Page 24 of Bless My Heart

“Well, you’re doing better than I could. I pretty much have all the takeout restaurants within a fifteen-mile radius programmed into my phone.”

“Well, it’s easy to please two guys who will eat just about anything. It was kinda nice cooking for you and your friends the other night. I was actually a little nervous.”

“What about your sister? Didn’t you say she lives with you?”

“Yeah, she does now. She…she has a history with eating disorders, so she’s kind of particular with what she eats. She doesn’t usually eat what I cook.” I’m not sure why I just unloaded all of that on Hazel. I haven’t told anyone about Stella, not even Ozzy. It’s her story to tell, not mine.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Is she doing ok now?”

“Yeah, she seems to be. She’s made a friend here, which I think has really helped her. My parents are super worried about her, so they sent her down here so I could be close by.”

“Where do your parents live?”

“Atlanta. They’ve lived in the same house since I was born. What about you? Where are you from?”

“My parent’s live about an hour from here, on the way to Valdosta. That’s where I’m from.”

We work on throwing some pepperoni and veggies on our pizza.

“Speaking of parents. I told mine about the baby.”

“Yeah? How’d they take it?”

“Um, about as well as I thought they would. They’re excited about the baby but disappointed in me for having a baby out of wedlock. They’re very traditional. Your typical Southern family, you know?”

“Yeah. I’m sure my parents will be disappointed too, but I imagine it’s harder for you.” I grab our pizzas, put them in the oven, and set the timer.

We sit down on the couch, and Hazel says, “So, I hate to do this to you … but tonight is Dancing with The Stars night, so I’m going to have to insist you watch it.”

I laugh. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that, but I’m always down for a good competition. Let’s do it.” She turns the TV to the correct channel just as the show starts. It appears to be early in the season, so there are a lot of couples dancing.

After a few couples perform, the oven timer beeps, and I bring our pizzas over to the couch so we can keep watching. Hazel gets really into it, especially when it’s a celebrity she really likes. I see her foot tap or her leg move a little. It’s pretty adorable, actually.

By the end of the show, we’ve both started judging the couples ourselves. I even attempt to imitate the English judge to get Hazel to smile. Her smile is like pure gold. It lights up her entire face.

Once the show is over, I can tell Hazel is ready for bed from her back-to-back yawns and her eyes looking heavy.

I do the dishes and make sure her kitchen is clean before letting her know I’m heading out.

“Thanks for watching with me. I’m sure it wasn’t your top choice of Monday night entertainment,”she tells me while I’m standing in her entryway, slipping my shoes back on.

“Actually, it was a lot of fun. I think we might have to make this a new Monday night routine for us.”

“Really?” She sounds a little shocked.

“Yeah, really. I had a good time. It was cool watching something like that. You can tell they put a lot of work into it. Now, I feel like I need to see who wins. I’m invested.”

She laughs. “Oh, ok then. I just …” she trails off.

“What?”

“It’s nothing. It’s just my ex never used to watch my stuff. He would either make me watch it on my laptop or just not come over that night.”

I shake my head. I take my fingers and lightly tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear. She leans into my touch, so I step a few inches closer.

“Baby, I’m nothing like your ex. You will always come first for me, both in life and in bed.” Her eyes widen. I pull her in for a hug and kiss the top of her head before heading out.

I just left her, and I already miss her. I’m getting in too deep with this woman, and I’m not even sleeping with her. But for the first time in my life, I’m not mad about it. I like this build-up. It’s basically like extended foreplay. Every time I see her, she takes my breath away. Every time I touch her, it’s like a fire erupts in my body. By the time she lets me take her again, I’m going to be goddamn dynamite.