Page 4 of Hazy Shade of Winter

"Which one of the seven dwarfs are you then?" I can't help but ask. Even though Dale isn't a brother, he obviously would be Doc.

"As busy as we've been lately, I would be sleepy. I'd give anything to be in a nice big bed right now." His eyes meet mine and I swallow hard, imagining being in that big bed with him. He looks away breaking the spell. "Why don't you finish with the glasses and take the station next to Tucker since it's closer to your friend Sky."

I nod, not questioning his sudden change of wanting me to stick next to him all night. Maybe I misread the signals—which wouldn't be that much of a stretch—since I'm not sure what signals to be looking for.

four

Turner

"Isee you smartenedup and left her with Tucker." Travis's voice cuts through my thoughts of sharing a bed with Hazel. "It's not worth the hassle. Besides I heard Mrs. Fletcher's granddaughters are moving back home." He can't be serious, can he? Connie and Bonnie are twins who graduated in Tucker's class. They're pretty enough, but they have zero personality between them. "Good, hometown girls." He mutters.

Taking the station next to Travis I zone him out, concentrating on the long line of customers waiting for me to make their drinks. Every few minutes my eyes stray to Hazel's station tofind her getting along well with my brothers and the customers as she makes drinks like a pro.

A vision of our future pops into my head, one of Hazel still working at the hospital but she's cut back to only a couple shifts a week there and a couple shifts at the bar where we work side by side in the family business along with my siblings and their spouses.

My parents would of course take care of our kids on the nights we both worked at the bar, keeping them overnight like the awesome grandparents they're going to be, giving us some adult time after the bar closes. We'd even build an addition to my cabin, adding three more bedrooms for all of the children we would have.

Hazel catches me staring at her and gives me a knowing smile, almost like she can read my inner thoughts. With a smile, I shake my head clearing those dangerous images and walk toward her. "How's it going?" I ask. "Is Tucker teaching you everything you need to know?"

"More like she's teaching me." Tucker cuts in before heading back to silently watch over Sky still sitting at the end of the bar out of hearing range.

"He's sweet. If he would only concentrate on mixing drinks as hard as he concentrates on watching Sky, he'd be one great bartender." She smiles and nods to where per usual, Tucker and Sky are staring at each other not saying a word.

"It's kind of creepy if you ask me." I raise an eyebrow in their direction.

"They're in the first blush of young love—they'll figure it out in time."

"I hope so. I'm not sure how much more I can handle." I give a fake shiver of my body to exaggerate my point, which earns me a slap on the shoulder from Hazel.

"Don't be such a poop." She laughs. "I think it's cute. Besides, what's the rush?"

"Someone else might stake their claim on Sky if it takes him too long to make his move."

Hazel looks from Tucker, then to Sky before looking back at me, "You're kidding, right? Those two only have eyes for each other. No one is going to be stealing either one."

"I hope you're right. I've already had one brother get his heartbroken by not claiming his woman."

"What about you? Has someone broken your heart?" Her eyes search mine looking for an answer.

I hold her gaze before I reply, "Not yet."

"Back to work you two. The line is starting to grow again." Travis shouts over the crowd, gaining our attention.

"Right, back to work." Hazel smiles as she turns to the line of customers in her section, leaving me to wander back to my section of the bar.

The rest of the night I push any future thoughts of Hazel and me to the back of my mind and concentrate on the moment. Tonight might be the only contact we have with each other unless the stars a line and fate brings us together again.

I don't have to wait long for fate as it appears in the form of my brother Travis, so impressed with Hazel's bartending skills, that he offers her a part time position two nights a week.

Heaven help me manage to maintain my sanity as fate throws us together in the name of friendship only.

five

Hazel

It's been six weekssince I started helping out at the bar two nights a week. Tonight is my last shift since Travis hired permanent help. I'm going to miss his grumpy moods along with Tanner's playful side. Not to mention how fun it is to make Tucker blush. I'm going to miss Turner most of all.

But he's put me in the friend zone. We laugh and joke—we've even gone skiing and to the movies. He even picks me up before work and drops me off after, but that's as far as it goes. As far as he's concerned we're just friends. Which should make my decision easy.

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