After the Climb (River Rain #1) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,99
millennia, well before their ovaries have ceased producing eggs, they were deemed non-essential. This simply because they might be forming a crow’s foot, had a single gray hair, or their tits were no longer perky,” Chloe stated grandly.
“Rest assured, baby, your tits are still perky,” Duncan muttered in my ear.
I elbowed him.
“And I love the fact your daughter can use the word ‘mayhap’ and own it,” he kept going.
He got no elbow for that.
That made me smile.
“Well done you, ma courageuse mère,” Chloe went on, lifting her champagne glass my way “Fight the power and all that.”
“Hear hear!” Sasha shouted.
“Yes, hear hear!” Ruthy chorused.
I looked to Duncan, wedged in beside me in what had become “our chair,” and saw he was now grinning ruefully and shaking his head.
He was doing this to Tom, who was accompanied by Killer (it had to be said, Killer had good taste in men) and doing the same.
Suffice it to say, Duncan had read the script.
And in the pilot, the female lead had sex three times.
I had signed on to be the female lead.
And the entire first season had been greenlit by a streaming service, which was what Teddy wanted, so we could be more “real life” visually and with language.
The first script was beyond exciting.
Teddy’s ideas and the work he was sharing with me for the season even more so.
But before I’d committed, I’d asked Duncan.
His response was, “I don’t pass by you which hiking boots I stock.”
“Darling, you need to read the script,” I replied.
“I will, Gen, but the point will remain.”
He read the script.
It remained.
I could not say he was down with potentially millions of viewers watching a vital, interesting and sexual woman played by me lead her life.
But he was stalwartly supportive of me doing what I loved.
Tom had been the same.
Though sex scenes were never his favorite.
And it seemed this was going to continue to be a theme in my life.
A theme, but not an issue.
“Can we please stop talking about this and eat trifle?” Matt begged.
“Yes, let’s finish the Christmas Eve food fest so we can introduce Bowie and Sully and Gage and Ruthy to our next Christmas Eve tradition after trifle. Christmas song lip sync!” Sasha announced.
“I’m in!” Gage said.
“Totally out,” Sully said.
“I don’t even sing in the shower, and I love you, honey,” Duncan started, gaze on Sasha, “but that is not happening.”
“Phooey! You and Matt and Dad. Killjoys. Hale sings!” Sasha returned.
“I was twelve lords a’ leaping in one rendition of that song and you girls sang all the other parts,” Hale reminded Sasha.
“I cannot even begin to imagine why singing emasculates men,” Chloe drawled. “Mick Jagger sings, and my understanding is, he did not go wanting for pussy.”
I dropped my head.
“Chloe! For God’s sake,” Tom bit out.
“Am I wrong?” Chloe asked her father.
“No, but your language in this company is not right,” Tom returned.
“If you mean me, I always liked a girl who spoke her mind,” Ruthy chimed in. “Should have done more of that myself in my time.”
One could say that was the understatement of the year.
“More to say, mon père?” Chloe asked.
I looked to Tom to see him fuming, but not opening his mouth.
“Pretty sure ole Mick didn’t sing ‘Deck the Halls,’” Sul remarked.
“Whatever, Coco and I are starting it off with ‘Christmas Wrapping’ by the Waitresses,” Sasha declared, jumping to her feet with her head bent to her phone, likely cueing up music.
Every family member was now hooked to Duncan’s Sonos system, something that was connected to built-in speakers around the house. So you never knew what you’d get depending on which room you were in.
My favorite so far?
Duncan played Native American flute music throughout his entire home on Sunday mornings.
Peaceful.
Perfect.
Everyone loved that.
Even Chloe.
“I’m getting the trifle,” Matt said, getting up from Duncan’s couch. “The sooner this is over, the better. And for those uninitiated, eventually they get drunk and don’t hand over the fake microphone and forget anyone else is even in the room so we can go about the rest of our night however we want. Though, we have to do it over them wailing out Mariah Carey.”
“I am so very glad I do not have a penis,” Chloe purred.
“Me too!” Sasha stated.
“Me too,” Ruthy said.
“I’m glad you don’t have a penis,” Duncan whispered to me.
I looked in his beautiful, laughing hazel eyes.
And answered, “I am too.”
*****
Duncan
“What’s on your mind?”
Gen looked at him like he was crazy.
“Outside what’s obviously on your mind,” he added.