Page 70 of Barron's Second Chance
Before it all blew up.
Barron: Do you remember the first time we got drunk?
A bubble of laughter floated up at that old memory. They were fifteen years old. His parents had gone out for an anniversary dinner, leaving two mischievous - and horny - teenagers home alone. After a steamy make-out session on his bed, Barron had the bright idea to heighten their senses by cracking open one of his Mom's fancy red wines, assuring her that she had a lot of bottles stored for entertaining so she wouldn't notice if one were missing. The expensive bottle definitely correlated with the taste as it went down their hatches silky smooth. A little too smooth, though, because before they knew it, Eden threw up all over the patio, leaving behind a red stain that took months to fade.
Barron: Do you remember our class trip to the museum?
Of course, she did. But not for the educational aspect of it. What she remembered the most was that while everyone was drowsy on the bus after a long day of walking, Barron had discreetly slipped his fingers up her skirt, giving her one hell of a fingering at the back of the bus.
Then it was sweet things like their first Valentines, the first time she stayed over - remembering their over-the-top plan to sneak her in once his parents went to bed. The unforgettable night they had lost their virginities to each other. How he had taken a warm cloth to her sore pussy afterward, cleaning up the blood. He confessed that he had looked up online how to care for a girl after her first time.
With her head a mess, Eden approached Sofia and Ryan for advice. Or, at the very least, their blunt opinion. She knew she could rely on them to give it to her straight.
"It's up to you. It's your life," Ryan told her. "Whatever you decide, I'll support you."
"Do you want to give him a chance?" Sofia asked. Eden searched her friend's face and found no judgment there.
She shook her head, frustrated at herself for not having a clear answer. "I am still attracted to him."
She left out the part where they had practically mauled each other on her mom's couch. "But I still don't know if I can trust him one hundred percent. If I can forgive him."
"Well, you need to figure out if you can."
Eden made a face. While she expected support from her friends, she expected a little more than 'it's up to you.'
Sofia, seeing that Eden needed more of a kick up the ass than a gentle tap, groaned before telling her, "Look, seven years ago, five years ago... hell, three months ago, I would've told you that no way on God's green earth should you entertain this idiot. But," she sighed, "I've warmed up to him a bit after seeing how desperate he's been lately. So when I say that you need to figure it out, I don't mean that maliciously. I genuinely support whatever decision you make because I believe Barron has matured and grown. So if you decide to pursue something, I feel okay that Barron won't be a dumbass again.”
Eden rubbed her face in annoyance at her jumbled thoughts before jumping up from the bed and making her way to the kitchen.
She didn't have time to flounder around; she needed to get her ass into gear before Josh got here.
He likely would want to relax tonight after a long day of traveling and missing a few hours due to the time difference. He would be staying with her since they’ve kept his performance a secret to avoid a crowd of tourists converging into their small town.
Tonight, they'd have some downtime together to relax and catch up. Tomorrow - Kelly, Gavin, Sofia, Ryan, her mom, and Mike were coming over for dinner.
And Barron.
He was a last-minute addition. She would've invited him initially if she hadn't remembered his reaction to Josh coming to town in the first place. She wasn't trying to exclude him to be vindictive but genuinely wanted to keep the peace.
However, yesterday Barron reached out to her, asking if he could join them for dinner. He wanted to meet Josh, someone he acknowledged was important to her.
Eden: Is that a good idea? Josh is here as a favor to your mom and me.
She wanted to reiterate that she wouldn't tolerate any macho jealous tantrums from him. Joshua didn't need or deserve that, especially when it was unwarranted. There were zero romantic feelings left between Josh and herself, but that didn't mean she wasn't protective of him. He was currently on a mini break from a nationwide tour, so when she stressed that he was doing this as a favor, she meant that in the strictest way.
Barron: I know. I promise you, E, I'm not gonna cause trouble.
Barron: I just want to see you. Spend time with you and our family and meet Josh. No funny business, I promise.
So she had agreed. Not because she believed Barron - because she did - but because deep down, she wanted to see him, too. Perhaps spending time again in his company would settle her inner turmoil.
Putting aside her trepidation for tomorrow night, Eden went about checking the stock she had bought for Josh's arrival.
She smiled as she thought of her longtime friend. They first met when Eden was in the throes of her partying phase.
They both moved in the same circles and frequently ended up at the same parties or events.
At first, they were friendly acquaintances, only communicating when they found themselves at the same location. But after they found themselves being the only conscious two at a party hosted at some high-rise penthouse, they found themselves talking until six in the morning.
