Chapter Thirty-Two
Meredith smothered Hazel in a hug. ‘I still can’t believe you’re back,’ she said. ‘I know you were only away for a few months, but I really hated it.’
Hazel smiled wistfully, grateful to see her friend again. They were sitting at a harbourside restaurant, making the most of Hazel’s last weekend off for a long time.
‘It’s okay,’ Meredith said. ‘I know you didn’t hate it because you had that snack of a movie star at your beck and call.’
Hazel sighed. ‘He wasn’t at my beck and call, and he was a lot more than a snack.’
‘He was a whole meal?’
‘Why is Violet late? She’s never late,’ Hazel said, choosing not to answer her friend. She didn’t want to talk about Ethan and she certainly didn’t want to talk about him like that.
‘I don’t know,’ Meredith said. ‘Did I tell you Marco has taken up soccer? He thinks he can play, just because he’s Italian. He’s already been to hospital twice.’
‘Oh no!’ Hazel laughed. ‘I’ve missed you both.’
‘Same,’ Meredith said. ‘Here she is!’ Violet bustled towards their table.
‘Sorry, so many people around today. The bus was full of families going to the beach. I had to stand the whole way. She kissed them both hello, then dropped into a seat beside her sister with a relieved sigh. ‘How are you settling back in?’ she asked Hazel. ‘Is Mum overfeeding you? Has Dad killed Kevin yet?’
‘Okay, yes, and not yet. Dad’s at home putting together a new cat tree for me. Well, for Kevin.’
‘Bless him. He’ll be in heaven. What did I miss? What were you two talking about?’
‘I’ll give you one guess.’ Meredith said.
Hazel slouched in her seat.
‘Oh. Of course you were.’ Violet pulled up a webpage on her phone. ‘Did you see this?’ She showed it to Hazel. ‘Your guy’s not wasting any time.’
Hazel’s heart skipped a beat. On the front page of the news site was a photo of Ethan, his arms around Veronica Evers and his lips pressed to hers. It wasn’t like it was a surprise, and she didn’t think they were actually together – she’d seen the moment happen in person, and she knew Ronnie was all about the publicity. But that didn’t stop a sharp pain shooting through her chest.
Violet leaned over Hazel’s shoulder and read out the caption. ‘Aussie star Ethan James, currently on the Sunshine Coast shooting his latest movie, hit the opening of a new bar on Main Beach last weekend with co-star Veronica Evers. It looks as if the on-screen romance is also happening off-screen.’
Hazel nodded and went to hand the phone back, but Meredith snatched it from her. She glared at Violet. ‘You’re a mean sister.’
‘I’m looking out for her. It’s better that she knows he’s moved on so she can move on, too.’
‘You don’t even know that he’s moved on,’ Meredith said, shoving the phone back at Violet. ‘You can’t believe gossip sites.’
‘I just don’t want her thinking about rushing back to him or anything stupid. I mean, we all think he’s hot and nice but… Hazel?’
Hazel tried to squeeze back the fat tears falling from her eyes. She didn’t want to cry. She’d been actively not crying over Ethan because, well, what was the point? She’d been trying to focus on her amazing new job and not on how much she missed every single little thing about him and all the moments they would never have. She drew a ragged breath.
‘They’re not together,’ she whispered. ‘I saw him that night, from a distance and he…’ He’d smiled at her. After everything, he’d still smiled.
Violet threw her arms around her sister. ‘I’m so sorry. I’m a bitch. I didn’t think you were so…’
‘In love?’ Meredith asked.
‘I don’t want him hurting you anymore,’ Violet added.
‘But that’s the thing.’ Hazel grabbed a serviette, wiped her eyes and sat up straight, shaking off the tears.
‘I’m the one who did the hurting. He was making plans for the future, for us. Then I went and told him there never was any us. But there was, and I wanted that future too. If I’d just said how I really felt – how I really feel – maybe we could have tried. But I convinced myself I could do short term and a bit of fun. I actually talked myself into believing I wouldn’t fall in love with him and that we could both walk away unscathed. I was always looking at how different we were, instead of how alike. I was so blind and so stupid.’
She pulled her phone from her bag and opened her messages. ‘He sent this to me the night before I left. I’m not one hundred per cent sure, but I think he might have been telling me he loves me.’
She handed the phone to her sister. Meredith leaned over Violet’s shoulder as they read Ethan’s message.
Ethan: Hi. I just wanted to wish you all the best. I know that job is your dream. Do you say break a leg to a chef? Or is it break an egg? Yes. I’m hilarious. I don’t regret anything that happened between us. I’ll cherish every memory. Though maybe not Kevin’s litter. Good luck, Hazel. Harry and I are both going to miss you. But I’ll miss you more. All my love, Ethan xx
‘I think he’s telling you that too,’ Meredith said. ‘What did you send back?’
Hazel bit her lip. ‘I didn’t. I wrote about ten texts and didn’t send any of them and now it’s too late.’ They both looked at her, nodding slowly.
‘What are you going to do?’ asked Violet.
Hazel stared at his message again – the words already committed to her memory.
‘Nothing,’ she said. ‘It’s done.’
She and Ethan were done, and the thought of that hurt so much that some days she could barely breathe.