“Thank you, Ryan!” I said out loud. I busied myself making my coffee and thinking about taking a stroll in the woods. I grabbed the cup from the otherwise bare cabinet and poured the coffee into it. I looked in the fridge and there sat a container of half and half. “Ryan is a god!” I half-shouted.
“Thank you!” I heard through an open window of the front porch. I jumped and almost dropped the carton in my hands. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you,” he said through the window. “By the way, the god also left some sugar in that container on the door of the fridge.”
I chuckled a little. “You’re the best!” I stated as I pulled the container out. “Seriously, I am in desperate need of a caffeine fix. I didn't sleep well.”
“New place?”
“No, my neighbor is very loud.”
“Who, Luke?” He threw his hand over his shoulder, thumb pointing toward the workshop. He was bent over looking in the window, so I walked over to the front door and unlocked it, motioning for him to just come inside.
“Yeah,” I responded as he followed me into the kitchen. “He worked until around one this morning. I didn't realize when you said there was a shop that it would be all hours of the night. And then you two early birds were out there working at seven this morning. I tried to work last night, but couldn’t concentrate with the noise. I think I wrote three sentences. I have to turn a report in on Tuesday, and I would like to have it done.” I was standing there holding my cup of coffee while Ryan stared at me.
“I'm sorry?” he shrugged.
“I said something to him last night, but it didn’t seem to matter. He kept working for another thirty minutes or more. I guess I’ll need to have a conversation with him again.”
“He just isn't used to having anyone but me living next door. I’ll say something to him. It will take him a little time to adjust, that's all.”
“Let's hope so.” I turned setting the coffee cup on the counter. I didn't want to be mean, but I needed peace and quiet. I figured being this far out would allow that.
“He’s been my friend for as long as I can remember, and I guess it just never bothered me.”
“If you guys were such good friends, why did you move?”
“That's a long story.”
“I've got time.” I leaned back grabbing my coffee cup and waited.
“Well, my older brother was going to take over the family business, but he got married and moved to northern Cali. So, being the good son that I am, I told Dad I would come and help, and if I could do what my brother had been doing as well as he’d been doing it, I would take over for him.” He shrugged. “It's close to Oregon City, and driving nearly an hour back and forth just wasn't feasible anymore, so I bought a small house there, and I’ve been living there for the most part. I was staying weekends out here, but I was paying for two places, and, well, I didn't want to anymore. It was sheer luck that you saw the ad barely an hour after I put it up.” He winked at me, then smiled. “Ya know... if you believe in luck, that is.”
“What kind of business does your family have?” I asked as I walked toward the front porch. He followed me, and we sat down in the rockers I’d admired as I was coming in the day before. I looked out over the rolling grass fields to one side of the farmhouse as he started speaking again.
“It’s a lumber business. My great-grandfather started it in the late twenties, and then my grandfather took over, and now my father. I guess it was expected that either me or my brother would take it over, and since I'm still here...” He didn't finish the sentence, and I couldn’t help but wonder if everyone who lived in this town was hell bent on destroying trees.
Luke appeared around the corner carrying a large piece of glass.
“You need some help?” Ryan called out, standing.
“If you could grab a couple of those legs and bring them over here, that would be great,” Luke said without looking up. When he laid the glass down on a piece of foam that covered the bed of his truck, he wrapped the glass carefully and then headed once more toward the back of the house.
He glanced in my direction and waved. “Morning,” he said but kept walking. I lifted my cup to my lips and took a long sip of the now warm coffee. I watched as they loaded several more pieces into the truck. The most impressive had been a large rounded piece of wood that looked to be a section of tree trunk. Anger bubbled to the surface as I looked at the poor piece of tree that had been cut down to make the table. A tree that had to have been well into its seventies. I stood and walked back into the house to change into clothes more appropriate for a hike through the woods. I put on a pair of brown leggings, tucking them into my socks before slipping on my hiking boots. I then pulled a white, long-sleeved shirt over my t-shirt. Ticks could be bad in this area, so I wanted to be prepared. I walked out the back door and heard his truck start, the engine roaring to life. I shook my head and just walked into the woods where, more often than not, I found my freedom.
I followed the natural trail of runoff water. Stopping and taking notice of the many types of trees and vegetation every now and again, I walked about a mile and found a small meadow with a creek running alongside it. I laid down in the grass and enjoyed the silence. I must have dozed off in the quiet after not sleeping well the night before. When I woke, I checked the time and realized I should head back to the house and finish the paper I didn’t get to work on the night before.
I gathered my things and started back. Just as I entered back into the wooded area, I saw scratchings that appeared to have been made by a bear or a large cat, maybe a mountain lion. I made a mental note that I shouldn’t forget to carry my bear spray or the handgun Granddad bought me when I left for college.
Chapter Five
Luke
I shook hands with Mr. Peterson as we stood looking over the table that I just finished piecing back together in his dining room.
“It's a work of art, Luke.” He patted me on the shoulder and handed me a check with his other hand. I took it and looked down at it.
“This isn't what we discussed.”
“Yeah, there’s a little extra. You got it done so quickly, you deserve a bonus,” he said with a genuine smile.
I folded the check and stuffed it in the back pocket of my jeans. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“I would eventually like to have you make a couple of end tables for my trophy room,” he added as we walked out of the house and down the front steps of the porch.
“It will be after the season before I can start a new set. Plus, I may have a contract to produce several pieces for a retailer, so the sooner you can let me know when you’re ready for them, I can make sure you get a spot in my schedule.”
“Good for you, son. I’ll be sure to let you know.”
We said our farewells, and I waved one last time before driving off. He only lived about twenty minutes from me, and the drive went by fairly quickly.
When I got home, I spent a few hours cleaning the shop and found myself looking at the house from time to time wondering what my new neighbor was doing. After cleaning the shop, I pulled out the push mower and started taking care of the grass.
When Ryan bought the house, we made a deal that I would handle the grass, and he would handle any repairs the house needed. While I knew I got the short end of the deal, it was okay.
The difference between the two of us was that I had to work a lot harder to sustain my physique while he was naturally built. I worked twice as hard to keep myself toned. He laughed at me all the time about my six-pack and gloated often about his eight-pack. I honestly think he’s just jealous that I have a good three inches on him and have no trouble growing a beard. He makes fun of my abs, and I give him hell about his goatee. It all works out in the end.
Pushing the mower with a weighted backpack was often an extra workout for me. Though, today it was hot, so I skipped the backpack. I finished the acre around front and was starting the back when I saw Emerson walking out of the woods. She looked at me and j
ust stopped. I released the lever on the handle and the mower went quiet.
“Do you ever wear clothes?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
“I have on clothes.” I looked down at my basketball shorts.
“Let me rephrase. Do you ever wear a shirt?” She looked me over again. I would be a liar if I said I didn't enjoy her eyeballing me.
I smiled indignantly. “I'm working out, and it’s hot.”
“You're mowing the lawn. I would hardly say that's working out.” She started to walk away.
“It’s exercise. That counts,” I called after her.
She shook her head and walked closer to her door. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“You wanna grill some chicken later?” I wasn't sure why I had asked or where it had come from... It just kind of came out. Maybe I missed grilling out with Ryan, and I figured she had to eat something. Plus, I saw the grocery bags she’d brought in, so I knew she didn't have much in the way of groceries other than coffee, a few cans of soup, and a loaf of bread.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” she said before she walked the last few steps to her door and went inside without even looking back.
Shot down. I hadn’t exactly made nice with the new neighbor, it seemed.
I finished mowing then headed inside. After a long shower, I went about getting dinner prepared. I lit the grill and waited for it to heat up before I placed the three chicken breasts on it. I walked back in and put some brown rice on and threw a bag of green beans in the microwave to steam. I had to eat clean, and it sucked, once again jealous that Ryan could eat whatever he wanted. I cracked a light beer and sat in my lawn chair as the chicken cooked. I intended to prove I could be a good neighbor and fix her a plate even if she didn't want to eat it with me. And after I finished eating, that’s exactly what I did.
I carried the plate over and knocked on her door. She pulled it open and looked at me over the glasses resting low in the bridge of her nose. I smiled at the sight of a pencil stuck in the messy bun piled on top of her head.
“Yes?” she said as her eyes met mine.
I hesitated, caught off guard by the lump in my throat. “I brought you this. Peace offering?” I pushed the plate out in front of me.
A smile played over her pink lips. “Thanks.” She took it and let the screen door close behind her. I followed her inside.
“I had extra, and without Ryan here to eat it, it’ll just go to waste,” I tried to explain.
“Thanks again. I was just about to take a food break, so good timing.”
“From?” I asked as I watched her unwrap the plate and grab a plastic fork from a drawer.
She looked over at me as she lifted a forkful of green beans to her mouth then paused. “I'm working on securing a grant to help me study this new fungus that is killing the deciduous trees in the area.” She placed the beans in her mouth and chewed.
“I've heard Ryan’s dad talk about that. Causes root rot or something like that?”
“We aren't exactly sure why, but yeah, it seems to concentrate on the roots. I've seen it on branches before, but mostly it attacks the root ball.”
“Well, I hope you get the grant. I'll see you later.” I turned to leave.
She stopped me and said, “Thanks for this. I'll clean your plate and return it tomorrow.”
“No worries. I know where you live,” I smiled and then let myself out.
I laid in bed that night listening to her music playing quietly through my wall. When Ryan and I had planned this place, I hadn't thought about separating the bedrooms. When Ryan was there, more than once I had slept on the couch because of it. This was different, though. Her soft voice was muffled as she sang along and, to be honest, it was soothing. I closed my eyes and listened as she unknowingly sang me to sleep.
Chapter Six
Emerson
I finished my paper around midnight and proof read it quickly before getting the email ready to send it off. I had worked for hours and hadn’t even realized how quiet it was. I grabbed a cup of coffee, stuck it in the microwave, and waited. When it beeped at me, I pulled it out and headed out onto the back porch. The stars looked amazing, and I found myself wandering out into the yard with my head back just looking at them. The sheer magnitude of the little sparking lights brought a smile to my face. I stood out there and gazed at them until my coffee was gone. As I turned to make my way back to the house, a faint light in a window on Luke’s side of the house caught my attention, and I wondered if he was still awake.
I smiled thinking about the moment I opened the door earlier and found him standing there with a plate of food in his hands, and the way butterflies skidded through me when he looked at me. I couldn’t help but wonder how obvious I’d been and if he’d noticed how quickly I turned away so he couldn’t see the flush in my cheeks. I shook the thought from my head. It didn’t matter how good looking the man was; he stood for everything I was against. In both his work and his play, he was destroying the trees I was trying to save. I pushed him from my mind and headed back in the house to get some sleep.
***
I groaned when I lifted my phone to check the time. Yup, seven o’clock. I could see this sound was going to be my new alarm clock—chopping and hacking. I knew better than to look, but on my way to the bathroom I pulled back the curtain and looked anyway. I tried not to look at Luke, so I turned my attention to the now shirtless Ryan. He was cut and had a thinner, athletic build while Luke’s physique was thicker but still extremely defined. I don’t know what it was about the man, but damn Luke was pretty. It was hard to look away, so I forced myself to let go of the fabric and continue on to the bathroom. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I made my way downstairs and made a pot of coffee. I sat on the front porch and enjoyed the crispness of the early morning air, listening as the guys continued in the backyard. After my third cup, I stood to get dressed so I could run to town for some groceries. As I was turning, I caught sight of Ryan in my peripheral vision and stopped to say hi.
“Morning.” I heard his cheery voice cut through the silence.
“Hey.” I waved and reached for the metal door handle.
“What’s up for today? You finish your report?”
“I did. I am going to send it in today. It should be about a week until I hear anything.”
“Awesome,” he smiled brightly.
“Where is the closest grocery store?” I asked him. “I stopped on my way in the other night, but I wasn’t sure if that was the closest or not.”
“Right in the center of town actually. Just around the corner from the farmers market, but it's a bit early yet for that to be open. I’ll text you the address.”
“Thank you. I love fresh vegetables,” I smiled back at Ryan.
“I am heading into town if you want me to pick some stuff up for you,” Luke said as he walked out of his door onto the porch.
“I can get it. I need to learn my way around. Thanks, though,” I said and then waved to them both and disappeared back into my house.
It seemed like he didn’t think I could do things for myself. I knew in the back of my mind that he was probably just being nice, but I didn't need anyone to take care of me. I had been taking care of myself for years.
I changed clothes and headed into town to find the store Ryan sent me the address for. While I was shopping, I got a text update that the truck with my furniture would be arriving a week later than anticipated. I frowned at my phone, not realizing that someone was standing in front of me.
“You must be Emerson,” a sweet-looking older lady said as she smiled at me.
“Yes, I am.” I smiled back.
“I’m Hildie, Ryan’s grandmother. My Ryan told us about you.” She looked over my buggy curiously.
“He did?” I questioned.
“Yes, he spoke very highly of you. He said you’re a tree person. We have that in common.”
“You love trees?” I asked.
“Yes, trees have provided for my family
for years. We own the local timber company.”
“Oh, you cut down trees?” I tried to maintain a neutral expression.
“We make lumber, but don't actually cut them down. We buy them from several companies in the state.”
I felt my demeanor change, though I tried to fight it. “I work in saving trees,” I said as politely as I could, but it was obvious she noticed it bothered me.
“We try to buy from the companies that farm the trees so that our forests are preserved. And, we use every part of the tree and sell most of our scraps and leftovers to Luke so he can make furniture. Plus, the boys use the larger pieces for their silly competitions.” She smiled broadly as if that made everything okay.
I stood there looking at her, not sure what to say.
“I'll let you get back to your shopping, dear. It was nice to meet you. I just wanted to introduce myself. If you ever need anything, please let me know. Ryan can give you my phone number.”
“Thank you so much,” I said and smiled sweetly at her. I turned and started back down the aisle checking the shelves for what was on my shopping list. How did I manage to always get myself in these situations? Of course, it made sense that Ryan would have left certain parts about his life out of our conversations. He knew what I did and probably didn’t want to lose the chance I’d rent the house. Truth was, my tendency to be a little more than outspoken about my opinions was probably one of my lesser attractive qualities. Rachel had pointed it out on more than one occasion. Yet, somehow, I still managed to stick my foot in my mouth more often than not. And while I wouldn’t consider myself a hardcore tree hugger (you won’t catch me chained to a tree to save it), my passion for saving trees was a hot spot for such behavior, even though I knew most people didn’t get it. They just didn’t understand; they weren’t educated about what was happening most of the time.
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