Page 77 of Nanny for the Bodyguard
Inside, she's working on her laptop, writing away, her brow furrowed as she concentrates on what she's writing.
I've also seen her dictate to her computer a few times now, and it's pretty hilarious to walk in while she's having a fake conversation with herself.
As the floor creaks, Hazel looks up at me, the light of the screen illuminating her face. I hold up the drinks, and she offers a gentle smile as I slip inside the room and sit down on the bed beside her, our shoulders brushing.
“You brought me a beer. Are you a proponent of ‘write drunk, edit sober?’”
All I can do is laugh as I hand the drink to her, cracking it open. “Can't say I'm familiar with that phrase, but I thought it might help.”
Hazel laughs, taking the beer and enjoying a sip before setting it down on the nightstand next to the bed.
We’re quiet for a moment, and then I glance over at her and ask, “How are you doing?”
That's a loaded question if I've ever heard one, but what else am I supposed to say? I want to know how she's doing. I know that it's not good, but I want to know what level of “not good” it is.
She releases a heavy breath again, taking one more sip of her drink before returning it once more to the nightstand, and looks me in the eye.
“I'm not great. I've certainly been better. Immensely. I'm worried about the entire Neil situation. I know you've been keeping an eye on the news. And I know that they haven't found him yet. I would be lying if I said I hadn't been thinking about that pretty much all the time.” Hazel scoffs, chucklingsarcastically. “On the plus side, it makes for an excellent headspace when you're writing your next thriller.”
“Well, I continue to be excited to read it, though I still can't believe you're writing with everything that's going on right now.”
Hazel laughs at me, playfully shoving me away as I take my first sip of the cold beer.
“Yes, I know I should be resting and taking a break, but that doesn't exactly make my brain quiet. So, it feels like a better idea to just throw myself into my work and use the inspiration I have, you know what I mean?”
I nod. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I can guess at it, anyway. Sure, I'm not the one who has a rough past barreling down at every moment. But I do know what it's like to be in the thick of it, to have a threat looming in the distance that you can't do anything about, except maybe trying to find a way around it.”
Hazel studies me, staring like I've said something wrong, but then she laughs a little and takes her beer, clinking it against mine.
“Well look at that. We're trauma bonding.” Her mood sobers, though, her eyes dropping to the bed. “Sometimes, I forget that you were in the military, even though it was a ‘very big deal’ a long time ago.”
“Itwasa big deal. I’m not a soldier anymore.” I shrug, not knowing what exactly I’m supposed to say right now. “But some of the stuff comes in handy.”
Shrugging back, Hazel offers a tiny grin. “I’d say it has. I just…I guess I hope it won’t benecessarynecessary.”
Hazel is worried about Neil. She doesn’t want me to have to fight him. As much as I don’t want that either, I can’t deny that the image of punching that asshole right in the face has been a constant video in my brain.
“You know I’d take care of that fucker in a heartbeat, right? If he came near you?—”
Putting her finger on my mouth, Hazel silences me with a smile. “I know, Easton. Trust me. I know.”
Her voice is soft, and her finger stays pressed to my lips for too long. I reach up and take her hand, flipping it around and kissing the back.
The moment charges like an EMP ready to blow. I was just trying to bring her a beer. Okay, yeah, maybe I also wanted to see if she was ready to finish the conversation.
What are we doing, Hazel? I…I need to know. I want?—
“Hazel, phone!”
Jade calls from the hallway, and I lean back, giving Hazel a smile as my niece bounds into the room. I reach for my beer, and Jade appears with Hazel’s cell phone still ringing.
Hazel takes it, swiping across the screen as I take a swig of my beer. Jade wanders over to me, and I grin at her, pulling her under my arm and mussing her hair.
“Hey, kiddo. How’s it going?”
“Fine. Do you think that maybe we could play a game or something? I don’t want to be in my room anymore.”
“Yeah, of course. You’ve been reading for a while. I’m down with that. Hazel, do you think that?—”
