Page 10

Chapter ten

Emmett Foster

It was a mistake to bring Hazel and June on this trip. Less than ten minutes into the flight to New York, and I already regret letting June talk me into this. There was never this much excitement when my mom was June’s caretaker. But if she were here in addition to Hazel, she’d probably be egging Emerson on. She’s already texted me more than once asking if I like Hazel. She says she means as a nanny . I don’t believe her.

“So, what’s life like working in Beast’s castle?” Emerson asks Hazel with a grin.

Hazel glances at me, her expression unsure. As soon as Emerson saw Hazel was with me, he situated himself in the seat next to her. The jet is set up to have rows of three seats, with two rows facing each other and a table in between them. June sits next to me, coloring with her water pen in a mess-free coloring book. Hazel is across from us, with Emerson sitting a seat down from her. I’m certain he would have chosen the seat right next to her if she hadn’t put her backpack there before he boarded.

“You don’t have to talk to him,” I tell her. “However, he is an overgrown puppy and won’t go away even if you ignore him. Refusing to talk usually makes him ask less ridiculous questions, though.”

Hazel presses her lips together as though she’s trying not to laugh. “I take it you two spend a lot of time together?” she asks, her green eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Unfortunately,” I answer at the same time Emerson says, “We’re best friends!”

This seems to entertain Hazel even more. But that comes as no surprise. Emerson is known for his predominantly female fan base. When we go into the stadium, women line the walkway, begging him to sign their hat or jersey. They throw various objects with their numbers written on them, hoping he’ll call. He never does. Whenever other teammates ask why he doesn’t date any of the fans, he winks at them and says he prefers more of a challenge. Whatever that means.

“You’re best friends?” Hazel questions with a raise of her brow.

“Yep!” Emerson answers cheerfully. I scowl. “Everyone calls us M&M.”

“No one calls us that,” I say in a flat tone.

He shrugs. “It’ll catch on eventually.”

Yet again, Hazel looks on the verge of laughter. I shake my head in disdain.

“Emmett doesn’t seem like the type who enjoys nicknames,” Hazel says.

“You are correct,” I say. I don’t know why I’m contributing to the conversation. I should take advantage of Hazel occupying Emerson and put my headphones on to get in a solid nap.

Emerson waves a hand in my direction. “He secretly loves it.” He turns his attention back to Hazel. “Now, you never answered my initial question. What’s it like working for Emmett?”

Hazel hesitates. Something in my chest tightens at the thought of her being uncomfortable.

“How do you expect her to answer that when I’m sitting right here?” I ask.

“Oh yeah, didn’t think about that. Can’t exactly answer honestly with the boss around,” Emerson jokes.

Hazel shakes her head, a small smile tugging on her lips. “I only paused because you asked what it was like working for Emmett. I don’t see it that way.”

Emerson leans in, intrigued. I fight the urge to do the same.

“We’re a team,” she says softly, her gaze flicking to me, then to her lap. That rosy color comes to her cheeks again. It strikes me that she looks pretty when she blushes like that. I frown at the errant thought.

“I mean, of course he’s my boss,” she quickly corrects. I realize she might have seen my frown and misconstrued it for disapproval. I school my features. “But we work together to make sure June is happy and healthy.”

Her eyes lift once more, this time meeting mine. I nod in agreement to her words. She brightens, her eyes crinkling at the edges as she smiles.

“Interesting,” Emerson says. I tear my eyes from Hazel’s to find him looking between us both with a smirk.

“Miss Hazel, look!” June says, drawing all of our attention as she turns her princess coloring book around. “I colored Belle, and her dress is yellow. That’s your favorite color.”

“You did a great job,” Hazel says with an encouraging smile.

“She has brown hair, too,” Emerson points out. My brow furrows.

“Like Miss Hazel!” June says, catching on before I do. “Miss Hazel looks like Princess Belle.”

“I don’t know about that,” Hazel says, tugging on the hem of her sweatshirt and shifting in her seat.

“I can totally see the resemblance,” Emerson says with a too-happy grin. It’s then that I realize he’s connected this to his earlier insinuation that I’m the beast.

I glare at him. He looks as unbothered as usual. I’d thought he came over to flirt with Hazel, but it turns out he came to do something much worse: meddle. Leave it to Emerson to try to make a professional relationship into something it’s not.

“How about we watch a movie instead of color, June?” Hazel asks.

I relax a little in my seat. Good. Hazel’s attention will be focused elsewhere, and Emerson will leave us alone, or at least this topic alone, and I can get some sleep.

“That sounds fun. Can I sit by you?” June grabs her backpack and puts the coloring book back inside.

“Of course, sweet pea. What would you like to watch?” Hazel unzips her yellow backpack and pulls out an iPad.

“ Beauty and the Beast ,” June answers cheerfully.

Hazel’s smile freezes on her face. Emerson chokes on a laugh.

This is going to be a long trip.

“I want a sleepover with both you and Daddy,” June says to Hazel, punctuating her sentence with a sniffle.

Hazel is kneeling in front of June on the floor of my hotel room. It’s getting close to June’s bedtime, and she doesn’t want to part with either of us.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I have to stay in my room. What if you stay with your dad one night and me another night?”

June shakes her head, her curls swinging across her face. I already told her no, but that hasn’t stopped her from trying to coerce Hazel.

“June, I said no, and so did Hazel. Now you can choose who you would like to stay with, or I will choose for you,” I say in a stern tone to discourage her from further protesting. She usually listens right away, but she also tends to get what she wants because she asks for harmless things. This isn’t something I can compromise on, though.

Tears well up in her brown eyes and her bottom lip trembles. She throws her arms around Hazel’s neck and begins to sob. Hazel’s face pinches and she looks as if she might cry too. I lift my ballcap and run a hand through my hair. I can’t handle both of them crying.

“What about if Hazel stays in here until you fall asleep?” I ask as the thought comes to mind. I should have asked Hazel first, but seeing as she’s on the verge of tears herself, I think I made the right call.

Hazel rubs June’s back soothingly. She looks at me over June’s shoulder and nods in answer to my unspoken question.

“What do you think of that idea, sweet pea? I’ll tell you a story like I do when your dad is gone, and then when you wake up, it’ll be time for us to hang out again.” Hazel infuses cheer in her voice, though I can still hear the tremble of emotion.

This is the second time I’ve seen her this way when June hasn’t wanted her to leave. I know the two have grown close, but it’s odd how strong their bond is. I’m happy, because I want June to like who’s taking care of her, but I’m also worried. It’s unlikely that Hazel will be in our lives forever. She might find someone, get married, and decide she doesn’t want to spend all of her days in someone else’s house. Or my parents could come back and want to take over again with June. What kind of son would I be denying them precious time with their granddaughter?

When Hazel has to leave, it’s likely to devastate June. But standing here watching the two of them embrace, it occurs to me that it would devastate Hazel, too.

“Th-that sounds good,” June says through her tears.

Hazel pulls back and wipes June’s face with all the love of a mother. My chest squeezes at the sight. Besides with my mom, June has never had this kind of relationship before. Her mom, Shelby, only comes around once a year at most and behaves more like a friend or distant aunt.

“Why don’t you go change into your pajamas?” Hazel asks with a soft smile.

“I’m going to wear my sunshine ones! ’Cause they have yellow on them,” June says, her mood quickly shifting back to her normal exuberance.

Hazel’s smile widens. “That sounds perfect.”

June grabs her suitcase and pulls it behind her into the bathroom. Hazel stands up all the way, then attempts to discreetly wipe beneath her eyes with the sleeve of her sweatshirt.

“You care about her,” I say, though I don’t know why. Yet another instance that Hazel has induced conversation where I’d normally stay silent.

“Of course,” she replies. A look crosses her face that tells me she wants to say more, but she doesn’t.

I clear my throat. “You can sit on the bed with June. I’ll sit in the chair until she falls asleep.”

“Oh.” She looks at the bed. “Yes, that makes sense. Hopefully it won’t take her long.”

“It’s been a long day. I’m sure she’ll be out like a light.”

The bathroom door opens, and out comes June in her pink pajamas with yellow sunshines all over them.

“I’m ready for story time,” June announces with a grin.

“Did you brush your teeth?” I ask her, realizing neither of the two adults in the room instructed her to do so.

“Yep! I did it all by myself like a big girl.”

I can’t help but smile down at her. “Good job. Now climb in bed. I’m sure Hazel has a busy day planned for you both tomorrow and you’ll need your sleep.”

June scrambles up onto the white hotel bed. She snuggles under the fluffy covers in the very center of the bed. Hazel slips off her tennis shoes and follows suit, sliding under the covers next to June. I sit down in an uncomfortable chair and prop my feet on the tiny ottoman. I hope I don’t have to stay here long. I’m not one to feel awkward, but it does feel odd watching them from across the room, and this chair is not going to feel great long-term.

Hazel runs her hand over June’s forehead and the crown of her head as she murmurs a made-up story about princesses and dragons. June falls asleep within a few minutes…and Hazel does too.

Now what am I supposed to do?