(hazel's outfit for this chapter)

It's been so weird with Bailey not around, but everyone eventually got back to the way it was. Hazel was heading next door after she got ready for the wedding. She was invited with the family to Summer's sister's wedding. She was dressed up, wearing a dark purple dress that went a few inches below her knees.

"Hey, neighbors." She greets with a smile. She gasps at seeing Chloe's messed up hair. "Chlo, did you do your hair yourself?" She asked, looking concerned.

"No, daddy did it." Chloe admitted, shaking her head

."I can tell." Hazel chuckles. "It doesn't look like what Bailey did with it at all."

Beau sighs. "Hazel, I just told the others we're not talkin' about Bai-"

"Bailey!" The boys said excitedly, rushing to the stairs when they saw Bailey walk down the stairs. Brody had grabbed Chloe from off the kitchen island, carrying her over to the stairs.

"Bailey!" Hazel added when she saw her and she quickly followed the boys with a grin. 

"We're so glad you're back." Tuck grinned.

"Hi! It's so nice to see you." Bailey smiled as she hugged the others bac. "What are you doing here?" Brody asked.

"Oh, hey, Beau. I only came by to get the rest of my stuff and I purposely came real early so I wouldn't see anybody." Bailey admits. "But what happened was, when I was sittin' on the bed, packin' everything, I got kinda cold, so I wrapped myself in a comforter and I had the best nap." She smiled sheepishly and shrugged. Hazel giggled a little bit, looking at her with a small amused smile.

"How did you get in the house?" Beau stared at her in confusion, not knowing how she could have gotten in the house since he had fired her.

Bailey holds up a key she had. "With my key-your key." She corrected quickly, handing it over to him.

"You realize when people get fired, they don't return to the workplace?" Beau pointed out, raising his eyebrows at her. 

Dylan steps forward, coming to Bailey's defense. "And when you fired her, daddy, she became a guest. Where are your manners?" He smiles at Bailey. "You hungry?"

"A little." Bailey admitted.

"So are we. Can ya make us something?" Dylan smiled, guiding her into the kitchen.

"They'll be plenty to eat at the wedding." Beau stops them. "Come on, let's hustle."

"Oh, whose wedding is it?" Bailey asked curiously.

"Summer's baby sister." Tuck replied while he fixed his tie.  Hazel noticed he was having some trouble, so she went over to help him. 

 "Need some help?" She questioned, smiling teasingly at him. 

"Yeah, but how do you know how to fix a tie?" He questioned, giving her a confused look. 

"Well, when you grow up next door to your best friend who's a boy and who has brothers, you learn a lot of things." She shrugged and began tying his tie. She Hazel noticed he was smiled fondly at the memories of growing up next door to Tuck and his brothers, feeling a warmth in her heart.

Bailey watched the interaction between Hazel and Tuck with a soft smile, a knowing look in her eyes. She had a feeling the two were more than just best friends

"I'll get out of your way and have a good time at the wedding, and I miss y'all." Bailey said as she started walking to the door. 

"Wait!" Chloe calls out to her. "You're just gonna leave me here lookin' like a Chewbacca?" Hazel laughs at her question, looking at her in amusement. She had to admit though, her hair did look really awful. But she didn't wanna say anything about it and make Beau feel bad. "Well, if your daddy allows me, I can fix your hair and turn that dress around so it's not inside out." Bailey offered.

"It's 'clean' side out." Beau interjected, gesturing for Bailey to help Chloe.

"So, where's your sister? And maybe a hat?" Bailey asked, guiding Chloe into the living room to help her with her hair. 

"Cassidy, what's taking so long?" Beau called out.

"She hasn't been to church in two years. She probably forgot how to put on a dress." Brody quipped.

"Why hasn't she been to church in two years?" Bailey questioned, looking confused and curious with concerned mixed in. 

"She's refused to step foot in church ever since mama's funeral." Dylan answered.

"Yeah, which is why I'm so grateful for this wedding. Cass can't resist a wedding." Beau said. "I'm telling you, once she walks in that church and feels the love of her community, she'll find her faith again.

"Cassidy soon walks down the stairs, but she wasn't dressed up. She was wearing her normal clothes. "Or maybe not." Hazel noticed.

"Cassidy-" Beau started. 

"I'm not goin' to the-" Cassidy pauses, but then she notices Bailey and she gasps excitedly. "Bailey!" She goes over to her quickly and hugs her. "Daddy, did you ask her to take care of me 'cause I'm not going to the wedding?"

"No." Beau shook his head.

"Could you?" Cassidy asked and Hazel chuckled. She knew Cassidy didn't like going to church, she hadn't went to one since her mom died two years ago. Though she loved weddings so she's surprised that Cassidy didn't want to go.

Beau turns to the boys, rolling his eyes at seeing they were all fixing their hair. "Stop primping and get in the truck."

"But the mayor's daughter will be there." Tuck explained. Hazel glanced down at that and she couldn't help but feel her heart sink. She shouldn't be jealous because Tuck isn't hers, but she can't help it.

"Yeah, Sarah Beth." Brody dreamingly said. 

"She's so pretty." Tuck nodded and pointed at him agreement. 

"You better hope she likes boy that smell like girls." Dylan remarked.

Hazel raises her eyebrows, glancing at Brody with confusion. "What's he talkin' about?"

"Nothin'!" Brody quickly replied with a nervous smile.

"Get in the truck, okay?" Beau demanded, pointing at the door and ushering Hazel and his kids out. Hazel gave him a mock salute and then she headed out the door as the other kids followed her. She rolled her eyes as Tuck and Brody started talking about Sarah Beth and how pretty she is. She was starting to get annoyed.

"Is Sarah Beth all that great?" Hazel asked, not sure what the big deal was. She could tell they were all excited about her, but she didn't quite understand why.

"She's the mayor's daughter." Tuck shrugged, as if that explained everything.

"Yeah, and she's super pretty." Brody added with a dreamy sigh.

"But what else?" Hazel asked, not quite satisfied with their answers. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, but she pushed it down. She didn't want to admit to herself that she cared about Tuck's interest in Sarah Beth.

"Well, she's nice and she's smart, and did I mention she's pretty?" Tuck grinned.

"Yeah, but what else?" Hazel pressed, crossing her arms.

"I don't know, Hazel. Why are you so interested?" Tuck raised an eyebrow, looking at her curiously

.Hazel felt herself flush slightly. "I'm just curious. She must have more going for her than just being the mayor's daughter and being pretty."

"You sound jealous." Brody noticed, looking at her with an amused smile. Hazel felt her cheeks heat up even more at Brody's observation. 

"I'm not jealous," She insists, though her tone lacked conviction even to her own ears. "I just think there's more to people than their looks and family background." She defended.

"Are you sure you're not jealous, Hazel?" Brody teased, giving her a knowing look.

"Shut up, Brody." Hazel muttered, glaring at him as her cheeks reddened. She was relieved to see Tuck decided to get into the truck, helping Chloe in as well. 

Brody turns to Hazel with a grin. "You like Tuck."

"I do not," Hazel hisses, shooting a warning glare at him. "He's my best friend, and that's it."

"Oh, yeah? That's it? Then why are you getting so defensive?" Brody questioned, a smug smirk forming on his lips.

"I'm not defensive," Hazel scoffs, crossing her arms. "I'm just stating the facts. There's nothin' more between me and Tuck." She tried to keep her voice steady, but even she could hear the wavering in it. She knew she wasn't convincing anyone, least of all herself. The way she felt a twist in her stomach every time Tuck mentioned Sarah Beth was proof enough that she was lying.

"You want somethin' more though," Brody points out, a teasing glint in his eyes. "That's why you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Hazel says again, her voice more firm this time. "And I don't like him like that. I just think it's kinda shallow to only care about someone's looks and family."

"If you say so, Hazel," Brody says, an unconvinced tone to his voice. "But I think you like him, and I think you're jealous." He grinned at her, nudging her shoulder as he walked over to the truck to climb in.

Hazel scowled, watching as he climbed into the truck with the others. She could feel her face burning with embarrassment, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. She wasn't jealous. She didn't like Tuck like that..Right? She couldn't. He was her best friend, and she didn't want to ruin their friendship by developing feelings for him. But she couldn't deny the jealousy she felt when she heard the boys talking about Sarah Beth. Was it possible that she did have feelings for him? No, she couldn't. She was not going to fall for her best friend. That was a sure-fire way to ruin their friendship.As Hazel climbed into the truck, she couldn't help but wonder if Brody was right. Did she like Tuck? If so, she was in big trouble.

****

When Hazel and the siblings arrived at the wedding, she couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful everything looked. The decorations were absolutely gorgeous, and the church was packed with guests. She could see several familiar faces, but her gaze lingered on Tuck's. He was looking especially handsome in his suit, and she could feel her cheeks heating up as she looked at him.

She mentally scolded herself and turned to look away quickly, her heart racing in her chest. Why was she feeling like this? It wasn't fair. She didn't want to have these feelings for him. But try as she might, she couldn't deny the attraction she felt toward him. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Brody smirking at her and she shot him a glare.

"Stop lookin' at me like that." She huffed. 

"Like what?" Brody questioned, a teasing note to his voice.

"You know exactly what," Hazel hisses, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. "And you're wrong, by the way."

"About what?" Brody asked innocently, though the smug look on his face tells her otherwise.

"You know what," Hazel mutters, shooting him a warning look. "Don't you dare say a word. I'll hurt you."

"Hurt him for what?" Tuck asked curiously, glancing between them in confusion.

"Nothin'," Hazel quickly replies, giving Brody another warning look. "We were just talkin' about the wedding, weren't we, Brody?" She elbowed him roughly in the side, earning a muffled grunt from him.

"Ow! Yeah, the wedding," Brody agrees, rubbing his side gingerly. "It's gonna be great."

Tuck looked at them suspiciously for a moment, but then he seemed to decide not to question it any further. Thankfully, their dad had spoke up and Tuck's attention was turned to him. Hazel breathed a sigh of relief and glared at Brody again. She needed to get her emotions under control, and fast. She couldn't let anyone else, especially Tuck, find out about her feelings for him. It would ruin their friendship, and that was the last thing she wanted. 

"Hurry up. Let's find seats before Summer's mamma finds me." Beau warns as they enter the church. "She talks more than a preacher on Sunday."

"There you are! Oh, darlin'!" Summer's mom greets with a bright smile when she walked over to the group, pulling a reluctant Beau into a hug. "I declare you look more handsome every time I see you." She turns to face the kids with a grin. "And look at these gorgeous children. I guess horses aren't the only thing you're good at breeding. You know, I paid top dollar to have Summer's eggs frozen." She added to Beau, lowering her voice so not everyone could hear. 

"You got robbed. A chicken's only three bucks." Chloe spoke up.

Summer's mom looks at her with a smile. "You must be Chloe. You are so precious, I could just eat you up!" She pinched Chloe's cheeks, causing the young girl to panic and quickly go over to her dad.

"Help me, daddy." She pleaded and Beau wrapped his arm around her when she ran to him.

"So, Abigail, these are my boys. That's Dylan, Tuck, and Brody." Beau introduces, gesturing to his three sons. "And this is our neighbor and Tuck's best friend, Hazel. She's an honorary member of the family."

The four of them quickly cover their mouth as they shook Abigail's hands so she wouldn't pinch their cheeks like she did with Chloe. "Oh my goodness, it must be so hard managin' a hoarse farm and all these children on your own." Abigail spoke softly.

"Maybe I should sign us in." Beau decided nervously, trying to find a way to avoid Abigail and her constant chattering.

"Oh, I took care of that for ya." Abigail assured him.

"Oh, thank you, Abigail. That was awfully-You signed it 'Mr. and Mrs. Beau and Summer Haywood and family'." Beau noticed, his eyes widening slightly when he checked the sign in book.

"Did I?" Abigail pretends to act surprised as she got herself a cup of punch that was set out. "Sherbert punch?" She offered her drink with a sheepish smile.

****

Hazel was surprised Summer and her sister weren't there yet. It had been more than a few moments and everyone was waiting in the church. "I'm worried about Summer. I'm gonna go see if her mamma's heard from her." Beau decides, taking a deep breath before picking Chloe off his lap and setting her on the pew when he stood. "Pray for me." He told them before he left the room. Hazel chuckled lightly, shaking her head at his dramatics. Though she did understand it, Summer's mom was a handful.

"There's the mayor's daughter." Brody points out to a blonde-haired girl standing at the front, talking to some friends. "She's even prettier in person."

"Brody, there's more to the mayor's daughter than just her good looks. This girl's getting me about of my speeding ticket." Tuck smirked. Hazel rolled her eyes, trying not to feel jealous as they gawked over Sarah Beth. She knew she had no right to be jealous, but she couldn't help it.

"Pearl, may I have a moment?" The reverend asks the woman at the piano, who nods in response. "I was thinkin' while we wait for the bride to show, she will show. Have faith, son." He puts a comforting hand on the groom to reassure him. "But if anybody would like to come up and sing a song or share their testimony? Donate some blood?"

"Reverend-"

"Thank you for that introduction, brother." Tuck interrupts Brody, who glares at him when he stood as well. "Reverend, I've already given blood this week, so if it's okay with you, I'd like to give my heart with a song to the mayor's daughter." He explained, smiling at Sarah Beth, who blushed and smiled back at him.

Brody pouts and sits back down with a heavy sigh. Hazel sent him a sympathetic look, reaching over to pat his knee. She knew Tuck always got the girls and it was harder for Brody because he wasn't as popular. He was a good kid, and he deserved a girl that would appreciate him for who he is. He just wasn't as confident as Tuck. 

****

A group of girls standing in front of Tuck cheered after he finished singing and playing an acoustic guitar. Brody rolls his eyes and Hazel sighed. This was a nightmare. Tuck had the attention of all the girls their age in the room, and it was obvious they were all interested in him. Hazel couldn't help but feel jealous, though she did her best to push those feelings down. She hated seeing him flirt with other girls, and it made her stomach twist into knots.

"Thank you, ladies and the young gentleman in the Izod shirt." Tuck said with a smile. When the girls all encouraged him to play again, he smirks. "The Lord does command us to be obedient." He points at the Reverend to prove his point, who nods in agreement and shrugs. He smiles at Sarah Beth. "This one's for you, Sarah Beth."

"Are you gonna let him win without a fight?" Chloe asked Brody.

"Yup." Brody frowned.

"Brody, you got two things Tuck doesn't have." Chloe told him.

"Anxiety and a gluten intolerance?" Brody questioned, his frown deepening while his shoulders slumped. Hazel sent him a sympathetic look, squeezing his knee in a comforting gesture. She hated seeing him down on himself like this.

"Your shake and your wiggle!" Chloe replied.

Brody raises his eyebrows, realizing she was right as he crosses his arms. "I can wiggle."

"Brody," Hazel chimes in. "Chloe's right. You've got this. If Sarah Beth doesn't like you, then she's not worth it.""

You think?" Brody asked, sitting up straighter as a small smile forms on his lips.

"Totally." Hazel nods, smiling encouragingly at him. "Now, go get 'em, tiger." She gently pushed him up, and he took a deep breath as he walked to the stage. He joined in on Tuck singing, dancing and singing parts of the song, surprising his brother - who didn't think he would do this. They started going back and forth trying to win Sarah Beth over. Brody had even picked up one of the flowers from an arrangement to hand to her which she thought was sweet but then she noticed Tuck had taken his shirt off and was now only wearing a tank top, revealing his muscles. Hazel groaned, covering her face with her hands. Why did he have to do that? He was just making it harder for her to hide her feelings.  She didn't blame all the girls focusing on him now, he was pretty hot. Though she felt so bad for Brody, seeing him give up and walk away sadly. She got up and went to check on him.

"You were really brave up there." She commented with a soft smile, putting a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"He had to take his shirt off." Brody sighs, watching the girls cheer Tuck on. "I'm no match for him, Hazel. I never have been."

"Hey, don't talk like that," Hazel shakes her head and sighs. She wraps an arm around Brody's shoulders, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "You're a great guy, Brody. You're kind and sweet, and you have a big heart. I know it might feel like you're in his shadow sometimes, but you shine in your own way." Hazel gave him a reassuring smile. "And someday, someone is going to appreciate you for exactly who you are.

"Brody looks at her, his expression softening. "Thanks, Hazel. That means a lot." He pulls her in for a hug, sighing as he buries his face in her neck. "Still wish he didn't have to take his shirt off." He grumbled.

"You're tellin' me." Hazel muttered, feeling her cheeks heat up. She really didn't need to see him without a shirt, but now it was going to be hard not to think about that. She knew she was attracted to him, but she had always done her best to push those thoughts away. But now, it was harder to do so. She would never tell him how she felt, though. She didn't want to risk their friendship, and besides, he probably didn't see her that way. They were best friends, and that's all they would ever be.

****

Summer and her sister had finally arrived and Hazel was surprised by how the wedding turned out. April, Summer's sister, actually fell in love with Jimmy - a janitor working at the wedding, but she was supposed to marry Cody, the mayor's son. Though she didn't want to marry him, she just did it anyway because that's what her parents wanted. But the Haywoods, Bailey, and her sister had convinced her to marry the man she loves and she got married to Jimmy after all. Hazel was happy for them, they were a cute couple. And she was proud of Cassidy for finally coming into the church - with Bailey's help. 

The next day, Hazel went over next door like she usually did, trying to ignore the pain in her chest when she overheard Tuck had gotten eight phone numbers from the wedding yesterday. Of course he did, she wasn't surprised. She had always known he was the popular one, and that girls liked him. But that didn't make it hurt any less. She sighed and shook her head, trying to push those thoughts aside. She perked up when she saw Bailey there and ran to the older woman to hug her. 

"Bailey! Wait, does this mean you're hired again?" She asked hopefully, looking over at Beau.

Bailey laughs, hugging her back. "It sure does! Your dad's agreed to give me another chance."

"Yes!" Hazel fist pumps the air out of excitement. She grins at Beau. "Great choice, Beau!" Beau chuckled and shook his head at her.

"Well, I got a surprise for y'all too!" Summer smiles, walking over as she carried the top of her sister's wedding cake. Everyone looks at her with surprise. "What? Well, I couldn't very well take the bottom layer, without toppling the entire cake." She chuckles, sitting down and placing it on the table. "Okay," She grins, using a knife to start to cut the cake, but accidentally pulled the two figurines on top. "Oh no!" She clicks her tongue. "They broke apart."

"Now that's a sign." Cassidy grinned.

"Don't tell me you don't want cake. I know you want cake." Summer told everyone. Everyone eagerly sat down at the table to get some of the cake. Hazel giggled as she watched everyone, smiling fondly at her friends. She loved moments like these, when they were all together, enjoying each other's company despite the chaos that often ensued. As she took a bite of cake, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the bonds they shared, even amidst the ups and downs of life in their small town.

After the cake was devoured and the laughter died down, Hazel found herself sitting with Bailey, enjoying a quiet moment away from the hustle and bustle. "I'm really glad you're back, Bailey," She said sincerely. "Things just aren't the same without you around."

Bailey smiles warmly at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I'm glad to be back, sweetheart. And I'm glad to see you doing well. You've grown into such a remarkable young woman."

Hazel blushes at the compliment, feeling a swell of pride. Coming from Bailey, whose wisdom and kindness she greatly admired, it meant a lot. "Thank you, Bailey. That means a lot coming from you." She replied earnestly.

As they chatted, Hazel couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of her mind about her complicated feelings for Tuck. It was frustrating, not being able to fully understand them or know what to do about them. Bailey seemed to sense her unease and gently nudged her. "Somethin' on your mind, sweetheart?" She asked gently.

Hazel sighs, fiddling with her fingers as she tried to figure out how to put her jumbled thoughts into words. Or if she should even tell her. "Yeah, there's... Something I've been struggling with, and I'm not sure what to do about it."

Bailey nods understandingly, her expression thoughtful. "I see. Would you like to talk about it?"

Hazel chews her bottom lip, contemplating her options. "Not yet." She admits. "Still not really sure what to make of it myself."

Bailey hums in acknowledgment. "That's alright. Whenever you're ready, I'm here." She nudged her again and offered her a comforting smile.

"Thanks, Bailey." Hazel replied, returning her smile. She appreciated the woman's support and encouragement. She would figure things out, eventually. But for now, she would focus on the present. On spending time with the people she cared about, and enjoying each moment together.

A/N hazel & tuck >>> also loving hazel's & bailey's bond so much & i love hazel's & brody's friendship too