BPOV

I sat their drinks down with a smile. There are very few occasions where one should be this hot and sweaty. Mine was the most unpleasant and lonely of these instances. Villa Esme, Isle Esme's most exclusive resort, always drew the elite and wealthy from all over, myself not included. Five minutes without this pager going off, please!

I run away, I'm exceptionally good at it, look where it's gotten me. My name is Isabella, friends and family call me Bella, the ones I don't run from at least, and I've been here for 439 days, 11 hours and 16 minutes. I found my way here as a senior at the University of Washington. My usual feelings of capture were taking over and I found myself Google-ing internships. The third result brought me here, Villa Esme. I typed the application feverishly though I believed a communication major didn't have a chance in hell. It was FAR. I could breathe. Finally...maybe. Jake would hate it...I had to. Apparently I look good on paper and impress on the phone. Most of all I tired not to sound desperate. They offered me a position and I was ready to leave that day.

Jake and I have/had been together, well, I'm pretty sure since birth. His dad Billy and my dad Charlie are best friends. Our moms were too, before Sarah passed away and Renee ran for the desert. (I blame my running on her, I have mommy issues!) I had been spending a few holiday's here and there with Charlie and then two weeks every summer until Renee met Phil and rather than run away from someone she decided to run with someone and off they ran to Florida. My mom found happiness and I was happy for her, as well as being thrilled that now Phil could parent her free spirit. That's when I moved back to Forks to be with Charlie.

Being us was easy, whether it was mud pies on La Push or holding hands and window shopping in Port Angeles, there never had to be any force. Jake loved me beyond rational love. Maybe that's what bothered me so much, and that's horrible to say. I never wanted to date anyone else, but my heart wasn't settled on Jake either. Although Eric Yorkie, Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley gave it their best shot, I had no desire to entertain anything but friendship with them. My head derived every excuse possible. I was young, my parent's failure of a marriage made me a cynic, maybe I was gay, or I Jake just wasn't it.

School wasn't Jake's 'thing' but after high school he followed me to Peninsula College and then to the University of Washington, even though both were just down the road.

"Jake, I got a summer internship."

"Bella, that's awesome the Forum is going to be so lucky to have you!"

"Not every Communications major runs to the local newspaper for an internship Jake."

"Well then, who's getting the talent that is Bella Swan?"

"Villa Esme"

"Villa Esme? Villa Esme! But that's..."

"I know..."

I was on the plane two weeks later, 3 months of something different, time to clear my head. Jake promised to visit, I prayed he wouldn't scrape up the money for the plane ticket. If he did I could make I would make up some story about staff and visitors.

That was 14 long months ago and I am still here. Jake hasn't visited yet, buying every excuse I threw at him, and Billy really needed him. I'd almost cave, just to see someone not paging me for something.

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Speaking of people who need something. The boys...again!

EPOV

She was stunning, every sweaty shirt and frazzled hair on her humidity effected head, stunning. Thank God Emmett was pounding the drinks so we could keep paging her. To Em's ten I've had maybe two, but I can't risk saying something stupid or heaven forbid I try to slip her my room key.

Jasper was marrying my little sister Alice in two weeks and we were here celebrating his upcoming nuptials. Alice was studying in Texas when she brought Jazz home for Thanksgiving. Our parents Carlisle and Esme welcomed Jazz just as openly as they had me, then Rose and finally baby Alice. Though they had tried over the years to have a little one of their own, nothing brought that joy to them and adoption brought them to me. Carlisle was working at Robert Lurie Cancer Center when my mother was confined to the ICU. It was a fight with the flu that was the final one she couldn't win and since my father had passed years earlier, I was left alone, but I had no fear. The Cullens were good to me since I had been here and their unspoken words left me knowing that I would have a home and a family even though my only family had just left this earth.

Emmett is Rose's, well, she hates the term boyfriend...they've been together since junior high. The star football player and the cheerleader. One of those homegrown, destined to be together stories. Em's parents moved for his dad's job after he graduated high school and got a scholarship at UW. He spent one quarter in the dorms and moved in with us, so even though he was already part of the family, that made it official.

And then there's me, I haven't had the luxury of the high school sweetheart, or the undergrad romance. I've loved music, classic literature, great restaurants and I've watched the world go by, but I've never loved a woman. It's not that I don't "appreciate" the female form, it's just, maybe I'm not meant to be the guy that sweeps a girl off her feet or one that has a girl make his heart stop.

"Mister Masen, Mister McCarty, Mister Hale; which may I get for each of you? I hope the last round was acceptable?" Her voice both startled and disarmed me. This girl could read the dictionary and I would remain enthralled, and her scent, like flowers and strawberries on a warm summer day.

"APPLETINIS!" Emmett always had a way with words

" I don't want a sissy drink!" At least Jasper still had some sense about him, though Em was clearly trying to make sure he didn't remember much of our vacation.

I looked at her name tag, I wanted to say her name, hear it roll of my lips. Isabella. My God. It was perfect. She looked like an Isabella. My Isabella. Hmmph. I could dream.

"Isabella, the previous drinks were fine and excuse my neanderthal brothers. Bring them each another Gin and Tonic and I'll have a Bourbon on the rocks. Thank you."

At that moment McCarty leanded over his lounge like he was about to lose it in the potted palm trees but to some mercy righted himself on the lounge. Isabella paused with a curious look on her face. The look a woman gets when she's trying to remember something or is pondering deep thoughts. I've seen this look before. Esme has it when we're all about to leave the house on a trip and she wonders about the curling iron, the stove and an iron. My God, she's going to cut us off and send us to our cabana, this is going to be mortifying, and when Carslie finds out, shit.

"Are you Alice Brandon's brother?" The angel broke her gaze and spoke, to me. She knows Alice! How! I started scanning memories of girls Alice spent time with back in Forks.

"Arizona!" Emmett please stop saying random dumb shit.

"I thought everyone had finally forgotten that nickname, but yeah that's me, I'm Bella, Alice and I we're close in school. I haven't seen her since she left for college! How is she?" She shook Emmett's hand when he offered it too her at her introduction.

"She's wonderful and I'm the lucky man about to be Mr. Alice!" Jasper's wide grin gave away how much he loved Alice every time someone spoke her name. He really would take her name if she wanted him to, but she was just as excited to be Alice Whitlock. If it were possible for two people to mold themselves into one body, Jasper and Alice would have already been attached. Love like that doesn't happen often.

"Well, that's wonderful! When you talk to her, please tell her Bella Swan sends her best, I miss her! I'll be right back with your Appletinis." She smiled, winked and floated away. I let her take a part of me with her, and she didn't even know it. What am I blabbering about, I'm meant to be alone.

BPOV

They were all great looking guys but I couldn't place the two that looked so familiar until I saw the one about to heave in a palm tree. I flashed back to a summer pool party at Alice's house. It was a rare sunny Saturday in Forks and everyone at the Cullen's was around the backyard having a good time. We were the young ones the older kids couldn't be bothered with as each had their significant other over for the day and were sticking to ourselves until Alice's sisters' boyfriend about lost his lunch and his beers in a potted plant in the landscaping. Whatever triggered this 8 year old memory desperately wanted me to remember.

I hope they didn't think I was trying to flirt with them by asking but it was an attachment to home I actually wanted. Alice was the best friend, she accepted the shy, suffer in silence type of girl that I was and loved me. It all made sense now, how for weeks our manager pressed protocol and talked about the impending important guests. Two days ago he pulled me in the office and informed me that I would be their concierge for their stay and not to let him down. The nauseated look on his face let me know he meant it when he said his job depended on it.

Carslie Cullen owned Isle Esme. Shortly before their wedding Carslie found out that Esme, due to complications from a previous illness would not be able to have children and he resolved to make their life together as fulfilling as possible so that she'd never miss the offspring they would never have. The story is well known amongst the staff and guests; at the time of their honeymoon the island just had a small cabana and some caretakers. Esme fell so in love with it and didn't want to leave. It took all the pull and then some Carslie had to purchase the island over the next year but he did and took Esme back for their first anniversary giving her the deed. After five years of marriage and adopting their first child, Esme and her giving nature, wanted to share the magic of the island with others. Work began to build the resort and was completed two years later.

These guests were important to the resort because they we're the resort! The bronzed gods that had been giving me the drunk eye and running me ragged the past 24 hours were Alice's family! So here goes...

"Are you Alice Brandon's brother?" He looked caught off guard, holy crow maybe I'm wrong, oh no oh no maybe he doesn't want to be spoken to. After what seemed like forever of his piercing green eyes locked on mine, the linebacker of a man righted himself on the lounge and spoke.

"Arizona!" I was right, I knew them, sort of! But I had so hoped that nickname had died, violently! Mike Newton had started it shortly after I arrived in Forks, mocking my paleness and lack of attachment to my previous place of residence. Apparently 4 years removed from high school, it hadn't been forgotten by everyone.

"I thought everyone had finally forgotten that nickname, but yeah that's me, I'm Bella, Alice and I we're close in school. I haven't seen her since she left for college! How is she?" He offered his hand at my introduction at I was thankful he didn't crush it, though he could have. Please piercing green eyes, say something; when he spoke my name moments early to order their drinks I thought my heart was going to stop. However it was the blonde with the thick southern accent that spoke up next.

"She's wonderful and I'm the lucky man about to be Mr. Alice!" Though I didn't know him, I knew he was perfect for her. He was just as enthralled with her as everyone else who had the pleasure of Alice's company and I could tell he would fight a war for her if he had to.

Come on green eyes, your turn. Nothing.

"Well, that's wonderful! When you talk to her, please tell her Bella Swan sends her best, I miss her! I'll be right back with your Appletinis." I said to Emmett with a smile and a wink then walked away to get the guys their drinks. Maybe when I came back green eyes would call me Isabella again.

I headed over to the bar to get the drinks for my guests.

"Hey Riley! Got another order please."

"Alright Bella, man, those guys are putting it away today, your tip better be astronomical!"

"You know I'll share with you."

"Thanks! Here you go, two Gin and Tonics and one Bourbon."

I'd never been so excited to take drinks to guests before in my life. Hopefully this time he wouldn't just glare at me, or be still my heart, say my name again. My hands shook as I carried the tray and prayed fiercely that I wouldn't be wearing them by the time I got to their chairs.

Holy, he's gorgeous, if it weren't for certain I knew he didn't wear glitter, I'd swear he sparkled in the sunlight. Bella, seriously, you're staring, and did you just say sparkled in reference to a guy. Besides you're the suffer in silence type, don't drag this poor creature into your mess.

"Alright guys, Appletini's are here!" I sat their respective orders down in front of them. I saved his for last so I could look at him the longest. Bella you shameless flirt!

"Bella, please sit down and chat with us! I want to hear all about you, and some high school Alice stories." Jasper said with a wink, gesturing to an open chair next to them.

EPOV

I wished she would talk for hours, I couldn't get enough of her. If I could absorb her under my skin and never let her go I'd do it, right at this very moment, but that's ridiculous, no one actually acts like this.

Jasper pummeled her with every question about Alice he could think of and Emmett interjected here and there with questions about what she's been doing since high school.

"So Ari..., Bella, what took you out of Forks and brought you here?"

"I took an internship here and then was offered a job." It was a simple enough answer, but I saw the look on her face and how quickly she looked away. Something happened, something was wrong, and I was going to make it right. The look on her face brought me such pain, I was determined to never see that look ever again.

I was glad when her pager went off. It made the expression, at least for the moment, vanish. She quickly checked our reactions to see if we'd noticed he slight change in mood. Jazz and Em were oblivious to it and I hoped that my face didn't let on.

"I'm sorry guys, it's my boss. I'll check on you in awhile. Page me if you need anything." With that she was gone. What the hell drove this girl two thousand miles from our home? I had to find out...

-xxxx-

"Ahh, Miss Swan, thanks for coming in. How are our VIP's?"

"They're wonderful Aro, drinking out the bar."

"Perfect, just keep them happy."

I turned to leave, but I wondered and had to ask.

"Aro, about the Forks connection..."

"I thought you could use it."

"Thanks." I think...

Dinner had been served to the Cullen's cabana and they were stuffed, happy and I assume deliriously drunk so Bree could take over if they had any needs for the night. It was time for me to retire my quarters for a much needed shower. The humidity on this island, along with keeping busy, are the only things that take my mind off home.

After what could have been the most wonderful shower ever, I headed out for my nightly routine, glass of Moscato and watch the waves roll in on the beach. Isle Esme is beautiful sunup to sundown, it's obvious after just a short time there why Carslile purchased it for Esme, and why Esme wanted to share it with the world, but for me, it's at night, when all is quiet but the waves, the beauty inspires me. I almost find the old Bella and get my life figured out.

Tonight however I wasn't thinking to much about myself. Edward Cullen wouldn't leave my thoughts. It had been years since I'd seen him last; he wasn't what I remembered him to be. Of course I thought he was stunning but I also remembered Alice talking about all the girls that called the house and chased him down at school. She said he never wanted all the attention but it kept coming anyways.

The air started to cool and I knew that was my cue to head inside and get ready for bed. As I turned and picked up my chair I saw someone walking down the sand. I knew instantly who it was as the moon reflected off his hair. Holy crow. I was about to come face to face with Edward Cullen.