Chapter 37：Citrine

Muffincake responded to the sketch first. 'Ooh, he's cute! Cherished how? I can't give an informed opinion without details'

Hazel thought about it. The way Will listened intently to everything she had to say. How he didn't think she was crazy and always validating her feelings even though she had proposed to an entire room full of strangers. His endless praise of her art.

Not to mention everything on Saturday…he was ridiculously indulgent. Going to breakfast and that pottery studio felt a lot like a real date, especially since he didn't get the kind of pancakes he wanted so she could try two kinds.

'Indulgent is the word I would use. He compliments me, gives me gifts, and cares about what I have to say even though he doesn't really know me'

She frowned after sending that, realizing Will never texted her back. Was he busy dealing with the fallout of whatever dumb mistake his employees made? Her resolve to cheer him up when he got home strengthened.

'Girl, did you marry actual Prince Charming?! He sounds too good to be true' Muffincake replied.

Hazel had thought the same thing more than once. That this was all too good to be true. Nice people that didn't want anything in return for their kindness didn't exist; she had learned that the hard way.

Billy had seemed that way at first but he ended up being a promise breaker. She wanted to trust Will but all her trust was used up. It would be easier if he wasn't so confusing.

'Sometimes I wonder…' she admitted.

'Topaz, what if you married a serial killer?! Get outta there right now! I've read mystery novels like this; innocent girl gets caught up in whirlwind romance with a total nutjob and doesn't find out how bad he is until he tries to kill her'

Will might be a little too good to be true but that didn't mean he was a psychopath! Would a psycho try to talk her out of her plan by telling her about all the creeps out there? She doubted it.

'You're nuts. Would a serial killer let you order two types of pancakes you wanted to split?' she asked.

'Okay that's pretty cute. But still. Total stranger danger; why did you marry someone you just met?!'

Hazel sighed. She never should have said anything. This was exactly why she didn't trust people.

'Because I was about to become homeless and was desperate. Muffincake, if he was really a serial killer don't you think he would have tried to put a move on me? We haven't even kissed'

She hadn't originally wanted to share that particular bit of information but for some reason it rankled that this random woman from the internet was thinking bad things about her husband. Will wasn't like that. He was really nice!

The screen indicated that Muffincake was typing for a long, long time. Hazel took that as an opportunity to work on line art for chapter one of their comic. It was coming along nicely, if she did say so herself.

When she finally did respond, Hazel would have expected a huge block of text from how long it took. Instead there was a single sentence.

'My conclusion is that you married some sort of mythological creature or maybe an alien because men don't act like that'

She sighed. Very helpful. Muffincake was right though; men didn't act like that. It was why she wondered what his deal was to the extent that she had.

This strengthened her conclusion that Will liked her. He liked her enough to respect her boundaries but based on everything she had seen…he was trying to win her over. He had said he wouldn't do anything until she wanted it. Was he banking on that happening if he kept spoiling her?

That was a little bit manipulative, which didn't seem like his style. Confusion about his motives aside, she saw Will as a straightforward person.

Hazel didn't believe he was a serial killer but his motives might be less altruistic than she originally thought. But who goes to all the effort of marrying and wooing someone if they were only interested in something physical? That couldn't be it.

Even if he was attracted to her somehow, that wasn't all there was to it. He was interested in her brain and personality as well. That much was obvious from their little talks.

'You are so not helpful' Hazel replied truthfully before sending a second message. 'I already knew that. It's why I asked for advice'

Muffincake apologized immediately. 'I've got nothing, sorry Topaz. Do keep me posted on your mysterious husband though. What's his name?'

'You want to know his name but we don't even know each other's?'

'Ah, fair point. Give him a codename then. Maybe a jewel, like you?' Muffincake suggested.

Hazel's username already incorporated the jewel she would use to describe Will. His eyes had flashed topaz more than once since she met him. Yellowish gemstones…the only other one she could think of was amber but that was a girl's name.

There had to be more than two yellow gemstones in the world. She looked it up and discovered the existence of citrine, a type of yellow quartz. That could work.

'What about Citrine? It's yellow too'

'Why does it have to be yellow?'

'His eyes are kind of yellow' Hazel explained, feeling a bit stupid. Why was she being so literal? She could pick any other type of gemstone.

'That's an awfully romantic thought. Do you like him too?' Muffincake asked eagerly, sending a string of emojis after it.

The very thought was ridiculous. She couldn't like anyone other than Billy. Will flustered her sometimes with his teasing and compliments but that wasn't the same thing at all. Anybody's heart would skip a beat at such sincerity.

Will might be ready to move on from the woman he lost but she would never be. Billy was engraved on her heart. There wasn't room for anybody else.

'No, I'll love the same man until I die'

'So dramatic! Whatever happened with your first love, you have someone right in front of you who clearly dotes on you. Why not give him a chance?'

'I thought you said he might be a serial killer' Hazel replied dryly. This girl changed her mind way too fast. It was giving her whiplash.

'Forget that! Topaz, isn't it time to move on? Go have the glorious romance comic plot experience that I can't' Muffincake sent over a winking emoji to emphasize her point.