Page 102 of Begin Again, Part 1

"I heard you mention it to Clara," Liam lied. The cake hunting all over town was already a pussy-ass move. No way he'd admit he'd followed her in his car after their disastrous therapy session with Linda.

"Thank you, sir," she said.

"It's after hours."

"So?"

"So it's Liam after hours," he said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned to leave.

"You're not staying?" she asked. "What about the cupcakes?"

"They are all yours."

"But I can't eat so many on my own—"

He smiled over his shoulder. "Good night, Eden. See you on Monday, don't be late."

Chapter

Thirty-Four

LIVING A LIE

The minute Eden had the rooftop to herself again, she burst into tears and cried harder than she had in a while. The howling wind and the constant stream of cars ten stories below drowned out her loud, heart-wrenching sobs.

She told Liam she wanted to be alone, but the truth was she would take his company any day over this feeling of aloneness gnawing at her heart.

"Pull yourself together," she told herself, but she couldn't. She didn't know how to. She was twenty-six, with a baby of her own, and her parents' divorce shouldn't affect her so much. But it did, in ways she never imagined.

Maybe it was the suddenness, or complete randomness, but her parents' announcement had left her devastated and shattered all the illusions she had about love, relationships, and family.

Yes, her family was dysfunctional at the very least. But, there was a sense of safety and trust in that dysfunction. And now that her parents had ripped it from her, what did she have left?

Eden forced herself to stop crying long enough to call her friends. She couldn't go home yet, not when she was such a mess.

Sienna's phone rang a few times and went to voicemail. Lydia was also unreachable. Cassandra was on a date, but she cut it short when she heard her desperate wailing.

"Edie? Where are you?" she asked in a panic-stricken voice.

"I'm at La Famiglia's rooftop," she managed to say through her sobs.

"Oh, Edie, please wait for me. Whatever it is, we can talk about it."

"I'm okay."

"Of course, hang on, alright? I'm on my way."

Eden was relieved she didn't have to be alone tonight. Help was on the way. An adult was on the way to fix this.

Her phone screeched in her hand. It was Lydia. "Bitch, you'd better not jump, you hear me? We're on our way! Hang tight!"

"I'm okay," Eden laughed tearfully as she brushed away her tears.

"You'd better not die!" Sienna yelled into the phone. "Not after I gave up some hot dick for you."

"Okay."

"Good!" Cassandra also came on. "We love you, kid, now stop crying. ETA is five minutes."

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