Free Broken Promises by Patricia Watters Page A

stop your father from cutting trees on his land," Zak said. "That's one of the problems between those two. Your father's too bullheaded to admit he's wrong about the trees and the property line, so he simply refuses to look at the survey map. Well, he's going to end up in court and get slapped with a huge figure for settlement if he continues cutting. You are aware that six more trees are down, aren't you?"
    "Six?" Tess said, her heartbeat quickening. "I knew four more had been cut, but I gave specific orders that no more were to be cut on that strip. Who cut the other two?"
    "I don't know," Zak replied. "Swenson dragged them over onto our place. He and your new woods boss had a scuffle over them."
    "Curt? Swenson and Curt had a fight?" Tess said, surprised. She never would have made Curt woods boss if she thought he'd resolve things with fists.
    "It was more verbal than physical," Zak said. "Swenson accused Broderick of cutting the trees, and I guess that didn't sit too well with Broderick."
    "Well, I'm sure Curt didn't cut the trees," Tess said. "The question is, who did?"
    "Swenson insisted it was your man... said he heard the chainsaw, and when he got there, no one was around but Broderick. And Broderick claims Swenson was the only person in the area, that he saw Swenson hooking a cable to his Cat and dragging one of the trees over to where the others lay right after it was cut," Zak replied.
    "That doesn't make sense," Tess said, a perplexed frown creasing her brow. "Regardless of what Swenson says, Curt didn't do it. Swenson made threats earlier today. He's still mad about losing his job. I think he cut the trees and is trying to blame it on Curt."
    "Swenson's pretty hot headed from what I hear," Zak admitted.
    "He's more than hotheaded," Tess said. "I think he's capable of doing almost anything."
      Zak rested his hand on her shoulder, and said, "I'm sorry my father's bringing on more problems. I doubt if I can budge him on the royalty, but I'll see what I can do to get him to back off about the trees until this is squared away."
    "That's the problem," Tess said. "It might not be squared away until half the trees are down. I get so frustrated because of my father's stubbornness." Dipping her shoulder to dislodge Zak's hand, she backed away from him and slapped at her jeans, sending little clouds of dust puffing into the air. When she looked up and caught him smiling, she said, "What's so amusing?"
    Zak arched a brow. "You still look good in tight jeans, but I think I like you better the way you looked when you came to my cabin." He picked more debris from her hair. "You smelled good too, like flowers."
    "Jasmine," Tess said. "I didn't know you'd noticed."
    "I noticed," Zak said. "I noticed other things too."
    "Other tings like what?" she asked, head tipped in curiosity.
    "Like how good you look in black." He slipped his hand behind her neck and drew her closer. "And how much I wanted to kiss you then, and now...." His lips moved toward hers.
    "Stop!" Tess braced her palms against his chest. "You act as if nothing happened, Zak. You haven't offered any explanation to me why you disappeared seven years ago without saying a word to me before. You were the most important person in my life then, and I thought I was the most important person in yours, and you simply walked away."
    "There was more to it than that," Zak said, "but I need some time alone with you to try to explain what was going on back then. Will you give me that time?"
    Tess looked at him long and hard, then released a long sigh, and said, "I guess if I want answers I have no choice, as long as you understand that I'm only asking for an explanation, not a relationship. That's the last thing I want right now. Meanwhile, I need to talk to Broderick and Swenson about the latest trees cut and I'd feel better if you were with me when I confronted Jed Swenson. I've dealt with him before, but I'm not sure I want to face him alone in the woods."
    "Yeah. I'd feel