Eden rubbed behind Rex’s ears. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Rex’s tail flicked back and forth as he enjoyed every second of her attention.
Eden stood and looked closely at Steve. “You seem tired. Were you worried about Rex?”
“Only a little.” When she tilted her head to the side, he sighed. “Okay, a lot. I kept waking up every few hours last night to check on him.”
“In that case…” Eden glanced at the display of crystals and chose a pale pink one. “You need a rose quartz crystal. It’s my favorite. As well as helping to give you clear vision, it’ll balance your emotions and harmonize the energy around you.”
“I’ll remember it next time I’m here.” Steve wasn’t convinced it could make a difference, especially with the amount of chaos inside his head. But, if it made Eden feel better, it didn’t matter what he thought. “It looks as though you’ve bought a few things at the market.”
Eden looked at the bags at her feet. “I went a little crazy buying birthday presents for my family. Everything’s so reasonably priced that I couldn’t say no. What do you like the best about the market?”
He smiled. “Do I sound shallow if I say the food?”
“It makes you sound normal,” Eden said sweetly. She pointed behind him. “It looks as though whatever you’ve ordered is ready.”
Steve turned and lifted his hand to let the lady know he’d seen her. “Have you had lunch?”
“Not yet. I was going to grab something on my way home, but I keep getting distracted.”
“Would you like to share my sandwich? It’s big enough for two.”
Eden bit her bottom lip. “Okay, but only if you have one of the muffins I bought earlier. They’re mixed berry and look amazing.”
Steve breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s a deal.”
While Steve collected his sandwich and two bottles of water, Eden bought something from the crystal booth. When he met her in the middle of the walkway, she handed him a small bag.
“This is for you. It’s the rose quartz crystal. I wasn’t sure you’d come back for it, so I bought it for you.”
Steve’s eyes widened. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Eden shrugged. “Everyone needs at least one crystal in their home, and it wasn’t expensive.”
Steve moved the bottles of water under one arm and took the bag. If Eden knew how much he needed to rebalance his life she’d suggest he buy the biggest stone he could find. “Thanks. I’ll let you know if it works.”
Eden grinned. “At least you’re open to trying it. Mom sighs each time I give her a healing crystal.”
As they walked toward the lake, Rex trotted happily beside them.
Steve glanced over at Eden. “How long have you been collecting crystals?”
“For a few years. I fell in love with them when I visited The Crystal Castle in Australia. It was amazing. They have an amethyst cave you can sit in, and some of the biggest crystals in the world.”
“Let me guess,” Steve said. “You took home a suitcase full of crystals.”
Eden laughed. “Only a few. I find them calming, and they’re beautiful to look at.”
As they found a bench overlooking the water, Steve laid out their impromptu picnic. He split the sandwich, giving half to Eden along with a napkin. She offered him one of the muffins, which looked delicious.
“So, I have a random question for you,” he began, his anxiety inching higher. He took a bite of the muffin to give him time to calm his nerves. The sweet burst of berries on his tongue made him smile. “This is really good.”
“I thought you’d like it.” Eden said, taking a small bite of her half of the sandwich.
Steve wiped his hands on the napkin, getting ready to ask the question that’d been turning over in his mind. “You met Daniella at the community dinner last night. She’s the sister of my friend Owen, and she’s getting married in a couple of weeks. I was wondering if you’d like to go to her wedding with me.”
Eden looked surprised. “Oh, I—I’d love to,” she said, her smile slowly spreading. “Daniella told me about the plans they’re making. It sounds like it’ll be fun.”
