Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Eden had spent a fitful night trying to sleep as thoughts and memories of Randi kept running through her head.
Talk about a roller coaster. The rides at Six Flags had nothing on the way her mind kept zooming from memory to memory.
One minute she would remember looks, touches, and smiles they’d shared over the past few weeks then the next she would be wondering why neither of them had said anything.
Was Eden such a rule follower that she couldn’t let herself feel the love in her heart for Randi? Had her heart and mind been battling all this time and finally her heart won? Or was her mind protecting her heart from getting broken?
Randi couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. Eden knew this about her best friend, so if Tennie’s observations were true and Randi had feelings beyond friendship for Eden then why hadn’t she said something?
Eden sighed as she walked into her office and plopped down in her chair.
She hadn’t seen Randi’s car in the parking lot so she had a few minutes before the awkwardness set in.
Eden knew she’d feel it the minute her eyes met Randi’s.
She picked up her stress ball and threw it from hand to hand.
Had they been hiding a secret from each other, but now Eden knew?
Part of Eden, the most reckless part that she never let out, wanted to walk up to Randi and kiss her on the lips. That would get everything out in the open, wouldn’t it? She could imagine the shock on Randi’s face, but she could also imagine Randi backing away and things never being the same.
Still…that kiss. She dropped the ball and bent down to pick it up.
“Hey, you never called me yesterday,” Randi said, bouncing into Eden’s office. “What did Tennie want to talk to you about?”
Eden’s eyes went wide as she tried to recover from the shock of Randi’s entrance. “Good morning to you, too,” she said, taking a deep breath and slowly looking up into Randi’s eyes. All she saw was curiosity and impatience. “Uh, she wanted to talk about sparks.”
“Oh,” Randi said quietly, sitting down in the chair opposite Eden’s desk.
“It wasn’t so bad,” Eden said. “She knew I wasn’t feeling it, but hoped we could be friends.”
Randi nodded and narrowed her eyes. “Did you have to let her down gently? I mean, she obviously has the hots for you, who wouldn’t?”
If only Randi knew! Eden took a breath and swallowed, trying to calm her racing heart.
She tossed the ball to Randi. “Uh, no. I don’t think she had sparks either.
It was mutual.” She shrugged because she could not find the words to explain this.
There was no way she was telling Randi the rest of the conversation right now.
Randi leaned forward and stared at Eden. “You look kind of—you didn’t stay up all night worrying about this, did you?” She straightened in her chair. “I know you like Tennie and don’t want to disappoint her, but Eden, you can’t make yourself feel something that isn’t there.”
“I know.” Eden nodded. She tilted her head and stared into Randi’s eyes. As much as she’d hoped to avoid Randi today, at least until she had all these feelings sorted out, she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Do you think you can keep yourself from feeling something that is there?”
Randi sat back in her chair and fiddled with the stress ball. “Uh, I’m not sure what you mean. Like, um, if there’s someone you have a thing for, but shouldn’t or they don’t feel the same way…” Randi suddenly looked uncomfortable.
“I don’t know.” Eden shrugged then had an idea. “Yeah, let’s say you had a spark for Cari, but knew you couldn’t do anything about it because of work and client boundaries. Do you just push those feelings away?” She flicked her hand out like she was shooing a fly away.
“I don’t have a spark for Cari,” Randi said testily. She tossed the ball back to Eden. “And why do we keep using the word spark?”
Eden caught the ball and suppressed a smile.
Randi Powell was frustrated. She only saw her friend like this when she was caught red-handed.
Randi had a talent for getting out of situations where she might have been acting questionably or was guilty, but she could never hide it with Eden.
Randi’s reaction was interesting, but now Eden wasn’t sure if Randi had feelings for Cari or for her.
“You didn’t answer the question,” Eden pushed. “Can you keep yourself from feeling something that’s already there?”
“How would I know?” Randi raised her hands in exasperation. “What kind of question is that?”
“Wow, what are you getting so upset about?”
Randi huffed. “I’m not upset,” she said. “Why do you think I have a thing for Cari?”
“I don’t. You’d tell me if you did, right?” Eden replied, tossing the ball in the air. “I think she could have a thing for you.”
“She doesn’t,” Randi stated. “I’d better get to work.”
“Okay,” Eden said.
Randi turned around at Eden’s doorway. “You’re okay though?”
Her expression had softened and Eden smiled. “Uh, yeah, I’m okay.”
Randi nodded and took a step into the hallway then came back into her office. “Does that mean Gabi is the only one left from the pitch a friend thing?”
“Not really,” Eden said. “I don’t plan to see her again.”
“Ah, too handsy?”
Eden raised her brows. She’d forgotten how Randi noticed Gabi’s attention at game night. “Yeah, and no sp—uh, uh…”
Randi chuckled. “I get it. You’re not into her.”
Eden shook her head.
“Hmm, I was sure that pitch a friend would work. I’m sorry, babe.”
“It’s okay,” Eden said. “It’ll all work out, right?”
“It will,” Randi said. “See you at lunch.”
Eden stared at the empty space where Randi had been standing.
Her question had certainly upset Randi, but why?
Randi had assured Eden that nothing was going on with Cari weeks ago and Eden believed her.
One thing she could count on was Randi’s honesty.
Eden could usually tell if Randi was interested in someone as well.
She didn’t get that vibe from her when Cari was around.
The only thing Eden learned from their conversation was that she could still frustrate Randi, but this time it was unintentional and not funny.
“What do I do now?”
“About what?” Analise asked, stopping in Eden’s doorway.
“Oh.” Eden straightened in her chair and set the ball on her desk. “Good morning.”
Analise tilted her head. “Are you okay? You’re not the usual bright Eden I’m used to seeing in the mornings.”
“Oh, I’ve got a…hmm…I’m not sure what to call it. A dilemma, a situation, a question.” She smiled. “It’ll be okay.”
“I know you go to your bestie when you have something you need help with, but I’m here if you need an ear.” Analise gave her a kind look.
Eden smiled. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I’m assuming this isn’t work related?” Analise asked.
“Not really.” Eden sighed. “I don’t mean to be cryptic…”
“It’s okay.” Analise smiled. “By the way, great job on Saturday at Cari’s event. I know that’s not part of your job, but I appreciate it.”
“I was happy to be there,” Eden replied. “The Plot Twist is a great partner.”
“Yeah, they are,” Analise said. “But there’s just something about the energy you and Randi brought to the event.”
Eden looked at her in surprise. “Me? Randi’s the hype person who keeps everyone entertained.”
Analise nodded. “But you play off each other. I heard you asking each other questions that got the readers waiting in line to engage in the conversation. You’re a good team.” Analise stepped into the office and reached out her fist.
Eden raised her brows and hesitantly bumped her fist to Analise’s in surprise.
“I’m so glad you got her to come work with us.” With that Analise smiled and walked out of Eden’s office.
Eden couldn’t keep from smiling. “We do make a good team.” She’d known that from the beginning.
Randi walked into her office and sank into her chair.
She exhaled a frustrated breath and shook her head.
Eden’s question made Randi think her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She couldn’t get out of that office fast enough because she knew Eden would see right through her.
Who did Eden have feelings for that she couldn’t do anything about. Was Cari right?
Randi sighed and took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart.
If Eden had feelings for her wouldn’t she tell her?
They had always been able to talk about anything.
On top of that, why was this happening now?
Why did Randi feel so out of control when it came to Eden?
She’d had these feelings for years and been able to keep them in check.
Randi sat back and stared at the wall across from her desk.
She and Eden had faced these questions from time to time over the years, but when Cari asked—rather, proclaimed—she could see Randi’s feelings for Eden, it was different.
Randi felt exposed and couldn’t push the feelings down deep enough.
They always seemed to hover whenever she saw Eden and when she thought of her.
“Good morning, my friend,” Cari said, strolling into Randi’s office and sitting in the chair opposite her desk. “I need your help.”
“Okay,” Randi replied, grateful for the distraction.
“I’m working on my new book and here’s the question: Why are you and Eden single?”
Randi had chosen that moment to take a sip of her coffee and almost choked. She coughed, trying to catch her breath. When she was finally able to take a deep breath, she stared at Cari. “What?”
“Why are you and Eden single? You’ve both dated, have exes, so what happened?”
Randi swallowed, still trying to catch her breath and thought about her past relationships, if she could call them relationships. She didn’t have a history of long-term commitments, but had several shorter term girlfriends in her past.
“I’m the girl you date, not the girl you envision forever with,” Randi said.
“Why?” Cari asked with surprise on her face.
Randi shrugged. “Women don’t think I’m serious enough for the future. I’m a good time.”
“Hmm, you are a lot of fun, but that doesn’t mean you’re not, um…”
“Relationship goals? Forever material?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.” Randi smiled. “I don’t go around talking about my future plans or aspirations.”
“I don't think I do that either,” Cari said.
“Sure you do. You’re always talking about your next book. That’s looking ahead.”
“You don’t do that?”
“I’m looking forward to Saturday when we all go to Six Flags,” Randi said. “That’s far enough in the future for me right now.”
“Okay, what about Eden?”
Randi raised a shoulder. “You’d have to ask her.”
“I’m asking you,” Cari said.
Randi sighed. “Okay. Eden is looking for someone who wants to pursue life goals the way she does. She has the house. Maybe kids.” Randi shrugged. “Maybe not, but someone to work with, I don’t know, towards something meaningful.”
“Like a hobby or a bucket-list trip?”
“Yeah, but also someone to come home to, to cook dinner with, curl up with, read a book with.” Randi widened her eyes and grinned. “Or watch a movie, play a game, do nothing with. You know, live.”
“The look on your face tells me you might want those things, too.”
Randi smirked.
“One more question,” Cari said. “Can you see yourself doing those things with Eden?”
Randi stared at Cari and raised one side of her mouth.
“Then do something about it!” Cari replied.
Randi sighed. “I don’t know how,” she said softly. “Eden’s the one who helps me figure things out.”
“I think your forever is staring you in the face,” Cari said. “You can figure this one out with Eden’s help, but you have to tell her.”
Randi’s phone pinged and she glanced over to see a notification. She smiled as she read it. “I think I may know what to do.”
“Tell me!”
Randi shook her head. “Not yet. We have Six Flags first.”
“That’s not for several days!” Cari exclaimed.
“Good things come to those who wait,” Randi said with an air of mystery.
“My God, you two have waited long enough, don’t you think?”
Randi smiled.
“Come on, you’re helping me with my book,” Cari urged her on.
Randi tilted her head. “Is that all this is? A plot for your book? I thought you wanted Eden and me to be happy.”
“I do,” Cari said. “You’re my friends and I can see you should be together.”
“Speaking of friends,” Randi said. “Eden talked to Tennie yesterday and they’ve decided to be friends and no longer date.”
“Oh no. We like Tennie.”
“Tennie is not going anywhere. She’s one of us now.” Randi smiled.
“Hmm, does that mean Gabi is the last date standing?”
“Uh, no,” Randi said. “Eden isn’t going to see her again.” Cari was staring at her. “Is there something else you want to say?”
“I think your dating history and Eden’s dating history speak for themselves,” Cari said, sounding exasperated. “Give your hearts a fucking break.”
Randi widened her eyes. “Why are you so invested in this?”
“It’s all about love, Randi. Don’t you see? Love will always find a way.”
“Romance authors.” Randi shook her head and smiled as Cari got up and left her office. Could she see herself doing all those things with Eden? Of course she could because they’d been doing most of them together for years. That’s why their friendship was so strong.
A perfect opportunity to show Eden her true feelings was coming Saturday night. Randi had all week to overthink this, but she suddenly felt a calmness surrounding her heart. She knew the doubts were still there, but maybe it was time to push them away.
Randi took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “Just get through the week.”