Rock Hard Lumberjack: A Lumberjack And A City Girl Romance

by Rye Hart

  The minutes ticked past and soon they turned to hours. Barely any noises came from the room and that worried Brian most of all. Wasn’t she in pain? Shouldn’t she be crying? He wasn’t sure how long he was left standing outside the room but when he was about ready to knock on the door, the doctor emerged, his hands a bit bloody but otherwise clean.

  “She’s fine Brian,” the doctor said.

  He took a deep breath and put his hand over his chest. “Oh thank God.”

  “Better than fine, actually. Congratulations, you’re going to be a father.”

  Chapter Eight

  Brian’s eyes widened and his heart nearly stopped. A father? Impossible. “How?” His words fell short and he just stood there, trying to figure out how this could possibly happen.

  Of course Brian knew how babies were made, that wasn’t the question. The question was how was she pregnant if they weren’t married? Sadness filled him and a twinge of anger squeezed his heart as he tried to figure out an answer. He didn’t want to be angry with her, but it was hard not to be. The woman of his dreams was obviously pregnant with another man’s child.

  The doctor’s face fell, suddenly realizing what was going on. He’d thought it strange that the unwed couple was pregnant, as it did not happen often in these parts. He reached out and clapped Brian on the shoulder in a silent show of support before he headed out the door, wanting to give the couple time to talk.

  Once the doctor was gone, Brian wandered into the room, his eyes wide and his mouth screwed tight. He didn’t want to yell at her. She was already in such a fragile state; but God was he angry. He walked over to the bed and looked her over. The doctor had helped clean her up and get her in a fresh dress, but there were still spots of blood on the quilt. She was pale and shaking and he was sure she knew that he was angry.

  “Brian, I- “

  “Don’t, don’t tell me you’re sorry,” he said, his voice low, tucking his hands in his pockets. “I don’t want to hear that you’re sorry.”

  Tears welled in her eyes and she swallowed thickly, looking away. She was trying to figure out what she could say, but the words were lost. She closed her eyes a moment and took a deep breath, finally turning to catch his gaze again. The shame was overwhelming, but she knew that she’d put herself in this position and she was going to have to work to get out of it.

  “What do you want me to say, then?” she whispered.

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I want you to tell me the truth,” he finally said. “I don’t feel like I’ve gotten the truth since you came here.”

  Mari nodded slowly and took a shaky breath. “My parents died, my sisters left, and I was forced to marry a man named Mitchel. I married him because I didn’t know what else to do. You were gone and you hadn’t sent me any letters. I was sure that you’d moved on. What was I supposed to think?” she whispered, looking over at him.

  He didn’t respond and she waited a few more moments before continuing, sighing and looking up at the ceiling. “He seemed like a good man at first but, that all changed, and before I knew it, he was beating me,” she said, pulling her knees to her chest. “You know what it’s like for women who are being beaten. There were bigger things going on. All the men were beating their wives and the sheriff wouldn’t do anything about it. I had nowhere to turn. Katherine was so worried about me that she found out men out west were looking for brides and she gave me some ads and that’s how I found myself here. I left Mt. Pleasant because if I didn’t I was going to die, whether by the poisoned air or by the hands of my husband, I was going to die,” she finished, closing her eyes.

  Brian ran his hands through his hair and stared at the ground for a long time. “How can I believe you?” he asked, looking over her. “You’ve lied so much for so long, how can I trust that this is the truth?”

  She shook her head back and forth slowly. “I have no proof to offer you and if you seek out my husband he’ll have me dragged back to Mt. Pleasant. All I can ask is that you trust me. I was scared to tell you the truth because I was scared you wouldn’t want me if I was tainted,” she admitted, wiping her eyes desperately.

  “Tainted? How could you be tainted?” he asked, incredulous. “You were perfect to me. You were everything I ever wanted. I never stopped thinking about you and I never would have turned you away for something like that.”

  She hesitated and fell silent. “Will you turn me away now?” she asked meekly, eyes wet with tears.

  He looked at her and sighed. “Of course I won’t send you away,” he said softly. “But I need time to think through this. I feel betrayed,” he whispered, standing slowly and closing his eyes.

  She swallowed and reached out to touch his hand, though he drew it away and walked over towards the door, taking a deep breath.

  “You should get some rest,” he told her.

  She wanted to argue with him. She wanted to insist that he come sit beside her. She didn’t want to be alone but she understood his anger and disappointment. At the end of the day she’d let him down and she’d lied to him, and that was something that she hated herself for.

  “Alright, I’ll see you in the morning?” she asked hopefully.

  He nodded numbly and closed the door, leaving her in silence. When she was left alone her mind began to spin and her stomach twisted in knots, making her feel nauseas. She closed her eyes and curled up a like a small child as silent tears began to stream down her face.

  She’d tried so hard to avoid hurting him and here she was, breaking his heart. God, she wished she could take it all back. She wished she could take back every lie and every little bit of deception. She wished she could take his pain away and make it her own. Thanks to her own selfishness their relationship might have been ruined beyond repair.

  A crack of thunder echoed outside and she couldn’t help but think how appropriate it was that it was raining at a time like this.

  Chapter Nine

  Their relationship did suffer. Mari knew there would be stress between them but she hadn’t expected it to be this hard to deal with. Brian was avoiding her at all costs. He would stay out of the house as long as possible, burying himself in work. He would wake up with the sun and curl up by the fire place long after darkness had crept across the sky.

  Mari thought she was prepared for his aloofness, but she soon found it nearly unbearable. There was something distinctly soul crushing about the man you love ignoring you completely.

  She tried to go about her daily business and make the house as welcoming as possible, knowing that was all she could do. It was her one way of taking care of him when he wouldn’t let her anywhere near him.

  The days went by slowly and Mari started to show signs of her pregnancy. She would catch Brian stealing glances at her belly but never said anything about it. She could never quite tell if he was in awe or if he was angry, and in all reality, she was scared to know.

  They spent their days apart and it left Mari with a lot of free time to fill. Winter was just around the corner and the air was starting to get a distinct chill that spoke of harsh weather to come. Brian was busy preparing the livestock and crops for the cold weather, so Mari decided that she could start getting fire wood gathered. It was a small thing, but it was better than sitting around mired in her own loneliness.

  She sighed as the cool wind blew through her hair, making her feel just a little better. Being outside seemed to be a balm for her sadness, though it never went away completely. She held the reins of the donkey that pulled the small cart she was stacking firewood on. She glanced up at the sky, frowning at the grey sea of storm clouds forming overhead. She patted the donkey’s thick neck and sighed softly.

  “We better hurry,” she said to the animal, tossing a few more branches onto the pile.

  As they walked down the path behind her home, Mari noticed the river. She hadn’t explored this part of the land yet, but she was pleased to see the river flowing nicely. It meant their water supply would always be fresh and clean
. She guided the donkey along the edge of the river, surprised at how wide it was and how strong the current seemed.

  She leaned over the edge and clap of thunder suddenly exploded overhead, frightening her hooved companion. The donkey let out a loud bray and spun around, clipping Mari as it did. She gasped and fell forward, tumbling down the river bank. She hit the water hard and the chill of it took her breath away.

  The current pulled her down but she managed to fight her way to surface, screaming as loud as she could and managing to grab a branch that hung low enough over the water. She hung on for dear life, sobbing and calling out for Brian, praying he would hear her cries.

  ***

  The wind had picked up at some point and Brian was struggling to keep the cattle and sheep calm. The impending storm had them in a fright and they’d begun scattering and panicking. He’d just about had them corralled when he heard a loud scream echo through the empty fields.

  Brian swung around, his emerald searching the landscape, trying to find his love. Even with everything that had happened over the past few weeks, he still loved Mari dearly. He just needed time to accept everything. As much as he loved her, could he marry a woman who already had a husband and was carrying his child? The sound of Mari’s panicked screams, tore him from his thoughts.

  Instinct took over and he jumped over the fence, clearing it easily as he started sprinting toward the heavily wooded area just behind his house. As he got closer he was nearly trampled by the donkey trying to run from river’s edge. He gasped and dodged the creature, noticing the little wagon it dragged behind it. It was the wagon Mari used to collect wood and crops.

  Brian cursed under his breath and took off through the brush, snapping twigs and pushing branches aside in a desperate attempt to move faster. He came to an abrupt stop at the river’s edge and managed to spot Mari clinging to a branch in the freezing water.

  “MARI!” he yelled.

  Her chin had fallen against her chest, and even from this distance he could see the pale blue color her skin was starting to turn. Her teeth were chattering and her grip on the tree branch was becoming weaker and weaker.

  His eyes widened and he ran along the side of the river until he came to the tree the branch was attached to. Brian climbed it easily and slowly started to scoot down the branch, wincing at the snapping sound as their weight became too much for the tree too bade. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, managing to snag Mari’s hand just as her fingers slipped from the branch.

  The jerking motion caused the branch to snap and they fell into the water, Brian wrapping himself around Mari in an attempt to protect her and the baby. The current carried them downstream a good half mile before Brian was able to grab a rock on the bank and haul them up.

  He pulled Mari onto dry land, cupping her cheeks, eyes wide. “Mari! Mari!” he shook her gently, trying to will her eyes to open.

  Her eyes fluttered for a moment before finally focusing on him. “B-Brian?” she whispered, teeth chattering.

  Brian finally let out the breath he was holding and pulled her into his arms. “Oh my God, I thought I lost you,” he cried.

  She laughed dryly. “Would it have been much of a loss? Seems like it would have been more of a solution.”

  He pulled away and stared at her, eyes wide. “What do you mean?”

  She curled up on her side to try and get warm. “If I was gone you wouldn’t have to worry about any of this. You wouldn’t have to decide whether send me away or to raise another man’s baby.”

  His eyes glistened and he cupped her cheeks. “Mari, how can you say something like that?” he asked. “I love you. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved and I don’t think there will ever be anyone else for me,” he whispered, pulling her close.

  She felt tears start to roll down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around him and tangled her fingers in his hair.

  “I thought you hated me,” she whispered, trying to blink the tears away.

  “Of course not. I was hurt and I was confused, but I never hated you,” he told her, shaking his head.

  “I can’t handle this anymore, Brian. I just want to know we’re going to be okay,” she said.

  He nodded and rubbed her back gently. “We’re going to be okay,” he promised. “I believe you. I believe everything you said. I know you Mari, you wouldn’t lie to me without good reason. I know you were scared and I know you must have felt so alone these past few years and I am so sorry for that. I wish I could make all that pain go away. All I want for you is happiness and I forgive you. I want to put all of this behind us and I want to start over. I don’t care if that baby isn’t mine, I’m going to raise it like my own,” he said, stroking her cheek.

  Sobs wracked her body and she put her hands over his. “Do you mean it?” she managed to choke out.

  He nodded slowly and brushed hair out of her face. “Every word; I mean every word of it,” he promised, kissing her forehead.

  She threw her arms around him and held him tight as he rubbed her back tenderly. “Now let’s get you inside and warmed up. You’ve been through enough.”

  Chapter Ten

  That day was the beginning of something beautiful. It was the beginning of happiness for both of them. After the events at the river, all of the mistrust and anger seemed to disappear almost overnight. Mari wasn’t completely convinced at first and she couldn’t help but worry that Brian was doing this because of some strange guilt he felt about her falling into the river.

  It took Brian weeks to convince her that wasn’t the case. Almost losing Mari made him realize she was the only one for him. It made him realize that her lies hadn’t come from a place of malice. She wasn’t trying to hurt him or break his heart; she had simply been trying to protect herself. And in a way she was trying to protect him. She didn’t want him to feel guilty about the things that had happened.

  It had been rough at first, but now everything felt right. In the weeks that followed they were married and they literally rode off into the sunset together on a stallion. They were happy in their little fairy tale and they were grateful for the fact that they got to fall in love all over again.

  Mari got a pretty big surprise when Katherine showed up in Billings only a year or so after her own arrival. She and her husband decided it was best for their little family to leave Mt. Pleasant. Mari was sad to hear that the last of the residents of her home town had given up and moved on, but she was happy to have her best friend back.

  Her daughter was born the spring that followed Mari’s arrival and she and Brian couldn’t have been happier. She was a happy little girl with bright blue eyes, fair skin and dark hair. She somehow managed to resemble Brian despite the fact that he wasn’t her biological father.

  They were a family now and Mari couldn’t have been happier about it. She and Brian were sitting in the shade of a tree, the sun speckling their legs with warmth. Little Holly was on her back, giggling and reaching up towards her mother.

  Brian chuckled and took a daisy he’d plucked from the ground, tucking it behind the newborn’s ear. “She’s awfully excited.”

  “Who wouldn’t be?” Mari asked, looking up at the sky. “It’s a beautiful day.”

  “And we’re enjoying it together,” Brian added.

  Mari smiled and turned to catch his lips, kissing him tenderly. “I’m so happy,” she whispered.

  “Me too,” he agreed.

  “Every dream I’ve ever had is coming true thanks to you. I never thought I was ever going to be this happy. I thought I was going to be stuck in that town and I thought it was going to kill me. I thought my baby was going to go through the same things that I went through every day,” she whispered almost painfully.

  Brian reached out and cupped her cheek, leaning in for a gentle kiss. “You never have to worry about that again, darling. I’m here now. I’m here and everything is going to be okay,” he promised.

  She nodded and leaned into his touch. She was filled with a sudden bubbl
ing happiness and she could not stop the smile that pulled at her lips. This was what Heaven must look like. She’d finally found happiness with Brian. This was the way life was supposed to be.

  This was her happily ever after.

  THE END

  Mary

  Chapter One

  Life was perfect. At least for a while. There wasn’t much to do in the small town of Grace, North Carolina, but that was okay. I’d always been a small town girl, though I had gone into Charlotte with my father on a few occasions. I remember riding in the wagon, clinging to his arm as I watched the hustle and bustle of the city with wide eyes, hardly able to contain my excitement about the whole thing. It made my heart pound, but it also made me miss home. It made me miss the quiet of the farm.

  Those trips to the city were nice. They broadened my world view, but they also served to cement it in my mind that I belonged here, in the country and among the fields and animals. It was where I was born and it’s where I wanted to live out my days and raise a family. I could only hope that was the case. I loved my life on the farm and I loved my family.

  Grace was the type of town where everyone knew their neighbors and waved when they saw them on the street. People gossiped, but never with cruel intentions. We built homes together, raised barns, and went to church every Sunday. It was a town where people didn’t leave because they were happy there.

  Few families left and even fewer moved in. The industrial revolution was in full swing and many people moved to the big cities in order to work in factories. It was a time of change where women could get jobs and work alongside men. Many of the women in town, especially the older ones, seemed appalled by this idea. They didn’t want their daughters sweating and working until their fingers bled.

  I always stayed quiet about it, but I didn’t think the idea of women working was that bad. I liked working on the farm, though I did enjoy the more traditional feminine work as well. I liked needle point and sewing, but I liked building things as well. My mom always told me I was a rare bird because of my diverse interests. She never said it with disappointment, though. Unlike many of the other mothers, mine didn’t want me to rely on a man to care for me. She wanted me to get married and raise a family like any other mother, but she also wanted me to be able to take care of myself just in case I was left alone.