Читать книгу Edge of the Map. The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff онлайн

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“Michigan? You’re from the Midwest?”

“Wisconsin.”

“A cheesehead! A Wisconsin girl goes to Bolivia. I’m liking this image,” Keith said. “Got any gear after that course at Windy Hill?” He shifted his weight, crossing his arms as he sized up the short blond woman in front of him. Her build was solid. Not lithe or wiry like the women at the climbing gym he was used to seeing. She looked strong, capable of endurance—qualities he knew were important trekking miles at altitude.

“A backpack,” Chris said. “That’s it. But I just got a raise, so my credit card is ready to be put to use. You might look at me and think I’m not up for it, but I’ve got three older brothers so I can handle myself. I’m into all kinds of sports. Tennis, barefoot waterskiing, running, racquetball.”

Keith looked at the fiery woman before him. She seemed like the real deal. “Tell you what. Let’s get together, rope up, and I’ll give you a few more pointers.”

Chris and Keith began training together, a partnership that turned into romance with ease. He was seventeen years her senior and owned an architectural firm, a career that allowed flexibility and enough money to support his climbing habit. Chris committed to her new interest by purchasing gear and absorbing the knowledge she’d need for the sport she would grow to love. She was an uncomplicated girl from the Midwest. Yet at age twenty-six, she was a natural for the sport. Years as an engineer had sharpened her analytical skills. Patience had grown from struggling to keep up with her brothers and then leading teams of men at Lockheed. And she was resilient—a gift from her German-bred, pragmatic parents.