Page 19 of The Double Play

Yet again, Hazel looks on the verge of laughter. I shake my head in disdain.

“Emmett doesn’t seem like the type who enjoys nicknames,” Hazel says.

“You are correct,” I say. I don’t know why I’m contributing to the conversation. I should take advantage of Hazel occupying Emerson and put my headphones on to get in a solid nap.

Emerson waves a hand in my direction. “He secretly loves it.” He turns his attention back to Hazel. “Now, you never answered my initial question. What’s it like working for Emmett?”

Hazel hesitates. Something in my chest tightens at the thought of her being uncomfortable.

“How do you expect her to answer that when I’m sitting right here?” I ask.

“Oh yeah, didn’t think about that. Can’t exactly answer honestly with the boss around,” Emerson jokes.

Hazel shakes her head, a small smile tugging on her lips. “I only paused because you asked what it was like workingforEmmett. I don’t see it that way.”

Emerson leans in, intrigued. I fight the urge to do the same.

“We’re a team,” she says softly, her gaze flicking to me, then to her lap. That rosy color comes to her cheeks again. It strikes me that she looks pretty when she blushes like that. I frown at the errant thought.

“I mean, of course he’s my boss,” she quickly corrects. I realize she might have seen my frown and misconstrued it for disapproval. I school my features. “But we work together to make sure June is happy and healthy.”

Her eyes lift once more, this time meeting mine. I nod in agreement to her words. She brightens, her eyes crinkling at the edges as she smiles.

“Interesting,” Emerson says. I tear my eyes from Hazel’s to find him looking between us both with a smirk.

“Miss Hazel, look!” June says, drawing all of our attention as she turns her princess coloring book around. “I colored Belle, and her dress is yellow. That’s your favorite color.”

“You did a great job,” Hazel says with an encouraging smile.

“She has brown hair, too,” Emerson points out. My brow furrows.

“Like Miss Hazel!” June says, catching on before I do. “Miss Hazel looks like Princess Belle.”

“I don’t know about that,” Hazel says, tugging on the hem of her sweatshirt and shifting in her seat.

“I can totally see the resemblance,” Emerson says with a too-happy grin. It’s then that I realize he’s connected this to his earlier insinuation that I’m the beast.

I glare at him. He looks as unbothered as usual. I’d thought he came over to flirt with Hazel, but it turns out he came to do something much worse: meddle. Leave it to Emerson to try to make a professional relationship into something it’s not.

“How about we watch a movie instead of color, June?” Hazel asks.

I relax a little in my seat. Good. Hazel’s attention will be focused elsewhere, and Emerson will leave us alone, or at least this topic alone, and I can get some sleep.

“That sounds fun. Can I sit by you?” June grabs her backpack and puts the coloring book back inside.

“Of course, sweet pea. What would you like to watch?” Hazel unzips her yellow backpack and pulls out an iPad.

“Beauty and the Beast,” June answers cheerfully.

Hazel’s smile freezes on her face. Emerson chokes on a laugh.

This is going to be a long trip.

“I want a sleepover with both you and Daddy,” June says to Hazel, punctuating her sentence with a sniffle.

Hazel is kneeling in front of June on the floor of my hotel room. It’s getting close to June’s bedtime, and she doesn’t want to part with either of us.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I have to stay in my room. What if you stay with your dad one night and me another night?”

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