After the Climb (River Rain #1) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,31
It’s what they do with famous couples.”
Fucking hell.
“Sully—”
“I saw that picture, Dad. And I’m not just talking the one on Instagram.”
Duncan remained silent.
“I’m not saying Mom had any reason to say what she said or be how she was because of whatever you two had. I remember the good times, before she got sick. I know you loved her. You didn’t hide it. You always told us not to bury our feelings or hide them and you were about tell, but also about the show. But I saw that picture, Dad, and it wasn’t hard to see you two loved each other. I don’t know why that didn’t work, but you’re available, and so’s she, and it sucks, your old friend killed himself. But if that’s how you two have reconnected, then I hope something good comes of it. And it isn’t your problem anymore, but someone is gonna have to tell Mom. If you want that to be me, I’ll do it. But I hate to say it, it probably should be you.”
He was right.
And maybe Duncan wasn’t going to be able to go visit Genny tonight to find some way to explain what they’d all been up to and hope her interest in his life and bashfulness at his side meant they were going to finish talking things through, find a way to let go of the past and explore a future.
Because he needed to deal with Dora.
And that might take a while.
“I’ll call your mother,” he agreed.
Sully tried to hide looking relieved, but he didn’t manage it.
“And I don’t know what’s happening with Genny, son,” he continued. “But I need to be clear that if something is happening, you’re okay with that.”
“Totally,” Sully said. “Aubrey and Charlie had such a huge fight about whether or not she was robbed of an Oscar for her role in It Wasn’t Easy that they made us watch it. And Aubrey was right. She was really good in that. But I, you know, avoided her, after the whole Mom thing. But Aubrey’s a huge fan of hers and she talks about her sometimes and what she says, she seems really cool.”
“I’m not sure what’s gonna go down, Sul, but since you mentioned this, it’s important to understand that her life is very different from ours.”
“Yeah, like you going to El Gato for lunch and it being all over the world in matter of seconds?”
Duncan smiled. “Yeah. Like that.”
“Dad, you’re famous too. You’re like the Ralph Lauren of outdoor gear.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. It’s something Aubrey says. About how Ralph Lauren became the face of his company and lived the life he was trying to sell with his clothes and home stuff. She was watching a documentary. I wasn’t paying attention. I had a test to study for.”
“Well, I understand what Aubrey means, but I can go to El Gato and not have it all over the world in a matter of seconds.”
“I’m just saying, it’s a non-issue. If you like her and she makes you happy, who cares about anything else?”
In all that was going down, one thing he knew felt great.
He’d raised good boys.
“I’ll handle your mom. Don’t worry about it. Now go do something that might not involve cramming. Call Aubrey. Take your girl out. Have some fun. Live a little.”
“No way to get summa living a little.”
“Sul, there’s more to achieve in life than achievements.”
Sully grinned at him. “Epic, Dad. I was wondering what to get you for Christmas. I’m putting that on a coffee mug.”
He shook his head but did it with his lips twitching.
“Okay, go study. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Love you, Pops.”
“Love you too, kid.”
They disconnected and Duncan was interrupted in pulling his shit together so he’d have the patience to deal with Dora if she was off the wagon due to Genny being back in his life, not to mention controlling himself from going over old ground neither of them could change with what she’d asked of their son that was the opposite of okay, when he saw the Tesla take off down the drive.
Apparently, his “larder” was not appropriately stocked.
That made him grin, but it faded when his eyes fell on Corey’s letter again.
He was reaching for it when his phone chimed with a text.
He looked down at it, expecting something from Dora.
What he saw was a number he didn’t have programed, but it had a six-oh-two area code.