Page 27 of Organized Chaos

Phillip. Where was Phillip? Sarah tore her gaze away from the broken tree and looked up. Phillip dangled by his fingertips, his body swinging back and forth like a pendulum.

She covered her mouth with both hands.

Phillip winced and glanced down. “That wasn’t what I expected.” He chuckled and swung sideways to change his grip on the branch. “I’m going to work my way back to the tree trunk. I can climb down from there.”

Lord, don’t let him fall.

A crowd gathered around Sarah. A couple men called out directions to Phillip while the kids laughed and climbed over the fallen branch.

She followed Phillip’s progress down the tree branch. With every swing closer to the tree trunk, the clenching in her chest eased a fraction.

The crowd clapped and cheered when Phillip’s foot landed on a branch and he dropped into a crouch. He scampered down the branches faster than she thought possible.

Once he landed safely on the ground, Sarah rushed forward. The crowd parted, then dispersed, with the men clapping Phillip enthusiastically on the back in passing. Sarah flung her arms around Phillip’s neck and squeezed. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

His arms went around her waist and held on. He smelled of sunshine and water, with a soft, lingering aroma of cologne.

She gave him one last squeeze and let go.

“I didn’t think anything scared you other than spiders.” Phillip lowered himself to the blanket and stretched out his legs.

Sarah took a hearty bite of her sandwich and chewed while she considered his question. “I’m not concerned with anything that involves me. But I didn’t know if you had the skills to climb that tree.” She looked him over. Not a single scratch to be seen. “Obviously I underestimated you.”

“People do that a lot.” He bit into his own sandwich and leaned back on one elbow. “Most people learn what I do and that’s all they see. Even though I grew up on a ranch. I was riding horses and climbing trees before I could walk. Stuff like this is second nature.”

Sarah drained her water in one go and tossed the bottle in the cooler. “You’ve messed up now.” She elbowed him. “I won’t underestimate you again. Unless it involves getting dirty. You don’t seem to like that.”

He chuckled. “I don’t like ruining my good clothes. If I’d known I was going swimming in paint, I’d have worn something else, and everything would’ve been fine.”

She licked her finger and made a check mark in the air. “Noted. From now on, I’ll give you a heads up when there’s dirt involved.”

His eyes twinkled, his laughter delighting her. “You make me sound like a germaphobe. I promise it’s not that.”

“So, explain it to me.” She shifted closer. “You record podcasts but don’t like to record video. At least, not of yourself. You don’t mind riding horses and climbing trees, as long as it’s not in your good clothes.”

“I like things in order.” He crossed his ankles. “Your garage is my worst nightmare.” He paused as though to gauge her reaction.

Sarah rolled her shoulders back and flopped onto her back. “I thought you looked uncomfortable yesterday.”

“Imagine how you’d feel if you were in a space where everything was labeled and put away. Every item had a specific place and that’s where you put it every time you finished using it.” He plucked a blade of grass and spun it between his thumb and forefinger.

“That’s what I’d call a nightmare.” Sarah hated to admit it, but she shuddered just thinking about trying to control the madness that was her garage.

Phillip’s sigh was long and drawn out. He rubbed the back of his neck.

A screech announced the bird’s return.

Sarah flung her hands up over her head. An instant later, Phillip leaned over her, his body shielding her. Heat spread across her skin, and she realized she’d put her hands on his shoulders. To hold him there or to push him away? Suddenly she didn’t know anymore.

She shouldn’t like Phillip. They were complete opposites.

But he was funny and kind. He protected her without a second thought and even went along with her crazy schemes. A streak of laughter bubbled up from a place of great joy deep inside when Phillip smiled down at her. “Adding birds to the list of things you don’t like.”

She didn’t correct him. She was enjoying this too much. Far, far too much.

His thumb stroked the edge of her jaw and the side of her neck.

One move and her lips would touch his. Should she? The moment was perfect. The day lent itself toward romance and the chance for happily ever after. Before she could raise her head from the blanket, Phillip rolled away and stood. “Ready for another adventure?”

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