More Than Sorry

7: He Gets Some Advice

ZACH

I thought the worst moment of my life was the night Eden left. But even if you dug my heart out with a rusty fork, it wouldn't come close to how I felt when Eden fell apart in the supermarket.

Sure, I've seen Eden cry before. Once, when I came home from work late, she was blubbering over a cat food commercial. PMS, apparently. Eden also likes watching those animated kids' movies. She bawled over some fish, but I secretly loved it because she hopped into my lap so I could snuggle her so close we were almost one person.

So, yeah, I'm used to tears.

But not like what happened in the supermarket.

The memory of Eden crumbling dominates my thoughts. At work. At home. Even now, when I'm sitting in my car outside my parent's house, my knuckles white because I'm gripping the steering wheel tight even though my car's in park. That memory of Eden is a crushing weight on my chest that never eases. Not even for a second.

And worst of all, I was the reason she fell apart. I made her feel like that. My actions broke down the confident, bubbly, beautiful girl who always had a smile for me.

I count to five as I force a deep breath in and then out. I will face an inquisition when I walk into my parent's house, and I deserve every minute of it.

Mum must hear me coming up the front stairs because the door flies open, and she's bobbing low and then craning her neck to see around me.

She pushes her pink cat-eye glasses back up her nose. "Where's Eden?" She pops up on her tiptoes, looking over my shoulder to where I parked. "She forget something in the car?"

"She's not coming, Ma."

Mum's face falls faster than a tank off a cliff. "Oh, so it's just you?"

"Geez, Ma. It's good to see you, too." My arms wrap around her shoulders, and I pull her close against my chest to drop a kiss on her head.

Mum squeezes back before wriggling away. "Zachary, you promised! Eden is supposed to come today to meet us. We've been waiting months."

Zachary. Ouch. I'm in trouble.

"Sorry, Ma..."

"Your dad even wore his nice shirt with the collar. Whinged the whole bloody time he was buttoning it up." Mum leads the way down the hall. She flicks a glance at me over her shoulder. "Is Eden working today? I know stylists get flat out during spring."

My brow furrows. "They do?"

"Weddings. Everyone gets married in spring." Mum flashes me an annoyed glare. "You should know that."

I don't respond and keep my mouth shut as I trail after Mum to the kitchen. This is another reminder that I haven't paid as much attention to Eden's job as I should have.

"I know you said not to bug Eden on social media until we officially meet, but I follow her salon, and they have a ton of celebrity weddings on the books." Mum excitedly rattles off some names of famous people I vaguely recognize. "And Eden has such great taste in fashion. I wanted to show her my new sandals!"

Mum pops her foot out to model a silver sandal with strappy things up past her ankles. Reminds me of a gladiator.

"I like 'em, Ma."

She rolls her eyes. "You wouldn't know good sandals if one hit you right on the head."

Mum pauses at the kitchen counter. Her hand is on her hip. She studies my face, looking me over, always seeing too much. Her eyes narrow down the more restless I become under her sharp gaze. "You screwed it up with Eden, didn't you?"