Begin Again novel Chapter 102

"I just need to find the right moment," Eden said.

"There will never be the right moment!" Sienna groaned. "Two years, Eden. How much longer are you going to keep them apart? Liam's trying to meet you halfway, the dinner, the restaurant. Why don't you do the same?"

Eden wished she could make them all see the dinner was hardly the romantic event they all imagined it was despite Liam's over the top romantic gestures.

Her friends still didn't know the real reason she took the job at Anderson Logistics, so they were pretty much under the impression Liam was pursuing her romantically. In a way, he was, but not for the altruistic reasons they all thought.

"Maybe it's time you quit," Lydia suggested. "I mean, focus on your book and try and get it published and then you can live off the royalties."

Eden did her best to ignore the dull ache in her cheek as she laughed. "You've got jokes."

"But Edie, you were assaulted at work, and things with Liam are getting way too complicated," Cassandra said in her fatherly tone as she rubbed her back. "Maybe it's time to pack this shit up. The three of us can help you till you find something. I mean, the studio isn't doing so well, but I can make a plan."

The thought of quitting had crossed Eden's mind a lot over the past few weeks and more times than she cared to count today. But touched as she was by her friends' offer, she couldn't leave Anderson Logistics until she had fulfilled her part of the contract. She'd agreed to stay until Liam worked through his issues with his therapist.

She couldn't tell her friends the truth, though, since they didn't know about Liam's therapy sessions, and as much as she wanted to unburden herself and share the heavy load she had been carrying these past few weeks, she couldn't. It wasn't her place to discuss Liam's mental health issues with anyone other than his therapist.

"I have a bunch of money from my videos, and the soapie is paying me well so you can be my sugar baby for a while," Lydia tried to convince her when the other two failed.

"Guys, I'll be okay," Eden said, hoping she sounded convincing.

She didn't.

Her friends' frowns stayed on their anxious faces the longer they all stared at her.

"Anyway," Eden said in a voice that was way too cheerful considering the day she had. "Isaac's back in town. I'm meeting him again tomorrow for our raincheck."

"You've been holding out on us, St Eden!" They all squealed and asked her all sorts of questions, and they spent the rest of their time at the park planning her date, from her outfit to what she should eat.

"You have to look cute tomorrow!" Sienna said. "Wear your LBD and the leopard print Marc Jacobs heels."

"Pull up your hair to show off your neck," Lydia offered. "Necks are a thing now. Guys go crazy for necks."

"And don't eat anything messy," was Cassandra's only piece of advice.

"Guys, relax, I've got this," Eden said as she strapped Aiden in his stroller and picked up his toys. "It's just a sandwich lunch to make up for the coffee chat Liam crashed last month."

"A date," they all said in unison, and she shook her head, smiling the whole time.

"This is not a date," she insisted. "It's an interview for a handyman."

"He's a fucking hot handyman!" Lydia said, drooling all over Isaac's photos on his Instagram.

"Wait, so where does this leave Liam?" Sienna asked. "I mean if you're going on a date with Isaac. Surely he'll lose his shit, especially when he's bought you a penthouse and—"

"A girl has to have options," Lydia saved Eden the trouble of answering.

"Shut up," Eden mussed up her hair.

"Come on, just do it," Cassandra chimed in. "It's just a meeting."

"And I've never known you to say no to money," Sienna added.

"Guys, it's boxes and hard hats!" Lydia shuddered in disgust.

"I'd put the box over my face for all the millions Liam will likely offer you," Cassandra said. "I'd kill for someone to invest in my studio."

"Still struggling to get investors?" Eden asked as they all sat down and hugged her.

Cassandra shrugged off their concern like she always does, and not for the first time since her financial struggles came up, Eden wondered just how deep a hole her friend was in.

"I'll think about the meeting," Lydia said, changing the subject because they could all see Cassandra's discomfort.

"Thanks," Eden said, relieved that she was at least a step closer to completing the one job Liam had assigned her.

She hugged her friends and left shortly after, Cassandra and her financial woes on her mind as she and Aiden slowly trudged home.

The outing had tired her son out, and he passed out soon after she fed and bathed him. But sleep eluded her, and she spent a long time, tossing and turning in her bed, wondering what fresh hell awaited her in the morning and whether Lucy would attack her again.