Page 90 of Words We Didn't Say

“Zach, they’re amazing! And look at this place!” Her head swivelled to take in the walls jammed with knickknacks and photos. “I love it. It’s a real home.” She was grinning when she headed straight for the row of pictures in the china hutch. “Oh my gosh! Are these you?”

“Ah, yeah.” I started flipping down all the frames. “We don’t need to see those.”Ever.

Eden squealed. “Stop that!” She swatted my hand. “Teenage Zach is adorable.”

My brows rose. I’d shot up to six feet by the time I was thirteen and would’ve been lucky if I was fifty kilos sopping wet. Gangly arms and legs. Glasses. Braces. The whole bingo card for an awkward youth.

“You need glasses, too, Denny Dee?”

Eden poked her tongue out at me and shuffled around the living room, lifting the frames to peek at all my embarrassingphotos, her fingers almost reverent on all the dusty knickknacks and along the back of Mum’s prized suede sofa.

My phone pinged.

I sighed. If Mum was texting me instructions from the kitchen… I slipped my phone out of my pocket.

“Huh.”

Chris

I’m sorry if I said something to upset you on Friday night. I’m only looking out for you. If I overstepped, I apologise.

Let’s get a coffee tomorrow morning.

“Everything all good?” Eden asked.

“It’s Chris.”

Her chin dropped. “But it’s Sunday night,” she whispered.

She was worried I was going to abandon her and head to work. I had before. Not tonight. I didn’t even bother responding to Chris’s apology. Something about his message left me cold. I turned off my phone and put my hand to much better use clutching Eden’s waist. I dipped my head. Kissed her shoulder.

“He apologised for what happened at the gala,” I said.

“Which was…?”

“Like I told you, he overstepped his mark.”

Eden huffed. She was still pissed off at me for not telling her why I’d grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the bar. What good would come of telling her? Chris’s comments had been cruel and entirely uncalled for. I wasn’t letting one word of that filth come out of my mouth.

“He made some bullshit comment about me, didn’t he?” she guessed.

“Dee—”

“I know you admire him—he’s been a big help to your career—so I’m beingveryselective with my words.”

“But?”

“I don’t like him. Not one bit. Even if I somehow manage to put aside the way he treated you when your mum was sick—which I don’t think I can—I don’t like the way he glares at his fiancée, and Iloathethe way he talks to her. He barks orders at her like she’s his damn servant.” Eden’s nose went in the air. “No thanks.”

“He gave me a chance when no one else would.”

“And you’ve paid him back a thousand times over by being fantastic at what you do. The way he treated you, Zach. I just—I—ugh. It makes me furious! You don’t owe him anything!” Eden breathed out, slow and steady. “Sorry.” She touched a hand to her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I slung an arm around her to pull her close and kiss her forehead. “Thanks for looking out for me.”

A flash of grey hair disappeared from the doorway.

Without turning, I said, “We see you, Ma.”

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