Come on, Isabel. It'll be good for us," Jaxon urged, his voice more convincing than I was prepared for. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed, his expression serious. "It's just one night. We can do this. For Hazel. For us."
I scowled, eyeing him warily. "What exactly are you asking me to do here, Jaxon?
"Come with me to this charity event tomorrow night. As a family. It's not gonna be as crazy as last time, I promise." His smile was small, almost like he was trying to reassure both of us at once. "I'm not asking for anything big, just. a simple night out. You, me, and Hazel. Nothing more, nothing less."
I hesitated, the thought of going anywhere with him in front of all these people stirring more anxiety than I was willing to let on. But being around him, the feeling of
