One Moment (The Little Hollow Series Book 1) (30 page)

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Authors: Danielle Dickson

BOOK: One Moment (The Little Hollow Series Book 1)

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“What if it already has?” His face dropped and he sat up.

“Sammy, I could’ve waited.” He’d misinterpreted what I meant.

“That’s not what I meant. That was perfect, you were perfect, but that’s the problem. Well, no…not problem, but I’m just trying to work this all out in my head.”

“All of what?” he asked.

“How this will work. We live so far apart, Con…”

He moved to brush my hair behind my ear. “Let’s not worry about all the logistics right now, let’s just enjoy tonight. I’ll order us in some food. You still like Chinese?” I nodded at him, still a little uneasy. “If you’d rather talk, I’m more than happy too.”

I shook my head. “No, you’re right. Let’s just spend some time catching up, I want to hear about this business of yours.” He raised a brow. “Did I forget to mention I looked you up?”

He threw his head back and laughed. God, I loved his laugh.

“So you’ve been stalking me?” He winked and pushed me back down onto the bed. “You could’ve just asked you know.”

His lips were on mine again, taking away all of my earlier anxiety for now. We didn’t end up ordering food for another forty-five minutes and I was well and truly ready for some by the time it turned up.

I sat, legs crossed, on the sofa in one of his t-shirts that was way too big for me; it was just long enough that it covered my butt. I had my hair tied up on the top of my head with no makeup on. But the way he looked at me made me feel like I was the most beautiful girl on planet.

“What? Stop staring at me.”

He chuckled, chopsticks paused in mid-air. “I just can’t believe this is real still. I’m scared if I turn away for even a second, you’ll be gone and this will all have been a cruel dream.”

I put my takeaway box down on the coffee table and sauntered over to him sitting at the breakfast counter. He was wearing nothing more than a pair of jersey shorts and he was breathtaking. I’d had a tour around his apartment earlier and I’d discovered he had his own gym so that explained his god-like physique.

“Oh, this is real. Every frizzy haired piece of me.”

He placed his box down on the counter and pulled me towards him. “I don’t know, I think you might be a figment of my imagination.”

He had a playful look on his face. I knew that look. That was the look he always used to give me when he was up to something. I started to back away in the direction of his bedroom.

“Maybe I am, maybe we’ll never find out.” He jumped down off his stool and started walking towards me. He quickened his pace and I turned and ran, squealing like a schoolgirl.

He was too fast, he had me up on his shoulder before I even made it to the door. He carried on inside and pinned me to the bed tickling me.

“Say I’m the best, Sammy. Say it.” I couldn’t get any words out from laughing so hard. “Say it.” Tears were streaming down my face; the good kind this time.

“It!” He stopped for a second, giving me a reprieve.

“Oh no you don’t!” He started again and it felt so carefree and easy, just like we were teenagers again. He leaned down close to my ear and said, “Say I’m the best.”

I managed to choke it out and he stopped but didn’t get off me. “We’re going to make this work, you know that right?”

He looked so sure of it that it filled me with hope. I smiled wide and he bent down and kissed me, breaking apart when a phone rang.

I looked up at him and he said, “Well, it isn’t mine.”

He chuckled as I crawled across the bed and hung off it to grab my jeans. I sat back up and pulled my cell out the pocket to check who it was.

“Lewis?” I said when I picked up the cell and threw a puzzled look in Connor’s direction, he shrugged.

I answered to a barrel of questions but I couldn’t understand a word that he was saying. “Woah, slow down. What do you mean all smashed up? What’s smashed up?” I shot a worried look at Con and he moved towards me.

“The Salon, the apartment,” he answered, breathless.

“What? What’s happened?”

“I was walking past and I saw the shop window all smashed up, I ran inside to make sure Keeley was okay…”

“And? Is she?” I turned to Connor, the panic in my face must have been full blown because he moved closer, rubbing my arm in a soothing manner.

“She wasn’t there.”

“So where is she?” I was starting to panic.

“I can’t find her and she isn’t answering her phone. I thought that you might’ve heard from her.”

“No. When did you last speak to her? I haven’t since this morning.”

“I was going to wait until you got back but…she’s left a note saying she’s sorry…it must have been her, Sam. I’m sorry.” My ears started ringing and my hand flew to my mouth.

None of this made sense, there was no way Kee would do this. Where the hell is she?

Connor wrapped me in his arms.

“There’s no way that she would do this, Lewis.” I shot a worried look up at Connor.

“I know she’s your best friend, Sam, but…”

“No!” I was starting to get frustrated. I needed to get back to Little Hollow, I needed to find out what had gone on. “She wouldn’t do this, Lewis. Have you called the cops yet?”

“They’re on their way. What makes you so sure this wasn’t her?”

I didn’t have time for this. “I just know her. Keep trying her cell, I will too. Tell the cops I’m on my way.” Where the hell was she? Had she left the door unlocked again?

“I’ll keep trying, but Sam? If it wasn’t Keeley, then where is she?”

Worry crept up from the pit of my stomach. “I don’t know but we’ll find her.”

We hung up after agreeing to keep in regular contact as I made my way back and Connor grabbed my arm.

“There’s no way I’m letting you face this alone, Sam. We’ll find Keeley, she’ll be okay.” I nodded but didn’t feel like any of what he said had got through to me. I was in a daze and all I wanted was to get back there quickly, without having to do another eleven-hour drive.

“Will you be alright on your own for a few minutes? I need to make a few calls.” I nodded and jumped up off his bed to throw on my jeans.

Just when things seemed perfect, everything came crashing down around me.

“I don’t know what to do, Connor, everything I’ve worked so hard for is gone and my best friend is missing.”

This wasn’t how this was meant to end. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his strong arms. “Whatever happens from here, I’ll be with you the whole way.”

I lay my head on his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart, knowing that I wouldn’t have to go through this on my own. Connor would be there and I had no doubt that he would be this time.

My poor Sammy, there was no way I was leaving her to go through this alone. There was making up to do and I was going to prove to her that this could work, that I could be there for her when she needed me.

I rang Mac to let him know I had to go away again, he was fine with taking care of the business and surprisingly, he wasn’t a smart ass tonight. I was starting to think I’d put him in charge anyway, I didn’t know if I could bear to be away from Sammy again, not now I knew how she felt.

I was always talking about expanding, maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to do just that. I wouldn’t bring it up now though, this wasn’t the time.

I rang my mom and told her what was going on, she was concerned for me going back so soon but I assured her that this time it was different; I had Sammy by my side.

My next point of call was to fire up the computer and check out flights, we had to make it home quick. Wait… home?

I shook my head,
too soon, Connor, too soon.

After I was done, I walked back into the bedroom to pack a few things and Sammy was sitting on the edge of my bed with her head in her hands. It tore me up seeing her this way, we would find Keeley and whoever did this to her salon.

Walking over to her, I knelt down so her face was level with mine. “You know I’m going to be here for you, right by your side, through this whole shit storm. But please don’t block me out, I want you to be able to talk to me because I’ve just got you back and can’t bear the thought of losing you again.”

I grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “I’ve had enough of shying away from my emotions, I need you.” She gave me a small kiss on the lips and I got up to throw some things into a duffle.

“There’s a flight in three hours, if we leave now, we’ll just about make it,” I said and she jumped up and rubbed at her eyes, the relief on her face at getting home quicker shone through.

“Ready, sweetheart?” I asked, grabbing my duffle and holding my hand out to her. She entangled her fingers with mine and I knew then that I’d never leave her to deal with anything alone ever again.

This was going to be one hell of a ride but there was no one else in this world I’d rather do it with.

Read more about Sammy and Connor’s story in Keeley’s book, coming soon.

Danielle has always dreamt about writing a book. With many stories to tell, she finally pulled her finger out one morning when one story screamed at her louder than the rest. When Danielle’s not writing, she can be found painting people’s faces with makeup or watching twenty-minute cat videos late at night, procrastination is strong in this one. If you’re ever short for shoes to match your outfit, she’s the person to go to. With an extensive shoe collection that cost more than your mortgage (although she would insist she doesn’t have a problem), you can take your pick. An avid reader all her life, she gets lost in the magic a book immerses you in and hopes to capture that for her readers.