Page 10 of Healing Hazel
No, not really, especially since I hadn’t intended to say it the first time. However, wasn’t there something about a faux pas not actually being accidental, but a way of forcing oneself to face some reality they’d rather not? Or something along those lines. I was studying medicine not philosophy but figured it held at least a grain of truth.
Sitting back, I shrugged. “Not lying, lying, but more like lying by omission,” I confessed.
“Omitting what exactly?”
“Must we discuss all the dirty deets?” Evidently we must as his eyes turned a darker brown and that black brow rose in an arc that had my nipples tightening. Then a promise saved me.
“No questions remember?”
His mouth opened and his brow shot higher, but then his mouth closed and his brow settled and he threw in a nod as if itwere a punctuation mark to end an unspoken sentence. Instead of feeling victorious, I felt as I had when realizing I’d been rude to my friend.
I pushed my plate away and took a drink of water, purposefully ignoring the tempting shake, pretty sure I’d never quite see them in the same way again. Dinner was over.
“Remember, I asked you why you’ve never spanked me?”
“I do.”
“I don’t need you to answer because I already know why.”
“Excuse me as I’m not sure how to word this without it sounding like a question, but would you care to share my answer with me so I’ll know what to say, because I’m pretty sure you have no clue what my answer would have been.”
The sigh I gave sounded as if I was carrying the weight of the world, when all I was carrying was the guilt I felt for leading the poor guy on. A big part of me wanted to just slip out of the booth and walk away, but that would only serve to disprove what I was about to share, so I remain seated.
“At first, I thought maybe I’d just fallen for you far harder and faster than you’d fallen for me. But as you continued to ask me out and then we took it further, I couldn’t reconcile that thought with the man who made me feel…”
“Feel—”
Not technically a question but close enough to have me ready to jump up and run if he so much as twitched, but he simply sat there waiting for me to continue.
“Fine. Okay, let’s just rip the Band-Aid right off, shall we?”
Still, he simply waited which only ticked me off. Certainly he had some skin in this game, right? Or had I been so drawn in by his looks, his supposed interest, his kindness— hell, even that damn sexy accent that had the butterflies in my belly happily flapping about—that I was a complete idiot?
“It’s because you’ve finally realized that I… I-I’m, uh not—” Who said miracles didn’t just fall from the sky? Not me for I was looking at one that very instant. “Sadie! Over here,” I called, waving my hands as if she were so nearsighted that she’d miss seeing me. That possibility had me almost knocking over my milkshake in my haste in exiting the booth.
“Hey—” Sadie managed before I grabbed her hand and dragged her back to the booth.
“Consider this my Band-Aid. Sadie can explain things far better than I can because she is one,” I declared once we’d reached Nigel and I’d practically shoved her onto the bench. “Oh, and, Sadie, feel free to have my shake. I swear I never even took a sip, though I did dip my finger into the whipped cream, but I left one cherry, so you’re good. Thanks so much!” With my task finally completed, I turned and did what I should have done in the first place all those months ago. I slipped back into the shadows where I belonged.
Chapter Five
Nigel
I could do absolutely nothing but stare at the spot where I’d last seen Hazel and try to comprehend what the hell had just happened. When no epiphany washed over me, I turned to look at where Hazelhadbeen only moments before. Though the bench was occupied by a very attractive young woman, she wasn’t my Zellie.
“Seems like you’re up,” I said, forcing myself to stop swiveling my head like some demented metronome. Hazel hadn’t gone up in a puff of smoke. She’d walked away and out the door on her own two feet. All I could do now was wait for her supposed stand-in to explain why.
Except that Sadie wasn’t rushing to speak. In fact, she was currently enjoying the very milkshake that had had me coming far too close to embarrassing myself. At least I didn’t have to watch another woman’s cheeks hollowing. Sadie was dipping a long handled spoon into the glass to scoop up its contents before transferring them to her mouth. Where she’d gotten it, I had no clue.
“Should you be doing that?” I asked.
“Doing what?”
Is there some guidebook for vague responses to what should be relatively clear questions?
“Eating Hazel’s shake.”
Sadie shrugged. “Why not? Hazel said I could have it.”
