Chapter 1
Josie
I used to think that there is right and there is wrong. Good and bad. Black and white. I studied hard, I went to college, I did all the things. I got a job as a school teacher. I worked my ass off. I saved my money. I paid my taxes.
But then I lost my job.Sorry, Josie, cuts had to be made.
I lost my apartment.Sorry Josie, this block is being made into a mall.
And then I found my savings had been stolen by my ex.Sorry Josie, I needed the money.
I did everything right and I find myself with no job, no where to live and no money.
Well, you know what world. The whole world can all go suck a lemon.
I’m getting in my little pink car, with all my earthly belongings, and I’m just going to drive off into the sunset.
Three days on the road and I find myself up in the mountains and I’m finally starting to think straight. Or maybe I’ve really lost the plot. The fresh mountain air, all these trees, it has me thinking about living off grid. I could wear cheesecloth and hemp hand-made clothes. Grow some fruit. Bake cakes. Live in alittle hut. Just me. I could find my own little slice of paradise and not let any of the real world in.
I can’t afford to buy land, but maybe I could find a little bit of unused forest? I could just set up camp. Just take what I want. That seems to be the way of the world now. Everything is upside down and inside out. Everything has been taken from me and so maybe I’ll just do whatever theFI want.
It’s not long after these thoughts that I’m blaring angry rock chic music and singing at the top of my lungs as I drive a little too fast around these curvy, tree lined roads.
And it’s not too long after that, something darts out onto the road and I have to swerve urgently to avoid hitting some poor woodland creature.
My brian slows down the scene. A car coming towards me. The driver’s wide-eyed surprise. I grip the steering wheel. I hit the brakes. My car keeps moving, skidding sideways. The other car swerves. I’m off the road. And then an ugly noise of twisted metal.
There is a ringing in my ears. I blink at the cracked windscreen in front of me. Feeling dazed and confused. And then, looking to my side I see kind eyes and a big, bushy beard. His mouth is moving. His hand on my arm.
“Lady, are you okay?”
His words come through the haze and I shake my head as my mind starts to clear.
“Let me help you out.” He unclicks my seatbelt and with gentle but firm hands, he helps me out of the car. My legs wobble but I do a mental check and realize I am fine. No injuries. No broken bones.
The man hands me a bottle of water. A concerned look in his eyes. Broad shoulders in an open red plaid shirt. A t-shirt stretched across his chest. Big arms. Big beard. He is a big, sexy lumberjack. His hand on my shoulder gives me comfort and warmth. He looks so safe and kind. I bet he is somebodies someone.
“I’m okay.” I say. Offering a grateful smile. And then looking at my car, the front crumpled against a tree, I let out a little cry. “Oh no, my car!” Looking at the kind, sexy lumberjack man, I ask him. “Can anything else go wrong in my life?”
He has green, hazel eyes. Like the woods around us. Just beautiful. He shakes his head. “I’m sure it will all be okay.”
He is nice and those are the nice, kind words of a stranger. But he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know what a wreck my life is. All the things that I’ve lost. My job. My sense of security. He is a big, sexy, lumberjack. Driving around in his big, sexy, lumberjack truck. It’s all right for him. He knows who he is. A big, sexy lumberjack living his big, sexy lumberjack life!
And then, unaware of the slightly crazed thoughts and the anger swirling around within me. This guy dares to ask, “Why were you driving on the wrong side of the road?”
“There was a fox.” And then looking at my car, the one good thing I have left in this life, my little pink hatchback that was my escape towards something better, emotion wells up in my chest. And there is that anger again. Anger at life and the world and this guy, standing there all big and sexy and friendly.
“If you hadn’t come along I wouldn’t have crashed.” I know it is unreasonable. But reasonable and I are not on speaking terms right now. I instantly regret lashing out at a stranger as I watchhis look of concern turn to surprise and then a tight-lipped, dark frown of displeasure.
“Hey, crazy city girl, you could have killed us both. Out here you have to be careful of wildlife and other people on the road.”
“Yeah.” Crazy is about right, but I don’t care. “I’m not crazy. I’m a school teacher. And I’d rather be a crazy school teacher than some big, sexy lumberjack!”
“What??” He looks surprised.
I’m surprised too. It’s not like me to act like this. But the world has driven me to this point where I’m on the side of the road yelling at a complete stranger like a crazy woman.
“What’s going on here?” We both look towards a sheriff who has arrived at the scene.
