Page 23 of Cut to the Heart of It
I chuckled. “No. Well, actually, sort of. Writers aren’t very peopley usually.”
“So, you plan to live amongst the trees alone?”
“Ha! No! I mean like a cute little cabin, far away from crowds and noise.”
“So, what’s stopping you?” he asked as he grabbed a beer then grabbed my hand to lead me to the couch.
Once we were settled, tangled up with a murder show on, I answered. “Did you hear the part about bills and money?”
“Mmhhmm.” He mumbled as he rubbed my feet.
“Well that pretty much sums it up.”
“Is that all that’s stopping you?”
“Well, that’s kind of a problem. Why?”
“Because I have cabins in the woods.”
I jerked my feet from his hands. “And?”
He grabbed my feet and pulled them back over his lap. “And you could be in it. Writing and watching murder shows.”
I leaned up and put my hand over his. “Johnny that’s crazy. I’m having fun but seriously, I can’t give up my apartment and quit my job.”
“I didn’t say you had to give up your apartment, did I?”
“What are you saying then?”
He turned, pulling me closer by my legs. “CJ, you said before we’re both grown-ups. We’ve already both had plenty of bad, complicated relationships. This is good and simple. I want you to stay.”
My heart fluttered but sped up. “I…but—”
“Really. Even if you wanted to keep your job, that’s up to you. I can cover your apartment if you think you need to keep it.”
“What? How?”
“Heart’s Lumber is mine.”
I jumped from the couch. “What? I thought you owned the cabins?”
He sat calmly, looking up at me. “I do. And Heart’s Lumber.”
I paced. Hearts Lumber was all over commercials and billboards everywhere in the Pacific Northwest. It was the largest lumber producer for three states if not more.
“So, you’re not a lumberjack?” I asked with my palms up.
He laughed, grabbing his stomach. “I never said I was.” Once he stopped laughing, he continued. “And so you know, we have machinery now, so we don’t really go in the woods with an axe. Unless you’re trapped.”
“But you…never mind. That’s still insane. You can’t just move me here and pay my bills.”
He stood and took my face in his hands. “I can and I will, if you let me, CJ.”
He was about to kiss me when there was a loud bang at the door.
“Dad!” came from the other side of the door.
He kissed me quickly then ran to the door. “Danny, oh my God!”
