Page 20 of Organized Chaos

Sarah started to move away. Another truck bounced to a stop, and Phillip’s mother hopped out. She ran for Phillip and Roger and slung a blanket around Phillip. Before Sarah could escape to her truck, the woman threw up a hand in Sarah’s direction. “Wait. Sarah, right? Here. Take this.” She rushed over and threw another blanket around Sarah. “You should come back to the house with us.”

The urge to sit around the kitchen table with these three people was almost too tempting to resist. “I should get home.” She pulled the blanket tighter around her neck. “But I’d love to come back tomorrow.”

Phillip let out a burst of laughter. He pulled free of his dad’s arm and came to stand beside Sarah. “You’d come back after this?”

“Of course.” Sarah felt indignant at his assumption that she’d be scared off by a crumbly old floor and a few hours trapped in a hole in the ground. “You could join me.” She added a teasing note to her voice. “Chase me around some more.”

Phillip’s lips quirked up in a smile that changed his entire face. The side of him that she’d seen, the quiet and thoughtful one, transformed into one that seemed younger and more carefree. She wouldn’t mind seeing more of this Phillip.

Roger opened his truck door. “Come on, you two. Let’s get up to the house.”

“Yes.” Phillip’s mom grabbed Sarah’s arm and tugged her forward. “You’re coming with us. We won’t take no for an answer.”

Phillip’s grin widened. “Careful. Sarah likes to think that people are trying to kidnap her.”

She backhanded his shoulder. “Stop that. I would never accuse your family of that.”

“No.” Phillip patted her arm. “Just me.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Well, what would you think if the situations were reversed?”

Phillip guided her toward the truck. “Let’s go. I’ll drive you back to your truck on my way home. We should really get something to eat. And I want to make sure you’re not having any sort of shock reaction before you head home.”

“She could stay the night,” Phillip’s mom suggested.

“Now, Rose.” Roger admonished quietly. “Don’t push the poor girl. She’s had a terrible fright.”

Sarah stepped into the truck and Phillip followed her.

Roger and Rose stood in the middle of the ring of headlights for a few more minutes while Sarah shivered.

Phillip cranked up the heat and aimed the vents at Sarah. “Here.” He held his blanket open and scooted closer. Before she could say she was fine, he’d wrapped his arms and his blanket around her, ensconcing them in a warm cocoon.

Her shivering slowed and she regained feeling in her fingers and wiggled her toes.

“You really could stay at the house tonight.” Phillip spoke quietly. He brushed a hand up and down her arm.

Sarah relaxed into his hold and tipped her head back against the seat. “If I do, will you promise not to show up tomorrow and scare me to death?”

His body shuddered against her as he laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Of course he wouldn’t.

The driver’s side door opened, and Roger slid into the seat. He held out Sarah’s keys. “You’re welcome to stay at the house if you want.”

Sarah bit her lip to keep from laughing at the sound of resignation in his voice. Sounded like Rose had gotten her way after all. She was liking Phillip’s mother more and more.

Phillip relaxed beside her and closed his eyes. “I’m almost too tired to eat.”

“Not me.” As though to punctuate the statement, her stomach rumbled loud enough to wake the dead.

Roger shot a look at her and put the truck into motion. “Food and sleep. That’s what the two of you need. You’ll both stay at the house tonight.”

Phillip made a sound that might be a protest but then a tiny snore slipped out.

Sarah snorted a quiet laugh, and covered her mouth with the back of her hand when a yawn cracked her jaw.

“Did you find anything you can use?” Roger wheeled into the driveway.