After the Climb (River Rain 0.50)

She looked remorseful, but just said, “Babe.”

I picked up the menu, tipped my gaze to it and requested, “Can we just select our tapas and stop discussing this?”

When it dawned on me she didn’t answer, I looked her way and saw her attention was to the doorway out to the patio.

She must have felt my gaze, because she belatedly answered, “I’m thinking yes on both, since it’d be rude to discuss someone when they’re sitting right there and it’s time for us all to have some lunch.” She then raised her hand, waved, and called loudly, “Yoo hoo!”

My skin tightened, my eyes flew to the doorway and yes.

Snaking through the many tables was a big, handsome bear of a man.

And behind him was Duncan.

Good God.

Too late, I reached for Heddy’s raised arm, but even if the damage was done, and Duncan and his friend, as well as everyone else, were looking our way, Heddy leaned so far to the side, her chair almost toppled over, and she kept calling out while waving.

“Yes. Here. We know them. And we have two extra seats! Save a table! They can sit with us!”

“I swear to God, Heddy,” I hissed under my breath.

But to no avail.

“Yo!” the big man boomed, smiling so wide, my face hurt, and adjusting their course to head our way.

Duncan, studying me closely, followed.

Someonekillmesomeonekillmesomeonekillme.

#SecondWorstDayEver

Okay, maybe third, after Duncan dumped me, then yesterday.

What was I thinking?

Fourth.

Because the day I found out Tom was cheating on me absolutely vied for the top spot.

Nope, fifth.

Seeing as the day we told our children our marriage was over was totally up there.

“Hiyeeee!” Heddy said brightly as they made the table.

“God. Jesus. Will you look at this,” the big man with Duncan said, staring down at me.

Then he moved, and with an ugly metallic scraping sound, my chair was back, and I was hauled out of it and into two arms that had closed around me in a tight hug.

What was happening?

He jostled me rather mightily before he loosened his hold enough to pull back and look down at me.

“Whaddaya know, you’re Genny, Bowie’s girl,” he decreed.

I didn’t know what to make of any of this, but the crazy thing about it was, I mostly didn’t know what to make of that.

I’d been Imogen Swan for so long, I forgot what it felt like to be just Genny at all.

Bowie’s girl or not.

“I—”

He let me go, but only partially. He took my hand and pumped it, vigorously.

“Harvey. Harvey Evans. Friends call me Harv. Bowie’s my boy,” he introduced himself.

“Harv, man, you think you might wanna not tear her arm off?” Duncan suggested.

He let me go. “Right. Sorry.” He turned to Heddy. “Yo. I’m Harv.”

She stuck an enthusiastic hand his way. “Heddy. Long suffering friend to this tall, gorgeous drink of water.” She jerked her head my way.

“Heddy—” I tried.

“Sit down, sit, sit, sit.” Done shaking Harv’s hand, Heddy was gesturing magnanimously to the table.

Harv did not hesitate to make motions to take a chair.

Duncan did.

“Hi, you’re Duncan, right?” Heddy called. “I’m Heddy. And I’m so glad to meet you. Sit!”

She practically shouted the last word.

I was acutely aware all eyes were on us.

I sat and stated somewhat urgently, “Yes, please. Sit. Just sit.”

I felt Duncan’s attention as he shifted his body to do as I asked, but then I heard, “No. You. There by Gen. You by me, Harv.”

Oh God.

Since Heddy and I were sitting kitty-corner, her words meant, at the small square table it was going to be boy, boy, girl, girl, with Duncan at my side.

And his knee far too close to mine.

His explosive temper didn’t terrify me.

But that did.

“Is this okay, Genny?” I heard him ask softly.

I was busy rescuing my napkin that had fallen out of my lap and onto the stone floor amidst my enforced bear hug.

I smoothed it in place and muttered, “Yes, yes. Please just sit,” without looking at him.

“Sit, bud,” he ordered low to his friend.

“Right,” Harvey mumbled.

Heddy leaned deep into the table and whispered conspiratorially, “She gets attention. It’s not like she isn’t used to it, it just, you know, can be oppressive if there’s too much of it. Dig?”

I aimed my gaze at her. “I can speak for myself, Heddy.”

She leaned back and shot big eyes at me. “All right. Chill out, mama.”

Someonekillmesomeonekillmesomeonekillme.

Duncan’s knee brushed mine as he scooted in.

Frissons of electricity shot from there, up my thigh, straight between my legs.

SOMEONEKILLMESOMEONEKILLMESOMEONEKILLME.

“Right. Yeah. Cool. The ladies got their wine. Nut Brown, on tap. And while we’re perusin’ our menus, bring us some of those beef pinchos,” Harv ordered.

I looked up to see the waitress standing by our table.

“And the fig with goat cheese,” Heddy added.

“Is that good?” Harv asked her.

“Oh my gawd,” she said as answer.

“Should we get two ’a those?” Harv inquired. “’Cause even though Bowie’s mostly veggie, I think we should get two ’a the beef pinchos. Breakfast wore off at least an hour ago.”