Page 33 of Rival Season
Hazel nods. “I’m getting my PhD in social work.”
“No way.” I shake my head at the coincidence. “What made you get into that career path?”
“Because everyone deserves a family who loves them that they feel safe with.” Hazel’s eyes fill with that feisty passion I’ve come to recognize in her. “And I plan to work tirelessly to makesure every kid I cross paths with has as good a chance of having that as possible.”
The lump in my throat thickens, and I swallow almost painfully. “Hey, Hazel?”
She looks at me. “Yeah?”
“You’ll make a damn good social worker.”
A smile plays on her pretty mouth. “Drive the car and stop flirting with me, Playboy.”
I’m still chuckling a few minutes later as I drop her off at the library. Hazel Palmer is turning out to be the gift that keeps on giving—a surprise under every layer I peel back.
And as I watch her retreating form as she makes her way up the steps of the beautiful limestone building, I can’t help but think about how eager I am to unwrap the next layer.
CHAPTER 12
HAZEL
I’m so zonedin on my work in the UC Berkeley library, I don’t realize how many hours have passed until I look up and see the dark sky outside the large windows. I remove my noise canceling headphones and close my laptop before picking up my phone and checking the time. Seven p.m. That means I worked on my dissertation for, like, seven hours straight. The best day of work I’ve had since Chadwick moved in, by a long shot.
My stomach rumbles, reminding me I completely missed lunch. My phone is still set on do not disturb, so I switch it off and see I have a missed text from Penn. He’s probably letting me know he went home hours ago, and I’ll need to take the metro back, which I’d already planned on doing anyway.
Penn
Let me know when you’re ready to head back home. No rush.
I check the time stamp. He sent it only five minutes ago. Surely he hasn’t been waiting around all this time.
Hazel
You didn’t have to stay! I feel terrible.
Penn
No worries, I’ve been hanging with my sister. I’m about to take her back to her dorm.
Hazel
How far are you from the library?
Penn
I can be there in five.
Hazel
I’ll be ready!
I quickly pack up my things and rush across the library to wait out front, not wanting to be an inconvenience. Not even five minutes passes before Penn’s pickup rumbles up to the library steps. His wide smile beams at me through the window, and I see his sister in the back seat. Penn hops out of the vehicle as I walk down the steps and opens the passenger door for me, reaching a hand out to take my bag.
He doesn’t seem annoyed or upset that I worked for so long, he doesn’t guilt me about driving out of his way to pick me up. Nothing. Just a smile.
I silently slide into the seat.
Penn settles my satchel at my feet, then looks at me. “Get lots of work done?”
