Chapter 43 #3
Ledger and Rhett have been here for a few hours, watching over their employees as they manage the large crowd waiting their turn to throw axes at the makeshift targets.
As the three of us approach, I drink in the sight of Ledger and Rhett.
Both are chatting with people in line. Behind the table where the people of Caddawalk are coming to sign up to throw axes, is Colly—Rhett’s assistant manager—and a few other Gnarly Pine employees.
They’re loud as they call people over, encourage the throwers to adjust their stance, and cheer wildly as someone hits the target.
Looks like axe throwing is a big hit.
I tug on Wes’s shirt. When he bends down, I whisper into his ear, “Should we be concerned that they’re throwing around the same axes we’ve tried murdering people with?”
“I think we’ll be fine,” he answers as he tries, and fails, to hide an amused smile.
Ledger notices our approach first and immediately slips away from the line to join us. His brows creep together as he stops in front of me.
“You’re doing okay?” he asks gruffly.
I nod. “I’m fine.”
“Liar.”
“I’m about to crush up half a pain pill and put it in the next drink Santi buys for her to try,” Wes confirms.
I glare at both of them. “I said I’m fine.”
“Then why are you trembling?” Wes asks, his grip on my neck tightening. “We’re going home soon.”
His tone tells me he’s not in the mood to argue.
A growl of annoyance makes its way past my lips but it’s eaten up by the crowd cheering as a guy manages to get a bullseye on one of the targets.
“Ah, come on! She’ll tell us if she’s had enough, won’t you, Blair?” Santi insists. “We’ve only gotten halfway through the festival.”
Rhett spots us and abruptly leaves the conversation he’s having with someone to make his way over to the four of us. He scowls at me. “You look like you’re going to faint. Come sit down.”
Okay, maybe I’m not hiding the pain as well as I thought I was.
The guys lead me behind the Gnarly Pines booth and sit me down in an empty folding chair.
“Blair!” Colly calls out with excitement as she sees me. “I’m so glad you’re back! I’m sorry to hear about all the family drama you’ve been going through but I hope that’s been settled. Tough break with the car accident on the way home. Rhett was just telling me you’re lucky to be alive.”
“He’s being dramatic.” I roll my eyes. “But, ah, thanks. Yeah, everything is calmer now for sure.”
Rhett grabs a bottle of water from a cooler and drops it onto the table in front of me.
The guys move a little off to the side to chat while Colly starts to catch me up on the things that I’ve missed around Gnarly Pines and Caddawalk.
Behind me, I hear Ledger mutter to Santi, “Got a call from Anchor. He said the crew we hired is done drywalling the house. Do you want the same colors as before?”
I can feel Santi’s eyes caress the side of my face and the love in that gaze.
Dad’s taken my request to fix up Santi’s house to heart—jumping into it immediately since he’s not one to sit still for long.
While he doesn’t have the ability to do it himself given his injuries and limited know-how when it comes to home improvement, he and the guys hired a crew to come in to clean up the mess and repair the damage.
Originally, I wanted it to be a surprise but Santi’s way too nosey and found out pretty much right away.
He’s been showing me his appreciation every chance he gets.
“Naw, paint the house a neutral color,” Santi says. “It’ll sell better that way.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Rhett asks, sounding surprised. “Sell it, I mean. You’ve been hanging on to that place for years.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I don’t need it anymore.”
Wes chuckles. “Well, I’ll be damned. You officially moving in with us, Santi?”
“Yup. Gnarly Pines is my home.”
“Well…” Ledger hedges. “If you’re sure, then you don’t have to worry about putting it on the market. We already got a buyer.”
Santi gasps. “Really? Who?”
“One guess,” Ledger drawls.
“Wait, no! Are you serious? No…” Santi whines softly. “We’re going to have him around forever?”
Someone—most likely Rhett, though I wouldn't put it past Wes to do it—groans. Things between the guys and Dad are tense still. But if only they knew how much effort Dad is putting into not killing them on an hourly basis, they would probably give him more of the benefit of the doubt.
“He offered to buy it. Said something about staying in Caddawalk between jobs,” Ledger says, keeping his voice low.
I filter out the conversation behind me to focus on Colly, who is animatedly explaining how much they raised so far and what their projected donation will be by the end of the festival.
This is going to be my life now.
I have a real home.
A unique family.
And now that I know I’m staying, I’ll be able to cultivate this friendship with Colly.
All in all, things might’ve started off rough, but I’d do it all again knowing this is where I would end up.
Hey friends—want a first look at what’s coming next year? Check out the first chapter of Lost Boys on the next page: