Page 17 of Organized Chaos

Her eyes slammed shut and she tucked her body into a ball. Arms caught her in midair and swung her up against a thundering heartbeat.

Sarah cracked one eye open, then the other.

Phillip glared down at her. His right eyelid twitched, and he tightened his grip. “Are you done scaring the life out of me?”

“Depends.” She should get out of his arms, but it was entirely too comfortable. And cute. Phillip was adorable when he lookedat her like he didn’t know whether to kiss her or wring her neck. She stored that thought away for later. “What’s your plan?”

“I think I’ve changed my mind.” A shaky breath fluttered her hair. He blinked and looked toward the fire. “I think I prefer it when you keep both feet on the ground.”

Sarah kicked her feet playfully. “They’re not on the ground right now.”

“An oversight.” Phillip released his grip on her knees but kept the other arm around her waist.

It became impossible to still her wobbling legs as she recognized that she’d scared herself silly. She forced her muscles to obey her command and let go of Phillip’s shirt as she took a step away. It shouldn’t be this difficult. They were strangers. Strangers who’d spent several hours together and learned more about each other during those hours than a lot of people did in weeks. Maybe months.

Their conversations had been real and honest, with no need for preconstructed answers or diversion.

She was in desperate need of a distraction now. Phillip’s keen gaze tracked over her face, and he seemed about to renege on his plan. “What now?” She dusted off her hands to keep from reaching out and grabbing his hand.

“The shelves.” Phillip motioned at the long rows around them. “Maybe I can move one close enough that you can climb out. They’re heavy enough that they should hold your weight.”

“What about you?” She eyed the thick wood, her gaze following it upward.

“I’ll try and follow you.” He craned his neck and walked around the hole in the ceiling above. “But I don’t trust that floor. It’s likely I’ll fall through again.”

“I won’t leave you down here.” She winked at him to inject some much-needed levity into the situation.

He rubbed his hands together. “Okay. Let’s see if I can even move this thing.” He put his shoulder against the shelf and pushed. It groaned and inched forward, scooting dirt ahead of it.

“It’s moving.” Sarah jumped up and down and clapped. “Do you want me to help?”

“No.” Phillip blurted out. He caught the flash of surprise that jolted through her and grinned. “Sorry, Sarah, but with the way things have a habit of falling down when you touch them, I’d rather do this myself.”

“Well, I never.” She planted her fists on her hips and tried to glare. It lasted long enough for Phillip to scoot the shelf another inch. He was right. She was a walking catastrophe. They needed this to succeed. Which meant she was responsible for climbing to the top and then out to find help.

Phillip heaved and panted. “I always loved these shelves. Loved that Granddad made such a deep cellar. What I wouldn’t give now for one of those tiny holes in the ground like most people had back in the day.”

Sarah let him grumble and complain as the shelf slowly made its way closer. She could taste her escape.

Finally, Phillip straightened and peered up. “That should do it.” He motioned her forward. “Climb up this side. I’ll brace it from the other side.”

“It’s too heavy to tip over.”

Phillip waited until he stood on the other side to answer. “I’m not putting your life on the line for that assumption.”

She put her foot on the second shelf and reached overhead. As her weight settled, the wood shifted and leaned slightly forward. All Phillip’s pushing had made the floor uneven, giving the heavy unit a chance to tip.

“I’m going to climb fast.” She warned Phillip before scurrying upward. She reached the top shelf and tried to climb onto it.Her foot slipped off and her chin cracked into the shelf. Her eyes teared up, but she blinked the pain away and tried again.

She swung her leg up and hooked her knee into place, then hauled herself over onto her stomach. No time to catch her breath. She rolled onto her knees. The floor sat even with her eyes. She’d have to stand.

Legs shaking, Sarah pushed to her feet and straightened inch by inch. The shelf wobbled.

“Hurry.” Phillip called up to her, his voice strained. “Jump, Sarah.”

She took a deep breath and leaped. Her stomach crashed into the floor and forced her breath out in a rush. She scrambled for purchase, her nails broken from her earlier jump across the stairs. Her nails sank into a crevice between boards; and she dug her elbows into place, legs kicking back and forth in the empty air.

“Use your momentum. Pull with your elbows.” Phillip’s constant encouragement drove Sarah forward.

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