He was just scared.
Scared that I was dead.
You’re in a field, Bea. Wide open. Plenty of air. Arms wide. You can twirl and not touch anything. The sky is high, high, high above you.
A tear slips down my cheek.
They’re coming to save you. They know you’re here. You’re not hiding. They’ll get you.
Another tear slips down the other cheek.
Be in a field, Bea. Be in a field.
My breath shudders out of me, and then a shaft of light appears.
“Prop that bloody door openright now,” Simon orders. “Bea? Bea, it’s all right. We’ve got you.”
I suck in a breath and try to swipe my eyes before he can see me, but when I lift my head, it’s too late.
The mixture of compassion and worry andI will burn this whole bloody town down to save youflickering in his blue eyes as he crawls into the space enough to grab my hand without getting trapped in here too?—
I told you so!my vagina squeals.He loves you!
“No more escape rooms.” Simon’s voice is tight, but I can tell he’s trying to be lighthearted. “Come on, Bea. Let’s get fresh air.”
I don’t know how long I’ve been in here.
Maybe a minute.
Maybe ten.
Hard to tell when you’re trying not to panic.
But as soon as I’m back in the room, with both boys looking on wide-eyed, all three security agents hovering, the escape room guide in here too—well, with that many people worried about me, it’s hard to not let the tears slip out again.
Simon crushes me in a hug as soon as we’re both standing. “Are you all right?”
I swallow hard.
Then have to swallow two more times before I trust myself to speak. “I found the bank’s gold.”
His breath whooshes out of him. “You scared the hell out of me. We couldn’t get the door open fast enough to get you out of there.”
I don’t know if he can tell how fast my heart is still pounding, but I can feel his against my cheek, and it’s racing.
And that makes my eyes hot and my throat clog again.
He remembered I don’t like small spaces.
He doesn’t even know why, but he remembered.
And I knew he would, because it’s Simon.
He pays attention.
“Next game’s on the house,” our guide says.
“You’re to close this room until it works properly and no one’s in danger of becoming trapped inside a vault without their consent,” Simon says crisply.
