Page 87 of The Reality of Us
She thunked her helmet against the rock face, a few tears sliding down her face.
“Alice.” Owen’s voice cut through the fog. “What can you see?”
All she could see was herself plummeting to her death, Owen never knowing how she really felt about him.
“I can see a beautiful woman facing her fears. Doing her best for everyone else even though it scares her.”
He always knew the right thing to say.
“I know you’re nervous, Alice, but you haven’t let this beat you yet. You’ve got this, honey.”
Honey.
It was scary how much one word could make her believe she could do this. That they could do this. To think there wasn’t anything they couldn’t tackle together. Her fingers loosened slightly, and she looked up, figured out her next move.
A shadow fell across her body, the sun disappearing behind the paramedic. No way was he going to beat her. Not now.
“What can you touch?” Owen’s words spurred her into action. Alice propelled herself forward, shoulders aching, head pounding. Her shirt caught on a sharp edge, but it didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered.
“I can touch the flag.” Her fingers closed over the fabric, and she yanked it free.
Owen whooped, and she sagged down into her harness.
“Let’s get you down here so we can win this thing,” Owen called.
All the residual elation disappeared, her limbs turning to cement.
Down might be her least favourite word ever.
“See if you can push off the wall as Charlie lowers you.”
Alice tried, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. Each time her feet connected with the cliff face, it was like her lower half was made from jelly.
Somehow, she managed it, the sounds around her growing sharper, louder. Owen’s hand was on her before she even touched the ground, two roughly hewn branches clasped in his other hand. So that’s what he’d been doing. Always the multi-tasker. The air between them crackled.
“You’re amazing,” Owen said as he undid the carabiner, disconnecting the rope from her harness, his walking sticks clutched to his chest. His eyes dropped to Alice’s lips, and her heart started to race for a very different reason. There would be so much kissing later.
So. Much. Kissing.
A bellow of victory from above spurred them both into action. Alice looked around, finally able to take in her surroundings properly. Three other teams had arrived and were in various stages of the climb. They had to move.
“Let’s go.” Owen hobbled towards the finish line.
Alice couldn’t see anything but the row of flags in the distance and the group of people waiting. Owen was breathing heavily, punctuating each step with a groan. Her harness dug into her hips uncomfortably. But they didn’t stop.
Maybe they could actually win this thing? As soon as the thought entered her mind, reality caught up with her.
Thunderous, elephant-like steps made the air around her shake. They were two metres away from the finish line when the paramedics sprinted past them, bursting through the winner’s ribbon.
31
They crossed the finish line three seconds later, and Alice tipped forward, hands braced on her thighs. She dimly registered someone calling her name, but she ignored them, steering Owen towards the first-aid tent. Once he was seated, his bad leg stretched out in front of him, she took her first deep breath since his fall.
Second place.
Better than she’d dared to hope for. Her hand settled on Owen’s shoulder, his large palm automatically covering hers.
“How are you?” she murmured.
