Unlocking Adeline (Skeleton Key) Read online

  Unlocking Adeline

  Copyright © 2016 by J.D. Hollyfield

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Editor:

  PREMA

  Barren Acres Editing

  Cover Designer:

  J.M Rising Horse Creations

  Interior Images:

  J.M Rising Horse Creations

  Formatter:

  Champagne Formats

  DEDICATION

  To Jackson, my dog. Because you’re a dog and you deserve something to be dedicated to you, besides a measly bowl and couch pillow. Love you little buddie.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you to Scarlett Dawn for allowing me this opportunity. It was an amazing experience and I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.

  A warm thank you to Elizabeth George Turney, for helping inspire me with ideas that formed into Locke and Adeline’s story.

  A large wine cheers to Stacey at Champagne Formats for always making anything I send her into a Formatting masterpiece.

  I want to give a huge shout out to all my peeps that helped me through this journey. All the overwhelming support of this industry is amazing. Thank you to Jenn Wood, Ella Stewart, Amy Waiter, Kristi Webster, Manda Lee and Karen Hrdlicka for offering your time, eyes, opinions and support.

  Lastly, a HUGE thank you to all the supporting blogs, readers and authors who have helped share the love and support by posting about Unlocking Adeline and participating in all the promotions.

  Table of Contents

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  EPILOGUE

  SKELETON KEY

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  OTHER BOOKS

  “Addie Bear, are ye sure? I’ve told ye this story many a times now. Don’t ye want to hear a new one?”

  Little Adeline McAllister bounced in her bed, anxious for the only story she wanted to hear. “No, Daddy, pwease, I want to hear about the Pwince and Pwincess of Wen, pwease!?”

  Richard McAllister tucked his only daughter snugly into her pink, princess sheets, setting her favorite brown teddy bear tightly to her side as he settled in beside her. “Alright, Princess. One more time, but then it’s off to sleep ye go.” Adeline grabbed for her teddy and wrapped her little arms around his worn fur, hugging him closely to her as she prepared for her favorite fairy tale.

  “Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was a magical land. One ye had to be very special to find. One where only a magical glass key could take ye to. And if ye were granted that key, ye would end up in a world of enchantment.” This was where Adeline always squeezed Mr. Bear tighter, as her father began to describe to her the most beautiful place in the world.

  “Just beyond the snowy hilltops, down past the vibrant sparkling river, and amidst the sunlit forest clearing, ye would find this magical land. A land called Wren. Ye see, t’was hidden so well, not just anyone could find it. Only the best warriors knew how to enter or leave this land. And only the special were welcomed in it.”

  “How special?” Adeline wiggled under her warm blankets.

  “Very special. Ye had to be a princess.”

  Adeline always became sad at this part of the story. She wanted nothing more than to go and live in Wren. But she wasn’t a princess. “But I’m not a pwincess, so does that mean I can’t ever go to Wen?” She frowned.

  Her father took his hand and brushed the loose curl away from her little face, tucking it back behind her ear. “But ye are a princess. The most beautiful, courageous princess I know.”

  As her smile returned, Richard continued, “The land of Wren was beautiful, almost too lovely for one’s eyes. The quaint wee village, being tucked away in between those luscious forests, was surrounded by the loveliest cottages, all built by hand and surrounded by trinkets and wild flowers. Oh, this land was filled with life. Ye couldn’t even go two feet without the pleasant hellos and good days of friends or families. Wee ones were always playing in their yards, neighbors helping one another. And the scenery, aye the scenery was breathtaking. Nothing like what ye see here. From the bright green trees, full with life, to the vibrant flowers, ye couldn’t turn yer eyes away from the beauty. There was a river that ran along the village, into the most beautiful lake, ending just before the line of the lush forest. It just felt like yer own little piece of the universe. But what was the most enchanting of all was the castle that resided just up the hill from the wee village. The castle where the King and Queen of Wren lived.”

  Adeline’s father knew the parts his daughter loved the most by the way her beautiful blue eyes lit up. He always knew to tell those parts slower, so her little racing imagination could keep up.

  “The King and Queen of Wren, who lived in the vast castle, watched over the land and made sure all ran as it should. They made sure everyone in their kingdom, and even the smaller villages surrounding Wren, were happy, fed, and educated. That’s what they were there to do. But they couldn’t be king and queen forever. One day they would have to allow the next chosen to take their place.”

  “Like Cindewella, right? They have to pick a pwincess and pick a pwince!”

  “Yes, baby girl, but in the land of Wren, the prince and princess are already chosen. The magical Book of Wren tells the future of the land. And that book says who will be next in line to rule. That is how everyone knows who will be next to serve them.”

  “So they might not choose the pwincess?” Adeline always asked sadly.

  “No, baby, they don’t chose her, the Book has chosen her for them.”

  Adeline thought about this, as she always did, “So what happens if the book picks the wrong people?”

  Her father looked sad, but then quickly replaced his expression with a smile. “They don’t. It’s destiny. And destiny is never wrong. The king and queen already know who the next match is, but they have to vow to keep it to themselves, until the signs present themselves. Ye see, in Wren, there is a special mark ye must bear. That is how they know ye are the chosen one.”

  “Tell me again what it is!” Adeline beamed.

  “It is of a crescent moon. The chosen prince and princess will bear the mark of the crescent moon.”

  “More, Daddy, more!” Adeline exhaled, getting restless in her bed.

  “So once this princess is of age, the prince will c
ourt her. He will take her on beautiful walks throughout the rose gardens, treat her to her favorite things, and show her just how happy she will be as his queen. When the time is right, and the princess is old enough, her prince will come for her. He will whisk her away back to his land, and she will become his queen. Together they will conquer all.”

  Little Adeline allowed her father to take a break, while her racing mind played the scene in her head. She pictured the beautiful pink dress she would wear and the pretty crown on her head when her prince came for her. She would smile very big for him, and even curtsy, just as they did in Cinderella. She would make sure her prince found her to be the best princess in the land. Pulling herself from her own fairy tale, “What does the pwince look like, Daddy? Is he handsome? Does he have cooties like Danny does from next door?”

  “No, baby. He doesn’t have cooties. When the princess grows up, she will think he is handsome. He will be strong and brave, and he will promise to love and cherish her for the rest of their lives.”

  Adeline imagined herself being a princess and being whisked away by her prince. As her daddy finished filling her mind with more images of the magical land of Wren, and the prince, she began to rest her tired eyes and cuddled into her bed. With a silent prayer that one day her prince would come for her, she closed her eyes to sleep.

  I toss my apron on the counter and walk toward the entrance of Uncle Hank’s Diner.

  “Later, Addie! Don’t forget to grab your check on the way out. And good luck with the talk with your parents!” my boss yells from the back kitchen.

  “Thanks, Hank. I might need it. Have a good night!” I yell back as I exit the diner.

  I just finished my double shift, and thank the world above for it, because this means I am officially off for three whole days. I worked at the movie theater all day, and then picked up the night shift at the diner. I plan on taking the weekend and spending some quality time on my own. I need to start preparing. I tried asking Dad before work to borrow the car, so I can drive down to the city, but when I began, I panicked. I was too worried that he was going to ask me why. When I thought about confessing that I wanted to go to the city and look for apartments because it was time to move out, I just couldn’t do it.

  Ever since I graduated high school, three years ago, I have been busting my ass to save money. My parents, bless their poor hearts, couldn’t afford to send me to college so I got a job instead. Okay, let me rephrase that, I got one semester into college before my tuition was declined, and they told me I had to stop attending school and start showing up for a day job. Hey, that’s life right? I mean, it’s not like I was all that upset or anything. Liar, liar, pants, shirt, and the entire house on fire. Okay, so maybe I was crazy angry, but I understood. My mom had been really sick and she’d had to quit her job, and my dad was working day and night to support my little brother and me.

  The biggest thing that sucked was watching all my semi-kinda-sorta friends move away from Merryville, a small town just outside of Seattle, Washington, to their lavish universities, while I stayed behind and got a job at the local movie theatre, gas station, and diner. You now, the exact same places I terrorized when I was a teenager. Now I’m the grouchy employee shooing away the pain in the ass kids with spray paints, and underage smokers off the property. I know, poor me, right?

  Nah, my life lost its luster well before I was eighteen anyway. Not that it really ever had any. You learn to grow up fast when tragedy hits home. Five years ago, when my mom got sick and had to stay home, Dad and I started splitting the chores around the house to have less work on my mom’s plate. At age sixteen, I slowly transitioned out of the free spirited kid and more into the stand in parent.

  My mom had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer. Most days I didn’t think about it, mainly because no one talked about it. Dad couldn’t seem to bring it up and Mom didn’t want to see anyone upset, so she pretended she had a cold. The longest running cold I’d ever seen.

  As I leave work, I think about what I’m going to say to my parents. I haven’t shared with them that I plan on leaving. But it’s time. I need to get out, experience life on my own. I need to spread my wings or however that lame pun goes. I worry that my mom won’t be able to take care of my brother on her own. I worry Dad will guilt trip me into staying. Even though, by some miracle last year, my mom turned her cancer into remission; Dad will still beg me to stay, and in the end I will.

  I’m just praying he doesn’t.

  I want to be a normal kid. Well, I’m not technically a kid anymore. Today is my twenty first birthday. I know, happy birthday to me, right? But it doesn’t feel that happy. I hoped an old friend would remember and ask me to go out. Possibly my family would take me out to dinner. Or work would at least give me a day old cupcake and sing to me. But nothing. I simply finished my shift and left. I promised my dad I would come home right after work, but as I walk out of the diner; I just can’t. I want to be wild for once. Go out. Drink. Kiss a random guy. Sex! Okay, slow down. Probably no sex. But kissing. Kissing sounds good.

  I know Dad was really adamant about me coming straight home, but he’s going to have to wait. My freshly twenty-one-year-old self is going to a bar to celebrate.

  Stepping inside Sullivan’s, the crowded dive bar down the street from the diner, I pull the hair tie out of my ponytail, so my brown mop falls to my shoulders, hoping to look like I belong here. My elbow knocks into a guy’s chest as he walks in, and I turn to apologize. “No worries, princess,” the man says, while he continues to walk through the crowd of bodies. I shrug it off, trying to keep my cool. I’ve never been one for drinking so this whole scene is new to me. I’ve heard about this place from customers who come eat at the diner, especially from an old classmate, Becky Horner. She likes to brag about how all the guys fawn over her, like she’s some royal princess or something. I guess she comes here all the time and gets ‘lucky,’ as she says. Not sure I would consider ending up Becky Horner lucky.

  I scan the packed place and thankfully spot an empty seat at the bar. “Excuse me, sorry, excuse me, sorry,” I mutter to people, as I push and bump my way through. I can’t believe I snatched such a prime spot, I smile as I settle in, making eye contact with the bartender who nods that he will be right with me. Okay, so I’m at a bar. Go me. Next, is to order an alcoholic drink. After that, talk to a guy. My nerves are a mess. I look down and remember I’m in my black hoodie, dirty work jeans, and my Converse. Ugh, super attractive, Addie. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I should have just listened to my dad and gone straight home. His warnings lately have been in the back of my mind. Normally, I tell myself he is delusional and that I’m a grown up. He’s always so worried that someone is going to snatch me up and kidnap me. I mean come on! I am twenty-one years old and still have a parent who doesn’t want me out once the sun goes down. I know he’s going to be calling me soon. He hates when I work double shifts, because that means I get off after dark. He always insisted on picking me up right outside the diner, but for starters that was just straight up embarrassing, but also, because he couldn’t leave my little brother and mom. A tinge of guilt hits me, thinking about how I lied. But Mom is getting better every day, and that changes things for us. If she’s better, that means I can leave.

  I scan the bar once more, getting a feel for the people inside. A bunch of college kids, some I recognize. I tried my best to make friends the five minutes I was at the local university. But let’s face it, when you don’t come from much money, it shows on your attire, and people tend to stay clear. Plus, I always had a hard time gravitating toward people. It’s not that I’m not normal or anything. I guess I am just missing that cool factor. So ideally I kept to myself. I mean, I had friends. Well, kinda, sorta had friends. Becky Horner pretended to like me, until we hit high school and she stole all of my clothes from my locker room in gym class, forcing me to hide in the bathroom stall until school was over, and I could walk my naked ass to the nasty gym rentals. Making note to conti
nue feeling sorry for myself tomorrow, I continue my view around the bar until I end back where I started, catching a glimpse of the guy sitting next to me. Mmmm, looks hot. And possibly alone.

  “Sup,” I start with. Like an idiot. I have no game. Hence why I don’t or have never really had a boyfriend. I’m not a virgin or anything. Okay, lie. I am. I tried losing it once, my senior year in the back seat of Jimmy Forester’s Buick, but he was drunk and I panicked. I knew nothing about having it, and I put my money on it that Jimmy wasn’t sober enough to even know where to put it. I figured I’d get my day in college. Had high hopes, actually. I heard ‘How to Become a Slut 101’ was like a given in college. Either way, I got no slut crash course, no college, and no game. Probably why the guy next to me doesn’t even acknowledge me.

  Man, I suck.

  Figuratively, not literally.

  Maybe I just need to attempt a different route. If I don’t try and talk to people I’ll never get a date, or learn how to speak to the opposite sex. I mean I know how, I do it all the time at work, but that’s just taking orders. Half the time I’m coasting, daydreaming about getting my own place and freedom.

  Trying to regroup, I take another stab at it because he looks super attractive from the side, and he could possibly be a good kisser. I would kiss him. Yeah, Addie, he has to acknowledge your existence first.

  “So, you come here often?” Dude, come on! Pull it together. Not that it matters if I do, since he doesn’t even as much as flinch. Nothing. Nada. Strike two, going on two billion. I’m going to be an old maid for eternity if I keep this up. I take a deep breath, trying to remember any sort of pick up line I’ve seen on TV. They seem to always do it right.

  “So maybe you wanna—” He cuts me off when he slowly turns to face me. His hazel eyes blaze fire at me. Jesus, he does not look friendly. Super-hot, but not so friendly. Okay, so it’s settled. I picked the wrong seat in the bar. No wonder why this spot was open. As I gather my purse off the bar and slide off my stool, he speaks.