The Longing Read Free

Tom’s example by reconciling his books and
preparing his bids before leaving his mill each evening. If not for
the need to collect money from Tom, Kyle would be at his own desk
instead of leaving his work unfinished.
    Kyle dragged in a breath of moist air and
tried to calm himself, to think clearly—and give Tom the benefit of
doubt, one last time.
    He backhanded the rain from his eyes and
entered the office where Jeb Kane, Tom’s mill foreman, was leaning
against a tall wooden file cabinet covered with a sundry of saw
parts. Kyle had known Jeb nearly as long as he’d known Tom and had
always admired the man.
    Tom glanced up in surprise, then a smile of
welcome filled his face. “What the hell are you doing out in this
storm?”
    Kyle didn’t return the smile and Tom’s
expression flattened.
    “Good God, what happened?”
    “Nothing, Tom. I just need to talk to
you.”
    Tom pressed his fist to his heart. “From the
look on your face, I thought someone had died. My heart’s jumping
like a bullfrog. What’s so damned important that you would plow
through this rain and scare ten years off my life?”
    “I need the money for that section of pine
you bought from me. It’s been three months.”
    Tom’s gaze locked with Kyle’s. “Jeb and I
were just discussing that problem. My saw broke down again last
week and it set me back a bit. Can you give me another couple of
weeks?”
    Even though Kyle suspected he was being
railroaded, he couldn’t force a negative response from his mouth.
“I’ll need it soon. I ordered another saw for my mill.”
    “I heard. I’m sorry about holding you up like
this.”
    “Are you?”
    Tom’s brows furrowed. “What are you driving
at, son?”
    At one time being called son had made Kyle
feel less alone, now it made him angry that Tom’s greed was
breaking that bond between them. “This is the third time you’ve put
me off. I’m beginning to think you want to stop me from expanding
my business.”
    Tom’s chin jerked up as if Kyle had punched
him. “Would you like me to forget you just said that?”
    “I’d like you to be honest with me.”
    Tom’s eyes darkened. “Have you ever known me
to lie?”
    “No,” Kyle answered honestly. “Nor have I
ever known you to renege on a deal. But you’re holding me back and
I want to know if it’s intentional. Is my mill getting too big for
your comfort?”
    Tom’s face flamed and he pointed at the door.
“Go back outside and let the rain beat some sense into your head
before I’m tempted to do it myself.”
    In a physical match Kyle could have taken
both Tom and Jeb, who were at least twenty years his senior, but
regardless how upset he felt about Tom’s betrayal, Kyle could never
harm either of the men he considered friends. “I want to know why
you’re playing this game with me.”
    Tom slammed his fist on his desk, his body
visibly shaking. “This isn’t a game, just a damned embarrassment I
have to live with.”
    Jeb moved toward the desk. “Calm down, Tom.
Doc Finlay warned you about getting upset.”
    “The hell with Doc Finlay!” Tom pointed a
shaking finger at Kyle. “You listen to me, young man. Your father
and I tangled over every stand of timber in this county for twenty
years while we built our mills, but we
never
cheated each
other. We played fair and never doubted each other’s word no matter
how tense the competition got between us. We even managed to become
good friends through all of that.” Tom grimaced and leaned his
fists on his desk. His arms shook and he gulped in deep breaths,
but he continued in a harsh, strained voice. “When your pa died, I
treated you like my own son and taught you how to survive in this
business. How can you stand here and tell me I’m trying to cheat
you?”
    Shame filled Kyle. Tom
had
shown
Kyle how to keep his family sawmill from going under. While Radford
had been too tormented by his war memories to stay and help Kyle
with their family sawmill, Kyle had shouldered