Page 14 of Bryce

Bryce? All his touch did was remind me of what would never be again. What never should have been at all. What a fool I’d been to fall so easily.

What a fool I’d been to think he’d have caught me then, too, that he would hold me always…

His face scrunched in a frown, brows drawing together. “Not hardly. I thought it made sense for someone to be down here while you climbed, is all.”

“Yes, well, I doubt I’ll have difficulty. You saw how easily Leslie made it.”

“That was Leslie.”

“What does that mean?” I snapped.

“Nothing more than what I said.” He shrugged mildly, one corner of his mouth quirking up in what I assumed was an ill-concealed smile.

I would show him.

“Ready for me?” I called up.

Leslie waved me on. “Nothing to it. Don’t let this old man fool you into thinking otherwise.”

“I suppose you’re talking about me,” Gate grumbled with a playful shove.

Her laughter filled the air, echoing off the surrounding mountains. How nice it would have been to enjoy this. How unlikely it was that I could manage to do so.

“Here I come.” I planted my right foot, holding onto the first tree before planting the left.

“You’re doing well,” Bryce encouraged.

“Stop looking at me.”

“What?”

“You’re only going to look at my backside while I’m doing this, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t.” Another step. And another.

“Get over yourself,” he hissed for my benefit only. “You’re behaving like a child.”

“Watch what you say,” I hissed back, taking another step and hauling myself up to the next tree. It was really a lot steeper than it appeared from below, and much more treacherous. The soil was soft, loose, and threatening to give way underfoot.

But he was watching, and he was waiting for me to fail, and I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“Almost there!” Gate extended a hand. “Just a few more steps!”

I let out a grunt of pure, concentrated effort and pushed down on my left foot, propelling my body upward, reaching out and taking hold of Gate. He helped pull me the rest of the way until both feet were on solid, even ground.

“Great work!” Leslie crowed, applauding me. “I knew you would think nothing of it.”

She shouldn’t have spoken for me, since I thought quite a bit of it. More than once I had been sure the earth beneath my foot would give way. I said nothing, choosing instead to pull out my water bottle and take a long, deep drink. It did feel good to have managed such a steep climb.

“All right, Bryce!” Leslie called down. “I know this will be nothing for you!”

“I don’t know that I would be so certain,” he called back with a wry chuckle.

My conscience plagued me, and I chewed my lip. Should I say something? “Ah, watch your footing roughly halfway up,” I said, careful to keep my tone light. Non-committal. “It’s rather loose there, between those two trees that bow toward each other.” I pointed to them.

“Thank you.” He looked up at me for the briefest second before beginning the climb. Naturally, he made rapid progress as Logan had, all but flying up the steep incline, his top of his head coming closer with each passing second.

I rolled my eyes at Leslie, who giggled. Show-off, she mouthed.

I kept my thoughts to myself.

---