Page 5 of Hazy Shade of Winter

I stare at the emailed contract for my next travel nurse assignment on my phone, my finger hoovering over the signature box. It would be so easy to sign it and forward it on to my recruiter and leave Wintervale behind me like I've done with so many other towns, but I'm not ready to give up on Turner yet.

I flip to the second offer, an extension at Wintervale Hospital's labor and delivery department, but instead of it being with the nursing agency, it's a permanent job offer directly from the hospital. If Turner was actually my boyfriend, it would be the perfect job—but he's not. And I can't go on with the way things are. Someday he's going to find the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with, and I'll be a forgotten friend.

With a sigh I throw my phone on my bed and take one last look at myself in the mirror. If tonight is my last night working with Turner at the bar, I have to make my move. The one size too small uniform t-shirt with the extra added slit at the neckline, shows off my breasts more than ever—pair that with the short denim skirt and cowgirl boots and I'm ready to set my plan in motion.

A horn honks outside alerting me to Turner's arrival. I slip on my long winter coat covering up my new look. Normally I wear a baggy bar t-shirt and jeans, but tonight I'm shooting my shot with Turner, I need to look good enough to eat.

I grab my phone off the bed and stuff it into my purse, ignoring the two job offers. I have until Monday to make my final decision—for the next two days my focus will be on if I have a reason to stay or if I need to move on to another new town.

A sharp stabbing sensation lodges in my chest, something I've never felt before—a longing for something real—the fear of not having a future with Turner hits me harder than I ever expected.

Life on the road with my parents never seemed to bother me until this moment. What would it be like to have a permanent home, with a husband and more than one child to raise and love—not throw away once they reached eighteen years old?

With a deep sigh, I gather my purse and head outside to confront my future—praying it's one with Turner.

six

Turner

Ihonk the hornin my truck, letting Hazel know I'm here to pick her up for her last shift. If we were really dating, I would meet her at her door with a bouquet of flowers and kiss her senseless as soon as she opened the door. But we're not a real couple—and it's getting harder and harder to keep my hands off of her. I'm not sure how long I can go on like this. Her time here in Wintervale is almost over. She hasn't said anything about her new assignment and I haven't asked—wanting to continue living in our little bubble we've created.

The door to the cottage she's renting swings open and she steps out, the light from her front porch giving her an ethereal glow reminding me of the first night I met her. I've never been insideher house and she's never been in mine—that's a line I can't cross. Being that close to her with a bed only a few feet away—I would cave for sure. And at what price? Just to have her leave in a few short weeks. It's for the best that we remain nothing more than friends. But damn, if at night I don't dream about what might have been.

"Hey boss." She opens the truck door with a smile and hops in with such grace it eases my mind a little about not rushing over and opening the door to help her in. But friends don't do that.

"Hey, Hazy." I've started calling her by that nickname to reinforce the wall around my heart. Otherwise I'll go down that rabbit hole of imagining a life with Hazel and Turner Thompson. No, it's easier to call her Hazy, like the memories she'll have of me when she leaves for her next nursing assignment.

"So, I hear there's a huge bachelorette party tonight. Are you and the guys up for it?" Her husky laugh fills the cab of my truck causing my cock to press against the zipper of my jeans. You think I'd be used to the feeling since anytime I'm around Hazel my cock is hard as a rock.

Instead of pulling over on the side of the road and burying myself nine inches deep inside her tight body, I shift in my seat before replying, "I'm not sure I'm ever ready for the bachelorette parties. The bachelor parties are so much easier—no one is trying to get me to take my shirt off."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea—topless bartenders."

"Very funny. Would you join in and go topless?" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. I glance at Hazel to gauge her reaction only to find her staring at me with lust filled eyes or maybe that was just my imagination because when I glance at the road and then back to her the look is gone, replaced with a sly smile.

"I mean, I could go topless, if I wouldn't get in trouble with the boss." She playfully swats at my arm. "Think of all the tips I'd make."

I pull the truck into the bar parking lot and place it in park with a snort. Yeah right, like she doesn't already bring in a ton of tips—everyone loves her.

"Just because you're not interested in seeing me naked, doesn't mean someone else isn't." She hops out of the truck slamming the door as hard as she can and stomps into the bar.

What in the hell has gotten into her?

I turn off the engine and replay our conversation in my head and realize I fucked up. Of course I want to see her naked. She must have taken my snort as a sound of disgust. It's probably for the best that she miss understood me since she's leaving soon anyway—this will just make the break that much easier.

With a sigh I get out of my truck and head inside the bar where I'm greeted by four hostile siblings—even Tessa is scowling at me. "What did you do to upset Hazy?" Tessa shakes what looks like a straw with a plastic penis attached to it in my face causing Tanner's scowl to change to a smirk.

"Just what you need—to be slapped upside the head with a plastic penis." Tanner laughs earning him a slap from the plastic penis itself from Tessa. "Hey, get that thing off of me. This is about Turner and what he said to Hazy to upset her."

"Sorry, Tanner. But you need to stay focused." It's not much of an apology from Tessa, but it's better than nothing I guess. "Now," Tessa turns her attention back to me, "what did you say to Hazy? She walked in here looking like someone kicked her dog before rushing into the office."

With a sigh I tell them the whole story of how I really feel about Hazel and how she misinterpreted my snort.

"You're an idiot." Travis is the first to speak. "Any fool can see you both have feelings for each other. It's as obvious as Tucker and Sky."

"Hey, leave me out of this." Tucker pipes up, "We're just taking our time."

"Yeah, right. At this rate you'll be celebrating your eightieth birthday before you ask her out on a date. But enough about you and Sky." Travis shifts the conversation back to me and Hazel. "You two have been inseparable since that first night."

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