Page 41 of The Edge of Never

“What does?”

“That you’re the grumpy old man in the woods that parents tell their kids to stay away from.”

“Ye’re no as funny as ye think ye are.”

I grinned at him.

“Aww, you love it really.”

“I shouldnae have said anything.”

My fingers rubbed his chest without my say so, wanting to reassure him I was only joking. Actually, I found it endearing that he loved the outdoors so much. And why wouldn’t he when he lived in a place like this? It was beautiful in a rugged sort of way.

“I’m just kidding, Thane. Honestly, I thought you were going to tell me you like Geocaching or something, but the fact you like the outdoors so much is cool. I wish I had more time for it.”

He gave me an odd look.

“Geo-whating?”

“Geocaching.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Is that the thing those eejits who carry around GPS units and look for buried treasure dae?”

“I take it you’re not fond of them.”

Thane let out another huff and gave me a dark look.

“No, they’ve always got their noses buried in those fucking units rather than looking where they’re going. Callan had a bunch of them turn up tae one of his courses, all these posh English cunts who worked in finance and had never gone hillwalking a day in their fucking life, but they’re up here in all this expensive gear acting like they’re experts. Bunch of fucking posers.”

I couldn’t help but start laughing at the sheer annoyance dripping from his voice.

No wonder he didn’t particularly like me. I came on this course with little experience in mountaineering, but at least I was honest about it. I wasn’t trying to pretend I knew everything.

Maybe it pissed him off that I insisted on doing it all myself. The only person I could rely on was myself. And I was feeling especially sore about asking for help from anyone after all the shit with Sienna. I wasn’t going to ask a stranger for help when my best friend refused to be there for me.

The only person who had given me any real comfort and understanding over the miscarriage was my dad. It saddened me that the only two people who gave a shit about me were him and my brother. They could only do so much. Olly had his own life to lead. He was a decade younger than me, after all.

“It’s no funny.”

“No, rich pricks aren’t funny, they’re definitely cuntish, but the way you’re so worked up about it is.”

“Ye would be tae if ye had tae deal with those eejits for hours. Told Callan am no helping him on any more courses if those cunts are gonnae be on them.”

It was strange how when I first met Thane, his prickly nature really wound me up the wrong way. And yet now, I was enjoying his grumpiness. He didn’t like inconvenient and uncaring people. I could understand that. There were too many people in this world who didn’t give a shit about anyone else but themselves.

“You helped him on this one.”

“Aye, well, that’s different. He insisted, said I need tae get oot more, tae dae the things I love again. And he’s no wrong.”

Thane looked away and his expression grew shuttered.

I got the distinct impression he was thinking about something painful. And a niggling feeling told me it was probably about his wife. It made me wish I hadn’t said anything. Considering I hated talking about my own grief, I could only imagine how it felt for him.

“How long has it been?”

Why did you open your stupid mouth? You were literally just thinking you shouldn’t have said anything and then you go ask him that. What is wrong with you?

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