Page 29 of Axe-Rated Lumberjack

“Exactly. Some scenes are better when the performers can actually react to each other.”

He glanced at our chairs, which were nearly touching.

“I’m not complaining about the arrangement.”

Neither was I.

At one point, I leaned toward the script just as Hudson shifted to read the next paragraph. Our shoulders brushed, and we both paused to adjust our positions before continuing.

His soft flannel brushed my cardigan, and I was glad he didn’t move far away.

The next passage made concentrating even harder: Drake had to speak softly about what he wanted from Isadora, and Hudson delivered it while sitting inches from me.

I managed my own lines without making any embarrassing noises.

It was one of the more impressive achievements of my career.

We stopped for water and a short rest before tackling the final portion of our afternoon session.

Hudson checked his work phone, which he’d left away from the recording equipment.

“Everything all right?” I asked.

“Yeah. Reuben sent an update earlier. They’re making good progress in the east section, and the lower road’s staying closed until the ground dries out.”

“Is that the road you were talking about yesterday?”

“That’s the one. It’s not worth tearing up the slope or risking somebody’s safety just to get a few trucks through. We’ll use the planned route until conditions improve.”

I thought about the way he’d spoken to his crew at the overlook, making it clear that getting everyone home safely mattered more than finishing quickly.

“Do you enjoy that part of your job?” I asked. “The planning, I mean. I know you work with the equipment and supervise the crew, but there’s a lot more involved than I realized.”

Hudson settled against the kitchen counter with his water bottle.

“More than most people think. You have to consider the ground, the weather, what you’re taking out and what you’re leaving behind. There’s no point doing a job fast if you damage the land or make things harder for the next crew.”

He explained a little about planning access routes and protecting sections that weren’t scheduled for harvest. His answers were practical and specific, but he didn’t sound as though he were reciting a training manual.

I liked hearing him talk about his work.

He clearly took pride in doing it well.

“Most people probably imagine you spending the entire day chopping down enormous trees with an axe,” I said.

He laughed. “Most people would be disappointed. There’s a lot of paperwork involved in being a lumberjack.”

“How terribly unromantic.”

“Tell me about it. Nobody puts a man reviewing equipment maintenance schedules on the cover of a romance novel.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. Give him the right flannel shirt and a sufficiently dramatic expression, and I think he’d do very well.”

Hudson looked down at his shirt.

“This one?”

I nodded solemnly.