I mustered a smile. “You’d think the stripper cosplay was my hugest favor, but I really do need your help again.” Here I was, asking Nolan MacKenzie for yet another thing because everything in my life was falling apart at the seams. “I was supposed to present some slides at an investor call at one, going over the same numbers from the board meeting. You know them as well as I do, maybe even better. Can you present them and, if they ask, explain why I’m not there?” I looked at my watch. “It’s in five minutes in the executive conference room.”
“Oh shit, I need to go then!” He saluted me and took off down the hallway, tucking his periwinkle-and-white windowpane-patterned shirt into his baggy khaki pants.
Sue in HR squatted down a little in the doorway. “The firefighters are downstairs. They’re trying to figure out what happened and get you out of there.” She passed me two bottles of Gatorade and some SunChips. From deep in her pocket, she pulled out an almost-empty bottle of CBD capsules. “Can you give these to Asher? It’s cannabidiol. They help me with anxiety. He’s scaring everyone.”
I’d been so preoccupied with my Nolan favor that I forgot Asher was behind me. Turning my head, I saw him pacing back and forth, tugging at his hair. Mumbling to himself. Falling apart right before my eyes. Note to self: never partner with Asher in an apocalypse situation.
I tiptoed toward him, dangling the Gatorade, chips, and CBD. When he didn’t take them, I crouched down on the floor and placed them by his feet, then slowly backed away. “The firemen are here. We’re going to be free soon.”
Moments later, we heard shouting just as the neighboring elevator dinged on arrival. A crew of firefighters streamed out. It appeared that only our elevator was broken. Lucky us.
A flashlight beam streamed through the door, landing directly in my eyes. “Is anyone hurt?” he asked.
I turned my head and squeezed my watery eyes shut. “Well, I’m blind now, but other than that I’m okay. Asher here is freaking out, but physically, he’s fine.”
For nearly an hour, the elevator shaft filled with echoing sounds of banging, hammering, and electric drilling. Asher had taken two of Sue’s pills and had calmed down considerably. He stopped pacing. Same with the mumbling. His eyes stayed fixed on that door. As soon as it finally opened, I knew he would bulldoze me to get through it. None of that “ladies first” bullshit.
“One. Two. Three!” Two sets of hands on each door panel pulled at the same time, forcing the part to widen enough for a body to pass through. Of course, Asher was the first to exit, pulling himself up onto the floor, stumbling directly to the men’s bathroom straight ahead.
When it was my turn to exit, I whispered “Thank you” to the firefighters hoisting me up. Just past them, Nolan stood with his arms open wide, waiting for me. I collapsed into his arms, burying my face into his chest, silently shuddering and crying. He bent his head down and whispered, “Let me take you home. Let’s use the stairs. No more elevators today.”
Gently tugging me along, he guided me toward the back stairwell leading to the parking garage, supporting me with his arm around my shoulder as we walked side by side down the hallway. With no mental energy to overthink anything, and with Nolan so close to me, I couldn’t focus on anything but him. His reassuring smile when I was inside the elevator. His warm embrace when I was freed. And now, with his body right up against mine, his firm hold around my body, all I could think about was how this was the best I’d felt in a long time. Nolan. Me. Together.
He opened the stairwell door and waved for me to pass through first. I turned around to face him as the latch clicked.
Neither of us moved down the steps. Our eyes locked and I took hesitant steps toward him. I meant to say thank you, but no words would come out. Instead, I put my hands on his chest and slid them up to his shoulders. My chin tilted upward and I stood on the balls of my feet so my mouth could meet his. Closing my eyes, I softly pressed my lips against his. Breathing hard, he ran his hands down my back and returned the kiss immediately, hungry for more.