Page 24 of Tell Me To Stop


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“It’s my favorite new nickname.”

“Have youactuallybeen hanging out at the marina?” Quinton asks, narrowing his eyes like he’s interrogating a criminal. “Please tell us you’re not actually logrolling. You’re gonna get hurt.”

“I’m not,” I lie. I do not owe them answers. “I mostly watch.”

Elijah bursts out laughing. “You aresucha fucking idiot.”

I snap, glaring at him. “Lumberjacking is my new kink.”

“Kink?” Quinton folds his arms, grinning. “If you don’t tell us what you’re up to, we’re going to start following you around—we will not rest until we know what you’re up to.”

Damn him!

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out, because there’s no universe where the truth sounds normal.

“It’s complicated,” I start. “We ran into each other yesterday morning, and she assumed I was a lumberjack, and ... I didn’t correct her. So yeah, I may or may not dash down to the marina and check it out.”

“Wait, wait, wait. So youarelogrolling? I’m so fucking confused.”

“I’m pretending to be a missing lumberjack.” I avoid all eye contact and slide into my flip-flops, staring down at them like they’re the two most interesting objects in the world.

Quinton throws his head back, sputtering. “A missing lumberjack? How do you become a lumberjack?”

“You are such a fucking idiot,” Elijah says again.

“It just happened.” I start the slow walk to the parking lot, and they trail along beside me. “We crashed into each other, started talking—and when she asked if I was a lumberjack, I thought it was so fucking funny that I—”

“Lied through your teeth?” Elijah cuts in, grinning so wide he might actually explode. “And now you’re the star of the fall festival?”

He’s saying it like it’s a bad thing.

“I’m doing the Lord’s work.”

“Yeah. You remind ussomuch of Moses.”

We reach my truck. I whip around to face them, hands raised like I’m about to deliver a motivational speech. “Listen. You guys are acting like this is impossible, but I thrive under pressure. You know this better than anyone. If anyone can learn how to roll a log in a few hours, it’s me.”

“So what’s your plan? Google videos?”

“Great idea.” We pile into my truck. “Hadn’t thought of that.”

“You’re telling me,” Elijah says, still laughing, “that you’re going to master the art of logrolling on the internet.”

“No, jackass—I’m going to watch and pay attention to the pros. How hard can it be?” I boast, shoving my key into the ignition, more confident than I was down by the lake. “You can learnanythingby watching.”

Quinton lets out a wheeze as he buckles his seat belt. “Yeah, like how to humiliate yourself faster.”

“Or how to write your obituary,” Elijah adds, still grinning in the back seat. “Because, buddy, that’s where this is headed.”

Oddly, I’m willing to take that chance.

What’s the worst thing that can happen?

Chapter 6

Lucy

When I show up at the marina, I don’t know what I’m expecting—maybe a group of rugged guys in plaid shirts, chopping wood with brooding intensity. You know,actuallumberjacks.