“Yeah, they adjusted the itinerary to include some sightseein’ there. I updated the calendar,” Beau said, tilting his head to better see the lit directional signs against the dark night, guiding us to the proper drop-off.
At least he answered me this time. It seemed like a step in the right direction. I wish he’d come around enough for a quick blow job to tide me over until he returned.
Man, my guy could hold a grudge.
“Remind me when the climb begins,” I said.
He turned his head in my direction. I could feel his eyes rolling. He wasn’t wrong. I did remember the entire itinerary. Of course, I did, but I wanted him to talk to me before he left.
“We had too much goin’ on, I don’t remember the exact dates, but I marked it in our calendar. I believe Friday’s when we begin. We’re sightseein’ for a couple of days, so maybe the climb begins Thursday. No, I don’t think that’s right. Probably Friday.” Even through the moodiness, I could hear his excitement. The corners of my lips tugged a grin free.
“It’s a perfect trip for you. Send me pictures when you can. I’ll show the kids,” I said, voicing the request so the girls could see what he was doing in real time.
“They won’t be excited about starin’ at a bunch of rocks.” he said, gesturing toward the gate. There were ten or so members in his group waiting at the entry doors to the airport. We may have been the last ones to arrive.
“It’s your first time in the Himalayans. It’s exciting. I’ve never been there. Maybe we can go back together,” I said, pulling to the curb just beyond where the team stood.
“I guess.”
Yippee. We were back to the ambiguous two-word answers. I put the gear shift in park as he started for the door handle.
“Remember, I love you, and I’m here waiting for you to return.”
Beau’s questioning gaze pinned me. “’Course. I love you too. That’s why I want you to eat better so you’ll be here as long as you can.”
The worry bugging me began to ease. “So being abnormally quiet with no effort to make love before you leave means you love me? Because I didn’t like any of that treatment.”
“I’m sortin’ through everything in my mind, but I can’t let go of you and the kids eatin’ better foods. It’s nonnegotiable for me, and you won’t stop with the junk food no matter what we’ve talked about. You make me look like the bad guy all of the time. I don’t like it. So we’ll talk about it and everything else when I get back.”
“Okay, I agree. We’ll wait until the day after you get home to have the discussion, no longer.”
He grinned and nodded, probably for my benefit more than his, but I took it.
“Sure.” Anything else said was lost when someone yanked his side door open, allowing all the airplane and airport noise into our vehicle. James and Ben, two of his climbing buddies, grinned from ear to ear.
“Come on, big ’un. We’re waitin’ on you.” James, with a firm grip on Beau’s forearm, tugged him out of the SUV. Ben opened the back door and removed Beau’s efficiently packed gear. The damn thing was heavy, and he carried it like it was nothing.
“Kiss him goodbye when you get back.” Ben, a longtime friend of Beau’s, cackled at his own joke. Of course, I couldn’t just let Beau go without a proper farewell. The group met Beau between the sliding glass entry doors and our Tahoe. Knuckle bumping and other greetings took place. Beau subtly glanced over his shoulder, hopefully to see where I was. I stepped out, following Beau.
Tucking my hands into my slacks pocket, I walked to the group. “Y’all have a good time.”
Beau took his backpack from James and mounted it on his back. At least, that’s how I described the fluid way he carried the heavy bundle. I leaned in, he did too. I’d expected a kiss, but he bypassed my lips for my ear and said, “Take care of our family, and make sure Duke and Daisy get their runs in. Otherwise, they’ll get restless and make everyone crazy. Good luck with your case.” He brushed his lips against my ear, sending a sudden happy shiver down my spine.
“Call us when you can,” I said. He nodded and stepped away, waving a hand in the air as he walked backward, again trailing behind the group.
“Remember the phone rings both ways.” It was a phrase he always said when headed out for a climb.
“Be careful what you wish for. Our phone plan says we can talk internationally.”
Beau grinned brighter at me before ducking inside the airport. Through the windows, I tracked him to the check-in counter. I wanted to wait for a few minutes, be available if he needed anything or left something in the SUV, but the security guard’s whistle knocked me out of my Beau-induced trance. Beau glanced at me one last time and waved.
My mountain man. He’d come home with a longer beard, shaggy head of hair, and weathered skin crinkling the corners of his eyes. I couldn’t wait.
I climbed in the Tahoe and put it in drive, and sighed as I pulled away. It looked like vegetables were in my future. I’d do it for him until I’d had enough, and we’d have this conversation again.
Beau
I put my head in my hands, my thumbs circling my temples, trying to relieve the low-level headache I couldn’t shake. My inner being held on to a heavy sense of unease that had nothing to do with the flight I’d boarded. The idea of leaving while in a disagreement with Dash made me edgy. With each mile this airplane flew away from my family, the worry escalated. Whatever had driven me to continue with my vacation needed to take the wheel. Otherwise, I was turning around when we hit the ground.
