Hazel and Elijah Don't Get Caught: Grand Ridge is for Lovers, #0.5

By Marty Vee

He could be trouble, but could he be worth it?

Hazel Matthews has never been reckless, and all of those wise decisions are coming to volition in one month when Grand Ridge Animal Clinic transfers ownership from Doc March to her.

But when Elijah March, her mentor's estranged son—the source material of Hazel's sexual awakening—comes back to their little coastal town, her longtime crush rekindles into a full-blown inferno. Elijah is the distraction she didn't know she was desperate for, with his chestnut-colored hair, and bright green eyes that promise to be worth the trouble.

One night together could threaten everything Hazel has built, but could it be worth it to fulfill a fantasy or two?

Hazel and Elijah Don't Get Caught is the steamy small town prequel to Hazel and Elijah Find Out. You must read Hazel and Elijah Find Out to read their HEA.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marty Vee
• Release date: Jun 6, 2025
• ISBN: 9798231992126

Book preview

Hazel and Elijah Don't Get Caught

Marty Vee

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Vee is for Romance Publishing

Copyright © 2023 by Marty Vee

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

1.Chapter 1

2.Chapter 2

3.Chapter 3

4.Chapter 4

5.Chapter 5

6.Chapter 6

7.Chapter 7

8.Hazel and Elijah Find Out

9.Chapter 1

one

Chapter 1

Hazel

Everyone in Grand Ridge, Michigan knew Elijah March. He’d been a senior when I’d been a sophomore. Having a crush on him had been almost a right of passage for people my age. Oh, you graduated between 2010 and 2015? What was your Elijah March phase?

Mine? I’d signed up for all of them.

Baseball Elijah? Yeah, he wasn’t our star player, but he was the only reason I showed up to games.

Golden-boy Elijah? Yes, please, he had a smile that could charm anyone. It was never directed at me—a nerdy younger girl with frizzy brown hair—but I was still charmed by it.

Rebellious Elijah? Oh, hell yes. He still had the smile, and played baseball, but with a little extra Fuck You on his shoulder. He skipped school to do… whatever kids who skip school do; I was never one of them. And he joined the other rebels to drink in Ol’ Mr. Miller’s backwoods—or so I heard.

His major rebellion, though, was sleeping around; rumor around school said he was very good at it. Again, I wouldn’t know because I didn’t have sex in high school, good or bad.

But I was late to class once because Sarah Hillis was telling Olivia Vazquez salacious details about him. In my, and their, defense the girls hadn’t realized I was in a bathroom stall. It would have been too awkward to leave, so I waited until they had gone. It was worth it for the details I inadvertently discovered.

The rebellious stage was right around the time his mom left his dad, and the church-going, God-fearing community had certainly had opinions on the matter. After Elijah graduated, he and his mom moved to Nashville—or Memphis; I wasn’t sure—he’d been estranged from his dad ever since.

I only knew the last part because his dad was my mentor; Dr. March, our town’s veterinarian.

When he talked to me that morning to say Elijah was visiting and planned to help us later I was curious, but not overly invested. I wasn’t the fawning, nerdy girl with an unrequited crush from ten years ago. I was now a nerdy woman a month away from taking over Dr. March’s vet clinic.

My vet clinic. Almost.

I was too busy and overwhelmed to pay much attention to handsome—or not handsome—men.

It made Dr. March’s next warning unnecessary. You need to stay away from Elijah. He’d be bad for your reputation.

I blinked, completely caught off guard. My reputation? I don’t think we need to worry about that.

He will try to take advantage of you.

Why would you say that? The corners of my mouth turned down.

Dr. March shook his head. I know my son.

No one is going to take advantage of me—

Hazel, stay away from him, he said with a razor-sharp edge to his voice. My son has a history, and it would be unwise to ignore it. If you get involved with him it could affect the sale of the clinic.

How? I’d seen the ownership documents; Elijah March wasn’t insinuated anywhere on them.

Dr. March’s face grew red, and his jaw set. Do as I ask, please.

By the time evening rolled around, I’d mulled over the conversation. It was still on my mind as I put on a summer dress that ended at my ankles and fit like a T-shirt. The perfect outfit to prep for our annual pet adoption event on the local library’s side yard.

The sun was setting when I parked my vehicle next to the historical, large-stone building. There were a few patrons inside, but I was the first from the clinic to arrive. A half hour later, Nora, our business administrator, and Dr. March were directing our other two veterinarians, Brooks and Remi, as they lined up the temporary fencing on the side yard.

Car tires crunched over loose stones on the paved parking lot,