Chapter 4.

HAZEL.

Six years had passed since I last saw Evelyn and we were still as close as ever. She was running a bar back in Seattle while I owned a very successful bakery here in Chicago. Life was good turning twenty-nine with two six-year-olds. We had moved into a much larger house, with a stable income and most importantly, peace of mind.

But it wasn't always like that. At least not for the months that followed the birth of the twins. That was the hardest year of my life.

I had to take on multiple jobs while trying to take care of my children who by the way hated to be quiet. Luckily, Agnes was there for the most part. I don't know what I would've done without her. She helped with the little she could.

I started HazelNutz after two years in Chicago, a startup bakery that was barely thriving for a while. But I had a vision, it was more than making ends meet, being a baker was something I wanted to do ever since I was a little girl.

Business was slow at first on this side of the town, Geneva wasn't the busiest of places here in Chicago but that all changed with the Annual Baking Fair where I won top prize. Live-streamed to millions of people around the world, it really put us on the map.

In no time, I had hotels chasing after me. One went as far as to offer me a store in New York City but I always said. "I can't leave my twins." So I stayed. I chose to. The offers died down a month later but the customers never did.

HazelNutz was always filled and I was always just constantly expanding. Finally, it felt like my dream was a success. I was doing exactly what I loved and I was good at it.

A smile curled to my lips as I closed our door that evening, flipping the closed sign to face outside. A breath of relief escaped my lips. We had just closed for the day.

"Sorry," I gestured to the man on a bike outside my windows. "We're closed for the day" He face frowned with disappointment as he wheeled away. I crept up to the counter, on which was a clear plaque engraved with my name. Hazel Bennett. Baker Of The Year.

That was four years ago. Four years since my life changed. Winning the championship was how I secured my second job—delivering cupcakes every day to a big chain of hotels here in Chicago. So once I was done here, I usually tossed off my apron, grabbed my keys and was soon headed out.

It wasn't that far of a distance to their headquarters half an hour away. I parked my car in the driveway and made my way up the steps with the cakes in my hand.

"Shit" I cussed, trying to get there just in time for the dinner buffet. I brushed through the kitchen and arranged the cakes on the table. I was just in time but Richie, didn't seem so pleased.

I turned to the restaurant manager. He folded his arms across his chest with a half-hearted smirk.

"My bad Richie, I was caught up in work" I apologized, walking towards him. "What do we have here today?" He gazed at the cakes. "The usual," I gestured. "I know you love your red velvet and then I still have some chocolate in the car if you want."

"Go. Go!" Richie exclaimed. "Go get it. The doors open in five."

I rushed through the doors and down to the car, getting the rest of the cakes as quickly as I could. I locked the doors and was soon up the stairs but as soon as I turned into the kitchen, a man charged in my direction. I crashed into him and the cakes fell to the ground.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed, looking at the mess that was my shoes. I crouched towards the floor, realizing there was nothing to savor.

"Are you blind?" I stood up, placing a strand of hair behind my ears. I was furious. "You ruined it. Everything is ruined!" I gritted my teeth.

"Watch where you're going!" It wasn't the man who said but one of the guards around him. "You watch where you're going!" I snapped back at him. The man was pulled back and I was faced with his guards.

"Watch your mouth, young woman" He clamored. I wasn't one to shy away from intimidation. "You watch your manners!" I might have been barely five foot five but my voice was loud enough.

"It's okay," The man finally gave in, walking through his security. He had his phone in his hands which he was very clearly so engrossed in that he hadn't seen me coming. He pocketed his hands and rolled his eyes to the back of his head.

"Here" He tossed a wad of cash in my hands. That should cover it."

He quickly turned around, strands of his glistening dark hair cascading over his shoulders. "You keep your money," I let it fall to the ground before brushing past his shoulders. I heard his words beneath his breath.

"Such an ungrateful piece of shit"

But before I could say another word which trust me I was going to, I heard my name echo from across the halls.

"Hazel!" I faced Richie who had his hands on his hips. I bit down on my teeth, making my way towards him. "My office. Now!" He commanded.

"I swear he bumped into me and he ruined the cake" I argued up until we walked into his office and the doors closed. Richie stood behind his desk, two fingers pressed into the table.

"It's okay" He muttered. "No, no it's not" Obliged to prove a point, I still insisted. "That man whoever he was reeked of privilege. He thinks he could just buy himself out of anything?" I was livid but the moment Richie tossed a piece of paper to me, I fell quiet.

"You have an offer, Hazel" He said.

"What?" I pushed a lump down my throat. "Good news." He replied. "There's an opening back in Seattle. I just got word from my partner. We're expanding there and one of our hotels is just finishing up. He was around the other day to taste some of your cakes and he loved them, Hazel. He loved HazelNuts so much."

"So much that he offered you a full-time job full time in the new hotel. Do you know what this means, Hazel?" Richie was beaming with excitement. I narrowed my eyes in disbelief and the frown on my face turned upside down.

"You could have your own bakery with Earls. You wouldn't have to go back and forth. You'd be a fully contracted baker and that's not even the best part," He paused, placing one more piece of paper on the table.

"You have a blank cheque, Hazel. All you have to do is name your price" He continued. I widened my eyes. "Seattle?" The name of that place escaped my lips simultaneously with my heart dropping.

"Now I tried to change his mind about Seattle, giving your history with that place but—" "I will," I blurred out. It might have just been the excitement. The adrenaline pulsing through my veins but I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"You will?" Even Ritchie was surprised. "I will. It's been a dream of mine to be fully contracted with Earls. It could put me on the map, Richie. A thousand times more than the championship. It could put me in rooms that could change my life." I said.

"Wow. Way to throw me under the bus" He teased.

"You'll be fine, Richie" A scoff escaped my lips. "You'll do just fine without me." Richie folded his arms again. "Well, he's just paid off the rest of the part-time contract here with us so I can't even hold you back even if I wanted to" He smirked.

"You really worked hard for this, Hazel. I've watched you grow over the last few years. You deserve this" That was the sweetest thing he'd ever said to me. Our eyes met and there was a light flutter in my chest. I had thought of it sometimes.

Of both of us in a world where he wasn't my boss and I wasn't a baker. That we'd met and we fell in love. Richard was the kind of person you fell in love with.

"I really hope you take it" He whispered. I pressed my lips together, nodding at him. I made my way back home after a long day and the first thing I did was call my best friend.

"Well are you going to take it?!" Evelyn yelled over the phone. I took a sip of water, looking at David and Elizabeth in the living room.

"Mummy!" David called. And then his sister.

"Hazel?" Evelyn called my name. I was deep in thought. For the first time, the thought of moving back to Seattle with them seemed to intimidate me. I remembered why I left. Why I swore to never return.

"You know how hard you've worked for this, Hazel" Eve was quick to remind me. I felt a lump build in my throat. "But Elijah?" My voice broke. I knew he was still there. Evelyn saw him sometimes.

I hadn't reached out to him ever since I left, nor have I spoken to my family. All I really had were Agnes and the twins.

"Screw Elijah. You'll have me" And Evelyn. "It will be like old times, Hazel" She cheered. The thought of that brought a smile to my lips.

"Old times" I echoed. The truth was it wasn't just meeting Elijah that scared me. It was the possibility of meeting the father of my children. But that was a slim possibility. Right?

"Right." Or so I'd thought.