Over by the pool table, Max and Sage are playing against Ronan and Patrick.
Knox and Lark are sitting at one of the high top tables with Gage and Rory, sharing a large platter of wings and a pitcher of beer.
Winter and Enzo are sitting in the Blissful Retreat corner, cuddled together on one of the loveseats.
Seated at the long, wooden bar are Swede and his wife, Allie. Just to their right, both smiling widely, are Jess and Kane.
From behind the bar, Wendy beams at Hazel.Frank lifts a half-full beer glass in a gesture of welcome. His expression is soft with affection.
“Alec?” Hazel’s voice pitches up. “I don’t understand.”
“They’re all here to see you,” I tell her. “The bar is closed to everyone else tonight. It’s just your friends. I thought… you might feel more comfortable this way.”
Puzzlement creases her forehead. “Everyone is here to see me? Why?”
“Because they care about you. And they know you’ve had a rough time. They want to support you, Haze. That’s why.”
Her mouth parts into a tiny O. “But?—”
“What are you doing just standing in the doorway?” Frank calls over. His tone is jovial as he adds, “Get over here, honey. I’ve got a can of the Halloween stout with your name on it.”
As we walk further into the bar, Hazel asks quietly, “You planned all this?”
“I did. Is it okay?”
She bites her lip before giving me a wobbly smile. “It’s okay. I’m just… surprised.”
“Is it too much? All these people?”
Hazel scans the room again. Her smile steadies. “It’s not too much.” Then her gaze lands on Jess and Kane. “You invited Jess?”
“Of course.”
Jess hops off her bar stool and rushes over toHazel, pulling her away from me and into a hug. Jess squeezes her hard and says, “As soon as Alec told me what he was planning, I had to come.” Jess’s expression shifts to one of concern. “I know it’s tough in the beginning. But it’ll get better.”
Guilt flickers in Hazel’s eyes. “You’re not mad? About?—”
“How could you even think that? What happened wasn’t your fault.”
Kane moves to Jess’s side, slipping his arm around his wife’s side. “Hey, Hazel.” He smiles. “It’s good to see you again.”
Hazel blinks. A gleam of moisture shines in her eyes. “It’s really good to see you, too.” She steps out of Jess’s hug and back into my waiting embrace. “It’s really good to see both of you.”
“Hazel.” Swede’s voice is a warm rumble as he greets her. He extends his hand to Hazel, engulfing her much smaller one as he shakes it. “Glad to meet you in person. And to see you’re doing well.”
Swede’s wife, Allie, darts forward to hug Hazel. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she says. “I can’t believe some of the stuff you did. Breaking the windshield, and fighting off that man with pepper spray?—”
“Allie.” Swede touches his wife’s arm. “Maybe now isn’t the best time to bring all that up.”
Hazel looks at Swede with surprise. “You came? All the way from Montana?”
He grins at her. “Sure did. We’d been talking about taking a little vacation. And when Alec mentioned he was doing this… I thought,What better time than now?”
For a few seconds, Hazel just stares at him with emotion working in her eyes. “Thank you.” Her voice goes thick. “For helping. If you hadn’t found…”
She doesn’t need to say the rest.
“You and Alec should come visit us out in Montana sometime,” Allie says. “We’d love to have you. It’s really beautiful out there. I think you’d love it.”
