Chapter 44 Hazel
Hazel
“Thank you again.”
Thomas grabbed his things as I was cleaning the tables. A soft breeze slipped through the window, sending a chill down my spine. Spring evenings still carried a bite, but the air smelled fantastic.
“No problem,” I muttered, a hint of disgust slipping out as I scraped off someone’s gum from under the table. I always considered people who do that to have lukewarm IQs at best.
I was pretty sure Thomas and Linda had a full-blown relationship, but they were just too afraid to admit it. They were adorable together, though. In fact, it was even more adorable when they tried to hide it in public. As far as I knew, I was the only one he told.
“Say hi to Linda from me, and get out,” I said, rushing him so he wouldn’t keep her waiting.
“You’re the best,” he grinned, kissing my cheek before I brushed him off with a quick, “Yeah, yeah.”
I locked the door, drew the curtains, and let out a long breath, willing myself to slow down. The afternoon had been a blur of faces, paperwork, and endless inventory tallies, but now, the world outside could wait.
I called Mady, putting her on speaker. Her familiar voice filled the quiet as I began counting the day’s earnings.
“Yello,” she answered by the second ring.
“Hey! How’s Italy?”
“Ahh, you can’t even imagine. They talk more with their hands than with their mouths, so your eyes move along trying to figure out the meaning like a schizophrenic, there are nonexistent traffic rules, and water levels in canals are dangerously high.
But at least they have a damn good Aperol Spritz. ”
I laughed while noting down figures. “When are you back?”
“Tomorrow morning. Then I have some time off,” she said as glasses clinked in the background.
Even though Mady was a traveling journalist, the truth was she usually didn’t have to be on the road all that much. Lately, though, that had changed. Her life had turned into a blur of airports and boarding passes, hopping from one flight to the next with hardly a breath in between.
She didn’t regret choosing this career; it had given her stories, purpose, and a sense of freedom.
Still, the spark in her eyes had dimmed, just slightly, ever since someone had broken her heart back in high school.
Maybe it wasn’t even about him anymore. Maybe that was simply what adulthood was—a little bit of sadness here and there.
“Great. Is John picking you up?”
I heard a tired sigh. “No, he has a big meeting in the morning.”
“I’d pick you up, but I’ve got the early shift.”
“No worries, babe. I’ll take a taxi. We’ll hang when you have time.”
I missed her, now more than ever. We were talking more these days. About life. About Luke. Now she treated it like a slow-burn novel she’d secretly been rooting for the whole time. She was especially waiting for the part where he shows up in the rain.
“Can we finally start the wedding planning when you’re back?”
“Oh God, I have so many Pinterest boards it’s embarrassing. Good thing we have a whole year to plan this.”
“Well, according to your mom, you had this planned since middle school.”
“Pfff... don’t know what you’re talking about,” she dismissed me.
“Halloween party. 7th grade.” I laughed, reminding her of the self-made wedding dress with uneven edges and her mom’s borrowed shoes that were too big for her.
“Yeah, well, I dominated that event.”
Suddenly, a sharp bang at the door yanked me out of the moment. I’d just stepped out of the changing room. Expecting to send away a late customer, I walked to the counter, but as soon as I reached it, dread washed over me.
A tall, looming figure slammed his fist against the door, each thud rattling straight through my chest. Mady’s voice became a distant murmur, barely reaching my ears.
Jackson, clearly drunk, shouted my name, his voice slurred and ragged as he staggered against the frame. He fumbled with the handle, shoving the door with the desperate force, making the wood rattle in its hinges.
No, no, no.
“Hazel, let me in. Let’s talk!” His words were casual, but the tone was impatient.
What do I do? What can I do? I’m alone.
I forced myself to stay calm and ran through the options I had, though there weren’t many.
“Hazel? Where’d you go?”
Mady’s voice pierced through the static of my thoughts. My eyes were glued to Jackson—unsteady, glassy-eyed, nothing like the version of him I used to know. My throat tightened, every breath catching sharp and shallow, while a cold sweat prickled along my palms.
“He’s here,” I breathed, barely louder than a thought. “Jackson’s here.”
The moment the words left my mouth, it all finally became real, sending a jolt of panic through me. This time, I didn’t even try to hide the fear in my voice.
“What do you mean here?”
“I mean here, at ORiley’s. Outside, but... here.”
“Oh, my God. Are you safe?”
“I think so. The door’s locked, but no one else is here,” I said, a crack in my voice. “I’m alone.”
And just as I’d conjured it myself, Jackson slammed his hand through the window, shattering the glass. I screamed at the noise.
“HAZEL? What happened?” Mady shouted.
My voice barely escaped.
“Mady... call Luke.”