“I don’t think so,” Joy said. She couldn’t wait to get out of this mall. She twitched with tension and fear that Chantal would stumble in the jostling crowd.
“Why not?” Seth asked. “We’ve got time if the lines aren’t too long. I could eat too. My coffee shop muffin is long gone.”
“I’m worried about the crowds.”
His brow wrinkled. “It’s not that busy,” he said. “Why don’t we go and grab a snack before we go back?”
“I already texted Adesh. He’ll be at the door by the time we get there. We’re done here. We got what we came for.” Chantal’s hurt look cut her like a sword. Seth’s incredulous look was almost as bad. For a moment, it looked like he’d argue. His brows furrowed, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. His shoulders hunched together, and he shook his head.
Slowly, he turned and headed out of the store. He didn’t say a word, but his entire body radiated disappointment. Or was it disapproval?
As they made their way toward the elevator, the lights flickered and went out. Someone screamed. Joy stepped forward and placed her hand on Chantal’s shoulder. “Hold still until we know what’s going on.”
The emergency lights came on, giving the mall a dim glow. All around them, people stared in confusion.
“What do we do?” She asked Seth when he turned toward her.
“Let’s stay calm.” There was a reassuring evenness to his tone. “I studied the map earlier. There is an escalator just to our left. Let’s head that way.”
“It won’t be working,” she said, hating how scared she sounded.
“No, but it’s just stairs. We can take them down and out to the car.”
“Chantal isn’t good on stairs. She’s slow. Other people will be taking them too. What if she gets pushed or something?”
“That’s not a problem. I’m a firefighter. I’m quite adept at carrying people down the stairs.” He flashed a roguish grin that hit her right in the heart.
“We’ll walk over, and I’ll carry Chantal down.”
“I don’t know.” He was strong enough, but she always found it hard to trust men after her ex abandoned them, and this was her daughter.
He leaned in close so only she could hear. His faint masculine smell had her inhaling deeply. “Listen. In about two minutes, when people realize that the lights are staying off, assuming they do stay off, people are going to start to panic. Right now, it’s fun. We want to be out of here before the panic starts.”
She reared back at the quiet vehemence in his tone.
“Trust me, Joy. Just this once.”
“Okay, let’s go. Chantal, follow Seth. He’s getting us out of here.”
Chantal giggled. “It’s like a haunted house. Everyone looks funny in the dark.”
Seth and Joy shared an amused look, and they started forward. “Stay close,” Seth advised over his shoulder.
Joy snorted. As if she’d do otherwise.
People were streaming down the escalator. Seth stopped twenty feet away. “Chantal, I’m going to pick you up. When I do, give your crutches to your mom. I’ll carry you down the escalator and your mom will bring your crutches. Okay?”
“Are you gonna carry me like a firefighter? Over your shoulder?” She asked, her eyes wide with excitement.
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes!”
“It’s not comfortable,” he warned.
“Please.” She looked at him, then at her mother.
“What’s safest?” Joy asked.
