Page 13 of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

‘And things got rowdy?’

Hazel snorted into her orange juice. Things hadn’t gotten rowdy, she’d just lost her mind, got drunk in a berry patch, and assaulted a fisherman. She wasn’t entirely sure this was the kick off to the last months of her twenties that she wanted, but it sure was reckless.

‘You could say that.’

‘I hope you didn’t drive home in that condition.’

Hazel refused to think about the drive home, or Noah’s forearms flexing as he turned the wheel, or the way he walked her to the door and helped her inside. She was not thinking about the kiss he left on her cheek or the way he said, ‘Goodnight Haze.’ Her nickname whispered in his deep voice sending chills through her body. Nope. Nope she wasn’t.

‘Of course I didn’t drive home like that.’

‘Just making sure.’

‘I’m twenty-nine, Dad.’

‘And yet somehow, still my baby.’

Her father was ridiculous and also adorable so she let it slide. Today he was wearing a tie covered in rubber duckies, a sky-blue button down, and his signature glasses that kept slipping down his nose. It was hard to stay irritated at him.

‘How’s Frank?’

‘He’s good, sends you a kiss.’ Frank was her dad’s husband and the whole reason they moved to Dream Harbor in the first place. He was another father to Hazel, but she’d probably always call him Frank.

‘And Mom?’

‘Mom’s good, starting to gear up for the school year.’ Hazel’s mother made the move with them to Dream Harbor and lived upstairs in the two-family house they all shared. Some people seemed to find it odd, but Hazel never did. Her parents had never been together in that way. Just two friends who decided to make a baby together and it had worked out just fine for everyone.

Hazel had no siblings unless you counted her mother’s two French bulldogs, Diego and Frida, which her mother definitely did. She taught art at the middle school and was known for the often scandalous, always nude, sculptures she made in her spare time.

‘Middle-schoolers are rough. I don’t know how she does it.’

‘Your mother loves a challenge.’

‘Hmm. I guess so.’ Hazel smiled at the new waitress as she set a heaping plate of pancakes in front of her. ‘Thank you.’

‘Mayor Kelly.’ Her father stuck out his hand as soon as the woman’s hands were empty. ‘I don’t believe we’ve met.’ He smiled his biggest smile and Hazel bit down on her lip at how delightfully nerdy her father was.

The woman smiled back and took his hand. ‘Maribel. Nice to meet you.’

‘Are you new to town?’

‘Yes. We moved in a few weeks ago.’

‘And how are you finding things so far?’

‘Very well, thanks.’

Hazel tuned out her father’s welcome speech as she dug into her breakfast. She already knew the ins and outs of Dream Harbor plenty well by now. But Maribel seemed pleased with the chat as she moved on to take Dot and Norman’s order, who were snuggled up together in the next booth over.

‘You know you can’t know every single person in this town, right?’

Her dad smiled indulgently, cutting into his omelet. ‘I can try.’

‘Dad, do you ever feel ... I don’t know ... stuck?’

He paused with a forkful of omelet halfway to his mouth. He lowered his fork. ‘Sure. Sometimes everyone feels that way, I think. Why? Is everything alright?’

Hazel waved his concern away with a hand. ‘It’s nothing serious. Just been feeling, I don’t know ... restless.’