After the Climb (River Rain #1) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,17
each other somewhere and Beth and Genny are fryin’ up some tots while you and me grill the burgers.”
“You’re not going to meet her because I’m not going to make a play for Genny,” he declared.
Harvey’s thick eyebrows shot up. “You’re not?”
“Hell no.”
“Why not?”
“Harv, I told you, she was pretty firm about not wanting to go there.”
“She also showed at your house all dressed up, wearing heels. And trust me, you got two sons, but to my everlasting dismay and wonderment as to what I did that God wished to punish me so severely, I got three daughters. And I can tell you, when a girl is done with a guy, she’s done. She doesn’t care anymore. Case in point, Mandy was at Costco with me the other day, and she was what they call ‘day three’ in her shampoo regimen, and don’t ask, they’ve explained it, I still don’t get it. I just know it’s important. No makeup. Hoodie. And Robbie strolls up to her, and two months ago, this kid had her in vapors. He talked to her and she spoke words back, but I still don’t know if she knew he was there. When they were done, he looked crushed. She just turned to me and asked if we could get a shrimp tray.”
“Genny isn’t a high school girl.”
“Bowie, with the dating you been doin’ since you and Dora split, have you not figured out they’re never not girls? Try buying a woman a vacuum cleaner for her birthday. That’s a mature, adult, ‘hey, we’re doin’ this, makin’ a life together’ gift. It’s not like you’re declaring she’s the only one who’s going to use it because she’s the little woman and you got football to watch, not rugs to vacuum. But Christ, she’ll act like you just called her ugly and went out and killed her dog. Buy her somethin’ pink, and it doesn’t matter what that something is, it could even be a pink goddamn vacuum, she’ll kiss you all over and remember that shit when it’s bedtime.”
“Harv—”
Abruptly, Harvey leaned across the table as far as he could get, and his face had turned to granite.
“Fuck him,” he whispered. “And Bowie, this is the best way to fuck him. And I’m not advocating this just for revenge. Lord knows, what Dora put you through, I wanna see you happy. And from what I can tell, Imogen Swan is a stand-up gal. It’d be good she’s got some happy too, and I know you’ll break your back to give it to her. But take back what he took from you. I can’t imagine what this feels like for you. But as your friend, it burns in my gut, way down deep, that a man you called friend did that to you. Reverse the damage, Bowie. You got a chance. Don’t blow it.”
Duncan could not let his friend’s words get in there.
He wanted to.
But this was about Genny.
He had to look after Genny.
“You did not see her back then, Harv. You did not see her when she was begging me to listen to her. When she was swearing she’d never do that to me. When she was telling me she loved me, she’d never love a man like she loved me. I was it for her, I was her future, she’d never step out on me. You did not see her, buddy. She was wrecked. I wrecked her because I didn’t listen to her. I listened to Corey.”
Harvey leaned back a little, shook his head and replied, “Okay. I get that had to be rough, for both of you, and you’re in a bad spot because you didn’t listen. But honest to Christ, Bowie, this came out of the blue. Even she has to admit that if Szabo came to her and told her he knew beyond a doubt you were cheating, she’d take a minute on that.”
Duncan did a slow blink.
Because he hadn’t thought of that.
She would.
Genny absolutely would take a minute.
And he’d have had to talk fast, shout, beg, plead, crawl to get her to listen.
That was who Corey was to them.
The both of them.
“This guy was your guy. Both of your guy,” Harv spoke Duncan’s thoughts. “Neither of you could have any clue he’d purposely, with evil intent, and premeditation, inflict that kind of damage on you.”
Jesus.
“Country fried scramble,” the waitress stated, dumping a plate covered in food in front of Harv, who moved back from the table to receive it. “Green chile and