Chapter 9
Day three was Lauren’s breaking point. She’d napped and rested until she was about to turn into a zombie. Jonah had stopped
over both mornings. Once with a load of firewood, once with a box of maple donuts from the Sugar Shack. He said they were
her favorite—and when she’d bitten into one after he left, she believed him. She probably should’ve invited him to stay and
enjoy them with her, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She felt so awkward around him—caught in some weird dimension
between enemies and lovers.
Now she was sitting on her deck, staring at the water through the trees. The surface glistened in the late-morning sunlight.
If she didn’t do something productive soon, she’d go mad.
The sound of laughter carried through the woods. The middle-aged couple who had checked in yesterday walked from Willow Cabin
toward the community pier. She stood and followed. Graham scrambled ahead of her, tail flagging the air. She would just check
on the couple. See if they needed anything.
She followed them down the dock where they were donning life vests. “Good morning. Beautiful day for a boat ride.”
“We were thinking the same,” the woman said. “Oh, who’s this handsome guy?”
“Meet Graham—our resident mascot.” Lauren extended her hand. “And I’m Lauren, the property manager.”
They exchanged greetings while the couple gave Graham some attention. They were from Florida and had come north hoping for
some early fall foliage. It was their first time at Pinehaven.
“We love it so far,” Donald said. “Even if the leaves haven’t fully turned yet. It’s a beautiful area.”
“I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying it. If I can do anything to make your stay more comfortable, just let me know.”
“That’s so kind,” Kathy said. “We did use the last of the firewood. It got quite chilly last night.”
“No worries.” Donald assisted his wife into the boat. “I can take care of that when we get back.”
Lauren beamed. “No need. That’s what I’m here for.”
The couple settled on the bench seats. “Well, thank you. It was nice meeting you. Off we go!” The two of them worked their
paddles with a little trouble and a lot of laughter.
Lauren waved them off, watching for a moment, Graham at her side. Then she traipsed up the property toward the woodpile. It
felt good to have something to do again. Her headache was just a faint throb in her temples as she walked up the incline toward
the lodge.
She’d kept to herself since she returned from the hospital. It felt strange being around people who seemed more acquainted
with her than she was with them. Made her feel exposed somehow. How much of herself had she shared? Anything they might’ve
disclosed about themselves was lost somewhere in the complicated maze of her brain.
The wheelbarrow sat beside the log pile, so she began loading up. She was ready to start easing back into her job. The release
papers said she could do so after a few days as long as her symptoms didn’t increase. It wouldn’t technically be three full
days for another five hours or so—but close enough.
She loaded a few more logs, then stepped around to grab the handles.
“Lauren.” Jonah appeared around the backside of the lodge, barreling her direction. “Hey, you shouldn’t be doing that. Let me help.”
“I’m fine. It’s just a few logs.”
“Go back to your cabin.” He took the handles.
She tightened her grip. “The Garretts asked me to deliver them.”
“I’ve got this. You should go lie down.”
“You can’t tell me what to do.”
He wrestled the handles from her. “Actually, I can.”
She bristled. Yes, Jonah was technically her boss. It was one of the sticking points between them as the authority figures
in her life had been nothing but thorns in her side.
“I know you must be bored, but you’re supposed to be resting.”
“If I rest any more, I’ll be comatose.”
“You heard what the nurse said about—”
“She said three days, and that’s what it’s been!”
“Not yet it hasn’t. Stop being so stubborn. Go sit on your deck and—”
“And what? Stare at the trees? I can’t text, read, or watch TV. I’m bored out of my skull!” She shelved her fists on her hips,
but to her mortification tears pressed behind her eyelids.
His gaze roved over her face for a long, searching moment. Then he set the wheelbarrow down. “I know this is hard.”
“You don’t know anything.”
A muscle flickered in his jaw. “I know you like to be productive. I know your brain usually processes things so quickly you
can make a plan and carry it out before most people have their first cup of coffee. I know you’re dealing with brain fog and
memory issues that have you confused and frustrated. You’re thinking if you just get back to work, everything will return
to normal.”
She pressed her lips together and stiffened her spine when she wanted to sink in on herself. But she’d never admit that he’d hit a bull’s-eye.
“But if you’re not careful, you could actually do more damage. Be patient with yourself. If you need something to do, let’s
start with a chore less taxing than toting loads of firewood.”
“It’s just one load.”
“Meg printed off the stickers for the brochures yesterday.”
“What stickers?”
He blinked. “Right. It was your idea to update the brochures with stickers instead of purchasing new ones.”
“Oh.” Her brain seemed to have lost every little detail—and all the big ones too. “Stickers.”
“It was a good idea and it needs to be done.”
“Fine. I’ll do the stickers.” She glanced down at the logs. “Knock yourself out.”