by M Andrews
Welcome to Wolf Creek
Alpha Lumberjacks Book One
M. Andrews
Copyright 2017 M. Andrews
This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this eBook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Editing by: Kathleen Payne
Cover by: Kari March Designs
Cover image copyright 2017
Blurb
After what felt like a lifetime with the man Laurie thought was her soulmate, he leaves her with nothing but broken promises, lies and divorce papers. Determined not to let her ex take her last shred of dignity, Laurie ventures out on a road trip that will change her life forever.
Easton Dylan thought he had all the time in the world before it became his time to take over the reins of Dylan Lumber, his family’s lumber mill. When the patriarch of the family passes, it falls on Easton to shoulder the responsibility of keeping the mill open. But he doesn’t want to do it alone.
Warning: This is an over the top insta-love HEA filled with holiday smutty goodness to help keep you warm this holiday season!!
Chapter One
Laurie
Growing up, my mother told me that a lady never says fuck, shit, cunt, bullshit, or asshole, because those words are offensive. You know what word is far more offensive than fuck? Divorce. Now that word will fuck you over the millisecond it comes flying out of the mouth of the one you thought was the love of your life. Here is an entire sentence that is far worse than any curse word. Your husband is leaving you with nothing. After six years of marriage, and an entire lifetime of being together, my husband leaves me penniless. Now that, my friends, is offensive.
I met William when we were five. His family moved in next door mine, and from that moment, we were inseparable. We did everything together; he was my best friend, my first kiss, and the man who took my virginity. We were so cutesy in love that it made people sick. Against my parents’ wishes, we got married straight out of high school. We were young and in love, and we didn’t want to wait a moment longer to spend forever with each other. I worked two jobs to help pay for William to go to law school. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make so William could give us the life we dreamed of when we were kids. We wanted to travel the world and have a big family. All of which costs money.
After William graduated from law school, he got the job of a lifetime working as an entertainment lawyer for a big firm in Los Angeles. Our dream was finally coming true. A year after we moved to LA, William began to change. Suddenly, expensive suits and flashy cars were more important to him than starting a family. He wanted me to look like the other trophy wives at the firm, rail thin with big, fake tits. And when I wouldn’t starve myself to make him happy, he slapped me with divorce papers. That’s a fine how do you do after spending most of my life taking care of him. I did everything for that man, and he leaves me with absolutely nothing. This was a man who promised he would always take care of me and love me. Now I see all it was… a big pile of empty promises. Pretty words to get me to be his fucking slave.
“Come on, Laurie, you have to get out of that bed.” Josie pulls back the blankets covering my head. The light pouring in from my bedroom windows burns my blood shot eyes. Another night of crying myself to sleep has left me broken and exhausted.
“Go away, Josie,” I growl, pulling the blankets back over my head. “I’m not getting out of this bed until that asshole gets impaled by a reindeer.”
“That’s the Christmas spirit,” she says, plopping down on the edge of my bed. “Laurie, William was a complete asshole, and I know what he did to you is extremely painful, but you can’t give him the satisfaction of hiding out. You are too damn gorgeous to become a crazy spinster. How about you come with me to my parents’ new place in Seattle. You can sit by the fire with some spiked hot chocolate and read.”
“I don’t know. I’m not in the best mood to deal with people,” I say. The last thing I want to do right now is sit in a room with a bunch of strangers having to make small talk like, “What’s life in LA like?” “Oh, it’s a wondrous place that will eat your soul the moment you step foot off the plane.” I’d rather stick needles in my eyes. I haven’t been much of a people person. Most of the time I keep to myself. There are only two people that I have truly felt comfortable around, my ex-husband and Josie. Now Josie is the only person I trust.
“It’s just going to be my parents and us, my brother is spending Christmas with his girlfriend’s family in Portland. It will be a fun girls’ road trip. I got all your favorite snacks, and you can bring as many books as you want,” she says trying to entice me. Josie knows me better than anyone. She was the first friend I made when William and I moved to LA. We lived in a crappy one bedroom apartment in the valley, and Josie lived next door. William was always working long hours and she kept me company. We spent a lot of nights talking books and drinking wine.
Maybe getting out of LA is what I need. Every stretch of road in this damn hell hole reminds me of William and the pain he caused me. I need a chance to catch my breath, clear my head, and figure out what the hell I’m going to do with my life now.
“Give me an hour to pack and shower.” I reluctantly sigh.
Josie leaps on my bed and starts jumping up and down like a wild monkey, cheering and clapping. I get out of bed just to get away from her crazy ass. She’s still dancing on my bed when I close the door to the bathroom. I rest my hands on the edge of the sink and check myself out in the mirror. I look like a train wreck. My normally lush blonde hair is a ratted mess, and the dark circles under my eyes could scare a small child. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since the divorce papers were signed.
I turn on the water and splash a bit of cold water over my face. The bite of cold shocks me awake. “You can do this. You can get through anything, Laurie. Now put on your big girl panties and move on. William will not win this divorce,” I say, giving myself a pep talk. He may have gotten everything in the divorce but I won’t let him stop me from moving on. I can’t… no, I won’t let this divorce destroy me.
Chapter Two
Easton
I drop my pen on the desk and lean back in my chair, rubbing my tired eyes. I’ve been staring at these expense ledgers for the past two hours, trying to decipher my father’s cryptic coding system. My father ran the family mill like a well-oiled machine, but God forbid the man use the real words for equipment expenses. My eyes travel over the mountains of paperwork and file cabinets stuffed to the brim with files that date back to the beginning days of Dylan Lumber. My great-grandfather opened this mill over a hundred years ago, back when Wolf Creek was an abandoned mining town. There may not have been any gold left in these mountains, but it was rich in trees. My great-grandfather built the very office I am sitting in with his own two hands. It still has a faint smell of pine from the boards he cut in the mill, mixed with the scent of the cheap cigars my father would smoke while he cooked the books. I can still see him sitting at this desk, grumbling and swearing, with his favorite stogie hanging from his mouth and a glass of whiskey at the ready. I miss that grumpy bastard.
Four months ago, my father passed away after a massive heart attack. It took our family by co
mplete surprise. One minute he was yelling at the crew to get off their lazy asses and get back to cutting, the next minute he was on the ground, wheezing and holding his chest. He never made it out of surgery. His passing hit me and my brothers pretty hard, but none harder than my mom. My father could be a real hard ass, but as soon as my mom would walk into the room, he would turn into a big, soft teddy bear. They got married right out of high school and had me ten months later. Aaron and Lucas followed and the baby of the family, Colton, was an unexpected surprise ten years later. My parents were devoted to each other from the very start. They knew without hesitation that they were soulmates. I only hope to find a love like theirs. If I ever get out from behind this desk.
The family mill passed to me. Since the time I could swing an axe, I’ve spent every moment at this mill. My father taught me everything from cutting down trees, stripping the bark, to turning the stripped logs into boards. The only thing he didn’t teach me was his damn coding and filing system. From where I sit, it looks like he just shoved shit into drawers. At the rate I’m going, by the time I get this stuff decoded and brought into the twenty-first century, they are going to have to bury me in this office.
“Hello my sweet boy.”
I look over the stack of papers piled up on the front of my desk and see the bright smile of my mother. She’s a breath of sunshine after the day I’ve had.
“Hey Momma, what brings you down to the office?” I ask. Since dad died, my mom doesn’t come down to the mill much, she spends most of her time running the lodge in town.
“I just have a few last-minute things to go over with you for the Lumberjack bash tomorrow night.” She scoops the stack of papers off the chair in front of my desk and adds them to the ever-growing pile on the floor, then takes her seat. “Since I haven’t been able to wrangle you out of this office, I thought I would come to you. Besides, I miss seeing my favorite son.” She grins.
“I thought parents weren’t supposed to have favorites.”
“That’s just what your father and I would say to your brothers,” she teases. “Now to the party plans.” She opens the red folder in her hand and starts going over the menu for the party.
The Lumberjack Bash is a tradition that started with my grandfather when he took over the mill. He wanted to do something for the crew to say thanks for all their hard work throughout the year. My earliest memory of these parties was of my grandfather dressed up as Santa Claus, passing out toys to the kids and bonus checks to their parents. He had the red suit and the white beard - over his real beard - and a big cigar hanging out of his mouth. It was quite the sight to see. This year it’s my turn to wear the red suit.
Chapter Three
Laurie
I stare out the car window watching the snow dance across the night sky. It looks so beautiful. I haven’t seen snow in two years. Even in winter, LA is hot as hell. I’ve missed the changing seasons, cool fall breezes, and the way the world looks covered in a blanket of snow. Images of wearing big cozy sweaters and enjoying cups of hot cocoa by a roaring fire, I can already tell this trip is going to help. The moment we drove out of LA, I could feel the stress and sadness melt away. The spiked eggnog Josie packed in the cooler definitely lent a helping hand. The further we get away from California, the better I’m beginning to feel. I gave so much of myself to William that I lost sight of who I was and what I wanted. This is my chance to do something for me. I’m excited and scared shitless about the next chapter of my life.
“I think I’m going to pull off at the next exit. This storm is getting worse, I can barely see the road,” Josie says, breaking the silence in the car. She’s been white knuckling it for the last twenty miles. She’s driving so slow, semi-trucks have been passing us. Growing up in LA, Josie has never had to drive in snow before. I offered to drive this leg of the trip, but she insisted she could do it.
“The last sign I saw said the next town is just a couple miles up this road.” I could use a hot shower and a chance to stretch my legs. We’ve been in this car since six this morning. We drove about eight hours yesterday before we stopped in a small town outside of Sacramento for the night.
We pull off the main highway and onto a two-lane road. Around the bend, the dark road gives way to a tiny town. We pass a sign that says, “Welcome to Wolf Creek.” Our path is lit up with hundreds of gold twinkle lights strung high above us. The way the light flickers off the falling snow makes it look like the sky is full of fairy dust. The storefronts are decked out in Christmas decorations, and in the center of town there is a massive tree towering over the square. I’m in Christmas heaven.
We pull up in front of a small lodge at the edge of town. Fingers crossed they have a room and a restaurant. From the outside, the Wolf Creek Lodge doesn’t look like much, but inside it’s a whole different story. The moment we step inside it feels cozy and inviting. The main lobby is covered in warm, rich, chocolatey brown tones, and every surface is covered in Christmas decorations. Even the antler chandelier has lights and garlands strung over it.
“Good evening ladies, and welcome to Wolf Creek. I’m Malinda.” The silver haired woman standing behind the check-in desk greets us with a warm smile.
“Hi Malinda, I’m Josie, and this is my best friend Laurie. We were headed to Seattle when the snow storm hit. We’re hoping you might have a couple rooms available for the night.”
“You girls are in luck. We just got a couple of cancelations due to the weather. The rooms are all yours.”
“Malinda, you are a godsend,” Josie gushes, sliding her credit card across the counter. I put my hand over the card and hand Malinda my own.
“The rooms are on me. You paid for gas and food. The least I can do is pay for our rooms and buy us a proper dinner.” I turn my attention to Malinda. “What time does the dining room start serving dinner?” I ask, nodding my head toward the small dining room.
“The kitchen staff is over at Wolf Creek Tavern catering the Lumberjack Bash. All the boys who work at the mill are in town throwing a big Christmas party. The whole town is there. I was just getting ready to head down there myself when you two came along. You are both welcome to join in the fun.”
Josie slowly turns her head in my direction with an evil grin on her face. I know that grin all too well. That grin is why I still can’t remember our trip to Mexico from three years ago, and why I have a tattoo of a unicorn on my ass. That grin always gets us in trouble.
“No way,” I say stopping her from even suggesting we go. I’m not exactly in the mood to deal with other humans right now. I’ve been stuck in a car for two days. I’m tired and hungry and I need a shower.
She clasps her hands under her chin, looks at me with big puppy dog eyes, and pouts her bottom lip out. She’s bringing out the big guns. “Come on, Laurie, please. We’ll just go and grab a bite to eat and have one drink. Please, oh please,” she begs.
“You and I both know you are incapable of having just one drink.” I give her a sideways glance. As soon as the booze hits her mouth all bets are off.
Malinda chuckles from behind the counter. She finishes entering my information into the computer then hands us our room keys. “If you change your minds the tavern is just across the road. If not, there are some sandwiches and a couple bottles of wine in the kitchen you are welcome to have.” Malinda gives us directions up to our rooms and the Wi-Fi password, then pulls her coat on and wishes us a goodnight.
I slip my credit card back in my wallet and turn toward the dining room to find the kitchen and those sandwiches.
“Where do you think you are going?” Josie calls out to me.
“I’m going to go get a sandwich and a big glass of wine, then get my bags and go up to my room, where I plan on watching some cheesy Lifetime Christmas movies until I pass out,” I reply.
“The hell you are Laurie Horsch.” She jumps in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.
“Get out of my way Josie,” I demand. My patience is beginning to wear thin with her.
“No.” She widens her stance and rests her hands on her hips, caging me in between the tables. “I’m not going to let you go back into hiding. We are on a road trip, and the fun of being stranded in a little town is getting out and checking out the local color. Now, turn your little booty right back around, go grab your bag, and slap on something pretty, because we are going to that party. Move!” she orders.
I raise my hands up in surrender. “Okay, fine.” I reluctantly give in, turn on my heels, and walk back toward the lobby. “But I’m not going to have any fun,” I say under my breath. She’s a demanding little bitch sometimes, well, all the time.
Chapter Four
Easton
The party is in full swing. The whole town is here enjoying the mill’s annual Lumberjack Bash. There’s Christmas music on the jukebox, and the alcohol is flowing. I’m sitting at the bar nursing a beer and watching my brother Lucas make a jackass out of himself, flirting with every woman in the joint. Lucas has been a cocky little shit since the day he was born. I lost count of how many times I had to save his ass from being beaten half to death after he fucked some other guys girlfriend.
“Jesus, E, could you look anymore pathetic and sad right now?” he bellows, slapping me on the back. “Come on man, look at all the girls ready and willing to spread their legs for Easton Dylan.” He pans his hand around the room.
“Why would I be interested in your sloppy seconds? You’ve fucked every woman in town.” Wolf Creek is a small logging town with a population of nine hundred and only a handful of them are women. The pickings around here aren’t exactly great. Especially when your brother has already tainted all the available pussy with his dirty hands.
“Do you even still have a dick, or has it fallen off from a lack of use?” He chuckles from behind his beer bottle.