Grandpa Swan sighed at me as I struggled to pull my bags out of his truck. He pulled then out with a quick yank and started towards the house. I huffed and trailed along, my head down and my shoulders hunched.
"It's only for a year, Bella," he said, pulling along my wheelie suitcases. "You can stop acting like it's a death sentence," he said, rolling his eyes.
"It is a death sentence, Grandpa. There aren't any malls for miles!" I snapped. "Back in my day," Oh, here we go again.
"People didn't need a shopping mall to survive. Now call me old fashioned, but can't you go outside for entertainment?" he suggested, opening the door to his home.
He pulled the bags in and walked into the kitchen. The kitchen was a homely place where I spent a lot of time in my childhood, baking cakes with Grandma Swan.
Speaking of Grandma Swan, she stood in the middle of the wooden kitchen with a bright smile plastered on her face. Her pink apron was tied around her waist and a whisk was poking out the front pocket. "Isabella! It's great to have you home!" she gushed, pulling me in close for a warm hug, smelling of spices and cinnamon.
"Now, you must try one of my biscuits!" she smiled and held one out for me. "Oh, I can't, I'm on a healthy eating plan," I sighed, grandpa snorting behind me. "Good luck with that in this house!" he laughed before walking outside to do whatever it was that country people did. Digging or something. I don't know.
Grandma sighed. "What are you wearing, child? How are you meant to help out around here with those heels and that dress? Are you off your rocker? What's in the suitcase?" she asked in horror.
I dragged the suitcase over to the couch and clicked the locks. It sprung open and almost hit me in the face but grandma pulled me back. My suitcase was filled with designer dresses, Jimmy Choos, Dolce and Gabbana glasses and bags as well as a million pairs of jeans and shirts.
"This will not do," she said clearly unimpressed, tapping her foot up and down, thinking. "There's a boutique in town that sells some nice clothes. The farm hand can drive you down after lunch. He'll be happy to get a break from that sun," she smiled and laughed.
"He'll be in the stables, if you want to go ask," she suggested. "He's a looker too, darling," she winked and continued with her baking. My cue to leave.
I slid my glasses back over my eyes and headed across to the stables, hobbling along like an old lady in the gravel. The stables were painted a red I had picked when I was five and it looked like a barn straight out of a picture book.
I walked over to the huge, closed doors. I hate those doors. They never moved and nobody ever bothered to grease them. I breathed in and out, preparing my body for a shove. I pushed the gap and the doors slid open.
Way to fast.
Somebody had greased them. And I went flying through the air like a bird, a very unco bird. I landed with a 'thwack' on the concrete and rolled over in pain.
There was a rush of feet and a man appeared in front of me. His hair was hidden under a black cowboy hat with a silver charm on the side. His muscles were visible under his blue plaid shirt and his jeans neatly hugged his legs. Cowboy boots in black were on his feet, completing the entire cowboy look.
His eyes were a bright emerald and his nose was slightly bumped. "Are you okay?" he asked in horror. "Yeah," I stuttered, quickly standing up. "That was quite a fall?" he asked, looking over my body for injuries.
"Yeah, these shoes are death traps. I'm Bella. Nice to meet you," I smiled at him and shook his hand. "Edward," he grinned. "Farm hand," My smile brightened. "Just the person I've been looking for," I said.
He raised his eyebrow at me in question. "Grandma Swan wanted to know if you could take me into town to do some shopping?" I asked. "No problem," he replied. "I'll be right out, just got to feed the horses," he walked off towards some horse stalls.
I quickly followed him. "You don't happen to know where Duchess is, do you?" I asked, hopefully. "Yeah, down the end stall. Why?" His eyebrows furrowed, putting an adorable frown on his face.
"She's my horse," I said happily, practically running to her stall. "Bella like Isabella? Isabella Swan?" Edward called in shock. "Yeah, what about it?" I said, continuing to the stall containing my beautiful horse.
"I'm Edward Cullen from elementary school! You know, braces, glasses?" I spun around in shock.
This could not be little Eddie from elementary school. Besides the vibrant green eyes, he looked nothing like my old friend. "Edward?" I gasped. "You've changed so much!"
Edward stared, his eyes just about coming out of his head. "You have too, uh, you look pretty," he stuttered, uncharacteristically.
I stared at him and blushed. "Oh, um thank you," I murmured. "You look very handsome, the cowboy look suits you," I smiled, causing him to smirk. "You dyed your hair," he stated and I suddenly felt conscious of my strands of blonde, playing with the ends.
"Oh, yeah. Just wanted a bit of change from boring, old, brunette Bella," I smiled, awkwardly before I scurried to the end stall.
Duchess was a beautiful palomino with white socks and a long blonde mane and tail. On her back was a large patch of white. Her eyes were a beautiful dark brown and she was perfectly groomed and well kept.
I fiddled quickly with the latch on the door before Edward reached over and opened it. I was momentarily distracted by his masculine smell but I was over powered by the need to see my horse.
She watched me intently, nickering at me excitedly. I held her head and brushed her mane away from her face. She nuzzled quietly into me as I patted her soothingly.
"She's a beautiful horse," Edward commented, his arms crossed and resting on the closed stall door. "She is," I beamed at him.
"Do you have a horse, Edward? I remember you being deathly afraid of them when we were young," I laughed, making duchesses ear prick up slightly.
"Definitely got over that fear. The bay in the stall next to us is mine. He's called Ares," Edward smiled proudly. "This reminds me, it's feeding time," he smiled before wandering off.
I let go of duchess, softly pulling at the ends of her mane affectionately before walking off, closing the stall door behind me.
I found Edward in the tack room, sorting out grains and such through the feeding charts. I knocked on the door. "Need some help?" I asked. Might as well make a good impression.
He spun around and raised an eyebrow at me. "In those shoes?" he laughed. His laugh was beautiful and masculine, making my body tingle. "You didn't even make it through the door," he stated before turning back around.
I walked along the length of the room, looking for some stray riding boots of my grandmothers. I found some black leather ones near a wooden box and swapped my heels for them. There were no socks but I would have to make do.
I walked over to Edward and tapped him on the shoulder. "I'm ready now," I smiled, doing a little dance with my feet. He laughed and gave me a bucket. "Go feed that horse of yours," Edward grinned.
I walked off and put the feed in Duchesses stall. I glanced at the bay in the stall next door. He was circling around in his stall, whinnying and making noises to catch somebody's attention.
I placed my bucket on the ground and walked over to him. His head snapped up and he wandered over. I stroked his head and laughed as he tried to nuzzle me.
"He likes you," Edward's voice called, startling me. "I like him too," I sighed, turning back to Ares.
"I'm all done so let's go into town," Edward said behind me and I suddenly became aware of his body close to mine, almost touching. His arm reached over and his fingers lightly met with his horses head.
A small smile crept across his face as he sighed in contentment. When he reached further towards the horse his chest lightly touched my back. I pretended not to notice and continued to pat Ares. I could see Edward was watching my reaction in the corner of his eye and was smiling brightly.
Edwards masculine scent engulfed me entirely and I honestly didn't care about going to the stores anymore. I wanted to stay right here. I had a feeling Edward did too but he sighed sadly and pulled back.
"C'mon, we have to go before dinner," Edward said and walked out the barn, me following him like a golden retriever. We took of our dirty boots and Edward opened the door to the house for me. I smiled thankfully at him before walking into the kitchen.
Grandma smiled at Edward and I and her eyebrows rose slightly at me. I shrugged and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl, munching quietly.
"Here's some money to buy your clothes with and I'm sure you have some money in that luggage of yours. Now don't be too long, dinner is at five and you too are helping," she told us in her 'do what I say' voice.
Edward followed me to the couch where I made him move away from the suitcase for safety reasons. He looked at me like I was crazy but followed my instructions. I crouched down and flicked the locks on the suitcase before springing back.
The suitcase flew open and I let out a horrified gasp at the clothing article sitting on top. My frilly, red underwear sat there, not so innocently and Edward snickered. He grabbed the frilly abomination and waved it in the air.
"Nice underwear," he teased me, winking. I jumped up and down in horror as he held it even higher above me. "This isn't fair! You're so much taller!" I shouted, climbing on the couch to try and grab them. Grandma laughed from the doorway before returning to her kitchen.
I jumped from the couch and the fabric just touched my fingertips before I fell back to earth. Stupid gravity. Edward tucked them into his jeans back pocket and sat on the couch. I glared at him before I grabbed my credit card and ballet flats from my suitcase and stormed into the kitchen.
Grandma covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh and I grabbed the money from the bench and went outside.
Edward met me at the black ford F150 out the front. He taunted me by spinning the underwear around his finger but as he reached me, he pushed it back into his pocket.
He opened the passenger door to me and I smiled at him before quickly reaching into his back pocket and grabbing the underwear.
I jumped into the seat to escape him but he laughed. "You aren't getting away with this," Edward shouted, tickling me. "No!" I screamed. "Anything but tickling!" I squealed. He reached for the underwear but I quickly shoved it down my top.
"Ha!" I laughed and he raised an eyebrow at me. "Mature," he snickered before closing the door and walking around to his seat.
He turned up the radio as soon as the car turned on and he we listened to just about every genre of music. Pop, Rock, R & B, classical and blues to name a few.
We chattered the whole time, about what had happened since I'd left and how my life had been. When we arrived at the shops, for the first time in my life, I didn't actually feel like shopping.
I got out the truck and walked towards the boutique with Edward by my side. He opened the door for me and a little bell chimed. The boutique was cute and honestly, had better clothes than many in L.A.
There was a loud bang and a petite girl around my age popped up behind the counter, rubbing the back of her head.
Her hair was spiked out and she had on hardly any make up. Her nose was small and her big blue eyes were wide as she looked at me. Her skirt was a cute pink floral and she wore a white shirt tucked in and a light brown leather jacket over it.
"Is that the new season Gucci?" she gasped, dropping the book she was holding.
"Hi to you too, Alice," Edward grumbled.
"Yeah, brand new," I smiled at her. Well at least someone around here knew fashion. She hurried around the counter before looking at my clothes.
"This isn't even meant to be out yet?" she stared in awe. "I have some contacts," I winked. "I have to ask," she said her eyebrows furrowing. "Why come to this store?"
"Well," I began. "I need some clothes for this year as I'm staying on my grandparents farm and you have the cutest clothes ever! Forget Dior, Gucci and Burberry! I'm going to shop here instead!" I beamed at her.
I honestly thought she was going to collapse in the middle of the store. "Oh my gosh! You like my clothes? I design them and my mum makes them. I can't believe you said they were better than Dior, Gucci and Burberry!" she squealed.
"I'm Alice Brandon, it's a pleasure to meet you!" she said, pulling me in for a hug. "Bella Swan and trust me, the pleasures all mine. I was about to die with nobody to talk to about clothes!" I laughed.
"Hey!" Edward called. "Cowboy boots are totally in right now," he winked at me. We laughed and Alice pulled me to see the entire store and I made no complaints.
I walked out of the change rooms with a cute floral dress on and a brown leather belt. Alice looked at it for a second before she hurried off and returned with some light brown cowgirl boots. "Size 7?" she guessed and I nodded, pulling them on.
Edward sat on a chair outside the change rooms, his head snapping up every time I walked out. I tried on jeans, shirts, dresses, boots, skirts and jackets before I brought just about everything I could and swapped numbers with Alice, telling her to call me.
Edward took me into an equestrian store next to Alice's boutique and we looked at helmets, riding clothes and boots. He had to get some new things for Ares so he left me to try on some clothes.
I tried on some jodhpurs that were a nice cream colour and sighed. I hadn't tried jodhpurs on in ages and wasn't sure if they fit correctly. Is this bit down near the ankles meant to be more loose?
"Hey, Edward?" I called out and he hummed in response. "Do you think these look right?" I asked, pulling the door open and leaning on the changing room. His eyes followed me as I did a spin.
"Uh," he gulped, a light blush creeping across his cheeks. "Do they feel right?" he asked and I walked around the store a little bit. "Yeah," I said and he smiled. "I think you should get them," he stated and I nodded in agreement so we payed for everything and left.
"Do you want to go to the park?" he asked, smiling crookedly at me and I nodded so we walked to the grassed area with the picnic benches not far from the shops.
I lay with my stomach on the grass and Edward lay next to me. "Your hair looks really bright in the sun," he murmured. I looked at him and saw his furrowed eyebrows. "What's wrong?" I asked, placing my hand on his.
He stared at my hand for a moment before looking at my face. "I don't know, I guess I was thinking that I liked your hair when it was wavy and brown," he smiled at the thought.
I looked at his face and saw the sun catch in his eye and wondered for a moment what it would've been like if I hadn't moved.
"You know what, Edward?" I said. "So did I,"