Page 99 of Goode Tidings

She nods, beaming. "Yes. Somebody told me I needed to share beauty in order for others to know about it. I figured I might as well do it under my own name."

My arm works itself around her waist. "This is going to be great. I can feel it."

Eden shakes her head slowly from side to side. "You can dream big if you want to, but I'm going to keep it small. Low expectations. Twenty percent of small businesses fail in the first year, and fifty percent after five years." She gives me a look that tells me she needs me to rein in my enthusiasm.

That won't be happening. Eden needs a cheerleader, and I'm going to be the guy wearing her face on a T-shirt screaming chants from the proverbial stands. "The first time I met you, you adopted a deep voice and imitated me. Where is that brazen woman now?"

Eden smiles at the memory. "That was safe brazenness. Telling Angelique that I'm passing on her offer is decidedly unsafe. Therefore, no brazenness."

"Did you already tell her?"

Eden nods yes.

"Here's an idea," Dan says, clearly annoyed. I blink at the screen. I'd totally forgotten he was present. "How about you tell me what all this means, so I can be in the know like Angelique? Whoever she is."

Eden laughs. "Sorry. We were in our own world for a second there."

She spends a few minutes explaining to Dan her old job, what happened that made her quit, and the most recent developments. "I'm at a point in my life where I don't have a big appetite for risk, not with my son going to college in a few years. But Callum made a strong argument for going out on my own. And honestly, I like the idea of my designs having my name on them instead of being for a big company." She shrugs when she's finished speaking, as if she's saying that's that or no big deal.

Her explanation to Dan isn't enough for me. She's downplaying her talent.

"What Eden's not telling you"—I pause to give Eden a lighthearted reprimanding look—"is that she's incredibly talented. Her drawings are intricate and detailed and interesting to look at. It's almost a shame that people have to rip the paper to get to their gifts. And she makes these wax seals with so much care, they have tiny dried flowers inside them. She also knits and crochets and does a million things I can't do and she's too humble to tell you how fucking amazing she is." I spin the woman I'm talking about and plunk her down on my lap. Her arms go around my neck, one of my palms meets her thigh.

"Thank you," she says, in a voice that is soft but ardent with gratitude. "That was very nice."

My thumb grazes her jeans-clad thigh. "There's no shortage of nice things I could say about you."

Eden's chest rises and falls, and I know that look in her eyes. She wants to kiss me.

"Boss, you are a simp and it has never looked so good on you," Dan cuts in. "I wish I had recorded that because nobody else will believe you're talking this way or have that lovestruck look on your face."

"Do I have a look on my face?" I ask Eden. I already know the answer. I can feel it.

She leans in, pressing her lips to my ear. "You sure do," she nearly purrs.

"Alright, alright," Dan breaks in, and I turn to the screen. He's retrieved his tennis ball, and he's tossing it in the air again.

"Dan's wearing his thinking face," I tell Eden.

"I am," he confirms. He stops tossing the ball and leans forward, closer to the computer. "Boss, what if we ran a contest? We've never done one before. Something that would incentivize people to send in more submissions. The prize could be a custom design made by"—he nods at Eden—"yours truly."

That could actually be pretty cool. "What do you think?" I ask Eden.

She absentmindedly runs her fingers over the back of my neck as she considers it. I'd like to dip my head and nuzzle her neck, but I settle for skating my hand over her lower back. Ok, a little lower. It can't be helped. Her backside is fantastic.

"I think that is an amazing idea. I'm all in."

Dan's grinning. For once, his cynical nature is nowhere to be found. Funny how Eden has that effect on people. "Let me know how I can help," he says. "I better get going. Trinh's calling."

"Who's Trinh?" Eden asks.

Dan answers. "A coworker. She keeps everyone in line."

"She's also Dan's girlfriend." I smirk at his shocked face. "See ya." I end the meeting.

Eden toys with my shirt collar. "Why did he look so surprised at the end?"

"He didn't know that I know they've been dating for at least a year."