Page 21 of Axe-Rated Lumberjack
Hudson stared at the page for so long that I wondered whether he’d forgotten how to read.
“Please tell me we’re not about to have another discussion about equipment safety,” I said.
“No. I’m trying to decide whether walking timber counts as logging or livestock.”
I laughed so hard I had to take off my headphones.
He waited patiently, looking entirely pleased with himself.
“I’m serious, Peyton. If a tree walks into the road, whose insurance covers that?”
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear the question.”
“Probably wise.”
The next take was useless because I couldn’t keep a straight face when the enchanted oak began marching up the hillside.
Hudson, meanwhile, delivered the entire passage without a flicker of amusement.
When I stopped recording, he looked at me innocently.
“Problem?”
“You know perfectly well what the problem is.”
“I thought I sounded convincing.”
“You sounded wonderful. Unfortunately, I made a noise like a distressed goose halfway through your narration.”
“Want me to do it again?”
“Yes, please. And this time, I’m going to concentrate on the audio rather than imagining a forest full of trees applying for driver’s licenses.”
He laughed, then waited for my signal.
We got the take on our next attempt.
By the time noon approached, we’d finished a satisfying number of passages, and my stomach had begun reminding me that marshmallow cereal wasn’t designed to sustain an entire workday.
Hudson stretched his arms overhead, causing his flannel to pull across his chest.
I looked away before he caught me staring.
Again.
“How about a lunch break?” he suggested. “We’ve been at this for almost three hours, and I could use something to eat.”
“That sounds wonderful. I was going to make a sandwich, but I’ve been wanting to visit a bookshop in town.”
“The Book Nook?”
“Yes! I saw it yesterday when I was driving through Maple Lane Falls.”
“Esther’s place. It’s a good shop. If you want, we could grab lunch in town and stop there before we come back.”
I hesitated.
Not because I didn’t want to go with him. Quite the opposite, actually.
