“That’s because she’s spent too much time with Rayah,” Alex said. “She puts her hair behind her ear exactly like Ray does. It’s weird.”
“And worrying. Here’s Oliver.”
They started the walk up past Crag Rock and round the summit of Higger Tor, the conversation easy and focusing on football and rugby. Oliver had no problem with the approach to the West face of Yonder Scout, which Scott had anticipated.
The rock face wasn’t Everest by a long stretch. He’d climb Everest four years ago with Alex and Ludd, one of the other members of the team. They’d had a guide with them and it had been challenging, curbing his need for huge adrenaline rushes. This was a climb he’d done as a teen and occasionally without equipment, not that he’d advise that.
“How does this look?” Scott said to Oliver. “We had a climber stuck here last summer. Broke his wrist and ankle.”
“I spent summers climbing in the Cairngorms and the Trossachs. That’s a baby climb,” Oliver said, a broad smile bringing out his dimples. Dimples that Keren had probably noticed.
Scott pushed away the memory of them having a date. It wasn’t his problem if Oliver ended up with an argumentative banshee.
They organised the logistics and started to climb, Scott enjoying the burn of muscles being used and the sight below him of a drop that wouldn’t be kind. When they were at the top, swigging from water bottles, with discarded layers in back packs.
Some of the clouds had cleared, allowing flickers of sun to come through. There was the scent of spring in the air and Scott could feel the promise of longer, lighter days on the horizon.
“You good to carry on?” Alex said to Oliver, explaining the route. It was another ten miles and would take them around three to four hours, given the steepness of some of the ascents.
“Sure,” Oliver said. “This is part of the reason I moved here. I missed having the opportunity to walk out of my front door and go hiking or climbing. I’m keen to try caving too, but I’ll pretty much need to start that from scratch.”
Scott gave a nod and retied his hair back. “Where did you grow up?”
“York,” Oliver said. “But my dad’s mum lived in Scotland and my grandad was mountain rescue up there. I spent summers and some other holidays walking and climbing from being a kid. We’d done all the Wainwrights before I was fourteen,” he said, naming a list of peaks in the Lake District. “I did look for an accountancy practice there, but I saw Severton at Christmas and I really liked the feel of the place.”
“So you’re looking to settle down here?” Alex said. “Or is it a place to hang out for a couple of years?”
“Stay,” Oliver said.
They set off, the pace fairly rapid because Alex was leading and he ran fells for fun.
“You don’t think you’ll head back to the city?” Scott asked. “I spent three years in Manchester and couldn’t wait to get back home, so I get why you’d want to be here. It’s just so many people want the buzz of a bigger place.”
“You seem to have a large return here though. The three of you, Rayah, Keren and a couple of other people I met last night all came back after graduating. I know Keren’s thinking of moving the other way, but I’d be surprised if she does.” Oliver had tipped his head up to where a bird of prey was hovering.
Scott thought about Keren moving out of Severton and wondered what it would be like to not have her there. They pretended to avoid each other – he definitely did avoid her dental practice – but he couldn’t comprehend living in a place where she wouldn’t be.
“Why does she want to move?”
Oliver shrugged. “I think she wants to broaden her social circle. Meet new people. I guess it’s pretty close here,” he said. “She loves it though. That was obvious.”
“I’m not sure she’ll stay,” Alex said. “Rayah mentioned that Keren was considering applying to one of the hospitals to work as a paediatric dentist, specialising in kids with learning difficulties. She couldn’t live here and do that. The commute would be horrific.”
Scott heard the words but tried to look like he wasn’t interested. He guessed Alex was trying to get a rise out of him, especially since Oliver had been out on a date with Keren last night, but it wasn’t going to happen.
“I’m meeting Keren for drinks tonight,” Oliver said. “Apparently I’m getting the beer tour of Severton.”
Scott tried not to react, something he was pretty good at, given he owned a bar. “Take ear plugs,” he said. “She doesn’t shut up. And be prepared to be wrong all the time. Even if she nods and smiles at what you’re saying, she’ll still be judging you. And if you have anything to eat, you will at some point get a full report on how much sugar is in it.”
“Sounds like you know her well,” Oliver said. “What have her exes been like?”
“We’ve grown up together,” Scott said. “She’s the most irritating woman I’ve ever met, and that includes the dolly birds who come in the bar on a Saturday looking for sugar daddies for the night.”
Oliver laughed, possibly thinking that Scott was joking.
“She was great last night. I probably owe your cousin a drink for introducing us,” Oliver said.
Scott decided not to say anything. If Oliver wanted to get involved with someone like Keren Leigh then that was his problem.
