Coveted By the Lumberjack (Sexy Lumbersnacks #10)

Chapter One

Sage

“Sage Allison Kingston, your mother would roll over in her grave if she knew what you were planning!” my father shouts as I walk away.

My eyes roll at the statement that may as well be tattooed on his forehead for as many times as he’s yelled it over the years.

It used to hold more power over me, but the guilt wore off years ago when I realized no matter what I do I’ll never be the daughter he wants.

Lord knows I tried, but I was born without the frilly gene.

Being raised by my father and six older brothers, who are the epitome of macho blue-collar workers, who run our family’s timber company certainly didn’t help.

“You must’ve buried the woman on a roller with as often as you spout that shit,” I grumble.

I know my dad is desperately trying to hold on to the memory of my mother. My first memories are of being told I’m the spitting image of the woman who died giving birth to me. Stories and photographs confirm the fact, but where she was as elegant as they come, I was as tomboy as a girl could be.

The dresses Dad insisted I wear would quickly turn to muddy tatters as I followed him and my brothers everywhere. Which meant most of my childhood involved tromping through the woods. He reluctantly gave up the idea of his frilly princess, but he continued to hound me about being a lady.

I don’t know what he expected would happen when I spent my earliest years riding in log trucks with grizzled, boorish men, who treated me like my brothers.

I had the vocabulary of a sailor before I started kindergarten.

It was a rough year as I learned I couldn’t say whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

“Don’t you walk away from me, young lady,” he sputters as I hear his heavy footsteps behind me.

I snort, not slowing my march to the front door. “As you like to point out every chance you get, I’m not a lady, and if you haven’t noticed, I’m certainly not young anymore.”

“Damn it, Sage. Why do you always have to be so stubborn?”

“I’m just being me. Contrary to what you think, I don’t purposely seek out ways to piss you off. I’m a grown woman who takes care of herself. If I want to participate in a charity event, I will. There’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“The hell there isn’t. I’ll change my will.”

That has me stopping in my tracks before spinning to confront the red-faced man behind me.

My shoulders slump. “You really don’t know me at all, do you?

Or rather, you’ve never taken the time to get to know who I am.

Instead, you’ve always tried to mold me into a replica of my mother.

I’m sorry I’m not her and I’m sorry she’s not here because of me.

Change your will. It makes no difference to me.

You already kept me from being part of the company.

Thanks to you, I have my own job and can pay my own way. ”

With that parting shot, I leave him sputtering as I storm out of the house that never felt like home anyway.

A sense of freedom washes over me. One that comes from shedding the expectations I was never going to meet no matter how hard I tried.

I’m done forcing myself to fit into someone else’s picture perfect image of who they think I should be.

Determined to follow through, I swipe through my contacts on my phone, stabbing at the one I’m searching for as I climb into my SUV. I set the device in the cup holder, and it rings over the speakers while I drive away.

“Hello?”

“Hi Kinsley. This is Sage Kingston. I want to sign up for the lumberjack show you and Liam are coordinating.”

“Hi Sage. That’s fantastic news. I’m excited you’ll be participating. You wouldn’t by any chance want to join the planning committee, would you? We could really use help, and you’d make a great addition to the team.”

Her question gives me pause, but then I remember I’m no longer worried about how my father might react to the news. “You know what? I’d love to. Just let me know when and where to show up.”

“Fantastic. I’ll put you down and keep in touch.”

“Perfect. I’ll talk to you then.” I tap the button on the steering wheel to end the call.

After I pull into the driveway of my small white ranch house, I grab my phone and text my best friends, Riley Mullins and Harper Winslow.

Have News. Girls’ night at my place. Attendance required.

Harper: I’m always up for girls’ night. Is it eat our feelings with ice cream sad news, or is it need wine for toasting good news? Need to know what to bring.

Riley: Does it matter? The fact that it’s girls’ night necessitates both. I’ll bring the pizza.

A welcome laugh breaks from me as I traipse up the steps of my wide front porch. I’m so happy to have both my friends back in Coyote Creek. I hadn’t realized how much I missed female companionship until they came back.

They were the best of friends growing up and had included me when I wasn’t trailing after my brothers. They made friendship easy and were a far cry from the cliques and mean girls inevitable in life. I was sad when they left to chase their dreams in Los Angeles, but figured that was how life went.

Now they’re back, and they still make friendship easy and never leave me out.

Even so, it’s hard not to feel like I’m being left behind yet again, because they are both ridiculously in love with stupidly handsome men who adore them.

I’m so completely happy they’ve found love like that, but it leaves me feeling like I’m missing out.

A shiver runs through me as I remember my cheating ex.

Definitely not missing that asshole. The men in my life have done little to inspire confidence that I’ll find one of the good ones.

Maybe it’s time I just forget about men, period, and start living life just for me, and me alone, because I’m done being let down.