Page 77 of Barron's Second Chance
"Yeah, go on. Cheers, babe."
Babe?!Oh, hell, naw. He needed to shut that shit down.
As Rocker Boy returned to regaling Sofia of his times on tour, Barron's gaze was laser-focused on Eden as she flitted about the kitchen. He made sure to stand when she came out with two ice-cold beers for himself and Josh. He was very aware that he was being petty in his head, but he wanted Eden to give him his beerfirst.
When she passed him his beverage, he made sure to brush his fingers against hers.
"Thanks, sweetheart."
Eden frowned at him, and he was sure he could see Ryan snorting in silent laughter at the dining table, but he didn't care.
He sat there quietly, his mind stormy, watching Eden move around her kitchen with ease. He watched her cutting cucumber, stirring something on the stove, dipping her spoon into a bowl for a taste test and chatting merrily to his parents, her mom, and Mike.
He tuned out the sound of the TV, the soft blare of music, Rocker Boy's stupid British accent, and Sofia's flirty giggles. All he cared about and wanted to hear and see was his Eden.
"Josh, can you check your pie?" The object of his obsession suddenly called out as she carefully opened the oven door.
"Oh! Sure, babes."
His mood darkened again at the nickname.Babes, now?
"You cook, too?" Sofia asked dreamily.
"Oh, you just wait until you try Josh's chicken pot pie," Eden answered. "I always demand that he makes it for me whenever I see him."
"Ah, you flatter me." He got up behind her and squeezed Eden's shoulders.
Meanwhile, Barron squeezed his bottle, wishing it was Rocker Boy's neck instead.
"Cheer up, Charlie."
He had been so immersed in his gloomy thoughts that he hadn't seen Ryan sit down in the seat Eden had just occupied.
"Don't count your votes before the mail-in ballot," he winked.
Before he could ask what that ambiguous comment meant, Susan sang out.
"Dinner's ready!"
Dinner was a raucous affair. No awkwardness or quiet turbulent tempers. He forgot how much fun it was to be together again. He felt relaxed and guilt-free for the first time since he was seventeen. And a little emotional. If it hadn't been for his fuck up, he could’ve enjoyed more dinners like this.
His friends, his parents, his second mom, and Eden. Except instead of his ex, Eden would've upgraded to wife by now.
But there was no point in dwelling on the past. It was his future with Eden that he was gunning for, and in order to move forward, he had to forgive himself and work on getting Eden to do the same. And possibly, hopefully, more.
They all made sure to include Josh in their conversation, filling him in on what Eden was like when she was young. All the antics she had gotten up to - which, compared to what Josh had gotten up to as a kid - was the equivalent of something Pollyanna would do.
At first, he refrained from conversing too much with Josh, leaving the chatter to everyone else until it got to the point where he felt childish because…dammit, Rocker Boy was nice.
Not just nice butcoolnice. He included everyone in the conversation and seemed to genuinely care about what they were saying, asking questions and actively engaging with them.
Someone told him that Barron played soccer, so, as a big soccer fan himself - or football, as he sternly told Barron - they quickly bonded over their love for Manchester United.
He didn't appear arrogant, bored, or too good for them. He was charming and funny, indulging their questions about his latest album and chatting about his favorite songs and writing process.
And god damn, but his pie was good. Juicy, crispy, and flavorful. He may have asked for seconds. And he may have considered adding it to the menu at The Homestead.
Toward the end of dinner, the beer and wine flowed freely. However, he noted that Eden stayed away from alcohol and most sweet things on the table. He knew it was because she was prepping for her shows, trying to keep a clean diet.
