She pointed.“Over there.”
He looked in that general direction.He still didn’t see anything.“Are you sure?”
“No.But I need to get back there to make sure.”She climbed up on what looked like a couch.“Whoa!”Her arms moved as if she were surfing.
He reached out, placing his hands on her waist until she had her balance.“Are you okay?”
“Yes.Thanks.”
He let go of her.“Let me do it.”
“No.I’ve got this.”
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.How many times had he heard that in the past?“Just be careful, okay?”
“I always am.”
He laughed.“You forget that I know you very well.And you like to take risks.Like moving to New York City, where you knew absolutely no one.”
She climbed over the back of the couch onto some other piece of furniture.“And you always like to play it safe.Like staying here in Kringle Falls, where you know everyone instead of heading out and chasing your dreams.”
He wanted to get mad at her comment, but he couldn’t.It was true.Not only had he remained in their hometown, but he also hadn’t even told anyone about his dream of being an author.
She stopped and turned to look at him.“What?No comeback?”
He shrugged.“It’s tough to argue with the truth.”
Surprise lit up her eyes.She looked as though she wanted to say something else, but instead, she turned her back and continued climbing to the back of the area.
When she reached her destination, she said, “I found it!”
“Good job.Can you carry it?”
Her gaze narrowed as she pursed her lips.“Seriously?Are you implying that I’m a weakling?”
“No.”He shook his head.“I wouldn’t do that.I remember how hard you can punch.”He rubbed his bicep at the memory.
A big smile came over her face.It plumped up her cheeks and made her eyes twinkle with amusement.“That’s right.Now are you going to just stand there?Or are you going to give me a hand?”
“Uh.Right.”He climbed over the couch and the chair behind it.He held his hands out to her.“Here.Let me take it.”
She handed over the white sewing machine case.He retraced his steps until he placed it on the floor in the narrow aisle.
Thump.Crash.
He jerked around.He couldn’t see Felicity.His heart rate picked up.All he saw was a mess of cardboard boxes and lamps lying in a heap.
Chapter Seventeen
Wherewasshe?
Please, don’t let her be at the bottom of that heap.He only had himself to blame if she was hurt.He should have insisted on going to get the sewing machine.
“Felicity?”When he didn’t hear her, he raised his voice.“Felicity, speak to me.”
He leaped onto the couch.He bounded over the back.All he could think about was Felicity.She had to be okay.
When he reached the area where the avalanche of boxes had occurred, he couldn’t see her.But he knew she was under those boxes.Please, don’t let her be hurt.If she wasn’t seriously hurt, why hadn’t she answered him?
