Page 106 of When the Stars Rise

We all laugh, and I wince. Shit. That hurts. Must have gotten injured when we rammed into the steel girder.

Funny how your brain doesn’t send the signal that you’re in pain when you’re in a life-and-death situation but once the adrenaline starts wearing off, boom! It hits you like a Mack truck.

I cradle my ribs as we climb to the top of the bridge and stop near the ambulance. They haven’t brought Carey up yet, but I want to be here when they do.

“I could use a beer,” Steve says. “Or ten. I’m gonna head out.”

Briggs and I thank him again for his help and when he’s gone, Briggs looks at me. “Guess we should call it a day. Wind’s too strong, and it’s gonna be dark soon.”

I’m disappointed that we only got twelve jumps in, but shit happens. Sometimes it’s better to quit while you’re ahead, so I nod reluctantly. “It was a good time though.”

“Thank fuck it all worked out. We should plan a trip to Moab. Do some climbing and jumping.”

“You know I’d be down for that.”

“Cool.”

After the words are out, I realize what I’ve just promised. I told Hayley that this time everything would be different. Which means I’ll have to find a way to limit some of my riskier pursuits. Otherwise, we’ll have a repeat of what happened the second time we broke up.

If she knew what I did today she’d have had a full-blown anxiety attack. I didn’t even stop to think. I just did what needed to be done. But I didn’t really have a choice, did I? I couldn’t just leave Carey hanging, could I?

I’ll do what I need to do and then I’ll walk away. Shouldn’t be a problem. I can find something else to fill the void.

I jerk my chin toward Carey as they wheel him to the ambulance. “I want to make sure he’s okay.”

“I’m gonna head out. Stay in touch, man. Catch you later.”

I jog over to the ambulance and Alex pulls me into a bone-crushing hug that sucks all the oxygen out of my lungs and makes little dots appear before my eyes.

I lean against the side of the ambulance and breathe through the pain until the world stops spinning.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry,” Alex says, her forehead wreathed with concern. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“Nope,” I force a smile. “All good.” I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my arm and focus on what really matters. “How’s Carey?”

“They think he has a concussion, and he broke his arm and clavicle.” She smiles wide, eyes bright. “He got banged up pretty bad but he’s going to be fine, thanks to you.”

“Not just me,” I say. “I didn’t do it alone.”

She waves off my comment, and her smile grows even wider. “You’re about to be even more famous.”

I turn just as a news team rushes toward us. Before I can duck away, Alex grabs my arm and pushes me front and center. “This is Noah McCallister. He rescued my fiancé from the bridge.”

Oh, hell no.

A female reporter smiles bright, a gleam in her eye as if she’s just been handed the gift of a lifetime. “Noah McCallister? As in Hayley Saint James’ boyfriend? This isn’t the first time you’ve been a hero, is it?”

Fucking perfect. Just what I need right now, a journalist who’s done her research.

“We’re here with Noah McCallister whose daring rescue saved the life of a man whose parachute got caught on the bridge.” The cameras zoom in on me and there’s nowhere to run. “What prompted you to risk your life for a complete stranger?”

The reporter shoves the microphone in front of my face and my stomach sinks.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuuuuuck.

I am so fucking fucked.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT