Green, green, brown. Green, green, brown. Always the same boring scenery that leads to my hometown, Forks. But here I was on my way home like every vacation period, whether it was summer, Christmas or Thanksgiving; I was always expected to come back home. Not that I dreaded my time here, because I loved to spend time with my friends, but it was the underlying expectation that my uncle had of me taking his place managing the family properties which I'm not entirely sure I wanted to do. Or if I wanted to do it from here.

After almost four years of college, I was ready to make this spring break the best farewell to my uncle's home. This year I'll be getting my trust fund making me able to establish wherever I want, which will be as far away from this small town as I can. Unless I...

"..but why? I mean, they vanished cannon, ok it was their choice. No matter that for more than thirty years it was what we the fans worshiped. But to have Han Solo hiding a wife? I mean, Han Solo is the quintessential bad boy, loved by women, every man wants to be him. Why make him a cheater?"

The inane ramblings of my best friend Emmett McCarty disturbed my thoughts. We found each other at the airport and I offered to give him a ride, you know, to keep me company. But he comes with the most random ideas and he usually act like a five-year-old kid.

Now he was squirming in his seat like a worm.

"Are we there yet?" Emmett, my big oaf of a friend asked while trying to adjust his legs to the small space my car provided.

"Yeah, only twenty minutes more. Jesus Em! You act like a toddler."

"Well, you weren't cramped in a coach seat for four hours to get here, rich boy. Not everybody can fly in business class."

He finally got the seat to move back and he stretched his legs. He got so relaxed that he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Rich boy! People always assumed that because my Aunt Esme was one of the Platts from Seattle we were rolling in money, the truth was, her family almost disowned her for marrying Uncle Carlisle whose family wasn't so well off and carried on a reputation as a ladies man. Sure, they managed to let Esme a few properties around the state, but the bulk of the Platt's fortune was distributed between Esme's sisters who were married within their circle. The trust fund I inherited came from my mother's Elizabeth side. Dad was Carlisle's twin brother and the fact that he married to one of the Masen from Chicago was what made the Platts tolerate Carlisle.

You may wonder what am I doing here; well my parents died when I was five, we were involved in a car accident that not only took them away but left me with a limp on my left leg. My uncle was fast to bring me to Forks, and I gotta admit that even when they weren't as affectionate as my parents, they always treated me like a son.

"Ugh ah... ugh ah"

Emmett still snores like a rusty chainsaw!

But he's always been one of my best friends. Hell! I have to be thankful that this little town provided me with a great group of people I can consider my friends through the years. Emmett and Jasper were always there for me, Irina and her crazy aunt Kate, even Jessica, Lauren, and Michael. Oh, and I can't forget the guys from the rez, Seth, Paul, and Quill. They were always supporting me when I struggled with my limp, so much that I was able to become part of the track team on my senior year. Yeah, we were always a close knit group. We still get together every vacation period. There's nothing like a summer with all my friends, bonfires at night or camping trips. We remain close through our college years.

"Ugh ah... ugh ah"

I had to be glad he's still sleeping. Otherwise, he would ask for the one theme I don't want to touch yet... Bella Swan.

Our old police chief retired when we were in our senior year of high school, which brought his replacement along with his family: his very pregnant wife, his niece Rosalie and her daughter, beautiful Isabella.

Bella and Rosalie got along immediately with our group and I have to say that the day I met her I knew I had given my heart to her, irrevocably. Rosalie knew and she always helped me, she always insisted that Bella felt the same and I had to grow the balls to ask her out. Too bad the day I find them, someone asked her out first. Now, I can't blame Michael, I always kept my feelings for her hidden, but when I saw them together at Forks dinner I left running and cried in my room for two days. Rose was always there for me, and she told me it wasn't serious, but I can't think for other reason why Bella finally accepted to date any guy.

I left to college brokenhearted, but I couldn't forget her. Believe me, I tried.

Then something came every year because when we came to Forks for every holiday, either one of us had too much to handle and decide to skip coming to Forks or I was dating or she was dating. Nothing serious on my side, and as per Rose, nothing serious on Bella's side too. Rose always kept pushing me to come clear to Bella about my feelings, but I always chickened out.

But this time needs to be different. This will be our last vacation together before we start our adult lives. This time, I'll have to man up and declare my feelings for her. I just have to pray she remains single.

xxx

After I dropped Emmett at his house, I made my way to mine. My uncle was already there waiting for me.

"Son! I'm so glad to see you." He gave me a one-half hug like I said he wasn't overly affectionate.

"I'm glad to be back."

"Let me help you with your things. Esme is waiting for you." He said while I opened the trunk of the car.

"Hey, thanks for dropping the car at the airport."

"Don't thank me. It was Esme's idea. We wanted you to avoid the hassle of renting a car or using one of Todd's cabs when you have your car waiting for you."

He took one of my bags and walked inside the house. As he mentioned Esme was waiting inside with a tray of sandwiches and sodas.

"Edward you're finally here!" She kissed my cheeks and pulled me to sit on one of the armchairs in the living room. "How was your flight? Did you have a problem finding the car in the short term parking lot?""

"Fine, Aunt Esme, and no I found the car right away. How are you? Did your backache finally disappeared?"

"Not completely, but Lucy recommended me this wonderful chiropractor she's been consulting and I can't wait to visit him."

Lucy Hamilton was aunt Esme's best friend and she came from one of the wealthiest families in the country. She and my aunt felt like they were Fork's royalty. And they were always pushing Irina, who's Lucy's daughter, and me to date.

"I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Oh, and you have to know, your uncle went to the cardiologist." She gave a pointed glare to uncle Carlisle. "He has to cut fat and eat more healthy. So now we're on a low-fat diet. I hope you don't have a problem or I could ask Hellen to cook something else for you. Anyway, here had one of these, you must be hungry after your flight. Now enough about us, tell me what's been going on with you lately? Is that horrible professor still pushing you to make an internship on his damned firm?"

"Yeah, but I already let him down. I would have to stay in New York and I'm not sure if that's what I want to do."

Uncle Carlisle coughed. "Edward! You know that I want to retire and I'm counting on you to handle our business."

"And I'll do it; I just want to find my way. You know I think we could handle everything better if we move the management to a bigger city. Traveling will be necessary anyway."

"But your family is here in Forks! I don't think it would be wise for us to move." My aunt Esme exclaimed horrified by the mere thought of going away from Forks.

"We have time, aunt Esme, I still haven't finished college." I said patting her knee.

"Are you still thinking about getting your masters?" My uncle asked.

"I don't know."

"Well, we don't have as much time as you think. In a few months, you're going to graduate. I think an MBA online once you get a hang of the business is a good option. But still, I always managed everything from here and never had a problem." Uncle Carlisle pointed.

"I think I know what could make you want to stay. If only we found a little miss within our acquaintances..." Aunt Esme said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Irina is moving to San Francisco if she was the one you were thinking of," I said.

"Not if Lucy can avoid it. You know what we think about Kate and her scandalous behavior." Aunt Esme shuddered at the memory of Kate Hamilton, one of my favorites persons in the world.

"Also, you know Irina and I will always be just good friends."

"Do you still have that crush on the Swan girl? I thought you would get over it once you met other girls. You never mentioned another girl ever."

I was so shocked that she knew that I almost missed the rest of her rant.

"I had a few dates, nothing serious enough to bring it to your attention."

My aunt nodded but didn't look too convinced.

My uncle cleared his throat. "That's not important, you're too young to feel pressured for marriage." He sighed. "Now, you know Esme invited all your friends to come by tomorrow for a cookout, right?"

I nodded. Every time I came back she organized one.

"Well, I have a proposition for you and your friends. Remember that last February I went to Long Beach? Well, I think I finally found a possible buyer for our property there."

"The old building with the lighthouse?"

"Yeah. One of Esme's old classmates got divorced and she wants to move to a peaceful place where she can paint and live peacefully with her twenty cats." My uncle laughed.

"Oh, you make it sound so pathetic. She's a painter and thinks a place like the old lighthouse has some character that will inspire her. But the divorce is true. And she only has three cats." Esme was quick to add.

"Anyway, the problem is that the building is in a desperate need of repairing. I want your friends to help you to paint and make the minor repairs the building needs. You had done it before, I remember the Whitlock farm turned out fine. So, what about all of you go there, make the repairs, swim in the pool, have a wonderful time together and I'll pay you the same amount the contractors were charging me with the condition that you finish on time to go back to college."

"I remember the building was in excellent shape. How bad is the lighthouse?"

"I'm not gonna lie, the lighthouse was abandoned twenty years ago when they build the new one; but in reality, Esme's friend will only use it as an inspiration. If it's painted and the stairs are firm, we will be golden. So, why don't you talk about it with your friends and then we can make the necessary arrangements. You'll need food and supplies so I would give you something in advance. So, are you in?""

I thought about it. It would give me the perfect chance to have Bella close and talk to her. Two weeks. Yeah, I think we could work with that.

Hi!

This is my new story. I know I said I would post it a few days ago, but a few technical problems (we changed to another internet provider and we had to wait for them to install it). Anyway... what do you think? This time, most of the story will be told in Edward's POV, but Bella may talk in a couple of chapters.

So, if the internet gods allow me, next chapter will be up tomorrow. Meanwhile, I hope you like this one.

See ya.