Page 95 of Begin Again, Part 1

"Me too." Holly nodded, tears shimmering in her big eyes. "But it's my birthday. You shouldn't be upset with me, Daddy."

Clarke pinched his nose and waved them off. "I wonder why Eden joined the company. She could have gone to any art gallery in the country. She's a damn fine artist and graduated top of her class. Her father has a few of her paintings in his office."

Willow was all ears now. Liam, too. He waited for more, but it was all his father would say on the subject.

"If she's as good as Daddy says she is, tell her to send me her portfolio," Willow said. "Better yet, give me her contact details. We're always looking for new talent."

Liam shut her down fast. "Let me make myself crystal clear, Willow; Eden isn't going anywhere. I'm happy for you to commission her works. But if you so much as try to poach her from me, I won't hold back."

There was no way he'd let her go. Not when he'd just found her. Not after waiting two years for her to return to him.

Chapter

Thirty-Two

COMPROMISE

Eden had never been so glad to see a jug of ice-cold water. She attacked it the minute they all sat down in their private room, trembling with relief. She'd managed to avert disaster again. But she couldn't keep having these close encounters and near misses. Her luck was bound to run out at some point, and it was only a matter of time before the truth about Aiden's paternity came to light.

"You were in such a hurry to get away from the Andersons. Are you okay?" Steve had a concerned look in his eyes as he patted her shoulder.

Erica hardly noticed the mini-crisis Eden was in. She was still floating on air, elated over the tons of compliments the Andersons had showered on them.

"Honey?" Steve touched Eden's arm to get her attention. "You don't look okay. Maybe we should postpone our chat?"

"I'm fine." Eden bobbed her head as she poured herself another glass, her teeth chattering from the icy water. There'd be no postponement. She planned to make this the last meeting with her parents for a long time. The less she saw them, the better, especially now that she knew they had some relationship with Aiden's paternal grandparents.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew the Andersons?" she asked when her pulse had returned to normal, and the thin line of cold sweat on her back had dried.

A smiling waitress waltzed through the screen door. She held a stack of leather-bound menus in one hand and a complimentary bottle of champagne in the other.

"From the Andersons," she announced as she placed the bottle of bubbly on the table. "I'm Amanda, and I'll be your waitress. Should I give you a moment to browse the menu?"

"No," Eden replied. A moment would mean time wasted. She couldn't have that. Not when her baby's father and his parents sat a mere few feet away. The sooner they ate, the quicker they could leave.

Now that her life was in total shambles, food was the least of her concerns. She'd have whatever her parents were having—an overpriced pasta whose fancy name was the only thing they were paying for.

"And to drink?" Amanda asked. "Our wine list is on the back of the menu. I can recommend—"

"I don't drink!" Eden said sharply. But maybe she should start. Maybe life might become a little more bearable.

"Sparkling water's fine," she added softly.

Amanda blinded them with another winning smile and promised to bring their food within half an hour.

"Isn't it lovely, Steve?" Erica gushed when they were alone again. "Running into the Andersons after so long."

"How exactly do we know them?" Eden asked. She wanted to know how deep a hole she was in. Was it a casual acquaintance or a decade-long friendship?

"Oh, silly!" Erica laughed. "You met them a few times at gala events at the university. You don't remember?"

She must have been very young, because she had no memory of the Andersons. She wouldn't have made her huge mistake two years ago if she had remembered them.

"They're patrons of the university. The Arts and Culture wing is dedicated in their honour."

Eden relaxed in her seat, a relieved sigh spluttering through her lips. Since it was just a business transaction, she still had some time to figure out what to do about her little dilemma.

"You know, when I saw Liam, I couldn't help but think how much he looks like Aiden!" Erica mused, smoothing her hair.

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