Follow A Wild Heart (romance,) (17 page)

"He's learned to use his nose to open the screen door, and now he walks right into the house all the time, and Mom's friend Abigail nearly died laughing when he came in last Wednesday, didn't she, Mom?"

That was when they heard the now familiar sound of Otis's car in the yard.

"Oh, heck, it's Grampa again," Danny moaned, and Karena shot him a quelling look as Otis came in the kitchen door.

He fixed Logan with a look that seemed to silently say, you here again? Aloud, he said ungraciously, "Morning, professor."

Danny scooped up the leftover pancakes on the plate and slipped past his grandfather and out the door.

Otis grunted with displeasure. "Still letting that boy spoil that wild animal, I see," he growled. Then he turned to his daughter. "Gonna tackle the roof on the washhouse today, Kari, get it fixed before winter sets in."

Karena's heart sank. That meant he'd be around all day, as well as all of tomorrow, just as he was last weekend. There wouldn't be a moment alone with Logan, and he'd keep Danny running every second, and she'd end up spending all her time cooking. And they didn't laugh with Otis around, either.

"You have to establish your own rights," Abigail had stated.

Something rebelled in Karena.

She wouldn't let Otis do it this time. She wouldn't let him ruin her weekend this way.

She drew a deep shaky breath, and she was amazed at how calm her voice sounded.

"I'm sorry, Pop,.but I've made plans for the weekend. Maybe you could do the roof on weekdays instead. Danny's here to help you. It's just not convenient to start it today. Or tomorrow, either," she added with a gulp that belied her attempt at calmness.

The look of utter astonishment on her father's face faded in an instant. Then his eyes narrowed and his jaw set stubbornly. Watching quietly, Logan was fascinated by the sudden similarity between Karena's expression and that of her father. The determined set of both jaws was identical.

"Since when does work wait until it's convenient around here, Kari? Roof needs fixing, I'll do it today."

"No, Pop." Karena's voice was stronger this time. Logan moved over to stand beside her in silent but obvious support for whatever way she decided to handle the confrontation. Her insides were quaking while she struggled to remain outwardly calm. She said firmly, "No, Pop. No roof this weekend."

A part of her marveled at her own courage, while another cringed at this show of rebellion. But she refused to back down.

"Logan and I and Danny have... have made plans, and we're not changing them. And I won't be able to make Sunday dinner for you tomorrow, either." That just popped out. Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, she thought giddily. This was tantamount to insurrection, for sure.

Otis's weather beaten countenance grew mottled. "And I suppose that means you're going to miss church tomorrow as well? We missed last Sunday, had the wood to get in, but seems to me you ought to go tomorrow. What sort of example are you setting for that boy of yours? Have a thought for him, why don't you, Kari?"

Otis sounded for all the world as if Karena had suddenly chosen a life of prostitution, and she had a wild desire to giggle at his dramatics. Instead, she did her best to stay reasonable. "Danny has attended Sunday school and church nearly every Sunday of his life. It's not going to turn him into a delinquent, missing tomorrow morning, Pop."

Otis gave her the look that had always shriveled her into obedience in the past. When it seemed to have no effect, he harumphed several times and turned melodramatically to the door. "Easy to see I'm not wanted here."

Karena could have sworn there was a tremor in his voice. "Oh, Pop, for heaven's sake." Karena didn't know whether to laugh or scream as Otis strode out of the room. The screen door slammed behind him, and in another moment the car motor coughed into life.

She and Logan stood tensely listening as the noise of the departing vehicle faded, and Logan released the breath he was holding. He turned and gathered Karena into his arms, feeling her body tremble against him with delayed stress and emotion. The room itself seemed charged with the residue of angry feelings the scene had created.

"Was all that for me, Karena, or was it for yourself?" he asked quietly.

"For us," she whispered after a moment's thought. "For you, and me, and Danny. I just want us to have a fair chance to get to know each other in our own way. Pop is a stubborn man, and I'm afraid he's not a very happy person."

"Why is that, do you think?" He was genuinely interested, and she swallowed hard. It seemed impossible to try and explain her father even to herself.

Logan drew her over to the couch by the window, and gently urged her down beside him, his arm around her shoulders.

"Tell me, Karena. I need to understand your father better if we're ever going to make a go of this."

It was hard to know where to begin.

"I don't fully understand him myself," she confessed. "I never was really close to Pop when I was growing up. Remember I told you Pop and Gabe were partners when I was little? Well, Gabe was around a lot, and I loved him. He was easy to love, different than my father, not so stern all the time. Of course I loved Pop, too, but Gabe was the one who took me camping, taught me logrolling, spent time with me, fun time. Pop didn't seem to know how to have fun."

Logan gave Karena an encouraging nod when her voice faltered and she continued with her story.

"Then there was the big fight between him and Pop over buying equipment, and Gabe left. I didn't see him again until two years ago. In the meantime, I grew up, got married and then, after Eric was killed, I moved back home. Mom and Pop kept Danny for me while I got my training, and for several years afterward, we lived with them, and Pop was the same with Danny he'd been with me, stern and strict. It wasn't the best of arrangements. I wanted it different for Danny. I guess everybody has their own ideas about how kids ought to be raised."

Logan gestured understandingly. "So then you moved here?" he queried gently, and she nodded against his shoulder.

"I moved out as soon as this house was even half ready, and it was wonderful at first, being on my own with Danny. Then my mother got sick, and when she..." Karena's voice caught, and she cleared her throat before she could go on. "When Mom died, Pop was so lost and alone, sort of broken, that I encouraged him to spend a lot of time over here. I thought being around his grandson would help him. But he has this way of taking over, of trying to manage our lives. I never learned to stand up to him, except over Gabe. He was furious with me for letting Gabe move into the cabin across the lake, but for once I didn't give in. Pop's not the easiest person to argue with."

Logan thought of how she'd stood up to her father, and a small grin played around his mouth.

"I'd say you hold up pretty fine in the clinches."

He hugged her hard, loving the feel of her in his arms. His body was reacting to her closeness in an alarming, urgent fashion that had nothing to do with the solace he'd intended to give, and outside, Danny's voice sounded from a distance away, obviously chiding Mort, and reluctantly Logan got up.

"Let's get at these dishes. I'm taking you and Danny into Northome tonight for dinner, and he's promised to introduce me to Gabe today, so there's no time to waste. Do I wash or dry, sergeant?"

During the playful banter that ensued, Karena pretended to forget what had occurred with her father, and Logan did, too.

But both were acutely aware that a giant step had been taken in their relationship with each other. They'd stood together in a crisis, however minor, and supported each other through it.

The remainder of that Saturday actually took on the idyllic aspects Logan had imagined life in the deep woods would provide.

Karena packed a lunch, and with Mort capering along behind, they hiked through the rustling autumn woods to a beaver pond Danny had found. Karena had her camera, and she captured shot after shot of the busy animals ducking in and out of their half-submerged den, and several of an unsuspecting Danny and Logan.

Then Mort went plunging into the water like a clumsy puppy, and with sharp warning cracks of their tails on the surface of the pond, the beavers prudently disappeared.

"Mort, you big dummy, you've scared them all away," Danny groaned in disgust, and hearing his name, the affectionate little moose climbed out again. He trotted gaily over to them and then shook his body vigorously, just as a dog would to dry himself, and they scattered, laughing uproariously.

They ate thick slabs of Karena's homemade bread with Cheddar cheese and huge shiny red apples, fending off Mort with every bite. The moose alternated between mournfully licking his lips like a deprived child and making lunges for their food. A sparkling stream provided drinks of cool water, and soon they were on their way again, following what Danny insisted was a shortcut to Gabe's cabin.

A good forty minutes later, sweating and panting, they struggled out of thick underbrush into the clearing on the far side of the lake where Gabe made his home.

"Remind me not to follow any more of your shortcuts," Karena chided her grinning son, as Logan took his glasses off and polished the dust on his shirttail before slipping them on again and admiring the scene before him.

In a woodland idyll was a squat and cozy log cabin, smoke spiraling up from the natural-rock chimney. It nestled under spreading evergreens, and a rustic table with comfortable looking armchairs sat invitingly on its wide porch.

Mort didn't hesitate for a moment. He made a singleminded dash for the small garden plot not far from the log cabin, and with a yelp Danny went after him, wrapping his arms around the moose calf's head to restrain him, giggling and hollering, "Gabe. Gabe, bring a rope, quick. Mort's on the warpath again."

Logan couldn't help but notice the difference in the boy's attitude toward the still invisible Gabe and his former tense nervousness and anxiety when his grandfather was around.

Logan understood a moment later, when a stocky little man with a big grin trotted out of the cabin and hurried over to help Danny, waving a cheery greeting to Karena and Logan as he went. He had a rosy, smiling face above a snowy beard, and a decrepit old felt hat jammed on his head. Amid pithy good-natured curses, laughter and some struggling, the wayward moose was stoutly tied to a tree, where he promptly laid down and chewed his cud.

Gabe put an affectionate hand on Danny's shoulder and came over to where Karena and Logan were standing.

His bearded face beamed with welcome as he held out a gnarled hand to Logan without waiting for an introduction.

"How do ya do, young feller," he greeted Logan cheerfully, and Logan felt the hard strength in the rough hand clasping his.

"Gabe Philips, Logan Baxter," Karena said, and Logan was again aware of the friendly difference between this happy little man and the ponderously dismal Otis.

"How was your trip?" Karena inquired, adding for Logan's benefit, "Gabe just got back from Portland. Thinking of moving to the city?" she inquired with a mischievous twinkle.

Gabe's wrinkled countenance showed clearly what he thought Of Portland. "That would be the foggy Friday. A man could die in air like that. No siree, I'll stay up here in God's country," he said emphatically. "Like a beer?" he added, and when Logan and Karena both accepted eagerly, he called, "Danny, boy, get us three glasses from down the cellar, and draw some ginger beer for yourself while you're at it, lad."

Danny sped off to the cabin, and Gabe put an affectionate arm around Karena, remarking with a less than subtle wink at Logan, "It's a great relief to me that you've found yourself a man, Karena. It's past time you started keeping company with somebody, girl." He shot an astute and teasing glance over at Logan as Karena blushed hotly and stammered a denial.

Gabe ignored her, studying Logan with open interest.

"He looks big enough to keep you in order, too. She can get awful bossy, Logan," he confided. "You'll have to assert yourself right off, or by cracky, she'll have the upper hand. I've known her since she was knee high to a grasshopper, and she's a mite stubborn, is our Kari."

Karena planted a kiss on Gabe's furry cheek, affection obvious in the glance they exchanged.

"You're going to ruin my chances if you keep this up, you old reprobate," she chided. "Now tell him the truth, about my wonderful disposition and how good I am with a power saw."

"A woman who's good with a power saw had better have a wonderful disposition," Logan commented dryly, and Gabe gleefully agreed.

During the half hour that followed, Logan found himself talking freely and easily with the older man. Gabe was an excellent conversationalist simply because of his innocent and unfeigned interest in everything Logan had to say about forestry and teaching.

"This is excellent beer," Logan complimented presently, draining the tall mug of golden bitters that Danny had carefully brought out. The three adults were seated at the weathered table and chairs in the shade, and Danny tossed a basketball at a hoop attached to the trunk of a tree. Mort galloped back and forth on his length of rope, obviously believing he was part of the game.

Gabe beamed with pleasure at the compliment. "Beer making's a dandy hobby for a man," he commented. "Really gives you something back for the work you put in. That sister of mine, Ida, up in Portland, now, she should take up something like beer making. All she does is sit around all day long watching television, nothing to show for it when the day's over." He shook his head in wonderment. "She's younger than me, only sixty nine, but you'd never know it to see us. Ida's turned into an old woman, not enough to do. Her husband died a year ago, and I felt as though I ought to go see her, nobody left in the family but for her and me. Humph," he snorted. "Should have stayed home and saved bus money, all we did was watch those soap operas on the TV. It's a hell of a note, this getting old."