Page 84 of Snowed In with Four Firemen
When we reach the door, Axel steps forward, twisting the handle and pushing it open with a soft creak. The room inside is packed to the brim with Christmas decorations; it’s even more chaotic than I’d anticipated.
“Holy—” Jace mutters, peering over Axel’s shoulder. “That’s a lot of tinsel.”
I laugh, stepping inside. “Yeah, but we’ll make it work.”
Axel follows me in, and Jace steps in behind him, letting the door swing shut with a softclick. The closet is cramped, with shelves lining every wall, filled with boxes, wreaths, and all sorts of ornaments. It’s not exactly spacious with the three of us in here, but we manage to start pulling things off the shelves, stacking the useful decorations in a pile near the door.
“This could work for the tables,” I say, holding up a wreath wrapped in gold ribbon. “And these lights could help create a cozy vibe.”
Axel grunts in agreement, tossing a box of fake pine branches to the side. “Not bad.”
Jace pulls out a box labeledChristmas Trees – Smalland sets it down near my feet. “We could use these as placeholders for the centerpieces.”
I nod, jotting it all down in my notebook, feeling a little rush of excitement as everything starts coming together. “This is going to look great.”
But just as I’m about to grab another box, I hear a loudclick.
I freeze, glancing up at Axel and Jace, who both stop what they’re doing. The sound came from the door.
“What was that?” I ask slowly, my heart sinking as the realization hits me.
Axel strides over to the door, twisting the handle and giving it a firm tug.
It doesn’t budge.
He tugs again, harder this time, but it still won’t open.
“Uh, guys?” Axel mutters, his voice laced with annoyance. “We’re locked in.”
Jace raises an eyebrow, leaning against one of the shelves. “You’re kidding.”
Axel gives the door one more tug before turning to us, shaking his head. “Nope. It’s stuck.”
I blink, feeling a wave of disbelief wash over me. “Wait, wait—how? We just came in here!”
“I’m guessing the lock’s faulty,” Axel says, frowning at the door like it personally offended him.
“Well, this is great,” Jace mutters, crossing his arms.
“Do you have your phone on you?” I ask.
“I do, but no signal,” Axel says. “Guess we’ll have to wait till someone finds us.”
“Great,” Jace mutters.
I sit down on one of the boxes. The only sound is the faint hum of the building’s heating system and the occasional rustling as one of us shifts uncomfortably. The air feels thick, not just from the lack of space but from something else—something unspoken.
I shuffle nervously on my box, trying to focus on anything but the weight of their stares. But every time I glance up, I catch one of them looking at me. And it’s not the kind of look that’s easy to ignore. It’s heavy. Intense. Like they’re both waiting for something to happen.
I swallow hard, my pulse quickening as the minutes drag on.
“Feels like we’ve been in here forever,” I mutter.
Axel shifts, his muscular arms flexing as he leans forward. “I’m sure someone will come for us soon.”
Jace’s eyes flick to me, then to Axel, something unreadable flashing across his face. “Maybe not,” he says softly.
I glance between them, the heat rising in my cheeks. I know what’s happening. I can feel it in the way the air seems to crackle between us, in the way my heart pounds faster with every glance, every small movement. It’s the kind of tension that’s impossible to ignore.
