Page 23 of Broken Rules
Grabbing my phone, I click the sides, the black screen not lighting up, and I groan as the charger I plugged into the wall last is now hanging off the side of my nightstand with chew marks along the cord.
I never sleep in. Why the fuck didn’t I wake up?
There are most likely numerous missed calls and texts from Dad, so I plug it back in, leaving my phone on the end table. No point in checking and adding more stress. Since I’m already late for work, I take a decent shower, might as well make it worth my while, then throw on a black thermal and worn jeans.
I won’t push time by making breakfast, though I grab my travel mug and head out to the cabin, hoping no one’s awake because there’s no way I can function right without coffee. Jinx is a step behind me as I enter as quietly as possible, make my cup of joe, then sneak for the front door. Sadie’s waiting on the porch swing as I step outside and walk toward her.
“Hey. Ready to make a break for it?”
She giggles and shakes her head. “Waiting for my ride. I need to check my mail and grab more clothes.”
I’m guessing they are extending their time together. “I’m heading out, so I can take you.”
Grabbing her phone, she checks the rideshare app. “Thanks, but she will be here in a few minutes. I’m surprised you’re here so late.”
“Yeah. Hopefully, my pops won’t chew my head off, but what can I do about it?”
Sadie smiles, then looks toward the end of the driveway as a silver car pulls in. “That’s her. I’ll see you later.”
“Wait—I’ll pick you up tonight.”
Her brows furrow. “Are you sure? Evie can drop me off.”
“Yeah. The mill is closed on Sunday. I’m gonna come by, have a beer, and hang out for a bit.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks. I get off at 2:00 a.m.”
“2:00 a.m. Got it.”
She nods, heads for the car, and I watch her leave. Getting into the Porsche, I drive to the mill in Northwest Portland, dirt clouds filling the air as I pull into my space next to Dad’s spot and shut off my car. I rub my face, taking a deep breath before stepping outside and heading into the office. Gwyneth, Dad’s secretary, glances from her computer screen, and her brows lift.
“It’s not like you to be late, Lennox.”
“Yeah. I overslept.” I head for the time clock and punch in. “Where’s my Pops?”
“Out in the field doing your job.”
My head snaps toward her. “What?”
Her shoulder lifts before she leans back into her chair. “I told Tom, with his heart condition, that using a chainsaw was a bad idea, but he was persistent that trees weren’t going to fell themselves.”
“Fucking old man,” I groan, rushing to my locker in the back room.
I grab my beanie and work gear, strapping everything on before striding to the door. If anything happens to Dad because I wasn’t here to do my job, I’ll one, never hear the end of it from him that he needed to fill in for his irresponsible son, and two, am putting him and the other men at risk of injury because he feels the need to prove a point. My work truck isn’t where I left it yesterday, so I get back into the Porsche, then drive out to the field. Parking next to my truck, I grab a helmet, and chainsaw out of the back, then head up the trail to the marked trees.
“Yeah, start trimming as I get this tree down.”
Dad’s got his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his gloves hanging from his back pocket, no utility belt, and his tools off to the side, which is a hazard, especially working with falling trees. Bones nods at me before walking away, and Dad shakes his head, putting on his hard hat as he walks toward the tree with the saw in hand.
“Tryna get yourself killed?” I ask, stepping in front of him. “The doc said to stay off the field.”
“Well, if I’m gonna die, then it’ll be by doing what I’m good at.”
I stop Dad from starting the saw, and he stares at me with his dark eyes. “I’m here. Go back to the office—”
“After I’ve already started your job?” He shrugs me off. “Get out of here, kid.”
“Dad, don’t be stubborn.”
