Page 21 of Novel Problems

“Oh great, thanks! And I’d be happy to give you a hand in here after we close one day, if that would help?” Hannah offered with a smile.

I grinned at her. Having Hannah’s company would make the task a lot less daunting and a lot more enjoyable. “You know, I might just take you up on the offer. Although, I think I’d need to pay you double overtime and throw in a meal as well, given the state of this shed.”

Meal.

My heart jumped into my throat.

“Shit!”

“What is it? Hannah asked, eyes wide with concern.

“I was meant to get the pulled pork and cornbread out of the oven.” I looked at my watch, and my stomach plummeted. “Twenty minutes ago. Romina is going to kill me.”

“Oh no!” Hannah turned, twisted the door handle, and pushed to open it.

The door didn’t budge.

“Damn, it’s stuck,” she said. She leaned her shoulder against the door and pushed again, furrowing her brow in effort. “Sorry, it’s not opening.Do you want to have a try?”

Hannah moved away from the door, and I stepped up. I tried pushing the door with my hands, but it didn’t move. I stepped back and rammed the door with my shoulder, throwing all my body weight behind me. Nothing. Goddamnit. It was suddenly feeling very warm and slightly claustrophobic in here.

I tried ramming the door with the side of my body a few more times and then stopped to catch my breath.

I turned to Hannah. “Do you have your phone on you? We could call someone for help.” I’d left my phone on the counter.

Hannah shook her head. “No, sorry. I didn’t bring it with me.”

Damn.

My pulse racing, I tried to brainstorm a way out of here. This was not good. I’d come to terms with the fact that the cornbread was ruined, but if we didn’t get out soon, I was worried that it might start burning in the oven and blanket Novel Gossip in smoke or, even worse, start a fire that might spread.Fuck.

Sweat pricked my face as I looked around for something I could use to try to lever open the door, but there were only boxes and boxes of books.

“Hey, George,” Hannah said.

I turned to find her staring at one of the small square windows that lined the shed’s walls, well over five feet off the ground.

“I think I could get through the window if we stacked up the boxes so I can climb up, turn around, and then drop down feet first.”

I eyed the small window and frowned. There was no way I’d fit through there. But Hannah, with herslighter frame, might be able to. But the idea of Hannah potentially injuring herself in the process was not an appealing one.

“Hmm. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“Seriously, George. It’s worth a try. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck here until at least morning.”

That was assuming Romina or someone else would actually hear our cries for help out here, which wasn’t a given. And that Novel Gossip didn’t burn to the ground and take us with it.

“Let me just have a few more tries at opening the door,” I said, not willing to admit defeat just yet.

I slammed my body against the door three more times without success.

“George, you’re going to hurt yourself,” Hannah said gently. “Come on, let me have a try with the window.”

Hannah had a point. My shoulder was aching. If I injured my arm, then I’d be limited use in the café, and that would only exacerbate our staffing issues and put additional pressure on Hannah. But if Hannah hurt herself, that would be even worse.

As if she’d been reading my mind, Hannah said, “I can do it.”

Hannah said those words with such conviction, I believed her. And at this point, I couldn’t think of any other option to escape.

---