4. Hazel
FOUR
Hazel
“So, yeah. Can you come? I definitely need a girlfriend to talk to about all this.”
I pace as I chat with Olivia, my feet begging me to sit down because it’s been one hell of a day.
“Of course. Give me like twenty minutes. Cool?”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you soon.” I stop in front of the kitchen counter, leaning on it as I prepare to set my phone down.
“Bye!”
We hang up, and I sigh as I plop my cell on the wireless charger. I’m fucking drained. Jade is an amazing kid, but she’s not low-maintenance, that’s for sure.
The plan is to watch movies and munch on some popcorn. I know that the snacking is going to happen, but both Olivia and I know we’re not going to be watching whatever movie we end up picking.
We’ll be talking.
I throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave, letting it do its thing, and then go over to my tiny makeshift bar to see what I have left for beverages. I’m down to a single bottle of wine.
I need to go shopping. Ugh, whatever it’ll have to do.
In no time at all, Olivia is at my door, and I let her inside, giving her a massive hug.
“Hey, boo!” She grins, leaning back as she flips her long brown locks off her shoulder in an exaggerated motion.
She’s such a “queen.”
“Hello! Ugh, thank you so much for coming. I have to talk to you about everything.” I step aside so that Olivia can enter, shutting the door behind her and making sure it’s locked.
“I got you, girl. Also…” Olivia walks over to the couch, dropping her bag on the sofa. When she reaches inside, she pulls out a bottle of wine. “…I brought this. In case you were running low.”
“I am!” I hop over happily. “Ha, that’s perfect. I only have one left, and I know what we’re like when we get talking.”
Olivia laughs, her face scrunching up in a silly grin as she tosses her head back. “Well then, it’s good we have all night.”
“Yes, we do, but,” I take the bottle over to the kitchen, padding across my carpet in my socks, and fish around for the corkscrew in my drawers, “I can’t stay up too late because I have to be up early in the morning.”
“Early?” Liv cocks a brow, eyeing me like I’m nuts. “Oh, right, you got a babysitting gig? What’s that all about? Since when do you need to pick up odd jobs?”
“Dude, that’s not even the half of it.”
I finally find the corkscrew, which is shaped like a little skeleton man, and I peel off the aluminum cover on the neck of the bottle so I can get to work.
After I’ve poured two glasses of wine and Olivia has thrown on some movie we’ve seen a million times, I head back to the couch and hand her one.
We both aimed for comfort this evening, and I feel totally cozy in my sleep shorts and college sweater, which is so worn that it almost feels like silk.
Liv is rocking some comfy leggings, this wild print all over them that’s abstract and rainbow, and a long black tank top. It looks like she could be equally prepared to go to the gym or bed.
It’s times like these when I’m reminded of how different Liv and I are, even down to how we look. Olivia is all bright colors and patterns with deep tan skin and long brown hair that nearly touches her butt and is filled with highlights.
I’m so not that.
I write thrillers for a living, and I’m too obsessed with true crime. I’ve never dyed my hair, and I have a few tattoos scattered across me where Liv has none.
I’m fairer than she is, shorter, and hitting the gym sounds about as fun as getting my teeth pulled. I still find ways to stay basically in shape—yoga for the win and all that.
One of the funniest things to me is how much older and put-together Liv looks than I do, when she’s the wild child. I still get carded at restaurants when I order a drink, this false perceived innocence I have, but I could tell you all about H.H. Holmes—my favorite serial killer.
Because all true crime people have a favorite serial killer.
“Okay, so spill. What’s the tea with this babysitting job?”
Liv curls up on the couch, putting her legs under her and hitting play on the movie even as neither of us looks at the screen.
“Well, that’s the thing. It’s not like I took the job to make money or something. I’m still doing fine. It’s who I’m babysitting for.”
“Alright, already. Cut the suspense and spill.” She laughs and takes a sip of her wine.
“Easton Hawke.”
My timing could have been better. Olivia nearly spits out her mouthful of red, and she has to choke it down while her eyes go wide.
When she can finally speak, she sets her glass down on the coffee table and gapes at me.
“You’re fucking kidding, right?” I don’t say anything, just lower my head, hiding in my wine glass. “Oh my god, Hazel!”
After forcing down a gulp of wine, I set mine down, too, and move to the edge of my chair, where I perch and hold up my hands in defense.
“I know, I know. I swear to you, I didn’t think I’d be running into him so soon. I mean, yeah, I knew it could happen. Hell, we talked about it, but I thought I’d have longer than a week.”
“Hazel,” Liv cocks her head at me, her brows up, “that doesn’t explain why you’re babysitting for him. Holy shit, does he have a kid?”
I’m quick to shake my head, waving my hands. “No, no, no. It’s not like that. His sister died, and Jade, his niece, was left to him. He’s her guardian.”
“Okay, well, I guess at least there’s that. But seriously, did you just run into him and be like, ‘Hey, need a babysitter?’”
“I mean…” I shrug, feeling so guilty and dumb and like I haven’t had nearly enough wine. “…kinda.”
There’s a pause while Liv’s mouth drops open.
“Jade actually ran into me. Covered me in ice cream.” I shake myself.
“That’s not the point. I saw him there, struggling to be a father figure to this kid, and she looked so lost. Both Jade’s parents died in this freak accident, and Easton is not handling it very well.
I felt like I had to help. I understand a bit of what Jade’s going through, you know? ”
The wheels in Olivia’s head are turning. I can see her working through everything. When she grabs her wine, she takes a massive sip and then puts it back down, clapping her hands together as she presses the sides of her fingers to her lips.
I wait.
I know she’s winding up to something, and I know I need to hear it. Olivia is a master at delivering hard truths. It’s why I adore her so much. I can actually trust her not to bullshit me.
“Okay…” Liv sucks in a breath, going for another sip of wine, and then starts back up. “…I understand why you felt compelled to help a kid out. That’s a terrible situation to have gone through, and I’m sure your pain recognized her pain.”
“I swear, Liv, having a counselor for a bestie is a thing sometimes.”
She eyes me hard, that “haha, very funny” look in her eyes, but continues. “You went through a lot because of your parents at such a young age, and then to be bounced around from foster home to foster home. We both know that gave you the need to help those you could, provide stability.”
“But…”
I know it’s coming. There’s a but right around the corner, and it’s going to be followed by the thing I don’t want to hear.
“But…this is Easton we’re talking about. He has a history with you, and neither of you is going to be able to forget that. You’ve been heartbroken about how things ended for seven years, so don’t lie to me and say it’s not complicated.”
“I’m not,” I say defensively before taking a breath and calming down a hair. “I’m sorry. I know you’re looking out for me, and it is complicated. But this has nothing to do with Easton. Not really. I just wanted to help Jade. It was the right thing to do.”
I’m holding my wine glass, but I haven’t managed to take another drink. The popcorn has also been sitting on the coffee table, waiting for attention.
It sounded so good before, but now I’m not sure I can eat any of it.
The low volume from the TV provides a gentle hum of sound, and I realize that Olivia chose Jennifer’s Body .
Hilarious .
“I get that, hun. I really do. I just want you to be careful. Easton hurt you before, and nothing is saying he won’t do it again. That he doesn’t still have feelings for you.”
“Liv,” I duck, unable to allow myself to indulge that notion—even if a part of me wonders and maybe…
hopes he does, “if Easton still liked me that way, he would have said something. It was awkward, sure, but he gave me the lowdown on Jade and then went to work. I spent the day with her, and she’s such a sweet kid. She’s even a big reader.”
I can hear the tone of my voice change when I talk about Jade. The truth is that I adore her already.
We had a great time today, and even though it was hard at times when I had to say no, and she assumed it was her fault, we had a good time. We enjoyed each other’s company.
“He’s moved on.” I sip at my wine, my stomach churning a little. “And so have I.”
When I look up, I’m met with that stare of Liv’s again. She narrows her eyes, reaching for a handful of popcorn and munching on a few pieces before she speaks up again.
“Yeah, I’m not sure you can just trust him to tell you something like that. Things were intense last time. Hell, didn’t he say I love you first and like super fast?”
Heat fills my cheeks as I remember that instance. Easton did say it first when we were out swimming at night. It just slipped out of his mouth, and even though I gave him the chance to take it back, he didn’t.
“I mean, fast is subjective. But yeah, he did.”
“All I’m saying is be careful.” Liv reaches out to squeeze my hand, leaning from her position on the couch to where I’m perched in my plump chair. “Word around town says he hasn’t dated anyone since you.”
“That can’t be true. It’s been seven years. I’m sure that’s just the rumor mill going wild.”
Waving that notion off and pretending like a part of me didn’t enjoy hearing that, I take my own handful of popcorn and pop a few fluffy kernels in my mouth.
“Regardless, I care about you, and I don’t want you getting hurt.”
I offer a tight smile. “I know. Thank you.”
I take her hand, squeezing it back, but I can’t keep going with this conversation. It’s too much; the situation with Easton is messy and complex.
“But hey, how’s the practice? And the library?” I lean back in the chair, pulling the knit orange blanket off the back and over my legs.
“Incredible change of subject.” Liv laughs, shaking her head with a grin. “The practice is good but slow. So no change there, and yes, I’m still working at the library to afford my bills. Unless I get a few more clients, I’m not likely to be quitting any time soon.”
“I’m sorry, hun. If I see any depressed or anxious folks, I’ll send them your way.”
We both giggle at that, and Olivia throws a piece of popcorn at me.
“Gee, thanks. But speaking of your real job—not the babysitting that you just couldn’t refuse—your books are still getting checked out and asked for all the time.
With the new one coming out soon, we should set you up for a book signing at the library. ”
My brows shoot up, and I gasp a little, my hand going to my mouth. “Really?”
The word is garbled around a mouthful of popcorn, and it takes me a second before I can swallow.
“They are? Oh my god. That’s so cool.” A wave of nervousness washes over me when I consider a signing in front of a bunch of people, though. “I don’t know about signing books, though, Liv. I’m a no-one. Nobody would come.”
“Umm, did I not just say I have a hard time keeping your books on the shelf? Tons of people would come.”
“Oh god, I don’t know. That sounds?—”
Ring, ring, ring.
My phone goes off, where it still sits on the island charging. “Shit, sorry about that. I’d better see if it’s Easton, though. Maybe Jade needs something.”
Olivia gives me a look, but she doesn’t say anything. Thank god.
Padding over to the counter, I grab my cell as it rings again. It’s not Easton. I have his number programmed into the phone.
It just says “unknown.”
An unknown number isn’t heard of, but…my heart rate spikes, but still, I’m swiping the icon to answer. I have to know if it’s what I think it is.
There’s no reply when I say hello, just the sound of static and heavy breathing. It’s exactly what I thought it’d be, and my heart is pounding against my ribs now.
Shit. No, no, no. Not again. Come on.
Panic is flaring in my veins, making my head light and my fingers twitchy. My chest tightens, and my pulse is so loud in my ears that I worry my eardrums will rupture.
It’s always the same. An empty line where someone just breathes. It’s never been more, but it’s never let up. Whoever this scam caller is, they’ve been tormenting me for so long.
Since the incident.
I’m shaking as I hit the red button to hang up, my phone clattering out of my grip and onto the island. I can barely hold it as I maneuver the thing back onto the charger.
Always that breathing. Just that terrible breathing.
“Hazel?” Olivia’s voice makes me jump as she leans over the back of the couch, eyeing me. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I shake myself out of it, forcing the anxiety down, where I can bottle it up and pretend I’m not petrified. “Dumb prank call. Let’s watch this movie. It’s finally at the good part.”
I head over to my chair, grab my wine and a handful of popcorn, and focus on the TV. I’m sure Olivia can tell something’s up, but she doesn’t push it.
As the movie carries on, I wonder when these calls are going to stop, when I’m going to be free. But it’s been so long, and I have to believe that if he’s doing it…
This is far from over.