Excerpt from “Stopped in Motion”

He looked up. Daulton was staring at him with an exaggerated expression—eyebrows high, lips pursed in mock impatience.

“Jesus, you are bad at this,” she teased. “We’re going to have to be in here for days just to get your attention at this pace.”

Before he could protest, she plucked the phone from his hand. He couldn’t help but smile as her thumbs danced across the screen.

“Hey, I have moves,” Rollen said, chuckling. “I just… move slow.”

“I don’t move slow,” she shot back, hitting send with a little flourish. Then she handed the phone back to him, her face suddenly animated, as if she were the one receiving a message.

She held up her phone, pretending to gasp. “Oh look, Rollen! I got a text from Rollen. You know, the dreamy guy I met in the death box? Yeah, him. Oooh, let’s see what he said.”

Rollen glanced at his screen, then leaned closer so they could look together, their shoulders brushing.

The message she’d typed read:

“Daulton, I stepped into this elevator on the 32nd floor. The descent lasted what felt like hours. But this box introduced me to you—your eyes, your laugh. I don’t know when we’ll hit bottom and step out, but I know I want it to be into a new life. Maybe with you. And a burger from Rondo’s.”

He stared at it, warmth blooming in his chest, then looked up at her. Daulton was biting her lip, trying and failing not to laugh at her own boldness.

Rollen tilted his head, eyes wide in mock wonder. “Wow, did I write that?”

Daulton giggled, bumping his shoulder. “You did. You sly one. I should probably watch myself—I might get sucked in by your charm.”

He grinned. “Careful, it’s scheduled. I’ve got a whole plan.”

“This is fun,” she said, almost shyly, before another giggle bubbled up.

Just then, the speaker above them crackled to life.

“Hey, you two. How are you holding up?”

Daulton glanced at Rollen, then tilted her face up at the camera. “Great,” she said brightly, her smile stretched wide.

“Well, good. Listen—it might be another thirty minutes or so. Fire department isn’t listing this as an emergency.”

“It’s fine,” Rollen said quickly, steady.

Daulton raised her hand like a schoolgirl, grin growing as she looked sideways at Rollen. “Um, mister voice? What does a girl do about a ladies’ room in this this coffin-with-buttons?”

There was a beat of silence.

Then the officer’s voice, forgetting to cover the mic: “She’s asking about a bathroom—”, followed by muffled voices in the background.

Daulton clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh, eyes sparkling.

“Hell if I know,” Simons said finally, voice back on. “I’m not trained in elevator etiquette—”

More muffled chatter.

Daulton couldn’t hold it—she broke into a full laugh, head tilted back.

“Yes, ma’am,” Simons returned, now audibly flustered. “We’re working on that—just hang in there. We’re on it.”

A click. The speaker went dead.

Daulton turned to Rollen, beaming. “I don’t think they’re on it,” she said, giggling.

“So now I’ve gotta keep your mind off bathroom breaks too?” Rollen teased. “This job’s getting a lot of bullet points added to it.”

“I’m a girl. I pee a lot, okay?” she shot back, then rolled her eyes playfully. “Ask me something—we can’t have awkward silence in a five-by-five cube.”