Noah fastened a brace to her leg and lifted her onto a board where they strapped her in. “We’re going to carry you back up the trail about five hundred feet until we can reach our truck. Then we’ll give you a lift to the gondolas and an ambulance will meet you at the bottom of the mountain.”
Eve’s eyes widened. “Oh, I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“You said you can’t stand, so I think it is necessary.”
Eve reached out and set her hand on Noah’s, but he pulled away. “But you’ll come with me, right?”
“I can’t. I’m in charge up here. We have a staff member back at the first aid center who will ride down with you. Her name is Sarah. You’ll like her.”
“Perhaps you can take me out for a drink later, then.” Eve fluttered her eyes more as if it would do the trick.
Lily snorted, but only Ethan looked in her direction with amusement on his face, but he quickly looked back to Noah. Ethan was apparently enjoying the debacle as much as she was. Noah stared at Eve, no humor on his face.
“Ma’am, I am happily taken, and I will not be taking you out for drinks tonight.”
Eve’s eyes widened. “Ma’am? How old do I look?”
Noah and the three men hoisted her up and began walking back up the trail.
Eve’s voice drifted back. “You know, I think my knee feels better. Maybe I should stay with Ethan and continue the hike.”
“Ma’am, you said your knee hurt so bad you couldn’t even stand, and now you want us to let you continue the hike after delaying the current group? We cannot risk you injuring yourself further and us having to get a helicopter out here to save you,” Noah said.
“Well, maybe I exaggerated.”
“Even more of a reason you shouldn’t be on the hike. You’re putting others in danger.”
Their voices grew faint the further they got. Ethan slapped his hands on his thighs and looked around at the rest of the group.
“Who’s ready to continue this hike?”
The group whooped and hollered in excitement as they continued down the mountain on the trail.
“Does that happen a lot?” a man asked.
“Which part? Someone being injured, or…” Ethan tipped his head dramatically toward where Eve had gone.
The group laughed.
“Someone faking an injury.”
Ethan shrugged. “Occasionally. Sometimes people blow it out of proportion when they don’t want to admit they bit off more than they could chew. It’s an easier way to save face, I guess. Although I feel like it’s almost worse. But in Eve’s case, that would be a first.”
