Page 4 of Bride By Committee

She didn’t bother to disguise her alarm. “How can that be?”

“At a guess I’d say whatever’s wrong with the elevator, the lights, and the emergency backup system, has also affected the phone.”

“So we’re trapped here?” The full impact of that question and its probable response settled over her like the smothering weight of a wool blanket. Awet wool blanket. She clutched the railing circling the wall of the elevator and held on for dear life. “There has to be a way out of this.”

He turned in her direction, the sound of his voice pitched to soothe. “I thought you said you aren’t the type to panic.”

“I’m not panicking! How can you possibly think I’m panicking when I’m not? Does this sound like panic to you?”

“My mistake. Ithink it was the hint of hysteria in your voice that fooled me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve never had hysterics in my life.” She fought to draw breath. For some reason she found it difficult. “I think the air has stopped, too. It’s getting warm in here. Don’t you think it’s warm in here?”

“What’s your name?”

What did that have to do with how much air they had left? “Madison.”

“I’m Harry.”

Harry. Anice, safe, average Joe sort of name. She liked that. Right now she needed someone with those qualities. “I don’t suppose your last name’s Houdini?” As a joke, it was weak. Perhaps it was oxygen deprivation. The lack of air had stolen what little wit she still possessed.

“Actually the name’s—”

“I need to get out of here,” she interrupted. Didn’t the man understand that? She’d been fortunate to get nice, safe and average, but unfortunate enough to get someone short on brainpower. “Now.”

“I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. Tell you what, Madison. Why don’t we both sit down and relax? We can talk while we wait to be rescued.”

“Talk.” Her brows drew together. “Doesn’t that use up oxygen faster?”

“We’re not going to run out of oxygen. Ipromise.”

There was a hint of amusement in his voice that Madison found distinctly irritating. “And if you’re wrong?”

“Then you can say I told you so. Assuming there’s enough oxygen to say it.”

He was definitely laughing at her. How annoying. Nothing about this day had gone right so far and it didn’t look like it would improve anytimesoon.

She took a moment to stew over her options. She could continue to amuse him with her fears. Or she could release her current frustration by shrieking for help. Considering her lung power she might find that choice as amusing as he foundher.

Or she could sit down as he suggested and conduct a calm, rational conversation until someone showed up to rescue them. It didn’t take much thought to choose the most reasonable of the three options.

Alarmed to discover she was shaking, she lowered herself to the carpeted elevator floor and leaned against the wall. Judging by the faint rustling emanating from the far side of the car, Harry had followed suit. She laced her hands together and fought to recover her equilibrium.

She’d never lost control before. Not ever. It frightened her more than she cared to admit, perhaps because it had hit so unexpectedly. She took several deep breaths, relieved to discover it helped.

“What would you like to talk about?” she asked in a voice that approached normalcy. At least it no longer betrayed the crushing claustrophobia that had caught her by surprise. She didn’t understand how she could experience such an irrational reaction. It didn’t make the least bit of sense. But then she’d never been trapped in a darkened cage before.

“You were reading when you got on the elevator. Igather from what you were saying that you didn’t care for the book?”

“No.”

“Short and succinct, but not very illuminating. What’s the title?”

He was struggling to keep their conversation going. The least she could do was cooperate. Focus, she reminded herself. “It’s called The Ten Principles of Love.” How in the world could Sunny have bought into such nonsense? “And no, Idon’t care for it. It’s total—”

“‘Twaddle.’ Not to mention ‘bilge, drivel, malarkey,’ and I believe you said ‘poppycock.”’

“You overheard me,” she accused.

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