Page 20 of A Mountain Man Walks into a Library

She sighs. “Clearly.”

I shouldn’t be listening. This is none of my business. And I get the feeling that Remy didn’t even want me to know about his condition in the first place. But I can’t seem to move from my spot near the door.

“Baby, look,” she says softly, “I just thought you were managing it better. That’s all. I trust you—don’t look at me like that, Ido—but you know you have a tendency to push your limits. And sometimes you don’t notice the symptoms as they’re coming on.”

“Mom, please,” Remy says. His voice is scratchy, like the episode took something out of him. “I promise, it’s fine. I just overexerted myself today, that’s all. Besides, you were here to help, right?”

“And what about when I’m not?” she asks. “And I know you and Sam are patching things up, but you’ve already split up once. I hate the thought of you all alone out here.”

I draw in a slow breath and turn around, heading back to the living room. Mark is sitting on the couch, carefully packing up the last of the board games. He looks up at me as I enter, offering me a small smile.

“You’re calm in a crisis,” he says, “I’ll give you that.”

I smile back and settle onto the couch beside him. “I grew up with a dad and two brothers who have a near-romantic relationship with power tools. I’ve seen a lot of crises.”

Mark snorts. Then he pats the contents of his suitcase to make sure everything is stable and flat. When he’s satisfied, he zips it closed.

He looks at me assessingly and then sighs. “That boy isn’t fragile,” he says, “despite what his mother might say.” He laughs lightly. “Look at me. ‘Boy.’ Remington is thirty years old, even if he’ll always be my little boy. So he’s diabetic? So what? I have seen that kid—thatguy—face down childhood bullies and the committee for his master’s thesis. He is smart and capable and tough.”

Mark narrows his eyes at me, and I sit up straighter. Then he smiles. Shakes his head.

“I think you get that about him, though.” He nods. “You do. So we are going to sit here together, and let Marjorie fuss because there’s no stopping her. And then she and I will get out of your hair, and the two of you can celebrate my son’s birthday however you were planning to before we showed up unannounced.”

I think I don’t even blush too much.

Of course, our evening is going to look very different from what I’d been picturing just an hour before. Nothing too rigorous. But if all I get to do is hold Remy while he settles into sleep, I’ll be happy.

I think that’s all I need to be happy.

Chapter 10

Remy

My head is still poundingwhen my parents finally step out onto the front porch, suitcases in hand. My stomach feels gross, too, like it has every time my mom has had to give me an emergency injection. At least I didn’t puke on Sam.

Mom gathers me into a hug so tight, the air rushes out of my lungs. Behind her, Dad catches my eyes and shakes his head, smiling lightly. This has been their relationship for as long as I can remember. Dad the calm, reserved one. Mom, emotional and passionate. Until, of course, I pass out, and then my mom morphs into this weird combination of Super Nurse and Drill Sergeant, barking orders and getting shit done. Dad has to leave the room because the stress is too much for him.

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