Chapter 55
EDEN
“I’m freaking pumped,Eden. Like, really freaking pumped,” Ava says while gesturing wildly on my computer screen.
She’s traveling for her lifestyle brand but made time for the two of us to meet about Dream Guy on Zoom.
“I am too,” I say from my work space in my apartment. It’s nothing impressive—just a desk in the corner of the living room—but I’m excited about it. Because having my own home office feels like an important first step in my career.
I think back to the email I received the other day from the university, how they wrote to tell me that due to the wave of support for Dream Guy, they’ve reconsidered my expulsion and reinstated me as a student. I was shocked.
So was Cruz when I showed him the email. But when he started going on about how great it was that I’d be able to go back to school, how excited he was for me, the shock faded and my true feelings set in. The thought of enrolling at Portland State College and finishing my degree was as appealing as a kick in the shin.
That’s when I knew I wasn’t going to go back to school. That’s when I knew that from that point on, Dream Guy would be my sole focus.
When I told Cruz, he was surprised, but he understood. And then he nudged my elbow, smiled, and said, “You gotta follow your dreams, sis.”
I take in Ava’s expression on my laptop screen, how she looks excited and eager to be working with me.
College was fine, but it never felt like the right place for me. This feels right. I’m exactly where I should be.
“So how are things going so far with the app?” Ava asks.
“Fantastic. It’s only been a week since you and the Dream Guys made your public social media posts defending the app, and we’re well on our way to fully rebounding.”
I share my screen with Ava, showing her the app rating and stats about traffic to Dream Guy’s social media accounts.
“We’re at 4.8 as an overall rating. And we’ve gained almost ten thousand followers on social media.”
Ava beams, showcasing her impossibly white smile. I share the plans for our East Coast expansion.
“I’ve got two dozen Dream Guy applicants already. And I posted a listing for more programmers. We’ll definitely need more support staff going forward.”
“Totally agree,” Ava says.
“Kayla’s promotion has been finalized too. In addition to being the head of web content, she’s now officially the social media manager of Dream Guy.”
I glance at Kayla’s closed bedroom door, where she’s been working the last few hours.
“Amazing!” Ava folds her hands in front of her. “So next on the docket: We need to start plans for our international expansion of Dream Guy.”
That familiar giddy feeling hits. “I’m ready.”
“I know I might be a bit biased, but…” Ava stands up from her desk and walks over to a window and pivots her phone to show a breathtaking view of pastel-colored houses against a crystal blue coast. Sunlight bounces off the surface, making the water look like glass.
“I say we start here in Portugal. Lisbon is one of my favorite places on the planet. I spent summers here when I was a kid. And the culture is so welcoming. People here are so open-minded when it comes to dating and relationships. I think it would be the perfect place to kick off the international campaign for Dream Guy.”
I beam wide. “Ava, I’m thrilled to hear you say that. I’ve been wanting to visit Portugal for years.”
“Awesome!” Ava’s cheery expression shifts. “Here’s the thing though. If we’re serious about making Portugal our next target, we’d have to be okay with living here at least part of the year. Are you cool with that?”
My heart is soaring. This is my dream come true, traveling and working a job I absolutely love. “Of course.”
“How soon do you think you’d be willing to move?”
“I’m not sure. How soon do you think I should go?”
“I’m here for the next week and a half, but after that I’m off to Spain and Italy for my lifestyle brand. The sooner you can make it out here, the better, I think.”
“Right.” That giddy feeling fades, replaced with nerves. The thought of moving to Portugal is beyond thrilling. But the thought of saying goodbye to my family and friends makes me ache.
I stop and think about saying no to Ava. But just the thought of giving up this chance to go to Portugal makes my stomach churn. It’ll be hard saying goodbye to my friends and family in Portland, but traveling and working is my dream. And it’s not like I’ll be gone forever. Once I get Dream Guy up and running in Portugal, I’ll come back to Portland to visit.
“I’ll be there, Ava,” I say. “I’ll book a plane ticket so that I’ll arrive a couple days before you leave. That way we can catch up on business and I can get set up to take over once you’re gone.”
“That’s perfect! Oh, Eden. You’re gonna love it here.”
I ask what hotels she’d recommend I stay, but she frowns. Then she laughs. “No way are you staying at a hotel. You’ll be staying at my family’s villa while you’re here.”
“Oh. Really? You’re okay with that?”
She gives me a look like she can’t believe I even asked. “Of course I’m okay with that. We’re business partners. And friends. No way you’re staying at a hotel. This villa is huge. Like, seven bedrooms and bathrooms with a courtyard. And it sits on five acres of land. There’s even a small vineyard on the property.”
I’m sputtering. “Oh…wow…”
“Oh and! There’s the cutest café down the street from our property. They serve the best pastel de nata in all of Lisbon. You absolutely have to try it.”
The center of my chest stings as my memory slingshots back to just a couple of months ago when Danny and I were cuddled on his couch together after fooling around. We were talking, opening up to each other, sharing our dreams. He told me he wanted to show his artwork in a gallery; I told him how I wanted to work on Dream Guy while traveling.
I told him all the places I wanted to visit, including Portugal—and how I planned to take him with me. I think back to how he cradled my face in his hands, how he pressed teasing kisses to my lips as I talked about going there together, how we’d surf and explore the area and dine on the most delicious pastel de nata.
I try to swallow through the tightness in my throat, but a sad noise escapes anyway. I’d give anything to take Danny to Portugal with me…
I close my eyes and breathe through the stinging in my eyes. I could reach out to him… I could call him right now and tell him to forget about every awful thing that’s passed between us… I could ask him to come with me…
“Eden? You okay?”
I open my eyes and clear my throat. “Yeah, sorry. I think my connection got a bit spotty for a sec.”
“No worries! Once you book your ticket, text Olga your flight info, and she’ll arrange for a car to pick you up and take you to the villa.”
“I will. Thank you, Ava.” I smile at her generosity and how excited she is to have me come to Portugal with her.
I hang up and stare down at my phone. My heart thunders as I pull up Danny in my contacts list. My thumb hovers over his name. It would be so easy to call him, to ask…
But then I remember that it’s been over a week since he walked out on me. He hasn’t even tried to get in contact. Not one text, not one phone call…
The sting of his rejection returns, like a gust of wind knocking me over. He’s made it crystal clear just how little he’s thinking of me anymore. He’s moving on. I need to move on too.
Besides, if Portland State College reinstated my enrollment, I bet they rehired Danny too. I remember just how much that job meant to him—how much teaching art means to him. He’s probably thrilled to have his adjunct position back and wouldn’t drop it just to follow me.
My stomach bottoms out at my silent acknowledgment. This moment feels different from those days after Danny broke up with me, when I was crying and heartbroken. This feels both sad and…final. I’m leaving the country soon. Who knows if I’ll ever seen Danny ever again…
My lip trembles at the thought. I blink and a few tears fall, but I quickly dab them away. I clean myself up, walk over to Kayla’s bedroom door, and knock.
When she answers, I dive straight in. “I have some seriously exciting news.”
When I finish, she squeals, grinning wide as she pulls me into a hug. “Are you serious? Holy shit, this is awesome!”
“You’re not mad?” I ask as I hug her.
“What? Why would I be mad?”
“Well because… I’m moving. To Portugal. That means we won’t be able to live together anymore. And we, um, won’t see each other as much as we do.”
My voice goes shaky the second I see Kayla’s lip quiver.
“Of course I’m sad that my best friend is moving away.” Her eyes glisten with tears, but she smiles, blinking them away. “But Eden, this is your dream. This is what you’ve always wanted. I’m so, so happy for you.”
She squeezes me so tight, I choke and laugh at once.
“Besides, I’ll be visiting you in Portugal a lot.”
I sniffle. “You’d better. And it’s not like I’m moving for good. I’ll just be traveling more. And I’ll be back to visit a lot.”
“You’re staying with me whenever you’re back, no discussion.”
“Of course I will.” I gaze around our tiny apartment. “Will you stay here?”
She shrugs. “Maybe. I’ll need a roommate though.”
“Do you think you’ll ask…Brendan?” I hesitate, unsure of where exactly things stand between them. Kayla hasn’t brought him up much and I haven’t wanted to pry, knowing how complicated their situation is.
Kayla gets a flustered look on her face before stammering.
“Okay, what’s the story?”
She shakes her head. “It’s complicated. I’ll fill you in some other time. Now we’re focusing on your good news. We need to celebrate.”
“I don’t know if I have time for that, between work and packing and moving.”
Kayla holds up a hand. “No way. You’re getting a proper send-off. I’ll plan it myself, you won’t have to worry about anything other than showing up.”
I pull Kayla into a hug again. “God, you’re the best. I’m gonna miss you.”
“I’ll miss you more.”