Stephanie Meyer owns twilight I just like to play with the characters no copyright infingement intended

Love is passion,

Obsession,

Someone you can't live without.

If you don't start with that,

What are you going to end up with?

Fall head over heels.I say find someone

You can love like crazy and

Who will love you the same way back.

And how do you find them?

Forget your head and

Listen to your heart.

Because, the truth is

There is no sense living your life

Without this.

To make the journey and

Not fall deeply in love- well

You haven't lived a life at all

You have to try.

Because if you haven't tried

You haven't lived.

Meet Joe Black

Chapter one Dinner with the Fam

Why am I doing this to myself, why am I putting myself through this torture, and why in the hell did I let my pixie of a friend Alice talk me into wearing this outfit. It will be a miracle if I don't fall flat on my face and embarrass myself in front of total strangers, seriously what in the hell was she thinking six-inch stiletto's she is out of her freaking mind. I'm a danger magnet with flats on.

I decide to ring my good friend and have some words with her, three rings and she is not answering that's very odd, usually she answers on the first ring.

" Hello Bella please tell me that you are not chickening out."

" Do I have to go, can't I just call them and tell them that someone called in sick and I need to cover for them, or better yet I could tell them that the cake got messed up and I have to make a new one."

"Oh ya think that would be a good thing to do, I mean Bella we are talking Rosalie here, the girl gets upset when she has a hair out of place. Do you really think if you call and tell them the cake is messed up she's just going to say that's fine, just stay and get it fixed. No that girl is going to blow a gasket. Now get your cute little ass in that restaurant and face them. I did not just spend hours getting you ready for nothing, I mean you look fucking hot tonight girl. Now get in there and show your mother who you really are and don't take any of her bullshit tonight do you hear me, and if she causes you any trouble I'll take her out for you."

" Oh that would be a sight to see, the pixie taking on the she devil."

" Haha very funny you know I could take her, Jake and Seth have whipped me into to shape."

" That they have babe, you're a lean mean fighting machine now." I started laughing.

" Glad I could amuse you. You know you could use some lessons maybe then you would not fall down as much, kickboxing helps with coordination."

" Well I have not had very much time to do anything outside of the restaurant, now that it's open I will have more free time."

" Yeah hardly, you will find a way to not have anytime to yourself, Bella it's high time you put yourself out there and date. Hey just think there might be two hot hunks at your table tonight, and the way you are looking, how could they not notice the hot sexy Bella, I mean come on that outfit is killer ."

" Whatever we are talking two football players and their families I highly doubt they will even notice me." I said as I rolled my eyes, Alice is so perfect and I am not.

" Well you are late so now you get to make a grand entrance it will be kind of hard for them not to notice you." She was laughing.

" Oh thanks for the reminder, what was I thinking shit now all eyes will be on me when I walk in, why did you not same something sooner."

" I tried that's why I did not answer right away I was hoping you would just get in there and face your family."

" Well here goes nothing, I guess it's time I face my mother the hard thing is it's going to be in-front of total strangers she's probably already drunk." I sighed

" Sweetie listen up, ignore your mom as best as you can, Your step-brother want's you there, if it gets to the point where you need to leave, dial me up and I will call you back, you can fake like you had to go into work or something."

" Thanks you owe me anyway after last night, that Dave guy was a sleaze bag and I had to put up with him all night thanks to you, it was like he was undressing me with his eyes, total freak."

" Yeah I noticed that, but thought you could take care of yourself, but look if it is any consolation think about what tomorrow might bring, hot guys in tux's, best men, dancing, maybe even some very hot football players."

" Well maybe that is fine with you but I do not do athletes or have you forgotten they are not my thing."

" No I remember the long conversation we had about this topic when we first met, but I think its high time you threw that rule out the door."

" Why they are just a bunch of egotistical jackasses, that want nothing more than a one night stand."

" Bella that was James and that was a long time ago, time to get over that part of your life."

" Oh easy for you to say, you have never been cheated on."

" If I am not mistaken I think you are still trying to stall your ass."

" No I am trying to have a conversation with my best friend who decided to kill me tonight and put me in six inch heels." I all but yelled at her, talking to her is like talking to five year old sometimes.

" Just suck it up and get in there already just know that I love you and I have your best interests at heart."

" Yeah, yeah whatever you say, I love you too, and if by some miracle I don't call you I will see you when I get home, we can veg in front of the TV with Ben and Jerry and have a party, then I can tell you how cute the best men are."

" I still can't believe you have yet to meet Emmett's friends."

" Well you know my rule so I don't really hang with Emmett that much, where Emmett is there's bound to be another football player with him, and ever since he met Rosalie we just have not had the time to get together. "

" Hey you're stalling again, get in the restaurant now, we will talk later, I am hanging up now."

The phone went dead. I sat and looked at it for a minute "Shit" I put the phone in my clutch and gripped the steering wheel to ground myself, this should not be this hard, why do I let her get to me. The last time I saw or spoke to her was at Charlie's funeral, I am her only daughter one would think that she would want to be a part of my life. There is no way I can go in there and face the she- devil, I know I need to since I already missed the wedding brunch yesterday but we had an emergency at the restaurant.

When Renee married Phil they wanted me to move with them to Jacksonville, Phil was a minor league baseball player and was just traded to a team in Jacksonville, I met Emmett Phil's son for the first time at their wedding, he was nice, a little intimidating cause of his size. Emmett at the time was in his first year at Florida state, and playing football for the Gators, we really did not have that much in common, me a book nerd and he a football player yeah not much to talk about. Needless to say I did not want to move with them so I choose to go and live with my dad in rainy Forks, this did not go over well with my mother and she choose to cut me out of her life. I did not hear from her for three years, until the day my father was shot and killed.

Moving with my father was the best decision I made, at first I thought I would hate the rainy cold weather of Forks. I mean I knew going from the plain brown desert of Phoenix to the lush green forests of Forks was going to be an adjustment, but it grew on me.

When I graduated high school I decided to stay in Washington and attend UW all my life I wanted to be a chef, I loved to cook, so I took various cooking classes and worked weekends at a little restaurant in Seattle called Bella Italliano.

With Charlie's passing I was left everything, the house in Forks and his trust that I had no clue about. I found out that my grandparent's were very well off, something that Charlie had hidden from my mother and me. When she found out she was very upset that he left it all to me, for some odd reason she thought she was entitled to some of it. This made her not speak to me again, tonight is the first time I will see her since the day of the funeral two years ago.

Sighing I get out of the car here goes nothing, I am glad Emmett and Rosalie decided against hosting the rehearsal dinner at my restaurant, I would be prone to not relax and enjoy the night and Tavern on the green is a very wonderful restaurant. Walking up to the hostess my nerves are shot to hell, I can tell I must be fidgety cause the hostess just eyed me up.

" Are you ok Miss, can I help you with something."

" Um yes the Dwyer party please."

" Sure right this way."

The hostess leads me to a big room in the back and opens the doors for me, of course my mother and Phil just happen to be sitting right where she can see me as I walk in and just like I knew would happen she starts in on me.

" Look who decided to grace us with her presence, you know just because you have all the money in the world does not mean you can be late to things like this Isabella." She all but spit when she said my name, she knew I hated it when people called me Isabella."

I chose to ignore her and turned to Emmett and Rosalie. " So Sorry some issues have come up at work, don't be surprised when I get a call in the middle of dinner and I have to leave."

" Nothing is wrong with the cake right, you have it all done and ready to go for tomorrow." Rosalie looked like she was about to bust a vein, Alice was right that would not have gone over very well."

" You can relax its all done and siting in the fridge as we speak."

She sighed, " oh thank god cause I was going to flip if something was wrong."

" Hey we are just glad that you could make it tonight and your not the only one that's late we are still waiting on Edward's father." Emmett got up and came over and hugged me, he pulled my chair out for me and I sat down.

I looked around the table and my eye's landed on the sexiest man I have ever seen, his eyes were this emerald green color. He had hair that could only be described as you know, like he has just had a night of the best sex ever, yeah sex hair that is the only way to describe it and its this amazing shade of bronze. The more I looked at him the more I saw and fell in love with. He has this perfectly chiseled jaw, long fingers that were wrapped around his beer bottle, oh man wonder what he can do with those babies, I bet they are magical, freaking get a grip girl like he would even go for someone like you. Oh my god He just smirked at me and I think my panties just went poof. I just blushed and tried to look away. Well he's Emmett's friend so he's either an egotistical football player or he's gay should we flip a coin and see what we get.

" Isabella you are being very rude, Esme was talking to you. And stop starring at Edward he's out of your league." I looked up at my mother, then looked to my left and was met with another pair of green eyes.

" Oh I am so sorry what were you saying." That is the last time I get caught starring at a hot guy infront of total strangers.

" I was saying your Isabella Swan." She had the biggest smile on her face.

" You know her." My mom said it like I was dirt and why would anyone know me.

" Yes I am, I do prefer Bella though how do you know who I am." I asked her I was little curious as to who she was.

" Well my dear I am Esme Cullen my husband is Dr. Carlisle Cullen he use to be the chief of staff at Forks general hospital ring any bells."

" Oh my gosh Carlisle is your husband, how is he, I have not seen him in years."

" He's good running a little late as usual, you know the life of a doctor is never predictable."

I started laughing what are the odds I would run into them here at Emmett's wedding of all places. " Yeah especially if he has any cases like me come in."

Esme started giggling " Nah you were his favorite patient in Forks, he would come home and tell me how wonderful and sweet you were, I am sorry to hear about your father he was a kind man, best chief of police Forks ever had."

" Wait so you're the chiefs daughter." The Greek god who I could not stop starring at just asked me a question, his voice oh my god is like soft silky velvet. I think I just felt a shiver run down my spine, never has a man made me feel like my ovaries were going to burst with just one look, or smile, or by his voice.

" Yes Edward we just established that try and keep up with the conversation." Esme said.

" Mom thanks yes I know I am just floored I never knew he had a daughter, with how many times he pulled me over one would think he would mention something about it."

Oh great this is the famous Edward Cullen that I heard about, every girl in the school had a crush on him, of course they would, look at this man, he is smoking hot, he makes your panties melt off your body. Jeez how could they not be in love. Jessica Stanley had the biggest crush on him, but she said he never gave any girls the time of day and said that he was probably gay.

Good thing he had already graduated before I started cause I would have been one of those girls lusting after the quarterback that never gave me the time of day. He probably is still that way, I mean look at him and look at me, there is no way plus he has a beautiful blonde siting next to him that I just noticed she's probably his girlfriend, she fits with him perfect.

We sat there for a few more minutes when Carlisle made his way into the room, he noticed me right away

" Oh Bella darling it is so nice to see you, what are you doing here?"

" Oh yeah Emmett is my Step-brother, small world huh."

" That it is, it's very lovely to see you, Esme and I wanted to come back for Charlie's funeral, but I was stuck at a conference in Boston. I am so sorry for your loss, your father was a very good man." He came over and gave me a hug.

" Yes he was."

The waitress came out to get our orders, I ordered the Lobster bisque and the center cut filet of Beef cooked medium and a beer to drink. My mother just rolled her eye's at me, well I am not a proper lady, I like beer not champagne or wine, I can't stand that stuff.

When every one had ordered Esme leaned over to me and asked" So Bella what have you been up to lately?"

I really hated talking about myself and I really hated being the center of attention. " Well before I start talking about myself in front of total strangers maybe an introduction would be nice."

" Sorry sis, you know me, not my thing. The two people sitting across from you are Rosalies parents Marcus and Heidi Hale, and these are my two best friends and teammates Edward Cullen and Jasper hale, Jasper is Rosalie's twin brother, and the two blondes are Tanya and Kate Denali Rosalies bridesmaids.

"Ok so that proper introductions have been made tell us Bella what you have been up to." Esme said.

I just move out here six months ago to open up a new restaurant so I have been really busy trying to get it all finished we just opened up three weeks ago."

" Really what is it called?"

" Um Bliss."

" Edward isn't that the one you and Jasper went to a few nights ago and said that Carlisle and I needed to go there, cause it's the best Restaurant in New York?"

" Yeah we were just in there on Wednesday, I can't believe that you own the place, the food is excellent, your staff were all very pleasant, I never saw you there though."

"Oh I was in LA meeting with some of my suppliers, I actually just got back in town yesterday, that is why I missed the wedding breakfast."

" Well why are we having dinner here, when you own the most talked about Restaurant in New York?" The Greek God asked.

" Well we wanted Bella to relax and we thought that it would be to hard for her to do that at her own restaurant." Rosalie said.

Our food came out and I could not be any happier, with everyone eating the focus was off me now. I was just getting ready to take a sip of my soup when Esme asked " So Bella tell us a little more about your self you know what are your interests outside of Bliss."

" Oh um I really enjoy reading books, I really like the classics like Jane Eyer, Wuthering Heights, Romeo and Juliet. When I am not reading I like going for runs in central park, hanging with my best friend Alice you know all the usual stuff."

" Oh so no Significant other in your life." Esme asked.

" Pft, significant other and Bella should never be used in the same sentence, she either gets cheated on or turns the man gay, she's nothing to look at so I can see why they cheat on her I mean look at her, dull brown hair, no boobs, no personality. The girl lived most her life in Phoenix and never got a tan, she is not trophy wife material and isn't that what every guy wants. She's probably still a virgin at 23." My mother was pulling out the big guns tonight I could feel the tears welling up, stupid traitors, my phone rang just then.

" Excuse me please this is important, if I don't come back It was lovely to meet you all." I got up out of my chair and could not leave that room fast enough. I answered the phone " Alice I swear you know just when to call and save my ass."

" That is what friends are for, well I did tell you I was psychic. So did I really need to call you or am I interrupting a good dinner."

" What do you think."

" You do sound like you're about to cry, girl come home I have the ice cream and Bradley Cooper waiting."

" I am leaving right now, I'll be home in few, keep Bradley warm for me."

" Love you, hail a taxi and get home Bradley can't wait much longer."

" Well tell him to be patient, see you when I get home."

I pressed end and was getting ready to walk out when Emmett came down the hall yelling my name. " Bella, stop please can I talk to you before you walk out of here and I don't see you again."

" Something came up at work I got to go."

" Bella we both know that's a lie, I don't blame you for wanting to leave I just want to make sure you are still coming Tomorrow."

' Emmett I would not miss it for the world, but the first time she embarrasses me in front of someone I am out of there understood."

" Got it Sis, we love you, and just so you know Edward was asking about you all night, I think he likes you."

" I am not ready to start a relationship especially if he is a football player if you know what I mean."

" Yeah, but he is a nice guy just give him a chance if the opportunity arises OK."

" I will think about it, speaking of friends is Jasper dating anyone?"

" Why do you ask?"

" Well because my friend that I am bringing to the wedding would be perfect for him, he's not dating the bridesmaid is he."

" Hell no, neither Edward or Jasper can stand the two fake bimbo's in there, the only reason why Rosalie has them as part of the wedding party is because they are her only friends and Rosalie is ready to throw the two of them to the curb. They are man eaters, they are with a new guy every two days or so."

" Well then good, see you tomorrow and tell Rosalie not to worry her cake will be there intact."

" Well I hope for both our sakes, you know how she gets, I am easy."

" Yeah would not want the bride unhappy on what's suppose to be the happiest day of her life."

" Yeah hey I am glad you came by taxi sis I can't imagine you riding your bike with that dress on."

" Well I am sure I could do it but then again I would be showing all of New York the best side of me."

" Well if your were not my little sister I would not mind seeing that."

" Gross Emmett."

" What you're looking mighty fine tonight, Edward could not keep his eye's off you."

" Whatever, hey I will see you tomorrow, tell Rosalie I am sorry that I ruined her wedding dinner."

" You did not ruin a thing Renee did that, hey look at me you did nothing wrong." I looked up at him and shook my head, he gave me a hug and I walked out into the warm summer New York air, I waited at the valet for a taxi to come. When I got in the taxi I swear I saw Edward standing at the door looking out.

There is no way that man is interested in me, no way at all I am nothing and my mother is right they either cheat on me or turn out gay.