Page 42 of Barron's Second Chance
"Words can't tell you how sorry I am, Eden. I am so, so sorry for hurting you. For breaking us."
She lowered her eyes and concentrated on the wooden floor in front of them. The emotion on his face became too much for her to take in.
"I have to go," she croaked out. "Sofia and Ryan will be wondering where I am." She had felt her phone go off several times in her pocket.
He tightened his grip on her. "Don't go, please," he begged. "We still have a lot to talk about."
She shook her head as she shook her hands free from his.
"I can't -" her voice broke again. "I can't anymore tonight. It's too much."
Without warning, Barron wrapped his arms around her stiff body. She tensed further before relaxing into his embrace, stray tears seeping from her tightly closed eyes.
His body was familiar yet different. It was harder, stronger, and taller than Eden remembered.
But what hadn't changed was the same high she felt whenever their bodies collided. Would she always feel this pull toward him?
She felt his lips press against the side of her head. "Promise me that we can finish this talk," he asked her huskily.
She swallowed hard before shaking her head. He already apologized several times; he gave his reasons for straying.
"What's there left to say?"
"Everything, baby," he whispered against her head. "Everything."
"Eden?" Her mom's quizzical voice called out when she heard the front door close.
"Yeah, Mom," she croaked.
Casting her book aside, her Mom stood.
"I thought you were out with Sof and -" she gasped as she took note of her daughter's slightly swollen, red eyes.
"Whathappened?" She firmly grasped her daughter's face in her hands, searching her body for any injuries.
"I'm okay." But then completely negated that sentiment when her face crumpled.
Immediately Eden was enveloped in her mom's warm, comforting embrace as she sniffled into her t-shirt.
"Tell me," she urged.
A few more hiccups and a sniffle before Eden wiped her nose across her forearm and stepped back.
"Barron," she started to say but couldn't continue.
Her Mom's pretty features turned dark in anger. "What did that jerk do? I swear to God I will go down there and kick his ass!"
Despite her emotional turmoil, her mouth kicked up in humor at her Mom's threat.
Eden watched as she paced away from her, snatching up her phone and unlocking it.
"I'm calling Kelly. I don't care how old he is, he needs a good ass whooping, and if his Momma ain't gonna -"
"Mom!" She sputtered out, laughing. Her antics gave Eden a welcome reprieve from her heartache.
"Calm down, Mama bear." She stopped her before she dialed Kelly's number and gave the poor woman an earful. "We actually had an overdue talk." She shrugged as her Mom gaped at her. "About everything."
Understanding crossed her Mom's features as she nodded.
