After the Climb (River Rain 0.50)
Gage was silent a beat before he asked incredulously, “Genny?”
It’d be good when all the people in his life got over this.
“She was my girlfriend, bud.”
“Does Mom know about this?”
He nodded. “I told her a long time ago. Though, I don’t know if she knows that Genny’s back. That said, we’ve both moved on, as you know. So I don’t see it as an issue for your mother.”
Something occurred to him, and as usual with Gage, he didn’t hesitate to share it, no matter how inappropriate it might be.
“Oh my God, you’ve had sex with Imogen Swan. My dad has had sex with Imogen Swan.”
Duncan closed his eyes and tipped his head back.
“I don’t know whether to think this is awesome or hurl,” Gage shared.
He looked back to his son. “How about not thinking about it at all?”
“That’s a good call,” Gage muttered, his face twisted in disgust, then something else occurred to him and he got right on letting that out. “Holy shit, if you guys become an item again, everyone is going to know my dad is doing Imogen Swan.”
“Gage, let’s get off this topic, yeah?”
“Totally,” Gage agreed.
“Are you okay with this?” Duncan asked, feeling his neck muscles contract as the question came out, because the answer could change everything.
But Gage just looked confused.
“Okay with what? You hooking up with a movie star?”
“Yes, and should that become more,” Duncan confirmed.
“Dad, serious.” Gage now looked serious. “I mean, do I have to count this down?”
“Considering the fact you’re my son, I love you, your thoughts and feelings matter to me, and this woman was important to me, that never really stopped being the case, even if we moved on with our lives, and I’m hoping that she’ll be big part of my life again, which means yours, yes. You have to count this down.”
“Right, but you can’t get pissed about how I do it.”
Fabulous.
“Just share, Gage,” Duncan sighed.
“One, and you can’t argue this, she’s a MILF.”
Jesus.
His son.
“I mean, seriously, she’s gorgeous. Like, Gwyneth Paltrow gorgeous. I’d totally do Gwyneth Paltrow.”
“Stop speaking,” Duncan clipped.
Gage grinned, shameless.
“Second, my dad might be hooking up with a hottie. I agree, it’s too bad we aren’t doin’ this face to face so I can’t high five you.”
Jesus.
His son.
“Third, if I’m reading this right, this might lead to Imogen Swan being my stepmom and that would totally not suck. I mean, everyone knows she’s like, the coolest chick in Hollywood.”
“She lives in Phoenix, Gage.”
“Better, she probably has an awesome pad and lives next to Larry Fitzgerald or something and we can ask him over for a pool party and he and me could be buds.”
The tension eased out of his neck as Duncan started chuckling.
It shot right back when he heard the tone of his son’s voice and saw the change come over his features when he said, “I’m not sure I want the whole story, seein’ as it obviously gutted you so much you didn’t even tell us she was a part of your life. And you’re all over getting her back when it had to be that guy dyin’ that started this, and he offed himself, like, I don’t know, maybe a week ago. So you aren’t wasting time. But if she treats you right, Dad, without any crazy, I’ll love her forever.”
Jesus.
His son.
“Your mother isn’t crazy,” he said carefully.
“I know, but she was messed up for a long time, Dad, and it wasn’t lost on Sully or me that you shouldered even more of it than she shoveled at you so we wouldn’t feel it. I know she’s got her shit together and I’m proud of her and I love her. But I love you too and it would far from suck, seein’ you have it easy and good for a change.”
Okay.
Maybe he hadn’t shielded his sons from the damage.
“That’s good to hear, bud. But not to get your hopes up, things are uncertain with Genny and me. But I’m hoping to change that, and I need you on board before I do.”
“I’m on board.”
“Thanks, son,” he murmured.
“Dad?”
“Yup.”
“Don’t let the bright lights, glitz and glamor change you. I like you simple and no frills, just the way you are,” he joked.
But it hid his true message.
He believed in his dad and he knew he had this.
That felt fucking great.
And Duncan hoped he was right.
“I’ll try not to get a big head. Now go do something useful, like, I don’t know, study. I need to call your brother.”
“Later, Pops.”
“Later, kid.”
They disconnected and he went right to Sullivan.
Sully engaged immediately.
And while Duncan was in the process of saying, “Hey, son,” Sully asked, “Does Mom know?”
“You’ve seen the picture with Genny,” Duncan deduced.
“If you mean the one with Imogen Swan, yes. Does Mom know?”
“Your mother and I are past the point where we share about these kinds of things,” he said cautiously.