Page 79 of Mountain Summons

Tristan

“Are you sure you don’t want to join me?” Lorenz asked, leaning back against his desk across from Tristan’s.

Tristan shook his head. “Four marathons in four days? Only you would be crazy enough to call that a holiday.”

Lorenz lowered his voice so only Tristan could hear. “I hate to tell you, but what you all are doing, that’s way crazier.” Tristan knew what he was referring to, of course. Just a few short months ago, he’d been where Lorenz was now—he’d thought his friends were all losing their minds. Now he knew the truth. That they hadn’t lost anything. Instead, they’d gained something precious.

“Maybe we are crazy,” he agreed easily. He knew from experience there was no way to explain it to Lorenz. Love. Commitment. The sense that there was one person who meanteverything. Lorenz would either find out himself, or he wouldn’t. No one could—or should—talk him into it. “You might want to give it a try someday yourself.”

Lorenz’s sharp green gaze narrowed. “I think my ex-wife would counsel against that course of action.”

“Say that again?” Tristan asked, like he didn’t trust his own hearing.

“You heard me. I’m not going to say it again. But I will say this. It’s good to see you like this, Tristan.” He smiled, showing very white teeth. “You’re glowing.”

Tristan snorted. The truth was, hewashappy. Happier than he’d ever imagined he could be.

So much had happened in the last couple of weeks. Rogier had ended up in an institution. The evaluation was still ongoing, but there was a high chance he wouldn’t be considered fit to stand trial. Tristan didn’t care, as long as he got the help he needed, and didn’t get to go free. He didn’t want that man anywhere near Lena ever again.

Lena’s show at the art gallery was still ongoing, but most of the photographs now had little red dots next to them, since they’d all been sold. She was going to have to work hard in the next months to make the Tokyo show a reality.

Tristan’s parents had invited both him and Lena, but also the colonel, to go spend Christmas with them in Geneva. The colonel had said yes, and was apparently going to take time off this year to make it happen. The world was full of surprises.

“So. Where are we meeting everyone?” Lorenz asked. “I start training next week, so I might as well enjoy a drink or two tonight.”

Tristan gathered his jacket. “Everybody’s meeting here. Beau made a reservation at a new place just a few minutes away.”

Several loud, familiar voices broke the silence. Val and Yvette walked in first, followed closely by Isla. Hugo and Jo were the next ones through the door. It seemed to Tristan that Jo’s belly made it through the door long before the rest of her, but he knew better than to mention this to the pregnant woman.

“They’d better have mocktails, is all I can say,” Jo said loudly.

“If they don’t, we’ll go somewhere else,” Yvette promised.

Finally, Alex and Beau joined them.

“Okay, we’re ready,” Tristan said. “Lena sent a message to say she’ll meet us at the bar.”

Eager to get going, Lorenz was the first one out the door. He went through and held it open for the group.

“Thank you,” Jo said. Just past the doorway, though, she froze.

Not dramatically. Not with fanfare. She just stopped walking, right in the middle of the doorway, one hand pressed to her belly.

“Okay,” she said. “That’s … new.”

Everyone on both sides of the doorway turned to her.

Beside her, Hugo frowned. “New?”

Jo looked around, blinking hard. “Like …contractionnew.”

“No,” Hugo said firmly. “We have three days left.”

“That’s not really how it works, Hugo,” Val huffed impatiently, pushing past him. “Jo, breathe through it. Everything’s going to be just fine.”

“Are you serious? The baby’s comingtoday?” Hugo’s normally tan face had gone chalky.

“Come with me, Hugo, before you fall down,” Ry said, taking the father-to-be by the arm.

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