“Long time making that.”
She gave him a smile. “It isn’t just drinking tea that’s therapeutic. It’s the time it takes to brew too.”
“You up for this game?”
She nodded.
“You start. Ask me what you want.” He took the mug of tea from her outstretched hand. “Proper builders’ tea this, Abby.”
“Better than gnat’s piss.”
“Damn right. Go on. Ask me anything.”
She smiled, pushing the anxiety away. In for a penny, in for a pound was what her grandmother used to say.
“If you could only pick one to survive from Zack, Jake and Scott which would it be?”
He laughed. “Truth. That’s easy. Zack.”
“Seriously?” She frowned. “Why?”
He shrugged. “Jake would save himself and Scott wouldn’t get himself into that situation anyway. The only reason Zack would be there would be because he’d have been trying to stop Jake from doing something insane. My turn.”
She ignored his wicked smile.
“How was climbing Everest?”
Her heart pounded a little harder in her chest. “Truth. Amazing. Hard. But K2 was harder.” She’d done it. She’d told him who she was, that he was correct with her identity.
“Which one’s next?”
“The Eiger. But I doubt it’ll ever happen. That career’s over.” She managed to smile because she was at peace with it. “My sponsorship was terminated because obviously I haven’t climbed properly for two years. I’m not fit enough and I couldn’t afford the kit anymore.”
He didn’t argue back or try to rationalise it. “I’m sorry. You must’ve had good reasons for doing it.”
“I did.” But she wasn’t going to tell him what those reasons were yet. “My turn. What’s the longest relationship you’ve been in?”
“Truth. Four months.”
“Why so short?”
Alex shook his head. “I get bored. Or they do. I’m not into restaurants or bars. I’d rather get up early and go for a run or climb. Not many women are into that. It generally just peters out.”
“Do you want a relationship?” She hated herself for asking the question. “Or are you one of those guys who would rather be single. Indulge in one night stands?”
“I’d like to be with someone. Especially seeing Scott and Zack happy. I’d like that.” He looked more serious than she’d ever seen him and she fought the urge to clamber onto his knee and try to make that smile appear.
“Truth or dare, what’s the longest relationship you’ve had and who was it with?”
“Truth. Andrew Bishop. Another climber. We were together for eighteen months.”
“When did you break up?”
“When I came here. I finished with him by text and told him something had happened and I couldn’t be in touch.” It hadn’t hurt as much as she thought it would. They’d never been that serious, even though it had been a fairly long time. They hadn’t ever discussed moving in together and she was pretty sure he’d cheated on her at one point but it hadn’t been worth the inquest.
She sipped at her tea, watched Alex’s face. He was unreadable.
“My turn. Truth or dare, how old were you when you lost your virginity?”
She had wondered whether he’d take the dare on this. It was the most personal question she’d ever asked him because even though she’d known him for two years, they didn’t talk like this.
“Truth. Fifteen. The woman I slept with was twenty.”
Abby laughed. “Just one night then?”
“Surprisingly no. She was staying in the cottages on the farm, holiday rentals with her friends. I saw her the next two nights afterwards. Think she enjoyed playing teacher.” His expression was purely smug. “Jake liked her as well so that made it even sweeter.”
“How much did you brag?”
“About as much as I’m doing now which made Jake even more infuriated. Truth or dare, what happened to make you leave your career?”
This was it, the point where she had to tell him more than the truth.
“Truth.” It took her a while to say the word. “My sister went missing. Matilda. I have no idea where she is. My mum and her dad split when she was four and I was eleven. We didn’t see our dad after that and our mother died about six years ago – she was involved in a drunk driving accident only she was the driver. Tilly was my only relative – I never knew who my real dad was.”
She expected to see sympathy on his face, some form of empathy but instead it was worry. Her heart started to thump again.
“Does she look like you?”
Abby shook her head. “No. The only thing that was the same were our eyes. We both had our mum’s. I looked more like my mum than either of us, and she took after her dad who was from Bahrain. Tilly looked exotic. Why?”
Alex didn’t answer. “Your turn.”
“Truth or dare.” Her voice shook. “Do you think Garrison is a bent cop?”
He didn’t flinch. “Truth. Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s been covering up crazy shit that’s been going down in Manchester for the last four years. When the gang war started. He’s on Alfie Fletcher’s payroll.” He leaned forward, closer to her. “If you’re worried I’m going to tell Garrison who you are, you’re wasting your worries on something that won’t happen.”
“Why? How do you know this?”
There was silence for a moment, a piece of time that felt like forever. “I can’t tell you, Abby.”
“But I’m telling you…”
“I know. And it isn’t fair. At some point soon I might be able to tell you more but how do I know if I can trust you? I’ve already said too much. You could be anyone. You could be Alfie Fletcher’s cousin for all I know.”
Abby laughed. “I think I need something stronger than tea.”
“Whisky?”
She nodded. “It’s been a rough day.”
He didn’t respond, leaving her in the lounge with the dogs before coming back with two tumblers full and then sitting next to her on the sofa.
“Cheers.” Alex held up his glass to chink it with hers. “To having secrets.”
“Cheers.” She took a good mouthful of the whisky, feeling it burn as she swallowed. “Thank you for having me here.”
“It serves several purposes. You’re safe. I can find out more about what you know and we cultivate the rumour mill in this town. Apparently we’re shacking up and you're pregnant.”
“That was fast.”
“Must be my super sperm. Can penetrate an egg without even having sex.”
Abby started to laugh. Hard. Like she hadn’t done for as long as she could remember. “I didn’t think you come out with stuff like that.”
Alex was chuckling, at her she figured rather than his own joke. “Spent too much time with Jake. Anyway. It’s my turn.”
“Go on then. Hit me with it.” She expected him to ask something about Tilly or why Severton.