Page 18 of Mountain Trial

Chapter 7

Luc

Luc watched the door close behind Kat. She’d left without her winter coat, which was still draped behind her seat.

Jens and Gael stood frozen in place, wearing twin uncertain expressions.

Luc had never been more certain of anything in his life. He grabbed Kat’s coat. “I’ll stay with her,” he told them, already wheeling himself away.

Jens and Gael nodded. “Let us know if you need us,” Jens said.

Carrying her coat on his lap, Luc wheeled himself towards the front door. It’d gotten more crowded in the time he’d been there, and the numerous, clumsy bodies slowed him down. By the time he finally made it to the door, he wanted to scream in frustration.

He pushed the door open, careful to keep his fingers away from the door’s edge, and wheeled himself out into the relative darkness. Soft snowflakes fell on his head.

She’s probably gone, you idiot.

A moment later he saw her, standing to the side of the building, leaning against a standing wooden barrel. Large, white snowflakes fell on her red hair and black jumper, but Kat didn’t seem to notice.

She looked up, then, and their gazes connected.

Luc’s heart beat hard against his chest.

He rolled up to her and handed over her coat, glad when she took it and placed it on her shoulders.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, cringing at the inadequacy of his words. In the dim light, her beautiful blue eyes were blurry with tears.

She was still shaking, and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and warm her. He wanted to know who Helmet―he still didn’t know the man’s real name―was, but he didn’t want to force her to talk or think about something that clearly upset her so.

“I’m sorry,” she said. Then laughed through her tears. “I do keep apologizing, don’t I?"

“You never have to apologize with me.” Luc’s voice hardened. “Who is that asshole?”

Kat sighed. “That asshole is my ex-boyfriend.”

Luc sat back in his chair. “Shit. I didn’t mean to get between―”

Kat stood up so quickly the barrel shook. “No. No. It’s not like that. He was my boyfriend ten years ago. And it … it didn’t end well.”

A couple fat tears rolled down her cheeks. Luc wanted to grab them before they froze. It seemed like there was so much she wasn’t saying.

Luc’s hands clenched on his lap. “Did he hurt you?”

Kat shrugged. “It’s in the past. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. But when he approached me today, it just―”

“It triggered you. I understand.”

“God, I want a smoke.”

“Do you smoke?” he asked, surprised. He’d never smelled smoke on her.

“I used to,” she replied softly. “Not anymore.”

“Good. You shouldn’t smoke. It’s not healthy.”

Kat laughed, as he’d hoped she would. She had a beautiful laugh.

“It’s nice out here, isn’t it?” she asked, looking at the mountain backdrop in front of them.