Page 24 of Dirty Fighter

And his apology was sincere. But now that he’s not getting what he wanted… ugh, I really hope that Ed’s assessment of his son and the man he is now turns out to be more accurate than my mother’s.

Jill hums. “Set up some ground rules. Maybe put a masking tape divider through the common areas?”

Peering down at my shoes in the overgrown path, I debate whether to come clean about the situation with Ed’s bedroom door lock and the whole one-bed thing.

But that fast, she decides for me…

“SOOoooo, you and the forbidden fruit of your stepdad’s loins are going to be staying in that cabin together? Alone? Just you and Hot-and-Sour?”

Definitely, a no on the reveal. Also, damn the margaritas responsible for birthing that description. “Yes. But you’ve got to stop calling him that.”

“You’re hilarious, but no. Never.” At least she’s honest. “And… I recognize that you’re all stressy-pants right now. But objectively… Has the hotness faded with age?”

A loud thwack has me spinning around, my eyes immediately landing on Jason where he’s standing in a small clearing by the rear of the house… swinging an ax to split wood.

“Whoa, Rowan. What was that? Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine.”

“Because it sounded like you were choking or something.”

“He’s umm… he’s still pretty hot.” Relentlessly, unfathomably hot… and now with a lumberjack vibe.

“You know what that means, right?” She’s way too excited.

“Do I want to?”

“There’s still a chance for little Edith Marie!”

9

Jason

Thwack

Another log splits, the two pieces falling at either side as I pull my ax free, position the next log, draw back and over and down and thwack. Repeat.

When it comes to burning off steam or clearing my head, I swim, kayak, hit pucks at the rink a few towns over, and work out in pretty much every way that’s available on an island this size with as much upkeep as our cabin has always offered. But for the shit that really gets me tied up? Chopping firewood has been my go-to since I was old enough for Gramps to teach me how to do it.

It’s what gets my head straight. Puts me in a calmer state of mind.

Today though?

Thwack.

Between finding out that my lawyer’s taking a three-day device-free retreat with his wife for their anniversary and that Rowan’s not engaged… Not so much.

She returned the ring.

They weren’t right together.

Thwack, thwack, thwack…

Shit, I’ve got to stop. This is already more wood than we’re going to need.

I run my forearm across my sweaty brow. Scanning the woods, I catch sight of Rowan through the trees.

Her hair is blowing around her face, and for a minute, I just stare.