Page 61 of Luke

She nodded, biting down on her bottom lip. "I've never been this scared."

"That doesn't matter. You're courageous, Lizzie. You are stronger than you know."

"Do you really believe I can do this?"

He met her gaze. "Without one single doubt."

She let out a breath. "Then I better get to it."

She walked over to the edge, dropped to her knees and started to climb down facing the hillside. He let out the rope as she made her way down.

She moved slowly, carefully, and he found himself holding his breath with every step that she took. It seemed to take forever. And he silently prayed that she wouldn't stop, wouldn't look down, wouldn't suddenly freeze. He had confidence in her, but he wasn't sure how much confidence she had in herself.

"Doing great," he called out encouragingly.

Despite his words, his heart was pounding like a jackhammer, and all he could think about was how he wished he'd told Lizzie he loved her. Why hadn't he said the words? He'd never had a problem saying them before. She was the one who'd had difficulty putting that commitment into words. But he hadn't said them—not last night, not now…and he knew why. He was afraid she wouldn't be able to say the words back to him, that somehow he'd be left holding his heart in his hands again.

What a fraud he was, telling her to be brave, when he was too cowardly to speak the truth. He would tell her—later—when she was safe, when she could trust that his words weren't coming just from fear.

"Almost there," he yelled down, adjusting his stance.

"I'm coming, Kaitlyn," he heard her say to her niece.

"I'm scared," Kaitlyn told her.

"We all are," Lizzie replied. "But we're going to be fine. Luke will make sure of that." She stumbled at the end of her words, kicking up some small rocks and dirt.

Kaitlyn cried out as some of those rocks hit her.

"Hang on, Kaitlyn," he yelled.

Liz was close. Another foot, and she'd reach Kaitlyn.

Then things were going to get even more difficult.

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