Page 12 of Unexpected

“I can,” she agreed, this time letting her eyes stay on me for a second longer. She was the first to look away when Becky began speaking once more about the safety of everyone in the neighborhood. I didn’t hear what she was saying because I was too focused on her husband coming down his stairs and staring intently at Hazel.

“Hi, honey,” Becky cooed when he stepped into our little circle. Josh gave him a tight-lipped nod, and I couldn’t make myself greet him by doing anything other than taking half a step closer to Hazel when his eyes lazily perused her body.

Chris noticed my movement and stared at me for a beat before turning to his wife. “You telling them about the break-in?”I could have been making it up, but it sounded like there was something more in Chris’s voice—a threatening lilt to his words.

Becky had begun prattling again, and I tuned her out. Chris constantly stared at Hazel, who hadn’t moved away from me when I got closer as I thought she would. I took that as a small win.

“Well, I need to get to work. Let us know if you hear anything,” Josh said just as I was imagining the several creative ways I could rip Chris’s eyes out.

“Yeah, we have dinner reservations,” Becky added. “Good night, everyone. Stay safe!” she added while tugging her husband along behind her. Chris winked at Hazel, and I tensed. I clenched my fist, and I felt the anger as it began to boil in my stomach. The asshole just couldn’t quit.

I hadn’t realized I’d taken a step toward him until I felt a small hand grip my wrist from behind and pull me back to reality.

Behind me, Hazel flicked me a cautious look followed by a slight shake of her head. “Don’t,” is all she said before she let go of my wrist and we were the only two left.

“He has a death wish,” I muttered under my breath.

“He’ll get what’s coming to him. I believe in karma.”

I wished I could serve the karma, but I was hoping she was right.

“Wonder if his wife noticed him staring at your tits the entire time,” I asked seriously.

She threw her head back and laughed. It was a sweet sound that immediately unsoured my mood. She should laugh more often.

“Probably not since she was staring at you the entire time.”

That surprised me. I gave her a questioning look, and she raised her eyebrows at me.

“It’s true. She didn’t look at Josh or me after you walked up. Woman has a serious crush on you.”

I wouldn’t have noticed because I was too concerned about the way Chris was eye fucking Hazel. Recently, with Hazel around, I had a tough time focusing on anything besides her.

“See you later, neighbor,” she called as she put in one headphone and pulled out her phone.

“Bye, Angel,” I yelled after her just before she put in the other earpiece. She shook her head, and I watched her ass bounce as she jogged off.

SEVEN

Hazel

Huddledunder the thick blankets on my bed, I flipped on the TV at the same time my phone began vibrating next to me. Delilah’s name flashed across the screen, and I hurried to answer it.

“What’s up, sis?”

“Hazel Grace, I swear I have to call you ten times before you answer the phone once.”

I laughed, but she was right. She called at the most inopportune times.

“I’m sorry. How’s it going?”

“I need a damn vacation is how it’s going…” Delilah began. Although she had always been my overdramatic older sister, I could understand why she would need a vacation. She and her husband, Tony, had been together for more than ten years and had two beautiful, hellion children: Miles and Amber. I loved them so much, but they were a handful, as was Delilah when she was a child. She didn’t like to be reminded of that fact, but it didn’t make it less true.

I was lucky to have a good relationship with my older sister, but she did tend to mother me at times. I knew she couldn’t help it, though. She had a structured life that was scheduled almost down to the second, but her children were free spirits, which made it harder and harder to keep the schedule.

She owned her own boutique marketing firm in Nashville while Tony was a full-time stay-at-home dad. His hobbies included woodworking, fishing, and making my sister crazy yet insanely happy.

Delilah, as usual, talked on and on about what trouble Miles and Amber had gotten into this time. (Stealing the three bags of Halloween candy my sister bought, refusing to give them back and proceeding to eat them over the past two days.)

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