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Chapter 17
Jack
Warm water runs into the sink. I tap my razor against the edge.
Over the sound of running water, I can hear giggles.
Clearly, my nieces have returned from the beach, and they’re goofing around. If Brett, Corinne, and the kiddos are back, I bet that means Hazel cleared out.
Darn.
I wanted to finish our discussion. It’s too fun when she gets flustered like she does. Makes me feel sky-high in a way I’m not used to.
I swipe the last of the shaving cream off my face with my razor, then rinse with warm water.
I hate shaving, but my scrubby look was getting out of control.
Besides, I’ll have to pose for another pic with Hazel today, and I don’t want her mom to think I’m some beach bum.
I step out of the bathroom with my toiletries bag and cross the hallway to the room I’m using this week.
My stuff’s strewn all over the place. I find a shirt I haven’t worn yet and pull it on.
When I amble out toward the bungalow’s central area, it’s with the full expectation of seeing my brother and his family.
To my surprise, Hazel’s right there at the table with them.
The girls are trying to share a chair on Hazel’s right. They’ve squeezed their chair in so close to hers that the seats are touching. Lia’s leg rests on Hazel’s lap as if she’s two seconds from climbing on Hazel like she’s some jungle gym.
And… Hazel doesn't seem to mind.
She turns to look down at Lia. When I see the warm, nurturing look on Hazel’s pretty features, my heart skips a beat.
I stop walking.
My chest aches. Not in a bad way… but in an intense way.
Hazel’s good with kids.
As I watch, she reaches out to touch the ruffles on the shoulder strap of Lia’s suit. Lia basks in the glow of Hazel’s kind attention.
Jasmine’s enamored, too. She reaches for the coffee pot and carefully tops off Hazel’s mug.
Hazel responds to something Corinne has said—or maybe Brett. Hard to tell because… man.
My heart’s dilating and expanding.
Weird, how this ache has turned into something deeper.
I’m thirty-two. That age when it’s normal to think about becoming a father. I’ve just never met a woman I could imagine going on that journey with.
When I was growing up, Corinne was a staple in our house. She and Brett were best friends from about eleven on, and that friendship turned to dating when they hit sixteen.
I saw their relationship become rock-solid as they went through ups and downs together. They married young and had Jasmine. It changed both of them, becoming parents.
I grew up hoping to be lucky enough to have that same thing someday.
Real love, like they had.
