After the Climb (River Rain 0.50)

He didn’t miss Genny glanced at him several times as she went up the stairs.

But he waited until she and Chloe disappeared down the hall before he went to his office, grabbed his laptop, took it to the kitchen, refreshed his coffee, and opened it up.

The room he’d put Chloe in was the room he’d designed for when his mom came to visit.

Ruthy Holloway loved her boys, but she also loved to read and have quiet times, and it wasn’t lost on Duncan she savored these after living in a house with a man who claimed every inch of space as his own and demanded every second of attention for the same.

Duncan wouldn’t describe the room as “divine,” but for his mom, he’d made sure it was damned comfortable and designed to be relatively self-contained.

It included a larger walk-in closet than the other bedrooms had (save the master, which had two). It had a lounge area. It was the only room outside the master with a balcony, though it was much smaller. And it had a closed-away niche that had cabinets, a counter that held a coffeemaker and a wine-rack, and a small built-in fridge, all of this offering snacks, beverages, with not a small selection of wine.

It was a cool room.

But he sensed that was their current destination not because it was a cool room, but because mother and daughter needed some time, and he was down with giving it to them.

He was not wrong.

Twenty minutes later, he was standing at the island, replying to an email when they reappeared.

“May I liberate the hounds, warden?” Chloe asked.

He’d put the dogs in the utility so they wouldn’t overwhelm Genny.

“Have at it,” he invited.

Gen wandered his way.

Chloe went toward the utility room.

“My daughter has made a mess of your guest room,” Genny shared.

Duncan had two boys. Duncan was a veteran of many messy rooms.

Therefore, Duncan shrugged.

“I’m glad you feel that way, because Tuck has nested in a cashmere sweater in a way I think he might be most annoyed if he was forced to give it up and Bounce has made a hutch of her suitcase,” she remarked.

Duncan grinned.

The cacophony began, heralding the imminent arrival of “the hounds” which reminded him.

“Baby, Rocco’s got some strength. Missing his front leg, he’s developed muscle in a way other dogs don’t. It can be surprising. Be aware. Yeah?”

She nodded quickly, turned, and then he lost her.

Because she squatted so low, he could only see the top of her head.

“Oh, my goodness. Oh, my darlings. Look at you precious beings,” she cooed.

Shasta barked her greeting.

Killer scooted and whirled around.

And as suspected, Rocco tackled her flat on her ass.

She let out a cry and started giggling.

Duncan moved positions to get a better view.

They were all over her.

“You’re not going to have any makeup left, Mother, if you keep letting them kiss you like that,” Chloe warned.

Gen made not one move to stop them from licking her. “If I need to, I can touch up using your things.”

“You are forbidden to get dog saliva residue in my Chanel cosmetics.”

“I’ll buy you more.”

“Well, okay then,” Chloe huffed.

Christ.

He loved these two.

He loved them.

He didn’t question it; he just knew it.

With only half an hour in their combined presence, he knew to his gut and bones, Genny, the mother, and Chloe, her daughter had his love until the day he died.

And he suddenly wished he had daughters and wondered what Sasha was like.

But he refused to dwell on that.

“Well?” Chloe demanded.

Of him.

“Sorry?” he asked her.

She pointed at her mom. “Are you not going to rescue her from canine carnage, the canines perpetrating the carnage being yours?”

Duncan didn’t get a shot to answer.

Genny did.

“Stop being dramatic.”

“For the last time, that’s never going to happen!” Chloe announced on an outraged cry. “Now, I’m leaving. I can witness this no longer.”

On that, she stomped to the island, nabbed her bag, then stomped toward the door to the garage, smacking her leg and calling, “Come here. Come to Auntie Chloe. Come say goodbye. I’m going to be gone for a while, and you’re going to miss me because I’m pretty sure Daddy doesn’t give you full turkey sausage patties as treats.”

Jesus.

She was right.

On two counts.

One, he did not do that.

And two, heading toward the door to the garage, so the dogs knew she was departing, they defected the woman who was a human-size dog toy on the floor for the woman who gave them turkey sausage as treats.

Duncan went to Genny and helped her up.

“Ta ta, mon ami et ma jolie maman. I’ll text before I head back. Be good,” Chloe called.

Then she was gone.

The dogs stared at the door in confusion.

“Is my makeup a mess?”

Duncan looked from his dogs to his Genny.

There was a smudge of black at the corner of her left eye, but otherwise, she’d come out unscathed.