Chapter 2.

HAZEL.

I clinked the bottom of my glass against the table. I sniffed through my nostrils with tears dried on my cheeks. The club lights strobed and the music thundered in my chest.

"You know you should put yourself out there" Evelyn's voice pressed against my ears as she reached for yet another shot glass, handing me another. She was already drunk I could tell.

"I'd rather not" I ran my hands through my hair, yelling over the loud music. She looked around the room and her eyes landed on a tall, good-looking man leaning against the wall. His eyes were bright beneath the lights like an eagle in search of prey.

I gulped down the glass of tequila, squeezing my eyes shut. I could feel myself getting drunk too. I needed it after the day I had just had. But the thing about alcohol highs is that soon come the lows.

"What are we doing here, Evelyn?" And I mean very soon.

My best friend turned to me. "What are we doing in Seattle's biggest club?!" She exclaimed. "Because I want you to find someone Hazel. Screw that asshole Elijah. Clearly he never deserved you." She added. In that moment, my eyes fell to the wedding ring still around my finger and a sigh escaped my lips.

"Tonight we're going to have fun." Evelyn roped my hands, pulling me to the dance floor. She glided her shoulders, moving her head left and right. Her tinted blonde hair danced to the music.

"I have to be up early tomorrow if I'm going to make my flight" I pressed into her. Evelyn shrugged her shoulders like she heard what I said.

"You're still serious about leaving Seattle?" She looked up to me. "Of course" I nodded. "I have an aunt I could stay with in Chicago for now. Anywhere but here, Eve. I'd hate to be in the one place that reminded me of the worst day of my life" I added.

Evelyn finally stopped dancing, and the realization only just now sank in.

"You're really leaving," She mouthed, her voice inaudible. I nodded. She squeezed my hands softly. "Like I said, fuck Elijah!" She screamed. "He isn't worth it. If this is your last night in Seattle then I might as well make it your best one ever!" Evelyn cheered. She turned me around and pressed her lips against my ears.

"As they said, the best way to get over a man is to get under another." I trailed her eyes to that same man in the corner of the room. For a second, I was sure our eyes met.

"Evelyn," I grunted. "Hold on. I need to use the bathroom" She suddenly said and we drew towards the bar before she took off to the restroom. It didn't take a minute until I felt someone creep up on me from behind.

He took the empty seat right next to me and his words, deep and decadent sent a chill down my spine.

"Hey," Was all he said. I immediately turned around to the sexiest man I had ever laid eyes on. I choked on my drink, and he handed me a napkin.

"What is wrong?" He asked. I wondered if he could see my flustered face in the dark room just like I could barely see his. The light cascading over him only accentuated his features. Tall dark curls that fell messily over his forehead. A jaw that looked sculpted on purpose, and eyes—God—eyes like he'd been waiting to lock onto hers all night. Features you would know no doubt belonged to a beautiful man.

He leaned back in the chair and his tight black t-shirt raised to reveal his muscled torso, glistening in the light.

"My eyes are up here," He teased, a chuckle escaping his lips. I cleared my throat the moment his hand touched my thighs. He compelled me to look at him.

"So what's your story?" He was quite intrigued. He was also a stranger, one I was sure I wouldn't ever meet again. "You know I was supposed to get married today," I said to him.

Why don't I tell him the whole truth then?

"Today?" He was shocked, contemplating heavily whether or not to proceed with congratulations. "Supposed to?" He then sufficed.

"I found out he was cheating so," I shrugged my shoulders, downing another shot of tequila. I could see him lean forward.

"I'm so sorry," His voice went low and his gaze burned into the side of my face. I didn't budge, not when he inched closer. Finally, I brought myself to look at him. Our gazes locked and immediately I felt the rush of butterflies in my stomach.

My chest started to burn.

"It could be the alcohol," I told myself. Or maybe it was the fact that this man, this stranger was now inches away from my face. Close enough that I could feel his heated breath from his next words.

"Such a shame,"

"Who would ever cheat on such a beautiful woman?" He said. The corner of his mouth lifted—dangerous, soft, inviting. My pulse stumbled and I could feel my face grow hot. The tempo of the music drowned my heartbeat. I didn't know him. I wasn't even supposed to be here. But I felt pulled to this stranger, like his presence rearranged the gravity in the room.

He reached out, letting his fingers brush my hair lightly. It was then that I sat up, allowing myself one bad decision after everything that happened. At least someone wanted me. And this man, whoever he was one hundred did.

"Fuck it" I crashed my drunken lips into his. The kiss landed slow, deliberate—his lips soft at first, testing, tasting before he pulled me even closer to him. I exhaled into it, wrapping my arms around him.

His mouth was warm against mine, his thumb stroking my jaw. The careful pressure at first and then the growing urgency. This was the best kiss I had ever had. I pulled away and I immediately realized that.

A beat passed and then another. The music was pounding, bodies moving all around us. It felt like the two of us were in a still pocket of air, everything slowed down.

"Dance with me?" She broke the silence, his fingers intertwining mine. I didn't answer. I just took his hands.

He pulled me into the crowd, our bodies finding rhythm almost instantly. My back to his chest and his hands firm around my waist. Even our breaths were syncing like we already knew each other. Then I saw Evelyn standing at a distance from me.

Like a proud mother, she smiled in the arms of a man too. I turned around to him. We kissed yet again and it was like the first time.

"Come with me," He finally said. I pushed a hard lump down my throat as he whisked me from the dancefloor and down the stairs. We walked into the suite. His, from the looks of it.

I wasn't uneasy actually in that moment, I realized Evelyn might have been right. I needed to put myself out there, even if it was just for tonight. So I walked into the room and he closed the door behind me.

Morning came fast and I was wrapped in velvety silk sheets and with the weight of a stranger's arm wrapped around me. I sighed, it felt like forks bashing against my temple. I got out of bed, looking back at his face buried into his pillow so I could still see only half of it. However, he did have this large tattoo across his back. Of a phoenix.

"Shit!" I scanned the room hurriedly for my clothes. I would hate for him to wake you up right now. Last night was a dream, the best I had ever had. It was a shame I was never going to see him again.

I put on my clothes and silently made my way through the door. Luckily, Evelyn was already waiting for me by the bar.

"Look who it is!" She could barely contain her excitement as she embraced me. "We both scored tonight" She said in my ears and I looked at the bartender with whom she was just now flirting.

"We need to go" I said, rolling my eyes to the back. I pulled her out of the club by her hands. "He was hot, Hazel. Like really hot" Evelyn said. Of course he was.

"We are never speaking of tonight again" I hushed her, scrambling for my plane tickets. I looked at my watch, and we still had about an hour before my flight. I had just one suitcase, which I was able to pack in the back of her car.

"Now, drive me to the airport." I said to her. Evelyn climbed into the car and it wasn't long until we reached the Seattle airport. It was when we got there that Evelyn fought back her tears.

"How long?" Her voice broke. "How long will you be gone for?" I didn't know. I shook my head and she embraced me again. Tighter this time, and for longer.

"I'm going to miss you, Hazel."

"I love you" Tears filled my eyes. "So so much and I'm going to miss hanging out with you." We bade our goodbyes and soon I was sitting on the plane, looking outside the window.

I was a little nervous but I still heaved a deep breath, one that held a thousand possibilities. I couldn't believe how my life had changed in twenty-four hours. Here I was, headed to Geneva. I needed a new beginning. A fresh start.

My eyes fell to my finger again and this time, I wasn't with my wedding ring.

I immediately shot my eyes open, realizing I had left it in that stranger's suite. I couldn't turn around.

Besides, what use was keeping it going to be?

Three weeks in Geneva, I couldn't stop thinking about the ring and about that night with the stranger. Each passing day, I grew sicker. Nausea and I had barely even had any appetite.

Her aunt Agnes had to take me to the hospital and we found ourselves at a clinic soon enough. I was seated behind the doctor's desk as he walked back into the room, my test results in his hands.

"You're pregnant, Hazel." His words choked my throat as I looked back at him.

"What?!"