Page 101 of Barron's Second Chance
"Hi." She smiled and waved awkwardly when Barron's handsome face filled her screen.
After first hesitating, Eden had messaged him after coming home from her grocery run. She wanted him to know that she had safely made it to New York. A part of her was still finding her feet with this whole 'casual dating' label she had put on them. Was he waiting on tenterhooks for her to message? Or was he already going through his day with her as an afterthought?
Seeing his smiling face put her at ease, and her world felt like it had tilted back on its axis.
"Hi baby," his deep voice grumbled, doing things to her. At this rate, she'd have to change her underwear again. "How was your flight?"
They then spent the next hour chatting and laughing. Eden's mood improved, and she resumed unpacking while showing Barron around her little apartment.
"I would love to visit you," Barron murmured. She had just finished showing him her balcony and pointing out the landmarks she could see from her place. Mainly that just consisted of an entry point to Central Park that she liked to run in, her corner bodega, and the food truck where she enjoyed getting her morning bagels.
"I would like that. Maybe one day," she replied as she went over all the upcoming shows and travel she had in her head. She'd be back in New Haven for Thanksgiving, then California with her dad and stepmom for Christmas. She wasn't sure what Barron's plans in between were. She knew the holidays were busy for him.
"Oh, sure. One day, whenever you're free. I know how busy you are, baby." Barron smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. She swore inwardly as she realized he probably thought she was playing coy and brushing him off.
"No, I would lo -" before she could finish, her iPad lit up with an incoming call from her agent. Unfortunately, it was a call she needed to take.
"Shit, sorry, Barron. That's my agent. I gotta take this. I have a busy schedule from tomorrow and there's a lot to run through." She hoped he could see and hear her reluctance and disappointment through the phone.
He waved her off. "Of course, baby. No worries, I understand. I'll check in with you later. I miss you," he added.
The next day she was boots to the ground busy. Her diary was filled with back-to-back meetings with her agent and a flurry of fittings and rehearsals.
Eden was seasoned in Fashion Week and had worked in all of the top four - New York, Paris, Milan, and London. She was a total workhorse when it came to her career. This was her bread and butter.
That was why she trained her mind and body for a few months leading up to the big event. There was no way she could drag herself out of bed for 5 am fittings or rehearsals and continue working until she collapsed on her bed at some ungodly hour - if she didn't fuel her body with the right foods.
Because of this, she could run herself ragged all day and still be up with the city sanitary workers - all with a skip in her step.
So she had no idea why, after seven years of doing Fashion Week, she was now waking each morning with a lack of enthusiasm that she had never experienced before.
Oh, sure, she was still up at the crack of dawn, always early to her call times. She never stopped being the consummate professional. It's the reason why designers and brands always asked for her; always remembered her. She showed up and did her job with grace and a fucking smile on her face.
Now, her smile felt a little forced. A little dimmer. Her conversations with her peers and designers felt a little stilted. There was also that gnawing emptiness that had entered when she left New Haven and never entirely left her stomach.
And the only thing that made her breathe a little easier?
Barron.
She missed him.
After his video call that first day, she was worried that the real world would interfere and the novelty of re-dating your ex would fade. She didn't have time to dwell on it, though; for once, she was grateful for her packed schedule since it kept her mind busy.
Then the next day, after coming home late from a long day of meetings, she was greeted by the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. Attached was a simple note from the man she couldn't get out of her head:
Thinking of you always xoxo B
Each morning she was greeted by a text from him wishing her a beautiful day and always signed off with a sweet 'missing you.'
Considering that her day started when the sun was inching its way up, he had to have sent it while she was sleeping. When she messaged him back, concerned that he was purposely waking up early for her, he had simply said that he wanted to be the first thing she thought of when she woke because she was always his.
And, well, who could react to that statement with anything but butterflies? She didn't tell him that she didn't need a reminder to think about him. He was constantly on her mind.
So each morning, she woke to a swoon-worthy message and a good night text. He also sent her sweet little messages during the day. They ranged from little tidbits about his parents or Bailey, updates on his day, or just a simple'I miss you.'
Sometimes, she felt guilty that she couldn't always reply to him. On one particular day, when she came out of a few back-to-back fittings, five messages were waiting for her. All from Barron. The stress of not being able to reciprocate in kind had gotten to her. But Barron was there to soothe her fears.
"Baby, I told you, you do what you gotta do. I know how busy you are, so don't worry about replying back to me. I'll be here waiting and cheering you on."
