I stared at it, a quiet ache blooming in my chest. Damn her. Even her goodbyes knew how to stay behind.
The memory of Hazel at the airport, turning her back on me, hit me. The way I stood there pretending strength, while deep down, I was the one who walked away from the only thing that ever really felt like home.
The worst part was my own hypocrisy. How could I sit there, furious at anyone pushing Hazel away, taking her for granted, when I had done exactly the same?
Worse, I’d had the audacity to scold her for her choices. Like mine weren’t a complete fucking mess.
I was knee-deep in self-loathing when a familiar voice cut through.
“Luke?”
Long legs, a fitted skirt, and dark hair over one shoulder greeted me. Vanessa.
“Oh, hey,” I said flatly. I was too drained to pretend.
“You haven’t answered my messages,” she said, but there was no hurt or insult in her voice. More like a statement.
“Been busy. Sorry,” I muttered, paying for the gas, ready to leave, when she spoke again.
“Maybe you’ve got time now?” she asked, gesturing toward a pair of worn benches under the station’s flickering lights. It was late, and I wasn’t in the mood for anything with her. To be honest, it had nothing to do with the time.
“Listen,” I began, forcing the words out. “Maybe I should’ve let you know sooner, but... I don’t think we should keep doing this. I just...” I sighed, my shoulders heavy with weariness. “I don’t have the room for it in me anymore.”
It was the closest I could get to the truth.
She held my gaze a beat longer, then gave a slow, almost amused smile.
“Let’s talk.”
44
Hazel
“Thank you again.”
Thomas grabbed his things as I was cleaning the tables. A soft breeze slipped through the window, sending a chill down my spine. Spring evenings still carried a bite, but the air smelled fantastic.
“No problem,” I muttered, a hint of disgust slipping out as I scraped off someone’s gum from under the table. I always considered people who do that to have lukewarm IQs at best.
I was pretty sure Thomas and Linda had a full-blown relationship, but they were just too afraid to admit it. They were adorable together, though. In fact, it was even more adorable when they tried to hide it in public. As far as I knew, I was the only one he told.
“Say hi to Linda from me, and get out,” I said, rushing him so he wouldn’t keep her waiting.
“You’re the best,” he grinned, kissing my cheek before I brushed him off with a quick, “Yeah, yeah.”
I locked the door, drew the curtains, and let out a long breath, willing myself to slow down. The afternoon had been a blur of faces, paperwork, and endless inventory tallies, but now, the world outside could wait.
I called Mady, putting her on speaker. Her familiar voice filled the quiet as I began counting the day’s earnings.
“Yello,” she answered by the second ring.
“Hey! How’s Italy?”
“Ahh, you can’t even imagine. They talk more with their hands than with their mouths, so your eyes move along trying to figure out the meaning like a schizophrenic, thereare nonexistent traffic rules, and water levels in canals are dangerously high. But at least they have a damn good Aperol Spritz.”
I laughed while noting down figures. “When are you back?”
“Tomorrow morning. Then I have some time off,” she said as glasses clinked in the background.
