After the Climb (River Rain #1) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,100
naptime (for Sasha and his mom), some board games and a communal watching of The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix.
Pre-late dinner, that was late because they wanted Sul and Gage to be there, and the boys were having a late Christmas lunch with their mom.
It was dark, they’d be home soon.
Tom and Hale were on the back porch, drinking hot buttered rum that Sasha had made.
And Gen and Duncan were heading out there with Corey’s letter.
“Well, outside Christmas going well, and thank you for that, you just being you, and your mom being all grandmothery made it all seem really natural,” Genny began.
He stopped them at the back door. “Grandmothery?”
“You know what I mean. Ruthy acted like a grandmother even when she was a mom.”
He grinned.
“Corroborating evidence, she gave up her suite of rooms for the girls,” she told him something he knew.
“Now, baby, you know no way my mom would take the good room when two kids not only could have it but wanted it.”
“Yes, grandmothery.”
He grinned at her.
She showed openly she enjoyed it.
Then she got serious. “Sullivan looked like he was headed to the execution chamber when he and Gage took off to spend some time with their mom.”
With this comment, Duncan was thrown.
“Sorry?”
She studied him and asked, “You didn’t notice?”
“They were having a good time here and didn’t want to leave. But more, they’re careful with their mom. She demonstrated for a long time she was fragile, and they handle her that way, even now, when she’s got her shit together. It’ll pass, the more time they have under their belt with her having her shit together.”
“All right,” she said, not meaning it.
“You think it’s more?” he pushed.
“I think it’s just that with Gage, and I think it’s something else with Sully.”
It was an understatement to say this did not make him happy.
“I’ll talk to him,” he said.
“I’m glad.”
For now, they had something else they had to take care of.
He looked out the window. “Let’s get this done.”
She nodded, and she looked even less happy than he was about that news about Sully.
Both men outside were wearing fleeces, Hale’s sportier and more casual than the smart one Tom was wearing.
But standing on his porch, with the moon shining on the lake behind them, they looked like a marketing picture from his website.
As they approached, Hale smiled at Genny.
Tom looked right at Duncan, query then worry hitting his face when Duncan dipped his chin to share now was the time.
Duncan turned his attention to Hale.
He could see some Sam in him.
But mostly, it was Corey.
Built-up and filled-out Corey.
Dusty brown hair. Pale green eyes. Features so fine, if his lifestyle out in the sun and weather and his personality didn’t reflect on them, he’d be pretty.
That had been Corey’s problem.
Corey was actually a good-looking guy.
But he was tall and painfully thin, so he was called “The Stick.”
He was also a nerd, addicted to videogames and Star Trek reruns. The only time he got out and did anything physical was when Duncan made him.
So Corey was teased not only about being a nerd, but also about being gay or “a girl,” even if he wasn’t effeminate, kids were just assholes.
Duncan had spent time thinking about it, and back in the day, it was easy to convince himself Corey had latched onto Duncan to be his protector, his shield, because that shit didn’t happen when Duncan was around.
But when he was honest with himself, he knew that wasn’t true.
Because whenever they could get away with it, his ass was in a beanbag next to Corey’s while they watched Kirk and Spock and Bones and the rest of them boldly go where no man had gone before.
They were two kids with seriously shitty dads who made it clear they were disappointed in their sons, they shared common interests, they were only children…
And they both really dug hanging out with that girl Imogen.
When they arrived at the men, Hale claimed Genny with an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side, which was something Duncan noted he did with all the females. Even eventually, after getting to know her a little, Duncan’s mom.
He was an affectionate guy. He communicated physically and nonverbally as well as with words.
Maybe it was the work he did with kids that were hard to reach.
Maybe it was just him.
“You guys don’t have rum,” he noted.
Genny made a face.
Hale started laughing.
Seeing that, truthfully, he wondered why neither Chloe nor Sasha had gone there.