"Alice caught you?" Kennedy gave into the laughter again.
"She said it was about time then turned off the light and told us to carry on."
Kennedy snorted again, but Eden went on before her friend could interrupt. "After we kissed on Independence Day, I ended up with food poisoning."
Kennedy pointed a finger at Eden. "Again, not a direct correlation to kissing Rudy."
"I know, but it happened, nonetheless." Then she continued. "The next time we kissed he fell asleep afterward because he had been up all night with me while I was vomiting, then the following day, I couldn't find my phone for an hour after he kissed me goodbye." She was on a roll now and couldn't stop. "That night, he got called out on an emergency shortly after kissing me. And then last week, when we were fishing..." Eden was so worked up she needed to pause and take some deep breaths before continuing.
"Wait." Kennedy grabbed Eden's arm. "Were you guys kissing when he fell and hit his head?"
"No, but only moments before we were." Eden buried her face in her hands. "Rudy used to laugh every time I questioned whether God wants us to be together, but he's hardly come near me since he got eight stitches in his head."
Kennedy pulled Eden's hands away from her face. "You guys do seem to have had your share of bad luck, but that's all it is. Your luck will turn around."
"Will it? Love isn't supposed to be a series of mishaps and accidents. I want to be swept off my feet, not bathing in peroxide and baking soda and running to the hospital every time I turn around." Tears filled Eden's eyes. "Why does falling in love have to be so hard?"
"It's not hard, normally. For most people, it happens rather effortlessly. But anything worth having is worth working for." Kennedy shook Eden's shoulders. "Don't give up. Don't let your head look for reasons not to follow your heart."
"But Rudy has withdrawn now."
"Maybe he needs to know you're willing to fight for this too. He shouldn't be the only one to do all of the work." Kennedy leaned forward. "You lost your mom at a young age, and your father let you down in so many ways, but it doesn't mean you don't deserve love."
Warmth filled Eden's chest, and she threw her arms around Kennedy. As always, her best friend knew exactly what she needed to hear.
"Did you hear Alice offer to help me make some baby blankets and burp clothes?" Kennedy asked when the hug ended.
Eden still wanted to talk to Kennedy about her job, or lack thereof, especially since she had a virtual interview with Avant Garde Home Decor this week that went well, but she was also still considering starting her own business. But they could discuss all that later. Right now, her friend needed her attention.
"I still can't believe you're pregnant! Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"I'll be happy with either, but I can't help imagining Scott holding our baby girl."
"Oh, she would be so cute, I'm sure of it. I think you'd enjoy learning to sew with Alice. She started to teach me how to sew this week. We started off with straight lines, making square quilt blocks." Eden sprang off the bed. "Wait here, I'll go get the pieces I sewed together this week and show you."
Eden hurried past the crowd in the family room that had only thinned marginally and went downstairs. She was almost to the open door of the workout room when she heard Scott's gruff voice.
"So, what's going on between you and Eden?"
She skidded to a stop in the hall.
Would Rudy tell his brother the same things she'd just told Kennedy? Would Scott give him the same encouragement Kennedy had given her.
Rudy snorted, much like Kennedy had. "I don't know, man. Skunks and stitches aside, she's pretty and fun to hang out with. We always have a good time, but I'm not sure I should set my heart on more than that."
Fun to hang out with?
Was that all she was to him? Entertainment in this small town where there was nothing to do?
"Why not?" Scott said.
"It's beginning to feel like this is all bad timing." Rudy grunted under whatever weight he lifted. "Marriage isn't really part of my life plans right now."
Pain sharp and hot pierced Eden's chest as tears filled her eyes. He'd asked her not to give up on them so they could look for a solution together, but he'd never had any intentions of changing his ten-year plan so they could be together?
That's why she'd withdrawn emotionally on the boat last week, but then he'd charmed her and kissed her, made her think that everything would be okay somehow. Had that just been for his own entertainment?
"Besides," Rudy's voice came through the door again. "I'm not sure I can support her in the kind of lifestyle she's accustomed to."
