After the Climb (River Rain 0.50)

“And then there was the part where she shared Hale was off to find out what was up his mother’s ass,” Sasha said. “Though, my favorite was when she threatened to eviscerate them all.”

“Righteous, and I don’t even know what ‘eviscerate’ means. Still sounds righteous,” was Gage’s reply.

“Baby, I don’t know why you’re in a bad mood. That was totally badass,” Duncan whispered in my ear.

“Huh,” I huffed Chloe’s favorite refrain, and socked back more gin.

The dogs lost their minds (again) and raced to the door, including Killer, who took a flying leap from where she was lounging in both our laps.

This caused Cookie to scatter from where she’d settled in the crease of Gage’s outstretched legs (she’d defected from me, but I wasn’t too torn up about it, she’d come back) and Tuck to rush from his perch on Sasha’s hip (he’d defected too, it was love at first sight, both ways).

Bounce, wisely, was hiding under a table.

“I’ll see who it is,” Sully sighed, and pushed up from his place on the floor.

“You do know, when everyone’s gone or asleep, I’m shoving you in my car and driving you down to your condo, then barricading us in for at least a month, don’t you?” Duncan asked.

I looked to him. “That’s the second-best thing I’ve heard all day, behind the first-best thing which I cannot discuss in company.”

He gave me a sexy smile.

“Yo!” we heard.

It was Sully sounding like he was calling out to someone.

In order to call them to a halt.

We looked to the entryway of the great room, and within seconds, Chloe stormed through it, Sul hot on her very high heels.

“Simmer down, hot guy,” she snapped to Sully, then to me, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, darling,” I replied.

To Duncan, “Are you okay, Bowie?”

“I’m fine, honey, are you okay?”

“I…am…not,” she bit.

“You didn’t have to drive all the way up here,” I said. “We’re—”

“I didn’t?” she snapped. “Bitchface Wheeler declares war on my family and what? I’m supposed to head out to Straight Up at the Adeline and have a smooth whiskey?”

“Sullivan, Gage, Harvey, Beth, this is Genny’s oldest. Chloe,” Duncan introduced.

“Figures,” Gage grunted.

“How do you do, kind people. And Heddy, love your face,” Chloe stated and then to me, “Motherrrr, we need to be on Insta, riding horses and looking beautiful and being happy and rich and making that bitch squirm.”

“I think I’ve made her squirm enough for one day,” I said to my daughter, quite pleased that none of the words were slurred.

“Hardly,” she returned. “But good call on the big fat lie. I approve.”

I sighed.

She turned to Sasha. “What? You don’t see me since Coachella and now I’m invisible?”

“I try not to get too close when you’re in full snit,” Sasha said, pushing up from her place on the floor and moving to her sister.

Chloe looked her up and down as she did and said, “My God, please let me style you. This Free People stint is lasting too long and it…is…agony.”

“Shut up,” Sasha replied, wrapping her sis in a big hug.

Chloe hugged her back, hard, and long.

“Have you talked to Dad?” Chloe whispered.

“Yeah,” Sasha whispered back. “You?”

“Yeah.”

“He okay with you?”

“He’s pissed but hanging in there. You?”

“Same.”

“You know, you’re both insanely hot, but that’s not the only reason we can all hear you,” Gage shared.

The girls broke apart and they both looked to Gage.

But unsurprisingly, it was Chloe who spoke.

“Of course, you’re Bowie’s so you’re impeccable.”

“I’m what?” Gage asked.

“Impeccable. Flawless. Perfect. Sinfully handsome. A heartbreaker. Obviously, I’m going to have to get you in hand.”

Harvey grunted in amusement.

Beth swallowed a giggle.

Heddy snorted.

Gage looked to his father, and he proved his instincts were sharp, because he didn’t hide the fear.

“Honey,” Duncan started while pushing out of our chair, “how ’bout I make you a martini and you sit and chill out and not terrorize my sons?”

At that, she turned her attention to Sully and said, “I haven’t even fully taken you in yet. Good God, your father’s genes are practically criminal. You’re veritably illegal.”

“Could say the same about you,” Sul replied, strolling in to resume his lounge on the floor.

“Touché,” Chloe murmured, lips quirking.

“Pretty sure Judge feels the same way,” Harv chimed in.

Oh no.

Chloe’s gaze snapped to Harvey.

But Gage got there first. “Judge?”

Harv jerked his head at Chloe. “Him and this gal practically shouted the shoe and boot display down at the store. Got that on camera. We’ve all watched it about a hundred times. And it’s got no sound, it’s still awesome.”

“Her and Judge?” Sully asked, not hiding his shock.

“He’s vermin,” Chloe sniffed, picking her way through dogs and people to my chair so she could perch on the arm.

Killer came with her and perched on my lap.

“I so totally see him and you hooking up. I mean, Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock were a thing, weren’t they?” Gage asked.