Bella is a struggling single mom who takes care of her three year old daughter Una and seventeen year old brother Matt. Bella not one to fall for guys after her ex, Mike, left her damaged and thinking no guy could ever treat her good, that is until Bella meets Edward Cullen, Matt's new hockey coach and former NHL player. Will Bella fall for him or will she push him away because she fears he will treat her just like Mike.
Chapter 1. H-O-C-K-E-Y
"If you get her sick I swear to God that you are grounded." I told my seventeen year old brother as he held my three year old daughter upside down by her ankles in the middle of the grocery store, her long red hair almost touching the floor. "I'm not joking Matt."
"Alright, alright." Matt said setting Una down on her feet. "She enjoyed it, didn't ya Una?" She jumped up and down and smiled.
"Gain Matty gain!" Una asked stretching her arms above her head. I grabbed a box of macaroni and tossed it into the cart.
"Your moms going to get mad at me, how about tag," he tapped her shoulder "you're it!" I sighed as they ran past me. I grabbed a couple other items off my list and tossed them in the cart. Just as I was tossing the last item in my cart I heard a crash and then Una crying. I ran to where I heard her.
"Una!" I saw her sitting on the floor and three women trying to get her to stop.
"I want my mommy!" she cried to them. Four men stood behind the three women watching as my daughter cried, typical men.
"Una sweetie," I left my cart and jogged over to her. She saw me and reached for me. "It's okay I'm here honey." I pressed her to my chest and she buried her face in my neck.
"She knocked into the cart pretty bad." The blond one said looking concered.
"What happened?" Matt asked running into the aisle, not before knocking into our own cart. "Why's Una crying?"
"I told you not to mess around with her." I said rubbing her back.
"Do you want me to look at her?" A man with blonde hair, probably in his late forties asked stepping forward " My name is Carlisle, I'm a doctor."
"I really think she's fine, she's probably not in the mood to be looked at anyway." I smiled at all of them. "She'll be okay."
"What is her name?" A women with light brown hair, about Carlisle's age, asked.
"Una." I said simply "My ex was Irish, he wanted her to have an Irish name I wanted her to have an Italian name but you can see who won."
"Where are my manner, my name is Esme."
"I'm Be-"
"Holy shit," Matt said and I slapped his chest. "Ouch, don't hit me. I'm sorry, but are you Edward Cullen, like the Edward Cullen?" I looked behind them at the tall bronze haired man. He had to be about 6'3 and had amazing green eyes.
"That I am." He smiled showing a perfect row of white teeth.
"Wow you're my idol." Matt said staring at the man. "Bella it's Edward Cullen, remember I made you watch the NHL Championship with me because he was in it?"
"Oh," I said remembering that night. I didn't want to watch hockey, but because it was Matt's favorite sport and the only one he played I decided to watch it. "very nice. Alright stop drooling, we need to get going." Una sniffled and peaked at everyone from under my hair.
"Maybe we'll see you around?" The little pixie looking girl said.
"Sure." I gave her a small smile and had to practically drag Matt away from them. "Idiot let's go." I said setting Una in the cart. "Stare much?"
"Bella I don't think you understand how happy I am right now, I just met Edward Cullen. He won four NHL Championships, this is amazing." Matt smiled and started texting on his phone "I have to tell the team."
"You do that." I chuckled as I we walked to the check out.
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"Momma I think Grumpy is gettin' fat." Una said carrying our fat grey cat Grumpy into the room with his feet dragging on the floor.
"He's always been fat baby." I said looking up from my magazine. Una smiled while Grumpy looked pissed as ever. "I see you put your jammies on." I looked at her princess pj's.
"Bella, oh my god you're not going to believe this." Matt rushed down stairs with a picture in his hand. It was of all the people we ran into at the grocery store, except they were all dressed very nicely. "That was Edward Cullen's family!"
"Those people?" I asked as Una climbed onto my lab and let Grumpy flop to the floor.
"Yeah these two," he pointed to Carlisle and Esme "those are his parents! And the big buff one, that his brother Emmett and the blonde chick is Emmett's wife, Rosalie. Then the short girl, that's Edward's little sister Alice and the other blonde guy is her husband Jasper."
"Why do I need to know this?"
"Because we just met a hockey legend," I gave him a small smile "this has to be the best day of my entire life right now."
"I no understand." Una said tilting her head to the side. "Do they like cats?" I laughed and Matt looked annoyed.
"I don't know." he threw his hands in the air "what I do know is that we met my idol today." Matt sighed and walked back upstairs.
"He's crazy about his hockey." I tapped Una's nose "What are you crazy about?"
"Pink and cats." Una smiled at me. "I want another cat." I shook my head no "Tink about it momma." Una tapped the top of my head and hopped off my lap.
"Upstairs," I said taking her hand "time for you to go to bed." I walked into Una's small pink room and tucked her into her bed. "Sleep tight my little kitten."
"Night mommy, wuv you." Una turned on her side and I shut her door behind me. I knocked and walked into Matt's room.
"Dude, whatcha doing." I smiled and walked over to sit on his bed next to him as he browsed the internet.
"Did you know that Edward's family actually lives here in Forks, like twenty minutes from this very house." Matt's face was glowing with excitement.
"Don't stalk him you weirdo." I laughed "I'm glad that you're happy."
"See if it wasn't for Una falling on her ass I would have never met him, see messing around in the grocery store is a good thing."
"Don't be a smart ass little brother."
"Never, big sister." He smiled at me.
"Alright, get to bed at ten. I hate Mondays just as much as you do." I kissed the top of his head and shut his door as I left. I walked into my very small room and set my clock for five in the morning. I turned on the television low and crawled under the covers to fall asleep.
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"Fucking worst part about the weekdays." I sighed as I slid behind the wheel of my car. Matt sat in the passenger seat reading a book. I had just dropped Una off at our neighbors and everyday all she does is cry and it breaks my heart.
"I know." Matt mumbled without taking his eyes off his book. "I don't fucking understand any of this shit."
"What are you learning?" I asked pulling out of the driveway.
"Math, let's not talk about it. I know how much you struggled in math." he laughed "Runs in the family I guess. Thank god I have your class to actually relax in." I taught Art/Ceramics at Forks High School. "Speaking of your class I have a B in there, what's with that?"
"You got a C on your last quiz, pay a little more attention instead of just relaxing." I said nudging him and pulling into the parking lot. "See ya later." He jumped out of the car before I even had time to finish. I sighed as I made my way to my room and unlocked it. To be honest art relaxed me just like it relaxed Matt.
I set my things behind my desk and pulled out my laptop. "Ms. Swan," The principal Mrs. Green knocked on my door. "the new math teacher is here and I just wanted her to meet a couple of the teachers. Mrs. Hale come on in." Alice Cullen walked into my classroom.
"We meet again," Alice said smiling as she walked forward "told you." I laughed and smiled at her. There was something about her that made me like her.
"I see you two actually know each other so I'm going to leave you two to talk." Mrs. Green left without another word.
"Ms. Swan," Alice said looking around my room and walking to the front of my desk .
"You can call me Bella." I said turning on my laptop. "Thank god we have a new math teacher my brother is struggling in math."
"You mean the one that was drooling over my brother?" I laughed and nodded "Well he's going to be drooling some more because Edward is the coach for the hockey team here."
"I'll here all about it at dinner tonight."
"Bella are you single?" Alice asked leaning her elbows on my desk. "You're not seeing anyone, right?"
"No not at the moment." I said slowly. "Why?"
"Just wondering Bella, I think we're going to be great friends and I want to know everything about you. Like I've been married for four years, and yeah that's about it." She smiled and walked over towards the door "See ya later."
The rest of the day went normal, I ate lunch in my classroom and called Sue, my neighbor to see how Una was doing. Finally after the last class ended I packed up all my things and locked up my classroom. I saw Alice standing outside her class talking to Edward. Mrs. Green approached me with a small smile on her face. "Mrs. Swan, I must have a word with you."
"What is it?"
"I was talking to the board today and as you know we've been letting a lot of teachers go." My heart dropped to my stomach "I'm sorry Mrs. Swan but you are sadly one of them." I could tell my eyes clouding with tears. "I'm sorry, you know it's not personal." She placed my hand on my shoulder and turned to leave.
"Bella what's wrong?" Alice asked as I walked past her and Edward.
"I got fired." I said back and rushed to my car.
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"Can they even do that?" Matt yelled when I went to the ice-rink after I picked up Una. Matt was having practice but I pulled him away from a second.
"I guess so." I said swiping away a tear that slid down my cheek. "It's going to take forever for me to find a new job. Oh god, I'm going to be so behind on the bills."
"Hey Bells we've been through this before." Matt said rubbing my arm. We looked over at Una as she walked up and down the bleachers. "We'll figure this out."
"I just don't want to be broke again, this happened before and you had to quit hockey because I couldn't afford any of your equipment, I'm not letting that happen again." More tears fell.
"Hey Matt let's go." Edward came up behind Matt and tapped him on the shoulder. Matt leaned over the little door that separated us and kissed the top of my head and skated away. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," I sniffled wiping away my tears.
"I heard when you told Alice you got fired, I'm really sorry." He sounded so sincere, yet I couldn't pull my gaze away from his beautiful green eyes.
"It's not your fault."
"Mommy," Una came up next to me and tugged on my coat. "can I go on ice?" I was about to tell her no when Edward interrupted me.
"Sure," He smiled looking down at her "in fact how about you and your mom both come out." He opened the door and Una ran out stumbling a little but fixing herself before she fell.
"I'm really bad at even walking on my own two feet, I don't think I'm going to do so hot on the ice." Edward held out his hand.
"Who said I was going to let you go out alone?" His smile took my breath away and I placed my hand in his as we walked on the ice. Una stood in a circle of about fifteen teenage boys.
"Mommy, dis ones my boyfriend!" Una pointed at the other redheaded boy. He blushed and everyone laughed. "His name Riley." Una ran over and wrapped her arms around my leg. "Mommy why you hold his hand?"
"He has a name, Una." I told her "Its Edward." Una started up at Edward and poked his leg.
"You a giant." Edward smiled down at her. He knelt down so he was face to face with her "Now you're so small." she giggled.
"So are we got practicing today?" One of the boys asked. Edward picked Una up and stood up.
"No, Una here is going to help us with practice today. How does that sound like little one?" Una nodded a yes. Edward placed her on the ice and handed her a bag of pucks. "You see that blue line, go place the pucks on there. Everyone else, start skating laps." Edward helped me into the box where the players sat.
"Thank you, for being so nice to her." I said staring down at the mittens on my hands. "It's been a stressful day."
"It's not easy getting fired, trust me I've been traded from teams before if that makes you feel any better." I chuckled and looked up into his green eyes.
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because I think you're a good person Bella, I can just tell from the way you cared for Una at the grocery store." I looked as Una dragged the heavy bag across the ice. "From what I heard your brother is one hell of a hockey player."
"Yeah he is pretty amazing, I feel bad because he had to quit for one year because of money issues, and once again with me being fired everything is going to be a struggle." I sighed "I'm sorry I don't mean to just lay this all on you."
"You're fine Bella, if you ever need someone to talk to I'm here." He smiled. "And I don't want you to worry, because I will make sure Matt never has to quit hockey."
"Mommy!" Una shouted and I looked as she smiled at me. "I finished!" Edward took my hand and we walked over to where Una was. I slipped a little but Edward caught me. "Look, I finished Edvard."
"I see, well now they're all going to hit them so we might want to back up." With his free hand Edward he picked Una up, it looked so natural. We backed up and he ordered them all to line up with a puck. One by one they all slapped the puck into the goal, some missing and some going in.
"You have a pretty good team."
"I'm hoping to go to states." Edward set Una down and she ran over to Matt. He handed her his stick and walked her over to a puck closer to the goal and helped her smack it in. "You're brother is going to be a main item to help us get there."
"Una please sit still." I begged as I brushed Una's hair after her bath but she kept squirming around on her bed. "Una!"
"Sorry mommy, I wanna play with Grumpy." Una said swinging her little legs in the air. I finished brushing her long locks and she ran downstairs.
"Spray your room." I shouted outside of Matt's door because the stench of hockey was seeping out of the cracks of his door. I heard him laugh and then agree. When I walked down to the living room Una sat on the couch with Grumpy in her lap. "Una, I don't think he likes being held."
"I don't care." She shrugged not taking her eyes of the television which played Victorious. "You make popcorn?" I smiled down and tapped her nose.
"Sure." I smiled and walked into the kitchen. Just as I was putting the popcorn in the microwave the house phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hey Bella, it's Edward." I stopped what I was doing.
"Are you calling for Matt?"
"No, I was uh-" he cleared his throat "I was calling to-yanno- chat with you." I smiled and closed the microwave. "Bella?"
"Yeah sorry I'm just making popcorn for Una and I." I said leaning up against the counter "So what's up?"
"Watching ESPN." I laughed "What's so funny?"
"You're a typical guy, watching ESPN."
"Well I will let you know that I sometimes enjoy watching the food network." I laughed and bit my lip. "Don't laugh at me, I happen to be an amazing cook."
"I'm sorry, I won't judge you because you like watch the food network." I said "It's probably better then what I watch which is mostly Disney and Nick."
"Nothing is better than SpongeBob." Edward said seriously. "That's my favorite show, don't think I'm lying because I am not." The microwave dinged and I grabbed a big bowl.
"I believe you." I said opening the popcorn and pouring it into the bowl. I grabbed two juice boxes and carried them into the living room. "Don't you need to go to sleep or something, you have school tomorrow."
"I only teach hockey Bella, I don't actually have to go to school." I handed Una a juice box and placed the popcorn in my lap.
"Sorry I forgot. Well since I got f-i-r-e-d, I'm having a movie night with Una."
"That sounds nice. Well I'll let you two go but I was wondering something."
"Yes..?"
"Well," Edward cleared his throat again. "I was-uh.."
"Yes?" I smiled.
"Uh, nothing have a good night Bella." He hung up before I could say it back. I was a little disappointed, I kind of thought Edward was going to ask me out. Who was I kidding though, I had just met him, and guys are stupid. Exactly, I told myself. Guys are stupid.
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