Page 73 of After You Returned

Jaxon stands and brushes the sand off his clothes. He’s wearing his standard uniform of jeans and a dorky t-shirt. This one saysNever trust an atom. They make up everything.

“If we’re not discussing Miles’s problem, I’m returning to the distillery.”

Kai rubs his hands together. “Are you mixing flavors? Do you have samples?”

Zane shakes his head. “Once you get Harper pregnant, it’ll be the end of day drinking for you.”

“Goodbye.” Jaxon walks off but Eli calls him back. “Time to discuss Miles’s problem.”

“I don’t have a problem.”

Rhett smirks. “You arranged a job for Hazel.”

Zane chuckles. “Who’s even more stubborn than Sloane.”

“She got a job offer at a VA hospital. She was thinking about moving. I panicked.”

“And took things into your own hands without discussing it with her?” Eli asks.

“You make it sound bad.”

“Because it is. She thinks you’re trying to control her.”

I scowl. “I don’t want to control her. Her fire is one of the things I adore about her.”

I love how Hazel doesn’t take shit from me. She would never let me control her. Witness yesterday’s display of how she responds when she thinks I am controlling her. Not a pretty sight.

“You need to explain all of this to her before she leaves the island.”

Leaves the island? I clutch my chest as my heart rams against my ribcage. Is Hazel leaving already? Without saying goodbye?

“When is she leaving?” I ask Kai.

He shrugs. “No idea but Harper said she was selling her furniture.”

Selling her furniture? This is serious.

I set off for the parking lot.

“You left your board out!” Eli shouts after me.

“You have keys to the shack.”

All of my brothers have keys to the shack. Although, none of them surf. I should be so lucky. But they enjoy using the shower after a day on the beach. Or stealing my beer from the refrigerator on a hot summer’s day.

“Does this mean I have permission to raid your supply?” Kai yells.

I flick my hand. He can do whatever he wants. I don’t care about some chocolate bars and potato chips now. I have more important things to do.

As in stop the woman I love from leaving before we straighten things out. And, maybe, just maybe, stop her from leaving altogether. A man can hope.

Chapter 25

He’s not supposed to remember where I keep my vases.

Hazel

Iflip the envelope over a few times.