Page 2 of Hollow House

I left work immediately.

There was less than a day until Halloween, and now, I was utterly fucked. What was I thinking?There was only a single place I could think to start, and I sighed knowing what it would cost me.

The shop was only a couple of blocks away, and a tiny bell rang when I pushed the door open. Everything from vibrators to lingerie lined the walls, and I found myself pausing to stare at a few items.

“Sloane!” Felix called out from behind the register, pulling my attention away.

I waved and hurried over to my best friend.

Felix and I had known each other since kindergarten.

He worked at the shop to support his dreams of becoming an author.

We’d both loved writing since we were little, just in different ways.

He created stories, whimsical worlds to escape into, and I reported on this world, wrote what I saw and experienced.

Luckily, he also had his partner Jeremy to support those dreams. Working at the shop gave him the flexibility to still have time for writing while Jeremy’s income helped balance the bills.

They were the perfect pair.

“You’ve starved me of my next chapter, so I’ve come to demand it,” I joked.

Felix sent me the chapters he wrote one at a time for feedback. His latest work was going to be an instant bestseller. This one would be the big break for him, I knew.

He threw his hands up dramatically.“I’ve hit a wall,” he groaned. “I can’t decide where I want things to go next.”

“Maybe you need a change of scenery,” I suggested, seizing the opportunity. “Happy hour? We could get drinks and bounce ideas back and forth.”

Felix’s eyes widened, and he dropped the fuzzy handcuffs he had been ringing up for a pick up order.

“I’m sorry, did I hear that right?” he said, leaning on the counter.

“What?” I questioned.

“Sloane,” he answered accusingly, “you deny every invite to happy hour I text your way.”

“I don’t—” I started, but I stopped, realizing he was correct. “Okay, fine, but I’ve had a change of heart.”

“What do you want?” he asked and folded his arms, his back straight.He raised a brow, waiting for my answer.

“Do I have to want something to grab a drink with my best friend?” I tried.

He raised both brows expectantly, and I sighed.

“Fine. I need to figure out a way to get an invite to Hollow House before tomorrow,” I admitted.

He held up his hands to stop me from elaborating as his eyes widened even more.“This shop has ears. Drinks it is,” he said, a bit quieter.

“Drinks at Val’s?” I asked.

He nodded—he couldn’t say no to the small bar nearby, one of our favorite spots in town.

“Hey, Jack,” he called out.

“Yeah?” a friendly voice called out from a few aisles away.

“I’m heading out for the night, but I’ll be back early tomorrow to prepare everything for Halloween!”

“See you tomorrow,” Jack called back without question.

The walk outside was refreshing, the crisp air a reprieve from the thick sweater I wore. Felix rambled about the ideas floating in his head for his book, and I listened, soaking in every second with my friend. Even if I avoided these outings, it never meant I didn’t appreciate seeing him.

It was a constant war inside my own head.

The second we arrived at Val’s, I relaxed. It was a staple in the town of Dresel. In addition to the small diner down the street and the old library in the center of town, it was one of the longer-standing businesses in the town.

My own parents had frequented the place as teenagers. When the owners died, their kids took over running the place, and the spirit of the bar remained well and alive.

We took a seat in a booth, and a waitress immediately placed waters and a drink menu in front of us. I recognized her—she’d been working there for years. Felix gave her a warm smile and ordered a drink without needing the menu.

My eyes glazed over the multiple options and settled eventually on a margarita.

“It’s been weeks since we’ve had time to hang out like this,” Felix said after our drinks arrived.

“Yeah, we should do this more often,” I agreed.

The pointed look I received sent guilt through me. I knew I’d been relatively unavailable recently, but had it been that bad?

“That would require you to not work all day, every day,” Felix answered.

Maybe I was that bad. “It’s going to pay off,” I promised, fidgeting with my drink glass.

“I know you want to get out of here, but pouring everything into that place isn’t it. Didn’t you say your boss is a dick? Do you really think he’ll help you get there?”

The words stung, but I knew he meant well. He was the one friend I trusted to always be honest with me.

“I’m working on something else, something that truly could be a big break,” I admitted.

“And are you going to share what that is?” he asked.

“Yes, but another drink first,” I replied, not quite ready to share my insane plan. Fuck, I should’ve just asked for the tequila straight.

We made our way through our drinks and on to our seconds.I opted for the strawberry margarita instead of mango on our second round. After a large gulp, I let out a deep sigh before readying myself for the conversation I knew I had to have.

“So, Hollow House,” I started.

He rolled his eyes, taking a sip from his drink.

“You provide all the sex toys for the party, right?” I guessed.

He glanced around like the patrons at the bar might overhear us, even through the loud music providing a bit of a barrier.

“Yes,” he answered.

“Which is why you didn’t want to discuss it at the shop?” I guessed.

“Do you know how many people would come looking for an invite to Hollow House if they knew?” he said dramatically.

“We’d get nothing done. Do you know how many Hollow House followers we’d have hanging out at the shop year round?

Would it be good for sales? Maybe. But we’d likely lose our top client, and it wouldn’t be worth it. ”

“But people have to realize you’re the only shop in town that sells what Hollow House would need to host a party like that,” I said, not understanding how more had not come to that conclusion.

“Not when Jack complains year round that they don’t,” Felix said and smiled.

“What?”

“People have assumed. We just made it very clear they assumed wrong. Any work for Hollow House we do before and after hours. On Halloween, we deliver the items they need extremely early in the morning,” he explained.

“Which is why you’ll be back early tomorrow to help?” I guessed.

“Exactly,” he confirmed. “Why are you even asking?”

“Because I need to find a way in tomorrow,” I stated, like I hadn’t just said the most absurd thing I could.

Felix’s jaw dropped, and he set down his drink.“You can’t be serious, Sloane,” he said. A nervous laugh escaped his lips, watching and waiting for me to take it all back.

“Completely serious,” I stated. “That’s my way out. An article on Hollow House, the place the wealthiest and most influential people spend their Halloween. I would be the first to share the story from the inside.”

He shook his head, his hand now on his forehead in distress. His mouth kept opening like he was going to say something, but he stopped.

“So can you get me access to Hollow House?” I asked.

“No can do,” he stated.

Shit .

“Felix—" I started.

“Nuh uh, don’t Felix me,” he said. “I never suggested I could. I told you I could share what I knew, and I did.”

I glared at him, but after only a second, I backed down. If Felix could’ve helped me, I knew he would’ve. Never once had he turned his back on me. He was my most reliable friend, and if he didn’t have a way, that was that.

“Now, are you going to go over there and finally talk to that guy, or do I have to drag you?” he said, trying to lighten the mood and change the subject.

“What guy?” I asked.

“The one who’s been staring at you this whole time,” he answered. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice?”

I shrugged. There were plenty of men seated at the bar only feet from our booth, but I hadn’t paid much attention to them. I turned around, scanning for whoever he was referring to.

“Who?” I asked, turning back after seeing no one even glance slightly in our direction.

He poked his head around me, and his brows pulled together.“I swear…” He stood slightly to get a better angle, almost completely leaving his seat.“He must’ve left,” he said, disappointed.

I looked back one more time just to be sure. A new feeling crept in, like I was being watched, but not a single patron at the bar met my gaze.The hairs on my arm stood up like a warning.

“Sloane…” Felix said, waving a hand in front of my face.

“What?” I asked, startled back into reality.

“I asked if you wanted another drink,” he said, a brow quirking.

“I’m alright. I really should get going,” I said with a small sigh.

My one sliver of hope was extinguished. It wasn’t Felix’s fault—I asked the impossible of him, but I couldn’t help that small ember of disappointment from taking root.

“Want me to call you a ride?” he offered.

“No thanks,” I said with a weak smile. “I’m going to walk home.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, giving me a look of hesitation.

“Yes. It’s barely sunset, and I’ll text you the second I’m home, I promise,” I assured him.

“Fine,” he sighed, knowing arguing was useless. “You’re lucky I have your location.” He held up his phone and tapped it.

“No one’s going to kidnap me, I promise,” I laughed.

“You’re right. If they did, they’d return you in seconds. Far too insufferable,” he teased and rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Fuck off,” I laughed, standing and holding out an arm to him.

He linked his own around mine as we walked out. I missed the days when it was far easier to spend nights like this, when there weren’t responsibilities constantly weighing on me and holding my attention.

“We should do this again soon,” I said.

“I’m sorry, did Sloane Hill just admit happy hour is actually a good time?” He gasped.

I teasingly pushed him away.“I will never admit that.”