Page 37 of Barron's Second Chance
"Fuck you, Barron," she hissed before turning on her high heels and storming off.
He wanted to call her back to let her know that half her ass cheek was still showing, but he didn't want to prolong their interaction any longer than necessary.
"Jesus," he muttered to himself. His phone went off as he sat back down.
Simon: Eden's here
Eden draped her arm around Ryan's shoulders as they followed behind Sofia through the open double doors into The Homestead. Immediately she was hit with a pleasant blast of air conditioning and the tantalizing scent of garlic bread. She swept critical eyes over the space and noted that it had a warm and inviting atmosphere to it. She clearly wasn't the only person who thought so, given how packed the place was.
The venue wasn't small, but it had the feel of an intimate and cozy gastropub. The kind of watering holes that she loved to frequent whenever she was in the UK or Ireland.
She wasn't a clubbing girl. She had gotten that out of her system the year she desperately tried to forget Barron.
No, what she loved was a friendly, intimate Irish or British pub. The kind where the tables were a little sticky, the beer mats were withered, and there was a singular person with just a guitar at the front providing live music. The walls were usually littered with memorabilia of times gone by, and you could order your regular drink with just a nod at the bartender.
She felt a little proud of Barron and his father at seeing their success. She heard amazing things about The Homestead but always avoided it for obvious reasons.
However, she was getting a little tired of being holed up at her Mom's place, so she called Sofia and bravely asked her to take her here. She was a little apprehensive when they arrived, in case Barron was here, but Sofia assured her that he rarely visited, and if he did, he was usually in his office and not on the main floor.
Yes, she had been avoiding him since his stunning speech at the school two weeks ago. When she told Sofia and Ryan about it, their reactions were mixed. Sofia had rolled her eyes and called him desperate. Ryan just listened and asked her what she wanted to do.
Whatdidshe want to do?
He apologized, but did she want to give him a floor for further intense conversation? Was there anything more to say? Did she want to unpick old wounds again? Because that was essentially what would happen if she entertained further talks between them.
"It looks full," she observed as she cast her eyes for a spare table. A few people had turned to stare at her, but she was relieved to see that the majority of customers ignored their group.
"It's okay; I booked ahead."
Sofia led them to a group of tables with place cards on top, identifying them as reserved.
"I think we're here." She pointed at a spare table, but before they could seat themselves, a familiar voice called out to them.
"You got to be fucking kidding me," Sofia growled out as Simon waved them over, an earnest smile on his face.
She spotted a familiar girl next to him. Maria Smith.
Her body tensed as she was hit with a sense of deja vu from a time long ago when she last saw Simon and Maria together.
Cuddling by Barron's pool while her boyfriend had his tongue down Lissa's throat.
Despite her discomfort, Eden murmured, "Be nice."
Sofia scoffed as Eden pasted on a pleasant yet strained smile while walking toward their table.
"Simon, good to see you again," she greeted as Sofia linked their arms together, bolstering Eden's spirit a bit after her brief interlude down memory lane.
He smiled and stood, placing a hand on Maria's shoulder as the other girl stared back at her with a subdued expression.
"You know Maria?" He asked.
"We went to school together," was all she said. "Hi, Maria."
"Hi," was all she got from her.
Not that Eden cared. Her tolerance for being polite to people she didn't care for was wearing thin.
She didn't bother to reintroduce Sofia. Lord knows what the other girl would say to them, and she honestly did not want to prolong their interaction any longer than necessary.
