Not deadly. Just annoying. Humiliating, if I was still here by the time Sam and Mia got back. Way to prove that I’d be totally fine out here on my own. I hadn’t even made it through one day.

I jiggled a bit and tried to squeeze my girls down through the opening.

Ouch. That wasn’t happening. What skin wasn’t already raw from the scrape was protesting the pressure from the remaining boards.

The sound of footsteps caught my attention, and I looked over to my neighbor’s deck to see a little red-haired girl skipping down her stairs toward me.

She had that kindergarten look about her—all round cheeks and wide eyes. Around five years old was my best guess, which meant there had to be an adult home, too.

“Oh, thank God. Hi, sugar, how are you?” I asked as she raced across the thirty feet or so between our houses.

She paused shy of my staircase, her riot of curls stopping a second after the rest of her.

“Hi. I’m not supposed to be out here alone, but I heard you yell. You’re stuck.” Her forehead puckered over big brown eyes as her southern accent dragged out that last word just like mine would have. Not a tourist. At least that meant the house next door wasn’t a vacation rental.

“I am,” I admitted. “I’m Morgan, your neighbor.”

Her eyes widened. “Our new neighbor? We had old ones. Really, really old ones. They didn’t get stuck.”

I might have laughed if the wood against my ribs would have let my chest expand that far.

“That’s who I bought the house from. What’s your name?”

“I’m Finley. Daddy calls me Fin. Like a fish. Or a shark.” She wandered under the landing, and I lost sight of her.

My feet stilled immediately. I wasn’t taking any chances I’d kick her on accident.

“Hey, I like Hello Kitty, too!” She squealed in delight. “I have the boring Saturday undies on today, but that’s because I don’t like the Sunday ones. They’re green.”

“Hello Kitty…” Oh. My. God. I assessed my situation more carefully, seeing fabric pooled beneath my breasts in a way it shouldn’t be. And that breeze? Oh no. No, no, no.

Earth, just swallow me up right now. Right now.

“You’re really heavy, Miss Morgan!” Bless her little soul, she tried to push my feet up, but I didn’t budge.

“I’m sure feeling that way, Fin. Can you do me a favor?”

She emerged and looked up at me, folding her arms across her chest. “You’re really stuck in there. I’ll get Dad’s saw.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary! But really, so kind of you to offer. Do you think you could get your mama for me?” Please, God. There was no way I was going to wait another minute stuck in this damned staircase, flashing everyone on Cape Hatteras. Nope. No way. Hello Kitty needed to say good-bye.

“No.” The girl shrugged, walking away.

“No?” I questioned, sure my eyes were about to pop out of my head.