Chapter 51
EDEN
“Eden, are you alive?”
I don’t bother to open my bedroom door at the sound of Kayla’s voice on the other side. Instead I roll over in my bed so that I’m facing the wall.
“Eden. Come on. Answer me, will you?”
When I press my eyes shut, I feel the familiar burn. My eyes are swollen from crying unending tears over the last day and a half. But that’s okay. It’s all part of the plan.
Kayla’s heavy sigh rattles the door. “Eden, if you don’t answer me, I’m coming in.”
“No, don’t,” I croak.
“So you are alive. Good.”
“Of course I’m alive. I’m wallowing. Will you let me wallow in peace?”
A laughing noise sounds on the other side of the door. “God, Eden. Really?”
For the first time ever since Danny broke up with me two days ago, I feel something other than shock and sadness. A familiar prickly feeling flashes across my skin. I’m annoyed. And a little pissed.
I shoot up in bed, tossing aside my plush duvet. “Yes, really, Kayla. It’s all part of my plan to get my life together. Step one is wallowing over my breakup for two days. Step two is figuring out how to save Dream Guy.”
Now that I’ve said it out loud, I suddenly realize just how ridiculous that sounds.
Kayla opens the door. Her now-lavender hair is pulled back in messy ponytail. She pushes her thick-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her gaze on me is a mix of pitying and understanding.
“Eden. What the hell do you mean you’re going to wallow for two days? Going through a breakup isn’t like training for a half-marathon. There’s no time allotment to get over someone. It takes as long as it takes.”
I open my mouth, but no words come out. Because she’s right. Deep down I know she’s right.
That tightness hits my throat once more and the corners of my mouth make that familiar journey downward. I blink and two streams of hot tears tumble down my cheeks.
“God, I’m an idiot, aren’t I?” I blubber.
Kayla plops next to me on the bed and pulls me into a side hug. “You, Eden Shaw, are not an idiot. You could never be. Not in a million years. What you are is heartbroken.”
She hands me the box of tissues from my nightstand and I take a second to dab at my face and blow my nose.
“Danny is the idiot,” Kayla mutters. “I can’t believe he just up and left you like that. After how happy you two were. After everything you’re going through with Dream Guy.”
“Maybe he is, but I’m in love with him,” I mumble.
Kayla squeezes me tighter. “Oh, Eden.”
“I never got to tell him. I wanted to, but I never worked up the nerve.” I blow my nose, the honking sound ricocheting against my bedroom walls. “It’s probably for the best. Clearly he didn’t love me back if he could leave me so easily. I should have seen it coming. I could feel him pulling away, ever since the shit hit the fan with Dream Guy…”
“I’m so sorry.”
For a couple of minutes I just sit there, in a grief daze, letting my best friend cuddle me like I’m a crying puppy.
“Hey.”
I twist my head up to look at Kayla. She shifts so that she’s got me by the shoulders, looking at me straight in the eye. “Danny doesn’t know what he lost. He was the luckiest guy in the world to have you—to be loved by you. You’re incredible, Eden.”
I hug her once more. “Thanks, Kayla.”
“I’m always here to remind you how freaking awesome you are. Always.”
I start to smile, which makes Kayla full-on grin. “Well that’s a glorious sight.”
I let out a snotty chuckle, and she hands me a few more tissues to clean up.
“I have a surprise for you,” she says.
I groan. “I’m not in the mood for a surprise. I kind of just want to wallow some more.”
“Later. But first you I need to show you something.”
I sigh an “okay.” Kayla hops off the bed and walk out of the room. A minute later she returns with her laptop in hand and a giddy smile on her face.
“Take a look at this.”
I do a quick skim of her computer screen. It takes a second before I register the social media handles of Gavin, Jamie, Ian, Brendan, and every other Dream Guy.
That blog article was a lie. My work as a Dream Guy is legit and ethical. It always has been. I’m proud to work for @dreamguy. I’m proud to work for @EdenShaw #IStandWithDreamGuy
@dreamguy is a legit and legal dating app that brings joy, happiness, and empowerment to its workforce and its clientele. Proud to work for @dreamguy. And @EdenShaw rocks #IStandWithDreamGuy
I’m a #DreamGuy, not a cheater. Ask any of my clients. I’m forever proud to work for @dreamguy and @EdenShaw #IStandWithDreamGuy
I barely blinkas I read their social media posts. Each of the Dream Guys are publicly posting their support of the app on their social media accounts. “Oh my gosh. I can’t believe they did that.”
“Believe it, Eden.” Kayla grips my hand, grinning. “I know you said that you wanted to figure this out on your own, but the guys want to support you. They want to support the app. And it’s not just the Dream Guys. Look.”
She scrolls to an account I don’t recognize.
I’ve used @dreamguy on multiple occasions and I love it. Never for cheating, only for dating and work events. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with hiring someone as a date as long as both people consent. That blogger just wants to spread lies #fthehaters #IStandWithDreamGuy
I used @dreamguy to help get over my shyness and anxiety when it comes to dating. It’s amazing. It’s not a way to cheat. It’s not an escort service. It’s a revolutionary dating app that’s helped me in ways that no other dating app has #IStandWithDreamGuy
I met my boyfriend through @dreamguy. Best dating app ever. Haters like that blogger are just jealous #IStandWithDreamGuy
What is it with people wanting to tear down successful women and their businesses? @EdenShaw rocks, @dreamguy rocks, I use it all the time #noshame #fucksexism #fuckmisogyny #IStandWithDreamGuy
I try to read as fast as I can, but I can’t keep up. There are countless public messages of support for Dream Guy from users of the app. I look up in utter shock at Kayla.
“The guys came up with this plan. They felt bad that you were trying to handle it all on your own.”
She explains that Gavin, Jamie, Ian, and Brendan met and came up with a plan to orchestrate a social media campaign where they and the other Dream Guys publicly declare their support for the app while denying the blog’s accusations of cheating and the app being an escort service.
“And they reached out to all of their clients and asked them to participate too. Everyone agreed.”
Kayla is giddy as she tells me this. I’m giddy too, but I’m also shaken to the core in the best way. The Dream Guys saved me—they saved the app.
I try to smile, but my lips are shaking so much that I start to cry. Again. But this time the tears are pure joy.
“I can’t believe they did all this.”
Kayla grabs my hand. “Believe it, Eden. The guys did this because you mean the world to them. They love you and they love their jobs. And look.”
She pulls her phone out and shows me how the app rating is increasing.
“It’s 4.7 already, and that number is bound to go up.”
She shows me the slew of articles covering the massive social media campaign in defense of Dream Guy.
“Even Buzzfeed is covering it. The Dream Guy campaign is going viral!”
As I read the article, my mouth is on the floor.
“Wow,” is all I can manage. “I need to talk to them, to thank them all for what they’ve done.”
Kayla offers a smile that’s pure warmth. “Funny you should mention that.”
She pulls up her phone and taps the screen. Thirty seconds later, Gavin’s grinning face fills her screen.
“Eden! Our fearless leader!”
Gavin’s face goes blurry as a chorus of cheers sound on his end of the call. He spins the phone around and I see a dozen Dream Guys at someone’s apartment, waving at me.
“What do you think of our handiwork, Eden?” Ian shouts. I can barely make out his face, whoever has the phone now is jerking it around.
“We’re all over social media!” someone else shouts. “Dream Guy is on the rebound! We’re gonna bounce back and we’re celebrating!”
I let out a laugh of disbelief. “Guys! My mind is blown! You saved the app! I can’t thank you enough.”
The image goes blurry yet again. After a second it stills and I make out Jamie’s face. He’s frowning at someone off to the side.
He turns to look at me and his expression softens the slightest bit. “We told you we wanted to help you, Eden. Just like you helped us when you started this app and created the best job any of us have ever had.”
“Yeah! Best job ever!” a voice I recognize as belonging to Paul shouts.
Jamie rolls his eyes. I laugh.
Gavin pops into frame, nudging Jamie to the side. He makes a huffy noise. “See what happens when you let us help, Eden?” Gavin teases. “We’re not just a bunch of pretty faces. We’ve got brains too.”
I sober as soon as he says it. I know Gavin’s teasing me, but I owe them all an apology.
“You’re right. Guys, I’m sorry. I should have accepted your offer to help earlier, when you first mentioned it. I just… I guess I felt like I had to be the one to solve it, you know? I’m the one who brought you all on board and it felt like my responsibility to fix the problem.”
Gavin’s handsome face turns serious and sincere. “It’s okay, Eden. We get it. You were just trying to do be a good boss. But you’re already a great boss. That’s why we wanted to help.”
Jamie nods along. Cheers follow.
I sniffle. “Thanks, you guys. Drink up. You earned it.”
“You sure you don’t want to come out and join us?” Gavin asks.
“I think I could use a night in. It’s been a wild few days.”
I wonder if they know about Danny and me breaking up, but then I catch how Gavin’s gaze goes soft as he looks at me.
He moves so he’s the only one in the frame now. “I’m sorry to hear about you and Danny,” he says in a low voice.
The joy inside me skids to a halt. “Thanks.”
He starts to say more, but I shake my head. “It’s okay, Gavin. We don’t have to talk about it. I’d rather focus on Dream Guy.”
He winks at me, that million dollar grin back on his face. “You got it.”
“I’m gonna get some rest,” I say. “Have a drink for me, will you?”
“Absolutely.”
I tell everyone bye and hang up. Before I can even hand Kayla back her phone, pulls me up and hugs me.
“It’s gonna be okay, Eden! Dream Guy is gonna be okay!”
I silently hope that she’s right. As thrilling as it is to see Dream Guy on the upswing, the cynical part of me can’t help but wonder if it will last. All it took was one blog article to bring us to the brink of collapse—and it was all lies. Could it happen again? And if it does, will we be able to withstand it?
My phone rings and I stop jumping to check. When I see the name flash across the screen, my jaw plummets to the floor.
No freaking way.