The lumberjack guy points at me. “This woman’s crazy. She was driving all over the road. You should lock her up for her own safety.”
My jaw drops as Mr. Hazel Eyes stomps off back towards his truck. His perfect, working, truck and probably his perfect lumberjack life. “Yeah, well who asked you!” The retort of a sullen six year old. Or a woman gone mad.
Lumberjack throws up his arms and just keeps walking. I turn back to the sheriff, feeling a bit more level headed and ready to explain the situation but my eyes go wide as I see he has his cuffs out.
Literally, can anything else go wrong in my life?
Chapter 2
Maverick
I’ve had some important meetings in the past. They always seem important at the time. But this one really means something. This meeting determines if I can see my dream become a reality. If I can finally feel like I am doing something meaningful. Not just donations. But a chance to actually change lives.
When I got the opportunity to set up the Lumberjack Retreat, I was all in. It was a good investment. Charging Fortune 500 companies to come and do team building for a couple of days while enjoying the great outdoors. Plus I get to own land in the mountains where I grew up. Perfect.
But what I really wanted, what we agreed was the eventual aim, was to open it up to troubled youths. Get them outside, get them physically active and show them what it feels like to overcome obstacles. To provide a safe place to talk around a campfire. Maybe learn some skills. It’s what saved me when I was a kid. And I want to save others.
So this meeting with the mayor of Starfall Valley is important. Really important. And I am really running late.
Dealing with the fear of a near accident, and then seeing this beautiful woman. Brown hair up in a pony tail, chocolate browneyes framed by dark eyelashes and an arching brow. She looked so sweet. And I am a bit of a sucker for those in need. For a moment there she looked so lost and sad. It triggered something protective in me. That was, until she started talking.
I don’t have time for Crazy Barbie in her pink car. So I was glad when the sheriff arrived so I could leave her in his hands. But, I keep seeing her face, those eyes blinking up at me in confusion. Even when she started yelling she was still captivating. A wild look in her eyes. But I have to put her from my mind. I have to concentrate on this meeting. I’m sure Crazy Crash Barbie will be just fine.
“I like this proposal, Mav. And it seems like everything is in place and we are ready to go. I just think maybe you need another staff member.”
“No problem.” I nod, pleased this is going so well.
“And it should be a woman.”
I smile and nod, but that might be a problem. My team is mostly men. We have Maggie, she organizes everything and she will be coming along. There is another girl on staff but she is off on leave.
The face of the woman from this morning floats through my mind. That would be crazy.
To the mayor I say, “I will sort that out.”
“Okay. Well I wish you luck, Mav. This is a good thing you are doing, if it works. A lot of people around here won’t like the idea of you bringing these troubled youths to our mountain. So you are responsible for making sure nothing goes wrong.”
A nod and a handshake and I’m shown the door. Outside I let out a sigh of relief. We are all set, everything ready to go thanks to ever-efficient Maggie. But now I have to find a woman to join us. Someone who can work with kids. Someone with time on their hands.
I glance over to the sheriff's office. Someone I can easily find.
This idea is absolutely mad, but I can at least talk to the woman. Maybe she was just upset this morning. Maybe she had a head injury which would explain her strange behaviour. And maybe I just want to see her again, considering I have been thinking about her all morning.
Chapter 3
Josie
I really am trying to keep positive. The sheriff has been perfectly nice to me, once I explained that I was a normal girl just having a really bad day. But he still suggested I wait in the cell while he organizes for my car to be towed and writes up a report.
It’s an open cell in the sheriff's office with a bench along one side. He has given me a bottle of water, a sandwich and a blanket to sit on. I’m not even sure the door is locked, more that this was just somewhere to put me. All and all it’s not a bad place to sit and contemplate my life.
I know now that I may have been feeling a little overwhelmed. Bordering on crazy. But a lot has gone wrong. I feel like I’m falling. Out of control. Getting deeper and deeper in trouble. I think getting away was a good idea. I love the mountains. I love the trees and the fresh air. Being surrounded by nature. And the men around here are damn hot. Must be all that clean mountain air.
One particular lumberjack comes to mind. What is it about him? He was big and burly. But there was something so beautiful in the way he looked at me. I felt I could have just put my arms around him and have him carry me away and make everythingall better. A strange reaction to have about a stranger, but then it was a strange situation. I wonder how it might have been if we had met in town. Maybe in a bar, had a few drinks, talked about life? I wonder what it would be like to be kissed by a big, burly lumberjack.
And it is at that exact moment that the very same sexy stranger walks into the sheriff’s office. I feel my cheeks go pink. I’m a bit embarrassed to have him appear when I was thinking about being kissed by him. And damn, he is just as sexy hot as I remember from this morning.
He looks at me for a moment as though assessing me. Or maybe just enjoying the sight of me behind bars. And then he walks over to talk to the sheriff in hushed tones. These two obviously know each other. And it is obvious they are talking about me. I just watch, trying to pretend like this is all a perfectly normal situation.
