Page 11 of Fixing Up My Love Life

He steps closer, expression softening. “You’re not alone in this. You’ve got people in this town who careabout you. If you ever need anything, let me know. You’re like family to us.”

Hazel swallows hard, and for a second, I think she might cry. But she doesn’t. She just nods, like that meant more than she expected it to.

“Thank you,” she says quietly. “I appreciate it.”

“You know,” Dad adds, “your grandma used to bring you in here for suckers. Red ones. You’d sit on the counter and tell me what you were going to be when you grew up.”

A laugh bursts out of Hazel. “I think one week it was a circus performer.”

“And another it was mayor,” Dad says. “You always had big dreams. Still do, if you ask me.”

She presses her lips together, touched. “You always made me feel like I could do anything.”

“Well,” he says, “that’s what family does.”

She turns back toward the door.

Moving before overthinking takes over, I hold out my hand. She stops, looks at the gesture, then places hers in mine.

Her hand is warm and familiar, fitting just like before. I don’t want to let go, but I do because holding on isn’t my place anymore.

“I’ll be in touch,” I say.

She nods, then walks out into the sunlight.

Dad walks to me and claps a hand on my shoulder. “She still cares about you, son.”

“She came here for a contractor,” I say.

He chuckles. “If you believe that, you’ve forgotten everything I ever taught you about women.”

I watch the door swing shut behind her. For a moment, I let myself hope.

Maybe this is the start of something new.

Or maybe—just maybe—it’s a second chance at something we never quite finished.

CHAPTER 5

Hazel

Afew days after I email Jack my renovation list, he calls to set up the estimate.

If I weren’t so desperate, I never would’ve considered working with him. But here we are.

“This is Hazel. How can I help you?” I say into my phone. I know exactly who it is since I added him to my contacts after picking up his card from the hardware store, but there’s no way I’m letting him in on that information.

“Hazel, it’s Jack. I’m calling to set up that free estimate we talked about. Are you available later today or tomorrow afternoon?”

I could leave Madeline to watch the shop while I met with Jack. Goodness knows I’m not breathing aword of this to her until I’m ready. At least not the part where Jack is meeting up with me. I’ll just say I have an appointment with a potential contractor.

“Today from one to three is open for me.”

I pull out of the Twin Waves Brewing Co. parking lot. I might be an addict, but don’t tell anyone.

When I arrive, the shop is a zoo. Spring breakers everywhere. Mostly college kids from nearby towns. We don’t get much traffic beyond a couple-hour drive radius. Something I wish was different.

Starting a renovation at the beginning of tourist season isn’t ideal, but I don’t have a choice. I want to live in that house and host Lucas and Anabelle’s wedding there. Maybe even other family weddings someday.

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