Chapter 26
“Come on, Samantha, your ride is here!” Hazel stood at the bottom of the staircase in her home, calling up to her daughter. “You don’t want to be late for school.”
“Coming!” Samantha shouted. “I can’t find my mittens—oh, there they are!”
Chuckling, Hazel went over to the coat rack and lifted her thick, comfortable coat off it. Her own mittens were still tucked inside the pockets of her coat, and she was already wearing a warm knitted hat that Julia had made her.
Samantha thundered down the stairs a moment later, already wearing her coat, mittens, and pink earmuffs. Her backpack was slung over one shoulder, and she wiggled the other strap around her arm as she headed toward the front door.
“Bye, Mom! Love you. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, sweetheart! I love you too. You have a good day at school, okay?”
“I will!” Samantha scampered out of the house and hurried across the sidewalk toward the car that was waiting on the side of the road for her. Hazel and Samantha’s friends’ parents had a carpool schedule, and it was Samantha’s friend Willow’s mom’s turn that day.
Hazel stood on the front step of her house and waved to Willow’s mom, who was driving the car, and then waved goodbye to Samantha.
Gosh, I love that kid , she thought, feeling the familiar surge of affection for her daughter. Samantha never failed to brighten Hazel’s day, even on days when life was tough.
She paused before locking her front door, making sure she had everything that she needed with her.
“Phone, keys, wallet, hand lotion, Chapstick, snack, tissues,” she mumbled, rummaging through her purse. “Okay, good.”
She locked the front door of her house and turned toward her car, beginning to go through a mental checklist of all the things she needed to do that day. After work, she was meeting with her sisters and mother at Alexis’s house to plan Alexis’s baby shower, and she wanted to stop by the store to grab some cookies to bring to the planning meeting. Usually, she liked to bake homemade treats for occasions like that, but she’d been especially busy lately, even after the pub’s Christmas event had concluded. A tall, handsome handyman had been taking up a great deal of her time.
She felt her phone buzz in her pocket and she glanced at it as she walked to her car.
JACOB: Good morning, Hazel! I hope you have an amazing day today.
Her heart swelled with happiness as she texted him back a similar sentiment. They hadn’t been dating for very long, but already he was making her feel safer and more secure. Instead of feeling as though she was overextending herself or getting lost in their relationship, she felt supported and able to be herself freely. Jacob was helping her become more confident, not less so.
I wonder if it’s because we were already such good friends, she thought with a smile as she tucked her phone back into her pocket. Or maybe it’s because I already put in so much good work learning to respect myself. Or maybe it’s because he’s such a good guy, and he genuinely cares about me. Maybe it’s all of that combined.
Feeling light as a feather, she climbed into her car and started the engine. It was a particularly frosty morning, but she had dressed warmly, and she felt cozy enough even before the heat turned on in her car.
She drove straight to work, deciding that she would pick up a box of cookies on her way to Alexis’s after work. She yawned, thinking to herself that as soon as she arrived, she would help herself to some of the complimentary coffee in the staff break room of the hospital.
Her workday passed by at a breezy pace—she never felt too rushed or too bored. Most of the residents of Rosewood Beach who came into the doctor’s office seemed to be in particularly good spirits. It was clear that the Christmas season was making everyone feel happier and more grateful than usual.
When her shift was over, she made her way over to the general store to pick up some cookies. Samantha was going to Willow’s house for dinner, so Hazel was free to head over to Alexis’s house without stopping at home first to make sure her daughter didn’t need anything. The way Samantha seemed to be growing up so quickly was hard in many ways, but in many other ways it made their lives easier. Samantha liked her independence, and Hazel had to admit to herself that sometimes it was nice to only have to take care of herself for a little while.
She stepped inside the general store, immediately making a beeline for the snack aisle where the cookies were. She was thinking to herself with a chuckle that she should get cookies with a lot of peanut butter in them for Alexis’s sake, when she stopped in her tracks. In the next moment, a grin spread across her face.
“Jacob!” she said, hurrying forward to hug her boyfriend.
“Hey.” He grinned at her. “Fancy meeting you in one of my favorite places. What are you here for?”
“Cookies.” She laughed. “We’re planning Alexis’s baby shower in a little while, and I wanted to bring some food to share. What are you here for?”
“Uh, nails, a new flathead screwdriver because I lost mine somewhere, Band-Aids, a new toothbrush, and paper towels.” He lifted the items one by one from the basket he was carrying, chuckling. “I’ve needed paper towels for like a week. I started using those blue shop towels that I got from Dean instead. I’m a mess.”
She shook her head, smiling. “I think you’re doing great. But if you ever want me to take a stroll around your house and do a quick inventory, I’d be happy to.”
“Would you?” His expression lit up. “That would be incredible. I need someone to help me stay organized.”
Her heart glowed when she heard his words. She loved the idea of being able to help him and make life easier for him.
“That’s not too much, right?” he asked her after a moment. “You’re not too busy for that?”
She smiled at him, feeling grateful. “Not at all. Thank you for checking.”
So far, Jacob had been making sure that Hazel never overextended herself for his sake. She hadn’t once felt as though she was doing that—and she often checked in with him to make sure he wasn’t overextending himself for her, because he helped her out with so many different things. They seemed to be a wonderful match, both helpful and giving and tuned into each other’s needs.
“I would love to help you check on what you need to restock. I love organizing things.” She laughed. “And a trick I learned from my mom is to always have backups of the important things, like soap, toilet paper, paper towels, and ranch dressing.”
“Yeah? Ranch dressing?”
“Oh, yes.” She shook her head wryly. “A bunch of hungry teenagers can go through a lot of ranch dressing, let me tell you.”
“I believe it. I go through it pretty quick myself. Thanks, Hazel. That’s a good trick.”
They stood there smiling at each other, both of them clearly reluctant to end the conversation and carry on with their days. Hazel didn’t want to be late for the meeting with her family, but she also didn’t want to stop talking to Jacob.
She still felt girlish butterflies of excitement every time she was near him. Now that she was no longer trying to stop herself from being interested in him, her crush on him felt stronger than ever. Sometimes she could hardly believe that she was dating him, and he seemed to be just as starstruck by her as she was by him.
In another moment, Hazel’s cell phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw that it was Alexis calling her.
“Ahh, I’d better take this,” she said. “It’s Alexis. I’ll talk to you later?”
“Talk to you later.” He nodded at her. “Tell Alexis I say hi.”
They gave each other a quick hug and then Jacob headed toward the checkout while Hazel answered the call from Alexis.
“Hey!”
“Hey, Hazel! Where are you?”
“Oh no, am I late? I ran into Jacob at the general store, and?—”
Alexis laughed, sounding thrilled that Hazel had been talking to Jacob. “You’re all good. You’re not late. Actually, it’s perfect that you’re at the general store, because I was hoping you could pick something up for me.”
“Yeah?” Hazel’s tone was gleeful. “Is it peanut butter?”
There was a long pause, and then Alexis cleared her throat.
“Could you get three jars? One chunky and two smooth?”
Hazel covered her mouth with her hand, laughing. “You got it, kiddo. Is the chunky one for Grayson?”
“Um, no, they’re all for me.”
Laughing even harder, Hazel grabbed a package of peanut butter cookies on her way to the aisle where the peanut butter was.
She arrived at Alexis’s house fifteen minutes later, her cheeks flushed from the cold and her spirits dancing like snowflakes. Running into Jacob had made her day even brighter. She loved that they lived in the same town together, and she could see him unexpectedly like that. She loved it even more that she was no longer acting awkward around him. It was like their easygoing friendship had merged with her heart-thumping crush, and now she got to enjoy both.
Alexis opened the front door of her beautiful colonial house, wearing a comfy-looking green sweater and pressing her hand against her heart. “You’re a life safer! You got all three jars?”
“And peanut butter cookies. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate snack to eat while we’re planning your baby shower.”
Alexis groaned. “I’m going to be known far and wide as the peanut butter lady.”
Hazel shook her head gravely. “No, you won’t be, Alexis. You already are!” She scampered inside her sister’s house and Alexis squealed with protest and shut the door behind her.
Vivian and Julia were already seated in the living room, both looking excited and energetic about planning the shower. Julia had her laptop, a notebook, several colored pens, and a large posterboard spread out on the coffee table. Hazel smiled when she saw all of the items. Between the Christmas event and now the baby shower for Alexis, her family had never done so much planning at once before, but it was clear that it was only serving to solidify their bond. It certainly helped that so many of them loved organizing things and planning things in detail. What might have felt like work to some people was for them a fun opportunity to brainstorm together and put their energies toward something.
“So,” Julia said, taking a bite out of one of the peanut butter cookies as their meeting started, “what are your hopes and dreams for this baby shower, Alexis?”
Alexis lay back against the couch cushions and smiled dreamily. “I mean, ultimately, I just want it to be a gathering of all the people that Grayson and I love. I want us to be able to come together and celebrate the baby.”
“I was thinking more in terms of a color scheme.” Julia grinned. “Or maybe thoughts on the kinds of food we should serve.”
“Everything should have peanut butter in it,” Hazel said, and Alexis threw a pillow at her.
The four Owens women continued to plan the shower, munching on the cookies that Hazel had brought and exclaiming in excitement over each other’s good ideas.
Hazel felt filled with contentment as she listened to her mother and sisters talk. She felt proud of how good they were at creating fun, meaningful events. She couldn’t wait to celebrate her sister’s new bundle of joy, surrounded by their family and friends.
Finally, it was well past dinnertime, and even though Alexis had served them all snacks of incredible guacamole and tortilla chips along with Crab Rangoon, they agreed that it was time for them all to head home and eat full meals.
“We got a lot planned,” Julia said, sighing with satisfaction and clicking the pink pen she’d been using shut. “I can’t wait to decorate.”
“I can’t wait to bake.” Hazel rubbed her hands together. “I’m going to make the best peanut butter and chocolate pie you ever tasted.”
Calling out affectionate goodbyes, Vivian, Julia, and Hazel stepped back out into the cold. Hazel climbed into her car, glad that her coat and gloves were so warm. Colorful Christmas lights glowed on the street around her as she started to drive toward home.
It’s going to be a wonderful Christmas , she thought. We all have so much to look forward to.
She hummed along to Christmas carols on the radio as she drove back to her cozy little house. When she arrived, she froze, staring at her home for a moment in alarm. In the faint glow from the streetlights, she could see a man fiddling with one of her downstairs windows.
Her heart in her throat, she hopped out of her car, ready to shout at him or call the police. But in the next moment, relief filled her and she started laughing. The man had turned toward her with a sweet grin that she would have recognized from a mile away.
“Jacob!” She laughed. “What are you doing? I thought you were a burglar.”
“Sorry.” He walked over to her and gave her a bear hug. “I should have texted you. But I was driving past your place, and I remembered that windowsill needs to be replaced. So I figured I’d fix it for you.”
She shook her head. “In the dark and the cold?”
He shrugged, smiling. “I can see fine. I’m just making an assessment right now. I’ll need to replace the wood, I think.”
She beamed up at him, feeling immensely grateful for how caring and considerate he was. “I never asked you to fix it.”
“I know, but I noticed that it needed it, so I figured I’d just do it for you.”
She slipped her arms around his waist. “Jacob Dorsey, I would like to remind you that we’re dating. You don’t need to do odd jobs for me to hint that you like me. You can just be up-front.”
He smiled a boyishly affectionate smile, leaning toward her. “Is this upfront enough?” he asked and kissed her.
“Yes.” She nestled her head against his shoulder, sighing with happiness. “Definitely.”
“Good.” He rocked her back and forth a little. “Because I do like you, Hazel Owens. I like you very much.”
“I like you very much too.”
“I know. You made me a gift basket and everything.”
She laughed. “Have you had dinner yet? I’ve got some leftover pumpkin ravioli and roasted asparagus I was going to heat up for dinner.”
“Can you hear my stomach growling? I haven’t had dinner yet, and that sounds incredible.”
“Then come on inside and eat with me. But you really need to eat dinner earlier in the day. You shouldn’t wait so long to eat!”
“Hey, you haven’t eaten yet either.”
“Yeah, but I was planning a baby shower and we had a lot of snacks.” She chuckled as she led him inside her house. She flicked on the lights, revealing her warm and cozy kitchen.
“Oh, okay.” He chuckled. “That’s a pretty good excuse, I guess.”
He helped her dish the food onto plates which they warmed up in the microwave. Soon the kitchen was filled with the incredible aromas of the seasoned food. She felt glad that she was able to feed him. She liked being able to help him out since he spent his days working so hard and not getting a chance to really take care of himself.
“This food smells out of this world,” he said, sighing as they sat down to eat it together. “Thank you so much, Hazel.”
“Of course.” She smiled at him. “After all, you just offered to fix my windowsill for free. The least I can do is make you some food.”
They ate in companionable silence for a while, and Hazel felt a rush of contentment.
I’m so happy I took the risk of upsetting what I felt was balanced in my life, she thought. Dating Jacob may have changed the safe little life I’d created for myself, but now my life is so much more fuller than it was. Not balanced and orderly, but full.
She watched him eat for a few moments, thinking to herself that she was incredibly lucky. Her emotions were no longer balanced at all, but the rollercoaster of joy that she was on made it all worth it. Jacob made her head spin, and she had a feeling that was never going to stop. She reflected that she might never be perfectly “on balance” ever again, in the very best way.
“What do you say we take our plates to the living room and eat on the couch while we look at the Christmas tree?” Jacob asked. “And I can light a fire for us in the fireplace.”
“Sounds romantic.” Her heart fluttered in excitement at the thought. “And I’ll pour us a couple of glasses of Chardonnay.”
A few minutes later, they were sitting in front of a crackling fire, watching the lights of the Christmas tree twinkle. Hazel’s heart glowed with contentment. She remembered how she’d sat there earlier in the month, feeling content and ready for Christmas. She was proud of herself for learning that she didn’t need a man to make her happy, but she had to admit that the joy Jacob brought her added a special thrill to her life, like a sprinkling of sparkling snow.
“Cheers, Hazel,” he said, lifting his glass to hers. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Jacob,” she said, and she laid her head on his shoulder, basking in the warmth of his embrace.
The series continues in Moonlit Harbor Nights ! When Vivian has a big shake-up in her life, will it change her perspective on opening up her heart again?