“Really? What kind of jerks have you dated?”
“Climbers. One left me to be an adventure guide in Alaska and died in a helicopter crash. The other one went skiing in Austria, where he met an athletic blonde. He broke up with me via email.”
“They sound like assholes.”
“Remember you promised to meditate with Esri.”
He frowned. “When did I … Oh. Right.”
Kenzie stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, Gizmo threatening to trip her with his leash. “See you later.”
“Hey, about last night …” He pushed aside his shame. “Thank you.”
She smiled, turning in circles to untangle herself from the leash. “You’re welcome. It’s like I told you last night—I kind of have a thing for you.”
Out the door she went, Gizmo following at her heels.
Conrad scooped Gabby into his arms and watched Kenzie drive away, somehow missing her already.
What was that about?
He took Gabby outside for a quick potty break, ate breakfast, then looked up Esri’s number and left her a message. She called back almost immediately and arranged to meet him at her office at noon. Then there was nothing to do but pick up where he’d left off yesterday when he’d opened that bottle.
He had just cleaned up the place and was about to head to the park to practice puppy runaways when Candace called.
“You should have called me.”
“Good morning to you, too.”
“You need to do an interview with one of the networks or a major publication if you want to get these little guys off your back.”
“I already told you—I’m not interested.”
“As long as you stay silent, every climbing rag in the world is going to want to come after you in the hopes of being the first to get your story.”
Conrad closed his eyes, wrestled with his anger. None of this was Candace’s fault. “They’ll go away eventually.”
“I think you underestimate your importance in the climbing world. My phone has been ringing all morning with reporters from the big climbing mags wanting the exclusive. They know you’re back, and now they know where to find you. That reporter published your address. Those photos are just the beginning, my friend.”
Well, fuck.
He hesitated, weighing Candace’s advice against his unwillingness to speak publicly about what had happened that day.
“Extreme Exposure will pay you fifty grand to do an interview on the Good Day Show and another twenty if you do an interview with Altitude. It will be the easiest seventy thousand you’ve ever made.”
Conrad wasn’t so sure about that. He’d be exposing his grief for nothing more than money. In the back of his mind, he heard Bruce’s voice.
Fuck, mate, I’d do it.
“I’m not interested.”
“You know where to find me when you change your mind.”
Chapter 13
Conrad steppedout of the cold wind and into Esri’s office and sat in the waiting room. Decorated in shades of green, tan, and soft blue, it had a little fountain in one corner, the tinkling of water relaxing. A serene golden Buddha sat on the coffee table, presiding over the room.
Esri stepped out of her office. “Hey. Perfect timing. Where’s the puppy?”
