One Summer in Santa Fe - By Molly Evans Page 0,18

them, he’d never forgive himself. Trying to control the fear that shot through him, he took a deep breath and pushed down the voice of his father that tried to berate him. Now was not the time to listen to that voice. Now was the time to keep his nephew safe.

“Piper, can you climb up to the ledge?” he shouted down. If she could get to the ledge just a few feet off the ground, there was a better chance of Alex getting down unscathed.

“Yes. I’ll do it.” He watched a moment as she scrambled up and then waved at him. “Go ahead.”

Wind whipped at them, increasing in its intensity with every passing moment. Each time he lowered Alex, he became a pendulum on a string, succumbing to the fate of the canyon winds trying to crush him against the rock. Muscles screaming, Taylor focused on lowering Alex one inch at a time. He was just a few feet from the security of Piper’s arms. Relief shot through Taylor. Safety was just a few feet away.

The rigging snapped.

Piper’s scream echoed in his mind as Alex plunged the last few feet.

Powerless, helpless, Taylor could only watch as the two tumbled from the ledge down to the bottom of the cliff face. Without hesitation, he released the rest of the rigging and climbed the rest of the way down.

In minutes that passed like hours, he dropped the last few feet to the ledge and leaped down beside them, his muscles screaming from the exertion.

“Are you okay?” He reached for Alex who sat up and rubbed his face. Overcome with emotions he couldn’t name, Taylor grabbed his nephew and folded him into a hug. “Are you hurt, are you okay?” he asked, and pulled back, running his hands over Alex’s neck and shoulders.

Scratches and a few bumps were all he found.

“I’m okay, Uncle T. That was awesome. Did you see Piper? She caught me.”

Taylor turned his attention to Piper, who had taken the brunt of the fall.

“Piper, are you hurt?” he asked as she sat on the ground, slow to get up. He ran his hands over her arms and legs. Nothing broken there.

“My back is gonna feel this tomorrow,” she said, and sat up with Taylor’s assistance. Moving gingerly, she took in a few deep breaths. “Everything feels okay, except…” She moved a hand to the back of her head. “Ow.” She pulled her hand back and grimaced at the blood on her fingers. “Guess I hit my head harder than I thought.”

“Let me see.” Taylor turned her away from him and pressed his fingers into her hair. Moving it aside, he felt the lump and inspected it, but it appeared to be a small laceration. “It looks okay. Maybe needs an ice pack, but doesn’t look like you need stitches.”

Piper turned. “Good. Is Alex okay? He looked like he might have got some scrapes on that last bit.”

Trembling, Taylor looked away from her. “He’s remarkably okay.”

“Uncle T., I’m thirsty.” Alex shook his water bottle. “I’m out.”

“Here, you can have mine till we get back to the car,” Piper said, and gave Alex her water bottle as she watched Taylor walk a few paces away. Crouching beside Alex, she inspected the scrapes on his legs, arms, and face, but he appeared no worse for wear. “You okay?”

“Yeah! I can’t wait to do it again,” Alex said, and guzzled her water.

Piper grinned. Kids were so much more resilient than adults. She pulled a few energy bars from her pack and handed them to Alex. “You’re going to need these, too. I’m going to check on your uncle.”

With caution, she approached Taylor. He stared off into the canyon, his thoughts a mystery, but she could well guess the internal litany of curses he was hurling at himself. “Taylor?” She spoke softly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he said, his voice flat, and he didn’t look at her.

She watched while he removed his gloves and noticed an abundance of deeper abrasions on his arms and legs. Removing his helmet, he tossed it onto the ground beside him. “You don’t look okay.”

Angry eyes turned on her, and she almost stepped back from the intensity pouring out of him, but he didn’t scare her. He was hurting and blaming himself for something he wasn’t responsible for. Strong men often hurt the most. Intentionally invading his space, she stepped closer and closer until she almost touched him. The heat, the energy, the power he exuded washed over her like