The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

I barely had time to reply before Eric groaned from the side. "You two are always so lovey-dovey. Have you ever thought about how I feel?"

I glanced at him. "You still don't have a girlfriend?"

Eric laughed out loud. "I'm with Mr. Huxham practically every day, working non-stop. Obviously, I have no time for a date."

I glanced over at Zane. "Once work slows down, maybe we should give him some time off to find a girlfriend."

Zane didn't argue. "Yeah, sounds good."

Eric thought about it for a second, then shook his head. "Nah, forget it. I'm all about making money right now."

Zane didn't ask why and simply said, "Having more money gives you that extra confidence, no matter what you're up to."

Eric showed a sheepish smile.

was in the middle of eating. They made eye contact, and they both

you to confirm

at his meal. "Do you mind if I finish eating

shook his head.

the lunchbox aside and asked, "So, what do

Steven said. He couldn't turn to anyone around him for

Annalise doesn't seem to think

of Steven's issue. He handed Steven a set of

few more questions before saying, "From what I can tell, it's not really a psychological problem. It's more like a distortion

on your pride. Jessica was your first love, and she's still your friend. You want to prove that you're doing well and show her that her

really about love. It's more about struggling to let go

careful with money. Even now that you're doing well,