Page 66 of Hazel and Elijah Find Out: First They F*cked Around

“What was this about?”

“Nothing.” He ran his hands through his hair and gripped the back of his head. “It really was a stupid thing to do.”

We agree on that.

“Do you get into fights often?”

“Jesus.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Is that what you think?”

“No, I don’t, but like, I also don’t know.”

“Hazel, I haven’t gotten into a fistfight since I lived in this town.”

“Okay.” I pressed my fingertips to my lips. Changing the subject, I asked, “Whose truck?”

“Ransom’s.”

“Is your car okay?”

“It’s fine. I thought we could go to the medical surplus store in Grand Rapids, my treat.”

“I wished you’d checked with my schedule. I don’t have time for that today.”

“Oh, okay.” He scraped the toe of his shoe on the asphalt. “I thought we had the rest of the day together. But we don’t. Okay.”

He was clearly frustrated, and I was feeling the same way.

“I thought we were just going to do lunch.” My words were clipped.

“All right,” he said dryly. “Where do you wanna have lunch?”

“How about my place?”

His posture stiffened and his lips pinched. “Don’t want to be seen in public with me?”

“What? No.” I wanted to be more offended, but as soon as he pointed it out, it occurred to me that it might be a good idea. Even just the idea of being ashamed of him made me feel like a terrible person. Anywhere we went in town would be a sea of eyes fixed on us. It might be better if we got food in Darling, but I doubted it. Not with his black eye. Everyone and their cousin would be asking him what happened.

“You sure?”

“Of course we can go somewhere to eat.” I rubbed two fingers at the sudden pain in my forehead. Trying to deflect from my weak words, I added, “Why didn’t you tell me about the fight?”

“I wanted to tell you in person. But Ranger”—his pause felt pointed—“Dennis told you first.”

“What is this sudden resentment for Dennis? Has he done something to you?”

“I don’t resent him.”

“Seems like you might.” My temper was beginning to bubble over my guilt.

Elijah sucked the front of his teeth, making atskingsound. “I don’t know, Hazel. Why would I resent him?”

“Is this because I bid on him last night? You told me to.”

“I didn’ttellyou to.”

I rolled my eyes, and the grip I had on my anger slipped. “You wanna tell me what the hell is going on, because you’re being very shitty.”

“I’mfeelingvery shitty.”

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