Megs spoke, whether to herself or Darius, he couldn’t say. “Find the flow.”
Higher Sasha went, now on an overhang, her ponytail pointing at the ground.
“I didn’t know people could do that,” Hank muttered.
She raised a heel almost even with her head, shifted her other foot, reached for a crimper so small that Darius could barely make it out. Then she stretched with her right arm, caught a larger hold, shifting to the right, one leg moving to the left for counterbalance.
“That was the crux,” Megs whispered. “You’ve got this.”
And then Sasha was vertical again, moving quickly, smoothly.
When she topped out, she punched her fist into the air. “Yes!”
“She’s back!” Megs shouted.
The gym exploded in cheers, Bowen clearly beside himself. “Her first day back, and she on-sights a five-fourteen!”
Nicole began lowering Sasha to the ground.
Megs looked over at Darius, a sheen in her eyes. “I won’t cry if you don’t.”
Darius blinked, coughed the lump out of his throat. “Deal.”
The moment her feet hit the ground, Sasha jumped into Darius’ arms, Nicole bear-hugging them both.
Darius held her tight. “How did that feel?”
She beamed up at him. “It was perfect!”
Sasha spent the afternoon climbing,taking turns being on belay with Nicole, Megs, Mitch, and Darius, the crowd thinning as the day waned. It felt so good to move again, to get her heart rate up, to feel the burn in her muscles. Then the party moved to Knockers, the Team table all but full.
Sasha was touched by how welcoming everyone was to Darius, Eric making room for the two of them next to him and Vicki. “Dare flashed a five-eleven today. I filmed it, so I’ve got proof.”
“Dare, huh?” Eric clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. “Not bad for a guy who says he doesn’t really climb.”
Darius looked a little embarrassed. “It wasn’t graceful.”
As Chey took their orders and brought their drinks, Sasha watched Darius talking and laughing with the others. Gone was the man who rarely smiled and kept the world at arm’s length. He joked with Eric and Austin as if they were old friends.
The sight of him so happy and open put an ache in her chest.
Then Megs traded places with Eric and handed Darius a manila envelope. “This is the rest of the information you wanted.”
Darius took the envelope. “My answer is yes—but I’ve got two more conditions.”
Sasha found herself holding her breath.
“When I first got here, I decided Scarlet was more like Mayberry than Vail, albeit Stoned Mayberry.”
Megs nodded thoughtfully, her expression serious. “You’re not wrong.”
“Now, Mayberry had a sheriff, but Forest County already has a sheriff. I’d like to change my job title from chief of police to town marshal. That’s cooler.”
Everyone at the table was listening now.
“Much cooler,” Eric agreed.
Megs nodded. “I’m sure that won’t be a problem. What’s your other condition?”
