SNAKE

by Leal, Samantha

  She closed her eyes and winced, waiting for his reaction.

  He didn’t say anything, and when she opened her eyes to look at him, he was running his hands through his hair and looking down at the ground with his eyes wide.

  She bit her lip and her anxiety started to climb.

  He looked completely stunned.

  She didn’t know what she had been expecting, but she had at least hoped for some words.

  “Are you sure?” he asked as he looked up into her eyes.

  She could see that he was completely overwhelmed with emotion, but she couldn’t yet tell whether it was the good or bad kind.

  “I’m very sure,” she whispered. “I’m two weeks late. And I took a test.”

  She bit the edge of her thumb and kicked at the ground.

  “I didn’t know what to do, but… I just knew I had to tell you. I couldn’t just hold all this in to myself.”

  “Does anyone else know?” he asked.

  She shook her head.

  He moved closer to her and took hold of her hand and held it up to his lips. He kissed her knuckles longingly and then his eyes met hers again and he smiled.

  “Wow,” he said happily. “I’m going to be a dad?”

  Sarah smiled back at him and nodded her head slowly.

  “I’m going to be a dad,” he said again, this time with much excitement and pride.

  He pulled Sarah into his chest and kissed her again and again. He lavished her with his lips, running his hands through her hair and holding her so tightly she knew everything was going to be okay. He wanted this as much as she did.

  It had been a surprise, but he was happy about it.

  She was going to start a family.

  Her and Snake were going to have a baby.

  He held her back and looked at her and ran his fingers through her hair.

  “Babe,” he whispered. “This is insane.”

  “I know,” she smiled. “But I’ve never felt happier.”

  “Me neither,” Snake said as he kissed her delicately on the lips and let his hand rest on her stomach. “This is the best news I’ve ever had.”

  “I’m sure it’s not what you were expecting…” she said as she rested her forehead against his chest.

  “It certainly wasn’t,” he whispered. “I thought you were going to tell me you were leaving town and didn’t want to see me again.”

  “Are you kidding me?” she said as she looked up to him and slapped him playfully on the chest.

  “I did just disappear on you for four weeks,” he said sheepishly. “And your brother…”

  Sarah felt her stomach drop.

  “Oh god,” she said. “We have to deal with Ranger…”

  She looked off ominously, feeling all of her happiness disappear, but she could already feel Snake smiling.

  She looked up at him and he was shaking his head.

  “I’ve spoken with him,” he said as he smiled at her and pulled her close. “Everything is fine in that regard.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked him, almost unable to believe her ears.

  “He told me he was wrong,” he whispered as he brought his face right close to hers. “He told me he was so worried because he didn’t want to lose either of us. But he said he could see what we had the moment he turned up here and saw us watching the sun rise. He said he knew it was real. He knew we were meant to be…”

  “We are meant to be,” she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “There is no doubt about that.”

  Snake kissed her on the lips and held her gaze.

  It had been a complete whirlwind romance that had come out of the blue, but it was one that had changed both their lives forever.

  “I’ve always wanted you,” Snake told her as he held her there and smiled. “And now I’ve got you.”

  “Oh, you’ve certainly got me, baby,” she grinned. “And now we know the best is yet to come…”

  Snake kissed her again and held her tightly.

  They had met as children, grown up apart, and their lives had taken them in completely different directions, but they had come back together again.

  Fate worked in mysterious ways…

  But in Slate Springs, it always brought people home and exactly where they needed to be.

  For Sarah and Snake, the journey was only just beginning.

  THE END

  Collections

  Lost Creek Shifters

  ARLO

  Samantha Leal

  Copyright ©2016 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  1.

  Poppy felt like high-fiving her boss as she walked out of work on that miserable Thursday afternoon, but it wouldn’t have been on his hand… It would have been right in his face. She tried not to scowl at him as she brushed past and made for the exit, but her feelings were too strong to hide. He was everything she hated about men, and yet, she was stuck with him day in and day out with no way of escape. He was arrogant and rude, and completely inappropriate when it came to flirting with her outrageously, and yet, she felt as if she had to grin and bear it just to stop herself from becoming the target of even more cringe-worthy advances.

  She had worked at the store for six months, and although it had originally been as a stop gap, she was starting to fear that maybe working the cash register at a convenience store was going to become her destiny. Nothing else had presented itself to her in the time that she had worked there, and she still found herself in the same position at home. She was working the same shift every day and living with her crazy family. She couldn’t help but wonder when life was going to pick up and she could really start to live, instead of just existing.

  As she made her way to the car, she felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders and as she sank down into the driver’s seat, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had survived another week, and now, she was officially on vacation.

  She started the engine, put the car in drive and reversed out of her parking spot. She rolled down the windows and cranked up the music, and even though she knew that he could possibly still see her and that it would no doubt get her fired, she lifted her hand up out of the window and flipped her boss the bird as she sped out of the parking lot.

  Poppy tapped her hands on the wheel as she made her way through town and thought about the week ahead. It had been a long time since she had been on vacation, and she couldn’t wait to get away for a few days and just unwind. Even if she was going with her family, she was sure that there would be moments when she could take herself away from all of their drama and spend some time by herself. She deserved it, after all.

  She turned a corner and she could see her family home up ahead. Most days, when she approached, she was just glad to be out of work, but today was different… She had left there under a cloud that morning and she was dreading facing her mother. She thought back to the argument that had taken place in the kitchen, back when Poppy was still weary with sleep and her mother had thought it was the opportune moment to drag to the surface all of Poppy’s insecurities and fears. She knew, more than anyone, that she was nearly twenty-five and didn’t have a solid career, a place of her own, or a man… But she didn’t want to be reminded of it, and especially by her mom.

  “You need to shape up, Poppy,” she had said. “And fast, because you’re not getting any younger… It’s about time you were finding yourself a man, settling down and really thinking about what you want to do with your life…”

  It had made Poppy want to cry. The words were like venom and they had hurt. But she was a strong girl, and even though it had cut her deeply, she was determined that she wouldn’t dwell on the opinions of others.

  As she pulled up into the driveway and looked up at
the house, she could see her family inside, they were all buzzing around and preparing themselves for the week ahead. Her younger brother was jumping around the kitchen and even though he was sixteen, Poppy still saw him as a little kid. She smiled. Even though he could be a nightmare at times, he was still more fun to be around than her tricky parents.

  She slammed the car door behind her and walked up to the house. The sound of their voices all drifted out to meet her and she had to suck in a lungful of air as she prepared herself to enter. Her mother’s words still echoed in her mind, and even though she had decided that she would try to forget, it was proving more difficult than she had thought.

  “Poppy,” her father said with a wry drawl as she opened the door and stepped inside. “How was your day?”

  She had been expecting a scowl or a look of disapproval, but he seemed happy for once, and so did her mom. They all flitted around the island in the center of the kitchen whilst her mother prepared dinner, and her younger brother James kicked his soccer ball up from the floor and onto his knees.

  Poppy smiled back and set down her purse as she closed the back door behind her. Her mother looked up and smiled sharply from between tightly closed lips.

  “Good, thanks,” Poppy replied as she walked over to the refrigerator and opened up the doors.

  James kicked the ball again and the slap, slap of it hitting the floor and then his knee was the only sound in the room. There was a tension in the air, but Poppy wasn’t going to give in to it. She was free from work and her pervy boss for ten whole days, and she was going to damn well enjoy it.

  “Smells good,” she beamed as she turned and smiled at her mother. “What are you cooking?”

  “Pot roast,” her mom said as she raised a suspicious eyebrow. “I thought I may as well use up what was left over before we head off.”

  “Great,” Poppy smiled as she slapped her hands together. “I’m starving.”

  The tension began to evaporate and James stopped kicking his soccer ball and sat down at one of the high stools next to the island.

  “What time are we leaving?” he asked as he reached over and grabbed a handful of chips from a bowl on the counter. “I want to get there as soon as we can so I can head out to the lake and go fishing.”

  “Bright and early! Don’t you worry!” their father grinned.

  Poppy felt like rolling her eyes but knew that she had to remain chipper. She smiled from ear to ear and nodded enthusiastically. Even though she was looking forward to the break, the idea of the car journey with her highly strung family was kind of terrifying.

  “Are you packed?” her mom looked up at her and Poppy instantly felt herself tense.

  “Not yet,” she said sheepishly. “But I will be…” She turned and grabbed a glass from one of the cupboards and ran it under the faucet. She sipped the cool water and tried to ignore the daggers shooting from her mom’s eyes. Poppy was sure that they used to be friends, but since she had returned from college and fallen into the small town trap of working for peanuts and living back at home with her parents, it was like all of her mother’s admiration for her had vanished. It killed Poppy inside, even though she would never admit it.

  “We won’t wait for you if you’re late,” her mom said waspishly. “We want to enjoy our vacation, not spend it waiting on you.”

  Poppy tensed and felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. She turned and headed for the door.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t get in the way,” she said, instantly regretting agreeing to go away with them at all in the first place.

  “Where are you going?” her mom asked. “Dinner is almost ready.”

  Poppy shrugged and shook her head. “It’s okay, I’m not hungry anymore,” she said as she walked out of the room and slammed the door lightly behind her.

  As she walked up the stairs, her heart was pounding and her fists were clenched tightly together. She had never been so humiliated and she couldn’t believe that it was her own mother that was making her feel so small and useless. She pushed open the door to her bedroom and closed it behind her and let out a heavy sigh. She knew it had almost been too good to be true to expect her family to be in a good mood when she had come home… But at least they wouldn’t be confined to the house for the upcoming week.

  Poppy threw open her closet doors and looked inside. She had a huge selection of denim shorts, skimpy tees, and dresses, which she could pair with sneakers or sandals, but her motivation for her vacation had pretty much all disappeared.

  “Come on,” she coached herself, “once we’re there, you don’t even have to see them.”

  She pulled her suitcase out from the bottom of the closet, heaved it up onto the bed and opened it. She would pack fast and then she would get herself to bed. She didn’t want to wake up cranky and then have to endure the car journey feeling even more annoyed and agitated than necessary.

  She folded in the clothes and breathed a sigh of relief. She would switch off and try to forget her mother’s cruel words and the feeling of dread that she had inside of her. It had been a tough few months back at home, but this weekend, she was escaping it all and heading for the mountains. She could spend the entire week lying in the sun, basking by the lakes or even heading up in the lifts to the tops of the mountains to ski, hike or take in the views. She didn’t want to admit that she would much rather be lying on a beach somewhere, sipping a cocktail and being waited on by hunky men in tight underwear, but whatever this little mountain town had to throw at her, she would have to make it work.

  She closed the suitcase and pulled it down to the floor. As she flopped down on the bed, her stomach was growling with hunger and all she wanted to do was sneak downstairs and take a plate of food, but she wouldn’t give her mom the satisfaction. Instead, she wrapped her blanket around her shoulders and closed her eyes.

  Only one more sleep and then she would be out of there. Whether her family were in tow or not, she was going to make sure she had the best vacation ever.

  2.

  The open road stretched out ahead of them and Poppy lay her head lightly against the window, dreaming of being out there and being free. She had always romanticized of what it would be like to run far, far away, but she had never had the nerve. As she sat in the back of the car with her mother, she pretended that that was exactly what she was doing. She was no longer a lost girl on a family vacation, she was a woman on the run. A woman on the hunt for her destiny. A woman who knew what she wanted.

  A little smile flitted over her lips and she closed her eyes, satisfied. It was a good feeling to pretend sometimes, but she only wished that it could all be real.

  “So, the GPS says we’re about an hour out,” her dad said over his shoulder. “You gals okay to keep on going or do you need a rest break?”

  Poppy just wanted to get there. She didn’t want to stop and drag out the painful journey any longer than necessary, but she had the feeling her mom may have other ideas.

  “I could do with stretching my legs,” her mom said as she cricked her neck. “So, yes, let’s pull over when you can.”

  Poppy rolled her eyes underneath her sunglasses and stifled a yawn. Up in front, James turned on the radio and some classic rock drifted through to the backseat. Their father tapped the wheel and hummed along to the tune.

  Poppy spied the sign for the rest area before anyone else and debated not saying anything, but she knew it was pointless.

  “Ahh, here we go,” her dad smiled over his shoulder as he slapped on the indicator and started to pull to the side of the highway and off onto a dusty road.

  They pulled into the parking lot and Poppy looked around. There was a small gas station attached to a convenience store and an old looking block of restrooms out back near some woodland. She scrunched up her nose and tried to decide whether she should just sit tight and wait for them to return, but her legs were stiff and her mind was buzzing and she had to get out of there. She leaned over and opened up the car door, and as she stepped out into
the afternoon sun, she stretched her arms high above her head and reached for the sky.

  She hadn’t looked at the time when they had left home earlier that morning, but she could tell that they had already passed lunch time without a stop or pause in their driving. Poppy’s dad was like a man on a mission. He wanted to get his family to their destination, and then they could think about other things such as eating or taking a break. She was surprised that he had even suggested that they pull over in the first place.

  “Right,” her mom said as she walked around the side of the car. “I’m going to the little girls’ room…” She giggled like a child and then hurried off toward the patch of woodland and the block of toilets that looked old and abandoned.

  I’m not going in there, Poppy thought. She could almost feel the tickle of the cobwebs that were no doubt covering the ceiling and walls in there, and she shuddered. She was surprised her mother was being so relaxed about heading in there herself, considering how high maintenance she usually acted.

  “God, just get me to our cabin,” James sighed as he leaned back against the car door next to Poppy. “I can’t take much more of being stuck with these two…” He yawned and scratched the back of his neck.

  “Well, at least I’m not alone there,” Poppy laughed.

  They watched as their dad talked to the gas station attendant and then walked slowly back to the car and started to fill it up.

  “I wish I hadn’t said I would come,” Poppy whispered.

  James looked almost offended and then half laughed.

  “Well, at least it’s only a week,” he said. “Free holiday… You know what they say…” he raised his eyebrows. “Never look a gift horse in the mouth.”

  Poppy rolled her eyes again and she had the distinct feeling that she was going to be doing that a lot on this particular trip. Even though James was young, he was a total smart ass, and she could tell that he was going to spend as much time as possible trying to get a rise out of her. She ignored him and sighed.