Caught in the Axe (Maine Lumberjacks, #1)

by Daphne Elliot

“Hm.” She tapped her pen on the desk. “Then you should probably leave the ‘innovation’ to the professionals. Now, are you ready to talk about the machinery list? Because it’s woefully incomplete, and the assumptions are flawed.”

Damn, I’d never been so attracted to a woman in my life. Lila could completely destroy me. And I would gladly let her.

“You think they’ll submit another offer?” He kept his focus on the road as he hummed, considering my question. While the meeting today had shot lightning through my veins, Owen was calmer than usual. “I honestly don’t care either way.”

“Your words today made me realize that this land means something. This business means something. We have to sell. There’s no getting around that. But it’s important to wait for the right offer. I’ll give them another chance to make a decent offer, but maybe it’s worth waiting.”

“I think I like being the bad cop,” I admitted, clasping my hands in my lap. “It was fun to let my inner bitch out. For the first time in what feels like forever, I didn’t care about being polite or making the right impression. Being heard and being right were more important in that moment.”

“You were heard, and you were absolutely right.” The smile he directed at me made my heart stutter.

“I think you’ve been forced into playing a specific role your whole life. But the woman I saw in there today, the one I see most days, actually, is the real you. You are fierce. You are smart. And you deserve to be heard.”

“God, they were awful. Bill really has a big stick up his ass, huh?” I unbuttoned my blazer, “not that our guy was much better, Tad was eye fucking you the entire time. I wanted to punch him.”

“It wasn’t the first time.” I sighed. “And it won’t be the last. I’m used to it. But I hate the way some men use their expressions and body language to intimidate women, reducing us to objects without saying a word.”

“And when you say human experiments?” he asked, hands clasped behind his back and one brow raised.

“The orgasms,” she said matter-of-factly. “Dr. Leech harnessed the life force contained in human orgasms to power his weather buster machines.” Owen’s eyes bulged and he almost choked on his tongue. “Sorry. Orgasms?”

“Oh yes. Dr. Leech used orgone, the power generated by orgasms, to ...

“Genius is always distrusted.” She hummed. “True visionaries are never appreciated in their own time. Dr. Leech single-handedly saved the blueberry crop in 1958 from a devastating drought. The Maine economy depended on his science.”

He gestured to the glass case in front of us. “So these devices,” he asked, “were for…?” “Masturbation,” she replied, pointing at a large dildo with rivets on the sides that looked to be made of iron or some other hard metal.

By the end, Owen had asked a million questions about Dr. Leech’s research and had purchased a book of his theories as a souvenir.

As Doris fiddled with my phone, he snaked his arm around my shoulders and leaned close. “Thank you,” he said to me as we waited for her to figure the device out. “I needed some weirdness today.” I smiled broadly at him. “Happy to get weird with you anytime.”

“Hungry? There’s a great diner a few exits up,” I said. “They have gluten-free options.” “Really?” She perked up. “That’s amazing.” With a simple nod, I tapped the steering wheel. In reality, I’d obsessively googled gluten-free restaurants in preparation for our trip. Not that I’d admit that to her. I was surprised by the sheer number I found. Maybe Maine wasn’t as backward as I’d thought.

I’d always been a serial monogamist. I typically went for sophisticated women with impressive careers who were as busy as I was. Women who were, quite often, older than me. We’d meet for dinner at hot spots, go to the symphony, or sit behind home plate at a Revs game. Nothing too cozy. Nothing too intimate. Companionship, shared interests. That kind of thing.

But sitting here, watching her order strawberry milkshakes for both of us, it hit me. I’d blow it all up for her. It should have terrified me.

She took a bite of her burger—on a gluten-free bun—and moaned. “Wow. that’s really good.” I lowered my gaze to my chicken sandwich, pretending to be absorbed in my own dinner. If I got even the smallest glimpse of the look on her face that accompanied that sound, I was sure I’d throw her over my shoulder and take her back to my cabin, caveman style. It was bad enough that my pants were getting tight again.

“That’s close to the L.L. Bean boot and the fisherman statue. We could group a few of these together in a weekend.” The words were out of my mouth before the meaning behind them registered. “I mean you could,” I muttered, pushing the phone across the table. To keep myself from saying more, I ducked my head and shoveled several fries into my mouth.

Was Lila interested? She was friendly and a little flirtatious at times, but I’d chalked it up to her sunny personality. But today alone, she’d called me a fine vintage, then she’d attempted to hold my hand. I’d even caught her staring at me while Doris droned on about masturbation.

In moments like these, I really disliked my brother. How could he have found a woman as spectacular as Lila and managed to fuck it up? Not that I was complaining that she was single.

The pull I felt was natural and completely terrifying at the same time. I ached to touch her, kiss her, hold her. Was it crazy to think that she could feel the same way?

I’d put myself out there tonight. See if this was something worth trying. There were millions of reasons not to get involved with Lila, but when I put my arm around her as we stepped out into the parking lot, none of them mattered. Being with Lila made me feel brave. I had to at least try.

“Already saw it,” he said in way of greeting. “I’m driving there now.” “Don’t do anything stupid,” I cautioned. “Call the police.” “It could be nothing.” “Given Dad’s criminal associations, we can’t afford to make that assumption. Just call the police.”

I ran toward the back buildings, where I could see Chief Souza. He was headed my way, along with a couple of deputies. As we got closer to one another, I could make out their faces, as well as the face of the man they were leading out in handcuffs. Cole.

“We caught him damaging heavy equipment, spray painting the building, and slashing truck tires. We’ve got to take him in and book him.” “What the fuck is wrong with you?” I shouted. Confusion washed through me as pain lanced my chest. Cole was a fuckup, but he wasn’t a criminal. “Why is she here?” he spat, eyes narrowed on Lila.

“Owen and I were on our way home from a meeting,” she said calmly, keeping her attention set on him.

“Moving in on my girl, Owen? Figures you’d find another way to s...

“You’re drunk,” Lila said, crossing her arms. “And I’m working with Owen.” “Sure you are,” he slurred. “Just remember, he’s a pathetic old man who’s probably trying to get in your pants.” He turned toward me wearing a cruel smirk. “She’ll let you too. Gold-digging bitch.”

I lunged at him, intent on punching his smug face. I didn’t care that he was my brother and in handcuffs. The way he spoke about Lila sent me over the edge.

My body shook with rage and confusion. How was this my family? What had happened to us? Lila walked past me and straight up to Cole. He towered over her, but she popped up on her tiptoes and slapped him in the face.

“Get your shit together, Cole,” she said, her voice strained. “This isn’t you.”

Lila turned toward Chief Souza and affected her best pageant smile. “He should probably sleep this off.” The chief nodded. “A night in a holding cell might help him realize what a fool he’s making of himself.” When

I was frozen to the spot, because as I’d turned my focus from Cole to myself and this situation, rage ignited in me and sang through every one of my nerve endings. I was an idiot for thinking I could swoop in, save the day, sell the company, and make my family whole again. Hell, I even thought I could get the girl.

And the hits just kept coming. I’d woken up to a text from my mother. She’d included Jude and Finn and Gus as well. Family meeting, the message had said. 9am.

Cole had always been an entitled brat. As the result of my father’s affair with his twenty-one-year-old secretary, he had always felt like he was on the outside. My mother had done everything in her power to make sure we all built relationships with him. His own mother had little interest in being a parent, just like our father, so he could often be found hanging around our mom’s house. And my mother, the saint that she was, had always treated him like one of her own.

“You,” Mom said sternly, “cannot press charges against your brother.” “Half brother,” I mumbled. “Owen,” she snapped.

“I am a piece of shit. Please, throw me in jail. At least then I won’t be sleeping in Debbie’s guest room, watching Wheel of Fortune every night.” “Hey, do not bring Wheel into this,” Mom warned, planting her hands on her hips.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “I was drunk and high, and it seemed like a great idea. A fuck-you to Dad. A way to blow off steam. Who cares?” And just like that, all my sympathy turned to rage. “Who cares?”

“You don’t have the IQ points to understand how your actions affect the rest of us.”

“I’m working my ass off, neglecting my actual paying job, to help save your asses. I abandoned my own life to help get this shit fixed so that we can all move forward with our lives. “And you’re up here, fucking things up left and right for the rest of us, sabotaging our chances of moving on without losing everything because you have hurt feelings? Liabilities impact our ability to sell, dumbass.”

“Get your shit together.”

He hauled himself off the couch faster than seemed possible and shoved me hard. “Fuck you, Owen. You are the last person to throw stones. You haven’t come home in years.” I whipped around and shoved him back, satisfied when he stumbled. “Staying away is not the same thing as petty crime and sabotage, you dumb fuck.”

“We’re all hurting. The last few years have not been kind to any of us.” She pinned Cole with a glare. “You will make amends, both with the law and with our family.” “Yes, ma’am,” he grumbled, hanging his head. She turned toward me, shaking a finger. “I raised you better than this. We forgive in this family. I’ll drag all your lazy asses to church on Sunday if I have to so you can remember your values.”

“The printer needs more toner,” Lila said, drawing me out of a daydream that involved her, a lake, and a sunny summer day. To say my head was not in the game was an understatement.

Handing the box to her, I turned, feeling the heat of her body close to mine, and swallowed back the first inkling of fear that rushed through me. I hated small spaces. I needed to get out of here before I embarrassed myself. My hand was already clammy when I found the doorknob. I gripped it, and as I turned it, I pushed against the door with my shoulder. But it wouldn’t budge. I jiggled the knob and tried again. Nothing.

I tried, to no avail, to center myself with the deep breathing exercises I’d learned in therapy. I was beginning to lose feeling in my fingertips, and my lips were getting numb. “Owen?” Lila said, her voice full of concern but far away.

“Owen, are you okay?” her tone had turned concerned. Shame washed over me, only making the panic more acute. By thirty-eight, I should have outgrown this. My childhood fears should be firmly in the past, and I should be well equipped to work through any that might sneak their way in. But no. I was freaking the fuck out in front of the woman I was obsessed with. Fucking great.