One Moment (The Little Hollow Series Book 1) (2 page)

I started to slow my pace as I got closer to the beach and my heart tries to fight its way out of my chest. At the edge of the sand, I take my sandals off to feel it running between my toes; the sun had kept it warm. I walked in the direction of the dock which spanned to nearly half way across the lake. Nearing the end, I closed my eyes and relished in the sun’s rays beating down onto my milky white skin. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to turn back time. To change everything.

“Another year huh, bud?” I whispered into the air.

“Sammy! Sammy! I’m hungry.” I looked up from the mountain of school work I’d yet to get through and into my little brother’s sweet green eyes before looking at the clock. It was five p.m. already, where did the time go?

“OK, little bud, what would you like?” Although I already knew asking was a pointless feat. ‘Grilled cheese’ we both sang at the same time. His little face lit up and with a giggle he skipped into the kitchen to get out the loaf of bread and some cheese. He struggled to reach the bread out of the pantry and I stepped forward to help him.

“No, I can do it,” he said, determined. “Sammy? Am I going to grow big and strong like Connor one day?” he asked as he jumped up to get the food.

“Of course you are, you need to start eating your vegetables though, instead of grilled cheese all the time.” He pulled a face at me, obviously the thought of anything but grilled cheese was out of the question.

“I think I’ll be fine with grilled cheese, cheese is good for you, it has calcium in.” He smiled before turning back to reach the bread again. “It’s just, well, Oliver made fun of me again today, he said I was so small he could fit me in his desk and no one would know and then everyone laughed at me.”

I frowned and waited patiently whilst he jumped up and down, trying really hard to do it on his own. In the end, he motioned for me to help and I went over to him.

“Well, Oliver obviously doesn’t know that great things come in small packages,” I reassured him with a wink and a muss of his hair before taking down the bread and handing it to him.

My little brother was born prematurely so he’d always been a little smaller than everyone else in his class. I wished they would stop teasing him, he’s such a sweet, sensitive kid. All he wanted was to fit in.

“Sammy, when’s mom coming home?” I froze. It’s the same routine every time, I plastered a smile on my face and told him she’d be home soon.

Seeing his crestfallen face each and every time broke my heart. I knew it would be hours before she came in drunk as a skunk so I had plenty of time to get Tommy sorted and the house in order before retreating to my room.

Trying to distract him from the momentary glitch in his normally happy mood, I asked if he was done with his homework and with his usual answer of ‘yup’, I turned to make the grilled cheese. He started to tell me about a girl in his class that kept sending him letters. I chuckled at him when he said it was yucky.

I placed his grilled cheese in front of him and he started munching away eagerly. He was so resilient and as a boy of ten, he’d already been through so much. After our dad had up and left out of the blue five years ago, mom spiralled and started drinking; and I didn’t mean a glass of wine on a night to unwind, she was always drinking.

I went through stages of feeling resentful of my peers, they got to go to parties and do everything a normal sixteen/seventeen-year-old does. Me? I had to quit school two years ago and do all my work from home so I could take on my mom’s hairdressing job that she failed to turn up at.

Turns out I was a natural and Miss Debbie said she’d put me through the works to get me my cosmetology licence. I really loved the fast pace of the salon. In there, I could dig up all my creativity and just forget about responsibilities for the day.

Snapping out of my reverie, I noticed I hadn’t even touched my sandwich so when Tommy asked if I was finished, I chuckled and slid it over to him.

Once he polished mine off mine too, I took our plates over to the sink. “Right, kiddo, go clean your room.”

I could see the reluctance building up so I turned back and said, “Go on, and I’ll let you have extra time to watch TV.” He gave the biggest grin and threw his arms up in the air with a high pitched ‘Yip’ as he started running down the hall into his bedroom.

I found myself chuckling, how anybody in their right mind couldn’t be friends with that kid was beyond me. Just as I started the washing up my cell pinged. Gritting my teeth as I dry my hands, I hoped that this wasn’t another text about having to go pick up my mom. I blew out a breath, relieved that it wasn’t and fired back a quick text to my best friend Connor who invited me and Tommy to the little man made beach to watch the sunset.

You know I can’t!

Thirty seconds later, my phone was ringing and I answered, hearing the deep gravelly voice on the line.

“You know you’re going to have to come out sometime, Red. You never do anything for you and don’t give me ‘I’m busy’.” I hated when he called me Red. It was a nickname he’d given to me after we first met in junior high, due to my flaming red hair and apparent feisty attitude.

“Connor Hartley, don’t you use that name.” Even before I’d finished my sentence, his hearty laugh came over the receiver and the butterflies started deep in my stomach.

“Ah come on, Sammy, whatever you have to do there can wait. Tommy will love it.” Connor knew my weakness was Tommy and he also knew how to play me on it. All my resolve went out the window as I agreed for him to pick us up in half an hour. That’d give me enough time to sort the majority of the house out.

“Tommy, change of plans. We’re going on an adventure with Connor!” I called through to him as I started drying the few dishes that were on the side.

“An adventure?” he shouted. “Where are we going? Who else will be there?” He always got far too excited resulting in him getting the hiccups.

I laughed and went to talk to him. “It’s a surprise, I’ll only tell you if you clean your room super-fast.” I waggled my eyebrows at him as his face lit up as he started frantically picking things up.

“And don’t just shove things in your cupboard!” I added as I walked into my room.

Catching my reflection in the mirror on the wall opposite, my eyes widened. There was no way I was showing my face looking like this. It was just Connor, but there was nothing ‘just’ about Connor these days. I looked down at myself, cheese coated my leggings and my loose tee had seen better days.

Raiding my closet, I sighed knowing I had only a few items of clothing to pick from. It was warm out so I settled on a pale blue flowing top and a pair of my favourite dark denim shorts. I grabbed a gray cardigan draping it over my purse for later on when it got a little breezy and headed for the bathroom to tame my frizzy red locks.

Deciding there was nothing constructive I could do in a short amount of time, I shoved it up into a messy bun on the top of my head then put on a little mascara and some gloss. There, much better.

“Tommy, you ready?” Just as I shouted, he came running down the hall with his superman cape on. “Nice accessory, where do you think we’re going?”

He bounced up and down. “I don’t know but we might need a superhero!” I laughed at him, hearing a horn beep outside he made a beeline for the front door. I grabbed the keys and locked up before following him to Connor’s truck.

“Con...Connor!” I shook myself out of my daydream and came face to face with one of my most competent workers and best friends.

“Sorry, Mac, I’m not with it today.” I wondered how long he’d been standing there.

The six-foot-two hulking, bearded man grinned back at me. “Women troubles?” he drawled, waggling his brows at me. I wished it was just that. I left earlier than Mac and Dalby today to get some paperwork done but truth be told, I just couldn’t concentrate.

“Could say that,” I said, ignoring what he was insinuating. “How long left on Sweeney’s roof?” He paused for a few seconds, studying me.

“Not gonna kiss and tell, huh? Okay, I’ll play along.” He shrugged. “I reckon we’ll be done by the end of tomorrow.” I rubbed at the stubble that was on my face having not had the chance to shave this morning.

“Great. I need to ask you a favor,” I said, preparing for the questions that he was sure to ask. “I’m going away for a few days again and I need you to watch over things.” Mac raised his brow at me as I looked back at him.

“Where do you go every year? If you’re jetting off to some luxury resort with women, I gotta tell you, as your best friend, I feel a little left out.”

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “I’m just going to see my mom for a few days before she jets off again, stop being a douche.” I started tapping away at my keyboard not really paying attention to what I was doing.

“Doesn’t your mom only live three hours away?” he asked with a suspicious tone.

I didn’t skip a beat. “Yeah, but I haven’t spent any proper time with her in the past few months and she’s been on at me to visit.” I was lying to him and I was sure he could tell but he didn’t let on.

“I get it, but the resort is a pretty good idea anyway, remind me to look it up sometime.” He winked. “But sure thing, just set me up with all the paperwork and schedules,” he said about to turn but stopped and looked back. “And give my number to a few hotties.” He laughed and winked before sauntering out of my office.

“Thanks, Mac, I’ll put them on your desk,” I said, not sure if he even heard me, but he’d find them sure enough.

I knew the business would be in capable hands with him. He was a big joker and a bit of a womanizer, but underneath all of that, he was a damn hard worker and an even better friend.

Sorting through some last emails, I picked up all the jobs we had booked in over the next week that I’d yet to put into the system on the computer and dropped them onto Mac’s desk on the way out. Mac did the accounting; underneath all the caveman behaviour he was actually really smart. It made sense for him to have an office so we’d made the room next to mine into on for him. I locked up my own and headed out, my stomach tightening. In just over twelve hours, I’d be driving half way across the country to confront old demons, again. There was just one thing I needed to pick up before I did.

Whispering a final goodbye to Tommy over the calming water, I shivered as a light breeze prickled my skin. I took one last look as a tear rolled down my cheek then turned and made my way back to the salon.

Today was the only day I’d ever let my emotions run freely, I’d learnt early on that they were best locked away. I heard footsteps jogging towards me just as I was about to reach the salon. I huffed out a breath hoping it wasn’t someone to tell me how awful this day must be for me.