Kayla heard the pride in his voice and something else that made her stomach knot tight. Love. She wondered why he persisted in fighting Jackson when he clearly loved him so much.
“Snow Crystal means a lot to him.”
“The place is in his blood. Even when he was young he understood the importance of protecting the habitat. You can’t own nature...you’re just a guest. He and I used to spend days together in the forest.” Walter shifted the ax in his hand. “I was the one who taught him to recognize claw marks on beech trees. A black bear will mark a tree—” He followed Kayla’s nervous glance with a shake of his head. “They won’t bother you this time of year. Jackson taken you walking in the forest yet?”
“We cut down a Christmas tree yesterday.”
Walter sniffed. “I bet you used the snowmobile. That’s no way to see the forest. You need to walk or get Dana to take you on the sled with those dogs of hers. Gives you a real feel for the place. You ever see a sugar maple?” When Kayla shook her head he waved a hand toward the trees. “These maples need a certain amount of cold to produce sap for maple syrup.”
“I just had some on my pancakes. It was delicious.”
“Come back in March and I’ll teach you how it’s done.”
“Is that an invitation?” Kayla discovered she was holding her breath.
“It sounded like one, didn’t it?”
It felt like a huge step forward. She felt light inside and then he hefted the ax and she remembered how worried Elizabeth was about him chopping wood.
“Can I do that?”
His expression was incredulous. “You?”
“Can’t really get a feel for Snow Crystal without having chopped some logs. I’ve burned through plenty in my cabin. The least I can do is replace them.” Thinking about the log fire in her cabin made her think about Jackson, and her insides flipped like one of Élise’s pancakes.
It didn’t matter how long she put it off, eventually she was going to have to face him.
But not yet.
Walter gave her a long look and then gestured to the log under his foot. “We’re cutting it to the right length. Secret is to let the weight of the ax do the work. Doesn’t need to be razor-sharp. Blunt is good.”
“How does it cut if it’s blunt?”
“You’re not cutting it, you’re splitting it.” Walter brought the ax down with a thwack, and Kayla flinched.
“Should you be doing that?”
He wedged his foot on the log and worked the ax free. “Are you suggesting I’m too old for this?”
“No.” She searched for tact and ended up with direct and honest. “Elizabeth mentioned you had chest pain.”
“She fusses. It was indigestion. Too much good food.” He brought down the ax again, splitting the log. “There’s enough work around this place to keep a whole army occupied, and Jackson doesn’t have an army so we all need to do our bit.”
That fiercely spoken statement brought a lump to her throat. She wished Jackson could have heard it.
“He loves this place.”
Walter stood still, his breath clouding the air. “Maybe he does.”
“Maybe?” Kayla wondered how he could doubt it. “He came back, didn’t he?”
“Didn’t have any choice about that.”
“There’s always a choice, Walter.”
“Not to Jackson.” He bent to throw the logs on the pile with the others. “He feels a debt. A sense of responsibility. He’s bound to this place. It’s a failing and a strength.”
“How can it be a failing?”
Walter hesitated. “Because a man shouldn’t throw away his whole life doing something that doesn’t feel right, just to please others.”
Kayla thought about her father. About the years he’d been married to her mother before he’d finally got out and gone to the woman he loved.
“Maybe this feels right to Jackson. But you’re right—he needs all the help he can get. So let me help.”
Walter wiped his forehead on his sleeve. “You seriously want to chop logs?”
“Yes.” She pushed up the sleeves of her fleece. “I’ve been known to use the gym when I can’t think of an excuse not to. I’m sure I can lift an ax.”
Walter handed it to her. “Don’t chop your foot off or that grandson of mine will take the next ax to my head. According to him, you’re valuable.”
Kayla felt the weight of it in her hands. “So I just swing it, right?” She laughed as Walter took a rapid step backward. Then she raised the ax and brought it down hard, as she’d seen him do. The log split. “Wow. I did that!” She grinned with delight and Walter grinned back, his weathered face creasing.