Page 18 of The CEO and the Mountain Man

He turned around, setting his butt against the edge of the counter. “She wasn’t like you.”

I bit at my inner lip. Should I ask a question? Should I just stay quiet and let him speak? Maybe if I?—

“Did she talk about me being gay with you?” he asked, crossing his arms. “She didn’t say a lot that day I came out.”

“As opposed to me, who asked if you were transgender,” I joked.

I got a half smile for that one.

“Seriously. Did she… How was she after all of that?”

A good question with a hard answer. It was all chaotic back then.

“I think she was thrown,” I said finally. “And not just because of your announcement. Divorce is always hard, even when it’s friendly. Selling the house and splitting assets and finding a new place to live… It was all super stressful and happening all at once.”

I stopped talking because those were all starting to sound like excuses in my head.

He nodded and dried his hands on the kitchen towel. Then grabbed his walking stick and started heading back toward his room.

“River? How was she with you?”

“She was fine.” He thumbed a gesture to his room. “I’m gonna take a shower and get ready for bed.”

Which meant it wasn’t fine at all.

I wanted to dig into that, ask a bunch of questions, but I had my therapist in my head.“Let River come to you when he’s ready.”

So, I changed the subject.

“I’m kind of looking forward to the rope swing tomorrow.”

River snorted as he opened the door to his room. “Ten bucks says you scream like a little girl.”

“Nuh-uh.”

Another half-smile, even a half-laugh. “You are such a dork.”

I eyeballed his walking stick. “Do you think you’ll be able to do it? Like, actually swing on the rope?”

“Oh my God.Dad.”Bigeye roll. “Stop stressing over my fucking hip. There’s nothing I can’t do, even if I hafta do some of it limping.”

“That’s a really good attitude to have, son.” I held up my finger. “Though you should also know that I worry just as much about your ankle.”

“Ugh.” He stuck out his tongue. “Dork.”

“I love you too, son.”

He shot me a quick glance, and maybe it was just my imagination, but I’m pretty sure that was warmth I read in his eyes.

Either that, or he was coming down with something.

I stuck my fingers in my hair, gripping my skull as I examined the empty living room. Maybe I’d start a fire and read a book. Try to relax.

Or, you know. Overanalyze all the words not being said in between our silences.

Chapter 6

Beau