Page 63 of The Fine Art of Faking It
“On to the happiness portion of our conversation,” Emma declared.
Eva leaned in to Eden. “So we talked about what makes us exhausted, and now to balance the conversation so we’re not a bunch of whiny assholes with first world problems, we talk about what makes us happy.”
Kids and new shoes and more help at work were all enthusiastically discussed. Joey’s horse breeding program was taking off. Summer’s online magazine had reached another major advertising milestone. And Gia’s yoga studio was busy enough that she’d brought on a second part-time instructor. Emma, her business success already evident in the hustle and bustle at the bar behind them, talked about the room she and Niko were turning into a nursery and Niko’s photo shoot in Miami at the end of the month. Eva’s backlist of books was selling well, and she and Donovan were thinking about taking a honeymoon now that the fuss and chaos of the month-long astrological shitstorm was behind them.
“I think we can guess what’s making you happy, Eden,” Summer said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“You mean,whois making her happy,” Gia teased.
Oh, right. Her hot, fake boyfriend.
Eden plastered an expression on her face that she hoped would pass for bashful. She wasn’t really prepared to lie to half of Blue Moon to their faces tonight. “I’m very happy,” she promised them vaguely.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Joey pointed out.
“Okay. I’m asking it. I’ve been in the dark long enough,” Emma announced. “What exactly happened with you two? What was The Incident everyone keeps talking about?”
Lila returned with Eden’s wine, and she took a healthy gulp to buy some time. It didn’t help. They were all still staring at her expectantly.
“Why didn’t you just ask Joey?” Eden asked. “She was only a few years behind me in school. She knows.”
Joey crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not a gossip,” she said haughtily.
Eden leaned back in her chair and wished the floor would swallow her up.
“You don’t have to tell us,” Gia said, patting her hand from across the table.
“Yes. She does,” Eva and Emma announced together.
“Ugh. Fine. I asked Davis to the HeHa dance. He said yes and then showed up with Taneisha instead.”
“Taneisha?” Gia gasped. “Was she this beautiful as a teenager?”
“Yep,” Eden said flatly.
“Why would he have done that to you?” Summer asked.
See?Davis wasn’t the Mr. Wonderful everyone thought him to be,Eden thought. Only now she couldn’t gleefully announce that since she was supposed to be falling in love with him. The thrill of victory she expected didn’t wash over her.
“I don’t know the specifics. I didn’t really give him a chance to explain. There wasn’t anything he could have said that would have made it not hurt.”
“Agreed,” Joey announced.
“Of course, you agree,” Summer sighed. “You held a grudge for eight years.”
“A grudge that deserved to be held,” Joey shot back.
“You guys, the first time Joey saw Jax when he moved back to Blue Moon, she slapped the crap out of him in the kitchen,” Summer tattled. “It was so hot!”
Eden laughed along with the rest of them. Joey and Jax had been high school sweethearts when they were in an accident just before graduation. Jax had left Blue Moon—and Joey—that night. It had taken a lot of time, a lot of Pierce charm, and a rescue dog to thaw her feelings toward him.
“Okay, so that’s the why,” Emma prodded. “What was The Incident? What did you do to get back at Davis?”
Eden covered her face with her hands. “This is so stupid. It’s so embarrassing,” she complained.
“We’re all friends here,” Eva said, patting her on the shoulder.
“I was mad,” Eden began.
