Page 104 of Begin Again, Part 1

"I still maintain there's a possibility Liam's not married," Lydia repeated what she'd been saying all along.

"Nobody but you knows about his marriage," Sienna added. "It either doesn't exist, or he's a pro at keeping secrets, and I say that with admiration, because as a sniffer of one of the country's best gossip rags, I couldn't find anything on this mystery marriage or wife."

"Even if he's not, he's in a committed relationship," Eden said, refusing to accept all the false hopes her friends were throwing her way. As painful as it was, she planned to stick to her decision and let Liam go.

"As long as he's not married, there's still hope," Lydia insisted.

"I don't want to talk about him anymore," Eden said as she moved closer to the ledge again to stare at the cars below.

"Well, honey, you'll have to. Especially now that you've met Aiden's grandparents, and they happen to be friends with your folks."

"Don't you guys think I know that?"

"So when will you tell him?" Lydia asked as she reached for another cupcake.

She handed the box to Cassandra, who passed it on to Sienna with a horrified look in her eyes. "I'm offended by your offer!"

"It's delicious." Lydia nibbled her red velvet piece. "If you stopped being a snob long enough, you'd know this."

"No, thanks!" Cassandra scrunched up her face. "I refuse to ruin my refined palate with junk."

"Junk bought by a billionaire tastes so much better, I promise!" Sienna added her two cents' worth.

"So?" Lydia prodded, bumping Eden's shoulder. "When are you going to tell him?"

"Never," she decided. "It will complicate his life. He's happy right now. And I can't ruin that for him. Aiden's mine. I wanted him. Liam never signed up for a baby. It would be unfair to expect him to raise Aiden."

"I bet you he'll want Aiden if he knew about him," Sienna argued.

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Eden shook her head, and for a tense nanosecond, they all glared at her, their disapproval palpable, but she refused to let them change her mind.

"Anyway, how did you end up here?" Cassandra asked, changing the subject.

Eden announced calmly, grateful for the diversion, "my folks are separating. They brought me here because they were still under the impression it's my favourite restaurant. I suppose they were hoping it would lessen the sting somehow."

"Oh, Edie!" Sienna pulled her in her arms and held her.

"I'm so sorry." Cassandra patted her hair.

Lydia rubbed her back. "Welcome to the club. Now you are one of the coolest kids on the block."

"I was always a cool kid," Eden argued tearfully over Sienna's shoulder.

"Yeah, but now you're way cooler," Lydia insisted.

"Gosh, it hurts so much! I didn't think it would hurt so much! I mean, it's not my marriage, but I can't help feeling sad for them. All those years they wasted living a lie."

"It will get better," Cassandra assured her.

"I don't know how you guys survived. You were all so young when your parents divorced. I'm an adult, but I'm still angry and hurt, and I know I have no right to be."

"Hey, you have every right to feel what you feel," Lydia said seriously. "It's not only the end of their marriage. It's the end of life as you know it, and you are allowed to be angry, hurt, and irrational. I won't even blame you if you decide to bang a certain redhead one more time."

"Lydia!"

"What?" Her friend shrugged. "All I'm saying is there are many benefits to sex, just like jogging."

"Why are we friends with you again?" Sienna groaned in her hands.

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