Chapter 18
Ford
“Alright,” I offered after double checking the product sheet on the iPad. “You’re good to go.” I tapped the hood of the truck before taking a few steps away so the driver could pull out.
As soon as I did, I heard a rumble of thunder in the distance, With the level of noise coming from the various pieces of equipment, the sound was only loud enough for a wolf to catch. But a typical summer storm was brewing, already churning within the passing cloud cover.
The tractor trailer slowly rolled away from the mill, heading to its Arizona destination.
When it cleared the area, I noticed one of the new guys Pops had hired struggling with a huge piece of timber brought in by the loggers.
While we had equipment to transfer from the flatbed to the conveyer belt leading to the massive saws, human intervention was still needed to ensure the log was dropped where it needed to be.
Everyone hired went through a training process, including if something went wrong. That didn’t mean some weren’t convinced they knew better. Like this guy.
Where the idiot was standing, the crane’s operator had no chance of seeing him. I’d seen a man crushed that way.
The guy also wasn’t paying any attention to his surroundings, concentrating on whatever goddamn song was playing through his earbuds. How many times had he been told to remain alert?
A deep growl resonated from my throat as I thunked the computer onto one of the tables the saw operators used. I didn’t make it two feet before my instinct kicked in. The employee was about ready to crushed by three thousand pounds of wood and bark.
Lunging toward him, my feet left the ground just before I tackled him, the drop and roll hard.
“Fuck,” the guy hissed, his voice trembling from shock.
Shouts occurred all around us and Beck was already directing the crane operator to stop what he was doing.
I was on my feet, dragging the jerk to his in two seconds flat, uncaring that the new recruit was dazed and confused. “What in the hell do you think you were doing?”
His eyes flew open wide as reality hit him. He’d ensured everyone he’d done this before and evidently, human resources hadn’t checked his resume. “I’m sorry, man. I thought…” His chest rose and fell from labored breathing.
Before I realized what I was doing, my arm was back, my hand fisted.
“Jesus, Ford.” Beck appeared in my line of sight, his head cocked and an incredulous look on his face as he glared at me.
Until that moment, I hadn’t realized I had a handful of the employee’s shirt and I’d lifted him off the ground by several inches. After taking a couple of deep breaths, I eased him down, instantly backing away only so another urge to beat the crap out of him didn’t hit me like ton of bricks.
Beck was just as livid, only I sensed his fury had my name all over it.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” The jerk ripped the earbuds from his ears, shoving them into his jeans’ pocket. “I thought I knew what I was doing.”
“Well, you thought wrong!” Sucking in my breath, I stared at the log. “If that log had fallen on you, even I couldn’t have lifted it to save your sorry ass. Do you understand that? You need to pay attention.”
“Yes, sir. I swear to God, it won’t happen again.”
“It’s okay, Sam,” Beck told him. “Why don’t you take a break and we’ll go over the safety routine again.”
“Yeah. Okay. Sure.” Sam tried to catch my eye again and finally nodded when he couldn’t. With his shoulders slumped at first, he headed toward the building we called the clubhouse then suddenly broke stride, racing toward the edge of the woods.
Even I grimaced seeing him tossing his lunch.
Beck took a step closer. “What is going on? We lost an employee at the beginning of the week because of you. Now, we stand to lose another. Good help is hard to find.”
“What do you mean we lost an employee?”
“You heard what I said. Zane quit cold turkey. I asked him why and he said because he’d rather work for a real wolf than you.
Quote unquote. I get you’re hurting, brother, but taking out your frustrations based on your decision to quit playing hockey and in losing your woman isn’t good for business. ”
He’d started to walk away before I realized all of what he’d said. “She’s not my woman.”
“Bullshit!” he tossed back with a wave of his hand.
I lifted my head, rubbing my jaw as I did. My woman. What a crock of shit.
Another noise and the scent of strawberries grabbed my attention. “Not you too.” I slowly lowered my head so I could look Samantha in the eyes.
She had her hands on her hips, her face a clear indication I was in for a lecture. She was almost as bad as our mother. “Yeah, me too.”
“I have work to do.” I tried to sidestep her and she was having none of it, jumping in front of me.
“You’re not hiding from me any longer. You’re going to listen to me.”
I could tell by her eat-shit-and-die expression she’d hang around for as long as it took. “Fine. What?”
“First of all, that. Which is what the entire family and every employee is talking about. You’re a walking, talking bull in a china shop.
Even if running the sawmill was your chosen profession, which it is not, we wouldn’t have any employees by the end of summer.
You need to chill out. But that’s not why I’m here. ”
“You’re beginning to sound exactly like our mom.”
“Good. Now, shut up before I become really angry.” She blew a strand of hair from her face and all I could think about was that our baby sister was all grown up.
“I’m listening.”
“You need to stop wallowing in self-pity. It’s getting ridiculous. No one can stand to be around you even if you weren’t cowering like some doe confronted by one of us.”
“I’m not—”
Samantha threw her hand out, stopping me. “None of that. Shut it. You are playing the ‘woe is me’ card and that ends today. If you honestly still believe that what Georgia did by talking to your coach is wrong, then I don’t want to be your sister any longer.”
“She shouldn’t have—”
This time, she pressed her entire hand over my mouth, shaking her head.
“Shut. Up. I know what you’re going to say.
She had no right or my favorite bullshit excuse.
She isn’t a doctor. Well, guess what, bonehead?
She was in medical school but had to drop out because her mother got sick and her dad couldn’t afford to continue paying for her education.
She shifted into physical therapy to help pay the bills.
My guess is, she always thought she’d go back to medical school.
Anyway, she had enough knowledge to see the signs. Or maybe for you, read the tea leaves.”
Okay, so I was shocked. Very slowly, she lowered her hand. “Then what happened? Why did she come here as…” Oh, my God. I was about to demean her job.
“Just a massage therapist. Is that what you were going to say? She fell in love with the wrong man, some asshole who mistreated her and she had to run away from her life. I don’t know all the specifics, but Roxanne’s father was good friends with Georgia’s father.
All I know is that her ex was horrible to her.
Even threatening her if she tried to leave.
But she found the courage not only to leave him but to start a new life.
Including dating. Then you had to go off like some insane wolf and beat up someone who used to be a friend.
And punch a hole in a wall. Imagine what she’s likely thinking about you.
That she dodged a damn bullet. Do you blame her? ”
All the moments during the last three weeks I’d been incensed, allowing my fury to have a face, Georgia’s beautiful one, no longer mattered.
Now every muscle was tense as a rock, my blood boiling to the point beads of sweat were already trickling down both sides of my face. “What did you say?” The low rumble in my voice matched the vibrations beneath the ground provided by Mother Nature.
“Which part?”
“Who is this asshole who hurt her?” I no longer recognized my voice.
Samantha was pleasantly surprised. “I knew it. You’re such a bad liar. You’re definitely a hypocrite. You are her mate. Now I don’t feel so bad that…”
My sister was one of the most intentional people I’d ever met. She never did anything without a reason and rarely, if ever, made a mistake. Even though she tried to pass off whatever she’d almost allowed to slip, I knew better. “Now who’s the better liar? What did you do?”
At least we knew better than to try to play games with each other. However, she took a step back anyway. “I might have mentioned she’s your mate.”
Not once had I wanted to believe in the possibility throughout the years, nor had I believed in the hype as told by wolf elders.
However, with our father and mother coming clean about their relationship, I’d done little else but mull over the possibilities.
With only Georgia in mind. Yeah, I guess I was a hypocrite.
“You did not.”
“By accident. But she’s having the same type of dreams you are. In the forest. You know what Grandfather used to tell us.”
Mates shared the same dream.
“You don’t do anything by accident, sister of mine.
” I returned my gaze toward the sky, forced to admit that I had been wallowing in self-indulgence.
I’d been so furious with Georgia that I’d argued with every doctor, including one who’d been the family doctor for years.
An old wolf with a heart of gold and the kind of man who refused to take shit from anyone.
Especially me.
“Someone had to pull on that huge stick stuck up your ass.”
Her answer smashed a portion of the anger I’d been using as a layer of armor, allowing me to laugh. “How did she take it when you said that?”
“Oh, you know. She broke into hysterical laughter and mentioned as soon as she left work, she was getting wasted. Other than that, I think she took the news very well.”
“Shit. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Is she alright?”
“You know, it’s very funny, but she asked the same question. That means the two of you need to talk. You’re a live wire and she’s the only person you’ve been with where I’ve been able to see you smile.”
“Yeah, well. What good am I to her if I can’t play hockey.” I wasn’t expecting her to punch me in the arm. “Ouch.”
“Oh, please. I didn’t hurt you, but if I did, all the better. You’re such a crybaby. You have more talent in your little finger than any other player I’ve ever known.”
“Including Beck and Cole?”
“Yes, you big baby, and if you tell them that, I will kick you in the ass.” Samantha grumbled under her breath.
“I know what you’re saying.”
“I’m not sure you do. I was ten years old when Marianne was lost. I thought I’d lost my brother too.
I know the past is painful. You’re put all of yourself into playing hockey and it’s paid off.
But you also deserve personal happiness.
Without having someone by your side, what does the success really look like?
Ten thousand puck bunnies? I know that’s not what you want. ”
“So what are you saying?”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. You seem to have all the answers.”
With a near sadistic look on her face, my sister pulled something from her back pocket, hiding it as she approached. “Close your eyes and hold out your arm.”
“Why?”
“Do it.”
She was going to make some guy very happy one day. As long as he had balls of steel. I did as she demanded but not without reservations. The stench of a Sharpie caught my attention a little too late. She was already scribbling something on my arm.
“What are you doing?”
“Eyes closed.” My sister could snarl with the best of them.
I did except I popped open one eye just as she was finishing. “You are…”
“Be nice,” she huffed. “I knew you wouldn’t listen to me or you’d conveniently forget so I gave you instant gratification.”
Go see Georgia, you big lunkhead. Velvet Roast
To add insult to injury, she’d used a wide-tipped red Sharpie. After blowing on the tip just to be cool, she popped the cap just as a louder clap of thunder forced a tiny gasp from her mouth.
“You should go now before the storm hits.”
“I have business to finish, darling sister of mine.”
She moved around me, yanking the iPad from the table. “Not any longer. I might be a girl, but I’m capable of running the sawmill all by myself.”
As she flicked her hair, swinging her hips as she walked away, all I could was drop my head and laugh.
I flexed my arm, staring at the way the letters in Georgia’s name swelled.
The nights had been the hardest, desire creating images that left me fully aroused and aching come every morning.
Maybe I should clear the air if nothing else.
Why did I have a feeling Georgia just might use the opportunity to eat me alive?
Amazing.
My cock was already aching.