Page 177 of Begin Again, Part 2

Eden nodded and popped the pills in her mouth, washing them down with the juice.

"Remember, you have to act surprised; they'll skin me alive if they know I told you," he reminded her as he crouched on the floor to tie her shoelaces.

"I don't know why they thought you could keep a secret." Eden stifled a yawn with the back of her hand.

"I can definitely keep a secret, Mrs Anderson."

"You? Please!" she scoffed. "Remind me again, who told everyone we were having a girl when we learned the baby's sex?"

"It wasn't me," Liam smiled guiltily.

"You sure know how to make Shaggy look innocent!"

"Who's Shaggy again?" he laughed as he stood up and called their son. "Kool-Aid, come on, let's go, let's go! If we don't leave now, we'll be late, and I'll get in trouble with your aunts!"

"Coming, Daddy!" Aiden yelled as he ran back to the kitchen with his shoes on the wrong feet, dragging his backpack behind him.

"Dude, how did you even run in those without tripping over your feet?" Liam sighed and knelt again to fix Aiden's shoes before he picked him up and threw his backpack over his shoulder.

Brenda came down just as they slipped out of the house, calling after them, "have fun!"

Half an hour later, they were at Heat.

"Call Jace when you're ready to leave. I have a meeting after my appointment with Linda," Liam told her as he drew her close and kissed her.

"It's okay. I'll ask Cassie to drop me off," she said as he helped her out of the car.

"Bye, Aid, be good, don't make Daddy's therapist cry." She waved at her son and blew him a kiss.

Aiden blew ten more back at her and promptly forgot about her as he babbled away to Stephen and James in the front.

"I love you, Princess." Liam kissed her forehead and pushed her towards the entrance.

Despite being under new management, the restaurant hadn't changed much since Eden was there on Sienna's birthday several months ago. The hostess showed her to the private room her friends had booked.

"Surprise!" Everyone screamed as soon as she walked in, and because she wasn't expecting her mom, Lois and Liam's sisters, Eden didn't have to fake her surprised face too much.

"Oh, you guys!" she squealed right back at everyone as they hugged her like they hadn't seen her in a while, even though they'd all stopped by her exhibition throughout the week.

"This is so pretty!" Eden gushed as she took in the decor in the room. The place was normally kitted out in minimalist elegance. But today, her family had gone all out to transform it into a starry-night-themed wonderland. She was smitten with everything, from the stars and crescent moon floating on the ceiling to the star-shaped cupcakes she nibbled on throughout the afternoon.

She waddled around the room, 'oohing' and 'aahing' at all the small details, tickled pink to see they'd used The Boy Who Chased The Moon as a centrepiece on the snack table. She'd printed several copies and given them to her friends, Zara and Isaac. She'd received raving reviews, encouraging her to commercialise the book. But she didn't want to. Aiden's book was a labour of love, she wanted to share with those near and dear to her.

"He told you, didn't he?" her friends ganged up on her as she was about to grab more cupcakes.

"Who told me what?" Eden feigned ignorance.

"About this!" Sienna groaned. "Honestly, this is why I don't trust married people!"

"Hey, watch it," Eden scolded her.

"But are you surprised he told her?" Cassandra pointed out. "This is the same guy who prattled off to Edie last week about my accidental smooch with Matt in his office."

"Liam can keep a secret," Eden defended her husband and artfully changed the subject, throwing her friend under the spotlight. "Speaking of that accidental smooch, are you guys like seeing each other now?"

Cassandra turned a bright pink shade and shook her head quickly. "It was an accident. I dropped something. He helped me pick it up and—"

"And your mouths accidentally touched!" Lydia smacked her lips together.

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