One Special Love (One Night Only Book 2)

by Abby Gale

  ONE SPECIAL LOVE

  (ONE NIGHT ONLY)

  Book 2

  ABBY GALE & SIENNA GRANT

  One Special Love

  ABBY GALE and SIENNA GRANT

  Copyright ©2017 by Abby Gale and Sienna Grant

  | All Rights Reserved |

  Cover illustration by PopKitty Design

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except the brief quotations for reviews. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places, incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any similarities were surely not intentional.

  Blurb

  ASHTON

  My life stopped when I lost the love of my life before we even had the chance to begin.

  But now my heart has found another reason to start beating again.

  ACACIA

  He’s a walking contradiction. One minute he’s rude and cold, the next, caring and passionate. He enters my life and steals my heart with his deeply ingrained scars.

  Can he let go of the ghost from his past and let me in?

  APRIL

  This isn’t my story; I’m just the spectator in the background.

  And I’m dead.

  Dedication

  To everyone who needs hope in their lives.

  Don’t worry,

  There is always someone there to light the way.

  PROLOGUE

  ASHTON

  One word - DEVASTATION.

  That’s the only feeling I can comprehend at this very moment. The only emotion that has my heart and mind in total agreement. It’s been two days since I watched them lower April’s body into the ground. Five whole days since my soul was shattered beyond repair.

  How did she come to mean so much to me in such little time?

  Yeah, I watched her for a while, in fact from that first chemistry class and yeah, I secretly hoped she liked me too, but I never, for a moment, though she did.

  That text I got that night completely threw me at first. I still can’t believe how much time we’ve lost, Maybe if we hadn’t left it so late or I was braver to make a move on her, we could have had something deep. Something real.

  Oh, who am I kidding? Fate wanted it this way. Well, fuck you fate, that’s what I say.

  I’ll never regret spending those last 72 hours with her. That night, April Estelle took a piece of me that I’ll never get back again. She took it with her the night she passed away.

  Two Weeks Later

  I have no concentration, my schoolwork that used to take precedence over everything has dropped to the bottom of my priority pile. I don’t care about anything except how much I miss her. Every corner of the school has a part of her. Wherever I turn I see her, wherever I look, I see one of her friends - almost as devastated as me - and I hate them. I hate every person who had more time with April than me.

  I can’t breathe.

  The school, the closed buildings, and the people are suffocating me when all I can think of is her. I don’t even want to share my pain with any of the people around me. Pain is the only thing I have from her… the pain and the memories.

  I can’t function.

  Every waking moment fills my mind with April. Being in the same places she was in, going through with my life like she has never existed like she’s never left a mark on me. I can’t go to school; I can’t chat with friends and hear them laugh when my heart is shattered inside. I barely sleep, but when I do I dream about those last moments with her. I can still feel her fragile body beside me, still hear her laugh, still see the undying gleam in her eyes even though she’s been through all that terrible pain. The worst of it - I can still feel her love burning in my heart.

  Lying on my bed with my laptop on my legs, watching Step Up - this was her favorite film - I can see us lying there snuggled up together on her hospital bed. We didn’t get to make many memories, but the ones we had are killing me inside.

  I shut the laptop down and move it from my lap.

  I can’t do this anymore.

  I’m going crazy. I need to get away.

  Getting a bag from under the bed I move around the room, grabbing some clothes. I throw them in the bag with some essentials and decide to get out of here, some place where it’s peaceful, somewhere that people won’t expect me just to forget her and move on.

  Wiping the moisture from my eyes, and I grab the rest of my things and walk out the front door. Fobbing my R8 and throw my stuff into the trunk. I head to the one place I know I can shut myself away and deal with the grief and numbness that has taken over me. I don’t think I’ll ever get over April, but I know I won’t be able to live with this pain and grief with the whole world putting pressure on me to come back to my normal self again, either.

  I need to escape.

  ~*~

  Two hours later I’m driving down the winding roads of the mountains, pulling up to the cabin that belongs to my parents. I turn off the engine and rest my head on the headrest of the seat and inhale deeply through my nose before unfolding my large frame from the car and stretch my body out. I push my fingers into my hair and drag my hands down my face, rubbing my weary eyes. I tilt my head back and breathe in another fresh breath of air before I take a look at my surroundings; snow on the mountain tops, wind whistling through the trees - tranquility.

  I wish April were here with me right now. She would love it here. I remember hearing her talk to her friends about how she loved cold weather, how it made her feel alive. I wish the cold had been enough to keep her alive, though. The pain puts a lump in my throat again. I can only shake my head, and make my way into the cabin - I don’t want to lose it out there.

  The house is just like I remember, a rustic place with the smell of nature and wood. That pine smell. The abandoned look inside pains me, though. The sheets that are protecting the furniture give a ghostly feel to the place. I pull them off and collapse into the softness of the one chair.

  We haven’t been up here since I was a kid, so the place is cold - a bit like how I’m feeling at the moment.

  I drag my tired body up and lean my elbows on my knees, burying my face in my hands. It feels like I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I have never thought a person could feel this kind of pain. But mostly, I had never thought such a short amount of time with a girl could cause me this much pain. Even thinking that - it makes me feel bad like I said a bad thing about April because she wasn’t an ordinary girl; she shone brightly among the others and crawled under my skin.

  As I let the silent tears trickle from the corners of my eyes I yet again think of the girl who captured my heart and left me irreparably broken. It’s that same girl that doesn’t leave me entirely.

  April Estelle.

  CHAPTER ONE

  APRIL

  One word – EMPTY

  This is what dying feels like.

  A big emptiness in the middle of nowhere. Everything loses its meanings – time, places, and shapes are nothing but words and old meanings.

  I don’t remember if I saw a big white light I should have walked through or not, but I don’t even remember if I saw God or the Angels. All I’m feeling now is the numbness as I soar through oblivion – of the unknown to an even greater unknown.

  Then, something happens... something that changes the emptiness, which breaks the calm, gliding into the oblivion, and turns feeling nothing into feeling everything.

  First, there is a pull around me where my waist used to be.

  Then, there
is a painful sensation that takes my breath away. This pain isn’t mine, though, it’s different. I know it like I know that I am dead.

  And the falling begins...What’s happening?

  Has God decided that I don’t deserve this calm, comforting emptiness and pushed me over the edge to Dante’s Inferno?

  I keep falling. I keep falling until the sensation starts.

  I start to feel my body first.

  All those meaningless things gain back their meanings.

  I form into my shape, standing outside of a house in the middle of nowhere in the darkness.

  What is this?

  Then the pulling starts back again, this time into the house. Panic consumes my senses.

  Is this a kind of nightmare I find myself in? A nightmare where suffered souls swirl around in pain? A sense of unfinished business occurs to me.

  Then I see him…Ashton Kennedy.

  He looks rawer than I remembered; his warm brown eyes are framed with dark circles. His full beard covers his beautiful, strong jaw, giving him a rough exterior. I feel myself being pulled closer to him as I lift my hand to his face - I try to touch him, but my touch passes through him like a ghost, and instead of feeling the smooth texture of his beard in my palm I feel nothing.

  “So, you read these things, huh, April?” he says, shocking me back to my new reality.

  Can he see me?

  I try my chance one more time, extending my hand to touch his hair, but the result doesn’t change. My hand goes through his hair.

  Disappointed that I can’t touch him, I look at what he is reading. I feel like smiling, he is reading erotica, one from my collection. I sit next to him, still trying to wrap my mind around what is happening here. But before I can come to a conclusion, the tears fall from his eyes, and I understand the source of the pain I’m feeling now.

  Ashton Kennedy, the only man I ever loved, is in pain.

  And here I am... suffering with his pain, and there’s not a damn thing I can do to ease it, so I suffer along with him.

  And here I am...witnessing his suffering and there’s not a damn thing I can do to ease his pain, so I suffer along with him.

  CHAPTER TWO

  ASHTON

  “Why April? Why did you have to leave me so early?” I say aloud to the empty room like she can hear me or better yet, can answer me.

  A tear lands on the book in my hand - April’s book and before I can wipe the wetness away my tears start to fall furiously; there’s no way of stopping them. Resting my head back and I close my eyes as a cold shiver runs through me from head to foot even though the fire is still burning.

  I opened my eyes and looked around the room for an open window, but there is none. I poke the wood in the fireplace in hope to get some warmth; it’s so cold in here like I have no feeling, as though the warmth has been taken away from me. Shivering again I head to bed, under the blankets, but the coldness follows me to my bed like a long-lost lover.

  After a while, the cold starts to give me some kind of comfort, surrounded me in numbness, but not enough to let me sleep. Sleep is a luxury I don’t have anymore. Not since the last time I saw her face, or touched her skin, even heard her laugh. Not since the last time I saw her alive and they say now is the time is to let her go. I don’t want to let her go. So, I accept this new comfort and watch the ceiling hoping maybe sleep will find me this time.

  ~*~

  After a restless night of tossing and turning, I dragged my weary body from the bed and padded into the kitchen. In my hasty decision to make the journey up to the mountain yesterday, I forgot the essentials like coffee, milk, bread - what will keep me alive in the middle of nowhere. That sounds so ridiculous since I feel like my world is crashing down, but human beings are strange creatures, even when you feel like you won’t be able to breathe anymore, you still crave for things to eat and drink.

  I shake my head, and check the time: 5 am; I’ll have to go to the store when it opens. The temperature in the house is still low, but I didn’t mind it after it becomes my only companion. Still, I put the last wood on the fire, just to be doing something rather than drowning in my sorrows.

  I pulled on my boots and my coat and headed outside for more wood, hoping that would distract me enough to keep going. I spent my childhood holidays up here. There is something peaceful here with the chirping birds, huge trees, and no person in sight. It gives people a chance to focus on themselves and have a getaway from the chaos of the city and mostly people. I used to love it here because of nature itself, feeling like a boy’s scout and helping my dad to chop the firewood were fun. Now, the reason of my interest is totally different, though. I came here to search for myself, to find my sanctuary and grieve in peace.

  I took the wheelbarrow and walked into the woods to find a log to chop up. After hours of physical labor, the fog has started to lift a little, I felt as though I was in a better mind space. Exhausting yourself is one of the best therapies in the world. I loaded the logs into the wheelbarrow and took them back to the Cabin when a noise stops me in my tracks. I had to go and investigate.

  I walked towards the storage unit outside, I could hear the sounds of whining. I noticed the door to the storage area was ajar and with tentative steps I took a look inside. I don’t know what I was hoping for but I know I was praying it wasn’t a mountain bear.

  A black furry animal was laid there shaking and whining in the corner; it looked like a dog, but I couldn’t be sure until I got closer. I took little steps so as not to scare the poor thing as I studied its fur, it was only a furry animal. I kneeled down next to it.

  Is that a Labrador? What the hell is it doing in my storage area?

  Leaning closer, I reach out to touch and caress his fur. First, he moves back with fear, but when senses I'm not there to hurt him he moves closer to me. He then rubs up against my legs trying to use my body heat.

  Such a beautiful animal. Someone must be looking for him. I can’t imagine that anyone could treat such a beautiful animal like this on purpose. He must be lost? But his fur is matted in places, and he's so underweight.

  Noting that I should let the sheriff know about the missing dog, I lift the beautiful creature into my arms and take him into the Cabin. He growls slightly when I put him near the fireplace so I back away from it and lie him down, he lies on his stomach and gives out what sounds like a sigh. My heart pains for him. I try to prepare something for him to eat, but there isn’t much in the house. I'll need to buy him some food.

  After a quick phone call to the sheriff about the dog, I shower and then head to the market.

  ~*~

  Pulling up at the market I park my R8 up at the side of the road and head inside. This car really isn’t appropriate for the mountains, such an absurd luxury; it sticks out like a sore thumb among the trucks in the town, but it’ll have to do for now. Inside the store, as I put my items on the conveyor belt I hear a loud bang, at first, I don’t take much notice of it like most of the things these days; nothing is enough to get my attention lately, and this was no different.

  After I had paid for my things, I headed out of the market door with the bag in my arm and what I see in front of me doesn’t help my foul mood today. Someone has tried to park their truck in the back of my car! Just like I’m in the right mind to deal with this shit right now.

  “What the fuck!” I groan at myself, not noticing the petite woman standing next to the truck with her hands over her mouth in shock.

  “Fuck!” I kick my tire with frustration and the anger that was growing inside me for days. I growl and get hit with the sadness inside me, transforming it into anger and physical violence toward my car, not with a single fuck to give what people would think of me.

  The universe is playing tricks on me, trying to make my life harder than it’s already been. I kick the tire one last time, targeting my anger toward my car. I bend over to look at the damage as I see the woman move towards me in my peripheral vision. Straightening up I slowly turn to face the
culprit, making a quick check on her to be sure she is okay and in one piece. When I notice, she didn’t have a scratch on her, my anger shows itself.

  “What were you doing, could you not see my car there?” I shout at her. “You could have been hurt!”.

  “I’m so sorry! Oh, my Goodness, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see your car. I was distracted,” she says troubled and scared, probably because of my outburst.

  “Distracted? Is that an excuse? Do you know how lucky you are?” I yell at her, seeing red.

  April couldn’t even drive a car, couldn’t have a chance to get her driving license because of the stupid monster that ate her alive yet here this woman doesn’t know how lucky she is to have those small luxuries, but wasting them because of distractions.

  “I’m sorry, okay?!” Her voice is high pitch now with the anger, I assume.

  “There are people out there, dying when all they want is to live. Yet here you are, getting distracted and throwing your life away, causing damage!” I don’t even know if she hears me right now, I’m on a roll with my frustration I don’t even keep eye-contact with her. Maybe it’s not fair for me to act like this, but then again, I’m angry at everything and everyone I don’t care about being fair or not.

  “No one was hurt. Calm the fuck down a little!” She shouts back.

  “Thankfully!” I snap and turn back to get inside my car, but she stops me. “Let me pay for the damage as a sorry?” she asks, nervously, but I sense an underlying frustration in her anxiety.

  “I don’t care about the car. I don’t want your money. Go see a doctor to be sure you’re okay. And do the world a favor and stay away from the road ‘til you learn how to drive!”