Page 60 of Break the Rule
“Hey. We met at the gallery. I don’t know if you remember me.”
“I remember you,” Eden blurts. “Andrew.”
“Yeah.” Andrew smiles, and something about it is so much like Charlie and yet entirely different. Where Charlie’s smile feels playful, Andrew’s is gentle somehow, which only puts Edenon edge. Why’s he being nice? What does he want? “I’m sorry if I scared you.”
“You didn’t,” Eden lies, rubbing his hands on his skirt. Like hell he’s gonna admit anything to someone with Charlie’s face.
“You look as bad as Charlie.”
“Is insulting me what you wanted to talk about?” Eden asks, retrieving the fallen mop. “If so, I have work to do and you can fuck off. You can run back to Charlie and do your reporting like the good little spy you are.”
“I’m not spying,” Andrew protests, “and Charlie doesn’t know I’m here.”
That surprises Eden enough he stops fiddling with the handle of the mop to stare at Andrew. This time of day there’s no one in the restaurant except for José, who is watching his phone so loudly in the corner he won’t hear them.
“Whatareyou doing here?” Eden demands.
“I wanted to come and see if maybe you were struggling the same way Charlie is.”
Eden’s back stiffens. Is Charlie struggling? Or maybe Andrew is lying.
“I’m sure Charlie is fine.”
“Charlie says he’s fine but—” Andrew sighs, shoving his hands in his pocket. “How are you?”
“Me?” Eden balks. “Why?”
“Look, Charlie told me what happened and?—”
“Then you know I’m a walking red flag and a problem, and we’re all better off if Charlie leaves me alone, which he’s been doing since he hasn’t come back here since last week and sent you instead.”
“Charlie hasn’t been back because he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Andrew says, “and I told you, he doesn’t even know I’m here. He’d probably have a shit fit if he did.”
“Then why the fuck are you here?” Eden snaps. “Just come to gawk at me and then run back to Charlie and laugh about it?”
The face Andrew makes—equal parts horror and sadness—is enough to have Eden regretting his words.
“I would never do that and neither would Charlie.”
“Whatever,” Eden scoffs, fidgeting with his bracelets. He twists them, tapping against the beads. Maybe if he ignores Andrew he’ll leave. Most people do after one of Eden’s outbursts.
“You don’t owe me anything but maybe, if you have a break coming up we could talk.”
“Why?”
“You look like you could use an ear to talk to, and I’ve got a lifetime of experience dealing with my fucking imbecile of a brother.”
“Charlie is fucking insensible,” Eden grumbles.
“He really is,” Andrew agrees. “He’s also the best.”
Whatever boost of confidence Eden got from Andrew's words disappears. Charlie is definitely too good for someone like Eden. If he doesn’t know it yet he would if he was around long enough, exactly why it’s safer to keep him at arms length.
“Let me buy you a drink.”
“I’m not legal.”
“I know,” Andrew laughs. “Charlie’s had a crisis about it all week. I meant let me buy you a Coke or something. If you’ve got time to talk.”
