CHAPTER 13
Hazel
It was never hard for me to find Heather. Inside of Pretty Lush, she was the only woman who wasn’t in a dress. Wearing zip-off hiking pants and a loose white shirt underneath a red hoodie, she stood out. More than I did. I might have been wearing pants, but my faux silk blouse made up for it.
But Heather never seemed to care about fitting in. I envied that.
She waved, smiling at me, and I took a seat across from her at the small table. Two iced waters dripping with condensation, and the second half of a lettuce wrap appetizer were waiting for me. Her skin was tan, a few new freckles on her nose, and that collar around her neck gleamed. It took all of my energy to not make a remark about it. I wasn’t fond of Zaid. I probably never would be.
But I still loved my sister.
“You look great!” she said. She reached across and squeezed my arm.
“You mean I finally got my roots fixed,” I said. “Thanks for the dye, by the way.”
“Psh,” she said, waving the words away. “Now, tell me what you’ve been up to. How’s it been with Grant?”
The light shining on her collar twinkled. It made me realize she was supposed to be on a hike. A thru-hike. On one of the longest trails in the country.
“Wait. Why are you back so early?” I asked.
She giggled, and I swore hell was freezing over. My sister never giggled like that. It was so girlish and weird and unlike her.
But the sun was still shining outside, and my sister was beaming too.
It had to do with Zaid, didn’t it?
“That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to see you,” she said. “Zaid proposed. We’re getting married in a few weeks.”
My jaw dropped. No way.
“I know,” she said. “It’s pretty exciting. I was wondering if you’d help with the wedding.”
I blinked at her. Was she serious?
“I know you’re probably busy with school and tutoring,” she continued, “but if you had time, I’d love for you to come—”
“You’re getting married to the man who abducted me?” I asked.
“You’ve gotta let that go,” she said. I raised a brow. How the hell was I supposed to let go of the months of torture and isolation? “He’s good to me. I thought you’d be happy for me.”
Love must have been making her stupid.
“So he’s good to you, and a complete shit bag to me and everyone else, and yet it’s cool, because at least he’s nice to you?”
“Hazel,” she said, giving me the tone that I hated. “He’s a good person. Sure, he’s done some—” she paused, looking around, as if someone might hear her, “—questionable things. But you have to understand what he went through. What we all went through—”
I blanked out after that. I wasn’t going to listen to her excuses. I would never call him my brother-in-law.
Never.
“Anyway, how’s school going?” she asked, changing the subject. “I heard you started tutoring with Nate. How’s that?”
“I quit,” I said. It was official yet, but I wanted to shove the news in her face like she shoved the engagement in mine. It took her a few seconds to collect herself. I smirked, pleased at the reaction.
“You’re kidding me,” she said.
“Nope,” I said. “School was never my idea. I didn’t really belong.”
