Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Randi laughed. “I’m always waiting on you.”
“Not true!” Eden exclaimed, sliding into the chair next to Randi. “Where is everyone?”
“You just missed them,” Randi said. “Wait, stand up. Let me see what you’re wearing.”
Eden stood and turned to her left then her right. “It’s one of your favorites,” she said, sitting back down.
“What made you decide to wear that dress?” Randi asked. “I thought you saved it for after the first date.”
Eden grinned and wrinkled her nose. “I wore it for you. I knew I’d see you after my date with Gabi.”
“For me?”
Eden nodded. Even though she’d been getting ready for her date with Gabi, when she saw the dress hanging in her closet Eden had thought of Randi. “I haven’t worn this in a long time. You always give me the sweetest smile and tell me how pretty I look. Sometimes a girl needs a compliment.”
Randi tilted her head and smiled. “When do you not look pretty?”
Eden smirked and reached for Randi’s glass of water. She took a sip and smiled. Randi always noticed what Eden was wearing or how she styled her hair, and she always had a comment. “I see you’re going sleeveless again tonight. It’s a good look on you.”
Randi shrugged and grinned.
“I thought y’all would still be celebrating,” Eden said.
“We started out with a bang and didn’t slow down.” Randi chuckled. “How was your date?”
Eden shrugged. “It was okay. Gabi’s right, that place has excellent margaritas. It’s a bar/restaurant and you’ll never guess what we did.”
“Um, let me see,” Randi drawled. “You drank and ate?”
Eden gave her a look. “Gabi taught me how to salsa.”
“Really?”
Eden grinned at the delight on Randi’s face. “Yep.”
“You have to teach me,” Randi said.
“I don’t know about that, but it was fun,” Eden said.
“So, do you like her? Were there sparks?”
Eden chuckled. “I do like her, but no sparks yet. Her aunt and uncle own the place. They were really nice and encouraged us to dance.”
Randi smiled. “I guess the pitch event was successful. You had three dates this week and liked them all.”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about me.”
“What!” Randi exclaimed. “What have you done with my best friend?”
“Ha ha.” Eden smirked then laughed. “I want to know what’s going on with Cari. Are you her team leader?”
“That sounds more like you want to know what’s going on with me.”
Eden was ready to pull out all the stops in an effort to keep Randi at HLR. She’d bring the coffee every morning, buy lunch, stay late, and help her—anything so Randi would stay.
“If she finds out that you don’t actually work at HLR she may change her mind,” Eden said. “Even if we teach her how to two-step.”
“Funny you should bring that up,” Randi said. “I wondered why you or Analise didn’t mention it once during the week.”
“You know why! We want you to stay.” Eden stared into Randi’s serious face then saw mischief dancing in her green eyes.
“I told Cari to come in on Monday and we’d outline the first steps in her ad campaign,” Randi said.
Eden sucked in a hopeful breath as a smile grew on her face. “Does that mean?”
Randi nodded. “I am now employed by Hook, Line & Reader. Analise and I still—”
Eden jumped up and threw her arms around Randi’s neck, stopping her mid-sentence. “You’ve made me so happy!”
Randi laughed as they held each other for a moment.
“As I was saying, Analise and I still have to work out the details, but I loved working with you and Analise this week.”
“What did I tell you! I knew you would!”
“Don’t be like that,” Randi warned. “You’re not an I-told-you-so type of person.”
“Now we really have something to celebrate,” Eden said, widening her eyes. “Did you drive or take a ride share?”
“I drove.”
“I think I’ve had enough of crowds for the night. How about you?” Eden asked.
Randi nodded.
“Why don’t you take me home and we can snuggle up on the couch and watch the latest episode of The Traitors,” Eden said. “I have your favorite beer in the fridge.”
Randi chuckled. “That’s a celebration that has Randi and Eden written all over it.”
Eden grinned. “I know my best friend and she knows me.”
They left the bar and Randi pulled out of the parking lot. “Who do you have a date with this weekend?”
“You,” Eden replied.
“Me?” Randi glanced over at her.
“Yep.” Eden smiled at her. “I’ve had enough dates this week. I need a Randi weekend.”
“I have to work this weekend,” Randi said.
“What do you mean work? You just landed us a popular up and coming sapphic author.”
“I know marketing and I’m good at it, but I’ve never marketed books. I still have a lot to learn. Cari will be in on Monday expecting a rundown of how we’re going to get her more readers.” Randi sighed. “I still can’t get over how important these tropes are.”
“What do you mean? You read all the time. You know all about tropes.”
“Not really,” Randi replied. “I just read. I don’t pay attention to the tropes.”
“Yes you do. You like some books better than others or the premise behind them and that’s like a trope.” Eden looked over at Randi and was surprised to see doubt in her best friend’s usual confident demeanor.
“Yes, but I didn’t realize how some are more popular than others and how important they are in marketing."
“Yes you do,” Eden said again. “You certainly singled out the friends to lovers trope in Cari’s latest release.”
“That’s because I could see you and me in the characters,” Randi said. “They did the things we do. It seemed very…familiar.”
Eden smiled at Randi and chuckled as she pulled into the driveway. “Yeah, there were several things in that book that we’ve done, but we’re not in love with each other.”
Randi stopped the car and quickly opened her door. Eden looked over just in time to see her get out. Eden opened her door, got out and followed Randi to her front door. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Randi was trying to get away from her.
“Hey, slow down.” Eden unlocked the front door and held it open for Randi. “You’ve never had a crush on me, have you?”
Randi coughed and hurried through the door.
Eden noticed how Randi couldn’t look her in the eye and instead walked directly into the living room.
“Hey, Letty,” Randi said, looking around the room for the cat.
“Randi?” Eden said.
“What?”
“Look at me,” Eden said. She waited until Randi finally turned towards her. “Have you ever had a crush on me?”
Randi sighed. “It was a long time ago.”
Eden looked at her, surprised.
“Way back when, I may have had a little crush on you.” Randi held up her hand and pinched her index finger and thumb almost together. “But you were dating someone else.”
“Hmm,” Eden murmured.
“Have you…” Randi started then stopped, holding up both hands. “No, I don’t want to know. The disappointment would be too much and I’d look like a fool.”
Eden smiled, caught Randi’s gaze, and made her look at her. “I don’t know if I’d call it a crush, but I’ve said it more than once. I want to find someone like you.” She lifted a shoulder. “If we’re talking about our dream girl, yeah, I’d want her to be like you.”
Randi smiled and didn’t look away.
Letty chose that moment to prance into the living room, meowing loudly for all to hear.
“There’s my girl,” Eden said, reaching down to scoop the cat into her arms. “Look who’s here. It’s our favorite.”
Randi laughed and scratched behind the cat’s ears. “Your favorite what? Traitor!” she said with a bad Scottish accent.
Eden laughed. She wasn’t sure why Randi had seemed so uncomfortable moments ago, but was glad it seemed to have passed.
“Let’s get comfy,” Eden said. “You have a pair of sweats in the dresser in the guest room. I’ll change and make popcorn.”
Randi grinned. “It's a perfect date night.”
Eden laughed. “Yeah, it is.”
After they’d settled on the couch with their snacks Eden had a hard time focusing on the TV. She glanced over at Randi several times and couldn’t keep from thinking about their earlier conversation.
Eden flashed back to years ago when they were becoming friends. She remembered staring at Randi because she was so beautiful. That hadn’t changed. Sometimes Eden still did a double-take depending on what Randi was wearing, how she’d styled her hair, or what they were doing.
She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt uncomfortable around Randi. If she had a crush on Eden, surely she would’ve sensed it. Maybe not since she was dating someone else at the time.
“Oh, that wasn’t smart,” Randi said, staring at the TV. “She’ll be the next to go.”
Eden shook her head and tried to focus on the show.
“Don’t you think so?” Randi asked, looking over at Eden.
“Uh, yeah, if they don’t vote her off this week, it’ll be next week for sure.”
Randi nodded and turned back to the TV.
Eden gazed at Randi’s profile for a moment and felt the love she had for her best friend.
She knew how much their friendship meant to both of them.
Eden considered their friendship more important than any romantic relationship she’d been in.
If something were to happen and she lost Randi, Eden knew that would be more devastating than any breakup she’d ever been through.
Without a thought Eden reached over and squeezed Randi’s hand.
Randi met Eden’s gaze and lifted a brow. “What?”
Instead of telling Randi what was really going through her head Eden grinned. “We would so win this show!”
Randi laughed. “Hell yeah we would.”
“What would we do with all that money?”
Randi gave her an incredulous look. “We’d spend it!”
Eden laughed.
“Oh, I know what you’re thinking,” Randi said. “You’d save it for your retirement or something responsible.”
“Probably, but not before we went on a lavish vacation to some fabulous beach.”
“Now you’re talking!”
Eden smiled as Randi looked back at the TV.
She could imagine them on a fancy vacation because they’d taken several trips together over the years.
It suddenly occurred to her that even if she developed true romantic feelings for Randi, how could she possibly be enough for her?
Randi should be with someone who was dynamic like she was.
More times than not Randi had to drag Eden to various activities she wanted to try.
Randi was creative. Eden loved numbers. Randi loved to go out and Eden was perfectly fine staying at home.
She sighed and shook her head. What was she thinking? There was no way she’d ever risk their friendship for something that would fizzle out because of their differences.
“Hey, you okay?”
“What?” Eden said, turning to see concern on Randi’s face. “Oh, yeah. I just can’t believe the things these people do on these shows.”
“Oh I know and yet we watch them.” Randi grinned and turned back to the TV.
Eden couldn’t believe the thoughts that had been running through her head. It must have been because of the dates she’d had this week, Randi talking about sparks, and then admitting to a crush on her long ago.
Now that she thought about it, this week had been far from ordinary. Working with Randi, the dates, and signing Cari were anything but typical for Eden.
She was looking forward to a familiar weekend with her bestie. Eden reached over and ran her fingers along Letty’s soft coat. Yeah, that’s what we need.