Page 78 of Axe-Rated Lumberjack

She reached across the table, and I took her hand.

It felt good to have her fingers wrapped around mine again.

“I spoke with Bridget after I got back here,” Peyton said. “She called to explain that they were investigating the post, and we talked about the proposed narration partnership too.”

I waited, curious but unwilling to make another assumption about what she’d decided.

“I told her I’m not interested in signing a public-facing duo contract that depends on you becoming a celebrity. I’m not going to ask you to reconsider something you’ve been perfectly clear about from the beginning.”

“Peyton, I don’t want you turning down a good opportunity because of me.”

“I’m not turning down my career, Hudson. I’m turning down one particular arrangement. There’s a difference.”

She sat a little straighter, looking more like the woman who’d confidently directed my first disastrous attempts at narration.

“I love my work. I want to keep improving, take on interesting projects, and perhaps become better known for what I do. I’m perfectly willing to participate in interviews or publicity for my own career when I’m comfortable with the terms. But I don’t need to turn you into a promotional attraction to accomplish any of that.”

I smiled at her.

“You’d be better at the interviews anyway. I’d probably spend half the time complaining about something the author got wrong.”

“You absolutely would. And I suspect there’s a very limited audience for detailed discussions of improper axe technique.”

“You might be surprised.”

She laughed softly.

There she was.

“I also told Bridget I’d be happy to consider working with you again,” she continued. “On a project we both choose, with terms we’re both comfortable with. That doesn’t require you to give up logging, and it doesn’t require me to abandon narration.”

“I’d like that. I’ve enjoyed working with you more than I expected.”

“Even when you had to repeat the same passage six times?”

“Especially then. Apparently, I enjoy having a pretty woman tell me what to do.”

Peyton’s smile widened.

“That’s a promising quality in a student.”

I squeezed her hand.

She studied me over the rim of her mug.

She set her mug down, keeping her fingers linked with mine.

I had a pretty good idea what was coming.

“Us?”

“Yes. Because I don’t want to finish the audiobook this afternoon and then discover we’re both too embarrassed to discuss what happens when I go home.”

I shifted my chair a little closer.

“I’ve been thinking about that since yesterday. My job’s here, and I intend to keep it. I’ve got a crew I’m responsible for, and I like the life I’ve built. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make room for somebody I want to spend time with.”

Peyton nodded.