Page 56 of High Frequency

“Sorry. I get a little carried away.”

I grin at her. “Not at all.”

Emo saunters up to me, nudging my hand with her nose.

“Is it okay if I pet her?”

“Oh yeah, she’s very social. Loves people.”

“How is she with babies?” I ask. “I have a little one inside.”

“She’s fine with kids. How old?”

“Almost five months already.”

Behind me I hear the door open and someone step out on the porch.

“Do I need to move shit out here, or are you coming in?” Sully wants to know.

“Coming in.”

I quickly make the introductions before we follow him inside. He walks straight through to the kitchen where Wolff and Bo are seated at the big table. I don’t see Ama or my daughter.

Sully catches me looking. “She just went up to put Aspen down for a nap. You can probably still catch her. I’ll do the introductions.”

“Be right back,” I tell Jillian, before darting down the hall and up the stairs.

I find them in the spare bedroom where Ama is just putting her down in the Pack ’n Play we set up for her.

“She was nodding off when I fed her,” Ama informs me in a low voice. “And fell asleep while I was still changing her diaper.”

I peek into the travel bed where my little girl is sleeping peacefully, a little flushed and her pink little mouth partially open.

“She looks out,” I observe. “I’m glad at least one of us is catching up on some sleep.”

“Hmmm. Busy night?” Ama teases me with an eyebrow raised.

Not much at High Meadow goes unnoticed, especially by Ama.

“No, actually,” I rush to inform her. “Last night was the first night in many I slept well.”

No need for her to know it was the stupendous orgasm Dan gave me that knocked me out, and the care he gave Aspen all night that allowed me to sleep through.

I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to view what happened. I have a tendency to want to put things in well-defined boxes, but I don’t know where to place this. I want to keep an open mind, but it’s not easy when you try to protect your heart at the same time.

I was surprisingly unmoved by Jeff walking out, but the consequences when he bailed were painful. Dan, however, has the ability to really hurt me.

With one last look at my daughter, I head back downstairs and join the group in the kitchen.

Several maps and printouts cover the surface of the table.

“Bo and Wolff will go with you. They’ll help you set up the ascent/descent system. Have you worked with one before?” Sully asks Jillian.

“Yeah, I have.”

“Are you going down with her?”

This question is aimed at me but Jillian answers.

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