Chapter 10
HAZEL
I’m going to shove Chadwick Weatherby off the balcony of his aunt and uncle's gorgeous apartment. The man is driving me to murder.
Yesterday wasn’t so bad. He was gone all day doing who knows what, and I had the place all to myself—minus the mess he left all over the apartment. He simply flings his clothing anywhere he pleases…who does that?
I was able to get a chunk of writing done on my dissertation without any distractions. Even Penn and his buddies are traveling, so there wasn’t a peep from upstairs.
But today? Chadwick moved Fluffy’s terrarium from the spare bedroom to the living room—stating he couldn’t sleep with her eight eyes staring at him—so I startle each time I walk into the living area of the apartment and see her there.
And anytime I leave the sanctuary of my bedroom, he follows me around like a cat who hasn’t been fed all day.
Now, to top it all off, he’s on the balcony with his very pretty physical therapist.
Don’t get me wrong, the woman is being nothing but professional, and kudos to her because Chadwick is flirting obnoxiously, obviously trying to make me jealous.
Each time I accidentally make eye contact with him through the glass, he smirks like he’s got me.
But my eyes are only watching because he’s embarrassing himself, and despite my murderous urges towards him, I have to admit, it’s the best entertainment I’ve had in months.
Right now he’s rolling his hip with the foam roller as the PT holds his leg at the correct angle to get the best stretch…only he’s closing his eyes and trying to look sexy, groaning like he’s in the throes of passion.
“Tilly, that hurts so good,” he grits out, his voice breathy.
Tilly, the physical therapist, scrunches her nose in disgust. He doesn’t see because his eyes are still closed.
What did I see in this guy? My chest squeezes, because I know what I saw.
I saw an incredibly handsome and successful man that my parents have always adored…
and he was interested in me. Uptight, freckled, dorky, frizzy-haired Hazel Palmer.
I couldn’t believe it when he asked me on a second date.
Then when he asked me to be his girlfriend, our families were elated with the news, saying they always dreamed we’d end up together.
I pull up my phone to distract myself and speak of the devil…a text from my mother in the family group chat.
Mom
My baby boy got a promotion today! Isn’t he so handsome in his suit?
A photo comes through of my parents with my brother in front of my father’s company's building. My little brother, Cory, is smiling and wearing a black suit with a blue tie. My parents are holding gift bags in their hands.
It shouldn’t hurt or make my heart ache…and it probably wouldn’t, if, when I announced my acceptance into UC Berkeley's grad school, I’d gotten more than a quick congrats text from both parents and a twenty-dollar gift card to Target.
I take a deep breath, calming my nerves before texting back.
Hazel
Congratulations, Cory!
Cory
Thanks, Sis! Wish you were here!
I smile at that. My brother has always been sweet to me. He’s easygoing and charming, impossible not to like.
Hazel
My evening isn’t as exciting.
I take a quick selfie of myself on the sofa with my computer on my lap.
Dad
Mom
Oh, Hazel. You really need to start moisturizing.
I sigh heavily. Why do I even try?
A knock comes from the door, and I look up.
Perhaps another physical therapist? Or maybe the poor girl who’s already here SOS-texted someone to come save her.
Either way, I’m thankful for a distraction from my mother who secretly—or not so secretly—dislikes me.
I toss my phone aside and jump up to answer the door.
A smiling Ally greets me when I swing the door open. “Hey!” She says with a friendly grin, but her smile fades when her eyes move past me to the balcony.
I glance over my shoulder to see Tilly massaging Chadwick's calf and him moaning.
I shake my head. “Hey, Ally. What’s up?”
She sneers at whatever is happening outside, then turns back to me. “Okay, so I wondered if you might want to grab dinner? The guys are gone, as you know, and I’m tired of sitting home alone.”
Arching a brow, I cross my arms. I cannot believe Penn made this poor girl come over and ask me to dinner. I’m sure a girl as nice as Ally has a million friends to choose from, and my dorky self is at the bottom of the list. “Penn put you up to this, didn’t he?”
She looks confused as she blinks at me. “Put me up to what? Eating? No one has to beg me to eat.”
The familiar yet strange sound of crutches creeps up behind me, the closer the sound gets, the higher my shoulders creep up. Chadwick settles in beside me. “You’re not leaving, are you? I’ve barely seen you since I moved in. I thought we could order dinner.”
I ignore him, shooting Ally a look that hopefully says save me.
“I’ll order another of your favorites, codfish from The Marina,” Chadwick drones on, oblivious. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. I’m not a seafood person. The Marina is his favorite. Opening my eyes again, I shoot him a placating smile.
“Sorry, she already has dinner plans…with me,” Ally cuts in, apparently sensing my desperation.
Chadwick’s eyes move to Ally like he’s just realized she’s standing there, then they drop slowly down her body before he gives her a lecherous smile. “Well, hello, Hazel’s friend. You’re more than welcome to come on in and join us.”
Ew. This man is despicable.
“No thanks,” Ally says in an overly sweet tone. “I’m actually over my lifetime quota of hours spent with skeezy men.” She wiggles her fingers in a wave. “You ready to go, Hazel?”
I smile and rush to grab my phone and purse before sweeping past Chadwick, whose mouth is still gaping open, and out the door.
“I owe you,” I tell Ally.
“No worries.” She shrugs, and I get ready for an onslaught of judgy questions about my gross ex-boyfriend. Which would honestly be justified. But instead, she changes the subject. “I know a good place within walking distance.”
A brisk twenty-minute walk later, we’re seated in a booth at a local diner with a blinking neon sign outside that says Moe’s Place. The smell of greasy fries permeates the air and has my mouth watering.
The waitresses are wearing 1950s style pink dresses with white aprons, and one comes to our table chewing gum loudly. She’s probably in her late forties, and her hair is teased to blend in with the theme of the restaurant.
“Hey girls, I’m Donna; what can I getcha?” She blows a bubble with her gum while she waits for us to order.
Ally and I both order the classic burger and fries with vanilla milkshakes, and Donna takes off.
“So,” Ally starts, leaning forward and steepling her hands on the table like a mob boss. “You and Penn are hanging out?”
A blush rushes to my cheeks and I’m not sure why. It’s not like she caught Penn and I in bed or something, and I’m not even really dating him. It’s just pretend, so I have nothing to be embarrassed about.
“Yeah, it’s new,” I answer. Very breezy, very casual, very demure.
She grins. “Okay, I’m so excited about this. It’ll be nice to have another couple around.”
Couple? Oh, right. Me and Penn. We’re a couple.
“Penn has never brought a girl to the loft, so this is big. He must really like you.”
I squirm in my seat, causing the sparkly pleather bench beneath me to squeak. “I don’t know about that.” I force a laugh. “I’ve only been in the loft because I live right below you.”
Ally cocks a brow as if doubting my logic. Donna unceremoniously drops our milkshakes on the table and rushes off again.
Ally takes a long sip from her straw. “So, I’m dying to know, how did you go from being annoyed with Penn all the time to dating him?”
Using my index finger, I casually swipe a line of condensation off my glass. “Oh, I don’t know. Chemistry is a mystery…maybe yelling at him was like foreplay.” As soon as the words are out my eyes widen, and I slap a hand over my mouth.
Ally’s head drops back as she laughs hysterically. “Hazel, you’re a riot!”
Yeah, that’s me…a riot.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” she says, her laughter slowly calming as she takes in my expression. “Life can’t be all work and no play. Even genius girls like you need to unwind with a tattooed bad boy once in a while.”
I think of Penn’s full sleeves of ink and how they seem to make his arms look even bigger and more muscular. Feeling suddenly overheated, I take a few gulps of my milkshake to cool myself down. “Mmm,” I hum. “This is delicious.”
“Right? Moe’s has the best shakes of all time.” She smiles thoughtfully, staring out the window beside us. “My boyfriend, Noah, eats super healthy. But even he can’t resist a Moe’s shake.”
“You miss him when he’s gone, huh?” Something in my chest tugs. I never missed Chadwick like that.
“Like you wouldn’t even believe,” she says in a sigh. “They’re coming back tomorrow, and I can’t wait… but of course, you already know that.”
I nod, even though I did not know that. And for some reason, having all those elephant feet back and trampling around upstairs again doesn’t sound too terrible.
“Anyway, enough about the boys,” Ally goes on. “Tell me about your dissertation. I know nothing about how grad school works, except it sounds stressful.”
I groan. “Well, in the words of Anthony Bridgerton…it’s the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires.”
Ally laughs. “I love that show; sometimes the guys watch it with me.”
I shake my head. “That’s hard to picture.”
“They love to complain when I put on my shows, but deep down, I know they love them.” Ally smiles. “So, what are you studying?”
Donna swings by with our burgers and fries and dashes off to her next table. Ally immediately picks up her burger and takes a bite.
“My PhD is in social work, so my dissertation topic is on the outcomes of foster youth who age out of the system.”
Ally’s eyes go wide, and she swallows. “No way! Penn will be so helpful with that.”
I pick up a fry and take a bite, nearly moaning at how good it is. “Why’s that?” I ask around my French fry.
Ally eyes me like she’s trying to figure me out, or maybe attempting to piece together how serious me and Penn are.
There’s something behind those brown eyes that tells me she’s hiding away an interesting bit of information.
I want to pry, to pick at her brain and learn more about the elusive Penn Matthews…
but I realize that would make it seem like I know nothing about him.
And if we’re supposedly dating, shouldn’t I know important details like why he might be so helpful with my dissertation?
“Oh, hey! We should do a double date night in the hot tub,” Ally says, changing the subject abruptly, which just makes me more curious about why Penn would be helpful for my dissertation topic.
“That sounds fun,” is what I respond with instead of prying for information.
But it only takes a split second for it to hit me that I just agreed to wear a swimsuit in front of three incredibly fit professional athletes—I’m including dancer as an athlete; Ally’s legs are insanely muscular.
The thought of baring that much skin makes me uncomfortable, but then I remember Penn’s devilish expression the other night when he said it was a shame he couldn’t come downstairs to my bedroom to make Chadwick jealous.
He was joking, obviously. However, I don’t think I imagined the heat in his eyes at that moment.
My skin prickles at the thought of those blue eyes traveling over my body in a bathing suit. Would they flare the same way?
I swallow, quickly pushing away the mental image. “Or we could just do a movie night.”
Ally hums around another big bite of her burger, nodding as if to say either is good for me.
We continue eating and end up chatting for hours, and she tells me all about her dance show and I tell her about Fluffy. Ally is so easy to talk to and fun to be around. This dinner is the most social interaction I’ve had with another girl for a long time. I forgot how nice it is to have a friend.
By the time I get back to my apartment, I’m hoping Chadwick is in bed already, but no such luck.
I walk inside to find him smack in the center of the couch, surrounded by takeout bags—that I’ll have to clean up—and playing some war game on the Xbox he brought with him when he moved in.
He looks up as I hang my purse on the hook by the door and slide my shoes off.
“Hey, you’re back,” he says, pausing his game. “I ordered your favorite dessert. Chocolate tuxedo cake.”
I bring one hand to my temple and rub at the spot where I suddenly have a headache.
“Chadwick…you’ve known me since we were kids, and you dated me for over a year.
Yet somehow during all the time you never realized I don’t like chocolate.
Also, the smell of roses gives me a headache…
and I never wear fancy jewelry. Not because I don’t own any, but because I don’t like it.
I like scouring thrift shops and estate sales to find unique items that tell a story. How did you never notice that?”
His head jerks back and he releases a frustrated breath. “Wow, sorry for being a terrible boyfriend, I guess.”
I bring my hand to my heart. “Thank you so much for that heartfelt apology. I’m going to bed.”
“Maybe your expectations are too high, Hazel. Nobody’s perfect,” he says, as I walk past him to get to my bedroom.
I stop and turn to look at him over my shoulder. “Maybe, but I won’t lower them for you or anyone else.”
When I get inside my room, I close the door and slink to the floor in front of it.
My hands are shaking from the adrenaline of standing up for myself.
For a moment I feel bad about everything I said and wonder if I was too mean, but I shake the thought and remind myself that Chadwick is a horrible person.
Now if I can just muster the strength to stand up to my mother the way I’ve recently learned to stand up to Chadwick.
My phone pings with a text, and with my hand still shaking I take it out of my pocket and read.
Penn
Sounds like you and Ally had fun tonight. She’s chatting Noah’s ear off about it on the phone right now. I’ll be back in the morning, let’s get together and chat about our next move?
I can’t stop a wide smile from spreading across my face. For once, everything in my life is going well…and on top of that, I made a real friend.