Page 9 of Read Me, Baby
“Yes. She showed me around the entire place,” I retort, annoyed with their entire odd exchange. Are they making fun of the library?
“I love it there,” Jay says quietly, but then Maverick talks over him and says, “We were there, too. Jay and Wes’s company are completing the HVAC job there.”
“Yes, Mrs. Holly said there was work going on. It was pretty hot inside. Will you be done soon?” I ask.
“I think Jay just realized this job may take a bit longer now.” Wes and Maverick eye each other with smirks and when I look at Jay, I see his jaw tick.
I take a step toward Hazel, unsure of what’s going on here, and I’m thankful when she breaks the weird tension.
“Okay!” She claps her hands. “You're parked, it’s a beautiful day. Go grab your cooler, because I know you have one full of drinks. We have plenty of food too, let's have a beach lunch.”
Maverick jogs back to the water. “I’ll grab the football!”
“I am not playing football with you guys. Nina and I will just be the cheerleaders.”
“Works for me!”
CHAPTER 8
JAY
That voice.
I heard her voice traveling through the ducts yesterday at the library and I couldn't get her off my mind. I didn’t even know who she was, but the emotion in her words, combined with a soothing tone was almost hypnotic to me.
Seeing this beautiful girl on the beach, the closer I got, I just knew I needed to know more. Knowing Hazel was next to her gave me hope that I have a chance, but then to hear she’s the new librarian? Well. I hit the jackpot. Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket.
Beautiful and with an angelic voice.
She’s standoffish though. Maybe it’s because she’s new to town, and meeting people all at once is a lot. I’ll just have to show her how great Magnolia Point is, and more importantly, me.
Hazel works to spread the blankets out and Maverick comes back with the cooler placing it on one corner of the blanket, while Hazel secures the other side. We all sit in a circle, and I make sure I grab my spot by Nina while Wes grabs the other side of Hazel, and we begin to pass around drinks, chips and sandwich meat and rolls.
“Damn, you came prepared Hazel! It’s almost like you knew we’d be here!” Maverick says slyly and Wes moves closer to her.
“Well it's the weekend, it's a hot day and your best friend has a boat,” she replies with a shrug. “Exactly what I’m doing. It’s the weekend, it’s hot and my best friend is finally living with me again.”
“So, tell me,” Jay says. “If you guys are best friends from long ago, how come you didn’t follow Hazel here to Magnolia Point?”
Nina still hasn’t taken off her sunglasses and I'm dying to know what color her eyes are.
She reaches for the chip bag, dumping a pile on her plate which already holds two brownies and I can’t help but smirk at her abundance of snacks and lack of nutritional density.
“I had different ideas,” she replies shortly and I smile at her sassiness.
“Yeah, she didn’t want to be stuck with me.”
“No!” Nina exclaims, appearing outraged at Hazel’s words. “That's not true and you know it.”
“What kind of different ideas?” I press.
Her head is down, studying the chips on her plate as replies, “I liked my hometown. I didn't need to look for more when I was happy where I was.”
“And you’re not happy now?” Her head snaps up at Maverick's question, and I could kiss him and kill him all at once for asking the intrusive question.
Before she can answer, Hazel says, “She’s happiest with me. And me with her. So we’re complete again.”
She leans closer, throwing her arms around Nina’s shoulders and pulling her close to kiss her temple, and Nina smiles as she says, “Love you girl.”