Page 4 of Entwined Hearts

I pivot to face the rock again, wedging my hand into a fissure above me. I’m ready to use it to leverage off the shelf, but I can’t seem to make my feet leave the ground.

Colby Fox.

After a deep breath, I begin ascending the crack, using the work to force feelings I had abandoned long ago out of my mind.

Two

Anya

When I wake the next day, pleasant fatigue pulses in my limbs. I roll out of bed, my first thought that I’d forgotten to tell Jake the news about Colby Fox joining us in Norway.

It’s been three years since I last saw him. So much has changed since he disappeared. I knowIhave. Has he? Does he still prefer to walk around barefoot, even outside, like he used to? When he laughs, does the blue of his eyes still sparkle like he alone knows the secret to happiness? My stomach clenches when the memory of the last sunset walk we shared returns, though I don’t understand why.

I pick up the blue lapis bracelet from my nightstand. My fingers are covered with the usual scratches earned from the rough sandstone we climbed the day before, so the metal feels smooth and cold. My left wrist bone is sore, which makes me wince as I slide the bracelet on. The brilliant colors and clean lines contrast sharply with my battered skin. It looks foreign, but I leave it on anyway.

When I pad into the kitchen, I find Jake on the floor in the adjoining living room, his laptop open on the coffee table in front of him. The uneaten remains of a bagel and an empty coffee cup are there, too.

“Want me to make you some coffee?” he asks, not taking his eyes off his screen.

Realizing this means he consumed the pot I set on a timer last night, I sigh. “No, I got it.” While I reload the coffeemaker, my bracelet catches the soft light coming in from the window. It makes me wonder how long it’ll take me to get used to wearing something so striking.

“Guess who we’re climbing Dragen’s Tarn with?” I say, eager to share my news.

Jake doesn’t reply. By the notebook and the image on his laptop, it’s obvious he’s lost in his passion project. Baffin Island.

“Do you know Colby Fox?” I open the fridge to snatch the leftover rice and red pepper sauce, then grab the nuts from the cupboard. I give the half-eaten banana left on the countertop a wide berth, taking my ingredients to the table. I mix them in a bowl while waiting on Jake’s answer.

Our tiny place isn’t fancy by any means, but I love the way the morning sun shines into the kitchen. I adore the small wooden table, set for two, and the white linen curtains covering the window. Because of a brief acting career as an infant—baby food commercials—I have more money than the average climbing bum. It’s not a lot, but keeps me from having to survive solely on Ramen noodles while couch surfing in the wintertime like so many other climbers. Talking about my little nest egg makes me uncomfortable, though Jake knows about it. He couldn’t care less about the money. If it meant he could climb every day, Jake would happily live in a tent, squeaking by on rice cakes, peanut butter, and instant coffee. I can get obsessed about climbing, too, but it’s nice to have a soft bed and a fridge to come home to. Especially after Morocco.

Jake still hasn’t replied. He must be too absorbed in his project. But when I glance over my shoulder, he’s gazing out the window.

I blow across the top of my coffee, then take a sip.

“Yeah, I know him,” Jake finally answers, an edge in his voice. “He bailed on a big climb. Me, Sven, J.T.”

My stomach drops.Uh-oh.“Do you know why?”

Returning his attention to his screen, Jake scowls. “No fucking clue. One day, he just ghosted. We had to cancel the trip.”

“What was the climb?”

Jake sighs. “Ketil.”

“Oh…” I picture the near-vertical wall of black rock located off the southern tip of Greenland. Ketil was practically a blank slate back then. Lots of chances for a first ascent. “I was surprised when Bill Tucker told me yesterday,” I say, taking a bite of the savory mixture in my bowl. “I’d heard he gave up climbing.”

“You know him?” Jake asks, leveling an accusatory gaze on me.

I shrug, but it takes way more effort than it should. “One summer, we were both climbing in Yosemite. We did Crest Jewel.”

“Did you add Royal Arches?” He fires off the question, neck flushing red.

I frown, not understanding what difference a slightly longer climb makes. “Yeah…” I say, but even I hear the defensiveness in my tone.

Jake gets up, his stony expression setting off alarm bells. “Well, we’re just going to have to tell Marvik to find someone else.”

“Why?” I ask, baffled over his attitude. Even though Colby’s sudden disappearance had surprised me, it wasn’t like we’d been close friends. At least, that’s what I told myself. Otherwise, it hurt too much.

“How do we know he won’t bail on us this time? We have a lot riding on Dragen’s Tarn,” Jake bites out, his jaw clenched. “The documentary. A first ascent. Plus, it’s your first big project since…”

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