She gave him a smile. “It isn’t just drinking tea that’s therapeutic. It’s the time it takes to brew too.”
“You up for this game?”
She nodded.
“You start. Ask me what you want.” He took the mug of tea from her outstretched hand. “Proper builders’ tea this, Abby.”
“Better than gnat’s piss.”
“Damn right. Go on. Ask me anything.”
She smiled, pushing the anxiety away. In for a penny, in for a pound was what her grandmother used to say.
“If you could only pick one to survive from Zack, Jake and Scott which would it be?”
He laughed. “Truth. That’s easy. Zack.”
“Seriously?” She frowned. “Why?”
He shrugged. “Jake would save himself and Scott wouldn’t get himself into that situation anyway. The only reason Zack would be there would be because he’d have been trying to stop Jake from doing something insane. My turn.”
She ignored his wicked smile.
“How was climbing Everest?”
Her heart pounded a little harder in her chest. “Truth. Amazing. Hard. But K2 was harder.” She’d done it. She’d told him who she was, that he was correct with her identity.
“Which one’s next?”
“The Eiger. But I doubt it’ll ever happen. That career’s over.” She managed to smile because she was at peace with it. “My sponsorship was terminated because obviously I haven’t climbed properly for two years. I’m not fit enough and I couldn’t afford the kit anymore.”
He didn’t argue back or try to rationalise it. “I’m sorry. You must’ve had good reasons for doing it.”
“I did.” But she wasn’t going to tell him what those reasons were yet. “My turn. What’s the longest relationship you’ve been in?”
“Truth. Four months.”
“Why so short?”
Alex shook his head. “I get bored. Or they do. I’m not into restaurants or bars. I’d rather get up early and go for a run or climb. Not many women are into that. It generally just peters out.”
“Do you want a relationship?” She hated herself for asking the question. “Or are you one of those guys who would rather be single. Indulge in one night stands?”
“I’d like to be with someone. Especially seeing Scott and Zack happy. I’d like that.” He looked more serious than she’d ever seen him and she fought the urge to clamber onto his knee and try to make that smile appear.
“Truth or dare, what’s the longest relationship you’ve had and who was it with?”
“Truth. Andrew Bishop. Another climber. We were together for eighteen months.”
“When did you break up?”
“When I came here. I finished with him by text and told him something had happened and I couldn’t be in touch.” It hadn’t hurt as much as she thought it would. They’d never been that serious, even though it had been a fairly long time. They hadn’t ever discussed moving in together and she was pretty sure he’d cheated on her at one point but it hadn’t been worth the inquest.
She sipped at her tea, watched Alex’s face. He was unreadable.
“My turn. Truth or dare, how old were you when you lost your virginity?”
She had wondered whether he’d take the dare on this. It was the most personal question she’d ever asked him because even though she’d known him for two years, they didn’t talk like this.
