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TEN
After they left the hospital, Chandler stopped at a local superstore so Eden could stock up on clothes and toiletries to get her through the next couple of days. While she headed down an aisle, Chandler pulled out his phone to check for messages and realized he’d totally blown off dinner with his parents that night.
Fuck.
Their weekly get-togethers helped him stay in touch with his mom and dad. Some people might think it was weird for a thirty-two-year-old guy to still be so attached to his parents, but Chandler enjoyed spending time with them. Moreover, his dad’s heart attack had been a sharp reminder that his parents wouldn’t be around forever. He wanted to make the most of his time with them. So yeah, weekly dinners were just fine with him.
He hit the speed dial button for his mom and dad.
“Ruthvens,” his dad answered after the second ring.
“Hey, it’s me,” Chandler said. “So sorry about missing tonight.”
“Hey, son. No problem,” his dad said. “Figured something came up at the office. Glad to know you’re okay.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He didn’t correct the assumption that it was a work thing. There was no need to bring up Eden’s situation—especially since his parents and her parents were friends, and he didn’t want to risk word getting back to them.
In the background of the call, Chandler heard his mom’s voice asking who was on the phone. “It’s Chan,” his dad said to her. “I’ll put it on speaker.”
“Hi, sweetie,” his mom said a second later. “I saved you some leftovers in case you want to stop by and pick them up later. Pot roast and veggies. Your favorite.”
“Aw, thanks, Mom.” His stomach growled, but he forced his hunger away. “But I probably won’t make it over tonight. Maybe this weekend if I get a chance.”
“Okay. I miss you.”
“Miss you too, Mom,” he said, as Eden walked back up beside him. “Listen, I have to go. You guys take care. I’ll call you before I come over to get the food. And I’ll make sure to be there next week, okay?”
“Okay,” his parents said in unison. “Bye, son. Love you.”
He muttered an I love you back, then ended the call, turning to Eden. “I was supposed to go over to their house tonight and forgot. Wanted to call and apologize.”
She grinned at him. “I think it’s cute you’re still so close to them.” She held up her basket of stuff. “Ready to checkout if you are.”
Once she’d paid for her things and they’d gotten the bags loaded in the car, Chandler drove to his place. It was nothing fancy, a three-bedroom ranch in a nice, quiet neighborhood, with a small fenced-in backyard and a large oak tree in the front yard. He’d bought it as an investment once he’d taken over the agency from his dad. Figured he’d live there for a while, maybe flip it after he settled down to start a family and needed something bigger. As he pulled into the driveway, he looked over at Eden, concerned. She’d been unusually quiet since they’d left the store. He worried she’d pushed herself too hard after leaving the hospital.
He let them in and locked the door behind them before turning on the lights. His decorating skills weren’t exactly HGTV worthy, but he did okay, he thought. At least everything matched. The walls were a neutral beige color, the floors shiny hardwood, and the furniture cream-colored, overstuffed, and comfortable. There was an open-style kitchen looking out into the great room-family room area, a small dining nook, and a hallway leading to the bedrooms.
Chandler gave Eden a quick tour, then deposited her bags on the bed in the guest room before turning to face her. “The guest bath is just across the hall there. I’ve got my own bathroom attached to the master suite, so this one’s all yours.”
Eden gave him a small, tired smile. “Thanks for letting me stay here. I appreciate it.”
For a second, he almost went over and pulled her into his arms, just to give her a hug and let her know everything would be okay. Instead, though, he clenched his hands in his pockets and headed for the door.
“I need to get over to your place and talk to the cops. See if they found anything. Are you hungry? It’s kind of late, but I guess we never got dinner. I can stop on the way back to pick something up. Or you can order in something, after you get settled,” he said, looking back at her from the threshold. “What do you feel like eating?”
“Soup would be good. Or a salad. Or whatever you want, really.” She sighed and stared at the bags on her bed. “I just need to eat something before I go to sleep.”
“Okay. I’ll see what I can find. Be sure to lock the door behind me when I leave.”
He stood on the porch and waited to hear the lock slide into place before leaving.
It was a difficult hour or so at Eden’s house, giving his statement and trying to get information out of the cops about their investigation. Presently, they didn’t have much to go on, which meant he’d have to do some digging himself the next day. They scheduled a time for Eden to give her statement the next day by phone, then Chandler got busy cleaning the place up.
By the time he got home, Chandler was more tired and hungry than he could remember being in a good long while. He walked in and locked the door behind him, hearing the sound of the shower running in the guest bathroom down the hall. He set the bags of food he’d picked up on the kitchen table and took off his coat. As impromptu and awkward as the situation was, Chandler was glad Eden would be able to relax and feel at home here. Poor thing was under enough stress as it was.
He had a quick shower himself. He threw on some comfy sweats before joining Eden in the kitchen. She had on a pair of pink flannel pjs with flying pigs on them. He didn’t comment, just waited for her to take a seat at the table.
“Wow,” she said, as he pulled item after item of food out of the bags. “Looks like you got enough for ten people.”
