Before I had a chance to respond to the snide remark, Lucky spoke up. “Dude, seriously? You just climbed down that thing without falling. How’d you do that?”
“Lots of practice,” I said with a smile. “Plus, I had a rope attached to my harness to make sure if I did fall, I wouldn’t hit the ground. It’s called a top rope. I climbed up to attach anchors so we have safety mechanisms in place before I teach you how to climb today. I’m going to go over the top rope and belay while the first couple of climbers get their harnesses on.”
I got all of the boys’ attention and began to teach them about the ropes and harnesses they’d be using for their first climb. When it was time for someone to go first, Calvin stepped forward immediately. “Me. I totally got this.”
Forcing myself to smile instead of roll my eyes at his cocky attitude, I showed Calvin how to clip in to the belay set-up and attach the top rope to his harness with a carabiner.
“Stay there while I get Lucky squared away. I can’t have both of you start until there are two adults on belay, okay?”
I ignored his muttered complaint and helped Lucky get connected. As I worked, I looked over at Aiden and Bennett who were standing shoulder to shoulder, watching me. I tried not to imagine the two of them naked together, and wondered what Aiden would think about his little boyfriend’s midnight visit to my tent. Never in a million years would I have pegged Bennett as the cheating type. It was just further proof he wasn’t the guy I’d once known.
“I need one of you to help belay,” I said, unable to decide which man was the lesser of two evils.
“I’ll do it,” Aiden said quickly, before Bennett even had a chance to speak. “I’ve done it before.”
As he approached and grabbed a harness from the pile of supplies at our feet, I couldn’t help but look at him in surprise. “You have?” I asked. “When?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Do you really care? Just believe me when I say I know how to do it. I’ll take Lucky.”
Okay, so the man was being an ass as usual. I wondered if he knew what had happened between me and Bennett in my tent. Surely not. Knowing Aiden’s type, he would have confronted me by now. Hell, if the roles had been reversed and I’d discovered Bennett had cheated on me, I’d kick Aiden’s ass so hard…
I watched him get situated with the belay device before asking Lucky if he was ready. The kid looked at Aiden with a huge grin and said, “On belay?”
Aiden nodded and smiled back. “Belay on.”
Okay, maybe he did know what he was doing.
As the two kids climbed up the rock side-by-side, I heard them talking to each other. At first, it sounded like regular smack-talk between friends, but then I realized there was an edge to it.
I quickly looked over at Aiden to see if he’d noticed. He was concentrating on the ropes and watching Lucky’s feet.
Calvin’s voice drifted down, just loudly enough for me to make it out. “What the hell kinda shoes are those? I thought you couldn’t afford anything decent like that.”
“B got them for me. Not that it’s any of your damned business,” Lucky snapped.
“Aww, how sweet. Lucky has a Sugar Daddy. At least yours is better than the one your mom had, huh?” Calvin chuckled before pulling himself up with another foothold in the rock.
Lucky stared after him. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” The response came out in a low growl, and I could barely make it out over the sound of the kids joking around behind Aiden and me.
“Lucky, Calvin—” I shouted up at them. “Less talking, more focusing. Bennett, can you back the kids up a bit so we can hear the climbers’ instructions please?” I asked over my shoulder, not taking my eyes off the boys as they climbed higher, with Lucky slightly ahead of Calvin.
“Sure,” Bennett said. I knew he was upset with me, but he did as I asked and got the other boys to back way up into the meadow behind us.
“What is it?” Aiden asked in a low voice.
“What’s what?”
“They’re not having any problems with this climb, so why are you worried about us not being able to hear them?”
I didn’t bother telling him I didn’t want the other kids hearing the shit Calvin was giving Lucky. I knew exactly what it was like to be on the receiving end of that crap. A guy like Aiden just wouldn’t get it. I shrugged as I let out more rope. “Just good form, that’s all.”
“Whatever,” I heard him mutter.
“What’s Lucky’s story?” I asked, just loudly enough for Aiden to hear.