Canyon Walls by Julie Jarnagin

whatever needs you might have.
    I do have one request to ask of you. I would like time to speak at the meeting. No one knows this camp better than I do, and I would be grateful for the chance to fight for it.
    God bless you,
    Cassie Langley
    Cassie held her finger on the Send button, working up enough nerve to press it. She leaned back and closed one eye and hit Send .

Nine
    The next morning Cassie attempted to pull the tape off her toes. It felt like she was pulling her toenail off with it, but after several minutes of convincing herself to rip it off, she managed to expose the injury. Her entire toe had turned several shades of black, purple, blue, red, and yellow and was swollen to almost twice its normal size.
    Her toenail was the blackest part of her toe, and she had little doubt it wouldn’t be there for long. Luckily, people didn’t see her feet very often, but she still hoped a new toenail would eventually take its place.
    When Cassie arrived at her office, the sweet smell of the bouquet that welcomed her. She straightened the vase on her desk. She needed to thank Will, but she didn’t know what to say to him.
    Forcing herself not to think about it, she dialed the number written in her schedule on the first day of the men’s retreat.
    â€œOverman Real Estate,” said a woman with a perky voice.
    Cassie tapped her ink pen against her forehead. “Um, yes.” She stalled, trying to remember what it was she wanted to say. “Is Will available?”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry. He’s out of the office right now. Can I take a message?”
    The tension drained from her shoulders. Leaving a message was the easiest thing to do. “Please tell him Cassie called to say thank you.”
    â€œOkay,” she said, sounding a little confused. “Will he know what it’s regarding?”
    â€œWhy don’t you tell me yourself?” Will said from the doorway.
    Cassie sat with her mouth open, not knowing what to say. This guy was persistent.
    â€œMa’am? Are you there?” the woman on the phone said.
    â€œYes. Um, sorry. You can disregard the message.”
    By the time she had placed the phone back in the receiver, Will held the silver frame with a photograph of Cassie’s family.
    Will’s dimples appeared on his cheeks. “These have to be your relatives.”
    Cassie took the frame. In the picture she stood beside her mom, with her sister on the other side of her. Their oval faces and small features stared back at her. Cassie’s were even more pronounced with her hair pulled off her face. “I guess we do look alike.”
    He took the frame and set it back on the desk. “So, it sounds like you spoke with Lillian.”
    Cassie grinned. “Your sister?”
    Will nodded.
    â€œI was calling to thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”
    â€œI’m glad you liked them,” he said.
    She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but what are you doing here?”
    He leaned on the doorframe. “I came to check on you and see how you’re doing. I was worried about you.”
    There he went again with his unending need to help her, but this time it was sweet. “I’m—”
    â€œFine. I know. You don’t need me checking on you, but I enjoy it.”
    He didn’t wear a suit jacket as he had at church, just slacks and a crisp, white shirt. Some kind of fancy cell phone device was clipped to his brown leather belt, and a big silver watch hung between his hand and shirt cuff. “Sometimes I need an excuse to escape work.”
    She tapped the ends of her fingers on her desk. “So, you have a different injured woman who you visit every week. Gives new meaning to ambulance chaser .”
    His eyebrows rose. “No, but you’re funny.”
    When he sat, she had to move the vase to see his face clearly. “What’s going on at work—family problems or business