Until I Found You Read Online Free PDF Page A

car—”
    Captain McAllister interrupted. “Both of you—stop. No one is going down there today. It’s a mess and it’s dangerous.A hazmat crew needs to do some cleanup before anyone takes a hike.”
    Kate told herself to go with the flow and roll with the punches, but a lump refused to budge from the back of her throat. “But my things—”
    Nick gave her the same strong look that had stopped her from screaming in the canyon. “I’ll get them tomorrow.”
    “I guess, but—” She chomped on her lip to keep from crying, but her knees still buckled. Defeated, she dropped down on the step.
    Captain McAllister leaned back, assessing her. “Are you sure you don’t want to go the ER?”
    “Positive.”
    As if she’d told a joke, his gray eyes twinkled. “You’re as stubborn as Leona.”
    “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she replied.
    “Oh, it is.” The fireman chuckled. “Everyone in Meadows knows Leona. Tell her Rob and the boys say hi.”
    “I will.”
    “But Kate? Don’t be too stubborn to accept help. Is there someone you can call? Someone to stay with you?”
    Yes, there was. And she very much needed a friend who would listen while she talked about the condor, the fall, the rescue. “I’ll call Dody Thompson.” Dody was Leona’s best friend. Since the stroke, she’d become Kate’s friend, too.
    “Good,” the captain replied. “I’ll drive you to Leona’s as soon as we’re done here. It won’t be long.”
    “Thank you.”
    He left to check on the men at the other end of the road-block, leaving her with Nick, the blanket, and a fresh attack of the shivers. “It’s not that cold,” she protested. “I’m just—”
    “Rattled,” he finished for her.
    “Yes.”
    “Can you get in the house?” he asked.
    A good question considering her keys were lost. “I should be fine. There’s a spare key in the garage—”
    “Under the flowerpot.”
    “You know about it?”
    “Leona told me.”
    “You must be good friends.”
    “We are. I help out with the Clarion ,” he explained. “Speaking of the paper, I’ll get pictures of the road.”
    Kate was supposed to be looking after the paper for Leona, and she had overlooked the biggest news story of the year. Embarrassed, she stood straighter and took responsibility. “I should have thought of that.”
    “You have other things on your mind.” Nick held up his phone. “I have it covered.”
    “Thanks.” She seasoned the inadequate word with a smile, but nothing could convey to him what she felt. She was gloriously alive because he had shown up at the exact right time and was crazy enough to climb down a cliff. He’d risked his life for her. No one had ever done anything like that. Joel wouldn’t even help her paint her condo, though he was quick to want to spend the night. Suddenly her eyes burned with hot tears. She blinked them away, then raised her gaze to Nick’s angular face. “How can I ever thank you—”
    “You already have.” He stared down at her, his gaze bright and his mouth relaxed. “Any man would have done what I did.” He studied her with a tenderness she rarely saw on male faces, then handed her a blue bandanna. “Here.”
    She took it, wiped her eyes and succumbed to a wave of despair. Nick was wrong about any man coming to her aid. Joel had left her with a “see ya, babe” and a quick kiss. Her boss didn’t want to lay her off, but he’d do it in a blink to protect the bottom line. The threat of losing her job loomedlike the cliff that had nearly taken her life . . . would have taken her life if Nick hadn’t been passing by. She wiped her nose with the bandanna that smelled like leather and good cologne, refrained from thanking him again, but refused to give it back when he held out his hand.
    “I’ll wash it for you,” she said.
    “Keep it.” He tapped on the side of the truck and stepped back. “I’ll call you tomorrow about your things.”
    “That would be nice.” Her gaze slipped