Page 14 of Holding Her Heart

“That’s bullshit. We both know it. You’ve been weird since you got here this morning.”

Eden wanted to get home. Was that such a crime? “Blair, go home with your fiancée. I’ll speak to you next weekend.”

Blair shook her head, tugging Eden’s passenger side door open. “That doesn’t work for me. Get in the car. Dom isn’t even finished getting changed yet. I want to talk to you.”

Eden turned her back, rolling her eyes as she climbed into her Mercedes. Blair followed, reaching over Eden and pressing the lock on the driver side door once she’d cornered her inside the car. “Okay, I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on.”

Eden snorted. “Forgive me, but you haven’t wanted to know much since you met Dom.” Eden winced, instantly regretting what she’d just said. Still, it was how she felt. “And that’s absolutely fine, you’re in a different place now, but I’m not sure why you’re so bothered about anything that’s going on in my life.”

“Ede’s. I’m sorry.”

“Honestly, you don’t need to apologise. We’re at different stages of our lives. You’re back at that falling in love all over again stage, whereas…I’ve never even had that once. But, you know…” Eden paused, lifting a shoulder. “I guess I should be thankful for what I do have and not complain about the fact I have no love life. It’s hardly the end of the world.”

Except it was close to being exactly that. Eden would give anything to feel…loved.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around as much as I used to be. I’ll do better, I promise. But please, talk to me.”

“I’m feeling…out of sorts.”

“In what way?” Blair asked, offering Eden a lopsided smile. “In your job?”

“No. My job is perfect. In life, I guess.” Aster. It’s all Aster.

“Are you and Liam having problems?” Blair placed a gentle hand on Eden’s shoulder. “I thought everything was going well.”

“I haven’t seen him in 3 weeks. He keeps calling, but I’m always busy.”

Blair sighed. “You have to make time for him, Eden. He’s your boyfriend. And I know you love your business, it’s been your life for so long, but you deserve love, too. And God knows you need a break. A day off.”

“I…don’t want to see him.” Eden couldn’t put into words how much she never wanted to see Liam again. And he always seemed to call when she was with Aster. That certainly brought the mood down.

Blair remained silent. She always was good at that.

“I feel unfulfilled with him. He wants a lavish lifestyle, and that’s not me. I don’t know why I keep picking the boy racers and the bad boys, but it has to stop.” Eden paused, blowing out a deep breath. “I see how happy you are with Dom, and damn it…I want that, too.”

“You can have it. You need to find the right person for you, love. And it will happen. If I can find the woman for me, you can find the man for you.”

If that were true, why was Eden constantly thinking about Aster? Why, if she wasn’t attracted to women, was a woman permanently on her mind? None of this made any sense.

“I don’t know what I want anymore. But I plan all of these weddings, and I make sure my clients have the ultimate day, something they could have only dreamed about, and it’s really rubbish when I go home alone. I mean, you know me better than anyone, Blair. You know how much I love happy endings, couples, Valentine’s Day, and everything to do with love…so why am I lacking in it?”

“I don’t know, sweetie. You’ve not found the person who makes you happy, and that’s okay. It’ll happen when it happens.”

“What if…” Eden shook her head. She couldn’t say it. Blair would laugh in her face. “No, never mind.”

“Tell me. I want to know what’s on your mind.”

Eden swallowed, her eyes finding Blair’s. “What if I’ve been looking in the wrong place?”

“I don’t understand.”

“No, me neither.” Eden could only smile. Put on her best brave face. It was absurd to even consider her attraction to Aster. It surely meant nothing. Maybe she was bored with life and she was looking for a little excitement.

But it didn’t feel that way. Eden didn’t for one second feel as though she wanted to experiment. No, her attraction was real. It was genuine. But she still didn’t know why it was Aster who kept creeping to the front of her mind.

“Look, I should get home. I have housework to do.”

“God, that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

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