Page 60 of Taming Grumpy Dr. Beast

“Yeah.”

“Thanks for your coat. I’m sorry about this.” Her voice caught on a sob. “I shouldn’t have run outside into this stupid storm, and I never should have lied to you.”

The sound tore at me. “It’s fine. I’m an asshole for reacting the way I did. We’ll have plenty of time for the ‘I’m sorrys,’ once we get you out of there.”

“All right.” She sounded weaker.

Patches laid down on the ground his eyes staring at Lily’s location below until I called his name.

“Stay,” I said, holding my palm out in a gesture for him not to move. “I’ll be right back. Stay with Lily.”

The dog whined before going back to his vigil.

I forced myself to shove down my panic at the thought of leaving them and remain calm. On my way through the woods, I’d kept tracks of various landmarks and used them to follow the same path I took to get here. With each step away from Lily, my anxiety grew. I needed to get back and help her before anything else happened.

As I ran toward the house, I dialed Ms. Ketill. “I found Lily. Do we have any rope?”

***

AFTER GRABBING THErope from Ms. Ketill, I ran back into the woods not bothering to wait for Paul to return. I was confident I could get her out of the ravine, but just in case told Ms. Ketill to send Paul my way if he returned before I did.

Sharp yips and barks greeted me when I arrived at the location where Lily had fallen. It had only taken me less than forty minutes, but it felt like I had been gone an eternity.

He continued to watch over Lily like he was her protector. That selfless act made me smile.

“Lily! I’m back.” I yelled down to her. “Are you still there?” Worry tinged my words.

“I’m still here, Jaxon. Trust me, if I could have escaped, I would have.” The sound of a faint chuckle floated up to me.

“Good to know I’m still needed,” I responded wryly. “I have a rope. I’m going to toss it down to you and then you climb up.”

“And I have to climb it.” She sighed.

I could tell by her tone she wasn’t looking forward to this.

I stood and tossed the rope over the edge. “Do you see it?” he asked.

She tugged the thick brown rope while responding, “Yes.”

“Okay. I’ll hold the rope steady. All you need to do is put one hand above the other on the rope and climb up.”

“Got it,” she responded tersely.

The rope grew taunt as she pulled with her arms. “Damn it.”

“You okay.”

“Yeah, I just need a minute,” she muttered.

She cried out at the same time the tension in the rope disappeared.

Shit! Had Lily gotten hurt?

My heart pounded against my ribs as I dove to the ground, clutching my end of the rope.Please be okay, please be okayplayed like a broken record until I spotted Lily crouched in a ball, her hands digging into the soft earth beneath her.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m still here. We can take this slow,” I said, using my calmest voice now that my heart wasn’t about to beat out of my chest.

“I can’t do it,” she said, her voice breaking.