Page 17 of Healing Hazel
I wasn’t sure how long I just stood there or when Lawson had joined me, but when I finally turned away from the road, I found him standing silently at the tailgate of my truck. Ever since I was a kid, I’d had to put up with his smirks and his comments about my lack of whatever, but we were no longer kids and he wasn’t smirking. He wasn’t spewing some joke or spouting words of unsolicited advice either. Instead, he stood silent, offering me his presence and his strength when I needed it most.
“I love her.”
“I know.”
“Why won’t she love me back?”
“That’s the thing, Ni, I think she does. So does Derek. Otherwise, she wouldn’t run.”
They’d both had me pretty convinced as well by the time our breakfast meeting was drawing to a close, but that was before I stood amidst the dust from Hazel’s rather reckless escape as it settled all around me. Which, come to think of it, was making my palms twitch. Suddenly I was glad I hadn’t had access to my keys. Otherwise, seeing my truck in her rearview mirror would likely have only urged her to press the gas pedal to the floor, risking her life. Logically, I knew that, but every cell in my body was demanding she pay the price for putting the woman I loved in danger.
It wasn’t until Lawson held out a folder that I realized I’d dropped more than my coffee. My big brother didn’t have to saya word for me to know that what we’d discussed had moved past the “thinking” stage. It was time for action.
I stepped forward and took the file I should have requested months earlier. My patients might often choose not to have the gender of their baby disclosed, but Derek was right. There was a reason why information was gathered and a time and a place for that information to be considered. Not that the file contained all the secrets of what made Hazel Waltman tick. No amount of data collected could do that. I also hadn’t needed to know the boxes dealing with all things Little had gone unchecked. I’d not been lying to Sadie last night. I’d never once considered Hazel as desiring to explore that option or as someone looking for a Daddy.
That didn’t make me some kind of genius. It simply made me a man who was attracted to women who liked a bit more spice in their lives. Ones who preferred a flavor other than vanilla. A woman who loved chocolate shakes and hamburgers with pasta. A woman who had a lustrous chestnut ponytail that swung as she walked. A woman who had the most beautiful green eyes a man could fall into and find utter contentment. Eyes that told of a secret held so tightly she was locked into a life that was slowly but surely eating away at her soul.
Making up my mind, I nodded and started walking back across the lot. Lawson fell into step beside me and when I felt his arm drop around my shoulder, I knew he’d walk into any battle right alongside me. But this was one I was going to have to fight by myself. We climbed the steps together and then paused on the porch.
“Thanks,” I said quietly.
“Anytime and I’m here,” Lawson said.
I nodded and when he drew me into a hug, I didn’t pretend I didn’t need one. I not only accepted his love, I gave it right back. And when we parted, I was the one speaking first.
“Any words of wisdom you’d like to share?”
“I’ll let you in on a secret big brothers rarely share. You’re just as wise as the rest of us. And just as clueless as well.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great, how about some big brother advice then?”
He finally grinned. “Yep. Go get her.”
Despite everything, I grinned as well. “You’ve got it.”
Inside, I found all evidence of the spilled coffee had been erased. I knew I owed an apology to whichever service submissive had to clean up a mess that I’d made, but also knew that I’d never be asked to make it right. It was yet another sign these people weren’t all talk and no action. Not at all. Every single person I’d encountered at Rawhide had proven again and again they “walked the talk”. What it all came down to was that they cared. After grabbing my jacket, I discovered my keys weren’t the only thing in the pockets. My phone was there as well. I pulled it out and was about to shoot off a text when I hesitated. I’d tried that last night and had gotten absolutely no response.
Not true. Perhaps not the response you’d like, but Hazel didn’t just decide to pop in when she could have stayed in bed for another couple of hours at the very least.
That gave me pause as it was absolutely the truth. My girl was not an early bird. Granted, she was never late to work or to classes as far as I was aware, but she took advantage of every single moment of sleep that she could. Which meant, she’d come to find me…
Humble much?
Okay, maybe not to findmespecifically, but to find an ear at the very least. Probably Sadie’s ear come to think of it, but I didn’t need the specifics. The fact was she’d come and evidently jumped to yet another wrong conclusion at the sight of me, Derek, and Lawson basically at the scene of the crime.
As much as I’d come to love my sister-in-law and despite the fact I adored every single Little I’d met since making the Ranch my home, I was afraid they wouldn’t be able to help me. Not that they didn’t love Hazel, as I had absolutely no doubt they did, but they were Littles and Hazel wasn’t. She might not want to admit she was a submissive for some reason, but only another submissive might be able to offer me an insight into Hazel’s mind.
I did make a call, but not to Hazel’s number. Instead, when the call connected, I said, “Quincy, can you check the book and see if I have any appointments that can’t be pushed to tomorrow?”
He didn’t ask why I wasn’t calling the front desk, he simply said, “Give me a second.” It was more like five but he was soon back. “Not that I can see. Most are just check-ups and I can easily fit those in. And, Nigel, if you need tomorrow as well, between Beverly and me, we’ve got you covered. Take it and despite any push back, don’t take no for an answer unless you’re absolutely certain every single avenue has been explored. Denial is often the first volley of defense.”
Which told me two things. Beverly MacIntosh was covering for Hazel and he was reminding me that he’d had to put up a battle to win his Dolly over. Since I’d seen the two of them together, I knew he was not only speaking from experience, but it had been well worth the battle.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep you posted.”
There were many generals who believed charging straight up the hill was a good strategy. Others thought sneaking behind and attacking from the enemy’s flanks was the way to go. Since my days of serving as a medic in the British Army were in my past and since Hazel wasn’t my enemy, I’d do neither. Instead, my fingers flew over the phone’s keys.
Zellie, we need to talk…
