Bogota Blessings by E. A. West

it, she gave a triumphant shout. “This is it! Now for the moment of truth.”
    She pulled the flashlight from her tool belt and clicked it on. Mateo moved the piece of metal out of the way as she shone the light into the black hole in the roof surrounded by a square of bricks. The mortar between each brick appeared to be solid, unlike its crumbling counterpart downstairs, which they had removed with little effort.
    Mateo returned to her side but remained standing. “What do you think?”
    “Well, I’m no expert on fireplaces and chimneys, but I think with a good cleaning and a new chimney up here, this fireplace should be as useable as it was when the house was built.”
    “Maria will be ecstatic.” A raindrop landed on his hand, and he retrieved the piece of metal. “We should cover the hole. It’s starting to rain.”
    They settled the metal in place as rain fell at a faster rate. Mateo guided Kayla to the door, and they had barely stepped into the shelter of the stairway when the clouds opened completely, drenching the city. He pulled the door closed and secured it then preceded Kayla down the stairs, the light coming through the open door at the bottom illuminating the way. Each step caused suspicious creaks, and more than once he had to move to the other side of a step to avoid a soft spot in the wood. Kayla followed, her movements as slow and cautious as his as he pointed out where not to step.
    He reached the bottom and breathed a sigh of relief. Before anyone went up to the roof again, the stairs had to be replaced. Perhaps now that Kayla had experienced them, she would make it a priority in the renovation.
    A crack echoed through the stairwell and Kayla gasped. Mateo whirled as she tumbled forward, barely catching her as she fell. Her momentum threw him off balance, and he stumbled back into the wall. Pain shot up the stump of his leg. He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, thanking God he hadn’t heard his prosthesis crack. It had taken months of saving and some generous donors to afford this one. Replacing it could take even longer.
    Kayla trembled in his arms, and he cradled her against his chest. “I’ve got you. You are safe.”
    “I know.” She drew in a shaky breath and leaned back, meeting his gaze with wide eyes. “That step felt solid, but it broke as soon as I put my full weight on it. Thanks for catching me.”
    “I’m glad I was here.” He reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, slowly realizing how soft yet strong she felt against him. “Maybe we should put the work in the kitchen on hold and repair these stairs first.”
    “I think you’re right,” she said, her voice as gentle and airy as a summer breeze.
    He knew he should let her go, should move away and put some space between them. But having her in his arms felt so right, as though a piece of himself he hadn’t realized was missing had snapped into place. He trailed his fingers down her cheek, his pulse racing as she leaned into his touch with a soft smile.
    “Mateo...” She laid her head on his shoulder and gave him a hug. “We should go to the mission and see if Maria saved any lunch for us.”
    “She will find something for us to eat.” He reluctantly eased his hold on Kayla, and she stepped back, a blush turning her cheeks a lovely shade of pink. He lifted a hand toward the door. “After you.”
    As they walked down the hall, Kayla put a hand on Mateo’s arm and stopped him. Worry clouded her eyes as she faced him. “You’re limping. Did I hurt you when I fell on you?”
    “No, not exactly. I just stepped down too hard. I will be fine.” Now wasn’t the time to tell her he had a prosthetic leg, not when she appeared ready to cry at the thought of causing him pain. If she knew he was an amputee, she would probably feel even worse for falling on him. He took her hands and gave her a reassuring smile. “I am all right, Kayla. No lasting damage has been done, and the limp will go away soon