Steps pounded on the metal stairs above them, and a family with two kids climbed down toward them, forcing them to let go of each other’s hand and continue single file so the family could pass.

As they lost contact with each other, Anja latched on to the back of Susanne’s coat.

Susanne turned her head to look at her. “You okay?”

Anja nodded. “Let’s keep going before I lose my courage.” Once the family had passed them, she took up her spot next to Susanne again and they continued.

They hadn’t even taken two steps before Anja shyly reached over and took her hand again.

Smiling, Susanne squeezed her fingers. She couldn’t help admiring Anja’s courage.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the next platform, almost all the way at the top of the tower. There was another, slightly bigger one right above them.

The muscles in Anja’s jaw tightened, but she marched on without Susanne having to ask if she wanted to go higher up.

Seconds later, they emerged onto a circular platform. From there, another, much shorter winding set of metal stairs led up to the crow’s nest at the very top of the tower.

Susanne looked back and forth between it and Anja. “We don’t need to go all the way up…unless you want to.”

Anja hunched her shoulders against the cold wind and stared up at the crow’s nest. “I made it this far, so what’s a few more steps? No big deal, right?” Her wide-eyed gaze belied her words, though.

“You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

“I’m not. I just…” Anja raked her teeth across her bottom lip.

God, did she have to look so sexy doing that?

“I feel like I’ve been avoiding things I was too afraid to take a closer look at, and I don’t want to do that anymore.”

“You mean Paper Love?” Susanne asked.

Anja nodded. “Yeah. That and maybe a couple of other things. It’s time to face my fears.”

Susanne’s admiration for her grew. She wondered what other things Anja had been afraid of but decided not to ask. They had already told each other too much for two people who had only just met three weeks ago. But that didn’t mean she would let Anja go through this scary experience alone. “Is there space for two up there?”

“I think so.”

“Then let’s go up together. Just like saving Paper Love, you don’t have to do it alone.”

Anja exhaled shakily. “Thank you.”

Susanne chuckled. “Don’t thank me yet. I was the one who practically dragged you up here.”