. “It’s beautiful. I’m beginning to see why you like the mountain life.”
Noah’s apartment building in town had burned down this summer, so he and Victoria were renting a cabin from Henri Gagnon on the other side of Lake Millinocket for the time being.
“Ude,” Tess said, breaking into a big smile. Her curly blond hair was in pigtails and her face was covered in crumbs from the giant cookie she’d probably suckered her dad into buying. She talked constantly and signed even more. I’d picked up on a few baby signs here and there, but she and Noah had a pretty vast vocabulary.
He’d been granted custody of her when her biological parents passed away, and for months, they’d only had each other. Their bond was so strong, and now that Vic was in the picture, they’d developed the same kind of devotion for her.
“I love you, Tessie girl,” I said, giving her a nuzzle.
She replied with a wet kiss to my cheek. I’d have to pressure wash my beard to get the chocolate chips out, but it was worth it.
As Noah chatted about Tess and the job he’d interviewed for, a unique sense of completeness hit me. He’d been gone for almost twenty years, and now that he was back, it was as if the limb I’d learned to function without had suddenly reappeared.
We were twins, always connected, even when he was in California. But with so much distance between us, I’d been incomplete. I’d made peace with that. I never thought he’d settle here in Lovewell. But Tess changed everything. And meeting Victoria sealed the deal.
Thoughts of them led to Mila. She’d almost lost her brother—and until he woke, she had, for all intents and purposes, I supposed—and she hadn’t been granted the kind of support my hometown had always given me. The kind of support I’d been taking for granted my entire life.
I had so much. A great job, a home, and a big, messy family. But I’d isolated myself, keeping my life small for so long that I’d lost sight of how fortunate I was.
I bounced Tess on my knee and shot my brother a grin.
In return, he pinned me with a glare that was out of character for him. He was the wild twin; I was the serious one. That meant something was up.
“Are you being safe?” he asked quietly.
I nodded.
“I have something for you. Here.”
He slid his hand across the table, palm down, all the while chatting with Tess, as if he was working not to arouse suspicion from the patrons around us.
He darted a look at me, then glanced at his hand. So, casually, I covered his hand with mine.
With an almost imperceptible nod, he drew his hand back and picked up his coffee.
I dragged my palm across the table. Only when the object was in my lap did I give it a cursory glance.
It was a small silver thumb drive.
Frowning, I looked up at him.
“Don’t ask,” he murmured. “Take it. Use it. Share it with Mila.”
My heart thumped painfully in my chest. “But.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know what’s on it. But we want you to have it. Hopefully it helps.”
I nodded and slipped it into my pocket.
“How?”
I’d tried so hard to keep Noah and Tess out of the mess our family had been embroiled in. He’d wanted nothing to do with our father or the family business for years. And after the fire, I couldn’t bear the thought of them being in danger.
“You didn’t get that from me. Or Vic.”
I nodded.
