Starting Over in Maple Bay by Brittney Joy

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

 

 

 

 

“Grace,” Hazel said as she walked out of the barn. Her daughter hadn’t gone far. She was sitting on a haybale, looking forlorn in her lilac dress—the one she’d been laughing and dancing in just a few minutes ago. “Oh, baby. I’m sorry, but it’s not what you think.” Hazel sat on the haybale next to her daughter, not wanting to be the cause of Grace’s frown.

“Why would you keep that from me, Mom? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t,” Hazel started and stopped, not sure how to explain what had just happened. This was the reason she didn’t want to act on her feelings for Jesse. “We didn’t kiss. Charlie thought she saw something that didn’t happen.” That was true enough, though Charlie had seen the intention behind Jesse’s gesture in the truck. And Hazel and Jesse had definitely kissed. Just not in the truck.

Grace furrowed her brow again, like she was frustrated. “You obviously like him. Why wouldn’t you just tell me? I don’t keep secrets from you. You shouldn’t keep secrets from me.”

Hazel’s mom-brain scrambled for an appropriate way to explain her actions to her daughter, and ultimately concluded that Grace was right. Hazel didn’t have to tell Grace everything, but her daughter didn’t deserve to feel like her mother was keeping secrets from her. “I wasn’t keeping a secret from you. I was protecting you. I wanted to be sure of my feelings for Jesse before I told you anything. Does that make sense? I won’t date just anyone. I want to make sure that person is someone I want in our lives for a long time . . . that we want in our lives for a long time.”

“Mom, you can date. You’re allowed to.”

Hazel was shocked by her daughter’s frank response. She gathered her thoughts. “I know how upset you’ve been after meeting your dad’s last few girlfriends. I didn’t want you to feel like that with me too.” She didn’t want to cause Grace any more pain than she’d already endured through the divorce.

Grace gave her a look like Hazel had just added ketchup to cake batter. “That’s not the same. Dad picks bad.”

“He picks bad?”

“Yeah, he picks bad. I don’t know what he’s looking for in a girlfriend, but I do not approve of any of the girlfriends I’ve met so far.”

Hazel almost laughed, but suppressed the urge. She knew exactly what Bill had seen in his last few girlfriends, and it didn’t have a thing to do with their brains or how sweet they were.

Hazel placed her hand over Grace’s. “Your dad is finding his way in life, just as I am. He’s trying the best he knows how, and I don’t think he’s intended to upset you with any of his choices.”

“I guess.” Grace looked back at the barn and peered into the open door. “I like Jesse. He’s really nice. To you. And me. To everyone. Even total strangers.”

Hazel gave a half-smile at her daughter’s observations. “I’m glad you like him.”

“Do you like him?” Grace prodded, looking curious.

Hazel sighed. She thought she did. She thought she really liked Jesse . . . that she was starting to feel the stirring emotions of love she’d been missing for years. She should be happy that her daughter was more upset about not being told about Jesse than the idea of a new relationship for her mother.

But Hazel wasn’t about to fall for someone that might rip her heart to shreds. If Jesse was still involved with someone from a past relationship, Hazel had been reading him wrong all along. Now her doubts were smashing any fleeting thought of a possible long-distance relationship. If Jesse would have dinner with an ex and not mention that fact to her, what would he do when they lived in separate towns?

Hazel squeezed her daughter’s hand. “I’m not sure.”

 

Jesse put his truck in drive and pulled out of the fairgrounds. The barn dance faded in his rearview mirror.

“What’d you do?” Noah called to Jesse from the backseat. Noah, Tommy, and Wyatt were lined up on the bench seat of his truck. Garrett was next to Jesse, in the passenger seat. Frankie had all the girls in her truck.

Jesse saw the little man’s confused face staring back at him in the mirror, waiting for an answer.

Garrett piped in, “That’s none of your business, Noah.”

“But you always ask me that question when I get in trouble,” Noah challenged his dad. “And Momma definitely gave Jesse a look like he was in trouble.”

Garrett scrubbed his hand over his face and Jesse winced, but Noah was right. Hazel must’ve told Frankie what happened.

When Charlie had chased Hazel as she left the dance floor, Jesse had followed, intending to grab Charlie. Hazel needed some time alone with Grace, to talk with her. But when Jesse found Charlie in the crowd, she was in Emily’s arms and Hazel looked like she’d gone back in time—to the woman he’d met a month ago in front of Frankie’s house.

Hazel couldn’t get away from him fast enough. Jesse wanted to talk to Hazel, to explain, but after her encounter with Emily, Hazel avoided Jesse like the plague. When it was time to go, Frankie claimed all the girls needed to get in her truck and all the boys would be riding with Jesse. Frankie gave Jesse a look like she was going to give him a piece of her mind later.

“Just something really stupid,” Jesse replied to Noah.

Noah shook his head, like he knew what Jesse meant. “Yeah. I do that sometimes too.”