She was falling.
Again.
The music distorted in her ears. The tent blurred. Someone screamed.
Rosalyn reached out and grasped the air, fingers clawing as they finally hooked onto one of the poles. She clung, digging in her fingers as gravity took over. Which way was up? She rotated another full spin and caught the second pole as she braced for impact.
She collapsed onto the mat.
* * *
Cade leaped over the short wall separating the ring from the first section. He landed on the ring floor, charging toward Rosalyn before fully regaining his balance. His thoughts churned with his feet, fears keeping rhythm with the pounding of his heart.No. No. No.
“Rosalyn!” He pushed past Owen, who shouted into the crowd to call an ambulance. Linc and Miley immediately went to work holding back the curious audience from surging forward. Someone shouted for a nurse.
“Are you okay?” Cade dropped to his knees beside Rosalyn, taking her hand. He was afraid to touch anything else. Her eyes fluttered open.
More shouts sounded behind him, but he refused to take his gaze off her face. Her eyes closed again, her complexion pale against her black leotard. Glitter shimmered in her hair. But her chest rose and fell with each ragged breath.Thank You, God.
He squeezed her palm. “Can you hear me?”
She pulled in a deeper breath and fully opened her eyes. They blinked, then widened with panic, and she tried to sit up.
“No, don’t move!” Cade gently pressed against her shoulders. “You fell. We’re waiting on the paramedics.” Thank God again he’d insisted on the crash mat. Worry weighed him down, until all he wanted was to collapse next to her.
That’d been close. Too close.
“I think I’m okay.” Rosalyn gingerly rotated her neck, then shook each of her arms. “You’re here.”
“Of course I’m here.” Cade eased back to give her space as she sat up, cast a look over his shoulder. August Bowman and Noah had joined Linc and Miley’s efforts in crowd control, alongside Elisa’s father, Isaac Bergeron. Even Mama D stood guard, waving her cane in warning. It seemed to be working. The ring was empty, save for Owen still pacing on his cell phone and barking a demand for an ambulance.
He twisted back to Rosalyn. “I think you should wait for a professional before you get up.”
“I caught a lot of my weight before I hit the ground.” Rosalyn flexed her feet and winced as she slowly stood. He grasped her arms, supporting her. “My knee is a little tight.”
Why did she keep staring past him into the stands? Was she looking for Blaine?
Regardless—“Rosalyn…I’m so sorry.”
“I’ll be okay, I promise.” She hadn’t let go of his arms, which was good, because he didn’t want to let go of her either.
His eyes roamed her tear-streaked face. If something had happened to her, with this mess still between them…He swallowed. “No, I mean, for last night?—”
“Miss, are you okay?” Captain Sanders from the fire department stepped toward Rosalyn. A paramedic carrying a black medical bag followed close behind. “They said you fell.”
Rosalyn wiped her eyes, stepping away from Cade. “I’m fine.”
His arms immediately felt empty, the air between them, still charged. Had she heard his apology? Accepted it?
“With all due respect, ma’am, you don’t look fine.” Captain gestured toward the bag. “Let me run some vitals, okay?”
Before she could protest, Sanders ushered Rosalyn toward the stands to sit down. Cade cast a look over their heads, up the risers to the seats where Trent had been sitting. Empty. Not surprising, seeing how people cleared out upon realizing the show was definitelynotgoing to go on.
Of all the nights. He watched as the captain examined Rosalyn’s eyes with a small flashlight. Maybe she would be ready to talk after the exam, finally hear him. Forgive him. Maybe Trent and his boss would be outside waiting to talk, and they would be impressed with what they did see.
Maybe this night could still turn around.
“Hey.” Noah crossed the ring to Cade, his face grave beneath the rim of his ball cap. “Is she okay?”
