Page 56 of Barron's Second Chance
"My lack of desire for sex most likely stemmed from the fact that you were coming back to town for summer."
Who was lying here? Tracey was clearly miffed about something, and Eden had been around enough scorned women to recognize the sincerity in her voice, despite her disdain. She had slept with Barron. But what of his insistence that he hadn't had sex since he found out she was coming back to town? Surely he hadn't lied to her? What would have been the point?
"I better go," Tracey said in the silence, her mission to lay a bomb at Eden's feet clearly successful. "I'll grab my stuff later." With that, she turned on her heel and strolled away.
Eden sunk down on the chair, her mind in turmoil over what Tracey had just told her. She felt sick to her stomach. Not because Barron had either slept with or propositioned Tracey, but that he may have lied to her. Had he really changed so much that he'd become a compulsive liar?
"Sorry!" Barron rushed into the room, the scent of his aftershave hitting her nostrils. But unlike before, it made her feel ill. "I hope I wasn't too long." He glanced at her as she sat there solemnly. "Eden?" He noted her pale face and immediately crossed to her.
"What is it? What happened?"
Licking her dry lips, she cleared her throat, suddenly feeling like she could drink a pitcher of water.
"How long has Tracey been working here?" She quietly asked.
Barron's head jerked back at the unexpected question. "W-what?" He stammered. "Why are you asking that?" He searched the room as if he could spot Tracey hiding in the corner. "Was she in here?"
"Answer the question," was all she said.
He tipped his head back and forth as he thought. "Over a year," he confirmed.
"So, when you told me that you only slept with tourists and seasonal workers, was that a lie?"
She could see his chest rising up and down in panic. "Was she in here? What did she say?"
"Answer the question."
"No. That wasn't a lie. Tracey was a seasonal worker, but she became permanent. But I swear, as soon as -"
"And did you proposition her for sex a few weeks ago?"
His mouth snapped shut at her question. His jaw clenched, and a flush came across his face.
That told her everything she needed to know.
She stood up with a sigh. "I'm going home."
"What? No! Eden, I can explain. Let's go out to dinner -"
"I'm actually really tired, and I prefer to be in the company of people who don't lie to me."
"No. No, Eden." He flailed his arms around, his eyes searching for what to say. "I wasn't lying. Let me explain, please."
She held her hand up to stop him. "It doesn't matter, Barron. We aren't together, so what you do in private is none of my business."
"Yes, it does matter," he ground out desperately. "Because you think I lied to you, but I didn't."
"You told me that you only slept with tourists or seasonal workers. Clearly, Tracey has been working here longer than that. You then told me that you had no desire for sex since finding out that I was coming back to town. So considering that conversation that I had with your Mom happened last October, I'm guessing she told you straightaway?" He didn't answer, but his tightly clenched face told her everything.
"Yet you've admitted that you asked Tracey for sex a few weeks ago. Was that a lie?"
In frustration, Barron blew his breath out, running his fingers through his hair. "No, that wasn't a lie. Please, you have to let me explain. Let's just go out to dinner -"
"No," she firmly told him. "Look, it's fine. You don't owe me anything so what you do in your private time is your business."
"I do owe you. Ask me anything, please. I'll tell you everything," Barron pleaded. "But you have to let me explain."
"No, Barron. I don't, actually. We've had our talk now." She made her way to the door, heart heavy in her stomach at the turnaround of their conversation. They had been so close.
