The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (Dream Harbor, #2)(10)

‘And you wear them.’

‘They require photographic evidence of me wearing them at all times.’

Another quiet laugh. ‘You’re a good uncle.’

He would have shrugged but he didn’t want to do anything to dislodge Hazel’s head from where it was now resting on his shoulder. He was actually a pretty crappy uncle, avoiding going home as much as possible, but he didn’t want to tell Hazel that, either. He wanted her to think he was a good uncle. And wise beyond his years. And really anything other than just a reckless, fun time.

But if reckless fun was what she needed, then that was what he’d give her. Anything to spend more time with her.

‘There you two are! We thought you left.’ Annie’s voice cut through the silence and sent Hazel careening away from him. She would have tipped over if he hadn’t caught her elbow and held her upright.

‘Or got murdered,’ Jeanie added, following behind her with a flashlight.

‘No one is going to get murdered here.’ Logan pulled up the rear, a small black cat snuggled in his arms. Where the hell had that thing come from? It was like the man attracted strays.

‘It’s just so dark out here. We’d never see it coming.’ Jeanie shone the light across the strawberry patch, lighting up the incriminating scene of Hazel and the wine and Noah beside her. Jeanie’s eyebrows rose.

‘Whatcha guys doing?’

‘Eating berries,’ Hazel said, shielding her eyes from the light.

‘You and Noah were just sitting here in the dark, eating berries?’ Annie said ‘eating berries’ like it was the most absurd thing she could imagine.

‘Yep. That’s what we were doing.’ Noah stood and held a hand out to Hazel, who took it and let herself be hauled up. She brushed the dirt off her butt and faced her friends.

‘Sorry I drank all your wine.’ She handed Logan the empty bottle on her way past, weaving dangerously in the dark.

‘I’ll drive her home.’ Noah followed her toward the driveway, ignoring the surprised and curious faces of their friends.

‘To her home! Not yours!’ Annie called after him and he waved her off. He stopped that kiss in the field, didn’t he? He would never take advantage of Hazel, or any other woman for that matter, but he was more than excited to start their adventure together.

By the end, she’d be kissing him with no wine required.





Chapter Five





Hazel was hungover. But it was Thursday and she had a standing breakfast date with her dad on Thursdays, so here they were in their usual booth at the diner on the corner of Main and Central, the one with the best pancakes and mediocre coffee. She’d stop at the Pumpkin Spice Café on her way to work for something actually drinkable.

The diner was filled with the usual weekday crowd, which consisted mostly of very loud seniors. Hazel’s head pounded every time Amir Sharma raised his voice to argue with Rico Stephens about their ongoing football pool, and the crowd of retirees in the back corner was getting rowdier by the second.

‘You look terrible, Hazelnut.’

‘Thanks, Dad. That’s sweet of you to say.’

Her dad took a sip of his coffee. ‘You know I value honesty.’

‘I’m hungover.’

‘On a Thursday?’ The mayor looked truly scandalized. So maybe, ‘act like a teenager’ mission accomplished?

‘Yep. Logan and Jeanie had people over for a bonfire last night.’

‘And things got rowdy?’

Hazel snorted into her orange juice. Things hadn’t gotten rowdy, she’d just lost her mind, got drunk in a berry patch, and assaulted a fisherman. She wasn’t entirely sure this was the kick off to the last months of her twenties that she wanted, but it sure was reckless.

‘You could say that.’

‘I hope you didn’t drive home in that condition.’

Hazel refused to think about the drive home, or Noah’s forearms flexing as he turned the wheel, or the way he walked her to the door and helped her inside. She was not thinking about the kiss he left on her cheek or the way he said, ‘Goodnight Haze.’ Her nickname whispered in his deep voice sending chills through her body. Nope. Nope she wasn’t.

‘Of course I didn’t drive home like that.’

‘Just making sure.’

‘I’m twenty-nine, Dad.’

‘And yet somehow, still my baby.’

Her father was ridiculous and also adorable so she let it slide. Today he was wearing a tie covered in rubber duckies, a sky-blue button down, and his signature glasses that kept slipping down his nose. It was hard to stay irritated at him.

‘How’s Frank?’

‘He’s good, sends you a kiss.’ Frank was her dad’s husband and the whole reason they moved to Dream Harbor in the first place. He was another father to Hazel, but she’d probably always call him Frank.

‘And Mom?’

‘Mom’s good, starting to gear up for the school year.’ Hazel’s mother made the move with them to Dream Harbor and lived upstairs in the two-family house they all shared. Some people seemed to find it odd, but Hazel never did. Her parents had never been together in that way. Just two friends who decided to make a baby together and it had worked out just fine for everyone.