Lost in Time (Forever and Always #20) (16 page)

“But when you’re fully awake it’s totally
fine?” I asked with a laugh.

“Well, just don’t be a jerk at all.”

“Hmm…nah.”

She rolled her eyes then looked at the phone.
Her eyes squinted while she stared at the screen, and then a
sadness crept into her face. Her lips sagged and her eyes lost
their usual glow.

“Everything alright?” I asked.

“Umm…yeah.” She kept looking at her phone,
reading a message.

I knew something was up.

She sat on the bed then lowered her phone to
her lap, lost in thought.

I sat beside her. “What is it?”

She flinched, my voice bringing her back to
reality. “My brother just passed his bar exam and my parents are
throwing him a party. They want me to come…”

Shouldn’t that be a happy revelation…? “That
sounds like fun.”

She sighed. “I’m proud of my brother. He’s a
smart guy and a hard worker. But…nevermind. Forget I said
anything.”

“No, I’m not going to forget. Tell me.”

“It’s just…my parents always put me down
because I’m not as successful as my brother. The whole time I’m
going to be ridiculed and insulted for my choices in life. I want
to support my brother and let him savor his accomplishment but…I
really don’t want to deal with that. I know that’s selfish but
that’s how I feel…”

I grabbed her hand. “That’s not selfish. You
shouldn’t be insulted every time you’re around your parents. If
anything, they are the selfish ones. They should accept you exactly
as you are.”

“Well, I don’t live in a universe where they
understand that.”

Hazel had confidence issues because of the
people in her life, namely her parents. I was really sick of people
always trying to tear her down. I’d give anything for her to see
herself the way I see her, as a beautiful and strong woman. I did
everything I could to make her see that, but I was battling an
entire army who was working against me. I was getting tired of it.
“Are you going to go?”

“Yeah...I want to see my brother.”

“Where do they live?”

“Boston.”

I nodded. “I’m assuming that’s where your
brother went to school?”

“Yeah. Harvard. Typical, right?” She rolled
her eyes. “I went to a state school. Since my parents didn’t fund
my education, I couldn’t afford anything extravagant.”

I hadn’t even met her parents but I already
disliked them. They were putting down their daughter in ways they
weren’t even aware of. I wondered if she’d take me along. I wanted
to come, but maybe she wasn’t ready for that. I decided not to push
her like I normally would.

She pulled her legs to her chest and rested
her chin on her knees. “I really don’t want to see them, especially
since I’m not even working in dance right now.”

“Who cares what they think?”

“As much as I don’t want to, I know I’ll
always care. They’re my parents.”

I could understand that. “How long will you
be gone for?” That was my subtle way of asking if she was going
alone.

“Two days,” she said. “Can you get the time
off work?”

Warmth spread through me. “You want me to
come?”

“Of course. How else would I get through the
ordeal? You’re the only person who keeps me sane, who actually
makes me feel good about myself.”

I liked the sound of that. “I’m sure I could
manage the trip.”

“Thanks.” She rested her head on my shoulder.
“I really need you, Flynn. Plus, you just came back and I’m not
ready to be away from you so soon.”

I loved how clingy she was. She was just as
obsessed with me as I was with her. The equal affection made the
relationship undeniable and strong. “I don’t want to be without you
either. And I’m definitely tired of using my hand.”

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “So
perverted.”

“It’s the truth—even though it was a lot of
fun.” I rubbed my nose against hers.

She blushed. “I feel like a whore
sometimes.”

“You are a whore.”

“Well, thanks for being so subtle about
it.”

I chuckled then planted a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re ready to introduce me to your parents?”

“Definitely.”

“They met Kyle?”

“Unfortunately,” she said with a sigh.

“Do they know he cheated on you?”

The silence hung in the air. She squeezed my
arm. “Yes.” Her voice came out weak.

“What aren’t you telling me?” I
whispered.

“Nothing. They know what he did.” She was
being short, closing off from me.

“Hazel?” I pressed.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Baby, it’s me.”

“I just…let’s not talk about it.”

What was her secret? What was she hiding from
me? She seemed emotional so I decided not to press it. “Okay.”

“We’ll leave on Saturday.”

“Sounds good.”

She sighed while she closed her eyes. “You
worked everything out with Cade?”

“Yeah. I’m going to try to get him a spot on
the show.”

“That’s nice.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about the two of
you?”

“I wanted Cade to talk to you first. He
earned it.”

I rested my chin on her head. “I’m glad he’s
changed. Honestly, I never thought he would.”

“Sometimes we have to lose everything before
we find ourselves.”

“Are you a fortune cookie?” I mocked.

She hit my thigh. “Shut up. That was all
me.”

“It sounds cheap and overused.”

“Coming from an award-winning writer. Not
everyone is good with words.”

I chuckled. “Leave the cheesy lines to
me.”

“You don’t have cheesy lines. You’re only
move is being cocky.”

“But you love it when I’m cocky.”

She rolled her eyes then left the bed,
heading to the shower. “I’m going to get ready for the day.
Otherwise, it will pass me by before I can get a glimpse.”

“I need a shower too.” I jumped up and
followed her.

“Nope.” She held a finger up to me. “I know
what you’re up to, Flynn.”

I smirked. “I just want to save water.”

“You just want to get your dick wet.”

“You caught me.” I gave her my best smolder.
“And I want to get soaked in you.”

She rolled her eyes and walked into the
shower.

I knew she was being playful, because when I
stepped behind her she didn’t scold me. She washed her body and
massaged her scalp with her fingers. I came behind her and felt my
cock get hard on her ass, like usual. I rubbed my dick between her
cheeks while I massaged her back. She carried on like she didn’t
notice me.

I suddenly longed to hold her, to feel her
slight frame against my chest. When I thought about how much her
parents put her down, it made me want to scream at both of them.
They had the most amazing daughter in the world. Why couldn’t they
just accept her? Because she was the coolest person I knew. How
could they not see it too?

A few days later, we rented a car and took a
road trip to Boston. It was a short trip, about three hours, and it
wasn’t long enough to fly. After you accounted the time to board
and take off, it added up to the same amount of time.

“I’m surprised Sean didn’t let us use his
personal jet,” I said while I drove into Massachusetts.

She rolled her eyes. “They are rich but I
don’t think they have a jet.”

“Maybe he just hasn’t told you.”

“I’m sure Scarlet would have mentioned it,
probably while she screamed at him for buying something so
expensive.”

“Nah,” I said. “He’s a smart guy. He’s
probably gotten better at hiding things from his wife.”

She laughed. “I can’t imagine Sean hiding
anything from her. That guy is wrapped tight around her
finger.”

“I’m wrapped tight around your finger.” I
winked at her.

She rolled her eyes.

“I am,” I said. “I’ve never been so
pussy-whipped.”

“Can you just say you’re in love? It sounds
more romantic.”

“I am…but I’m also pussy-whipped.”

She looked out the window and ignored me.

When we got into town, the GPS guided us to
their neighborhood near a high school. It was quiet and peaceful,
lush and green. It was a much quieter scene compared to the big
city. “It’s nice here.”

“You’ve never been?”

“No. Did you grow up here?”

“Yep. Go Red Soxs.”

I smirked. “I’m surprise you even know their
name.” She wasn’t into sports.

“Well, it was because baseball was pretty
much force-fed to me.”

I laughed. “At least your parents didn’t let
you go to New York without knowing a thing or two about the real
world.”

“Guess not.” Her tone suddenly changed. I
couldn’t read it.

I pulled onto the street then parked in front
of the house. It was a medium sized home with a small yard. The
grass was lush green and there was a solemn tree in the front. “You
grew up here?”

“Yep.” She stared at the house, no emotion on
her face.

I gave her a moment of silence before I got
out. The driveway and street were packed with cars. Obviously,
everyone was already inside. We were almost an hour late because we
got lost despite the navigation system. Hazel hadn’t made the trip
very often so couldn’t remember the way based on memory.

She pressed her head to the glass and
sighed.

I knew this was hard for her so I didn’t
press her.

“Let’s get this over with.” She shoved the
door open and got out.

After I got out and came around, I grabbed
her hand and held it firmly. I would be the support she needed to
get through this. While I wanted her parents to like me, I wasn’t
against telling them off if they deserved it. I knew Hazel was
loyal to me. If they didn’t like me, she wouldn’t blink an eye.

We walked inside without knocking. Relatives
and people were gathered inside the living room and kitchen. Shouts
of laughter rang up, and people chattered, their voices echoing.
Everyone had a glass in their hand; wine, beer, or soda. No one
caught my attention. They all seemed pretty ordinary.

One man stood in the corner talking to an
older woman. Judging his blonde hair and green eyes, I assumed this
was her brother. I didn’t know his name because Hazel never shared
it with me. Before I could ask, someone noticed us.

“Hazel?” A middle age woman with brown hair
came to her and hugged her. “Hello, dear. I haven’t seen you in
ages.”

“Hey, Aunt Martha.” She hugged her back then
stepped away. “It has been a long time.”

“How’s the big city?” She seemed genuinely
interested.

“Great. It’s always nice to get Chinese food
at three in the morning.” Hazel kept the mood light even though she
was dreading this moment.

She laughed. “Well, you can’t beat that, can
you?” She eyed me behind her. “And who’s this eye candy?”

I smiled then shook her hand. “Flynn—her
boyfriend.”

“Oooh.” She nodded her head in approval. “You
brought home a man?”

“Yep,” Hazel said.

“He’s cute. I like him.”

Hazel blushed. “He’s pretty great.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I said politely.

“Have you said hello to your mother?” she
asked.

Hazel’s cheerfulness disappeared. “No, not
yet.”

“She’s excited to see you.”

“I’m sure she is,” Hazel said bitterly.

Aunt Martha patted her shoulder then walked
away.

Hazel sighed.

“She didn’t seem that bad.”

“She’s not,” Hazel said. “She’s the coolest
person in the family, but ironically, most people don’t like her.
They say she’s too liberal and speaks her mind way too much.”

“Your family sounds like a bunch of boring
snobs.”

She laughed. “You hit the nail right on the
head.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the kitchen.

In a circle of people stood a thin blonde.
Judging her blonde hair and bright eyes, I knew she was Hazel’s
mom. She had a similar build, lean and long, and her wrists and
legs were just as petite. When she saw Hazel, her attention was
immediately directed toward her. “Speaking of the devil, here’s my
daughter.”

The group of people turned their gaze toward
her, staring at her.

Was this her family? Because they were acting
like she was a wild animal with rabies.

“She lives in New York,” her mother said with
obvious disdain. “The city of the homeless and disease.”

“And artists, musicians, and writers, along
with models, actors, and painters,” Hazel shot back. “The
metropolitan capital of the world.”

Her mother laughed it off. “Such a vocal
girl, she is.” She gave her a hug and Hazel hardly returned the
affection. “How are you, dear? Was the drive okay?”

“It was fine.” Hazel’s lips were pursed
together.

Her mother kept her hand on her shoulder.
“She went to school to be a dancer, so she’s been goofing off for a
few years. But I’m sure she’ll find something serious soon.”

I hated her mother. That was all I needed to
hear. “I’m Flynn.” I extended my hand to her. “Hazel’s
boyfriend.”

Her eyes widened. “You brought a man home?
You didn’t even tell me he was coming.”

Hazel moved from her reach. “I didn’t think
it would be a big deal.”

“It’s not…I just wasn’t prepared.” She
finally shook my hand. “Felicia.”

“Nice to meet you.”
Not really.

She studied me for a long time, her eyes
lingering on my face. I felt the burn of her gaze even after it was
gone. “Flynn?”

“That’s correct.”

“He’s cute, Hazel.”

“I know.” Hazel blushed slightly.

Then her mother’s eyes moved down to my
tattoo. “Bit of a bad boy, are we?”

I smiled it off. “It’s the only one I
got.”

“A scorpion…interesting choice.”

“My first play was called
The Scorpion and
the Stinger.
”

“Play?” she asked.

“I’m a playwright. I’ve won several Tonys for
my work.” I knew now wasn’t the time to be humble.