My gratitude goes to my awesome beta Redheadcarol. Thank you so much! Without your help, my stories would go from past to present within three words…
This fic is dedicated to two special women: The Joker's Daughter & I Need a Life Bad (aka: Lady Tazz)…
Disclaimer: I only own the story, not the characters, as they belong to Stephenie Meyers.
Wonderful Tonight
I hadn't seen them in seven years. As upsetting as it was, I've grown and forgiven. It still hurts remembering what happened all those years ago. I loved him with all my being; yet, never could there be anything between the two of us. It was forbidden; at least in the eyes of God. It was something that I could never bring myself to admit because of this.
Today was my 25th birthday. Angela, Ben, and a few other friends had insisted on my going out. I really just wanted to stay home, have a bottle or two of wine, and watch some television; nothing new, just the same old boring stuff. After all, it was just another day.
Walking into the club, I felt a presence as soon as I stepped over the threshold. Someone or something was here. But who? Casually, not to draw any attention, especially from the group, I looked around, but didn't see anyone.
The further I walked into the club, the hairs on the back of my neck started to stand up and the tingles that I felt those years ago, were making my body and mind go haywire. Finally, I just gave up my search and ordered the first of my drinks.
We all sat, drank, and conversed about what had been going on in our lives. Angela and I worked for the same publishing company, while Ben was now an attorney. The others all worked with either Angela and me, or Ben. We'd been so busy at work that no one had had any time to chit-chat lately.
After an hour or so, everyone decided to go dance. I declined because the last thing I wanted was to go to the ER tonight. I had survived the last couple of years without having to grace them with my presence and didn't want my birthday to end there.
Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonightbegan playing. I hadn't heard this in years; it was one of my mom's favorites. All of sudden, the tingling became intense.
"Isabella," I turned and there stood no other than Carlisle Cullen. "May I have this dance?"
Gawking at him, my mouth hanging open, I couldn't seem to get any coherent thoughts to come to mind. Reaching my hand out was all I could do.
Walking hand in hand to the dance floor, the feeling of electricity flew through my body. Something I had only ever felt with one other, I was rather dumbfounded at this.
Carlisle spun me around once and then placed his free hand on my waist. I looked up at him and into his eyes. They were full of something I never thought I would see; especially from him.
As we danced, he pulled me closer and placed his forehead on mine. I moved my hand from his shoulder to his nape. Closing his eyes, he lowered his mouth to my ear and began to sing to me.
"I feel wonderful because I see the love light in your eyes. And the wonder of it all is that you just don't realize how much I love you."
At this admission of his feelings, I gasped and pulled my head away from his. The look was still in his eyes; love. He loved me.
At this moment, I didn't care that he'd been gone for the last seven years. I didn't care about the others or the fact that he was married; or at least he was then. I looked to his hand and there was no ring. Looking back to him, I took my hand he was still holding away and placed it on his cheek. Moving closer, I stood on my tip-toes and with all the love I could muster, I kissed the one man that I so longed for.