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Hazel: Taking everyone’s advice. Heading to the markets on Saturday to sell some jewellery! Would you be able to help me with a logo? Will pay xx

Josie’s reply was instant.

Josie: How exciting! Don’t worry about payment. Have you decided on a name?

Hazel: Uhh, fine, thank you. I’ll make you something as payment. Rosie Wilder… like?

Josie: I won’t say no. You have talent! Very cool. Got any logo ideas?

Hazel: None whatsoever. Send me a few designs?

Josie: I’ll start playing now – thinking some wildflowers? Rosie = flower, wilder = wild?

Hazel: Love it x

Hazel and Molly headed downstairs, giddy with chatter about their plans for the markets. Bailey had come down earlier, and the women found him, chewing a teddy bear by the front door. As Molly sat on the floor to pet Bailey, Hazel caught sight of the clock. She gasped as she realised the time.

“Oh gosh! I’m supposed to be at Sam’s in twenty minutes. I better leave now!” Hazel raced upstairs. She quickly freshened up and decided her long blue dress would have to do. She wondered if she would be staying the night and felt nerves course through her. Knowing her, she’d probably fall asleep on his couch again.

Pausing to think, she eventually grabbed an extra pair of underwear and stuffed them into her shoulder bag. Not the classiest idea she’d ever had. She grabbed her pyjamas and her toothbrush, shoving them into her bag as well.

Dashing down the stairs, she found Molly waiting by the front door with the car keys dangling from her fingers. Placing the keys into Hazel’s hand, Molly kissed her on the cheek.

Hazel yelled goodbye as she hurried out of the house and started the car.

Molly watched Bailey as he stood up, stretching out his legs.

“Come on, my fur baby, let’s go and organise dinner.” Molly headed into the kitchen as Bailey picked up his teddy bear and followed her.

Hazel couldn’t get Josie’s story off her mind. She knew she would have to. She couldn’t tell Sam. It wasn’t her story to tell. As she pulled out of the driveway, she turned her music up and sang along, trying to distract herself. She concentrated on the lyrics of each song and had gotten Josie off her mind by the time she reached Sam’s place.

As Hazel went to knock on Sam’s front door, she noticed it was already open. Letting herself in, she tentatively walked down the hall to the kitchen. The scent of ginger filled the room. Sam stood in the kitchen facing the cooktop. He was wearing a sage green shirt with cream linen shorts and a navy-blue apron. He stirred something in a pan and quickly darted over to the oven to check on its contents.

“Hi,” Hazel said quietly, so as not to startle him.

Sam whipped around, smiling when he saw her. “Hey.” He rounded the island, embraced her and gave her forehead a peck. “How was your day?”

“Great, how was yours?”

“Busy. I’ll be glad to be back at your mother’s.” Smiling, he grabbed two glasses and began to pour them each a pineapple juice. “So, what did you get up to today?” he asked as he slid her glass across the bench.

“I went shopping this morning and had lunch with the girls at Bird & Book. Then I made some more jewellery this afternoon.” Hazel deliberately skipped the emotional few hours after lunch. “Mum talked me into setting up a stall at the markets on the weekend.” Hazel smiled sheepishly.

“That’s excellent news. What did you make?”

“Just some earrings and a choker made out of rose quartz.”

“I’d love to see it all.” Sam smiled at her as a timer went off.

“Can I help with anything?” Hazel asked.

“Nope.” Sam shook his head. He took the pan from the cooktop and divided green beans and snow peas between two plates. Reaching for a pot that was sitting on the back of the cooktop, he lifted the lid. Swirls of steam billowed into the air, and Hazel was hit with the intoxicating scent of coconut.

“Oooh, yum,” she murmured, poking her tongue out of the side of her mouth.

“Coconut rice,” he said with a laugh upon seeing her face. Sam dished the rice onto the plates. He took a tray out of the oven and placed it on the cooktop. Two small parcels of swollen baking paper sat on the tray. Sam pricked each one with a knife, and Hazel watched as they deflated. He popped the contents of each bag onto the plates. Joining the greens and rice was a piece of white fish with what looked like soy sauce, slices of fresh red chilli, spring onions and black sesame seeds.

“Wow, this looks amazing. You said you could cook, but you didn’t say you were a chef!” Hazel remarked as she used her fork to lightly poke the fish, flaking it easily. She mixed the fish and the sauce with the coconut rice.