Page 11 of Begin Again, Part 2

She fumed anew. She should be sleepy and confused instead of trying to get Liam home. "Mr Anderson is passed out on my couch. What do I do?"

"What do you mean the Dragon is passed out on your couch?"

"Exactly that, Clara!" Eden snapped, well aware she was a little unreasonable; it wasn't her friend's fault. "What's the company protocol in such situations? Do you come over to pick him up?"

"Why me?"

"You're his assistant." Eden sighed and glared at her friends, still keeping vigil over Liam, like he was some saint or a deity, and just by being in his presence, they could all absorb his powers.

"Wait, let me call Gibby. Maybe she'll know what to do."

"She doesn't work for Anderson Logistics anymore," Eden reminded her. "I don't think we can just call her."

"What other choice do we have?" Clara asked and hung up before Eden could argue. She had to wait ten minutes to learn there was no company protocol for such situations because it had never happened before. A CEO had never passed out on his employee's couch in the past.

Maybe now was the right time for Zara from HR to start drafting said protocol, Eden thought, her irritation at its maximum level now. She was so tempted to throw a bucket of cold water on Liam and send him scampering. But her couch, her beautiful brand new couch, would be ruined.

"How bad is he?" Gibby asked. This was way over Clara's area of expertise. Liam's former assistant had decided to come out of retirement briefly and handle this shit herself.

"He's out cold and hasn't stirred since I came home about half an hour ago," Eden explained, staring at the clock above Grammy's vintage fridge.

Thirty minutes. That was how long it had been, but it felt like a century, and she'd aged a lifetime.

"I think it's best to let him sleep it off. His detail will drive him home in the morning."

"No!" Eden panicked. Leaving Liam passed out on her couch was a terrible idea. "Gibby, James, and his men are waiting outside my house. I'm sure they can drag him out of here."

"He came to you for a reason," Gibby said. "Let him sleep it off, and you can talk this out in the morning."

"But isn't it inappropriate?" Eden asked, grasping at anything to make this mess go away.

"What's inappropriate?"

"I mean, Mr Anderson being here? He's my boss, and well—"

Gibby breathed in sharply, and Eden pictured her pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, like she used to when she'd reached her limit with her.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe he's just your boss?"

"But—"

Gibby brushed her off again. "Just let him sleep it off. He'll be awake in a couple of hours and out of your hair in no time. Around 3:00 AM or 04:00 AM, he should be up."

She didn't give Eden room to refuse. She promptly hung up, leaving her stewing in her anger.

"Argh! Liam fucking Anderson, I hate you!" she groaned in frustration.

Eyes still closed, Liam hiccupped on the couch. "Well, I love you, Princess!"

Her friends squealed in delight. "He declared his love for you!"

"He's drunk. He doesn't know what he's saying!" Eden shook her head, but her heart still fluttered out of control at his words. If only they were true, and his confession was real.

"As much as I'd love to see how this Rom-Com plays out, I have a struggling business to run in the morning." Cassandra threw on her biker jacket, and headed for the door, the other two right behind her.

"Yeah, I have an early shoot." Lydia rolled her eyes and made a face. "Otherwise, I'd stay with you and watch his Royal Hotness sleep."

"I'm so jealous," Sienna grumbled. "It's my birthday, but you get the best surprise gift. Don't disappoint me, Edie. You must have the wildest sex of your life tonight!"

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