Chapter 7
PENN
In a shocking turn of events…Hazel is in my bedroom.
My original plan for when I got home from practice was to relax before our early flight tomorrow. I was going to starfish on the couch and watch football while Noah whipped up whatever healthy concoction of chicken, rice, and veggies he was planning on cooking for dinner tonight.
Hazel’s visit is a welcome, if surprising, change of plan, but I’m curious as hell what she wants to talk about. I shut my bedroom door to keep potential eavesdroppers (Fisher) from listening in, then turn toward her.
“Soooo…” She starts hesitantly, drawing out the word as she pushes a stray curl out of her face. Her eyes are huge behind her glasses as she looks around the room like she has no idea how she got here.
We haven’t seen each other since she snapped at me for trying to help her out with Chad-dick, which was days ago now, so I was shocked to find her sitting there at the kitchen island with Ally.
Doubly so when she thanked me for the gift and then asked me to talk…
although right now she looks like she’s regretting that request.
“What’s up, Bubbles?” I prompt as I cross the room and sit down on my bed. I nod at the empty spot next to me, but Hazel stays where she is, hovering awkwardly and staring at my navy comforter.
“So, this is where you sleep and…stuff,” she blurts out, then flushes the same fierce red as the knit cardigan she’s wearing today. She looks cute.
I lean back on my hands and smirk. “Stuff, huh?”
“No stuff now, obviously,” she stutters, then looks away, her cheeks on fire. “I’m not here for…that, like all those other girls.”
“What other girls? Ally’s the only girl who lives here and she’s with Noah.” I’m playing dumb on purpose, trying to wind her up—I get the feeling a bit of banter will help her relax enough to tell me why she’s really here, because she’s clearly stalling right now.
My plan works. My neighbor’s hands go to her hips, and feisty Hazel is suddenly back. “There was a girl here with you last week when I came up to tell you to be quiet! Or have you forgotten her already, Playboy?” she demands indignantly.
I arch a brow. “You mean my sister?”
Hazel’s pretty pink lips form a perfect O shape, and I grin. “Now, if you’re done talking shit about my personal life that you know nothing about, can you please tell me what you’re really doing here? Because I’m hungry and kind of want to eat.”
She bites down on her bottom lip, still hesitating. Finally, she nods. “Okay. I, uh, need a favor,” she says with a wince, and I have to laugh.
Hazel looks at me for a long moment, stricken, before she huffs a laugh too. She slaps a hand to her forehead. “Okay, I’m fully aware of how ridiculous it is to ask you for a favor after I’ve just insulted you! I’m sorry, Penn. For being rude just now, and for when you helped me with Chadwick.”
“It’s totally fine,” I tell her. I wasn’t insulted—I could tell her accusations weren’t personal.
She’s been hurt and doesn’t trust men in general right now.
And I don’t blame her one bit after what I overheard the other night from her piece of garbage ex-boyfriend.
Weatherby clearly did quite the number on her. “Now what’s going on, Hazel?”
Hazel visibly deflates, the laughter in her eyes dampening. “Chadwick’s downstairs.”
My hackles rise, and I’m on my feet in an instant.
“Don’t let him in,” I instruct her. “I’ll go outside and get rid of him.”
Hazel shakes her head and leans back against the door, her curls spilling around her shoulders. “No, like, he’s already in my apartment.” She winces. “He just arrived, with a suitcase.”
“What?!” I thunder. “Stay right here, and I’ll go kick him out.” I march towards the door, but she holds up a hand, stopping me in my tracks.
“It’s not that simple,” she says. “The apartment I live in? It’s owned by his aunt and uncle.
They don’t know we broke up, and they gave him permission to move in temporarily—he’s apparently going to stay here in San Francisco for the next several weeks, because there’s a PT here that specializes in his injury. ”
The injury I gave him.
I can’t help but feel partially responsible. If Chadwick wasn’t hurt, he’d be contractually obligated to be in Sacramento with his team.
“What do you need from me, Hazel?” I’m suddenly very glad she came to me for help. I don’t trust that guy one bit, and I don’t like the thought of her facing him alone.
She peeks up at me—we’re standing a foot away from each other now, her body still against the door as mine towers over hers. “You know him, don’t you?”
“I do,” I say tightly.
“And you guys…don’t like each other?”
“You could say that.”
“I figured.” Hazel smiles tentatively. “And it gave me an idea. You see, he was really mad when he saw the headphones you sent me.”
“Of course he was,” I mutter. Jealous prick, only ever wanting what someone else has.
“So I was hoping,” Hazel continues, a blush spreading over her high cheekbones, “that maybe you’d come downstairs with me and pretend we’re dating like you did the other night.
Just for a few minutes. I thought maybe that if he saw us together again, it might piss him off enough to make him decide to stay elsewhere. ”
“That’s the favor you wanted?” I ask, my voice low. “For me to pretend to be your boyfriend again to make Weatherby jealous?”
“Yes.” Her teeth sink into that full lower lip of hers again, and I have a sudden urge to reach out and drag my thumb over her mouth.
Smooth away those bite marks and see what those soft, full lips feel like under my rough skin.
I push away the thought. My neighbor is gorgeous, and it’s been a while since I felt this attracted to someone…
but she’s clearly not looking for that kind of attention right now.
“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate,” Hazel goes on almost pleadingly. “It’s just the only idea I have that might actually make him leave.”
“No.” I shake my head, and her face falls.
She forces a smile as she reaches for the door handle. “I understand, it was stupid to ask, I—”
“Hazel.” I gently grab her arm to stop her leaving. “I didn’t mean no as in I won’t help you. I meant no, your idea won’t work.”
Hazel blinks at me. “Why not?”
“Because I know Weatherby,” I explain. “And if we go down there and act all couple-y, it will just add fuel to his fire, and he’ll want to stay even more.”
AKA, he’ll view this purely as a competition he wants to win, and he’ll objectify Hazel as the prize. I don’t say this aloud, though, because I doubt she wants to hear that’s how the man she was in love with might view her.
Hazel considers my words, and I half-expect her to argue, but she nods. “That makes sense, actually.” She slumps and closes her eyes. “So what do I do?”
“You mean, what do we do?” I correct. Then, I smile. Because I’m always down to piss Chad-dick off and make him sweat. “And the answer is, we psych him out.”
My neighbor’s eyes pop open, bright and alert. “What do you mean by that?”
“He knows you’re up here with me now, right?” I ask.
Hazel nods.
“Good. Then it’s already in motion.” I step back from her and walk back over to the bed and sit again.
Hazel arches a brow. “You’re going to have to elaborate.”
“It’s simple. We stay right here and let his imagination run wild until he can’t handle it anymore.
If we’re downstairs at your place, he can keep tabs on what’s happening between us.
And he’ll start making a game plan on how to win you back.
But knowing you’re up here with me, right now, and not knowing what we’re doing? That’s probably killing him.”
“Psychological warfare…you evil genius,” Hazel says. Her tone holds some admiration—at least I hope it does, because some part of me wants to impress an intelligent woman like her.
“I bet you a thousand bucks he’s going to text at some point, checking in on you because he’s going crazy not knowing.” I grin at the thought. “And then, when you don’t answer, his mind’s going to start obsessing over why you’re too busy to respond…”
Hazel’s eyes widen and her cheeks turn pink again as she processes what I’ve left unsaid. “Oh,” she gasps. “Smart. I never would have thought of that.”
“Hopefully he’ll realize he doesn’t want to spend his next few weeks being driven crazy, and leave. But if we’re going to wait him out, it might take a while.” I look at her pointedly. “So why don’t you have a seat.”
I’m surprised when she actually listens to my request, moving across the room. She pauses for a moment before perching delicately at the very edge of the bed.
I smirk. “My sheets are clean, you know. I’ve washed them twice since the last time you stormed up here to lecture me.”
Hazel blushes and shifts her weight so she’s fully sitting.
“Yes, it’s surprisingly tidy in here.” She looks around at my room, taking in the dark blue walls where I’ve hung framed prints of the Canadian Rockies, the oak dresser with my TV on it, and the king-sized bed she’s sitting on.
I’m not neat as a pin like Noah, but I’m also not a slob.
“Chadwick’s room always looked like a bomb had detonated.
You could never see the floor through the dirty clothes.
I think he was allergic to doing laundry. Or didn’t know how to use the machine.”
Spoiled rich prick probably had a maid clean up after him his whole life. And probably then got Hazel to do it when they were together.
For the millionth time, I wonder what someone like Hazel was doing with someone like that. How they even got together in the first place.
Hazel’s phone pings in her pocket, and I roll my eyes. “That didn’t take long.”
She looks at me in wonder. “Do you think that’s him already?”
“Yup.”
She slides her phone out of her pocket and opens the text, and I lean towards her so I can read it, too.
Cheater Chadwick
Are you coming back soon?
“Great contact name,” I say approvingly.
“It’s factually correct.” She chuckles. “I can’t believe your plan is already working, Penn.”
Her phone pings again.
Cheater Chadwick
Do you want me to order us some dinner? Spaghetti carbonara, your favorite, right?
“Wrong,” Hazel mutters. “It’s Fettuccine Alfredo.”
“How long did you guys date?” I ask.
“A year,” she says mournfully. “And he apparently didn’t listen to a word I said the whole time.”
Can’t say I’m too surprised at that, but I keep my thoughts to myself. Instead, I say, “Well, sounds like you’re much better off without him.”
She nods almost angrily. “I’ve definitely come to realize that.”
“Hey, Matthews!” Fisher’s voice suddenly comes from outside the door. “Noah said to let you know that dinner’s almost ready. He’s wondering if your lady-guest will be joining us?”
I look over at Hazel.
“I couldn’t possibly intrude—” she starts.
“Yup,” I call back, taking that as a yes. “She’ll stay. We’ll be out in a bit.”
“K, well in the meantime, you kids have fun. Stay safe!” Fisher calls tauntingly as his footsteps carry down the hallway. I clock Hazel’s horrified expression and try not to laugh as she keels over sideways and buries her face in my comforter.
“Noooo,” she moans. “Your roommates totally think we’re in here…”
“Doing it?” I offer with a grin.
She groans again.
“Oh, sorry,” I tease. “Did you prefer the term having sex? Making love? Coitus?”
Hazel sits up, her cheeks blazing, and throws a pillow at me. “Stop it, Penn!”
“Not what we want Weatherby to think you’re saying right now,” I say with a smirk. “We want him to think you’re saying, yes, Penn. Don’t stop, Penn. You’re so much better than my greasy ex Chadwick Weatherby ever was, Penn. Oh, and you’re so much stronger and sexier than him, too.”
Hazel watches me imitate her feminine voice looking half amused and half scandalized, her mouth open as she gapes at me. She finally schools her expression and tips her nose in the air. “I would never say those things.”
“Maybe not with Chadwick…” I mutter, and our eyes catch for one hot, loaded moment before her phone pings with another text and we both quickly look away.
Hazel tilts her phone so we can both read the text.
Cheater Chadwick
Food is on the way, so come back soon, Hazel. It’s not polite to keep people waiting.
Oh Chadwick, you idiotic fool.
“Dinner’s ready,” Noah hollers from the kitchen.
“Hungry?” I ask Hazel.
Her eyes are dancing, she looks happier than I’ve seen her, and I can't help but feel glad to have contributed to her current happiness. “Starving, actually.”
I jump up from the bed, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with me. “By the time we’re done eating, hopefully Chad-dick will have packed up and taken his sorry ass to a hotel.”
“Ha! I love the name Chad-dick.”
“You’re not the only one with a good nickname for him, you know.” I smile at her. “Now let’s go eat.”