good at this, I think I’ll let you do the last window.”
She steadied the ladder as he descended. “I’ll probably get it done more quickly anyway.”
“Be my guest. I’ll pick up the sticks in the yard after I return a call.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can clean up tomorrow. But if you can take me to Budget, I’d appreciate it.”
He checked his watch. “We should have time for both.”
She stepped aside as he reached the ground. Then he picked up the ladder and moved it to the last window. “It’s all yours.”
He secured the ladder and held it in place as she ascended. It barely shook under Aiden’s firm grip. Once she reached the third rung from the top, she braced herself.
“Thanks,” she called down. “I got it from here.”
She went to work on the left shutter. Was that call Aiden had to make to Tiffany? He’d gone inside the house—seeking privacy?
None of her business.
She made herself think instead of Joshua Stevens with a v and their upcoming date. He seemed nice enough, and even though she’d initially planned to go through with the date simply to appease her grandma, she decided she’d give the guy a real chance. It would take her mind off Aiden’s departure, and she was coming to realize that was going to hit her hard.
Sophie secured one shutter quickly, but the other side was trickier. Aiden had managed both sides without moving the ladder, but her reach wasn’t as broad as his.
Still, she could manage. She swung the shutter outward, pushing it back against the house. This last part would take a bit of balance. She put her weight on her right leg and reached. Yes, she could do this.
As she grabbed the bracket, the ladder shifted suddenly to the right. Her weight went with it. She grabbed the frame, but it was moving. Falling.
Gravity pulled. Helplessness engulfed her. A scream pierced the air just before she hit the ground with a thud.
* * *
Aiden had just tapped the number into his phone when a shriek sliced the air. Sophie.
He tore out of the kitchen, ripped open the sliding door, and dashed outside. His muscles froze at the sight. The ladder lay on the ground, Sophie a motionless heap in the landscaping.
“Sophie!” He was at her side in two seconds flat. “Are you okay?”
She groaned. “My ankle.”
“Let’s lie you flat. Careful. Let me do it.” He lifted her off a bush that had likely broken her fall and laid her in the mulch.
She winced with the movement. “It hurts.”
He carefully tugged up her pants leg. Her ankle was starting to swell, but there was no noticeable deformity that would indicate an obvious break.
“Don’t touch it!” she said when he reached out to do just that.
“It’s okay. I’m certified as an EMT now. We should see what the damage is before we move you inside.”
When she gave a nod he palpitated the area gently, checking for points of tenderness and watching her face for reaction.
He thought of the ladder lying on its side and glanced at the ground where he’d set it. It was the lowest part of the property and spongy from all the rain. He should’ve been more careful. He should’ve stayed and held the ladder. He should’ve climbed it himself instead of passing the task on to her so he could return a stupid call to the ESTA ceremony coordinator.
He finished checking her range of motion. “I don’t think it’s broken.”
“I heard something snap.”
“Probably a ligament. You might just have a nasty sprain, but you should get an X-ray to be sure.”
“I’ll be fine. Take me inside so I can ice it.”
“Sophie, you need to get it checked out. You could have a small fracture. Injuries like this can have long-term consequences if they don’t heal properly.”
“I’ve already got car trouble, Aiden. I don’t need hospital bills on top of it.”
“Insurance will pay for it.”
“I have a thousand-dollar deductible.”
“I’ll cover it then. I shouldn’t have left you on that ladder.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Just get me inside.”
He pinned her with a look as he reached for her. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”
She leaned away. “No, you’re not.”
He leaned back on his haunches, glaring at her. She was too stubborn for her own good. She’d nurse the whole world within an inch of their lives, but heaven help her if she needed a hand.
“Fine. A compromise then. We’ll find an Urgent Care. They’ll be able to x-ray it, and it won’t cost