Page 23 of Wed By the Lumberjack

“Heath... did I... did I have a black eye in that photo?” Not the raccoon eyes I had in the other photos that hinted at my constant exhaustion. No, there was no mistaking that someone had hit me. Hard.

“Dixie–”

I look at the next photo and it’s one of Heath and I sleeping side by side in our respective beanbags. Between us Kai is kneeling with a marker, drawing a mustache on Heath. I already have one, but it’s the dark ring around my eye I focus on, because though faded, it’s in this photo as well.

“I should’ve gone through them all,” Cole says apologetically, trying to take the stack back from me, but I turn to the side to keep flicking through them.

Everyone else at the table has gone silent. Not even forks or chewing act as background noise. Though I’m not facing them, I know everyone’s eyes are boring into my back.

Despite my happy smiles, which were only genuine around the Foresters, or so I can remember now, it’s obvious what was going on. I was being abused. Neglected.

Douglas.

Before I can turn to Heath, the sound of wheels rolling over the deck’s planks draws our attention to the back door. Ash’s rolling out Buckee while Cali holds the door open.

I hadn’t heard her get up.

“Ah everyone’s here,” Buckee smiles happily to a chorus of claps before turning to Heath and me. “And the newlyweds too.”

Once again, it’s like someone cut off the sound. All heads turn towards us, their smiles and hands falling mid-cheer.

Cole hangs his head, and Kai reaches for a whiskey bottle.

Confused by everyone’s expressions, I turn to Heath who curses under his breath.

“Newlyweds?” Cali asks with a wrinkled brow. “When was the wedding?”

“No time for invitations, I suspect,” Buckee says as Ash pushes him to the head of the table. “They probably wanted to do it quickly before I croaked. Can’t say I blame them.”

“Don’t say that Bucks,” Jaxon says with a frown.

“But Buckee wasn’t at the wedding,” I say slowly. “If we rushed to get married before he died, why wasn’t he at the wedding to witness it?”

“You can have the wedding later,” Buckee says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Now that you’re married the land’s all settled. I still don’t know why you made such a big deal of it though if you’ve got Dixie. Or were you just trying to change my mind for the others?”

“Land?” I ask. “What land?”

Buckee looks from me to Heath, his cheery disposition suddenly dropping to match that of the others. “Didn’t you two rush to get married because I told you about the clause?”

“What clause?” I ask, my heart pounding in my ears so hard my vision blurs before Heath comes back into focus.

He’s staring at me wide-eyed. “Dixie, I can explain.”

“Does anyone here know that we’re married?” I ask, my stomach sinking. As I scan the table it’s obvious I have my answer.

“No. Because we aren’t married.”

The world stops and my heart stops with it.

“I just said that at the hospital so the doctors would let me into your room.”

“S-so what are you to me?” I ask. My voice sounds so hollow. “Who are you to me?”

“Just an old friend.”

I get to my feet faster than anyone can blink. Within seconds my vision is blurring again, but this time with tears as I race out the screened-in porch and down the steps onto the big grassy yard.

I have no idea where the hell I’m going, just that I’m getting far away from Heath and his lies.

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