Mal held up a large envelope. “I brought you this. It’s the first three chapters of the biography Amy is writing about Dad. I thought you might like to read it. It’s quite good, if I can say so about my own girlfriend’s writing.”
Rogan grabbed a towel and wiped his mouth, then wandered back out to the living room. When he didn’t grab the envelope right away, Mal shrugged and dropped it on the table in front of the sofa.
Rogan wasn’t sure how he felt about everything that was happening in regards to Max Quinn. The book, the expedition to recover his body from Everest and the publicity that was sure to follow. He understood why Mal was so keen on it all, but there was some instinct buried deep inside Rogan that shouted caution.
But then, Rogan knew more about his father than Mal did—than Mal wanted to know. He’d first heard the rumors about their father on a trekking expedition to Annapurna. A few blokes from another team were chatting over dinner and the conversation had turned to women climbers, and one in particular. Annalise Montgomery. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but when he heard his father’s name mentioned, he spun around to face the other climbers. The pair quickly went silent when they recognized him and they’d refused to say more. Rogan wished that had been the end of it.
Rogan sat down on the sofa and regarded the envelope pensively, then reached out to pick it up. “Are you sure you really want to open all this up again, Mal? What if we find out something we don’t want to know? Something that hurts Mum?”
“She thinks the book is a good idea,” Mal said.
“But she’s still wobbling on the expedition. She said as much to me last week,” Rogan countered.
“She’ll come round. We’ve almost worked out the funding. And you can’t tell me you’re not interested in climbing Everest.”
Truthfully, Rogan was interested in the climb. He wouldn’t have clients to worry about and it would be different. Max Adrenaline had never offered an Everest expedition in deference to his mother. Still, he didn’t expect that she was going to approve of all three of her sons climbing the peak that had killed her husband.
“I still think we ought to discuss the book,” Rogan said. “All of us. You, me, Ryan and Dana.”
Mal shrugged. “Getting all four of us together at one time is nearly impossible. And what difference would it make?” He stood up. “Now, I have to find my old bike. Have you seen it? Ryan was using it last winter. Amy wants a bike with a basket so she can run errands around town without the car.”
“Haven’t a clue. Why don’t you just buy her a new bike?”
“I suggested that, but she’s on an austerity kick right now. She says we should start saving our money. So we can start a family.”
“You’re not even married yet,” Rogan said, staring at his brother.
“I know. But we’re talking about making it official. And after that, who can say. We both want kids, so it might happen sooner rather than later.”
“Jaysus, Mal, things are moving a bit fast, don’t you think?”
“No,” Mal said, shaking his head. “Now that we’ve decided we want to be together, we’re moving forward. Just as Dad always said, ‘one foot in front of the other.’ That’s the only way to get anywhere in life.”
“How is that going to affect your schedule?”
“Amy realizes we’ll have to be apart for long periods of time. But she says she understands that’s the way it has to be. We’ll work it out. Although I would like to cut back a bit on leading the long trips. I was hoping to talk to you and Ryan about that.”
Rogan ran his fingers through his tousled hair. So much for his own plans to leave the family business behind. Now that Mal was talking about marriage, that would leave only Ryan to guide the big expeditions and he couldn’t do it alone. The business and the family would surely suffer.
“Sure,” Rogan said. “No problem.”
“Great. It’ll only be for a while. Business is going to pick up and we’ll be able to afford to hire more guides. At some point, I’d like to take just a few trips a year.”
Rogan pushed to his feet. Max Adrenaline had always been Mal’s baby. He was the one who’d convinced Rogan and Ryan to sign on. And now, he was the one anxious to step back. “So you managed to find the one woman in the entire bleedin’ world who was willing to put up with the lifestyle. How did you manage that?”
He brushed past Mal and walked to the kitchen, his frustration slowly simmering. Why were things always so much easier for Mal? It always seemed as though he had complete control over everything—his life, his emotions, his women.
“Don’t take your pissy attitude out on me,” Mal said as he followed him through the back. “It’s not my fault Kaylee decided to run off with Fitzgerald.”
Rogan drew a deep breath before he began to make a pot of coffee. “It’s not her. I just had a bad start to my day.”
In truth, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a good start to his day. Nothing seemed to move him anymore, not even the view from the top of a mountain or the smell of a deep, damp rain forest. There was something missing, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
Had he been free to live his life as he pleased, he’d probably escape to some monastery in Tibet and try to suss it all out. But he had responsibilities he couldn’t escape, responsibilities that Mal reminded him of nearly every day.
“Well, chin up,” Mal said, repeating another familiar family phrase.
That was how the Quinns had always dealt with problems—chin up, one foot in front of the other, stiff upper lip.
“Right-o,” Rogan muttered.
“Besides, your new client can’t be as bad as you’re making out,” Mal said.
“She rang this morning with yet another list of things she wants to discuss. Is there a nit she hasn’t picked yet? I’m thinking I ought to pass her off to you. You could handle her nagging better than me.”
“She’s your client,” Mal said. “And what’s that supposed to mean? I can handle the nagging?”
Rogan chuckled. “You’re the one with a permanent woman in your life.”
“Yeah. But Amy doesn’t nag me.”
“Never?”
Mal shook his head. “No. In fact, we get on quite well. I love being with her. There isn’t anyone I’d rather spend my time with.”
“Why?” Rogan asked. “What is it about her? Why is she so special?”
Mal sat silently for a long moment as he tried to put his thoughts into words. “She makes me laugh. And I make her laugh. I reckon if we have that then there’s not much that’s going to tear us apart.”
Rogan leaned back into the sofa and closed his eyes. Maybe that was what he was missing—someone who could make him laugh. Someone
