Caught stealing, p.1
Caught Stealing, page 1
Tori Pritchett
Caught Stealing
Copyright © 2024 by Tori Pritchett
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
Tori Pritchett asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.
First edition
Cover art by Lyssa at Booked Forever
This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy
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To all my girlies that love them some boys in baseball pants.
And also to teenage me: you did it girl, you wrote a damn book.
Contents
Content Warnings
Playlist
1. Hazel
2. Sebastian
3. Hazel
4. Sebastian
5. Hazel
6. Sebastian
7. Hazel
8. Sebastian
9. Hazel
10. Sebastian
11. Hazel
12. Sebastian
13. Hazel
14. Sebastian
15. Hazel
16. Sebastian
17. Hazel
18. Sebastian
19. Hazel
20. Sebastian
21. Hazel
22. Sebastian
23. Hazel
24. Sebastian
25. Hazel
26. Sebastian
27. Hazel
28. Sebastian
29. Hazel
30. Sebastian
31. Hazel
32. Sebastian
33. Hazel
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Content Warnings
This book is a lighthearted contemporary romance, but does contain some mental health representation. Your mental health is important so please make sure to look at the list. Be aware that the list may contain spoilers.
On page panic attacks
Mention of depression and anxiety
Sexual content
Accidental pregnancy
Childbirth (not in detail)
Playlist
Everything We Need - A Day to Remember
My Heart I Surrender - I Prevail
October - Alessia Cara
Lonely Heart - 5 Seconds of Summer
Dandelions - Ruth B.
Die For You - The Weeknd
Say Don’t Go (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift
Leave Before You Love Me - Marshmello, Jonas Brothers
Listen on Spotify.
1
Hazel
I’m standing in the middle of the empty living room in the house that was my home for six years. A dozen boxes marked with my name sit by the door awaiting the movers. After ten months of separation, my divorce was finalized two weeks ago and after that, our house sold pretty much immediately. Luckily, we didn’t want anything from each other. We split the profits from the sale of the house and divided up all our belongings. I just wish it didn’t hurt as bad as it still does. Six years of marriage gone just like that.
Andy and I had been drifting apart for a long time. As a wedding and lifestyle photographer in California, I’m always really busy since the wedding season in Los Angeles is pretty much all year round. Andy works for my dad as a luxury real estate broker, so it’s not like he wasn’t super busy all the time, too.
Honestly, I don’t even think that’s why things stopped working. Neither of us were even trying anymore and I couldn’t tell you the last time we actually went on a date or spent any real time together without other people being around. Andy was amazing when we got together. He’s eight years older than me, so at twenty-two he was a breath of fresh air compared to guys my age. We got engaged then married really quickly. But after a couple of years, things changed and I slowly realized that we didn’t want the same things in life. He always said we could visit the topic of having children later on, but then eventually he decided he didn’t want to have kids at all. I had always dreamed of being a mother and I started to resent him because it felt like he took that away from me. One day, everything clicked into place for me and I finally realized that I wasn’t happy and I didn’t need to live the rest of my life feeling unfulfilled.
And now, being divorced and having no kids at twenty-nine, I feel like a failure, especially when my parents have been happily married for thirty-two years. I have to get away from all of the bad feelings and memories in LA. It’s a big city, but suddenly it feels so small and everywhere I go is a reminder of my failed marriage. Especially since I’ve been lying to potential and current clients for almost a year. I have struggled with keeping my divorce from them. But I have heard comments from colleagues in the wedding industry that people can be very particular about vendors that they hire for their wedding, especially ones that are going through divorces or struggles in their relationships. I guess some people don’t think a single person can photograph love appropriately? They are counting on someone to capture their wedding day and the love between them so maybe they feel like someone going through a divorce can’t do that. Who knows? So, I don’t outright lie to people, but I conveniently don’t bring up the fact that I’m divorced.
After the separation, I moved in with my parents until I could figure out what I was going to do. After ten months of living with them, I’m starting to feel suffocated. I’m ready to move out of my parents house and move on with my life, somewhere where I don’t have to face memories or lie to my clients anymore. I had to stick around until we could finalize everything with the divorce and sell the house, but now there’s nothing else keeping me here. My sister, Cami, has been begging me to move to New York City and stay with her in our parents’ New York apartment. I hate feeling like I’m mooching off of my parents by moving in with Cami, but they were more than happy to let me live there to finally have someone keep an eye on my twenty-one year old sister who is living it up in her junior year of college.
I’m a little nervous about moving across the country and leaving behind pretty much all that I’ve ever known, but I’m excited for a new opportunity in a new city. We lived in New York City until I was ten so I already have a few potential clients there since we still have family friends in the area and I have photographed some weddings in the area for a few clients that have found me on social media. My flight to New York is early in the morning and then, as cliche as it sounds, my new life will begin.
As the movers are carrying out my boxes to the truck and putting them with the rest of the stuff from my parents house, I text my best friend to let her know I’m leaving soon to meet her for lunch. Once everything is packed up and all my belongings are on the way to New York City, I get in my car and head to the restaurant to meet her. Today is a sunny day in late April which makes me miss this place already. I vaguely remember the weather in New York from my childhood and I’m not looking forward to the frigid winters.
Polly is waiting outside when I pull up and park in front of our favorite little cafe we frequent.
“Hey,” I say to her as I come around my car and I approach her, sounding more exhausted than I mean to.
“Hi,” she replies, tears in her brown eyes already.
“No, don’t start now.” I’m already struggling with leaving. She promised she wouldn’t cry to help make it easier on me.
“I’m sorry,” she cries, “I just can’t believe you’re leaving already.”
“I know, but it’s for the best. I need a change and you know it.” A lump forms in my throat, but I let out a small breath to push it down.
“I know. It’s just hard not to take it to heart. You’re my person. I need you.” She pulls me into a long hug.
“Okay. Let’s go inside and try to have a normal lunch?” I sniff and pull away before I start crying and grab her arm to lead her into the restaurant. We’ve been here so many times and I’m really going to miss it. It’s probably one of the only memories I will actually cherish from my adult life in California.
“So what are you going to do when you get out there?” Polly asks me as we get seated outside on the cafe’s patio which is our favorite spot because it’s close to the sidewalk and we can people watch. I hang my purse on the back of the wooden chair and sit down. Polly sits down across from me and flings her long brown ponytail over her shoulder.
“Well, I have that wedding in Montauk coming up at the beginning of June. That’s the only thing I have lined up right now.” I huff out a sigh. “I still have to edit a few galleries. But mostly I’m going to just try to take some time to myself.”
“That’s good! You deserve some down time after all the stress of everything, she says as she looks at me with sad eyes. “Have you talked to Andy at all?”
“Nope. He hasn’t spoken to me since I moved out. We’ve been communicating about the sale of the house and me moving my stuff out through his assistant. I texted her before I got here letting her know that all of my stuff was out. I assume that’ll be the last form of communication we’ll have.”
“Gosh, that’s so crazy to me how quickly that all happened,” she breathes. My brain starts spinning thinking about the whole thing. I shut it down before I start breaking down. I’ve done well so far with handling my emotions regarding my divorce. I’m not about to fall apart now.
“I know, but can we talk about something else? I’m ready to let go,” I snap and I immediately internally wince because I didn’t intend to be so harsh with her. I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I understand. Tell me about the apartment.” I try to sound excited as I tell her about the apartment and its location.
“Are you worried about living with Cami?” she asks.
“No, not really. Surprisingly, we have always gotten along well because of our age difference. She was far too young to ever get into my business too much growing up,” I laugh.
“Well that’s good. I can’t say the same about my brother. He’s a complete asshole.” Polly’s brother is the front man for a widely known rock band. I know deep down she loves her brother, but I know there’s history between him and her best friend and her brother was way in the wrong when things ended. I know Polly struggles with that a lot.
“Well, at least one of you turned out amazing,” I say as I give her an over dramatic grin.
“So, do you think you’ll start dating once you get to New York?” Polly asks.
“Oh God, no. I need to really establish my business before I start dating again. Damn, I don’t even want to think about it. How does one date when they’re almost thirty? I don’t have time to date someone for years before things get serious.” The very thought of dating again and potentially getting married makes me almost break out in a panic attack.
“Shit, I don’t know. That’s tough. Especially since I know your mom is always making comments about wanting to have grandkids soon.” I roll my eyes. I think my mom grieved my marriage more than I did because the possibility of grandchildren slipped away from her.
“God, I know. It doesn’t help that Andy works closely with my dad so I’m sure she’s been seeing him a ton since we separated.”
Polly laughs. “Man, she’s something else.” I love my mom, but she and I have had very different lives and she just can’t understand how I could walk away from a man who was financially stable.
We’re able to get through lunch without any more tears. We chat about more of my plans in New York and she complains a little more about how she’ll struggle to survive without me close by. The time goes by too quickly and we have to say goodbye. When we leave, I remind her that I’ll be back in August for a wedding and that we’ll spend time together then. She’s the only person I have left to say goodbye to. My parents are out of town, so I won’t see them until they come to New York in a few months for a big meeting my dad has. When we say our goodbyes, I get into my car and sit there for a second. Tears prick my eyes when I think about leaving everything behind, but it’s for the best.
***
I have to run a few last minute errands before I leave tomorrow so I head to Target. I park and head in, grabbing Starbucks before I start wandering through the aisles. I head over to the electronics to buy some new headphones. I would drop my Airpods in the kitchen sink the week that I’m supposed to take a long plane ride. While I’m looking over the display, I see someone familiar out of the corner of my eye. I look up to see Andy, looking professional as always with his brown hair slicked back and in a gray suit and black tie. He’s with who I can only guess is his new girlfriend Kate, based on how Polly described her to me when she Facebook stalked her after we found out Andy was dating someone just months after I moved out. I duck my head and try to leave without being seen.
“Hazel!” Andy calls. Shit. I whip my head around.
“Oh, Andy, hey!” I say as cool as I can even though I’m freaking out inside. Thank God I actually did a little bit of makeup today so I don’t totally look like a hot mess.
“Hey, I didn’t expect to run into you,” he says while his girlfriend stands awkwardly at his side, looking me over. “Oh sorry, Hazel, this is Kate.” And God, she’s beautiful. Your typical blonde hair, tan, big breasted LA girl. I’m sure she’s really nice… That was sarcasm. I internally roll my eyes.
“Hi, Kate. Nice to meet you.” I plaster my best fake smile that hopefully doesn’t look fake and go to shake her hand.
“Hi! Sooo nice to meet you,” she says sweetly which sounds a bit condescending.
“Alright, well I have to get going. I finished packing up the house today. I messaged your assistant to tell you,” I say as I start backing away.
“Oh, great. Thanks. Well I’ll see you around.”
“Not likely,” I huff under my breath as I turn.
“What was that?” he asks. Shit, I guess it wasn’t as under my breath as I thought.
“Oh I just said ‘probably not’ because I’m actually moving to New York City now that the house is sold and cleaned out.”
“Oh. Well good for you,” he offers. God, he’s infuriating. I can’t believe he’s acting completely normal with me when we literally haven’t spoken one word to each other since I left ten months ago.
“Yeah, thanks. Well, I’m gonna go,” I say, tossing my thumb over my shoulder and then walking away as calmly but as quickly as possible. Wow, what a freaking disaster. And that’s why I have to get out of here. I have literally gone out of my way the past ten months to not run into him, then when I let my guard down and actually go out somewhere in our old neighborhood, there he is.
When I get back to my parents’ house, I set my bags with some of my clothes and important items that I didn’t trust being driven across the country by movers down next to the door. Then, I do the only thing other than photography that makes me feel better when I’m stressed: I watch baseball. I’m really excited to be moving to New York so maybe I can go to some home games. The Pinstripes are my favorite baseball team and if I’m not watching the games on TV, I’m following along with game updates on my phone. I turn on the game and plop on the couch in my room. Because of my errands after lunch, I missed most of the game. It’s the bottom of the ninth inning and the Pinstripes are down by two runs. I start watching with perfect timing to watch my favorite player Sebastian Sanchez come up to bat with bases loaded and two outs. After a long at bat of twelve pitches and racking up a three-two count, Sanchez hits a walk off grand slam!
“Hell yeah!” I scream in my room all alone. That seems like a sign to me that everything is going to work out in New York.
2
Sebastian
This bar is so fucking loud that it makes my head pound. At thirty-three, I shouldn’t be going out with the young guys anymore, but my best friend, Felix, dragged me out. He’s a rookie, but he and I became good friends while he played a couple games with us last year in the postseason. He’s got a full time spot on the team this year and I’m proud of him. He begged me to come out with the team and celebrate our sweep of Seattle and my walk off grand slam tonight. This kind of place isn’t my scene, but the young guys on the team love this kind of small sports bar where they can get recognized. It fuels the ego, I guess. I hate being recognized, so I prefer to go to larger places where most people are not paying attention to anything except themselves.
“Sebastian!” Felix yells at me from the makeshift dance floor in the tiny dive bar we’re at. I turn and give him a look that says ‘what the fuck do you want?’ and he motions for me to come join him and points to the blonde he’s dancing with and her friend. I shake my head at him. He’s always trying to pick out hookups for me. I don’t need his help getting women. Contrary to what he thinks, I can get any woman I want. And I know that may sound cocky, but that’s just one of the perks of being one of the biggest names in professional sports.
