One Moment (The Little Hollow Series Book 1)

by Danielle Dickson

  A loud horn brought me back to reality and I realized I was driving in the wrong lane and pulled over, narrowly missing a semi by inches. Come on Connor, get your head in the game. I flexed my arm and turned the radio to my favorite country station, trying to concentrate on anything but Sammy Reynolds.

  Hours later, I found myself getting restless. At six-foot-three, sitting in a truck for hours on end was starting to grind on me and I needed to stop. I was about three hours away from Sharlington, the next town over from Little Hollow, where I had reserved a room in a B&B, the same as every year. As soon as I arrived, I planned to drop my bags off and grab a bite to eat.

  I needed an early night, I had so many things running through my head and this drive had really taken it out of me. I wanted to get what I had to do out of the way so I could leave as soon as possible, I didn’t want to bump into anyone. A couple of years ago, I’d bumped into someone that I used to date, if you could call it that, and I had to pretend I wasn’t who she thought I was, I hightailed it out of there so fast she didn’t have a chance to say anything back.

  There was one person I hoped hadn’t stuck around town to bump into; my step dad. He was a flake and I assumed he’d bailed out as soon as he realized we left him, but one thing I’d learnt was to never assume. The thought of bumping into him made my blood boil, that man was the epitome of evil. Part of me wanted to bump into him just so I could show him how much better off we all were now that we weren’t under his control.

  I wanted to tell him I fought through all the bullshit and became the man I am today but most of all, I wanted him to know that my mom had found a loving husband after years of being untrustworthy of anyone who came within a five-mile radius of her. I wanted to see his face as I told him she was finally happy after years of his cowardice. No man should ever treat a woman the way that he had treated my mom.

  “But what if I don’t wanna move?” I didn’t understand why I was being pulled out of my school and having to move half way across the country just because of my sorry excuse of a step dad!

  “Connor, please don’t make this any harder than it already is.” Mom looked around the door and closed it as gently as she could. “You know Tony needs this job now.”

  I snorted in disgust. “It’s not me who beat you in front of the neighbors,” I tried to say it under my breath but she heard me.

  “Connor Matthew Hartley! I will not hear those words come out of your mouth again, do you understand me? We’re a team but not only that, I’m your mother and I deserve some respect!”

  Those words stung. “Yeah, you do.” I looked into her piercing blue eyes. They were so sad. “I’m sorry, mom.”

  She nodded and turned around to continue packing. “Can I at least know where we’re going?”

  She stopped and I saw her shoulders tense up. “Not until we’re out the state, sweetheart, I just know it’s going to be an adventure. You used to love adventures when you were little...”

  As she carried on talking, forever changing the subject, it dawned on me that she didn’t know either. All I felt was emptiness and a longing for her to get up the courage to leave. Tears started to rise to the surface of my eyes and I quickly blinked them away, I was nearly thirteen now, I needed to stop acting like such a sissy.

  That word was ingrained on my brain because it was used so much. I wasn’t even sure he knew what my real name was anymore.

  I got up to help my mom pack and after ten minutes the kitchen door slammed against the wall. “Stephanie!” We both froze and I stepped in front of her instinctively. “Stephanie!” he shouted even louder, clearing her throat she gave me a look that told me not to say anything before answering him.

  “Just in Connor’s room helping him pack darling.” She didn’t sound any louder than a little mouse. My step dad burst through the door with a scowl on his face and his rotund belly sticking out the bottom of his shirt.

  “Do you not think this little sissy is old enough to pack his own things, hmm?” Mom looked from me to him, nodded and kept her head down as she exited the room.

  He stood there staring at me but I refused to back down and remove my eyes from his lifeless gray ones. “Well? Get on with it then, the removals come at eight and I won’t be having you make me late boy.”

  He turned on his heel and I couldn’t help but notice that he was starting to go bald and a little snort escaped me. I immediately threw my hands over my mouth but it was too late. All I saw was him come flying at me and felt the weight of him pinning me to my bed in a matter of seconds.

  “Something funny, boy? Something to share with dear old dad?” All my bravado seeped out of my pores and I knew I had to say the right thing otherwise mom would try to come to my rescue and I couldn’t let that happen again, so I swallowed my pride.

  “No, Sir! I had a tickle in my throat!” He looked my face over with squinted eyes.

  “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood tonight, now get your shit packed!” he growled, giving me a small shake before pushing up off me and walking out of my room.

  As soon as he was gone, I buried my face in my hands and made a promise to myself. One of these days, I’d be bigger than him and it will be on that day that he’ll regret ever laying a finger on me and my mom!

  Scenes of my childhood remained ingrained in my brain, I’d learnt to lock them away in the back of my mind from an early age.

  I just couldn’t take seeing my mom’s face, all beaten and bruised. Hearing her scream and the slew of insults we heard on a daily basis… they needed burying away. So that was what I did but it was times like this, when I was taking a trip into the past, that they came back full force.

  Pulling over into a gas station to stretch my legs, I almost forgot to indicate and nearly got run off the road, again. I leant my head against the steering wheel until I pulled myself together and climbed out of my truck.

  I had three hours to go until I reached the B&B and I needed to keep my wits about me, I couldn’t keep letting my mind wander. Grabbing a bottle of water, I paid and got back on the road.

  As I pulled into the parking lot of the B&B, I blew out a sigh of relief at not having to be cooped up in this truck any longer. It was a quaint little place but it suited me perfectly. I stayed here every year and I actually looked forward to seeing the old couple that ran it. They were always so nice and never asked any questions, better yet, they didn’t know who I was because I always used my best friend’s name. I didn’t want them to know who I really was in case they connected the dots.

  Walking into the building, the smell of freshly baked cakes hit me and I closed my eyes to take it all in.

  “Well, look who the cat dragged in, Mac Jennings! How are you, dear?” Mrs Holroyd greeted me with a sweet hug and I instantly felt at home.

  “Looking good, Mrs H. I’m doing just fine, thank you.” She walked behind the front desk and tried to give me a stern look.

  “Now, I told you to call me by my first name, you make me feel so old.” She huffed and looked down at the book that sat on top of the desk she used for check-in. “I kept your usual room free for you. If you need anything, don’t you hesitate to come ask me or Lyle, he’s just out the back trying to work out how to put up a deck. I swear that man wasn’t built for DIY.” She shook her head but her eyes were playful.

  I chuckled as she handed me the keys to my room and I climbed the rickety staircase. I loved this place, the room was basic and a little old fashioned but it was homely and I liked it. Nothing like my own apartment in the city but that was one of the reasons I stayed here.

  Dropping my duffle on the bed, I quickly splashed my face with water and changed my shirt before making my way towards the nearest place to eat. It felt good to stretch my legs, the air was warm and everybody I passed gave me a smile; I missed small town living.

  Coming across a BBQ grill house that I didn’t remember ever being here, I decided to check it out. Eating alone didn’t faze me, I was so used to it these days so the funn
y look the hostess gave me as I asked for a table for one almost went unnoticed.

  Leading me to my table, she sashayed her hips as she walked and I almost scoffed. I wasn’t interested in women that flaunted themselves, they just weren’t my type.

  Once she’d taken my order, I couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching me. Looking up around the room for the first time, I had to do a double take.

  “Well, shit! Is that really you, Con?” My old friend Lewis asked, I startled at my name because there was no way I could deny it was me this time. I smiled at the six-foot, dirty-blond haired man in front of me, and got up to greet him.

  “Lew? I wasn’t expecting to bump into you. Who you here with, just you?” He looked over at the door and back at me with a sheepish look on his face.

  “Erm… I’m due to meet someone in half an hour, mind if I sit and have a beer with you until she comes?”

  I held in my sigh, this was not what I had planned. The whole point of staying in Sharlington was to avoid this very situation. Of course there was always a risk of bumping into somebody but Lewis of all people? It was just my luck.

  “Of course not,” I said, waving my hand out to the chair opposite.

  He took a seat and grinned at me. “So what brings you back to our neck of the woods, stranger? I haven’t heard from you in what…eight years?” Here came the inevitable questions about where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing. I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to divulge so I skirted around the question.

  “Yeah, about that.” I nodded, not giving him much to go on. “Have you moved back?” I asked.

  He shifted in his seat. “Well, I actually never left. I turned a football scholarship down when my mom got sick the summer after graduation. She needed someone to look after her so I decided to stay.” He took another gulp of his beer as the waitress placed mine on the table in front of me.

  “Shit, sorry, Lew, I didn’t know. Your mom okay now?” He looked up at me then, his face a picture of worry.

  “She’s doing alright; she just needs a lot of extra care now. A stroke took out her whole left side but she’s progressing a little,” he gritted out.

  “Sorry, Lew, that must be hard,” I said, feeling uncomfortable.

  Shrugging, he looked at the bar. “Some days are better than others. Anyway, what’ve you been up to? You basically disappeared off the face of the earth.”

  I laughed. Now this bit was easy to tell, I could be honest about this.

  After graduation, I’d went onto college but decided it wasn’t for me after my first year so I started up a construction company with what savings I had, this was something I was damn proud of.

  “Seems like you’re living the dream, it’s great to hear you’re doing so well, Con. I always did wonder what happened to you.”

  “So are you a full-time carer to your mom now?” I asked after talking about myself for a while.

  He nearly choked on his beer. “Fuck no! The woman might be paralysed on the left side of her body but her mouth still works fine.” He laughed before continuing, “I actually own my own business too. The old garage was...”

  My pulse started racing at the mention of the garage. My step dad used to work there, just the thought of that man made my blood boil.

  “...so it was a good investment. Con? Are you okay?” He waved his hand in front of my face. I shook my head trying to snap out of the memories. He looked down at my hands and I realized I was gripping the sides of the table so hard that my knuckles had turned white.

  “Shit, Con, I’m such an idiot. I didn’t mean to spring it on you like that.” He looked down at the table.

  I shook my head. “No need to apologize, Lew, that’s awesome. Congratulations!” I paused, hoping the waitress would hurry up and bring me my food so I could get out of here, either that or that Lew’s date would turn up early.

  “Thanks, man. I’ve gotta say, I didn’t ever think you’d come back here.” I frowned and waited for him to continue. “You know, what with Tony still being here.”

  My back stiffened, he’d completely floored me and I had no idea what to say.

  “You did know didn’t you? I assumed that’s what you were doing here.” A frown marred his face.

  Taking a deep breath, I told him I didn’t have a clue that he was still in the area and that I thought he would have bailed out on town after we had left him.

  “I didn’t know...” He trailed off as the door opened and a woman with long jet black hair walked in. Piercing blue eyes were the first thing that you noticed about her, then the tattoos that were dotted over her arms. I couldn’t see her being a resident, not looking like that anyway, she must have been passing through too.

  But as she looked around and caught sight of Lewis, I saw a slight eye roll and I knew I liked her whoever she was.

  “If I have to hear about Mr Parker’s ingrown toenails one more time, I’m going to take these scissors and cut them off myself!” Kee’s rants were constant but she wouldn’t be her without them, she was hilarious and could cheer me up in an instant.

  “Wooaaahh! Put down the scissors, Sweeney Todd!” I snorted.

  Picking up the broom, I started to sweep the remainder of the hair off the floor in time to a Band Perry classic.

  “You’re obviously just such an approachable person to talk to, Kee, maybe he’ll show you next time.” I received a middle finger from her which made me laugh even more. “Okay okay, it was pretty disgusting.” I wrinkled my nose at the very thought of his feet. Urgh.

  “Hardy-Ha, miss, ‘oh, Mr Parker, tell Keeley what the doctors said this morning about your foot’… seriously Sam, that’s not cool!” At this I burst into hysterics just as the bell on the front door chimed and in walked Nora.

  “Nora, we were just closing up,” I said as I looked at her. Seeing her worried face, I asked, “But what can I do for you?”

  Walking over to her, I passed Keeley the broom to finish sweeping.

  “I don’t know whether I’ve gone completely mad but I needed to come in now otherwise I would’ve changed my little old mind.” She paused for affect, then opened her arms wide and shouted, “I want bangs!”

  The way she announced it was like she was declaring war on her hair. Before I had time to answer her, Kee came walking over.

  “Well alright! Sam, I don’t mind taking this if you want to go get ready.” I looked over at the clock, twenty-five past six, I had thirty-five minutes until I had to meet Lewis over in Sharlington and with a fifteen-minute drive, I didn’t have much time to freshen up after a long day cooped up in the salon.

  “Oh, that’s very nice of you, dear, but I was hoping Sam would do the honors, considering I’m her regular.” She smiled sweetly over at me.

  I took one look at Keeley with a pained expression on my face and pointed at the closest chair.

  “Keeley, you’re going to have to go meet Lewis and tell him I won’t make it.” The look on her face was reading no way in all sorts of languages. “Please, Kee, stop being such a hermit, it’s just a quick bite to eat and he’s a great guy. I’m not asking you to date him, just go and tell him I’m really sorry but I had to stay behind and you may as well eat whilst you’re there, two birds, one stone and all that.”

  She crossed her arms. “Why can’t you just call him?” I gave her a look and with a sigh she walked into the back to grab her purse. Walking back out towards the salon door she gave me a scowl and a quick, “You owe me.”

  I loved that girl!

  “Hey, Keeley,” Lewis said with a puzzled look on his face.

  Her eyes flicked to me, trying to assess the situation.

  “Hey, erm…Sam got stuck cutting Nora’s hair and didn’t want to leave you on your own so... here I am.” She threw her arms out and I was sure that I saw a slight look of anticipation on her face but it went as fast as it came.

  “Well that was…nice of her to send you to keep me company.” Lewis stood up and turned around to look at me. �
��Connor this is Keeley; Keeley, Connor.”

  She gave me a quick nod then went and sat in the booth that Lewis had pointed out for her. “If you’re not busy tomorrow around six, come on over to the garage for a cold one.”

  “Sure…” I nodded. “Hey, did you just say Sam? As in Sammy Reynolds?”

  His eyes widened. “Yeah, Keeley’s her best friend. We were supposed to be checking this place out tonight, it just opened last week.” Just as he finished his sentence the waitress brought over my food, the relief on his face was clear as day. “I’ll leave you to it but I’ll see you tomorrow?” I barely made myself smile before he headed in the direction of his booth.

  Why did it bother me so much that Sammy had moved on? They couldn’t be serious if they didn’t come together, surely? Looking down at my food, I realized I didn’t feel much like eating now so I stood up, slammed a handful of bills down on my table and headed out the door back towards the B&B.

  I stopped short outside the building and took a couple of deep breaths before entering. Mr Holroyd, or Lyle as he kept on insisting I called him, was sitting with his feet up at the front desk reading what looked like an instruction manual. I didn’t feel like talking to anybody right now but there was no way I was getting past without him noticing I was here. The floor was creaky as hell and I wasn’t exactly hard to miss so I made a point of closing the door a little louder than necessary.

  “Mr Holroyd, it’s a pleasure to see you again. How’ve you been?” The old man folded up his manual and stood up offering me his hand.

  “Mac! The pleasure is all mine. Oh, that’s a good firm handshake. I’m better than ever.” I chuckled at him, he was a little eccentric to say the least.

  “Really glad to hear that, Mr Holroyd.”

  Again, he insisted that I called him Lyle and pointed at the manual he was just pouring over. “I can’t for the life of me work this out, now I’m a man of many years on my belt but DIY was never one of my strong points. Could you take a quick look for me and tell me where I’m going wrong?”