Page 117 of Break the Rule
Somehow the concern in his eyes makes things worse. Fuck him for being observant and kind. Stupid fucking Charlie and his big, brown eyes and handsome face that Eden can’t get enough of.
Eden doesn’t want to think about Addy and Ella here, doesn’t want to think about how much he wants to be allowed to be a part of this. He doesn’t want to think about how at twenty years old, he’s never had anything close to this.
He doesn’t want any of these goddamn fucking feelings.
“Eden?”
“I’m fine,” Eden lies because the truth wouldn’t make sense. Not to someone like Charlie.
What Eden doesn’t say, what hecan’tsay, is that something happens when you’re abandoned by the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally. It breaks something in you that can’t be fixed.
Growing up knowing you were easy to walk away from changes you. It sours every interaction, every friendship, every possible future. All of them are clouded by the knowledge that something about you is irrevocably difficult to love.
Suddenly he wants to run, wants to scream, wants to do anything to avoid letting another goddamn person into his life who is going to walk away.
“Do you have a favorite side?” Charlie asks, blissfully unaware of Eden’s spiraling.
There’s a smile on his face, the lines of his handsome face relaxed and open. He has no idea what Eden is thinking. Why would he?Howcould he?
“No,” Eden croaks.
“Stuffing is mine,” Charlie says, his expression amused as he leans down and whispers, “get it because I like to bestuffed.”
The bad joke forces a laugh out of Eden, only serving to make things worse. Charlie shouldn’t be able to make him laugh right now, yet he did because Charlie has that effect on Eden—his ridiculous yet good-natured personality is a balm to his own often sour disposition.
The horrible, terrible truth is that Eden likes Charlie.
He likes him too damn much.
“Areyou sure you don’t want help with the dishes?” Zach asks.
The offer is polite enough, but it’s all Eden can do not to sneer. Throughout the meal, Zach was the poster child for polite conversation, making everyone laugh and charming the table—like a greasy car salesman. When he wasn’t the center of attention, he’d make Andrew the focus of his attention, small little barbs and remarks that Eden couldn’t always hear but that made Andrew look like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
If Eden weren’t positive that Andrew would’ve hated him drawing attention to it, he would’ve yelled across the table. Almost everyone is gone now though, only Charlie’s brothers and their partners left. And Zach.
Why the fuck is Zach still here? Everyone else went home, but not this annoying asshole.
“I’m sure,” Charlie tells him. “You’re a guest. Just relax, me and Jason can handle the dishes.”
“Why aren’t Andrew and Alec doing dishes?” Jason asks.
“Because Alec did all the cooking, and Andrew did all the planning. They get to rest.”
“Yeah I get to rest, and that means I need Theo,” Alec smirks, grabbing Theo’s hand. “In fact, we’re going to rest in the house. In the spare room. You should probably not come check on us at all.”
Theo’s cheeks flush as he trails after Alec.
“They’re going to fuck, aren’t they?” Jason groans.
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to,” Charlie snorts, heading into the kitchen with Jason and Emerson hot on his tail, leaving Eden, Andrew, and Zach alone in the living room. Even Agnes and Birdie have disappeared, leaving Eden with nothing to do but stare at Zach’s stupidly symmetrical profile as he stares at the place Charlie departed.
A strange mix of jealousy and unease burns in Eden’s gut.
“Do they do that a lot?” Eden questions, trying to focus on something else.
“Who, Alec and Theo?” Andrew asks. At Eden’s nod, he continues. “Yeah, but at least they’re doing it in the bedroom this time. You don’t ever wanna show up at their house without warning, trust me.”
Zach makes a derisive noise, and Eden’s control stretches thin.
