The burn in my muscles and the ache it leaves behind help me forget for a few minutes.
I reset another log and lift the axe again.
Moments before I bring the axe down, I hear the slow roll of tires over gravel announcing a visitor.
For a brief moment, my heart leaps in my chest, hoping it’s Tessa. A hope I quickly push down, because I may be a grumpy asshole, but I’m arealisticgrumpy asshole.
I finish my swing, bringing the axe down harder than necessary, before I straighten and turn toward the drive.
Luke’s truck.
I’m not surprised.
I lean the axe against the stump and watch as Luke kills the engine but doesn’t get out of the truck right away. He just sits there for a second, staring straight ahead.
I wipe my forearm across my brow before he finally steps out.
“You plan on ever answering your phone again, man?”
I bend to pick up the wood I just split. “Been busy.”
“Doing what?” He joins me by the woodshed. “Starting a lumber empire?”
I ignore the sarcasm. “You need help with those trees? Just let me know when.”
“I would,” he says. “If you answeredyour phone.” His voice stays even, but there’s an edge underneath it. “Every call goes to voicemail.”
I stack the logs neatly on top of the pile. “I didn’t think we needed to chat about it,” I say. “Just tell me when. You know I’ll be there.”
Luke huffs out a short breath that might have been a laugh on a different day. He steps closer, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “What’s going on?”
I stack more wood. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve got enough wood here to heat three houses this winter, and it’s only May.”
“Just getting ahead of things.”
He watches me for a second longer than necessary before he says, “I got a few of the guys organized. We’re going to fell those dead trees this weekend. You in?”
“Yeah.” I don’t turn and look at him, just pick up more wood.
“Yeah? That’s it?”
I straighten after a moment, slowly this time, resting my hands on my hips. “What do you want from me, Luke?”
He studies my face for a second, and I know he sees something there.This man knows me better than anyone—almost anyone. Luke had my back through every dangerous mission overseas. He knew how to read even the slightest change in my facial expression to know what our next move would be. I should know better than to think I can hide anything from him.
“You’ve been off.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“With what?”
The silence between us stretches.
With missing your daughter.I swallow back the response that’s on the tip of my tongue.
Instead, I shrug. “Work.”
