Summary: In order to get his desired promotion at work, Jacob's boss asks for a personal favor: Take her daughter out for a night on the town. Oneshot, AU/AH, Jake/Ness.

A/N: Yes! Another o/s! I've been suffering from writer's block the last little while, so I dredged up enough creativity to search prompts and ended up using one from my own site. I hope you all enjoy. This is rated T for some language and mature situations.

Thank you to WolfGirl1335 and IndependenceIndividuality for pre-reading. Also, thank you to IndependenceIndividuality for the title.

An Awkward Engagement

"E-excuse me?" I stammered. I don't stammer. Ever. But this woman just made me stumble. It wasn't hard for her to do, either. "You want me to what?"

I stared at my boss' boss' boss with wide eyes. Isabella Cullen. Known around the office as Queen Bee, but don't you even think about calling her anything but Mrs. Cullen or ma'am. You'll be fired on the spot if you do. Or, well, that's the rumor that floats around since no one is stupid or morbidly curious enough to find out for sure. The way Mrs. Cullen carried herself, her brown hair pulled back in the same rigid clip every day, her fiery brown eyes, and her impeccable suits all said there was at least a little truth to those rumors.

"Do you want the position or not?" she asked. She was staring at a paper on her desk as though I'd already bored her. Even though she was the one that called me in.

My direct boss, Karen, was being relocated. I was pretty sure that was a fancy word for fired. I was only one of at least twenty that had applied for her place. Who the hell knew getting it would require such strange things?

"Yes, I do want the job, but—"

Mrs. Cullen looked up at me then. I swallowed. "But what? If you want it, you'll do as I say."

I nodded. I wasn't used to being coerced like this. Jacob Black didn't get pushed into anything. There was a reason I'd held the number three spot in the whole sales department of Cullen Trading Company for three years. The only reason I wasn't any higher was because I actually had morals and a conscience. Even with Karen, I often felt I was the dominant one. Or at least that we were on equal ground. Mrs. Cullen was the exception.

"Yes, Mrs. Cullen. When should I expect to pick up your daughter?" I was afraid to ask her for all the details. It sure sounded like an escort thing to me. Pick up her daughter and take her to the club. If she wants to go anywhere after that, take her. Then, after she'd had her fun—and from what it sounded like, she was aiming for a lot of fun—take her home.

Mrs. Cullen smiled. It was the kind of smile that would be accompanied by the sound of a tiger's growl in the movies. "So you'll do it?"

I nodded again. "Yes, ma'am."

She ripped the paper she'd been studying out of a notebook and stood up to hand it to me. Even if she was a good two feet shorter than me, she was a hell of a lot scarier. "Very good. Pick her up at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow night at that address. Don't be late, Mr. Black. Your career depends on this."

She sat back down, checked her reflection in the little mirror beside her monitor, then she began typing something. It was clear that I was dismissed. Out of sheer confusion, I did something that resembled a bow and left the office. I didn't even look at the paper until I was back at my desk. I got a few questions about what the Queen Bee wanted. I wasn't sure how much of this was supposed to be made public, so I answered with a simple, "I'm not really sure." It wasn't far from the truth.

Later that night, I sat at my desk at home and reread the slip of paper for the millionth time. Renesmee Cullen; Friday, June fifteenth; nine o'clock; seventeen Masen Street. That was it. No further instructions and no phone number. I could only imagine what this girl was going to be like. I wasn't sure how old she was, but she had to be at least eighteen to get into the clubs. It made me nervous. People could get the wrong impression if they saw a thirty-year-old man hovering around a teenager. Mrs. Cullen wasn't exactly young, but I'd wager she wasn't old enough to have a daughter over twenty.

Her age wasn't the only thing that worried me. She was probably going to be like her mother. If I had to put up with a whiny teenaged brat who was used to always getting what she wanted, I'd probably kill myself before the night was over. Why did I agree to this again? Oh, right, because I'm a dumbass. Looking back, I was pretty sure the position of supervisor wasn't worth this.

I was also pretty sure there was no getting out of it unscathed after I'd already agreed. Mrs. Cullen didn't strike me as the kind of woman who would accept a change of mind. I'd likely lose my job entirely if I backed out now. It wouldn't be hard for her to find something to blame it on so she couldn't get in trouble for it.

I sighed deeply and dropped the paper onto the desk. I needed to get some rest if I had any chance of surviving the next night.

Nine o'clock sharp. I cleared my throat and got out of the car. I double-checked the address just to make sure this was the right place. I'd never been up this swanky side of town before. The house itself was a work of art. Really expensive, really big art. I jogged up the dozen or so steps and knocked on the pale blue door.

Mrs. Cullen answered. She smiled that menacing smile and stepped back to let me in. "Hello, Mr. Black," she said in a semi-friendly tone.

I nodded. "Hello, Mrs. Cullen. Is, uh . . . Reness . . ." How the hell does she pronounce that name?

"Ruh-nez-may," she enunciated each syllable, "will be down shortly."

"Okay, great." I had figured I'd probably have to wait for the girl. The awkward silence between Mrs. Cullen and me was so dense I could literally see it. I wondered if she could, too.

"Would you like a drink?" she asked. She didn't seem uncomfortable.

I licked my lips. "No. No thank you." I shoved my hands in my pockets.

"You look nice." She sounded relieved; as if she wasn't sure I could look presentable outside of work.

I glanced down at myself quickly. I'd dressed in a blue button-up tucked into dark gray slacks just because I wasn't sure where I was supposed to take this girl or how she was going to be dressed. "Thank you."

Just then I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I took a breath and looked up to see possibly the most beautiful woman in the world descending toward me. She didn't look like a teenager. She was grown and sexy as hell. Long legs, pale skin, red hair that had been done up in a bun with some loose tendrils hanging around her face, and a tight, sparkling blue dress that ended at the top of her thighs. Her shoes were a mile high and matched the dress. When she got closer to the bottom of the steps, I automatically held my hand out to support her. She blushed when she took it and mumbled something that sounded like a thank you. She was short like her mother. Even with her heels, her head didn't come above my shoulders. The dress she had on wasn't strapless, but it might as well have been. What it did have was little more than strings that crossed over her back. The back of the dress descended just under her shoulder blades.

Mrs. Cullen cleared her throat and gave her daughter a stern look. Renesmee stood up straight and looked me in the eyes. Hers were the same color as her mother's, but somehow they looked so right on her. They were surrounded by a round face with high cheekbones, not too much makeup, and the cutest button nose.

"Thank you, Mr. Black," she said in a firm voice. She took her hand from mine.

I blinked a few times to remind myself why I was here to begin with. "You're welcome, Ms. Cullen. Are you ready to go?"

Something flashed in her eyes. It looked like insecurity. It vanished quickly, and she nodded. "Yes, I am." She turned to her mother. "I probably won't be back until tomorrow."

That didn't sound good. I had to remember who this girl was and that she could literally make my life a living hell if I screwed up even the tiniest of details.

Mrs. Cullen smiled. "You just have fun, Renesmee."

They didn't move to hug each other or even say goodbye. Renesmee nodded and headed for the door. I hurried to open it for her. Once it shut behind us, she grabbed my hand hard and held on for the walk down the cement steps. I helped her into the car, took a deep breath, and got into the driver's seat.

"Where to, Ms. Cullen?" I asked.

She sighed. "Anywhere. It doesn't matter."

I gave her an odd look. "What?"

"Please, just go. I'll explain when we're out of her sight."

I nodded and put the car in drive. I wasn't sure where to go, so parked in front of a twenty-four-hour grocery store. "Is this okay?"

"Yes, this is fine. I'm so sorry, Mr. Black. This whole thing is my fault." She reached up like she was going to run her fingers through her hair, but stopped short when she remembered the bun. She took a deep breath and relaxed against the seat. "My mother thinks I don't get out enough. Apparently I'm weird because I'd rather stay in and study than spend a night mingling with people. We argued about it, and I finally yelled at her that I don't even know anyone to hang out with anyway. She offered to find someone, and here you are." She gestured across the car at me. "I'm sorry."

I leaned forward, trying to catch her eyes. She looked at me, and I smiled. "It's okay. Really. I'll admit this wasn't the first thing on my list of things I'd want to do on a Friday night. But now that you're here, it's really not that bad. How old are you?"

"Twenty-one. I guess my mom expected me to follow in her footsteps and go out to get drunk on my birthday. I didn't. I've not gotten drunk once in all the eight months I've been legally able."

I smirked. "Maybe tonight would be a good night for it then?" I suggested. "I'm not saying go to a fancy club where you have to be with people. That's not really my thing either. But I do have a pretty good stash of liquor at my house."

She raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You're inviting me over to your house to get me drunk?"

I winced. It did sound pretty bad. "Not like that," I promised. "It might do you some good to let loose and forget your mother and her pressure, though. Just for a night. I promise I'm not a creep, and I wouldn't dream of taking advantage of you." This wasn't going well. I could tell already. I swallowed. "If you're not comfortable, we can just go to the mall or something."

She snorted and laughed. I liked the sound of it. It was soft but real at the same time. "The mall would only do for an hour or so, Mr. Black."

"Call me Jacob. Or Jake."

She blushed. "Only if you never call me Renesmee or Ms. Cullen."

"What do you want me to call you then?"

She shrugged. "I don't care."

"Ness?"

"Okay. Don't you have a wife or a girlfriend that would be upset if you brought me home?"

I shook my head. "No. I was married once, but it didn't last long. I've been divorced almost five years."

"Do you have any kids?"

"Nope."

"All right. Take me home and get me drunk, Jake." She smiled again.

On the way to my house, she took her shoes off and complained about how they hurt her feet and were hard to walk in. I couldn't blame her.

"You won't tell your mother we did this, will you?" I asked.

"Did what? Oh, you mean went to the club, got totally hammered and hit on by a million guys, talked to some people, forgot all of their names, and ended up crashing at a local hotel? Yes, I will tell her all about it."

I smiled. "Thanks."

"Thank you for not being like my mother."

I looked over at her and saw her blush. I couldn't help but laugh. "You, too."

I pulled in to my driveway and parked the car. Ness didn't want to put her shoes back on, so she clung to my arm as she walked up the stone path to the door. Once we were in, she relaxed and set her shoes beside the table I put my keys on. She pulled her hair free of the bun and let it cascade down her back as she finger-combed it. I stood staring in awe at how the tresses reached her hips and swayed gently back and forth. She pulled it up and into a sort of half-pony tail. It sat on her head like a bob and looked much cuter than the tight bun had.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

I sucked in a breath and blinked. "Um, yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. So don't take this the wrong way, Ness, but why are you still living with your mom?"

She shrugged and walked up to me. "It's easier that way while I'm in college. I'm studying to go into medicine like my father and grandfather. I want to help people, y'know?"

This girl was more intriguing as time passed. "Good luck with your studies, then. I'm sure you'll do great."

She looked down and blushed. "Thank you. So where's this alcohol?"

"Have you had liquor before?"

She smiled coyly and nodded. "Yeah, I've had some stuff. I've never really been drunk, though. I'm kind of excited about this."

I gestured for her to follow me to the kitchen. She looked around as we passed through the living room. I showed her the various kinds of alcohol I had and let her choose three bottles. She picked Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi, and Jack Daniels after I told her about each one. She tried a shot of each and decided she liked the Bacardi best. I stuck with Jack Daniels.

We went back to the living room and sat on the couch to drink. I set two shot glasses on the coffee table and turned on the television. "Do you like The Goonies?" She nodded, but looked confused. "We're going to play a drinking game," I told her.

Her eyebrow rose higher. "What is it?"

"It's really simple," I explained as I got the movie ready. "Just take a drink anytime Mikey uses his inhaler, Chunk does something clumsy, or Data uses an invention. Also, anytime you hear something from the '80's."

She smiled. "This sounds fun. I'm going to get plastered, aren't I?"

I chuckled as I sat next to her and filled both of our shot glasses. "That's the goal."

Ness was trashed before the movie was half over. By the time the credits rolled, I doubt she even remembered her own name. I was feeling a good buzz, but I knew how to handle my liquor.

She leaned against my shoulder and looked at me with bright, bloodshot eyes. "Did I tell you that you're handsome?" she slurred.

I snorted. "No."

"Well, you are. Mom says she thinks you're a hunk."

That was more information than I needed to know. "Be sure to thank her for me. Are you tired?" She looked like she could pass out at any moment. I probably should have been smarter about this whole thing. Of course, her hangover in the morning would make her story about the club pretty convincing. I just hoped she remembered it.

She shook her head then closed her eyes and grabbed my arm like she was trying to steady herself. "No, not tired. Jake, will you kiss me?"

Not good. "Um, Ness . . . I think it's time we call it a night."

She'd already started to crawl into my lap. Less of a crawl. More of an ooze. She had a hard time holding herself up and coordinating her movements, but she did it. And I let her. It wasn't easy ignoring the way her very short dress seemed to ride up even further. She sat sideways on my lap and her little hands grabbed the collar of my shirt. She didn't say anything else; she just leaned in and pressed her pretty pink lips against mine.

I wanted to kiss her. I'd wanted to kiss her, among other things, since the moment I saw her on the steps. But I couldn't because she was drunk, and that just wasn't right. Who knew what the hell she'd want if she were sober. She might smack me right now if it weren't for the alcohol. I pushed her back.

"Ness, stop. Stop right now. I can't kiss you. Nothing can happen, okay?"

She sat back and nearly fell off my lap. I caught her and held her steady. "Why not?" she whined.

I sighed. "Because you're very drunk."

She sniffled. "No, it's because of my mother, isn't it? I'm not like her, so you're not interested." She slammed her fist down on my shoulder. It hurt a little. "Dammit, why do I always have to live in her shadow? She's the pretty, perfect, Isabella Fucking Cullen, and I'm the mousy daughter who has to pretend to be what I'm not just to get a single person to turn their head. I don't want to be like her! I want to be me!" She collapsed on my shoulder, sobbing.

I rubbed her back. "Calm down, Ness. It's okay."

"It's not okay." Her voice was muffled. "It's not okay, because no matter how hard I try I'll never live up to what she wants me to be. I'll never get noticed by guys like you because I'm not good enough."

I kissed the side of her head. "You already got my attention, Ness. You had it when you walked down those steps. You're beautiful, sweetheart. Really beautiful." I wondered how much of this she'd remember.

Her crying had stopped for the most part. She turned her body slowly to settle herself against me more, her face in my neck. "Really?"

I leaned back to look at her. She met my eyes. "Yes. But I won't touch you, and I won't kiss you. Not when you're drunk."

She sniffled again. "What if I wasn't?"

"Then that would be a different story. Until then, you need to get some rest."

She nodded and nuzzled her face against my shoulder. "It really isn't because of my mom?"

I smiled and kissed her head again. "It really isn't. She's . . . not a person I think I could find myself romantically attracted to. I mean, she is my boss and all."

"That's good. Thank you, Jake. For everything." Her words were becoming more and more unrecognizable.

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

She was passed out within ten minutes. I got up with her and laid her down the couch, then I covered her with a blanket. I told myself it was so she didn't get cold, but in reality it was so I wouldn't be so damn tempted to touch her. I set out a glass of water with some Tylenol on the coffee table, put everything else away, and went to bed.

I was packing up my stuff to leave the office on Monday when Brandy, Mrs. Cullen's assistant, appeared at my desk.

"Mrs. Cullen wants to see you right away," she said urgently.

I raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I'll be right there."

Brandy scurried off, and I finished what I needed to do before I left. Mrs. Cullen was not alone in her office. A tall man with scruffy blond hair stood behind her chair with his hands folded in front of him. He wasn't taller than me, and he was thin, but it was the expression on his face that reminded me of a hit man. I closed the door and cleared my throat.

"You wanted to see me?" I ventured.

She gestured to the chairs in front of her desk. "Have a seat." I did. "Would you care to tell me what you and my daughter did on Friday night?"

I cleared my throat and told her the rehearsed story Ness and I had agreed on. I just prayed she had delivered the same lines. I knew I was in trouble when Mrs. Cullen shook her head. Had Ness betrayed me?

"I want to hear the truth from you, Mr. Black."

She had. My stomach curled as I told her about taking Ness back to my place. How could she do that to me? Didn't she know this job was my livelihood? Her mother had the power to not only fire me but make damn sure I wouldn't get hired in any other sales position in several companies.

Mrs. Cullen sucked in a deep breath like she was contemplating just how to hand me my ass. I wondered if the hit man was here to do that for her. I looked him over and wondered if it would be possible to overpower him. Physically, I was bigger, but I didn't know how strong the guy was.

"Renesmee gave me the same story about the club," she finally said.

"I'm sorry, what?" She hadn't betrayed me. I suddenly felt a whole lot better.

"Did you really think I would let you take my daughter without keeping an eye on her? I trust you, Mr. Black, but in this day and age, a mother can't be too careful." She gestured with her left hand to the man behind her. "This is my brother-in-law, Mr. Jasper Cullen. He was the one that arranged all of the surveillance that night, and I know everything that happened between you and Renesmee."

I'd heard about Jasper. He was the one that came up with all of the technology we traded and sold. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that what Mrs. Cullen said was true.

"May I ask why you wanted me to say it then?"

Mrs. Cullen smiled. "Because I wanted to know if you were trustworthy enough to tell me or if you'd continue to lie to me like Renesmee did."

I didn't really like the idea that I'd been tested like that. My work and my personal life didn't coexist. "Okay."

"You can begin backing up your desk tomorrow morning."

My jaw fell slack. "But I was supposed to do what she wanted; how was I going to do that when she didn't want to do anything?"

Her brow furrowed. "I'm not firing you, Mr. Black. You can pack your things to move into Karen's office. I want you set up by tomorrow afternoon."

I could breathe again. "Oh. I see. Thank you, Mrs. Cullen." I turned to the door.

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Black, this is for you." I turned back to see her holding out a piece of paper. "It's from Renesmee. She asked that I give it to you today."

I nodded and held it close to my chest. "Thank you again."

When I got out to my car, I opened the paper. It was a note.

Jake—

Thank you for the most wonderful night. I'm sorry for what I did. How uncomfortable you must have been! It wasn't all the alcohol talking. I need you to know that. I might have been the reason my mother chose you. I asked her to. I honestly didn't believe she'd go through with it, though. I hope you can forgive me. I also hope that you'll call me.

Love, Ness

Her phone number was listed at the bottom. For a moment, I wondered how in the world Ness would have ever seen me. Then I realized it didn't matter, because I really didn't care. I started the car and got home as quickly as I could to call Ness and hopefully make a date.

I held Ness' hand in mine as we walked along the small, brick bridge that crossed the stream. After dinner, we had come to the wooded park to be alone. Being after eight at night, it wasn't hard to do. Nobody else was around.

"Thank you for a wonderful night," she said softly.

I pulled her a little closer to me. "I didn't think it was over yet."

She smiled up at me. "It's not. But thank you anyway."

I leaned down to kiss her head. In her sandals, she was much shorter than she had been with the monstrous heels. I didn't mind it; it was easy enough to pull her in her for a quick hug.

"So me being nine years older than you really doesn't bother you?" I asked.

"Does me being nine years younger bother you?"

"No, it doesn't."

She smiled again. "That's good. It doesn't me either."

"What about me being divorced?"

"I'd much rather have you divorced than still married."

"Yeah, I agree. Does any of it bother your mother?" I wasn't sure why I even asked.

She laughed. "If it did, you'd hear about it. But no; she really likes you, Jake. No matter what she might say or how she acts at work, she thinks you're reliable, ethical, and an all-around good man. She doesn't say stuff like that about everyone. You have to deserve it."

I had to admit that made me feel good. We turned around and began making our way lazily back across the bridge. "What should we do after this?"

"We should go back to your place," she said with a little nod.

"Ness—"

She stepped in front of me and held one hand up. "Jake, it's okay. Really. I just want to spend some more time with you and get to know you. You're probably totally baffled as to why I picked you out. It's because you're funny, you're charming, you're handsome . . . the list goes on. I've seen you, but only at those company meetings my mother drags me to. I want to get to know the you that isn't at work."

I smiled and took her hand again. "I think that sounds perfect."

She relaxed and let me lead her to the car.

Ness and I saw each other at least once a week after that. My schedule got a lot more packed after taking on the supervisor position, but I wasn't complaining. The pay was better, too. And, although I wouldn't breathe a word of it to any soul, I thought Mrs. Cullen was a tad bit nicer to me.

"Do you remember our first night together?" Ness asked after our third real date. We went back to my place like usual and lounged together on the couch while we talked.

"Yeah."

She licked her lips and sat up on her knees beside me. "Do you remember what you said about if I wasn't drunk?"

We'd kissed a few times, but it hadn't ever exceeded a light peck here and there. "Yes, I do."

Her hands went to my shoulders as she slid herself sideways onto my lap. "Well, I'm not drunk, Jake. Will you kiss me?"

I nodded without a word and pulled her close to kiss her deeply.

A/N: Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts.