Page 146 of Begin Again, Part 1

"I'll get your details from Isaac," Laura continued, not in the least discouraged by her baffled silence.

To Eden's relief, they arrived on the 22nd floor, where she assumed the staff canteen was located before Laura could make any more insane proposals.

"This way." Isaac took her hand and led her through the cafeteria to a corner table on the balcony.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he held out the chair for her.

"I'm great, thank you," Eden nodded, her gaze darting back inside the canteen, at the famished lawyers stuffing their faces. But she barely noticed them. Her mind was still stuck on her chance meeting with Laura.

"I hope you don't mind, but we don't have a huge selection when it comes to food here," Isaac explained as he passed the laminated menu card to her. "The fanciest thing we have is salmon. Are you okay with that?"

"Salmon is perfect. I love it." Eden placed the menu back on the table.

"Great," Isaac said, squinting at her, the sun striking all the different shades of green in his hazel eyes. "Let me run inside quick to grab us some food before these morons finish everything."

Eden nodded and watched him vanish inside the canteen, determined to put Laura out of her mind.

Isaac returned moments later with their food and water bottles.

Once or twice, when Eden looked up from her plate, heat rose in her cheeks when she caught him staring at her. He was a decent man, and she liked him. But she didn't want to waste his time.

"Isaac, you're a great guy, but—" She began as she set her fork down and uncapped her bottle.

"I know," he said, taking her hand in his.

"You do?"

"Yeah. There's another guy. Aiden's father," he said with a sorrowful look. "Liam Anderson."

"How did you know?"

"I figured it out when I saw Aiden's photos on your Instagram," Isaac explained. "He looks like him."

"But you didn't know about Liam and me," she said, bewildered yet again.

"I figured that out the first time we met for coffee," Isaac grinned. "The way he stormed into Rise and cut our date short."

"I'm sorry," Eden said, feeling awful. "Things are complicated."

"You have to tell him soon," Isaac said. "He deserves to know the truth."

She nodded, sighing. "I know, but it's complicated. That's why I need your expertise. I'll need a custody agreement drawn up soon. Can you help?"

Isaac smiled and squeezed her hand. "Sure, I can, and I know all about complicated. Look at Zoe's mom and me. But, let's not worry about that for now. Let's enjoy our food."

Eden was all for his plan, and once she decided to give Isaac her undivided attention, she found herself having fun. He was easy to talk to, had a wicked sense of humour, and made her laugh with his parenting stories. There wasn't a single moment Eden was bored during their lunch.

"So first date, huh?" Isaac teased her much later over their warm drinks. He'd settled for coffee, and she'd asked for her usual chai latte.

She grinned. "Interview."

Isaac scratched his head, a bemused smile on his lips. "What?"

"This was supposed to be an interview," Eden clarified and picked up her cup.

"For a boyfriend?"

"Handyman!"

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