Page 115 of Barron's Second Chance
"Hmm," was all Eden gave her Dad as she continued folding.
Barron gave a silent laugh at her attitude. He knew from how much she talked about her siblings that she adored them and vice versa. She spoiled them with gifts to compensate for her guilt of not being near them. He also knew that her dad would most definitelynotbe happy with the gifts she got for them.
He heard Dan sigh over the speaker. "Speaking of Christmas, you have anyone special this holiday season?"
Barron's mouth quirked at Dan's awkward segue. But at the same time, he waited on bated breath for her response.
"Was that your lame way of prying into my private life?" Eden teased.
Dan grunted. "I just want to know you're happy. Haven't heard a thing about you seeing anyone. I know Josh is a nice guy, but I was never happy with you dating a rock star. What with all the drugs and groupies."
At the sound of Josh's name, Barron frowned. Yes, he tolerated the other man in her life. He even reluctantly conversed with him when he called Eden's phone one evening. And he believed her when she told him that she had no romantic feelings for him. But it didn't mean he had to love the guy.
Eden sighed in annoyance at Dan's assumptions. "Dad, that's just a stereotype."
"So he was never on drugs or has groupies?"
Eden paused. "He's been off the hard stuff for five years, and he can't help if a bunch of women want to follow them on tour."
Dan just made a noise, indicating that he was vindicated in his assumptions.
"So? Are you seeing anyone?" He continued to press.
"I'm seeing someone," Eden slowly said before pausing. His body filled with warmth at her response, even though she sounded like she was pulling teeth while saying it.
"Yeah? Is it serious?"
Another long pause where he watched Eden stand still, staring at her phone with a piece of clothing lying limply in her hand.
Her next words were like a knife to his gut.
"Not...really."
Barron's heart sunk like a lead balloon at her answer. He could literally hear his breaths as they came out fast and shallow.
"Oh. Well, that's okay. Anyone I know?" Dan's voice sounded far away as Barron tried to process what Eden had just said, but at the same time, he wanted - needed - to hear what else she would say.
"No, you don't know him."
Barron's body reacted to that simple statement physically. His shoulders sank and he had to grasp the wall because he was so sure he would collapse under the weight of her denial.
His nose tickled, and his vision became blurry. He felt like he was having an out-of-body experience. Barron turned back down the hallway, stumbling his way back to the living room.
Not really serious?
You don't know him.
He didn't know which was worse - hearing that Eden still considered him a casual partner or her denial that her father would know Barron.
Because hedidknow him. He'd known about Barron since he re-entered Eden's life when they were kids. He knew him as her best friend, and he knew him as her high school boyfriend. They'd even spoken on the phone to each other a few times.
A distant part of himself implored him to take a moment to calm down. To remember his promise to Eden that he'd give her time. Go at her own pace.
But another part of him - the part that was so sure that their feelings were finally aligning - that part was fighting to surface.
Disappointment. Sadness. Helplessness. Anger. They were all swirling around inside of him, bubbling to the top.
He didn't know how long he stood there, just staring a hole into the carpet. His fists and jaw were clenched as he sought to regain control of his emotions.
