Page 59 of Taming Grumpy Dr. Beast
Jaxon
Patches had stoppedup ahead and barked incessantly until I reached the hill he stood on. A few feet from where I positioned myself the ground sloped and dropped straight down into a ravine. I swept the beam of the flashlight over the lip of the ledge, straining my eyes to notice any sign of movement.
“Lily! Can you hear me?” Fear clutched at my chest and grew into a giant size knot when there wasn’t a response. I called her name again.
The wind picked up again, almost carrying away the faint sound that I was sure I heard.
“Jaxon?”
Oh, my God. It was her! I tugged Patches closer to me and planted a kiss on the dog’s head. He deserved a huge treat when we got home. Without Patches I might never have found her.
I laid on my stomach and shimmied forward as far as I dared to the edge of the drop off. “Lily? I can’t see you down there.” The beam from the flashlight could barely make out the muddy bottom.
“Jaxon!” My name echoed from below. My chest released the knot that had formed. “Oh, my God. It really is you. I’m right below you. Please, help me. I can’t get out. Every time I try to climb, I slide back down. The sides are too slick.”
“Are you hurt?” I held my breath waiting for her reply, afraid of what her answer might be.
“I’m okay. Bruised and sore from the fall, but not seriously hurt.”
I let out my breath, a warm feeling filling my chest.
Nowthat she was talking, I was able to pinpoint her location. The light caught the glint of her eyes as she stared up at me. “Let me see if I can pull you out.” I reached one arm to her; my hand open wide to grab onto hers when she got close enough.
The faintest tickle of her fingertips grazed mine. I was so close to getting her out of here.
“Damn it,” she yelled. “I can’t get close enough. I keep slipping.”
I kept my voice calm. “Try again.”
She did, and then let out a shriek of frustration when she slid one more time. “It’s no use. I think we need more help.”
The wind had died down enough for me to hear the tremble in her voice.
“I’m not leaving you.” I stubbornly insisted.
“I’ll be fine here until you return.”
I grunted. “I don’t like that idea.”
“Jaxon, don’t be an idiot. You can’t get me out. You need to find someone else to help or get rope or something.”
She was right, but I didn’t want to abandon her.
“Let me dial Paul first.” His phone rang three times then went into voicemail. I left him a brief message.
“I’ll be okay,” Lily said, with a forced cheeriness.
“Let me see if there’s anything I can use nearby first. I won’t go too far. If I don’t find anything to help, I’ll run to the house.” My gaze darted around the clearing. Was it too much to hope this stupid storm had knocked something down I could use?
Apparently, it was. There wasn’t even a long branch in sight.
I crawled to the edge of the ravine. “I can’t find anything. I’ll have to run back to the house. I won’t be long.”
Lily gave me a weary look. Her arms wrapped around her middle, clearly tired from trying to climb out of the ravine. “I know.”
I shivered. If I was cold, so was she.
I threw my coat down to her before I slid my body back. I was about to stand when her voice reached me once more. “Jaxon?” Her voice was choppy as her teeth chattered.
