Begin Again novel Chapter 104

Liam sighed and bowed his head as he cradled his chin in his hands, his elbows resting on his thighs. "The past two nights were so perfect. I did everything right, and Eden was happy. God, I was happy too. For the first time in two years, I was fucking happy. What if she doesn't come back to work tomorrow, and I never get to feel that kind of happiness again? What if she takes off again? I have to go see her and convince her to stay."

Matthew shook him roughly. "Pull yourself together."

"But I have to apologise to her."

"Didn't you already?" Julian asked. "I thought the vase and the painting were a sure thing. What happened?"

"She returned them. Said she doesn't want them." Liam groaned in his hands. "Why doesn't she want them? I chose them myself; I put thought and care into it. I didn't ask Gibby to help me like I do with everyone else. Why didn't she take them?"

"That makes no sense," Julian was just as bewildered their over the top romantic gesture didn't work.

"I told you to return all that shit." Matthew said, his face beaming with an 'I told you so' look.

"I have to go to her right now—" Liam tried to sit up again. "—And give her the tickets to Fashion Week."

"It's still weeks away. You can give Eden the tickets tomorrow," Julian said reasonably as he and Matthew held him down.

"Who would she even attend the event with anyway? No one goes there alone."

"With me, of course," Liam belched.

The brothers exchanged a look and burst into roaring laughter.

"What? What's so funny?"

"No one can say you don't have a healthy dose of self-confidence." Matthew frowned at him as he sat on the coffee table.

"What do you mean?" Liam asked.

"You fucked up badly, but you're still thinking about taking Eden to Fashion Week when you haven't even fixed half your mess yet," Julian explained patiently.

"Sleep this shit off." Matthew jumped in. "And tomorrow when you see Eden apologise sincerely, and maybe she might start liking you enough to consider going to Fashion Week with you."

Liam blinked at the brothers, perplexed by the very notion that Eden didn't like him. Sure she was angry today, maybe even furious with him. But dislike him? What reason could she possibly have to dislike him when he has tried his damnedest over the past few days to make her happy?

The mere thought of Eden not liking him sobered him up instantly, leaving him reeling with anger and confusion.

"You need to leave," he said quietly.

Julian touched his shoulder to console him. But Liam shrugged it off. "I need to be alone. I'm exhausted."

Matthew stared at him thoughtfully for a while before he asked at last. "Should we ask the receptionists to get you something to eat? Gibby and Clara have left for the day."

"I'm not fucking helpless; I can get my own food," Liam snapped and stumbled his way to the storage cabinets in his bathroom, returning to his office moments later with a light blanket and a couple of pillows.

"You fucked up. Man up, and deal with it!" Matthew glared at him one last time and stormed off, his brother trailing behind him.

"So? What should I do? You said we could fix this. So let's fix it. What's the plan?" He prompted her after a long pause of heavy sighs from both their ends.

"I know you won't like what I have to say, but the only real plan here—"

If someone told him to apologise one more time, he would scream, Liam thought.

Willow did tell him to throw himself at Eden's feet and beg for mercy, and he did scream.

"I did apologise, but she said it's not sincere."

"Well, make it sincere then!" His sister snapped and clicked off, leaving him fuming at the buzzing sound of their disconnected call.

"Fucking hell!" Liam threw his phone across the room and watched it hit the bookcase and fall to the floor with a clanking thud.

He seethed as he fluffed up his pillows and threw the blanket over his face. It's his damn fault for letting his guard down and allowing Eden to get under his skin.

Never again, he swore.

From here on, Linda would oversee all their interactions, and he would respect her wishes and stay away from her.

"I'm done!" Liam vowed again as he turned onto his side and closed his eyes, praying for sleep.

A pair of gorgeous, slanted russet eyes, misty with tears behind dark-framed glasses, was the last thing he saw before he slipped into a beer-induced coma some hours later.