Page 17 of Lumberjack Bride

“You didn’t know?”

“No. Not really sure my father ever knew, either. Didn’t read that far.”

“I’m sorry,” he says. “But... I’m struggling to see how you went from my mother had an affair to I’m calling off my wedding. Just seems like a major leap.”

I keep my head down. “We met on Lover’s Trail, just like they did.”

“Haze…” His voice softens. “I think I know where you’re going with this now but we didn’t get hitched after a week of knowing each other.”

“I know.”

“And we didn’t get pregnant immediately,” he adds. “We didn’t rush into any of this at all. What happened to them isn’t going to happen to us.”

“How can you be so sure?” I ask. “I mean, you read those diary entries, Leo. My mother was so sure she was with the man she would always be with.”

“Last I checked, they were still together in the end,” he points out. “Your mother made a mistake. People do that, but it didn’t break them.”

I breathe a little easier but my air still catches in my throat. “Would something like that break us?” I ask.

He sighs. “Hazel, look at me.”

I flex my jaw, feeling the tears creeping along my lashes. Finally, I turn my head up and he looks me in the eyes.

“You don’t know what really happened back then,” he says. “I don’t know what really happened back then and, to be quite honest, I don’t really care.”

My brow twitches. “You don’t care?”

“No, I don’t. I care about you. I care about your thoughts and your feelings, but I surely don’t give a rat’s ass about what two impulsive kids did over two decades ago. It happened, they obviously got past it, and there’s no reason why you need to dwell on it right now.” He scoffs. “Honestly, what did they expect? They got married after a week of knowing each other. I’m more surprised it took five years before one of them caved.”

“Caved?”I repeat. “So, what, you don’t believe in true love?”

“I believe love takes work,” he answers. “I believe it takes a little more than coincidence and happenstance to form a relationship with someone. No, what I don’t believe is that I had to track you down across state lines and drag you back to the altar the day before our damn wedding.” He points a stern finger. “So, now… go say goodbye to Nana and get in the truck.”

I cross my arms. “No.”

“No?”

“No.You had me at it didn’t break them,” I say. “That was sweet. And thoughtful. It really put things into perspective for me.”

He raises a brow. “Okay…”

“Then, you lost me when you tried to boss me around.” I lean forward. “Equal partners. Remember? You are not my boss.”

“Hazel, I swear to God—”

“I never let you push me around before.”

“Are you serious—”

“And I sure as hell wasn’t going to start just because I was your wife.”

“I’m asleep right now.” He closes his eyes. “This is my nightmare.”

I turn on my heel. “Goodbye, Leo.”

“Wait, Hazel—”

I slip out of his grip and slam the door closed behind me, shutting him outside. He pounds on the door again, drawing a harsh sigh of judgment from Nana sitting in her armchair across the room.

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