Page 1 of Swooned By the Lumberjack
Chapter 1 - Eleanor
Five years since I’ve been here. Five years since I called my father’s estate home, the place tucked away in the mountains where I grew up. The property is surrounded by towering pines, their needles whispering in the wind. The air is thick with the earthy scent of the forest, and the distant sound of rushing water from the creek below keeps the place feeling alive. At eighteen, I was ready to run off to the big university in the city to escape everything imploding at home. My parents’ divorce gave me more reasons to stay away, but now here I am, to support my father’s new marriage.
I haven’t really tried or had the chance to bond with Clair. I never wanted to be torn between my parents. I still remember the tension, how I’d always been caught in the middle.
Sure, I have fond memories here—memories of a time before everything got complicated. The property, with its towering pines and endless stretches of land, always felt like a safe haven. Wade, the lumberjack who managed the estate, was part of that sanctuary. He was always there, a constant presence, protective in a way that made me feel safe, even when I was sneaking out at night to escape the house. But Wade didn’t let me get away with it easily. He’d catch me, his sharp eyesfollowing every move I made, and I’d turn it into a game just to get under his skin. He never seemed to mind. He’d just grin that lopsided grin of his, and I’d laugh—because he always made it fun, even when he was making sure I stayed out of trouble. Wade was my prince charming in a flannel shirt, a man who was as strong as the trees around us, who knew how to protect but also how to tease.
I loved the pool, always had. It was my escape, the one place where I could feel free, where the cool water washed away everything else. I loved the freedom of running wild through the acres of land, the world wide open and full of possibilities. That hasn’t changed. I still feel that same pull whenever I’m near the water. But that was then. Now I’m an adult, back in a world full of adult problems, and everything here feels different.
Looking around my room I realize it’s almost exactly how it was when I left it. Bands that are no longer in style still live in posters on my walls. Pictures of me and high school friends I haven’t seen in years are stuffed into the wood sides of my mirrors. Dad hasn’t changed a thing.
Sighing, I change into a deep orange bikini. It’s cute, stylish, but covers me fully enough that I don’t feel self-conscious around my dad. I pull on a white sarong anyway and tame my long brown wavy hair in a casual messy bun. I smile and look over my lightly tanned skin.
At least I’ll be able to stay in shape and stay tan while here and prepare for the wedding. My internship at the counseling center doesn’t start for a month, so I might as well get to know the bride-to-be and make sure my dad is happy. And I’ll enjoy myself too.
Walking out on the back deck, I nod to my new stepmom. “Hey, Clair.”
She doesn’t hug me, which I appreciate since we’re basically strangers. “How are you enjoying everything Eleanor? Is your room still comfortable?”
We chat a bit as I unwrap myself and slather sunscreen on. She offers to do my back, and since I’d feel awkward doing it myself, I let her. She sighs. “I know that we don’t know each other, but I really love your dad, Eleanor.”
“I know,” I promise. “I see your eyes and how you look at him during our videochats.”
“He talks about you all the time,” she whispers, her voice soft. “He’s been so excited for you to be here. He’s been looking forward to this for weeks, telling me so much about you. I know it might feel a bit overwhelming, and if I get too carried away, just let me know,” she says, finishing up with a gentle touch.
“Thanks,” I say, my sincerity clear. “I’m happy to have the chance to get to know you and reconnect with my dad before the wedding. I’m really looking forward to it.”
She breathes an obvious sigh of relief. My dad’s voice raises. “Clair! Come here, love!”
I roll my eyes, but she giggles and bites her bottom lip. From forty-year-old woman to eager, love struck teenager with only my dad’s voice. There’s no doubt that they’re happy together. Happier than he and my mom ever were. I’m glad. My dad deserves it.
“I’ll be back,” she promises, then almost skips inside.
Laughing to myself, I shake my head. She really loves him.
I hear them chatting in distance and I decide is finally time to dive into the water. The warm temperatures of summer make the heated pool feel perfect, like a welcoming embrace. I openmy eyes, taking in the crystal-clear water as I sink to the bottom, feeling completely at ease.
No other people, no kids screaming or poking at me. It’s peaceful here. Quiet. I don’t feel lost in life, don’t feel unsure about my future outside of my job. I’m not second guessing myself. I feel ... whole.
I swim a few laps, then just float, basking in the mix of sun and water. I feel the smile spread across my face. I turn and dive again, just to keep swimming. I have unlimited opportunities here. I can enjoy the trees. I can enjoy Dad’s acreage and lose myself in it.
Endless possibilities.
I come back up to the surface, ready to tan a bit before diving back in, but my dad is coming out while talking to someone. I do another lap, then look over and see Clair carrying drinks. I pull myself out of the pool, stand up, and my dad turns to face me.
“Eleanor, do you remember Wade, our former lumberjack?” My dad asks, motioning to my old ‘prince charming’. I’m frozen in front of him, but my dad doesn’t notice me drinking Wade in like he’s frosty water on a hot day. “He’s going to be my best man. He’ll be staying at the cabin out back and ...”
Dad’s words fade away. I’m too drunk on exactly how sexy this man is. Wade looksbetterwith age. It’s been maybe six years since he left for a new job, but holy crap. Taller than me, so broad and muscular and rugged. I’m sure some people would call him imposing, but my mouth is watering as I take in his dark, cropped hair, his practical and no-nonsense aura.
My nipples harden and I suddenly feel way too hot and so cold that I need him to wrap around me in the same instanceto soothe it all. His intense blue eyes meet mine and the air is sucked out of my lungs. My heart leaps into my throat, trying to choke me. He’s tan, has some stubble, and the mix of worn work jeans and a simple, unbuttoned shirt that shows just enough of his chest... god, he’s gorgeous and more.
I can’t ignore the more. Not when it feels like an invisible thread tugging me closer to him. I shudder and lick my bottom lip as I watch him from under my lashes, unable to look away even though I probably should.
“N-nice to see you ... again, I mean,” I say, my voice breathy and low.
My face heats and I try to shake off what I feel, but that school-girl crush has apparently only multiplied over the years, and it doesn’t matter that he’s a bit older than my stepmom-to-be. When his eyes sweep over me protectively, I want to fall into his arms just to feel him catch me.
Chapter 2 - Wade
