Hazel

Chapter 28

Hazel POV

The week passed in a blur, filled with everyday tasks and awkward moments of forced normalcy every time I was in the same room as Aiden.

Saturday arrived, bringing with it a mix of anticipation and anxiety. Aiden's suggestion to spend time with Alice had left me torn, but I couldn't say no to Alice. The poor little girl had been through so much, and I could endure an evening with Aiden for her sake.

As I got ready for the day, I found myself overthinking every detail of what might happen on Saturday. Would things be awkward between Aiden and me? I shook off those thoughts, reminding myself to focus on the hospital and the kids.

Arriving at the agreed-upon time, I stepped out of the Uber and made my way to the front gate.

As I approached the front door, I took a deep breath, mustered my courage, and rang the doorbell. Aiden swung the door open with a smile. "Hazel, great to see you! Come on in."

"Thanks, Aiden," I replied, stepping into the warmth of the house. Alice appeared from the living room, a bright grin on her face.

"Hazel!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. "I missed you! How have you been?"

Returning her hug, I smiled, grateful for Alice's infectious enthusiasm. "I've missed you too, Alice. I've been okay, just busy with work. How about you?"

"I've been good. Aiden's been taking care of me. He comes to visit me a lot more now," she said, nudging her brother playfully.

Aiden chuckled. "Well, I missed spending time with you." He smiled.

Alice, ever perceptive, seemed to sense the tension. "Alright, you two, let's get this movie night started. Pizza's here!"

We made our way to the living room, where a cozy setup awaited us. Aiden dimmed the lights, and we settled into our seats.

As the movie played on the screen, I stole glances at Aiden, unable to resist the magnetic pull between us. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I immediately looked away.

"This pizza is really good," Alice exclaimed, grabbing another slice from the box.

I joined in, taking a slice and savoring the familiar flavors. "Yup, I love pizza."

Alice smiled. "Then we should go out more and try out different pizzas together," she said.

"Sure, why not," I said, smiling at her.

As we laughed and chatted, the tension slightly eased. It was a temporary moment where I could set aside complicated emotions for an evening.

After we finished watching the third movie, I looked over to find Alice asleep.

"I should get her to bed," Aiden said, and I nodded. "I'll be right back," he said before he walked out of the room, carrying a sleeping Alice.

I checked the time, and it was almost 3 am. I should probably head home.

Aiden then entered the room, and I stood up. "I think I should head home now," I said.

"Why don't you stay? I was planning on staying tonight as well," he suggested.

"Oh no, I think I should head home," I said.

"Okay, I'll drive you if you'd like," he offered.

"Oh no, you're staying here tonight. I can just Uber home," I insisted.

"Hazel, I'm not letting you take an Uber at 3 am. If you insist on going home, then I'm going to drive you," he said firmly.

"Aiden, it's really okay. I Uber all the time,"

I protested.

"At 3 am?" he questioned.

"The time doesn't really matter. I really can just..." I tried to say.

"Hazel, please stop being so difficult. If you want to go back home, then I'm going to drive you. I honestly wished you considered staying," he said.

I hesitated. Aiden was being difficult, and I really didn't want him to drive me home and have to come all the way back. "Fine, I'll stay," I finally said.

"Perfect," he said. "Are you tired? Why don't we have some wine and catch up?" he suggested.

Why did I get myself into these situations? "Sure," I said reluctantly.