Off the Grid Read online

  “No. I want to talk about my future with the Daily.”

  “What do you mean?” His brow furrowed as his perfectly shaped eyebrows nearly met in the middle. Licking his lips, he leaned forward over the desk, crowding her space and focusing on the swell of her breasts.

  Am I moving too fast for you? Or are you blinded by the fact that I can be just as attractive as your current fling? I swear to God, if he tries to proposition me …

  “I’ve been here for over six years. I came to you fresh out of college, learned my craft, paid my dues, and put in my time. I deserve so much better than what I’m getting. Feel good pieces, undesirable stories, and whatever else you can scrape off the crap pile.” The memories sent heat rushing to her face. “Why would you bench your best player?” She placed a hand on her chest. “I am the one who catches the last minute boo-boos before we go to print. That alone speaks volumes. Yet here I am completely disenchanted with this paper, and unhappy with my career … one I went to college and worked my ass off for. I didn’t do an internship and work my way up. I have a degree and now I have the hands on experience behind it. So, please explain to me in great detail why my skills aren’t being utilized to their full potential in a way that won’t be cause for a lawsuit. There are no secrets at this job or in this town.”

  He clenched his jaw, and his nostrils flared. “I see you came here to bust my chops and play hard ball. Now that you’ve eviscerated me with your words and handed me my ass, let’s talk dollars and cents. What do you want?” His voice was as sharp as a razor and his eyes were cold. This was the beast that lay at the very heart of Peter Shank.

  “I want a raise, better stories, and a chance at being a lead reporter, or I’m walking.”

  “Now wait a minute—”

  “No.” The force of that one word seemed to echo on the office. “I am done waiting, Peter. I did everything I was asked and more. Like a fool I was patient for longer than I should’ve been. And you know what? I still got nowhere. Its bullshit and we both know it.” She placed her hands on the edge of the desk and leaned in, mirroring his body language. Fight fire with fire.

  “What the hell happened to you?” he marveled.

  “I didn’t change. I woke up.”

  “Good.”

  “What?” she said, shocked.

  “I know you’re skilled technically speaking. You can turn a phrase, pull up just the right word, and engage the reader. I’ve never questioned that. The fact is, you came off as content to remain in the background. So what need was there to move you? I want someone who’s hungry. I wanted to see that fire you’re sending to me over the desk. Damn. I got goosebumps right now. You impassioned is a beautiful thing. I believe every word you’re saying.”

  “You should.”

  “See.” He snapped his fingers. “That right there. That same moxie is what’s required to get the jobs that require less finesse and more forwardness done. You want better? Come and take it. I’m willing to give you a chance to earn it.”

  The quick flim flam he was pulling made her wary. Something was rotten in the town of Denmark and the stench emanated from the man across the desk.

  “I’m listening,” she replied cautiously.

  “If you can take an upcoming story on short notice, run with it, handle the pressure that comes with it, and write the story well, I’ll split the lead reporter spot between you and Alexa.”

  “What’s the catch?” she asked bluntly. This felt like a play she wasn’t in on.

  “None. You’d earn it fair and square.”

  She pounced on the offer before he could renege. “Done.”

  His eyes widened. He thought I’d say no. “You aren’t interested in hearing what the story is?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said, feigning the confidence she didn’t feel as she tried to guess at the topic.

  “Then you’re okay with reporting to your research assignment on location in a couple of days?”

  “Yes. Will I get to travel?” She perked up at the thought of leaving town on the company dime.

  He chuckled. “Not very far. You’ll be writing about living off the grid. There’s been a huge growth in the concept as prepping continues to grow, especially in our region.” In a way, Appalachian mountain folk could be considered the originators of living off the grid in a modern society. Many held to the old ways and lived a simple life off the land. Down here in town it was different, but a short drive up the mountain things were a different story.

  “I’ve arranged for a month long stay with Thorn Finch. It was meant to be Alexa’s story, but I’m willing to be flexible.”

  And now the truth comes to light. It was no secret, Alexa Ryan and Thorn were high school sweethearts. They’d made it two years into his service in the Marine Corps, when she sent him a Dear John letter because she couldn’t handle all the things that came with loving a military man. It had been quite the scandal when the golden couple failed to go all the way and she hopped right back into the dating scene. Fair or not, in their small community you were judged harshly by outdated standards. In Alexa’s case, she felt the comments were well deserved. It was never what she did, but the callous, calculated, and soul sucking way she went about it.

  Men had just as many feelings as woman did. To lead them on, siphon their money, and all but leave them at the altar was cruel. She’d dub her the runaway bride, but things never got past the engagement period. Still a pretty face went a long way, and men continued to try to be the Prince Charming that awakened her icy heart. She thought Peter was smarter than that. Now she wondered if his feelings were thrown into the mix.

  “Right, it’s out of the goodness of your heart you’re doing this,” she drawled sarcastically.

  “Take it or leave it,” he said with a shrug.

  “I’m taking it. I assume you aren’t going to update him on the switch?”

  “No, that’s the part of seeing how you can deal with things on the fly.”

  No, that’s you wanting to insure he doesn’t back out. She hated that he was using her to get back at a man who only wanted to be left alone. She went to school with Thorn Finch. He was a kind, considerate gentleman with a healthy dose of charisma and good looks. With his dark brown hair, square jaw, dimples, and manners, he’d had all the girls swooning. Once he settled with Alexa in junior year, that was it … much to the girls’ dismay. They’d been a power couple. He seemed to tame the once wild child, and the picture they made together was sickening, the way it always was when two insanely beautiful beings found love.

  He came back to town a shadow of his former self. Reclusive, curt, and uninterested in mainstream life, he retreated to the woods, bought a plot of land, and went into business teaching others how to survive. He also took groups out into the woods to test their skills on overnight trips. Survivalists were increasing in demand as prepping ramped up and folks retreated from suburbia and cities.

  His gruffness put folks off. Not because he was rude as much as the extreme change in his countenance. They felt it made him dangerous in some way—like he was unhinged rather than changed by his environment. Like always, the rumors flew. People began to go out of their way to avoid him and over time he’d become the town hermit and wounded hero.

  Thorn Finch was the precautionary tale people told young boys looking to go into the military. She wasn’t sure what his job was in the Marines, but the pain and horror in his shell shocked eyes the last time she spoke to him in town, led her to believe it was something heavy.

  I’m making a deal with the devil and in the end we’re both going to lose when I show up and he’s expecting Alexa. How in the hell am I going to keep him from turning around and disappearing back into the forest with a big fuck the Daily?

  “Give me all the details so I can prepare.” She refused to show Peter how ruffled she was.

  “You really are in it to win it, aren’t you?” he asked. The disbelief in his voice made her even more determined to prove him wrong.
/>   Get ready, big boy, you’re going to be eating crow when all is said and done.

  “Absolutely. If you can send me the information I’ll need to begin preparation, I’d appreciate it.”

  “I can do that and better. You’re free to leave now. You’ve got a lot to do in a short amount of time.” A smug smile tugged the corners of his mouth up.

  “Perfect, thank you.” She stood up from the desk and strode to the door with purpose. She wanted a shot and she got it. Sure it might’ve been because he didn’t want to see his boo thang in the middle of nowhere with her ex, but that in no way changed the importance of the opportunity he gave her. She had to knock this out of the park or he might find a way to wiggle out of their agreement.

  ***

  Thorn

  He wiped his sweat-coated palms onto his olive green khaki pants and surveyed his home objectively. Any way he spun it, the place screamed bachelor’s pad. The small wooden cabin was modest and bare, but he kept it clean. He’d added running water thanks to the well he’d dug. He chose the land he built his home on very carefully. It took patience, time, and hours of back breaking labor to produce a comfortable dwelling he could be proud of. His self-sufficient lifestyle never left time for idleness. He preferred the steady pace. It helped keep his mind engaged and his hands busy. When he returned to civilian life after ten years of service, he’d been sick to death of people and political correctness, and the chaos that came from lack of discipline and order.

  The things he saw and did haunted him. As a sniper, he’d done the unthinkable again and again. It stained him with a darkness he could never rinse off. He lost himself in those remote locations with no backup and one chance to get it right. Being distant, cold, and calculated left him closed off. It was necessary at the time to remain sane. Trying to leave that all behind had been trial by fire. Everyone expected him to be the boy who’d left. They didn’t understand what he’d gone through, how profoundly it had changed him, or why.

  They had so much training and instruction when he joined and next to none when he was spit out. Lessons pounded into his skull and placed deep in his muscle memory did not simply dissipate because he was no longer on the payroll. Healing meant stripping down to the very core of who he was, deciding what mattered, and rebuilding upon that new foundation. Most avoided him, but not Alexa. She hadn’t cared about his beard, strange ways, or town gossip, though it had never been more than satisfying sex.

  Then, it was all he had to offer. She wasn’t looking for more, so they both got what they needed. Two years later of hot and cold he felt ready to ask for more. It was happenstance when Peter approached him about doing a story that focused on life off the grid. If he could get her out here for month and show her how normal it could be, he’d have a shot.

  She’d always been on the high maintenance side, but neither of them was getting any younger and he was starting to get the itch to settle down and create a family of his own. He ran his fingers through his long hair and over his beard. If he wanted a snowballs chance in hell of nabbing her permanently he needed to do some maintenance. He walked into the bathroom and examined himself in the mirror. It’s time to stop hiding. Reaching into his hygiene kit left over from the Corps, he removed his beard trimmer.

  The hum of the machine and the tickle of the vibration reminded him that he’d removed the final layer helping him remain distant from the world. Inch by inch he revealed the pale flesh that hadn’t seen the sun in months. Fluffs of brown hair fell into the sink until it was close to the face. He lathered his face up with shaving cream and began the final phase. He’d show Alexa they could find a happy medium between his world and hers.

  Cleanly shaven he left the cabin and made the trek to his black Jeep. Climbing inside, he traveled two towns overs. The last thing he needed to do was run into her or be recognized by someone he knew. Tongues would be wagging, and the news of his updated look would reach her before nightfall. There were many upsides to living in a small town, but there were also downsides. The main negative had to be the gossip.

  He parked in a spot on the edge of the lot and stepped out, steeling himself for the interaction to come. He’d grown used to the quiet and peace of the forest surrounding his home. His life revolved around nature, hard work, and solitude. Most weeks other than his customers the only people he saw were family members. The oldest of three boys, he remained close to his brothers, Brock and Caleb, and visited his folks at least once a month. His parents occasionally liked to drive out to his home to get away. It pleased him they’d embraced his lifestyle and saw the value in it.

  Strolling into the superstore, he grabbed a cart and made a beeline toward home goods. He had a house, what he wanted to do was make it a home.

  Women liked beautiful things, and by now he knew Alexa’s style. He slowly made his way through the aisle of pillows, picking out two ruffled turquoise monstrosities to toss onto the couch. A few aisles over he found a cream and turquoise rug with an Aztec theme he didn’t loathe to go in front of the sofa. He tried to remember the small touches in his mother’s home and recreate a few.

  Right now it was on him to show her they could have comfort in the middle of the dense forestry. The commute would be longer, but he hoped what he had to offer her would outweigh that. The solar power he invested in and took my time setting up was now a viable source of power and the generators were ready to pick up the slack when necessary. It wasn’t the primitive place she used to turn her nose up at.

  The fact that Alexa was still single after all this time felt like a sign. Sexy, intelligent, and feisty, she was a great catch. He knew he wasn’t the only man she was seeing. He knew all about her serial dating and brief engagements. It never bothered him. They hadn’t made any promises to be exclusive, and when she got serious with someone else their dalliances stopped. He knew from experience she didn’t do well being alone. The Dear John letter she sent him stung, but as time passed, he grew to appreciate her upfront honesty.

  Better to cut it off cleanly, than to have her cheating on him while he remained faithful and kept her on a pedestal. He’d seen it break too many people in the service. The years he spent alone out here working the land were a necessity. He battled his demons and crawled back from the pit of darkness he fell into after his exit from the service. Being a sniper was very different from other positions in the Marines. He’d become used to the solitude and kept too busy to think on what he was required to do.

  Leaving changed all of that. Out on the land, he’d come to grips with things. The sleepless nights were a thing of the past as he learned to compartmentalize his past. Working hard, simplifying, and de-cluttering his brain had worked wonders as he did the equivalent of a modern day walkabout.

  Noah, a fellow marine originally from Australia, told him all about walkabouts. Descended from the Aboriginal tribe, Noah possessed an interesting view on the world and a strong spirituality that kept him grounded though the worse circumstances. Thorn had always envied him for that. The things he saw and did in the service made Thorn question the very existence of God at one point. How could God allow so much ugliness to exist? How could humans be so monstrous and capable of such vile and abhorrent things? In the end, it boiled down to free will. Without the right to choose people would merely be puppets. Good couldn’t exist without evil, so you saw both things done in the world.

  He immersed himself in the words of the good book, desperate to find a deeper meaning in life. The actions he’d executed to insure the continuation of freedom and the protection of the innocent were violent but never cruel. There was no condemnation to be had for them. It took many days of soul searching, prayer, and studying the Bible to come to that peace bringing conclusion.

  He made a beeline to the food items, picking up the makings for S’mores, her favorite type of champagne, and coffee creamer. Creature comforts went a long way when it came to adjusting to life off the grid. He could remember when a cup of his favorite coffee felt like a luxury when he first
started out.

  On his way to the checkout aisle, he paused as a colorful bouquet of flowers caught his eyes. The bright yellow of the cheery sunflowers, pops of white baby’s breath, and dark violet sprigs of lavender contrasted with the brilliant pinks of the Zinnia and the stark white Lily. Grabbing the bundle, he fought the flow of traffic to retrieve a large blue tinted mason jar for a vase. He whistled to himself as he waited for his turn on the conveyor belt. He had a good feeling about what was to come.

  As he loaded the back of his Jeep he was hopeful.

  Chapter Two

  Lilac

  “Not that I need a real reason to go shopping, but what are we here for again?” Cece asked as they strolled down the aisle of the Walmart they’d driven an hour away to reach.

  “To prepare to research the new story Peter put me on.”

  “He caved? Wow, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I expected him to be a shit because he could.”

  “I did too,” Lilac replied, not looking forward to her best friend’s reaction when she gave her all the details.

  “So what did you do, Superwoman? Was it illegal? Did you threaten his person and now you feel embarrassed? If you keep giving me vague answers, I’ll continue to draw my own conclusion. I mean, is it a top secret thing you can’t talk to be about, or what?” Cece paused in mid-step, placed her hands on her hips, and cast shade as her eyes turned to tiny slits and her jaw ticked. The wide-neck black cable knit sweater slipped down her right shoulder, baring a swatch of caramel-colored skin.

  She pursed the Cupid’s bow lips she’d painted a rich burgundy that reminded her of cabernet. Cece narrowed her light brown eyes. Even irritated she was gorgeous. Wisps of curly hair escaped the puff she’d gathered on top of her head and framed her oval-shaped face.