Seamus (Stalwart Ridge Security #1)

CHAPTER ONE

– JAXIE –

My eyes roam over the large cabin and I instantly feel more at ease than I did the last couple of days.

“Are you sure?” Elodie asks as she turns off the engine.

I turn to face her, give a tight nod, and use my hands to sign, “Yes. I might not be sure of a lot of things, but I want to do this. Being in that house after what happened doesn’t feel right. At least this place has a lot of positive memories clinging to it.”

While Elodie can use American Sign Language to communicate with me, she will simply use her mouth when it’s just the two of us. My ears work perfectly fine, and after years of speech therapy I am capable of talking.

The incident I had when I was nineteen caused a brain injury and left me with a raw dose of trauma along with Psychogenic stuttering.

I hate being at a disadvantage, especially because my stutter acts up when I’m stressed, agitated, or emotional.

All of which I’ve been twenty-four seven for a long time.

It’s why I eventually chose to stay silent and use ASL instead.

Elodie places her hand over mine and gives a little squeeze. “I wish you’d at least wait another two weeks. Then I’m able to move in with you at the same time, and you wouldn’t be up here all alone.”

The smile on my face comes naturally. When I mentioned my plans to Elodie about moving to the cabin after my father died, and offered her a room, she instantly agreed to become my roommate. Elodie needed to give two weeks’ notice before quitting her job, and it’s why she can’t stay.

Two weeks by myself up here is better than staying in the house where my father died. I need to do this now. She did demand to drive me up here to get the horses settled, and I love her for it.

I pull my hand from underneath hers to sign, “You know why I can’t. Besides, those two weeks will fly by and then you’ll be up here as well.” I throw my thumb over my shoulder, before signing, “With another load and your horse.”

She narrows her eyes. “Define ‘another load.’ More groceries? Are you going to send me a long list of things you didn’t think to bring? I mean, that’s basically impossible with the supplies you packed. You also mentioned someone would stock the place for you, right?”

I snort. “I was talking about your clothes and shit. This place is, and always has been, my second home. My bedroom closet is filled with clothes. You, on the other hand, don’t have any stuff here.”

“Don’t remind me,” she grumbles. “I still need to go shopping for when the winter hits. Not looking forward to being snowed in up here on this mountain. So, I guess you’re right about bringing another load.

I might even use the rest of the space in the trailer to add some more suitcases.

Oh. Books. I’ll fill a whole suitcase with smutty books.

Between the chores around here we’ll have all the time in the world to read a book in front of the fire to keep us warm.

Dammit. Two more weeks. All while you will be up here enjoying this place all by yourself, and I’ll still be working my ass off. ”

Benny barks, making it clear I won’t be by myself.

Elodie turns to glance at my hairless terrier. “I meant without human company, Benny. Even if you have a huge suitcase with your pajamas, coats, and T-shirts. Man, I think you have more clothes than your owner.”

“H-hey,” I croak, and give her a face as if I’m insulted when I sign, “He needs it. He doesn’t have any hair.”

Elodie rolls her eyes. “Spoiled, that’s what it’s called when his suitcase is bigger than yours.”

I sign, “I told you most of my clothes are already in the closet in my bedroom,” before I open the door.

Benny slips past me and jumps out, running to the nearest tree to relieve himself.

“What do you want to do first?” Elodie jumps out of the truck. “Bring your stuff into the cabin, or unload Sloth and Gollum?”

“Let’s unload Sloth and Gollum first. It’s been a long drive up here,” I sign and we walk to the trailer while Benny darts around us.

He loves it here. My grandfather built this cabin with the help of others.

Over the years my father made some adjustments, mostly with the help of the guys working for the security company he owned with two others.

All of the men working there have a military background.

A company I partly own, now that my father’s gone.

“In the stable or the small pasture?” Elodie asks.

I give my head a small shake to clear my thoughts and raise my hand. “Pasture. We’ll put them in the stables before you leave.”

Thankfully, my horses have been up here a few times, so the environment isn’t completely new to them. The Clydesdale breed has a large and muscular appearance. They are calm, mellow, gentle giants. Benny is used to them, as they are used to him.

I’ve had all my animals for the past five years. After my traumatic experience, my father contacted a ranch about horse therapy since I refused any help at first. It’s how I met Elodie, she’s the ranch hand where I had horse therapy.

My father gave me Benny shortly after my first therapy session.

Benny is an American Hairless Terrier, who my father had trained by one of his employees whose mother, Edna, breeds a litter every now and then.

My father picked the American Hairless Terrier breed because he was allergic and because Edna owns the cabin sitting on the property next to ours.

I breathe in the fresh scent of nature and have a huge smile on my face as Elodie and I unload the horses one by one to put them into the pasture. There’s no doubt in my mind when I watch Sloth and Gollum graze right next to the huge cabin...I made the right choice by moving here.

Especially when Benny comes running toward me, tongue lolling out the side as if he’s smiling as well. We make fast work to bring the suitcases, and extra bags with groceries and stuff I brought inside the cabin. When we’re done, we return to watch the horses.

I reach down to scratch behind Benny’s ear while Elodie asks, “Are you sure you don’t need the truck and trailer here?”

Looking up, I shake my head and sign, “If the horses need anything I can always ask Edna’s son for their trailer. I have my dad’s truck here, remember?”

“Your neighbors,” Elodie clarifies.

Benny runs off to mark another tree and I let her know, “Yes. Edna’s son worked for my father’s company for almost a decade before he was injured and had to retire almost six months ago.

They already owned a cabin up here when this land was up for sale.

Edna always came to visit when my dad and I spent time here.

I called her last night and invited her over for dinner.

See? I won’t be alone tonight, and she said she’d bring her son along too. ”

“Ooooh.” Elodie bumps her shoulder against mine. “Finally getting to meet one of the guys from your dad’s company, eh? Well, a retired one, but still.”

My smile slightly slips, and I turn my head to hide it from Elodie.

The reminder of my father shielding me from his company works two ways.

I really want to respect my father’s choice to keep business separate from personal stuff, while on the other hand, it was hurtful to have him keep me away from the company he built with two of his friends.

I’ve never questioned his decision. Growing up, as a kid, it was normal to watch my dad go to work while I went to school.

Then, when I went to college...the incident I was involved in caused a brain injury and deep trauma; it changed my life.

Dark days were all glued together, turning them into years where I needed time to cope with everything.

Thanks to my father researching horse therapy, and taking me to the ranch where I met Elodie, the sessions I had at the ranch for years finally made it possible to get some normality back in my life. Not to the level I was before the incident, but at least I’m living again.

Until my father died and different dark days hit me harder.

It’s why I couldn’t stay in the house I grew up in.

Where I came back to lick my wounds when I was nineteen and grew stronger again with my father’s help.

I can’t shake the image of finding my father’s lifeless body at the bottom of the stairs.

The reminder tightens my chest, and I can feel my eyes burn.

“Hey, are you okay?” Elodie asks and touches my shoulder.

I quickly wipe the stray tear from my cheek and give her a watery smile as I nod.

“Fucking hell,” Elodie grumbles and pulls me into a tight hug. “This is why I hate leaving you here all by yourself.”

“I-I...n-need t-time a-alone,” I stutter.

Elodie isn’t surprised by my use of words. She’s the only one I use my voice with to speak, now that my father isn’t here anymore.

She pulls away and sternly tells me, “Yeah, a day, two tops. Not two weeks all by yourself on this damn mountain without a single human in sight. I can’t leave you by yourself.”

“There are more people on this damn mountain,” a rough voice rumbles from behind us, making us jump and break apart.

Elodie takes in a sharp breath and whispers, “Wow.”

All while I try to swallow at the dryness in my throat while I take in the man who is standing near the tree line. He’s wearing blue jeans and boots along with a red, flannel checkered shirt. It’s unbuttoned, showing off a very muscled chest.

It looks as if the man hasn’t shaved for a couple of days and his hair is short along the sides, but a little longer on top. Deep brown eyes beneath a heavy frown. He’s leaning on a cane and doesn’t look happy or friendly.

Benny barks and runs right at him. My lips part and I curl my fingers into fists, pressing my nails into my palms to brace myself to give Benny a verbal order not to attack.

Though, it seems unnecessary when the man lets the cane drop and mutters, “Fuck,” as Benny launches himself at him. I watch, completely stunned as the man easily catches my dog. He laughs as Benny enthusiastically licks the man’s face.

“In this moment I really want to trade places with that damn dog of yours,” Elodie whispers, making a giggle flow from me.