Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Cole
Setting my phone back on my desk, I let out a sigh. The customer service part of running our own business has never been my favorite.
Dealing with disgruntled people who want something to happen that just isn’t remotely feasible is even more frustrating.
No, I can’t provide any other wood than what we already have cut and stored in the work garage. No, I can’t march into the woods right now to chop down new trees. No, I can’t even make an exception for your daughter’s perfect wedding arch.
I would have loved to help the family out by giving them wood to help make their special day even more magical, but I can’t change the fact that it’s winter right now.
Plus, we just got a shit ton of snow just a handful of days ago. I offered her any of the wood we had in storage, but none of it was just right.
I would love to have a tree that needs chopping right now. I wouldn’t even use any of our machinery to do it. I’d do it the old-fashioned way with my own two arms and an ax.
There’s nothing quite as therapeutic as whacking the shit out of a tree.
I could chop some more firewood. Lord knows we already have enough prepped for the remainder of winter, but a few more logs wouldn’t hurt.
Decision made, I make my way out of my office. I just need to change before going out there. I don’t want to do manual labor in dress pants and a button-up.
My brothers’ voices hit my ears just before I step into the main living area.
I swear I’m not intentionally eavesdropping on their conversation. I can’t seem to get my feet to move. I’m locked in place, listening to them talk about how they both kissed Riley.
A pang of jealousy shoots through my chest that I absolutely don’t understand.
We don’t want her. We don’t want her.
“What do you think Cole’s going to think? Because if it bothers him, I don’t want this to go any further,” Finn says. I can tell it pains him to say it, but he means it.
It’s been evident since Riley’s been back in town that something’s been brewing between the three of them. At first, I thought it was coming entirely out of thin air.
But after looking back on that summer, I realized I was blind to a lot because I was so swept up in Riley. Both of my brothers clearly had a thing for her, but they never acted on anything because of me.
If I’m not mistaken, their feelings weren’t one-sided, either.
I step into the room. “I don’t give a shit what either of you do with her.”
Both of their heads whip in my direction. Shock and a little remorse are on both of their faces.
“You guys are welcome to do whatever you want with Riley. It’s none of my business, and it certainly isn’t going to hurt me.”
The words feel like a bald-faced lie laced with tar as they claw their way from my mouth. It needs to be said, though.
“Just don’t do anything when Mav is here,” I add. This is nothing new. They’re the ones who started this unspoken rule before my son was even born.
I don’t know why I even said it. They both love Mav as much as I do.
Their faces are still etched in shock when I turn tail and book it up the stairs and into my room. Now, I need to break a good sweat chopping wood more than ever.
I need to do something to obliterate this jealousy that’s scraping its way through my insides.