Page 89 of Nothing to Deny
AFTER BREAKFAST, everyone was instructed to put on their hiking boots and wrap up warm. It had been a while…
Their troupe left with her uncle leading the way like an intrepid explorer. The man was admirable, he kept the mood, and the pace, high. Couldn’t fault him for trying. Did he know where he was going? It didn’t matter, they marched away from the house into the trees, full of purpose.
Not like she had to worry about getting lost. One man from her past would track her down in no time, if the need arose. Luckily not far inside the tree line the path split and various posts with different colored markers indicated the separate routes. Good, no one’s phone worked out there.
At the head of the pack, her uncle gave a commentary on the trees and plants they passed. She’d never thought of him as a horticulturist. Not that she thought of him often. She wasn’t a very good niece. Maybe he was an expert botanist, what did she know? Which was exactly the point. Everything he was saying could be complete nonsense, that was as much as she knew about the subject. Still, confidence, he sold it well.
Baer and Donoghue were little behind, hopefully discussing exactly how to get Nickson to come clean. The supposed to be happy couple were second in the group, behind her aunt and uncle, leaving her and Holly in third position.
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Holly asked. “Kel and Nickson, do you think he’s telling the truth?”
Oh, she wished for Holly’s optimism. Was he telling Kelly the truth? Possibly, but unlikely. This wasn’t exactly the safest of settings, not just because of listening ears, but if someonedecided to storm off in a huff, they could walk themselves off a cliff, or into a bear’s den. Did bears have permanent dens? They would if they were hibernating. Which they should be. Okay, that was the guarantee she’d be staying on the beaten path. What else might they come across?
Hmm, maybe she should’ve done some wilderness research of her own.
“I don’t know.” Get back to it, Holly was expecting an answer. Something she was coming up short on a lot these days. “Only if he’s feeling the pressure.”
“I didn’t see Baer or Donaghue talking to him before we left, did you?”
“No. I wasn’t paying much attention, but Baer was with me upstairs. Unless he did it while I was peeing, I don’t think he’s had the chance. It’s not exactly a quick conversation.”
And while she’d been peeing, with the door slightly ajar, she’d been filling Baer in on what Holly said at the breakfast table. So he better not have been wandering off to speak to Nickson leaving her talking to herself. Couldn’t be, the guy was still there lacing his boots when she came out, she didn’t take that long washing her hands.
“How are things going with you two?” Holly asked. “Don’t need to ask if you’re attracted to each other. I’m surprised the apartment didn’t go on fire. You and Baer… Last night… you did… didn’t you?”
Like it was a foregone conclusion. In fairness, if it wasn’t for her rules they would have. She should’ve expected the question from her cousin sooner.
Her lips curled. “Did you and Donoghue?”
Nothing wrong with a little deflection. Though if Baer was telling Donoghue she was something special, how long would it be until Holly found out this was more than just a screw-fest for them?
“We did… stuff.”
That wasn’t enlightening. “Stuff?”
Holly whimpered. “It’s kind of hard to be around a guy like him and not do… stuff. Especially in bed with him.”
In another circumstance, she might make a quip about Holly getting her money’s worth. Too right, have a little fun. Those responses didn’t fit this time. It didn’t feel right to think about human beings that way. Though, being particularly attached to one, she was biased. All she saw was Baer, and she didn’t think of him like that.
“No reason you shouldn’t enjoy each other.”
True statement. If this was what Holly needed to chase her ex from her system, Donoghue was harmless fun.
“Yeah…” Holly huffed. “Except having my parents right next door kind of puts a damper on things. We want to do stuff… More stuff. I just have to figure out a way to do it without my parents hearing us. You’re lucky. You and Baer’s room is away in the corner. You share a wall with your bathroom, not listening ears.”
And they were choosing not to take advantage of it. That was mature, right? Sensible?
“You don’t have to wait until nighttime,” she suggested. “There are other times and places you can… enjoy each other.”
“Yeah, except my dad’s on this everyone together kick. It’s like being nine all over again. And what is with the fishing thing? Is he really going to teach Donoghue how to fish? Should I feel guilty about this? I don’t want my dad falling in love with the guy, thinking I really have a future with him. ‘Cause that won’t be happening.”
Would’ve been nice if Holly considered that eventuality before they went to all this trouble. She restrained a sigh. Hadn’t her cousin said she wanted her family to like the guy? Now she was upset that they did.
“What’s the harm in your dad making a new friend? And Donoghue will learn a new skill. Something else for his resume.” What did he do outside Squires? Not her business. “We can’t exactly ban them from spending time together.” And maybe if the men were occupied with each other, it would take a little pressure off feeling like they should constantly be taking action. “Besides, it will die down when Alan shows up later. Your dad’s just looking for a buddy while his son’s not around.”
“Mom asked me what was going on with Kel and Nickson. Talk about awkward dodge. She said Kelly won’t tell her.”
“Just say it’s not your place. That you don’t know the details.”
