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I hear the girls’ footsteps before I see them. They’re both running at full speed.
Ophelia reaches me first. She barrels into me and hugs me around the waist. “Guess what time it is, Uncle Jack?”
“What time?”
“Ten!” Ophelia lifts her skinny wrist to tap her pink princess watch. “Time to swim with the dolphins!” She reaches for my hand and pulls. “Mom is probably already there. She said don’t be late, remember?”
I blink.
Is it really ten already?
“Sounds like you have somewhere to be,” Hazel says.
Jasmine takes my free hand and starts tugging, too.
“I guess I do.”
My last impression of Hazel is the subtle smile dancing on her lips.
My day’s schedule is packed with activities that Brett and Corinne planned. Plus, I now have to squeeze a few work calls into the mix. But this evening—in eight hours—I’ll knock on her door, and she’ll open it, and hopefully, I’ll get to see that smile again.
Chapter 12
Hazel
I’m supposed to be researching the Shopper Shark brand, but instead, I’m staring at my open suitcase… thinking about what to wear to dinner with Jack.
It’s 5:30, so in a mere half-hour, he’ll be here. At my door.
Even though it’s silly, I want to look good tonight.
There has to be something in here that’s not black.
When did I start wearing all black? I don’t remember making a decision. I used to wear purple, blue, and green…
I shuffle aside yet another black tank top and then a pair of black denim shorts.
Okay… here we go. This top is beige. That’s fun.
I cringe as I hold it up. Here I am, trying to put a spin on my life again. Beige is not ‘fun.’
Beige is boring.
My wardrobe is like my life lately, back in Windsor. Drab. Stuffy. Dull. At least I have Alexis. But, besides her… what am I doing with my life?
I sit at home eight hours a day, working my tail off in my little work-from-home station, which consists of a desk and office chair facing the wall.
When I turn off my computer, I walk or head to the rec center. Slogging up the Stairmaster feels like punishment unless Alexis is there to entertain me while I burn calories. I only do it because I don’t want to put on weight, not because I enjoy it.
Three evenings out of the week, I go over to my parents’ house for dinner. Most of that time is spent playing peacekeeper between my mom and dad. My mother always says things are better between them when I’m around. Well, that’s pretty wild because it feels like a frigid wind is blowing between them when I'm there. I can’t imagine how bad it must be when I’m not around.
My cell phone chimes.
I sit on the edge of the bed and open the notification. It’s a message on social media from a friend I haven’t seen since high school. We’ve traded messages now and then, mostly around our birthdays.
“Oh my gosh, Hazel, are you really in Hawaii? That photo of the moon over the water is amazing. I am sooo jelly. You have the BEST life. Hope you have a great time—more pics, please!!”
I toss the phone on the bed with a sigh.
