4
“Roy, there is no reason for you to go down and check. Let me do it.” Ethan had been there enough times to know his way down the mountain to the main road on horseback. It wasn’t that Roy was feeble, but he still didn’t like the idea of him going that distance, with that amount of snow, all alone.
“You’re on vacation,” Roy said.
Ethan laughed. “That’s right. So I think I’d rather take the ride than chop and haul wood today.” What Roy might not have noticed was Ethan had done it once again, before anyone got up. He hadn’t slept much after that kiss last night. Even cutting all that wood didn’t do anything to ease his frustration. I did it to myself.
Why the hell did he bet a kiss? He’d been watching her since the moment they met and he knew she wanted him. For some reason she was fighting it. There were a lot of reasons that could be. She could have a boyfriend or worst, a husband back home. It would explain her mad dash back to her room after the kiss. He wanted to feel badly about manipulating the situation, but he didn’t. Ethan couldn’t get the feel, the taste of her, out of his mind.
“It really don’t matter. The county ain’t gonna move any faster than they can,” Roy said, taking another gulp of his coffee.
“I know. But I just want to see if they’ve even started clearing the lower half.”
Roy looked at him long and hard before asking, “Something happen Ethan? I ain’t never seen you so anxious to get out of here. Won’t be surprised any if you decide to shovel your way to the main road.”
It wasn’t him that he was worried about. Kollette had wanted to leave earlier. If she needed a way out, he wanted to make sure she had one. Since she was still in her room this morning, he assumed she was trying to avoid him. A little distance might not be a bad idea right now.
“It’s not like that. I just don’t know when I’ll need to return to New York.” Of course he had no plans on doing that anytime soon. Going back now wouldn’t have given Charles any time to fix the issues. Actually Ethan wasn’t sure they were fixable. Really the problems weren’t problems. His brothers lives had changed, which in turn affected the dynamics of the business. Ethan was still working as he always did, like a man married to his job. It was his brothers who no longer put Lawson Steel above all. They now had families and responsibilities that Ethan didn’t. Funny how coming here, seeing Roy and Mabel together and still crazy about each other, reminded him that he had to be more…understanding in those regards. Just because I don’t want it, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t support their decision.
“I’ve been married a long time Ethan. I can tell you like her,” Roy said.
“I do. But that has nothing to do with the road being open,” he said “Well actually it does. Did you know she’s from Miami?”
Roy shook his head. “You know I don’t ask questions. People tell me what they want me to know.”
Ethan appreciated that. Over the last decade, he told Roy a little bit more about him. Yet Roy still had no idea he was part owner of Lawson Steel. He actually never even told Roy his last name. It didn’t seem to matter out here. That’s why he liked it so much. He was just Ethan, no legacy to need to live up to. No expectation set from anyone else but from himself.
But that was the problem. He did expect more from himself, at least in regards to last night.
“I’m sure she’s looking forward to getting back to the warm weather. That’s all I was trying to say,” Ethan stated.
“I would’ve thought you’d be hoping for the opposite.”
Truth was, he didn’t know much more about Kollette than what Roy and Mabel did. Maybe if she stayed, that would change. But this was the place he came so he didn’t need to be a Lawson. How could he pry when he didn’t want her to?
“I won’t dispute that I enjoy her company Roy. But she should have the option to leave if she chose to. Right now, that’s not the case.”
“I agree with you there. Okay. Take the horse and see if the county has even started working their way up here. I’d just feel better if it was me. I’d feel horrible if anything happened.”
“You don’t have to worry about me Roy. I know my way around,” Ethan said.
“I was talking about my horse,” Roy said. Ethan knew Roy was only half joking.
It didn’t take him long to saddle the mare up and head out. But he did heed Roy’s advice. The snow was deep and any fallen trees or branches would be covered. He was going to take his time. Hell, the longer he was away from the cabin today, the better.
About three hours later, Ethan finally made it down the mountain, and onto the main road. It was a good sign that the road had been plowed. It wouldn’t be more than a day or two before they started working on the side roads like the one going up to the Potters place.
He was just about to turn the old mare around and start his trek back up when he noticed a patrol car heading in his direction. Ethan held the reigns tight as the car pulled off the side of the road, and a deputy got out.
“Howdy. You’re Ethan right?” he asked.
Ethan remembered seeing the deputy a few times when he went into town with Roy. “I am.”
“You staying at the Potters?”
What he liked about this place was everyone watched out for each other. He nodded. “For a few days. Good timing with all this snow they got.”
“Yeah. It’s gonna take a few days before we get it all cleared.” The deputy reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a phone. “Have you seen this woman?”