Page 75 of Seal the Deal
“I know, I just—” Andrew pauses, trying to measure his words but none of them sound just right, so he settles for the ugly, honest truth. “You’re all so busy, I thought it wouldn’t matter.”
The punch to his arm is unexpected, not hard but deserved.
“You fucking idiot,” Eden huffs. “We all love you.”
“I know you do, but?—”
“No buts,” Eden interjects. “Stop acting like you’re replaceable. You’re not.”
“It’s not like that,” Andrew protests, except isn’t it? Isn’t that exactly how it is? The ugly, painful truth he’s spent so long trying to ignore.
“You’renot, Andrew.”
Andrew worries his hands together, tapping his left fingers across his right knuckles. Once in each direction, back and forth until he gets the courage to be honest.
“It’s not real.”
“What?”
“It’s just a favor, for Denise and Amanda, and I guess for Nicki. He needs a boyfriend for a little bit. It’s not real. None of it is real.”
“Well that explains everything.”
Smiling despite the stab of unease, Andrew forces himself to make eye contact.
“I know, right. He’d never date me.”
The range of expressions that cross Eden’s face—surprise followed by undulated rage—would be funny if Andrew didn’t feel mildly nauseated by the entire conversation.
“God fucking damnit, Andrew.”
“What?”
“That’s not what I meant, you asshole.” Eden punches him on the arm again, a little harder than before. “I meant it explains it all because you never lie to us, but also because look at him, he’s not good enough for you.”
That was definitely not what Andrew expected to come out of Eden’s mouth.
“He’s literally a rich and famous hockey player and, if you haven’t noticed, is also stupidly handsome.”
“He’s stupid alright, with that fucking smug fucking face.”
“Eden,” Andrew gapes, trying not to laugh.
“He’s rude and entitled, and he definitely isn’t good enough for you.”
“I don’t think?—”
“You’re banned from thinking today,” Eden interjects.
“Not how it works,” Andrew laughs, reminded why he loves Eden so much.
“It is now. You made bad choices today so I’m banning you.” Eden’s expression softens. “But you’re okay? They’re not making you do anything you’re not comfortable with, are they?”
“I agreed to help,” Andrew offers, which is as close to honest as he can handle right now. Everything in him is raw and unsettled. Looking around his room, he realizes he’s packing to leave. Everything is wrong and different, and he’s playing at being important to someone in a way that has unearthed the kinds of insecurities he thought he buried a decade ago.
“You agree to help everyone though.”
“I like helping,” Andrew shrugs, moving around Eden. “Speaking of helping, can you get five of my polo shirts from the closet please? I need to pack some clothes.”
