Page 40 of Riding High

Annoyance flashed across Eden’s face.‘Are you questioning my mental health?’

Mick simply smiled at her.‘We live in a crazy world, Eden; everyone’s mental health is taking a battering.’

Eden didn’t break eye contact with Mick.Jed liked how she held her own with his pushy sister.‘That’s why I’m taking a couple of months to explore Croatia.’

‘But you’ll be doing it alone, and where’s the fun in that?Stay here instead, and fill those empty hours by doing something that could make a difference in someone’s life.Croatia will be there next time.’

Danger ahead, because Mick was using her charm-birds-out-of-trees voice.

‘It’s a couple of phone calls, some spreadsheets, a little advertising, attending some meetings,’ Mick said, sounding breezy.Another warning sign.When Mick sounded breezy, she was leading you straight into a fucking tornado.‘And you’ve just met us, metme.It’s been such fun having you around, and I love spending time with you.Do you realise a few nights ago we went to bed at three because we were talking so much?’

Huh.Jed hadn’t realised they were spending so much time together.Mick was extroverted, but with the kids, her job and, well, probably the family, she didn’t have many close friends.‘I don’t want to lose you yet, Eden.’

And then she added, ‘And neither does Troyden.’He didn’t know Eden’s history, but he’d watched how Eden acted around Troyden and it was obvious that she adored Troyden.

Eden bit down on her bottom lip and he knew Mick’s statements resonated with her.She liked that she was liked.Then again, who didn’t?

‘I’ve had some experience working with charity events, Mick.I know what it involves and it’snotrelaxing.’

She had?Interesting.And what was it she did for work anyhow?Why didn’t anyone seem to know and why did he care?

Mick pushed out her bottom lip and, swear to God, batted her eyelashes.She was shameless.‘But we’ll do it together, E!Can I call you E?Eden is such a mouthful!’Jesus, Mick.‘Don’t you want to help me?’

If he was a better man, he’d tell Eden she was being played.He met Justin’s amused eyes and knew he was thinking the same thing.‘Troyden is devastated she’s leaving,’ Justin murmured, just loud enough for Jed to hear.‘He doesn’t want her to go.’

Shit.

‘And while she’s been here, he hasn’t shown any interest in finding a new Sugar Baby.Bet you that as soon as she leaves, he’ll look for a new one to push the loneliness away.’

He stared at Justin, a lightbulb flickering on in his mind, then burning strongly.He was so right about Troyden.His stepfather always said that he was looking for love, and maybe he was, but maybe he was looking for a way to banish loneliness.Come to think of it, Troyden only started sugar-hopping after Kael left home, when all his chicks were out of the nest and living their own lives.

Why had he not realised this before?And yes, if it meant keeping Troyden out of the clutches of money-hungry GD’s, he was in favour of Eden staying.

You keep telling yourself that’s the only reason you want her to stay.Maybe you’ll start to believe it in a decade or so.

Mick clapped her hands together.‘Thank you for agreeing to help, Eden, that’s awesome!’

‘Wait… what?’Eden whipped her head around the table.‘I didn’t say yes!When did I agree to anything?’

Mick sent her a self-satisfied smile.‘You didn’t say no, either.’

Eden muttered a curse, picked up her spoon and started to shovel ice cream into her mouth.She glared at Mick and muttered something intelligible.Jed understood exactly where she was coming from…

And that made him think of her coming again.He scooted closer to the table, grateful it hid his semi.And damn, ithurt.They’d moved off the subject of him and Eden falling through the door in a tight clinch and he didn’t want to revisit it.

Then Mick, his best friend, sister and bane of his existence, smart enough to back down when she had the upper hand– Eden might not have said yes, but she didn’t say no, either!– put her chin in the palm of her hand and waved her spoon between him and Eden.‘I feel like we moved on too soon from why you two landed on the floor earlier.So, are you two seeing each other or what?’

Mick’s laughter-filled eyes told him how much fun she was having annoying him, deeply thrilled that she got to do this for the rest of his life.Jed dropped his head and banged his forehead on the table.He might as well add to his throbbing nose and aching balls.