Story Title: Holding Out for a Hero
Summary: Jacob and Bella have been best friends since they were kids and things have always been platonic between them. What happens when something happens that makes them both question the feelings for each other?
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
AN: I got the idea for this earlier this week and I figured that I might as well see how it goes. It should only be a few chapters long so things should move pretty quickly.
It wasn't every day that Bella Swan got a phone call that left her completely at a loss for words. Why in the world would her ex-finacee's adoptive mother call her saying that it was urgent that she get in touch with her as soon as possible? Bella hadn't talked to anyone from Edward's family in over two years which was really hard to believe since they all lived in the same small town. She saw Esme occasionally but she always gave her the space that she had requested. She missed the Cullen's terribly but it had been best to cut ties with all of them instead of just Edward when she had found out about his infidelity.
The only mainstay in Bella's life male wise other than her dad was her best friend Jacob. Their parents had been trying to push them together for years but he was like a little brother to her. Okay, so he was over a foot taller than her and outweighed her by nearly a hundred pounds but she did have eighteen months on him. He was her confidant and voice of reason when she had guy problems as long as they hadn't pertained to Edward. Jacob and Edward had never gotten along since Edward saw Jacob as a threat and Jacob thought that Edward wasn't good enough for his best friend.
It would be best to get the phone call out of the way that way Bella just in case something had happened to one of Edward's siblings or God forbid Carlisle. She leaned against the counter as the phone rang. Her feet were crossed and one foot jiggled nervously as she waited for Esme to pick up.
"Bella?" Esme asked picking up on the second ring.
"Hello Esme," Bella said politely.
"Thank goodness I was able to get your number from Charlie," she said with a sigh.
Her own father had sold her out? They were going to have a serious conversation when she saw him again.
"What exactly did you need to talk to me about?"
"I wouldn't call unless it was important. You see, the Valentine's auction is coming up for the hospital," she explained.
Bella had almost forgotten about it. Every year the hospital would auction off dates with the most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes from the city and every year the paper that she worked for would write an article about it.
"Special interest stories aren't my department Esme, but I can give you the number of the person who can help you," she offered.
"Oh no, I don't want you to write the article, we already have someone for that. Carlisle and I would like you to be a part of the auction," she said gently.
"Why? Shouldn't you be asking the boys or Alice?" Bella asked confused.
"Well, Emmett lives out of state as you know I would ask Alice but she recently got engaged."
"What about Edward?"
"He already said no. Please, Bella? You'd really be helping Carlisle and I out if you do this. The money would be going to a good cause," Esme reminded her.
Esme always knew exactly what to say to get Bella agree with whatever she wanted. Bella conceded against her better judgment and called Jacob as soon as she hung up with Esme.
"Black," he said answering the phone.
"Swan!" she said, greeting him with a laugh.
He must still be at work. She thought to herself.
"Yes, I know Bells. I do have caller ID," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Are you busy?"
"Not really, I'm just getting ready to close up. What's going on?"
"You are never going to guess who I just talked to and what they wanted. I can't believe that I agreed to what they asked me to do."
"Who'd you talk to? What did they want?"
"I just got off the phone with Esme," she said with a huff.
"No shit?" he said with a grunt.
"I am dead serious. You are talking to an upstanding bachelorette of Forks," she said, sounding distinguished.
"Please tell me that you are fucking kidding. Why would you agree to be part of 'the cattle call'?" he questioned, his voice raised in frustration.
"Because Emmett and Alice couldn't?" she asked feebly.
"Get out of it, use any possible excuse you can," he warned.
"Jake come on, don't you think that you're being a little dramatic?"
"You actually want guys bidding on you like you're a piece of meat? Come on Bells, that's not you."
"I know it's not, but it's only one date. Who knows? I just might meet Mr. Right."
"More like Mr. Right Now," he muttered.
"I heard that, and I don't need your snarky comments. I called hoping that I could share my amusement with my best friend but apparently that is just too much to ask of you. I'll call you later," she said with a scoff before hanging up on him.
Jacob's attitude was not what she needed right now. Right now also was not the time to call her dad because she would just take her frustration out on him. What was Jacob's problem anyway? He'd never cared what she had done with her life before so why would this be any different? Didn't he trust her judgment? She growled in frustration before reaching into her fridge for the bottle of wine that she kept there. She poured herself a healthy portion before going into her living room and flinging herself onto the couch and resting her feet on the coffee table.
She rested her head against the back of the couch content to sulk in silence. She had been taking care of herself just fine for the three years since she moved out on her own after college and she didn't need Jacob telling her what to do. He sudden mood swing wasn't like him at all. Even when she had been with Edward he hadn't talked to her like that. He had backed every decision she made in her life without fail. Why was this one any different? What harm could it do to go out on one date? Did he expect her join a nunnery? Become celibate? She was so mad at him that she could spit nails.
XXXX
It had been three days since Bella had talked to Jacob and she still din't know what to make of the phone call from hell. After taking the night to calm down she had gone to see Charlie at work the next day and gave him a firm talking to about giving Esme her number. He had been apologetic but glad that Bella was willing to help out the Cullens. He didn't like that she wasn't speaking to Jacob. They two of them had been best friends since before Jacob could talk in full sentences and he didn't think that the argument they'd had was worth tossing out twenty years of friendship. He agreed that Bella should give Jacob some time to cool down before trying to contact him. He hated that there was a rift between them and he thought that a visit to La Push on his next day off was in order. It was time that he stepped in and talked some sense into Jacob.
Bella was working on an article that under deadline when her phone rang. She sighed, wishing that the phone in her office had caller ID. Whoever it was must not have her cell number. She reached for the phone, the fingers of her free hand flying over the keys rapidly.
"Isabella Swan," she answered professionally.
"Bella," A deep voice that she knew so well greeted.
"Hey Billy, why are calling my work line?" she asked, cradling the phone on her shoulder so that she could continue typing.
"Jake told me about the conversation you two had a few days ago. I'm not saying that I agree with his actions by any means but you and I both know that he didn't mean a single word of what he said."
"Has Jake suddenly gone mute?"
"No, he hasn't."
"Then why does he need you to apologize for him?"
"Because we both know that it's going to have to be you who makes the first move. That boy is so stubborn that he'll never be the first to apologize."
"I hate to to admit it but you have a point," she said with a sigh.
"Cut him some slack Bells. He was only trying to look out for you in his own hostile, weird way."
Bella sighed because once again Billy was right. Jacob was known for spouting off at the mouth and then regretting it later. He had been smart to get his dad to act as mediator. She'd go by and see him after work and lay the groundwork for smoothing things over. She hung up and went back to work because she had less than an hour before her article on a new food store in Port Angles was due.
She loved working for the Gazette, the only paper in Forks as it's lifestyle reporter. She mainly wrote about restaurant and store openings and the occasional food related article which suited her just fine. One of the perks of her job was that she could be choosy about what she wrote because she wasn't the only lifestyle reporter on the payroll.
An hour later she was packing up her things for the day and she had texted Jacob to make sure that he didn't have plans for the night. It had taken him almost half an hour to reply back, and he had been vague when he told her that he'd be working late. She swung by his favorite fast food place before heading to his garage. Embry's car was parked next to Jake's bike and Quil's truck was on the other side of Embry. She shook her head, hoping that the two of them didn't give her any trouble when she asked them to leave.
She walked to the back to find Jacob's office door open and the three friends were gathered around his beat up desk that Bella had bought him when he first decided to open the shop with Quil. She stood at the door but none of them took notice so she cleared her throat, Jacob being the one to look up first. Embry looked over his shoulder next and tapped Quil's shoulder who was still watching a video on Jake's computer.
"Get up stupid," Embry said, pulling Quil up by the collar of his shirt.
"Man, lay off," Quil argued.
They got their stuff together silently and Embry kissed Bella's cheek as he passed and Quil patted her shoulder before following Embry out the door. Jacob remained silent as Bella sat across from him, placing the bag of food on the desk and reaching in and doling out his tacos and burrito. She twisted the top off of his beer for him before handing it over and he stared at her questioningly.
"Ya know, it's normal procedure to thank someone when they bring you dinner," she said, digging into her taco salad.
"My dad called you, didn't he?"
"Is that all you have to say to me?"
"You're right, I'm sorry. Thank you for dinner."
"Why are you here so late?"
"I had planned on having a guys night and we were about to leave when you came in," he explained.
"Oh," she said quickly.
"They'll get over it. Trust me, they'll go see Furious 7 movie without me."
"We can go and see it Sunday, I know how much you wanted to see it."
"Sure," he said with a nod.
"Are you over your temper tantrum?"
"Yes Bella, even though I still don't agree with what you're doing."
"I'm only doing it as a favor to Carlisle and Esme."
"That's the only reason?"
"Yes," she answered honestly.
"You know I'll be there right? Feeding out the losers and telling everybody that will listen how amazing you are."
"You don't have to," she said with a shake of her head.
"It's not like I've got anything better to do. Maybe I'll find myself a date for Valentine's Day."
"Don't forget your checkbook but cash is better," she said with a small smile.
He shook his head, not able to hold back his laughter. He knew that Bella never did anything without having a valid reason but he still worried that this decision could backfire on her and she would have no way to recover from it.