Two of a kind, p.5
Two of a Kind, page 5
“Yes,” she exclaimed. “Absolutely.”
It wasn’t in her nature to let a man like Jack—especially Jack—see her weakness, but for the sake of realizing a dream, she could get over that. It was a small hurdle to leap.
“Great.” He stood, and she did the same, then backed off quickly when she noticed it put her chest-to-chest with him again. “I’ll see you Friday.” He paused in the doorway. “Bring your inhaler, your eye drops, whatever medication you need, and for God’s sake, bring some decent footwear. Not those silly little pink things you had on the other day.”
“Sure.” Apparently her vanity hadn’t gone unnoticed. “And Jack? Thank you.”
He nodded. “Just don’t make me regret it.”
“I won’t.”
“Oh, and no photographing me—or anyone else in the group—for your blog.”
“Deal.”
He left, and Kat started to follow him, but Brooke stopped her.
“Hey, Kitty-Kat, just so you know, I’m really happy for you and Sterling.”
Kat’s cheeks flushed. “Thanks.” She gathered Brooke into a hug. “So am I.”
“Will he be moving in?”
“I’ve put the invitation out there, and he’s certainly interested, but we’re not in a massive hurry. We want to do this right.”
Brooke smiled. “I’m sure you will. And I’m glad you’ve let go of Teddy a little bit.”
“Me too. I think it’s what he would have wanted.” Kat gave her one last squeeze and headed out. “See you at dinner.”
When the door shut behind her, Brooke sat at her laptop, opened her blog, and added a new heading.
Brooke v World: Wednesday 5 February
Next Goal: Mt. Everest Base Camp. Bring it on.
Jack’s nerves were unsettled as he waited in the foyer for Kat. He paced to the window and gazed out over the garden, which was empty except for Tione’s border collie, Bella, who was sprawled in one of the last patches of late afternoon sun, and his Chihuahua, Pixie, who was digging in the garden, barely making a dent in the soft earth.
Footsteps sounded behind him and he turned. Kat joined him, wearing a soft smile, her black hair hanging in a ponytail over one shoulder. He waited for a moment to make sure Brooke hadn’t followed, then said, “Please tell me she isn’t serious about getting to Everest.”
Kat sighed and pressed her lips together. “It’s the first I’ve heard of it, but she doesn’t tend to say or do anything without thinking it through.”
“Come on. You think this isn’t some random impulse?” Jack could admit he might have misjudged Brooke because she reminded him of Claudia, but regardless of that, a rational person didn’t push herself to exhaustion.
“She’s not reckless,” Kat said. “More like mule-headed. Once she gets an idea in her mind, she’s stubborn as hell, but a lot of people don’t notice because she’s not in your face about it, she’s just quiet and determined and gets things done.”
“But she can’t think she’ll make it all the way there.”
The woman was a far cry from being in top shape. He’d even go as far as saying Claudia had more chance of hiking to Everest than Brooke did, and his ex hated anything that required her to sweat or get muddy.
“She does,” Kat said. “And don’t go getting it in your mind that she’s an airhead, either. She’s clever. Probably more so than you or me. You know she’s doing a PhD, right?”
“Huh.” He frowned. “I wouldn’t have guessed that.” For one thing, he hadn’t been sure she was old enough. “What subject?”
“Art history.”
Okay, that made sense. His world realigned. He hadn’t been entirely off-base—she was a cultured, arty type.
Kat broke into his thoughts. “I hope you meant what you said.”
“About what?”
“Helping her.”
He swallowed. “Yeah, I did.” Kind of. “I doubt she has a snowball’s chance in hell of making it to Everest, but I won’t stand in the way of her coming on my trips or doing whatever training she thinks she needs, as long as she’s sensible about it.” He may not believe it was within her ability, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be the reason she lost that spark in her eye.
“Good.”
“I’d better be off.”
“See you around.”
He tipped his head to Kat and wandered outside.
During the drive, he found himself pondering Brooke’s declaration, and wondering if she had the slightest idea how much work and planning it would take for her to get to Everest Base Camp. It wasn’t the kind of thing a person just decided to do to inspire others, however noble that may be. Perhaps he needed to show her how much dedication it would take. Surely it was better she realize now rather than after she’d put her whole heart and soul into it, only to fall short.
He stopped at Café Oasis to buy a mini quiche for dinner, then went home. Taking his quiche to the outside deck, he ate alone, as per usual, turning over the situation and examining it from different angles. It seemed to him that the kindest thing to do, in the long run, would be to show Brooke what kind of targets she’d need to meet to fulfil her dream. That ought to bring her well and truly back down to earth. She needed to realize mountaineering was not a glamorous pursuit. When the quiche was gone, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and devised a list of tests. Ones that would force her to get real about things. Once he’d finished, he jotted it on a piece of paper and tucked it away.
5
The 6th of February was a public holiday, and a large number of tourists visited Haven Bay to surf, bask in the sunshine, and sample the quirky ice cream flavors at The Shack. Subsequently, many locals stayed home or went to the less popular parts of town. First thing that morning, Brooke had called her friend, Kyle, who worked at the library, and arranged to visit his place. She hadn’t seen him for a week, and needed a dose of his optimism. As soon as she’d gone public with her long-term goal of reaching Mt. Everest, she’d started having doubts.
Who was she kidding?
Yeah, she was healthier than she’d been in ages, but she was still unfit, unconditioned, and inexperienced. Just look at how tired she’d been after a short hike and a scramble through a cave. Who was she to think she could make it to Nepal? To the highest mountain in the world?
But she’d said it now. Put the words out there in the universe, and she was committed. She couldn’t take it back. What’s more, she didn’t want to. She owed it to Olivia to do as she’d said. She owed it to both of them. But before anything else, she needed to figure out the steps to take to achieve her goal. Once she’d done that, she could break them into manageable chunks. That was why she needed Kyle. Besides being a beacon of hope and never-ending support, he also possessed the kind of mind that thrived on to-do lists and deadlines.
Driving past the beachgoers, she edged around the town square and arrived at his shoebox-sized flat, which was located in a building on the fringe of the commercial area. She hopped out of her car, grabbed her purse, and let herself in. She and Kyle didn’t bother with knocking. They had no secrets from each other, and it wasn’t as if either of them liked to hang around in their underwear. Even if she had walked in and found him in the nude, it wouldn’t be anything she hadn’t seen before. The two of them had been roommates during her undergraduate. In fact, she’d moved to the bay because he’d sold her on the healing power of the sea breeze.
“Hey, Kyle.” She strolled down the hall. “Where are you?”
“In here,” he called from the living room. She followed his voice and found him sitting on the couch, a mug of coffee in his hand and a mound of bacon and eggs on a plate in front of him. He waved to her, swallowed a mouthful, and gestured for her to join him. “Do you want some breakfast?” he asked. “I made extra.”
“No, thanks. I already ate.” Besides which, cooked breakfasts weren’t really her thing. When you’d spent as much time on bed rest as she had, you learned to eat light meals so they didn’t go straight to your hips.
He shrugged and helped himself to another spoonful of eggs. “Suit yourself.”
Kicking back, Brooke looked at the TV screen. An episode of Battlestar Galactica was playing, and they both watched while he finished his breakfast. When he was done, he opened the curtains to let the sunlight in, and tugged off his hoodie, lifting his t-shirt to reveal a strip of toned abdomen that would have surprised her had she not seen his body before. Kyle might be a gaming librarian, but he was a sexy one.
“So,” he said, angling his body toward her. “What’s up?”
She reached over and grabbed his hands. “I need to borrow some of your undying optimism.”
His lips quirked. “Okay, sure thing. What am I being optimistic about?”
She inhaled slowly, then released the breath. “I’ve decided I want to hike to Everest Base Camp.”
He cocked his head. “As in, the Everest that’s located in Nepal, on the other side of the world?”
At least he hadn’t laughed in her face. “Yeah,” she said. “That’s the one.”
“And when did you decide this?”
She raised a shoulder and dropped it. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since Olivia passed away. When we were girls, we talked about going together, and thinking about that was something that got me through some hard times. We always knew it was a long shot, but now it’s impossible, at least as far as she’s concerned. It just struck me that life is so short, you know, and if I want to go, I can’t just wait around and expect it to happen.” She sighed. “Last night, I blurted it out in front of Kat and Jack, and now I’m committed.”
“Why is that a bad thing?” he asked, his tone teasing. He still hadn’t laughed. Thank the heavens for Kyle Pride.
“Because I don’t know if I can do it,” she whispered.
“Of course you can,” he said, as if it were really that simple. “You, Brooke Griffiths, can do anything.”
She laughed, the sound weak. “Be real, Kyle. I can’t even run a mile without stopping for a breather.”
“So you’ll start small and work your way up.” He grinned. “Jog half a mile and walk the rest.”
Already, his optimism was infusing her. Her lips curved up.
“That’s it,” he encouraged her. “That’s my girl. Now, tell me, if this were a project you had to do for your thesis, where would you start?”
Her brows knitted together. “I’d break it down, set deadlines for each component, and then take bites out of that cookie until I’d eaten the whole thing.”
He nodded. “So, what are you going to do?”
Reclaiming her hands, she pumped her fist. “I’m going to do my research and make a plan. Thanks, Kyle.” She gave him a quick hug. “Are you going to be my research buddy?”
“Hell, yeah. I’ll grab my computer and let’s get to work.”
Two hours later, they were sitting side by side on the couch, and Brooke had a complete packing list for Everest, which included things like thermal socks, a low temperature sleeping bag, hiking boots, and a hydration bladder. Before now, she’d never even realized that different sleeping bags suited different temperature ranges. They’d also figured out the best time of year to make the trip, and the dates brought the realness of her mission home. Made it feel like something that could actually happen. She stared hard at the screen. October to December, that’s when she was hoping to be ready. If not, she’d have to put it off until the following year.
“All right.” She rubbed her palms together. “Let’s see how hard this is going to be.”
Kyle’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “I’ve found a complete itinerary published by National Geographic. It looks like you need to be able to walk an average of five hours per day, consistently uphill, for about two weeks, carrying your pack.”
Brooke exhaled, her breath whistling between her teeth. A one-hour uphill hike with no bag had exhausted her. “I’m so far from being able to do that, it’s insane.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Am I crazy?”
Kyle squeezed her knee. “You’ll get there.”
“But I’ll need help. Jack has already promised to assist, but I think it’ll take more than just him to get me there.”
“That’s unlike Jack. You must have been quite persuasive.” He emailed her the link and shut off the screen. “But you don’t need to worry. You have all your friends behind you. We’ll get you there, Brooke. In fact, let’s get started on your exercise program right now, with a walk to The Shack.”
She giggled. “You want to battle the tourists for ice cream?”
“I don’t want to,” he said. “But for you, I’m willing to try.”
She snorted, then clapped a hand over her mouth, mortified. “Oh, my God.”
Laughing, he offered her a hand. She grabbed it and let him hoist her upright. As they left his home, her spirit felt lighter, and her steps were springier.
She was lucky to have a friend like Kyle.
“Is this your first time?” Jack asked the couple who’d booked him to take them rock climbing.
“It is for me,” the man—who was slender and balding—replied. “Cameron has been climbing a few times.” He grinned wryly. “You might be able to tell, she’s the athletic one in our relationship.”
Jack glanced at Cameron, a fit brunette who carried herself with confidence. Yeah, he’d been able to tell. Cameron wouldn’t have been out of place working as a guide herself, whereas Darrell, her boyfriend, had a computer tan. Jack studied the woman. She was the kind of person he should date. Someone authentic, who cared more about personality and having fun than maintaining appearances. So why wasn’t he attracted to her? Besides the obvious—that being the man he was fitting into a harness. Cameron was the antithesis of Claudia. Of Brooke too, if he were being honest. He shook his head. It seemed he was destined to desire women who’d only hurt him.
Cameron laughed. “Darrell agreed to come because I’m learning squash so we can play together. He had to return the favor.”
Jack glanced between them again as he checked Darrell’s helmet. It was no business of his, but the couple seemed ill-suited. He doubted they’d last long. They were probably in the honeymoon stage, when they found their partner’s differences endearing, but he knew from experience that wouldn’t last forever.
“Do you climb often?” he asked.
“Maybe half a dozen times each summer. Not a heap, but enough that I don’t get too rusty.”
“So you’ll be comfortable without much of my help.” He checked her harness anyway, because this was his business and he was responsible if anything were to go wrong.
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I probably could have taken Darrell out on my own, but I wanted to relax and enjoy myself. We’ve been together for long enough now that we thought it was time to try each other’s hobbies.”
“Oh.” His brows shot up. “How long have you been together?”
“A little over five years,” she said. “And there are some things we enjoy together, but we thought it was time to shake things up a bit and do things we wouldn’t usually do together.”
Huh. So he’d been mistaken. No honeymoon period here. Was it possible they’d managed to maintain a happy relationship despite their differences? Or were there tensions simmering beneath their smiling exteriors that they kept hidden from view?
“Fair enough,” he remarked.
Once they were ready, he steered them to the rock face he preferred beginners start on. “Show me what you’ve got,” he said to Cameron. She rubbed chalk on her palms and moved up the rock, as agile as one of the lizards that darted across the surface from time to time. He nodded approvingly. “You’re okay to get yourself back down?”
“Yep.”
He turned to Darrell, wondering once again how he’d managed to woo—and hold onto–a woman who was clearly different to him.
“Isn’t she amazing?” Darrell asked, admiration in his voice.
Jack didn’t answer. “You ready to give it a go?”
Darrell nodded, his jaw squaring with determination. Jack explained how to begin, then kept an eye on him as he falteringly climbed the first two feet. Then he seemed to get stuck. By this time, Cameron had abseiled down the cliff and stood beside Jack.
“There’s a handhold to your right,” she said, and Darrell clung to the rock with his left hand while his right skimmed the surface, searching for a place to grip. He found the spot she mentioned and held on, digging his foot into a crack while he edged upward.
“You’re doing great, honey,” Cameron called. “There’s a hollow about half a meter above your left foot.”
With Cameron’s encouragement, he painstakingly made his way halfway up the cliff, until he was well and truly stumped.
“Good work, mate,” Jack yelled to him. “Now, bend your knees, push off the rock face, and I’ll belay you down.”
When Darrell reached the ground, Cameron hugged him, pressing a kiss to his sweaty cheek, and then released him, beaming. “That was brilliant, babe. I’m so proud of you.”
“I think I nearly pissed myself,” Darrell said.
Jack resisted the urge to chuckle. He’d never admit such a thing to a woman, especially not one he was hoping to take to bed later. But Cameron just kissed him again. It seemed they were crazy about each other, despite all odds.
“I appreciate you making the sacrifice,” she said. “Did you enjoy yourself?”
“If I say no, will you make me do it again anyway?”
“Yes,” she said, with a smug grin. “That’s the deal.”
“Then yeah, it was kind of fun, but my fingers are cramping.”
The couple continued chatting while Jack scoped out the next spot for them. They continued for another couple of hours, by which point Darrell looked like he might collapse.
