She'd also had standing monthly hair, nail, facial, and massage appointments. But she didn't mention that to Kennedy. She knew she led an extravagant lifestyle, but she'd always been able to afford it, so why not?
Eden's stomach hardened as she realized how self-centered and spoiled she was. She tried to be generous too, but that didn't really make up for her indulgent lifestyle. She admired her nails for another long moment, thinking this might be her last manicure for a while. If she didn't find a job soon, she'd have to make some lifestyle changes.
Even though the thought left her feeling a little anxious, it didn't fill her with disappointment, like she thought it would.
Maybe it wasn't only my job that I've been unhappy with lately.
"So, how much do you actually have in savings?" Kennedy asked, pulling Eden from her thoughts. "Do I need to help you find a job here in Providence?"
"Goodness, no." Eden grimaced. The last thing she wanted was to feel obligated to stay in this tiny town indefinitely. It was nice for a relaxing visit, but she couldn't live here long term. She'd die of boredom. "I'll be fine. I have enough to support myself until I find a job."
Worst case scenario, she could pay rent on a new apartment for a few months, if she needed to. Not that she considered moving. That would be too drastic of a move. Especially since she’d never paid her own rent. Like so many other things in her life, her dad took care of it. Yet one more thing that bothered her. She'd appreciated the gesture when she first moved out on her own, but it was past time she took responsibility for her life.
"Just until you get on your feet," he'd said, but years later he still insisted on paying her rent. "It's the least I can do for my only child," had always been his response.
A heaviness settled in her chest, creating a sinking feeling throughout her whole abdomen. Did he insist on paying her rent and credit card as a means to control her?
Control might be a strong word, but his providing for her kept her indebted to him and made her feel obligated to do the things he asked. She'd been bending to his will for years just to please him, from her education to her career. Even her social life was wrapped up in him and the company.
For all his talk about her taking responsibility, he sure hadn't allowed her to do so in her own life.
Pulling herself from thoughts of her father, she smiled at Kennedy. "I have a long-term savings and some investments, so don't worry about me. I'll be fine until I find a job." Not that she wanted to have to pull from either.
Scott walked out of the bedroom. "Ready?"
Kennedy stood. "We sure are. Aren't we, Eden?"
"Ready for what?" Eden asked.
"We're going over to Scott's parents' house to play games. Remember I mentioned it yesterday?"
That's right. Eden did recall her mentioning it, and she had cringed the same way she wanted to right now. Even though playing games sounded more enjoyable than watching TV, she felt weird inserting herself into their life any more than she already had.
It was bad enough she slept on their couch, with her suitcase shoved into the corner of the living room because there wasn't room for it anywhere else. She hadn't even been able to bring in all her stuff.
I'm practically living out of my car.
Kennedy must have seen the hesitation on Eden's face because she bent and slapped her leg. "Come on, it'll be fun."
Eden scrunched up her nose. "I don't know. I'm not feeling very social tonight."
"Rudy will be there," Kennedy said in a teasing voice.
Eden groaned. She loved her friend, but she wished she'd stop pushing her and Rudy together. Sure, her brother-in-law was good looking, and he had a fun personality, but Eden just couldn't see a future for the two of them.
He was a country boy through and through, and she was a city girl. Power suits and high heels were her norm, whereas Rudy was boots and a pickup truck. At some point, she would leave Providence and return to the city again. She didn't need any romantic entanglements to complicate things.
"Ugh, don't remind me."
She hated the thought of facing Rudy again. She'd be eternally grateful to him for saving her life, but she was so embarrassed that he'd seen her at her worst. When she finally got out of bed and went to the bathroom last Saturday, she looked even worse than she thought when she agreed to see him. No wonder he said she looked like garbage.
Kennedy waved Scott out the door then sat back down on the couch by Eden. "Come on, you've done nothing but sit around the apartment all week."
"Not true. I went for a run twice this week, and I got my nails done." But there really wasn't much else to do in this small town, so she really had sat around the apartment all week.
It wasn't like she wasted all her time watching Netflix, though. Okay, she had watched an awful lot of Netflix, but she'd also done some job hunting online. She just hadn't found anything that felt right. She was only qualified to work in the business field, but she wasn't sure she wanted that anymore.
The thought of sitting in a stuffy office where she attended endless meetings and only communicated with people who had problems made her cringe. She needed a change, but what kind of change, she didn't know.
