Her dad was still worried about the company more than he was about her, and it hurt. She used to think she was the center of his world, but that changed somewhere along the line, and now she questioned when that had happened.
How long have I been a pawn for him?
This time when she folded her arms, it wasn't an attempt at defiance, but rather as a shield. She swallowed back the emotion and attempted to keep her voice steady. "I'm sorry you feel like I've failed you and the company, but I need to do what's right for me." She lifted her chin and met his gaze, even though she didn't feel nearly brave enough right now to face her father down.
"Which is what? Play perpetual house guest to Kennedy's in-laws, and throw away your skills and education?"
Eden didn't answer because he was right. She didn’t know how long she planned to stay here. She hadn't even looked for a job in the past week. She'd been too busy. Sure, she was using her experience and business skills to help Hattie, but it wasn't something she planned to do long term.
Her father leaned back and scrubbed his hands over his face. A sure sign he was losing his patience, but Eden refused to give in. She couldn't. She'd sacrificed too much to win the independence that she had.
"If you were involved with someone else, I'd be willing to let this rest, but you're acting as irresponsible and careless as Tristan."
How dare he compare me to Tristan?
Eden ignored the last part of her dad's comment, despite the heat burning in her chest. Instead, she latched onto the first thing he'd said.
If there was someone else, he'd let it rest.
There wasn't anyone else, except...
Her mind jumped to Rudy. To the way he played basketball with Chase, replaced the bathroom locks, and cleaned up the mess she'd left in the bathroom. Then an image of him shirtless filled her mind, and warmth flooded her midsection.
She'd tried to keep herself from thinking too much about him—which was a constant struggle—because she’d realized he was as much a hero as the men in the romances she read. In fact, with all she'd learned about him in the last few days, she could easily see herself falling for him.
She couldn't let that happen though, because even though this little town wasn't as bad as she'd first thought, she couldn't see herself staying here forever.
"Is there someone else?" Dad straightened up and narrowed his gaze on her.
Eden resisted the urge to fidget. If she had time to discuss her dilemma with Rudy, he might agree to help her out, but... Could she sell it on her own?
Just as she opened her mouth to fabricate a big fat lie, the front door opened, and in walked her knight in a uniform.
Hopefully, he wouldn't hate her for what she was about to do.
CHAPTER9
Rudy shoved the last bite of the cookie he’d snatched from the break room at work into his mouth as he turned down his street.
He let out a long low whistle at the sight of the shiny Chevrolet Corvette Stingray parked in front of the house. They had a visitor. A rich one.
He climbed from his truck and strolled to the house, admiring the pearly white car sitting in his usual parking spot.
Torn between wanting to know who their guest was and remaining on the porch admiring the sleek lines of the sports car, he finally pushed open the front door.
Eden shot up off the couch as though she'd been burned. She rushed over to him wearing a stiff smile. "I'm so glad you're home. I missed you today."
Her intense, wide-eyed, pleading expression triggered a warning bell in his head. When she rocked up on her toes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek, his internal alarm went haywire. It didn't help that she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.
"Please, play along," she whispered with a note of desperation.
He stiffened, then slowly placed his arms around her back and whispered, "What's going on?"
"I'll explain later, but please pretend you're my boyfriend." Her warm breath tickled his neck sending all kinds of pleasant sensations skittering across his skin. And the smell of her coconut-scented...
Wait! Boyfriend?
"Thisis why you didn't want to get engaged to Tristan?" Oliver Dupont rose from the couch almost as fast as Eden had. Disapproval filled his deep voice.
