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Eden eyed her suspiciously. “Did you drive here?”
“Yes.”
“So it looks like I’m the only one drinking.”
“I’ll still drink. The non-alcoholic variety.”
Eden sipped another drink, this time with some soda mixed in, then another and one more. They talked about nothing. They people watched in the pub. Jos let Eden sit with the weight of her decision. She’d presented her evidence and done what she could. Nothing was going to convince Eden to take the job if she hadn’t already done it.
“I’ve been doing this for three years,” Eden finally said quietly. Her words were slightly blended together, but that was the only evidence she was feeling any of those drinks. “I could still do it. That, and so much more.” She stopped and frowned. “Maybe it’s a good opportunity. I wouldn’t have to stop what I’m doing right now. I could try it and see how it goes. How much benefit there is. If that outweighs my other concerns. And I’ll donate my salary to this neighborhood for improvements, just like the book sales. I’ll still keep living here. Not much has to change.”
She’s a saint. Goddamn it, I’m being saddled with a saint.
It didn’t make Jos feel better to be sarcastic. It made her feel worse. She felt every ounce of the pain she’d felt after her miscarriage. The guilt. Like she was being punished for something even though she knew that was illogical and that miscarriages weren’t uncommon.
“Jos? Are you okay?”
She forced a smile, but it probably came across as cold in the face of Eden’s guileless warmth. “Absolutely. I’m glad you’re going to give the position a shot.”
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
“You’re a pretty good liar, you know.”
This time, the sadness in Jos’ smile was something she felt straight down to her soul. “Clearly not good enough.”
Chapter 5
Eden
“I’m sure there’ll be one coming soon enough.” Eden was aware of two things.
The first was that she was drunk. Drunker than she’d maybe ever been in her life. The whisky hit at all once, and what the heck had she been thinking, ordering them like that anyway? She’d gone into that pub, thinking—no, knowing—she had something to prove. She was going to turn down that job. The only thing she’d proved was that she was a terrible lightweight and a horrible bimbo.
The second was that there were no freaking cabs in all of the entire city.
“You’re sure you called?”
“No.” She fought back an insane urge to laugh. Jos Frank was standing out in front of a hole in the wall pub in an area of town that was better than where Eden lived, but far, far worse than where Jos’ palace of a home resided. She’d been standing out there with her for over half an hour. “But you did.”
“You didn’t call?” Jos’ mouth dropped open, and the fire was back in her eyes, making them flash a brilliant blue. A blue as bright as the stars and the streetlights.
Eden blinked. “Uh, I think I did?”
“Good lord, the dispatcher probably couldn’t understand you. I can barely understand you.”
“Hey!” Eden’s words sounded perfectly fine to herself. Plus, she was doing an admirable job of staying upright, and that counted for something, didn’t it?
“Ugh, for the love of god.” Jos’ patience had clearly run down to the point of no return.
“What are you going to do?” A river of fear dumped into Eden’s bloodstream. “Are you going to lose your shit? Punish me?”
Jos’ head whipped around so fast that the wig nearly flew off. Eden bit down on her bottom lip to keep a giggle in. If she started, she’d probably fall on the ground, and since she was so damn drunk, if she fell on the ground, she might not get up.
“What the hell are you talking about? Punish you? I’m going to give you a ride home.” Jos’ hand was strong when she grabbed Eden’s upper arm. Eden nearly yelped at the brutal grasp, but she realized that she wasn’t being hurt in any way. Jos wasn’t pinching her or pulling her or tugging her along. She was just holding her upright. “Can you walk a few blocks?”
“I don’t know.”
