After the Climb Read online

  “Gen, I need you to listen to me.”

  No.

  No no no no no.

  He sounded serious.

  Too serious.

  I knew he didn’t want to talk about closure.

  He wanted to talk about the opposite.

  But to get there, we had to talk about something else.

  And I didn’t want to talk about Corey. What Corey did to us. Who Corey really was and how vile that person turned out to be.

  I didn’t want to be reminded I put my faith in him, and years of life into our friendship, and he’d taken this magnificent man who was sitting beside me, who had a dream and worked hard to realize it, away from me.

  I did not get to live his dream with him.

  And he did not get to live my dream with me.

  Because of Corey.

  And maybe all of that would have turned into a disaster.

  But it would have been our disaster.

  Not Corey’s.

  So I didn’t even want to think about Corey.

  I wanted to talk about our kids and his acreage and his little dog called Killer.

  “They’re twenty-four, twenty-three and twenty, respectively,” I blurted.

  “Gen—”

  “And I think—”

  I cut myself off because my phone was ringing.

  “A second,” I said quietly, pulling it out of my back pocket, and seeing it was Matt.

  My son never called.

  Texts and emails and person to person, even if that person to person was over Skype.

  That was Matt.

  I didn’t even know the last time I spoke with him on the phone, to such an extent, I was wondering if I’d ever actually spoken to him on the phone.

  “I need to take this. It’s my son,” I told Duncan.

  “Absolutely,” Duncan replied.

  I engaged, put the phone to my ear and asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Right, Mom, don’t speak and listen to me.”

  My eyes flew to Duncan and I knew the fear was there because our hips were touching, but then they became tight, the side of my thigh pressed to his, all because he’d wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and pulled me close.

  “Matt—” I began.

  “Listen, okay?”

  “Okay, darling.” My voice was wavering.

  Duncan’s fingers squeezed reassuringly.

  “Now, I know you just lost him, but I can’t sit on this anymore. Not with you getting your picture taken with one of his friends. And I know you’re not going to like hearing this, but it’s the truth. Dad felt the same way. And I think the girls did too, they just never said. But there was something not right about Uncle Corey. And I’m not real thrilled you’re hanging out with one of his friends.”

  I fell forward, dropping my forehead to the tiny table, miraculously missing my glass.

  And the chicharrones.

  Duncan’s hand didn’t move through this, but his head did, and he whispered urgently in my unoccupied ear, “Baby, hey, hey, hey.”

  I sat up just as abruptly, did the Phew! gesture of fake swipe of forehead, and returned my attention to my son.

  My protective son.

  Who, even though his father was not entirely out of my life, had cast himself in the role of my protector because that was who his father taught him to be.

  “Can you listen to me for a second now?” I asked.

  “Yes, but—”

  “No buts, Matt. Your dad and I spoke of this and he admitted you both felt that way. So I know. And what you said didn’t upset me. Things have come to light where I’m fully aware that Corey had some significant issues, especially in regard to me. I’m fine. I can explain those to you the next time I’m in LA. But I can assure you that Duncan is no longer a friend of Corey’s. He hasn’t been for a very long time. They haven’t seen each other in decades. But we used to be friends, the three of us. And something Corey did drove me to seeing Duncan. So that’s what’s happening. Okay?”

  “What’d Corey do?”

  “Can we Skype about this later?”

  “Only if you can assure me you’re okay.”

  Now I was seeing Chloe’s side of the argument in her lifelong debate that there was a place for little fibs.

  “This is a lot, I can’t deny it. But I’m fine. Truly. All right?”

  “All right, Mom, but seriously. Who is this guy? You were practically making out with him.”

  “We weren’t. It just looked that way. He’s an old friend.”

  “An old friend?”

  I gave Duncan big eyes.

  His concern fled, his finger trailed my nape, but his hand disappeared.

  Though he left his arm draped on the back of the booth.

  And that nape touch shot all the way down my spine.

  And farther.

  Great.

  “An old boyfriend,” I admitted.

  Duncan chuckled and nabbed his beer.

  “Are you starting things up again?” Matt asked suspiciously.

  “Matthew, my only son, I love and adore you. But can we not talk about this now, or maybe forever, please?”

  “Holy shit,” he whispered. “You’re starting things up again.”

  “Don’t you have some life-saving technique you should be studying?”

  “I am currently incredibly grossed out, so no. I’m going to be looking into finding the nearest isolation chamber so I can lock myself in it and try not to think of my mother dating. But this conversation can be done.”

  “It’s always so gratifying when you demonstrate how mature you are,” I teased.

  “Cut me some slack, Mom. I’m your only boy and no one will ever be good enough for you. And that includes Dad.”

  Uh-oh.

  I dropped my head and said gently, “Matt.”

  “Nope. Not talking about that either, Mom. We’ll Skype. Soon. Love you.”

  “Love you more.”

  He hung up.

  I put my phone on the table.

  Then I turned to Duncan. “I’ve recently learned that my son has never liked Corey. He thought he was a creeper.”

  “Sadly, your boy was very right.”

  Dammit.

  There was nothing for it.

  “We should talk about Corey.”

  The words were so tight, it was a wonder each didn’t snap the both of us like rubber bands pulled too long.

  “We need to talk about something else first, honey.”

  “I think—”

  “Your daughter Chloe is right now stretched out on the sofa in my great room with a martini she ordered me to make her before I left, because I apparently make very good martinis, and my Amazon password, so she can order whatever she wants to stream.”

  I stared at him, unblinking.

  “She came to me yesterday after you visited, and I know this won’t come as a surprise to you, but she loves you very much and she wants to see you happy. It’s my understanding you shared with her about you and me and she’s decided what’s going to make you happy is me. So it isn’t coincidence Harvey and I were at El Gato today. And I haven’t been let in on all the varied facets of her diabolical but ultimately loving plan. But I suspect your building is not having a sanitation issue.”

  I continued staring at him, unspeaking.

  “She made me dinner tonight. Cheese soufflé followed by bouillabaisse accompanied by a hearty loaf of bread and ending in chocolate mousse. All homemade. She told me this was her ‘starter menu.’ If I was lucky, she’d allow me to work my way up. Which blows my mind, considering what she made was the best thing to come out of my kitchen since it was built, and I do not suck as a cook. And neither does Sully.”

  That got me talking.

  “I thought you said your ex-wife was a good cook.”

  He seemed out-and-out astonished by this question.

  And his answer was hesitant.

  “Dora never lived in that house.”

 
; “You moved into a six-thousand square foot house after you divorced your wife?”

  “No, I built a six-thousand square foot house after I divorced my wife. I had two sons who had a lot of friends and I hope like fuck they give me a ton of grandchildren.”

  I was out of questions.

  Duncan said no more.

  My mind remained a blank.

  His didn’t.

  He touched my nape again.

  I felt it down my spine again.

  Then he asked gently, “Are you pissed at Chloe?”

  To which, of course, I burst out laughing.

  He waited until I was finished, and when I could focus properly again, I noticed that he seemed like he wanted to smile, but he wasn’t sure it was appropriate.

  “Can I take it that means you’re not ticked at your girl?” he queried.

  I shook my head, tsking, before I said, “Duncan, Duncan, Duncan. Although I’m sure in your fresh experiences with Chloe, this all feels rather unseemly. But I can assure you, this is downright tame. Now Chloe running the long con that lasted three years that meant her father and I allowed her to stay in France, not to mention paid for this extended stay. And yes, there was a boy. And yes, he was an artist. And yes, there are paintings of my naked, then nineteen-year-old daughter somewhere in France. And yes, this was not the only thing she got up to when she was over there, because she dumped that boy, and found other things to turn her mind to that made us pine for that boy. And yes, there was a period of time when I thought I might have to secretly sedate her father by slipping drugs into his beverages. So no, I’m not angry at my daughter for doing what my daughter does and being who she is. As long as you aren’t angry at her for dragging you into it.”

  “I’m sitting here with you, your eyes are shining like they used to, so fuck no, Genny. I’m not angry at her. And just to say, she’s looks a little like you, but she’s not one thing like you. But you should be warned, she’s got me wrapped around her finger to the point she took my Tesla to the grocery store today and she has my Amazon password.”

  Oh God.

  He liked my girl.

  A lot.

  “Duncan,” I whispered.

  His fingers were back around my neck and his face was again close, like at lunch.

  And it was solemn in a way that both frightened and excited me.

  “I want to explain to you what was fucking me up so much it made me believe Corey and let you go. And I want to get to know who you are now, Genny. Because I miss you like fuck. I have for twenty-eight goddamn years. And I wanna see if we can find something together again. I know it won’t be what we had before. I also know, down to my bones, that if it’s with you, it’ll be amazing.”

  “I’m reeling that I read Corey wrong for so long and in doing so he made me lose so much,” I admitted.

  “Well, not that I wanna be in that club, but since we’re the only two members, I’m probably the only one who can help you with that.”

  “There’s also Sam,” I pointed out.

  “You wanna reach out to her?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure it’ll make her feel any better, finding out Corey married her while in love with me and divorced her because he was in love with me, but he never cheated on her with me. She’s avoided me like the plague over the years, and when she couldn’t, she wasn’t very nice. But even if Corey wasn’t close with his son, I was. He was a lost little boy and Corey practically ignored him during their visits. Corey eventually moved to LA, not long after I did, and now I understand why. So I found the schedule and made sure I was around for Hale. We formed a bond. We’re still very close. And honestly, Tom’s more a father to him than Corey ever was. But bottom line of that, Hale is also a member of our shitty little club.”

  “I do not find this surprising. Corey was seriously fucked up.”

  “Yes,” I agreed.

  “Come out and meet my animals tomorrow.”

  “Duncan.”

  It was shaky.

  “At least come say hello to your daughter.”

  That made me crack a smile.

  My smile fled when he pulled my face closer toward his and I thought he was going to kiss me.

  And in that second, I wanted him to kiss me.

  I wanted that very badly.

  But he didn’t.

  I felt the swab of his thick beard across my cheek and his lips were at my ear.

  “Please, Genny. It’s quiet and there are no distractions and no cameras and you can have whatever reaction you want, including leaving. If that’s what you decide, I’ll let you go, and I won’t bother you again. I’ll hate it, but if that’s what you need, I’ll stand by it and that’s a promise.”

  “They have delicious croissants here and amazing coffee and I like slow mornings. Can I come around ten?”

  His forehead landed with a bang on my shoulder.

  I shut my eyes tight and fought my chest heaving.

  He wanted this chance.

  He wanted it so very badly.

  I allowed myself to press my jaw into his hair for just a moment before I took it away.

  He lifted his head and looked into my eyes.

  “You need me to pick you up?”

  I shook my head. “Mary brought my car up today.”

  He nodded.

  “Duncan?”

  “Baby, until you decide you can’t keep Cookie waiting a second longer, my ass is right here and not going anywhere. So…what?”

  God.

  God.

  He really wanted the chance to get beyond our shit and get to know me again.

  Me.

  Genny.

  I’d never be Imogen Swan to Duncan.

  I’d always just be…

  Me.

  “Thanks for making my daughter a martini. I would say I don’t know where she got that bossiness, but you’ve met my mom.”

  “Yeah,” he said quietly. “I was thinkin’ something was familiar.”

  “They were thick as thieves. Chloe was in mourning for over a year when she died. I had to get her counseling.”

  “Fuck, baby. How’d she go?”

  “Dad died, and she threw a clot. It wasn’t even a year after. She always got what she wanted, and she missed him so much. So I suspect she told her body to get with the program, it complied, making it quick and painless, so at least I’m thankful for that. And it got Chloe home from France, though I would have obviously preferred a different impetus.”

  That was indeed her impetus.

  That and her father and I divorcing.

  But that could wait for later.

  Maybe.

  “I always loved that dame,” he muttered, letting me go and moving away.

  But not far away.

  “Mom was a dame, wasn’t she?” I asked.

  “I would say Marilyn Swan was the last of her breed, if I hadn’t met your daughter.”

  I shot him a smile.

  He watched me do it for a while.

  And then he shot one back at me.

  Chapter Eight

  The Omelet

  Chloe

  She checked the clock on the microwave when she heard him coming.

  And she was ready with a bright smile aimed his way when he strolled into the great room, headed her way, wearing pajama pants and a tee that was snug at his broad chest.

  Yes, it’d be cool when her mom got to wake up to that.

  The messy hair especially.

  “Bonjour!” she cried.

  His eyes were moving around the kitchen, taking in the various animals, three of whom were clamoring for his attention, those canine, one of whom was sitting on the counter where Chloe was, that one feline, and one that was bouncing around, that was leporidine.

  What they were not doing was clamoring for food, since Chloe had already fed them.

  He also checked out the coffeepot and the various bowls Chloe had on the counter.

  “It’s six o’clock in the morning,�
�� he stated.

  “Yes,” she agreed.

  “I thought you young people slept until eleven,” he remarked, moving to the coffee at the same time giving his dogs some rubdowns.

  “I’ll sleep when I’m dead and not before,” she replied.

  Duncan pulled down a mug and noted, “We try not to let Tuck up on the counters.”

  “I regret to inform you of the fact that Tuck has claimed me, and as his minion, I do as he says, and he wants up on the counter to observe my work and pass judgement. In his service, I cannot deny him.”

  Duncan was shaking his head, grinning and pouring coffee.

  But he said no more on the issue of her new darling, Tuck.

  She turned and winked at Tuck.

  The svelte tuxedo cat with his upside-down triangle face and wicked eyes who currently owned her heart blinked at her languorously.

  “I’m making omelets to order,” she shared. “Your choices are cheese, chives, mushrooms, bits of turkey sausage patties and salsa.”

  “All of it,” Duncan ordered.

  “À votre service,” she declared and turned to the skillet.

  “Honey, you can calm down,” he said in that deeper, richer gentle voice of his. “Your mom and I had a good talk last night and she’s coming over today at ten to do more of it.”

  It seemed every muscle in her body released.

  She made a mental note to take a bath in Epsom salts later.

  For then, she just murmured, “Good.” She pulled it together, swirling heated oil in the pan, and finished, “Though, I guessed that since you were home way past curfew.”

  He chuckled.

  She wanted to start crying.

  She pulled it together again and continued her work.

  After a bit, he spoke.

  “It’s like this with us, Chloe. Genny and me. We’re connected. But there’s a lot to go over and we’re both very different people now. And I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to get hurt along this process should things take a nosedive.”