[Invitation to Eden 20.0] The Island of Eden by Lauren Hawkeye Read Free Book Online

But even as I say the words, I falter. Something doesn’t feel right.”
    “Who are you?”
    “You don’t remember me?” I let go of the breath I’ve been holding, the breath that fills the hole inside me. Disappointment is crushing as my hand drops back to my side. “No. Of course you don’t.”
    “What do you mean? Have we met before?” She is not the woman. She is my guest.  I have read the notes on her, so I know why she is here and what I need to say to her.
    “Tell me.” Her voice is insistent. I sigh. Much as I want to believe, this is not the woman. Not my woman.
    I begin to speak. I answer her questions, pleased with her quick wit and sharp mind. Damn it, damn it , I want this to be my dream woman.
    Instead I feel nothing for her that I don’t feel for any other guest to my island. Not until I try to explain to her that the island is not magic in the bibbity-bobbity-boo sense, but something else entirely and she surprises me and makes me ache yet again. I’m using an analogy, a spider as an example of something people fear.”
    “It is not the creature people fear, it is its ugliness. We loathe anything that is ugly, we fear being ugly. One of our greatest desires is to be seen for who we are, to not be judged by superficial criteria.” Pain accompanies these words, and I press my hand against hers, watching as the magic of the island helps me make her hand disappear... helps make her believe.
    And briefly, before she pulls her hand away, she squeezes my fingers, just briefly. It’s the smallest gesture of comfort, one she probably didn’t even think twice about.
    It’s the first non-sexual physical contact that I’ve had in years, and it nearly sends me to my knees.
    As I sneak out of the temple, which to my vision again looks like a shack, I find a part of my heart, a part that I thought shriveled up long along, slowly unfurling like a bud in the spring.
    Tessa Savage is not my woman, but we were meant to cross paths. She was meant to touch my heart.
    What I’m supposed to do with that new soft spot?
    The ground trembles beneath my feet, just the tiniest bit, as I laugh ruefully to myself. I have no doubt that the island will let me know what to do when it’s time.

Chapter Two
    NOELLE
    I know I shouldn’t let anger dictate my actions, but damn it all, my father, who also happens to be my boss, is pushing my buttons. It’s a weakness, I know, but he infuriates me so much that I do stupid things to get back at him, or to prove something to him.
    Like the stupid thing I’m about to do. All for a story.
    Not just any story, though. The story. The story that could make my career.
    This morning was last straw with him. I’d gone into his office to show him the research I had done and the arrogant ass just sent me away with an indulgent pat on my little blonde head like I was still a child running underfoot in his office.
    “Noelle,” he’d said in that condescending tone I loathed.  “Wouldn’t you be better served by concentrating on what your readers want to read?”  He’d even gone so far as to push the pages I had written away from him on his desk, as if they were contaminated. “Your readers aren’t smart. They want fluff. Isn’t One Direction in town? I’m pretty sure they’re doing some charity event.  Make sure you get a ticket.”
    Your readers aren’t smart.
    One fucking Direction
    I have a masters degree in journalism. I graduated with honors. I’m damned good at what I do.
    I remind him of none of this because he’s already well aware... he just doesn’t care. He’d allowed me to go to school because he’d thought I was sowing my wild oats. Now he wanted me to get married, make him some grandchildren, and stop bothering him about moving up in the family business.
    This morning, I’d had to ball my hands into fists to keep from smacking him in his disapproving little mouth. I’d refrained—barely— just grabbing my pages, storming out...
    And plotting my