Off the Grid

“Maybe we should tell him ourselves,” Gideon remarked. Having the baby of the bunch join in and rally for her melted her heart. Gideon could only be described as a rascal. With his large brown eyes, long lashes, roguish grin, and a round face that made him look more innocent than he was, there was little he couldn’t charm his wa

y out of.

“No, please don’t. I have to work with him for the next month. That’ll be impossible if I die of embarrassment,” Lilac said drily.

“You’re going to do this regardless of what I think. I can see it now. You always had a stubborn streak about you. Mark my words, girl, nothing good can come from a man and a woman shacking up in the woods.”

“Dad, it’s for work, not a romantic getaway,” she protested.

Her father pushed back his chair. “Thank you for the dinner, it was delicious. I think it’s time your mother and I got back home.”

Her heart ached as she watched his tall, slender form retreat. Her mother flashed a look over her shoulder that screamed, ‘I’ll talk to him.’

Before, Lilac would’ve altered her choices to please her daddy, but she learned long ago that was no way to live a life. Her father was a loving, God-fearing man, but he was also stern, and old-fashioned. It led to some significant differences of opinions growing up. Eventually it blew over. He would cool down and they’d find common ground to meet on.

“Some things never change, huh?” Levi broke the ice as they all snickered.

Lilac’s brow furrowed. “I’m kind of shocked y’all aren’t backing him on this.”

“I think Thorn gets a bad rap. Folks in this town live for gossip, and he didn’t feed into it. Just kept doing his thing and building a life for himself,” Oren said.

“I don’t like the thought of you alone in the woods with any man, but he makes his living doing this.” Levi shrugged.

“Gid?”

“We can’t wrap you in bubble wrap and pretend you’re still sixteen forever. We tried, and it pissed you off royally. You made our life hell. We all know what an evil genius you are. We’d rather not land on your bad side,” Gideon said.

“Thank you for having my back on this.” Lilac was honestly moved by their show of support when she needed it most.

“We’re wondering if someone came in and body snatched you. The hair, the clothes, and now this. It’s like you saved up all your Fehr wildness until your thirties.”

Lilac snickered. “Maybe so. Lucky for everyone involved I did. If I was in half as much trouble as you three were growing up, our parents might’ve gone insane.”

As much as she tried to get into the remember when session, she couldn’t help but feel haunted by her daddy’s parting prophetic words. Was he right?

***

Thorn

Swallowing to lubricate his dry throat, he wiped his clammy palms on his khaki cargo pants and rounded the curve that popped him out near the cleared path people used to park before they entered the forest. He could’ve asked Alexa to meet him at his cabin, but knew they needed to keep up appearances for work related reasons. He hadn’t seen her in months. He hoped this time would let them reconnect enough for him to take things to the next level.

The curvy, honey brown-skinned woman clad in worn jeans that hugged her thighs, a long-sleeved thermal T-shirt, and a black down vest confused the hell out of him. Her purple tinged black hair had been pulled back in a single braid that hung over her right shoulder, and made her heart-shaped face with its high cheek bones and large eyes stand out. He paused and narrowed his gaze as he searched his memory. She looked familiar. Lilac Fehr. She worked at the paper alongside Alexa.

Dread filled his chest. He stalked forward as his mind filled with reasons why Alexa wasn’t here. “Where’s Alexa? Is she okay?”

Her eyes widen and she swallowed. “As far as I know she’s fine,” Lilac replied.

“So why are you here?” he asked.

“Because Peter told me to be.”

What the hell? Why couldn’t Alex at least tell me herself? His stomach ached as he shook his head. “Why?”

“That answer is above my paygrade.”

He ground his teeth. Dear Johned again. Anger swept over him as he thought of all the things he’d done in preparation for her arrival. The hope he’d held disintegrated to ashes. Scowling, he turned on his heels and walked away.

“Hey. Wait.”