okay?”
She didn’t answer. Some things should be self-evident.
“You don’t have to move until you’re ready, but I’d like to get that belay off so Ty can go back to work. Okay?”
She held on with one hand and turned halfway to face him. He helped her position her carabiners on the cable above her head and removed the belay rope from her harness, sending it back down to Tyler. The two of them so close on that small platform made her uncomfortable, but not even that could shake her loose from her perch at the moment. She sneaked a glance at him. He watched her. Heat crept into her cheeks.
“Why do you call me that?” Making conversation would surely take her mind off the ground so far below.
“What? Party Girl? You told me when you were in college, if there was a party, you were there. You don’t mind, do you?” A smile tugged at his lips.
“These days I’m about as far from a party girl as a person can get.”
“Maybe you just haven’t found the right party yet.”
Cara rolled her eyes. “What’s the purpose of this exercise again?” She leaned her forehead against the pole, closed her eyes, and silently prayed she’d somehow get through this.
“It’s part of my curriculum for the military types who come here. Although, they don’t use most of the safety devices we’re using.” Her shocked expression didn’t seem to faze him. “For you, it’s to build strength, balance, confidence… and trust.”
She snorted. “How am I doing so far?”
“You’re doing great. It’s a huge success just to climb the pole the first time. You should be proud, whether you decide to stop right here for today or go on and finish the course. I’ll warn you, though, we’ll be back up here tomorrow, and the next day, and for however long it takes you to conquer your fear and recognize your capabilities.”
Cara groaned. “Do I have to cross that?” She glanced anxiously at the log that spanned the distance between her platform and the next.
“Sooner or later. I’ll help you when you’re ready.”
Why was she frozen in fear? She’d always been a tomboy growing up. The first one up a tree, the only girl on her neighborhood baseball team, and in high school she bought a beat-up old Harley and rebuilt the engine. She’d never been afraid to try anything. Her gaze settled on Joe. He smiled encouragingly.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay, I’m ready… I think.”
He laughed. “When you know you’re ready, let go of the pole, grab the ropes on your harness, and step down on the log. Your carabiners will slide along the cable as you move. I’ll go in front of you and if you panic, you can grab on to me. Ready?”
She concentrated on her feet, making sure she didn’t look beyond them to the ground thirty feet below as she lowered herself onto the log and made her way step by small step across to the next platform.
“I did it.” She grinned as she pulled herself up next to Joe. It probably seemed like a small accomplishment to him, but she was elated.
“I never doubted you.”
“What’s next?”
“That’s it for today, except for getting down.” A smile lingered on his face.
“Wait a minute. What aren’t you telling me? How do we get down?”
“Zip line.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll show you, but first we have to cross this bridge to get to that platform over there.”
She looked where he was pointing and saw a narrow bridge with wide gaps between the boards. Her gaze jerked back to him. “That’s it for today, huh? You lied! I will get even, you know.”
“I’ll go first.” He chuckled.
“Are you sure there’s no way down from right here?”
“You can do this.” He transferred to the next cable. “Take it slow, just like the log.” He watched to make sure she transferred safely as she followed him down onto the bridge. He made it look easy, but watching him didn’t stop the butterflies in her stomach or eliminate the dizziness every
She didn’t answer. Some things should be self-evident.
“You don’t have to move until you’re ready, but I’d like to get that belay off so Ty can go back to work. Okay?”
She held on with one hand and turned halfway to face him. He helped her position her carabiners on the cable above her head and removed the belay rope from her harness, sending it back down to Tyler. The two of them so close on that small platform made her uncomfortable, but not even that could shake her loose from her perch at the moment. She sneaked a glance at him. He watched her. Heat crept into her cheeks.
“Why do you call me that?” Making conversation would surely take her mind off the ground so far below.
“What? Party Girl? You told me when you were in college, if there was a party, you were there. You don’t mind, do you?” A smile tugged at his lips.
“These days I’m about as far from a party girl as a person can get.”
“Maybe you just haven’t found the right party yet.”
Cara rolled her eyes. “What’s the purpose of this exercise again?” She leaned her forehead against the pole, closed her eyes, and silently prayed she’d somehow get through this.
“It’s part of my curriculum for the military types who come here. Although, they don’t use most of the safety devices we’re using.” Her shocked expression didn’t seem to faze him. “For you, it’s to build strength, balance, confidence… and trust.”
She snorted. “How am I doing so far?”
“You’re doing great. It’s a huge success just to climb the pole the first time. You should be proud, whether you decide to stop right here for today or go on and finish the course. I’ll warn you, though, we’ll be back up here tomorrow, and the next day, and for however long it takes you to conquer your fear and recognize your capabilities.”
Cara groaned. “Do I have to cross that?” She glanced anxiously at the log that spanned the distance between her platform and the next.
“Sooner or later. I’ll help you when you’re ready.”
Why was she frozen in fear? She’d always been a tomboy growing up. The first one up a tree, the only girl on her neighborhood baseball team, and in high school she bought a beat-up old Harley and rebuilt the engine. She’d never been afraid to try anything. Her gaze settled on Joe. He smiled encouragingly.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay, I’m ready… I think.”
He laughed. “When you know you’re ready, let go of the pole, grab the ropes on your harness, and step down on the log. Your carabiners will slide along the cable as you move. I’ll go in front of you and if you panic, you can grab on to me. Ready?”
She concentrated on her feet, making sure she didn’t look beyond them to the ground thirty feet below as she lowered herself onto the log and made her way step by small step across to the next platform.
“I did it.” She grinned as she pulled herself up next to Joe. It probably seemed like a small accomplishment to him, but she was elated.
“I never doubted you.”
“What’s next?”
“That’s it for today, except for getting down.” A smile lingered on his face.
“Wait a minute. What aren’t you telling me? How do we get down?”
“Zip line.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll show you, but first we have to cross this bridge to get to that platform over there.”
She looked where he was pointing and saw a narrow bridge with wide gaps between the boards. Her gaze jerked back to him. “That’s it for today, huh? You lied! I will get even, you know.”
“I’ll go first.” He chuckled.
“Are you sure there’s no way down from right here?”
“You can do this.” He transferred to the next cable. “Take it slow, just like the log.” He watched to make sure she transferred safely as she followed him down onto the bridge. He made it look easy, but watching him didn’t stop the butterflies in her stomach or eliminate the dizziness every
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