ith their lives while hers seemed to be on pause. She had just quit her job without a plan, without thinking. Now, standing on the sidewalk, the reality of it hit her lik

t something stopped her. He had already done enough for her in the past 24 hours, and she

kipped a beat when she saw the door open and none other t

e remembered. His eyes widened slightly in recognition, an

r, the flirting, the blacking out. She offered him a quick, dry acknowledgment, "Yeah, someth

the whole situation amusing. His presence made her feel exposed, like he saw more than she was wil

flickered in her mind, his sharp features and that cocky, unreadable expression. She couldn't shake the feeling that he had size

h the thoughts away. It was just

serted. Hopps wouldn't open for a few more hours, and it felt strange seeing the place so lifeless compared to the ni

lot surrounding her. Her car sat in the back, where she had left it the

d in the stillness of the morning. As she reached her car and slipped into the driver's

new how to make her feel better. Without thinking, she pulled out her phone an

calling him back later, but something told her she needed to talk to someone right n

r

wasn't sure she wanted to hear them. After a moment of hesitation, she dialed. The phone b

ll her mom everything just yet, but hearing her voice made her feel lik

t. "I can tell, sweetie. You

at the street. "It's nothing.

lling her the full story. "You don't have to tell me everything, Haze. I just

a whisper. "It's just... things have been hard lately. I didn

rstand. Life has a way of throwing us off sometimes. But you're strong, Hazel. Yo

t handle seeing Michael and Stacy together, that she felt like she was spinning out of control. But instead, she foun

feel lost sometimes. You don't have to figure everything out right now. Take things one step at a

home-of being back in the safe, familiar space of her childhood-sounded tempting. But it

watched you go through more than most people would be able to handle

n her chest easing just a bit. "Th

. Whatever it is, I kno

nderstanding between them. Hazel didn't need to explain everything for her mom to know that somethin

d softly before they hung up. "And

up and slid her phone back into her bag, she felt a small sense of relief. She still didn't have all the answer

wasn't completely lost. Not with people like her mom and Nathan in her corner. With a deep breath