AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER ONE
I felt stupid.
There was no other way around it; no way could I justify my emotions. I just felt stupid.
Emily had hounded me for the last two months. She wanted me to talk to Mr. Moser. Finally, after she'd held my cell phone hostage, I'd had to succumb. So this is how I found myself back in the infamous building where I used to volunteer with the hotline.
I suppressed a shudder. I really hated working at the hotline and it wasn't because of the last time I'd been in this building. Although that moment had changed my life, the real reason was because I hated talking on the phone. Only a select few got on my 'I'll talk to you on the phone' list.
"Davy Harwood," Mr. Moser boomed as he entered his own office. If he was trying for intimidation, it would've worked three weeks ago.
Mr. Moser did not qualify for my phone list.
I waited until he rounded his desk and sat. His leather chair squeaked underneath his weight, but his two beady green eyes weren't amused and didn't care. His orange tie had flapped over his shoulder and it stayed there, caught between the wrinkles of his green buttoned dress shirt. His khaki pants hadn't fared better. I wasn't a wrinkle-noticing person, but I wouldn't have been surprised to find out they'd been rolled up and stuffed in the back of a drawer for the last two years.
He lifted an eyebrow. "Do you have anything to say to explain your actions three weeks ago?"
I was more concerned about how his tie still hadn't moved off his shoulder. He looked like an idiot. Was I supposed to tell him?
"My actions, sir?"
"You broke protocol."
Oh, that. The night that had changed my life. If only Mr. Moser actually knew I was supposed to go up to that roof.
"Oh," was all I said. I tried to sound apologetic. I folded my hands and when I looked down, I even fiddled my thumbs.
"I'm not buying it, Davy." Mr. Moser was very smart.
"Buying what, sir?"
"You answered the phones after we'd already closed. You broke protocol. You identified the caller's location; chose to intervene without any communication with your supervisors, and then you had the balls to resign by sneaking a letter under my door. I am not buying your act right now, young lady."
He said 'balls'. I loved that.
"Yes, but…" I really had no defense. I'd claimed what had happened was too traumatic for me to continue working with the hotline. Things had been traumatic, but he was right. I'd chosen the coward's way out so that I wouldn't get in trouble.
I eyed Mr. Moser up and down. The beady eyes had a glaze of anger in them. "I had hoped better of you, Davy."
Wow. Guilt.
He sounded disappointed as he took a deep breath. "Emily is an outstanding Listener. She spoke highly of you, but perhaps she was biased since you're roommates. Still, even Adam seemed to have taken a liking to you. He respected you, Davy."
I had so many corrections to Mr. Moser's rose-colored perspective. One, Emily was an awful listener. She might be a wonderful Listener at the hotline where she was fulfilling a requirement for a social work class, but she didn't listen to anyone in real life. And two, Adam had taken more than a liking to me. Adam had asked me out on one date. The date had failed miserably and I didn't think being kidnapped had been the problem.
"What are you thinking?"
"Well, under the circumstances I do not support your actions. You broke protocol and you should have the correct discipline. Then there's the item of your resignation. I know that you didn't really mean to resign and because of Miss Whistworth's death, the hotline is in need of any willing volunteers so I've decided to look past your actions."
What? Did he mean…? There was no way.
Mr. Moser beamed. "You can start tonight. Adam needed a replacement since he's taken two weeks of vacation. You can take his desk."
I had no words. I couldn't even feel my toes and I felt everything, literally.
Mr. Moser was already up and out of his office before any thoughts could form in my brain. And when I realized I'd been duped, I groaned and dropped my forehead on the desk. Not only did I feel stupid, but I felt like a complete moron.
When my phone vibrated, I snapped it open. "Yeah?"
