LOGINJuggling three grades had been much more difficult to manage than Hazel had anticipated. The majority of the day had been spent flitting between groups and by the time the bell sounded at three, she was well and truly exhausted. After the ruckus of children had been escorted to their parents, she dawdled back to the classroom, slumping in her chair for what felt like the first time that day. With a silent room, her thoughts drifted back to Georgie. She’d caught her attention multiple times that day; the little smile she did when she was listening during story time, her raised brows when another student, Nash, had tried to swap his lunch with her, her fingers picking at the skin around her nails as she awaited her name in roll call - it was all reminiscent of Cole. Hazel couldn’t put her finger on the reason it made her stomach twist so wildly - the thought of Cole having a child. Their relationship had been nothing more than a fleeting fling, fueled by its taboo nature and her impen
—By the time Hazel arrived at the school that morning, a thin layer of sweat had beaded across her forehead. She slot her bike into the rack, not bothering to lock it as she straightened herself out. The school hadn’t changed much at all since her own time there. It felt a lot smaller than it once had, tucked between the vast rolling hills and the dusty road. The faded brick buildings and tin roofs had clearly seen better days, the old wooden fence that surrounded the perimeter leaning in at certain points. Cattle grazed in the neighboring paddocks, barely lifting their heads at the clamour of children darting across the playground. Nostalgia settled over her, visions of her five year old self standing anxiously at the gate, pig tails pulled too far forward as her eyes surveyed the entire playground. She remembered Will holding her hand, his clammy palm clasping hers so tightly she thought it might break. Unable to stifle her smile, she grabbed her carry bag, throwing it over her
The door slammed shut, rattling against the old hinges. Hazel remained where she was, in the old rocking chair, lathering her dry legs with lotion. Damp hair sent trickles of water droplets down her back, wetting the singlet she’d slid on after her shower. She kept her eyes down as Max sauntered into the bedroom, his frame appearing much bigger as he puffed up his chest. “Don’t ever put me in that fucking position again,” he hissed. “You came out,” she murmured, eyes still downcast on her legs. Max scoffed, stomping over to the bathroom and grinding the faucet on. “I heard his fucking voice. Did you expect me to just sit inside and look like a fucking asshole?”“I didn’t invite him over, Max.”“You also didn’t tell him to fuck off,” he bit, stripping off his clothes and tossing them by her feet. “Wash them. They fucking stink.”“I didn’t want to be rude.”“Yeah, you made that pretty clear.” The bathroom door closed with a harsh thud, leaving Hazel staring down at the practically cl
Hazel’s gaze snapped up, her cheeks shading red as she realized how disheveled she still looked. Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt that clung to every single hard line on his torso, Cole looked a far cry from the sleepy bedhead who’d slipped from her room that morning. He ran his fingers through his hair, shimmying the Tupperware he held in his hands as if it explained exactly what he was doing there. “Mom wanted me to bring you some breakfast. She said you high-tailed it this morning without having a feed.”“That’s really sweet of her,” Hazel smiled, feeling Blue yank against the collar she held in her palm. A sharp sting radiated down her shoulder and she released him. “Blue, no!”Before she could stop him, the Rottweiler bounded up to Cole, grubby, padded paws pressing against the clean white of his shirt. “Shit, I’m sorry,” Hazel murmured, scuttling forward to tug Blue back. “I have to wash him before Max will let him inside, because he smells like the bonfire an
It felt like hours before the racket downstairs quieted. Hazel powered on her phone, scrolling through the relentless amount of messages she’d received overnight from Max. The familiar knot tightened in her stomach, well aware that her return would likely mean a cold shoulder. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair as she rose, nimbly shaking out the sheets and remaking the bed. The sheets twisted and curled on Cole’s side, her hands working to smooth out the pleats and folds his body had created. The scent of his cologne lingered subtly, the faintest hint to remind her that she last night hadn’t been her imagination. Sucking in a breath, she glanced down at his clothes hanging from her limbs. Dawdling over to the chair in the corner, she grabbed her clothes from the night before, shuffling into the shared bathroom to wash her face and redress. Folding his clothes, she sat them on the bed, finally sucking up the courage to leave the room. The door clicked, creaking as it o
Inky skin pinned Hazel against the heat of his chest, his breath slow and shallow. “So much for keeping your hands to yourself,” Hazel scoffed, her fingers cinching around his wrist in a feeble attempt to release his grasp on her waist. “I tried,” he grumbled, his nose nuzzling further into her hair. “I can’t control what I do in my sleep.”“You’re awake now,” Hazel huffed.“But you’re so warm.”The echo of a door creaking open from somewhere down the hall, Kelsey’s sugary voice drifting down the hallway as she called for Cole halted Hazel’s urge to push him away.“You’re being summoned.”“She’s not gonna look in here,” Cole murmured sleepily, far too casual for Hazel’s liking. Rolling her eyes, she tugged at his wrist. “And if she does? This doesn’t look good, Cole.”“She’ll get over it.”“Yeah, I’m not talking about her,” Hazel bristled. Cole groaned, finally releasing her from his grasp. Dark eyes followed her as she scrambled away, tugging the sheets high up to her neck. “What







