Page 3 of Heart So Hollow

ME (4:05PM): Yes. And no, not yet.

I already feel better. The stress of the previous week melts away with every breath of forest air. Before I know it, I feel myself being propelled down the path. I start jogging back to the lodge, catching a lightning bolt of motivation. I suddenly have an idea I need to write down immediately.

That, and pizza.

???

Cracking open another ice-cold shandy from the mini fridge, I return to the balcony and prop my bare feet up on the wrought iron railing, deep in thought. Half the pizza is gone, the box sitting on the patio table next to me. The sun dips in the sky, almost level with the treetops across the lake, and I just stare, mesmerized by the pink and purple wash saturating the horizon. My gaze shifts to my toes and I admire my purple glitter nail polish shimmering in the light.

My concentration is broken and I’m startled by the sudden ringing of the phone inside the room.

I stare at the nightstand for a few moments before realizing I should probably answer it. Half annoyed and half worried, it’s not lost on me that an unexpected call can only be one of two things—completely insignificant or an absolute emergency.

“Hello?” I pick up the phone suspiciously.

“Hi, can you please tell me where the Poplar Loop trailhead is?” The deep baritone voice on the other end of the line catches me off-guard.

“Sorry,” I begin to relax, “I don’t know.” I take another sip of shandy and listen to the silence over the line.

The voice sounds confused. “But shouldn’t you know?”

I smile to myself. “I think you have the wrong number.”

“Seriously? This isn’t the front desk at the lodge?”

“Nope, sorry. It’s just a room.”

“Oh…” There’s another pause. “Well, while I have you on the phone, have you been on any of the trails out here?”

“Yeah, a couple.”

“Any of them good?”

“Laurel Ridge isn’t usually crowded, so I’d do that one. There’s also a waterfall if it’s rained recently.”

“Yeah? OK,” he drawls like he’s mulling it over, “then I guess I’ll check that one out. Well, it was nice talking to you!”

“Yeah, you too! Have fun on your hike.”

“If it sucks, I’ll be sure to call back and complain.”

“Might be difficult if you actually dialed the front desk.”

He lets out a soft chuckle, “Alright, I’ll let you go. Thanks again.”

“You’re welcome. Bye.”

I drop the phone back onto the receiver and stare at it in ironic amusement, realizing these are the first words I’ve spoken to a human since I called the actual front desk to make sure the phones work properly.

CHAPTER THREE

Brett

One Year Ago

“What do you mean you ran your car through the bushes at Chik-fil-A?”

It’s 7:00 in the morning and the day is already off to a zesty start. It doesn’t matter that I’m on a solo micro-vacation, Barrett still calls me on her way to work, without fail, right when I’m leaving for an early hike.

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