“And when we know what this guy’s capable of,” Scott said. He’d had people start for the search team saying they were experienced climbers, but then it turned out that they were experts at using their local indoor climbing centre on a Saturday afternoon, not dealing with outdoor conditions.
“Sorted,” Alex said. “The forecast is fine all day. What if when we’ve climbed we walk to the summit then cross over the peaks to Bleak Low and come down via Hell’s Gate? That’s a decent few miles to get done.”
“How fit do you think he is?” Scott asked. “I know he looks the part, but if that’s all gym work he’s going to struggled going up to the top of Bleak Low.”
Alex shrugged. “We’ll know by the time we’ve climbed up West. If it is gym fitness, he’ll be dying by that point and we’ll head down. Where are the dogs?”
Alex was a dog handler for the police, having two German Shepherds, Hansel and Gretel, who were used as search and rescue dogs. He was rarely seen without at least one of them.
“With Abby. She’s got a day off and wanted to go walking so she offered to take them,” he said. “I think it’s her first day off since she moved here.”
Scott nodded. Abby worked between the bar and Sorrell’s hotel, rarely leaving Severton. “Should’ve asked her to come. She could’ve taken Sharp’s Edge and met us there.”
“I offered. She declined. She’ll be fine with the dogs. I’m staying at Sophia’s tonight. We’re going to some dinner with her parents.”
“You sound thrilled about it.” Scott raised a brow. He didn’t care for Sophia and he was surprised Alex tolerated her. “Have you met them before?” He grabbed his jacket and checked his pocket for the spare carabiners. They were there, along with a strip of condoms. Lord knew why the two things were together.
Alex shook his head. “I think this is her hint that she wants to get serious. She’s mentioned that there would be more chances of promotion if I moved into the city too. I think we’re going to have a chat about expectations.”
“Maybe meeting her parents tonight isn’t a good idea,” Scott said. “Kind of shows you’re serious if you go.”
Alex gave a slight nod. “I thought that. I might make an excuse, which is shitty, then arrange to meet her tomorrow and call it off. She’s a great girl, but it isn’t going anywhere.”
“Why’s that? You’ve been seeing her six months,” Scott said. Alex generally had a few women on the go at once, none of whom thought they were the one and only. He went for business women who didn’t have time for relationships and were just interested in a night here and there with a meal, a few drinks and a respectful fuck. Sophia had been his first venture into those respectful fucks becoming something that involved a commitment.
Alex shrugged, checking his climbing equipment, which Scott would put money on he’d already done three times.
“She’s a city girl. We can spend a day in the city, in bars, go to the theatre but she’d never come for a hike up the mountain or spend an afternoon on the farm having a barbecue. If I’m going to see someone regularly, they need to want to experience the things I like. Not just the other way round,” he said. “She likes the idea of what I could be. And she likes my dick.”
“Let me guess, it’s the last one that’s kept you hanging there for six months?” Scott said, zipping up his back pack. He was good to go. They just needed their third member.
“Pretty much. Or it seems like that now. How was your date last night? She seemed taken with you.”
And that was the problem.
She had been taken with him, he’d got that reading too. Clearly the bad boy look, with the pierced ear and the thick almost black hair, tats and muscles did it for her, even though he’d figured at first she’d prefer a suit with a flash car. He had a four-by-four that was full of mud and search and rescue equipment and ran a bar. Probably not what her parents wanted for their doctor daughter.
He, however, liked her. He liked how she looked - toned, an ass you could grab onto, a smile that came easy, but she didn’t have the curves he was usually drawn too and she didn’t have that fight. He was going to have to let her know that any second meal would be as friends.
“She’s a nice woman. Not for me,” he said quietly, following Alex out of the door and locking up behind him.
“Because she’s not dark hair and kicks your arse in an argument?” Alex said, walking towards the clock in the centre of town where they were meeting Oliver.
Scott shot him a glare. “I don’t have a thing for Keren.”
It had never been forgotten. Scott was going to ask Keren out. She had been eighteen, just finished school. He was twenty-one and had spent two years wondering when he could take her out without feeling like he was too old for her and his mates would take the piss.
Alex knew Scott had liked her for years. He’d sussed it out one day when they’d all hiked to go swimming in the tarn near what was now Severton Springs. Scott had been watching her, not realising that Alex had been watching him. His brother had always been far too astute.
“That was fourteen years ago,” Scott said. “And a childhood crush.”
“Jonny was married at twenty,” Alex said. Their friend Jonny was the group manager and based at Severton Fire Station.
“Jonny’s different,” Scott said, although he wasn’t sure how.
“Do you think they’d still be together if she was alive?” Alex said.
“Yes,” Scott said. “Although hopefully they’d have stopped at Sadie Grace with the kids because that child is a demon.”
