The Cullen wedding is my own private hell. Seth begged and nagged until I gave in - anything for my baby boy. He seems to be comfortable with the undead guests, but they give me the serious creeps. I had nightmares as a child after hearing the legends and walking home from a tribal bonfire, and here we are - hobnobbing with them. Even Esme, who's never been anything but nice to me - she brushed against my arm and I almost jumped out of my skin. You'd have thought her touch was hot - or electric - rather than stony cold and dead.

I'm here for Charlie too. He wanted Harry and me to share this special day, but the Great Spirit had other ideas for my Harry. I look around at the glamorous monsters, and I feel both under-dressed and overweight.

There must be a few other humans around here. When Seth and I find our table...ahh, yes. There's Billy, Charlie, and a couple of Bella's school friends. I wonder why Charlie's not seated with the bride's family. Renee and her new husband are there. If I know Charlie, he'd probably prefer to take a back seat. Sit with the riffraff. Fine with me. We can talk fishing.

"Hey, Sue." He has a nice smile. "You feeling like the redheaded stepchild?" How does he know that?

"Yes. Is it that obvious?" He takes the seat next to me.

"Takes one to know one," he grins. "Would you like to dance?"

"With you?" I ask stupidly.

He laughs easily. "Yes. With me. I'll try not to stomp on your feet."

I smile, relieved. Maybe the day won't be a colossal mistake after all. Seth grins happily as I get up and give Charlie my hand. That kid doesn't miss a trick.

"Catch any big Pacific halibut lately?" Charlie asks as he holds me loosely in his arms. Turns out he's an excellent dancer. I am not, but you can't tell because he's a strong leader.

I laugh and nod. "Not as big as that one last year, but my freezer's ready for winter." We have a friendly rivalry, and his halibut is in the lead by a few ounces. "Seth shot a big buck last week, so between that and the fish we're set. I was thinking of taking a ride up to Mt. Washington to fish for cutthroat salmon."

"No way! I've always wanted to do that! Do you take a charter?"

I smile up at him. "Harry and I used to go and rent a boat. I was thinking next weekend…" I trail off, just short of inviting him to come along. Would it be presumptuous?

Charlie shakes his head, his hold on me tightening just a notch. "Do you think I could go with you? I mean…" He turns an adorable shade of rose.

I smile, squeezing his hand lightly. "Of course. It won't be much fun alone."

He grins and echoes my invitation. "Of course."

Pleased with himself, Charlie twirls me around and dips me. I manage to keep my feet, and I laugh as I look up at his self-satisfied smile. Then I hear the sound of applause. Ugh. I glare my disapproval at Billy and Seth, but I end up smiling too as Charlie stands me back up and kisses my cheek. We return to our table, our relationship somehow subtly changed.

We spend the rest of the evening talking softly, turned toward each other to filter out the incessant white noise. It turns out, surprising both of us, that we have more in common than a love of fishing. We're both lonely - no surprise there - and hesitant to act upon it. I truly loved my husband, and I still miss him terribly. How can I not compare everyone else with Harry - and find them lacking?

Charlie's reticence is more complicated. He, too, loved his mate - but their marriage ended in divorce. It seems they were just too different in what they wanted and needed. His job is dangerous, and he is hesitant to expose anyone he cares about to his chosen lifestyle.

I live with danger every day. My children...oh crap. I know Charlie is aware of the wolves' existence. Jacob shared his "outing" story with us and we had a good laugh over it. But I suspect if this relationship is going to progress, I'll eventually have to share that both my children are shifters. It's so much a part of my life. But for now, I'll just enjoy the novelty of having a handsome, sexy man showing an interest in me. We're going fishing this weekend, and we'll take it one step at a time.

It's still dark, of course, when Charlie picks me up at four a.m. for the three hour trip to Snoqualmie. He packs my heavy cooler in the back of his Jeep and opens the door for me. I'm feeling particularly unglamorous, bundled up in denim and flannel, but his smile is instant and gratifying. I twist off the top of my large Thermos and offer him a cup of freshly brewed coffee. He inhales deeply as the fragrant steam warms the air. We sit in the driveway to drink our first cup, and Charlie points to the parted blinds in Seth's upstairs window.

"He's way too excited about this fishing trip," I mutter apologetically.

"Funny," Charlie replies. "Bella accused me of that very thing." Now it's my turn to blush.

We don't catch a thing, but we barely notice because we're enjoying the combined sparkle of sunshine, water, and companionship. We finally give up on the fishing and dive into the picnic lunch I packed for us. Charlie, a mediocre cook at best, gorges on fried chicken, potato salad, and my famous chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I take the helm as he settles back, hat tipped over his eyes, and falls asleep. He naps for a half hour and apologizes profusely when he wakes up. I laugh, no stranger to fishing rituals.

It's nearly nine when he drops me off at home. Ever the gentleman, he carries in the ice chest and helps me empty the contents. He happily accepts the leftover chicken, and I pack it up in a Ziploc bag for him - along with a generous helping of cookies. The rest of the double batch is long gone. The pack can sniff them out from miles away.

Charlie hesitates at the door, and this time I take the initiative. I give him a peck on the cheek and thank him for driving. "It was a wonderful day," I add.

With a nod and a smile, he pulls away. I close the door and lean my forehead against it for a moment, replaying the trip in my mind. I smile as I drag my sleepy carcass up the stairs for a quick shower and a soothing night of dreamless sleep.