CHAPTER TWO
–SEAMUS –
Observing the two women before announcing my presence gives me the ability to see which one is Dax’s daughter.I’m guessing it’s not the blonde one, but the stunner with the light brown hair.
The same color Dax, my former boss, had.He’s done a fine job of keeping her away from his company, and the employees.Maybe because she’s a woman, or ’cause she’s mute.Hell if I know, but I’m sure he must have had a damn fine reason.
She honored Dax’s wishes when it came to the funeral arrangements.The man definitely saw his death coming, and even if we took precautions, it didn’t fucking help shit.At least by honoring his wishes the funeral was split in two, keeping personal and business separate until the very end.It’s why I still haven’t met her until now.
I hear one of the women say, “You’re neighbors,” and then the stunning woman with light brown hair starts to wave her hand.She’s using ASL to communicate because a fucking asshole attacked her when she was nineteen and gave her a brain injury.She was traumatized by the whole incident.
Dax might have kept Jaxie away from his company, but two weeks ago he came by my mother’s cabin to talk to us about his daughter.My chest tightens when I watch Jaxie’s face fill with emotion.Fuckin’ weird feeling ’cause I normally don’t give two shits about anyone’s feelings, including mine.
I blame Dax.The fucker dying only makes me feel more obligated to see this through.It’s the only damn reason I forced my broken body to come down here.
I’m momentarily stunned when I hear Jaxie’s voice.According to Dax the trauma affected her ability to speak, and it’s why she uses ASL to communicate.I’ve been trying like hell to learn ASL for the past two weeks to be able to talk to her.
Hearing her friend mention there’s not a single human in sight, and how she can’t leave Jaxie by herself, rubs me the wrong way.
It’s why I rumble, “There are more people on this damn mountain.”
They break apart.A bark flows through the air, and movement catches my eye from across the clearing.
Knowing what’s coming, I drop my cane and mutter, “Fuck,” as I open my arms to catch the little shit.A grunt rips from me when I realize the little shit has become much heavier than the last time I saw him.Which was years ago when I trained him.
Benny starts to wildly lick my face the way he did when he was just a pup, making me laugh.He was such a little shit, and the only one with spots in an all black-and-tan litter.A giggle draws my attention back to the two women who are watching me.
I bend down to drop Benny back on all-fours and pick up my cane.Jaxie starts to sign and the woman’s hands move too damn fast and all I manage to catch is the word trained.I’m guessing she’s asking if I trained him.
The woman next to her rattles, “She’s asking if you’re Seamus, Edna’s son.The neighbor, and the one who...”
“Trained her dog,” I finish for her.
The woman’s eyes go wide.“You caught that?You know ASL?Or did you guess?”
Dismissing her questions, I glance at the sky before I tell the woman, “You should head back.It gets dark pretty damn fast around here.”
The woman narrows her eyes and crosses her arms defensively across her chest.“I’m staying.”
Jaxie taps her arm and signs.Again, too fast for me but this time I catch words like job, and fine.
I give a short whistle, and Benny instantly sits up straight instead of leaning against Jaxie’s leg.Macy, my dog, comes running toward me and plants her tiny ass on the dirt, ignoring everything else around her.
The two women have their attention on Macy when I state, “I’m the one staying.You have another two weeks before you’ll be here indefinitely.Jaxie will be fine until then, I’ll make sure.”
The woman glares at me and whispers to Jaxie, “I don’t like this.We have no clue if this guy is who he says he is.”
Releasing a frustrated sigh, I grumble, “Call my ma if you don’t believe me.She’d be here too if her back wasn’t bothering her.You invited her to dinner and she sent me instead.Oh, and I’ve put the two chickens in the coop you guys always have around here during your stay.Kitchen is also stocked with the normal list of shit Dax would tell me to get.I’ll go inside with the dogs so you two can say your goodbyes.Nice meeting you, lady.Jaxie, I’ll see you inside.”
Snapping my fingers, both Macy and Benny instantly react and follow me.
I hear the woman grumble, “It’s Elodie, not lady.”
