SPARKS

Hazel let out a sigh as the cool, night air washed over her. She’d been cooped up in that diner since two o’clock today, with only one break, and a steady stream of customers. It’d been pretty good, though. Her tips had been decent, and the meal had been good, but she felt tacky from running around.

“Have a good night, Hazel. Love you!” Her Aunt Kellie waved good-bye.

“Love you, too.” She waved and then hopped into her car.

She checked her phone. Six texts and a voicemail from her friend Amanda. A small smile played on her lips as she raised the phone to her ear and let the voicemail play. Amanda could be . . . desperate at times.

“Hazel. Answer. Your. Phone. Seriously.” There was a huff and then, “I’m picking you up tonight. There’s a bonfire at Craig’s house, and we’re going. So call me when you want me to get ya. Bye. Love ya.”

So Hazel dialed, bickered with Amanda for about thirty seconds, and then drove home to get ready for the bonfire. Yay. It wasn’t that she didn’t like bonfires – because she really, really loved them – it was just that the bonfires at Craig’s usually had people there that she didn’t like and didn’t fit in well with. Most times they were fun, though. It was just that one of Craig’s friends was her ex. She hated her one and only ex-boyfriend. Like, really hated.

Her mom and dad were already asleep by the time she got back. She was as quiet as possible as she changed into more bonfire-appropriate attire, wrote a note on the kitchen counter, and pet their dog, waiting for Amanda to get there.

Headlights pulled into their driveway a few minutes later. Like usual, their golden retriever, Bailey, started barking. Hazel covered her muzzle, pet her like crazy, and kissed her big furry head until she finally calmed down.

“Love you, puppy,” she told Bailey right before closing the door behind her.

Amanda was glaring at her as she got into the car. “Took you long enough.”

She glared back. “I was busy making money, so I can buy you nice things. You can’t be mad.”

"Fine,” her friend huffed before laughing and peeling out of the driveway. “So . . . how was work?”

They’d only been back from college for two weeks, but already they were working summer jobs. Hazel had had the same job ever since she’d turned sixteen. Her Aunt Kellie owned a restaurant, so she’d first been dishwasher, then hostess, and now waitress. She’d gotten raises along the way, but now with being a waitress, all she could really do was try and accumulate as many hours as possible. This summer job would make a small dent in her student loans, but every bit would count. That’s what her mom told her, anyway.

“Who’s all gonna be there?” she asked, playing with the strings of her hoodie. “Because if Hannah’s there, then I will leave.”

“You can’t leave. I’m driving, remember? And I don’t think she’ll be there. She’s probably too busy breaking up with Ben and then getting back together with Ben and then breaking up with-”

“Some other guy just to make Ben jealous. Yeah, you’re right. At least, you better be. Or I will be pissed.”

Because Ben was her ex. And because he’d jumped to Hannah literally an hour after they’d broken up. And because Hazel was now single. And because she felt like she’d somehow lost.

“No, you won’t,” Amanda said. “I’ll be there. You’ll have fun.”

“True.”

And that was the end of that. They rode in comfortable silence for the next ten minutes or so until they got to Craig’s house. Well, it was technically his brother Silas’s house, but he was renting out a room, so part of it was his. Either way, there was a bonfire tonight. And they had two Siberian huskies that absolutely adored everybody. She’d do anything for dogs.

Hazel fiddled with the strap of her bag as they got closer to the fire. Craig’s parties were usually pretty fun, but if worse came to worse, she could just pet the dogs, stare into the fire, and-or play on her phone if she had nothing to do. Because Amanda would undoubtedly be talking with Craig a lot tonight. They had a “thing” was what Amanda had said. A “thing” that might turn into “an actual thing” soon.

“Hey, Amanda,” Craig said, tipping his beer towards them. “Hey, Hazel. How’s it going?”

“Good,” they both said before Amanda went over to sit by Craig.

She tried not to roll her eyes when she saw Hannah there, sitting in Ben’s lap. There was a pretty good crowd, though, so the chances of Hannah striking up a conversation with her were pretty slim. Hazel shivered in her sweatshirt as she looked around. There were a few more friends from their old high school – friends who were more like acquaintances that she hardly talked to anymore – and some people that she’d seen at Craig’s before.

She sat down by Taylor, Silas’s girlfriend, made some casual small talk, and stared into the fire. There was just something so soothing about looking into a fiery pit of burning wood. One of the huskies came over, and Hazel began petting him, scratching behind his ears and rubbing his fluffy belly.

Drinks were passed around, as were the fixings for s’mores. Hazel took a water and some graham crackers. She didn’t like to drink, but she loved graham crackers. And, apparently, so did the husky, because he jumped onto her lap and ate some of her graham crackers before she could even blink. The dog looked at her with gleaming eyes, and she couldn’t help but smile. Hazel split her last graham cracker in half, ate one part, and gave the other to him.

She didn’t let her hands stay uncovered for long, though. It was a little chilly, but what bothered her most was the wind. It whipped at her hair and made her hands cold. Hazel pulled her hood over her head, buried her fingers into her sweatshirt pocket and curled up on the chair, tucking her legs underneath her. She definitely should have worn her wind-proof jacket, or brought along a blanket, or something.

“I’m gonna go get some blankets.” Taylor shivered beside her. “Want one?”

“Yes, please,” she said.

“I’ll take one,” Craig said.

“Yeah, me too.”

“Could I have one, too, please?”

Hazel got up from her chair beside Taylor. “Here, I’ll come with.”

“Thanks. And then maybe we can make some hot chocolate, too.”

“That sounds good.”

One of the huskies followed them as they walked to the house, sniffing at this and that, and then perking up as soon as Taylor opened the front door. He bolted right through. She heard nails scrabbling, some voices, and then both huskies ran up to sniff at her and Taylor.

“Hey, babe!” Taylor called. “Can I take some blankets outside?”

“Sure, but take the ones from the downstairs closet.”

Together, they headed to the basement. It was a pretty nice one, not as creepy as hers. Soon enough, they had a pile of quilts and sleeping bags gathered in their arms. They trudged upstairs, set the blankets onto the couch, and then Taylor walked down the hall. Not knowing what else to do, Hazel just followed.

She found them in the kitchen. Taylor was rummaging through the cupboards, Silas was giving treats to his dogs, and somebody else – a man whom she’d never seen before – was sitting at the kitchen island.

Silas looked up from the huskies. “Oh, hey, Hazel. How’s it going? How was school?”

“Good. I’m doing good. And school was great. I only have one more year left, and then I’ll be all finished. How ’bout you? How’s everything been on the farm?”

“Pretty good.” He took a long pull from his beer. “What are you going to school for again?”

“Exercise physiology. I actually have clinicals starting next week.”

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah. I’m really excited.”

The other man sitting at the counter hadn’t said a word. She looked over at him, and he stared right at her. Literally right at her. She couldn’t explain it. His jaw was set, and his nostrils flared, but he didn’t stop looking at her. But then he took a drink of whatever was in his glass and looked at Silas.

Silas was too busy going through the fridge to notice. But he said, “Hazel, that’s my best friend Quade. And Quade, that’s one of Craig’s friends, Hazel. They went to high school together.”

Quade held out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

She took it, squeezing lightly. The minute their fingers touched, Hazel felt like electricity was traveling from where they made contact to somewhere deep in her stomach. His skin was rough and warm, his hand large, encasing her own in a firm, but gentle grip.

“Nice to meet you, too,” she finally said.