Halfway House

By Lisa Worrall

New cover, new story - totally rewritten and updated!

A shared car ride home goes awry for Tyler the jock and Supernerd Eliot when they get lost in the dark on a country road and their vehicle stalls. Luckily, they find the Halfway House Hotel, where a series of odd events seem to conspire to bring them together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Worrall
• Release date: Oct 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370006687

Lisa Worrall

I live in Leigh on Sea, a small seaside town just outside London on the coast of Essex, about ten minutes from Southend, which boasts the longest pier in the world. I live with my partner and two ever-growing children, who I let think are the boss of me; along with a dog who actually is. As the wonderful Beatrix Potter said, "There is something delicious about writing the first words of a new story. You never quite know where they'll take you." I know exactly what she means and hope you'll join me for the ride.

Book preview

Copyright 2017 (3rd Edition) by Lisa Worrall

Smashwords Edition

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Dedication

To Gracie

Table of Contents

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter six

Chapter seven

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

Chapter eleven

Chapter twelve

Chapter one

Are you sure you won’t change your mind?

Tyler stuffed the last of his laundry into his bag and zipped it up before answering his roommate’s question. Did he want to change his mind? Fuck yes. Was he going to? He wasn’t that brave. His mother would never forgive him. Especially after his last trip home.

You know I can’t.

Mike, his roommate and co-captain of the basketball team, shrugged. Your loss, man. We are gonna get so baked. He waggled his eyebrows. And the girls. Oh.My.God.The.Girls! I’m tellin’ ya, man. Myrtle Beach better lock up their daughters!

Tyler shook his head. Please, Myrtle Beach’s daughters will be as safe as they were during your Spring Break expedition. ‘Cause you’re gonna get sunstroke on the first day and spend the rest of the time in your motel room throwing up—again.

Yeah, well, that’ll be fun, too. Mike threw his bag over his shoulder and pulled Tyler into his arms for a manly hug. At least I won’t be stuck in the car with some random.

Tyler mock-slapped Mike on the back of the head. It was your idea, asshole! Mike grinned as they broke apart. You’ll save money on gas, Tyler, he mimicked Mike’s voice, badly. They’ll keep you awake, Tyler. It’s a great idea, Tyler.

Hey, Mike held up his hand, it is a good idea… for you. But, if your ride turns out to be an axe murderer who cuts you up into little pieces, I want you to know that your porn collection will be in good hands—mine.

You’re a moron. Tyler pushed Mike toward the door. Get out of here, before the ladies of Myrtle Beach sober up enough to realize what a loser you are.

Please. Mike turned up the collar of his polo shirt and swaggered out into the hall. I’ll be beatin’ ‘em off with a stick. He grabbed his crotch and grinned widely. A great, big, fat stick.

Tyler slammed the door on Mike’s lascivious grin and returned to his packing.

Twenty minutes later, Tyler sat behind the wheel of his cherry-red Camaro, his elbow resting on the rolled down window, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses. The bright sun was high in the sky and the inside of the car was uncomfortably hot. Tyler gazed longingly at the button for the air conditioning, but it had been on the fritz for over a month, so he leaned over to roll down the passenger window while he waited.

Not that he had any idea who he was waiting for. But then that was the thing about this whole car share deal. You posted a note on the student board offering a ride home for the summer—splitting expenses along the way—then hoped someone would call.

Tyler had received one voice mail on his cell, from some guy called Eliot something-or-other. He had no idea who he was but, as he wasn’t planning on taking him home to meet his parents, he didn’t really care. It was just a ride. True, it was a fifteen-hundred-mile ride, but still just a ride. Tyler had painstakingly worked out that it was twenty-two plus hours of driving time from here—Strayer University Campus in Washington—to their destination, Austin, Texas. They would stop at a cheap motel overnight somewhere along the way so, all in all, it would take almost two days to get home.

Home. Tyler sighed heavily. If he said he was excited to be going home for the holidays, he’d be lying. Hell, he wasn’t even sure what word described how he felt. Apprehensive—uncertain—terrified—maybe all three. His last trip home had been unusually memorable, for all the wrong reasons.

And you expected what?

He mentally poked his tongue out at his inner voice. If he was completely honest,