Disclaimer: Character names belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N: Alright everyone please read and tell me what you think. The plot bunny attacked me on my way home today and I had to write this. Please review!
I saw Emmett approaching the glass door of my office with a huge shit-eating grin on his face. He chatted up my secretary like a slice of cake, and I took a deep breath as tried to make myself look busy. Of course I had things to do, but it was one of those moments when I couldn't pull it together.
I heard a quick knock on the door. Damn. He was getting quicker each time.
"Hey, Bella." He stuck his head through the now-open door. Oh, yeah, he doesn't know how to properly knock at a door. Have I mentioned that?
"Go away, Emmett." I said nonchalantly, eyeing through some notes from this morning's board meeting that I already used. I stared at the words, moving my eyes from left to right quickly to make it look like I was actually reading. Hearing him plop against the white conference chair in front of my glass desk, I averted my eyes from his gaze.
"So, Bella, about today's cook-out-" I set down my papers and gave him a hard stare.
"I'm not going, Emmett. I'm way too busy." In reality, I actually had very little to do compared to my usual workload.
"I know for a fact that that isn't true. I was just talking to Cynthia, remember?" Cynthia was the secretary. Bella repressed the urge to hit herself and racked her brain for another excuse.
"...I've got yoga class?" It came out more like a question, and Emmett's instant laughter boomed through her office, rattling everything within a three-foot radius. I cringed, beating myself up for such a stupid answer.
"Oh, please, Bella," He said through fits of laughter and glassy eyes, "You have got to be kidding me!" He paused to laugh at my expense for a couple more seconds.
"It was Rosalie's idea, alright?" I quipped, watching as he sobered immediately. My God, he was so over the moon for her.
"Rosalie? Yoga?" Anything related to Rosalie Hale would reduce this behemoth of a man to single-words. He'd been pining for her since she started working for the company, but Rose was a tough bitch and hadn't given him the time of day. Thank God, I thought. Emmett needs someone to kick his ass into place more often than not.
I offered him a curt nod and returned to my papers. It took him a couple of minutes for him to come off the Rose Cloud before he started thinking again.
"Bella," He whined, "My folks are going to start taking this seriously. They've known you all their life, and now that you strike the jackpot you're too good for them?" I felt the sting of his words instantly.
"Emmett, you know that's not true." I told him, completely serious. Although I lived in the Cullen's neighborhood for years, they'd often been the siblings I'd never had. That, paired with their huge hospitality, meant I was basically raised there...until I was thirteen or so. Adulthood had caused a rift in all of the Cullen household, but we were still pretty close.
"If it's not true, then you should come to their cookout. Think about it this way: you get to see your real parents, your 'foster' parents," he quipped, making little air quotes, "and Alice." He finished unceremoniously, making me laugh despite myself. I did miss Alice, because she'd been on vacation for the past two weeks.
"Fine, Emmett. You win this time. I'll go to the cookout." He jumped off his chair with a loud whoop, almost tackling me over before giving me a bear hug. No, seriously, it felt like a bear hug.
"Emmett...can't...breathe..." I rasped, trying to punch him in the back with as much strength as I could muster.
It wasn't much.
He finally realized he was killing me slowly and dropped me, almost making me fall on my ass. I glared at him as I returned to my desk, making him wince. He watched me shuffle papers around on my desk before he opened his mouth again.
"You have five minutes to pack everything up and haul ass to the parking lot. I'll be watching." He said stoically, making me roll my eyes. I really shouldn't let one of my employees treat me this way.
"Nice seeing you too, Em." He chuckled before strutting out of my office, exchanging good-byes with a blushing Cynthia. That traitor, I should lower her wage.
I shut down the computer and locked away any important papers that were strewn on my desk. Quickly racking my brain for anything I might need tonight, I stuffed a couple of documents into a ridiculous Louis Vuitton bag Alice had forced me to use. As my childhood friend, personal stylist, and Creative Director, Alice had an influence in almost every aspect of my life. I quickly checked out my reflection in the shiny glass of my office, rearranging the muddy curls-now-waves down my back and ridding myself of any smeared makeup. I'm Alice's barbie-doll through and through, I thought with a grin. Even the tightly-fitted grey wool pencil-skirt, matching blazer, and risque red Prada pumps were all chosen by her.
I scrolled through the messages on my iPhone as the elevator made its way down to the parking lot. There was nothing new, and most of the other e-mails had already been taken care by other staff members. The elevator dinged its arrival to the ground floor.
Walking into the first floor felt like walking into the sun. The open and glass paneled foyer exploded with the early afternoon sunlight, and I scrambled to get my barely-used sunglasses in place.
Making my way out the side door, I nodded at the security guard who was attending the desk, blushing crimson when he nodded a bit too enthusiastically and stared at my ass. I swear Alice did this on purpose. She was the one who always complained about me not taking advantage of my looks, a statement which I honestly considered preposterous.
As if on cue, my phone started vibrating, and Alice's face smoothed into the screen.
"Speak of the devil," I heard the little pixie chuckle.
"So a little bird told me that you're coming to our cookout today!" She chatted excitedly. I couldn't help but giggle for Emmett's description.
"If by 'little bird' you mean huge caveman, then yes." I suddenly had to pull the phone away from my ear at Alice's shrill squeal. Cringing, I spoke into the phone quickly before she got started in one of her rants.
"I'm on my way home right now so I can't talk. I'll call you later. Bye Alice!" Tossing my phone into my bag, I finally spotted my car. As soon as I saw it, my face split into a huge smile. The crimson Mustang gleamed under the sun's rays, and I couldn't help but sigh in appreciation.
"I told you I'd be watching!" Boomed a loud voice from a distance. Ugh, Emmett. I repressed the urge to smile at his childish antics and held my chin high, straightening my back, flipping my hair away from my face and strutting towards my car the way Alice taught me. I suddenly heard loud catcalls and whistles from Emmett's direction.
"Work it, baby!" He shouted, like one of the overzealous photographers at the fashion shoots. I threw my head back and laughed, clutching my car keys against my chest. Emmett was still making kissy noises as I flipped him off while getting in the Mustang. He really must have wanted me to go to the darn cookout if he's pestered me so much all day.
As I was pulling out of the parking lot, a flurry of activity began. My cell phone started ringing, and I was even receiving calls to my car. Chirp after chirp alerted me of new text messages and e-mails. I resisted the urge to pay attention to it and wait till I got home, unpredicted issues happened all the time-especially when you're the CEO of your own fashion company.
While driving away from the company, I spotted Emmett's huge sedan behind me. His large burly form was in the passenger seat, and as I merged off into the highway exit, I saw a flash of copper hair fade behind me.
My stomach felt like it had fallen off the face of the earth, and body was wracked with chills. After years of avoidance, it was time to see him. The person who both made me and broke me. Years ago I thought this company was going to fix everything. I couldn't get hurt if I was sophisticated and developed, right? But in reality the title of CEO gave me an excuse to fill up my head with distractions, and now it is nothing but a shield for the girl that got broken all those years ago. It was time to stop being such a coward. It is time to start again.