Page 85 of Mountain Trial

Tess was back in a matter of minutes, her cheeks red with exertion.

“Did you run all the way back?” Kat asked, somewhere between panic and amusement.

“I walked very fast,” Tess replied. “Okay. Here you go, Kat. Just pee on the soft bit. I bought two, just in case.”

“Two?”

“Better safe than sorry.”

“Okay … you’ll wait for me here?”

“Believe me,” Tess said, “we’re not going anywhere. I might go make some popcorn, though,” she said, laughing. Isolde sent her a chastising look.

“Just pee on the stick and bring it back, Kat. We’ll look at it together.”

In the end, Kat stayed in the bathroom, alone, watching the little stick. The sight of the two pink lines―pregnant―didn’t shock her like she would have imagined. The only shock was to realize just how much she wanted this baby. Luc’s baby.

There was soft knock on the door. Isolde peeked her head in.

“I’m pregnant,” Kat said, walking out of the bathroom and into the living area. She lowered herself onto the sofa and put her head in her hands, overwhelmed by this turn of events.

A second later, Kat felt Tess and Isolde’s hands on her shoulders―she realized her friends could easily misinterpret her feelings.

“It’s going to be okay, Kat. Even if Luc’s not happy about it, we are all here for―”

“He’s going to be ecstatic,” she mumbled, almost―but not quite―giggling at the thought. “He wanted children very badly.”

“Okay … then maybe you should go tell him.”

Tears filled Kat’s eyes. The words her out before she could stop them. “He’ll want the baby, but he may not want me …”

“Kat, you need to go talk to him. But we’re here for you. Why don’t we cook a―”

Kat smiled gratefully at her friends. She was lucky to have them. “Could we get a raincheck? I’m not going to be very good company tonight. I need some time to think.”

Before her friends left, Kat swore them to secrecy―Luc had to be the first to know.

No time like the present.

Chaper 32

Luc

Technically, Luc was getting on with his life. In reality, each day of the last four weeks had been harder than the one before―more meaningless, somehow.

He pulled the door to the bar open and pushed his wheelchair through. He’d decided to accept Coach’s offer and start training for those other events. He just needed to speak with Coach first, and make sure he could still keep his home base in Chamonix―he wasn’t ready to go away from Kat.

Masochistic fool.

The warmth inside hit him like a freight train. Although it was a Saturday evening, it was still early, thankfully, so he had no trouble making his way to a corner. A waitress came and moved one chair away from the table so he could fit his chair.

Luc nodded his thanks and ordered a beer. While he waited for her to bring it, he looked around the bar. A couple holding hands in another table caught his attention.

Life feels meaningless because it could be so fucking meaningful.

He was turning into a barstool philosopher.

The beer appeared in front of him. The waitress disappeared too fast for him to thank her―instead, Luc saw somebody else walking towards him. It was Helmet―Jacques, Luc reminded himself.