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“He’s up there,” someone yelled, pointing to the two boys at the top of the waterfall.
One had fallen on the rocks and the other was frozen with fear. The parents stood wide-eyed at the bottom.
Before Courtney realized what was happening, Seth was racing to the rocks.
“What are you doing?” she called, running after him.
“Helping them down.” With his next step, he slipped.
Her heart pounded in her chest. “You can’t go up there.” The tour guide had specifically instructed them not to climb the waterfall. They were allowed to swim and use the shore, but they weren’t supposed to climb the rocks. As she watched Seth slip again, she understood why.
“Seth, you can’t.”
He stopped and looked back at her. “Who else then?”
No one was moving. Even the kids’ parents stood frozen watching their children.
She turned back to Seth and nodded. “Be careful.” After all the talk of death earlier, she felt uneasy about him climbing a slippery waterfall, even to help innocent kids.
Finally, when he reached the top, she released a sigh of relief.
Moments later, the kid’s startled cry followed by Seth’s own muffled growl of pain sucked all the air right out of her lungs.
CHAPTERSEVEN
Courtney’s heartraced in her chest.
“Seth? Seth?” Ripping off the tank and shorts she wore over her bikini, she raced toward the waterfall.
“Ma’am, ma’am, you can’t—”
She spun on the guide, cutting off his words. “Are you going up there?”
The man stared back at her wide-eyed, then shook his head.
“Then get out of my way.” Carefully, she stepped on the first rock. Despite her shoes being made for the water, they slipped on the slick surface. Steadying herself, she reached for a hand hold and started the slow climb.
When she reached the top, Seth sat on a rock with the boys, cradling his hand against his chest.
He lifted his head. His face was wet and if she wasn’t mistaken, sweat, not water, dotted is forehead. “What are you doing up here?”
“You didn’t come back down.” She inched her way closer.
“Stay over there,” he barked. “It’s too slippery.”
“You fell?”
He nodded. “I think I—” He gritted his teeth against whatever pain sliced through him. “I think I broke my fingers.”
She nodded. They could fix that. She inched closer.
“Seriously, Courtney, stay over there.”
Ignoring him, she kept half walking, half crawling toward him. “Let me get these boys settled and then I’ll look at your hand.”
“I already told you my fingers are broken. There’s nothing to look at.”
She ignored the bite in his words. He was in pain, probably worried she’d hurt herself too. She’d let it slide for now. But after she fixed him up, she would gladly accept groveling as reimbursement.
