Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I profit from these stories.
Rating: R
Beta:Mist
A/N: Hope you guys enjoy my new story. Thank you for all the great and supporting reviews.
Mister Uncertain Chapter One:
The air was warm with a hint of vanilla, sugar, and flour. I watch as the dough was toss and turn with ease by the new dough mixer I had bought with some of my play money. I knew my father would not agree with my latest purchase. He would say food tastes different when machines did all the work, rather created by human hands. He believed that my food tasted so delicious because I put my heart in everything I baked.
I just thought he was being a bias old fool. My father enjoyed my cooking. It was the one thing he could talk to me about. We often lived in separate rooms when he was home. He was the local police chief so his hours sometimes kept him out way late.
I worked hard as a child. Hard at making my dad proud of me. My grades were always superb. I tried playing the violin but barely mastered it. I kept fumbling with the chords. My music teacher would scold me often saying I was just too uptight for an instrument that needed soft, easy going hands. I hated her. I just knew she was jealous that unlike most of her other music protégées I was smart and drug free. Still, I passed the class but had no desire to seek a career playing the instrument.
I took art classes. There I had a better shot of using my creative mind and my tight wrist. My father would go to my art shows and tell me that he still liked the clay ashtray I made him in Kindergarten better. I was not sure if it was a insult or his melancholy way of saying he preferred me young, much younger.
Athlete I was not. Unfortunately unlike my father who was a star quarterback and track all star, I could barely run a few feet ahead of the mark without somehow falling flat on my face. So sports was out of the question for me. My father tried to persuade me into cheerleading. I knew that he figured since I was a girl it was suppose to be childhood dream to wear a tiny skirt and throw my hair from side to side while shouting at the top of my voice the most corniest rhymes ever. Nope, that did not happen either. My splits, well, they never did quite go all the way down.
My father loved to hunt and fish. I tried once to do the whole fishing thing but kept getting my line hooked on the trees above my head. Yeah, Dad requested I stay home and bake something instead for him. That is when my true calling began. I began to master small things, then I found a cook book and there was nothing I could not make. It was heaven for me. I enjoyed adding or subtracting ingredients so that the food turn out the way I would enjoy it.
My father gained about ten pounds the first year I began cooking. I made cookies and fudge for Christmas gifts. A few months later I turn in a few pies at the State fair and came home with blue ribbons. Soon, my dad's co-workers and school faculty were requesting my sweet treats for purchase. I was exhilarated with joy. I felt worthy. I felt accomplished. I knew it was not something that I would make tons of money out of doing but my father would correct me when I whined about it and tell me that a career was not all about the money but the joy of doing it. So, after High School I went to a Culinary Arts school versus my dream school, Harvard which I had received a full scholarship.
I was privileged to get a trip to Italy and France while I finish my Senior year of Culinary Arts. I learned many things while across the ocean from my homeland. I also met a few people that would always be close to my heart. When I return home at twenty-one years old I wondered what I was going to do now that my training was over. Of course there was more training I could partake in but it was necessary to start paying for my own way in life. My father was forced to retire after a bad car accident had left his back permanently injured. He could walk, talk and do all the normal things any person could do but he would also get bouts of pain that would come and go. It made his life miserable. He would be required to do lots of therapy and take some medications that would make using a gun a risk that he was not willing to take.
I got a job as a chef at a local restaurant in town. Sadly, most of their food came prepared frozen. I just could not tolerate it. It was a monstrosity to the skills I was not using. So, my father and I sat down one day and decided I could start up a small catering business. A year later I was receiving more jobs than I could manage. We had to make a decision to rent a place to keep up the work load, hire more employees or think about going into a smaller company based business that did not require me to drive everywhere. Eventually we found a cozy location in the center of the town square that was idea for me to start up a small bakery and coffee shop. We figured it was best to start small and see how it went before we open up an official restaurant. I came to love it. I was so absorbed into my new business that before I knew it I was twenty-seven years old, single, and opening up a third business.
As much as I loved my career I began to notice that all my friends had manage to have a career, a husband, and even a few kids. While all I had was my businesses. I was starting to think I was going to remain the "single" friend forever. Which in all honestly sadden me. I did not want to be like my father, who vowed to remain a bachelor until I had to bury him. Nope, that was just not going to happen to me. I decided I was going to try and date more.
Unfortunately I was too busy to get my hair cut, my nails done and keep up with the latest fashions. My friends would try to give me advice from time to time but as always I usually failed miserably at being the "princess" type of woman most men found desirable. I was more like the down to earth, girl next door woman. I liked wearing flannel shirts when it was cold. I only wore a skirt when I went to church or a formal dinner. I loathed high heels. They made me feel like I was going to fall over any second. Makeup, well it was not exactly my friend. I often wore little to none at all. When I attempted too much I came out looking like a hooker instead of the lovely woman I had attempted for.
"Bella, your dream guy is coming around the corner." Jared called out to me from the front. My cheeks burn as I gave him a dangerous look. I hated when my staff found it amusing that I had secretly been crushing on a new guy who had recently moved to Forks. He was a new attorney at the local attorney's office a block away from us.
He was tall, dark, and handsome. Most of all I liked the fact that he was also smart. Not too many brilliant minds came out of Forks. Wiping my hands on my apron, then taking it off of me and throwing it aside I push a few loose pieces of hairs from my face as I entered the dining area with a big smile on my face. Walking up to the cashier I prepared myself mentally not to say anything too stupid this time. Either I went suddenly mute or just plain stupid when I tried to speak to him. I knew he had to believe I was somehow mentally challenge by now and that was why he had not ask me out yet.
"Hi Mr. Call." I manage to say coherently while I smiled shyly at him.
"Hi." He replied as he made brief eye contact with me before he bent down to look in the display window for his items.
He gave me the few items he wish to purchased while I quickly placed them in containers.
Taking it all back to the register I glanced up into his eyes, my heart fluttered madly. I wanted to scream at him to please, please ask me out but instead I took his credit card and put it through the machine.
"Nice weather we are having." I say as I stare at his hands, they are so lean and smooth.
"You think?" I look up at him as he frown oddly at me. I look past him and saw that the sky was gray. I felt stupid. When I was out here last it was sunny.
"Oh. Well, it was when I started my day." I explained with a cringe.
"Yes, it was a nice day when I went jogging this morning." He chuckle as he took back his credit card and receipt.
"So do you stay busy?" I ask trying to make up casual conversation.
"Yes." He sighed sadly.
"That's bad?" I frown at him this time.
"I'm a divorce attorney. So when you get a lot of couples coming in wanting to end their marriage well, financially it is excellent business but on a personal level it's rather depressing. It makes you wonder if there is really such a thing as happy ever endings." He replies.
I realized this is the longest conversation we had ever shared. I also saw his point of view. That would be depressing if you saw a lot of people wanting a divorce. It would make anyone cynical when it came to love. I guessed that was why he was not already married. I had check for a ring the first day he strolled into the diner. It had become habit of mine since I was ready to date at last.
"That is sad." I thought out loud.
He chuckle softly as he stared into my eyes for a whole minute.
"It is." He agreed.
"Have a great day." He smiled warmly at me before turning away to walk out. I could not help myself I watch his backside. The man made those trousers look wonderful. He had a firm ass that made my insides quiver as a small moist area in the center of my panties.
"Wipe the drool before it gets on the register." Jared smirk behind me.
I whip my head around giving him another dangerous look before my lips curl into a smile. I knew it was obvious to my employees that I had a serious crush on Mr. Call but I could not help it. He had such an adorable face, a nice body, and arms that I would get my left tit to be snuggled by.
"You need to pay attention to the customers and not me." I warn him playfully as I smack his arm before heading back into my kitchen where I was preparing a large order of blue berry muffins for the libraries book fair tomorrow. I had so much to do, I was hoping to leave no later than seven tonight. We did not open up for business until six in the morning and closed at six in the evening. I was usually here by five and if I was lucky out by eight.
Tonight I was meeting up with some of the girls for our monthly get together. We tried to catch up on what each of was doing once a month. Some of us were married with children so once a month was all they could do while a few others like myself was still unattached so anytime was pretty easy for us.
I had wanted the chance to shower and put on some decent clothes. When at work I often wore my usual uniform of slacks, with a white button up blouse. It was not sloppy or even meager but my girlfriends often came dressed to the hilt. I knew they were worried about my lack of love life these days. I was like their latest project. They thought it was perfectly fine that Leah was single, cause in their opinion she was at least getting laid while I was not dating nor getting my brains screwed out. They said it would only lead to some serious frustration. I might actually go postal on some poor inspecting guy. As if!
As I closed up for the evening I was surprise to find my dream guy standing outside the locked doors as I step out frowning at him.
"Were you hungry?" I ask hoping he said yes, cause I was more than willing to reopen the place and fix him anything he desired.
"No. Yes. No." Embry shook his head as he laugh softly under his breath. His smile melted Bella's heart and made her stomach turn into liquidy goodness.
"Uh?" I laugh.
"I came to see you." Embry begins to explain as he runs his hand through the side of his smooth hair.
"I'm here." I swallow the nervous lump in my throat as I bite down on the inside of my lip, hoping to prevent the silly giggle that was lodge in my chest.
"Yes you are." Embry agrees as his smile turns larger, his dimples popping out.
I just wanted to swoon. Literally. I mean, I am not usually the type of girl who does that girly stuff but this man before me had such a strong sexual Aura about him that made my blood boil.
"So you needed?" I nudge him as I wait impatiently to hear why he had suddenly appear at my shop after closing hours.
"I was wondering, do you have that extra room upstairs that you rent out sometimes?" Embry flashes her a sheepish smile as he looks up and down the sidewalk before locking eyes with me.
"Umm…." I was trying to remember if I had perhaps agreed to loan it out to anyone recently then remembered I had not.
"No. I mean, yes it's available." I answer him, crossing my fingers that he was going to suggest that he would like to move in it.
"That's great! Cause I really needed a place." Embry claps his hands happily in front of his chest.
"When would you like to move in?" I ask eagerly hoping to get to see him more often than at lunch time.
"OH it's not for me." Embry answers with a worried look.
"OH! Who for?" I was praying like hell he was not about to move in some girl that he was seeing. It was too late now to say no with out looking horribly jealous.
"My friend, Jake." Embry replies.
"I see." I wanted to scream at him. Was it possible that he was gay? The first real guy that I had actually felt a strong attraction toward would be gay? It was so like me.
"Jake Black and I go back, way back. We grew up in the same neighborhood. Went off to college together, well until Jake dropped out. We have never lost touch for too long. So anyways, he needed to move away from New York for awhile and come back closer to home. I would have offered him a room but I stay with my mom and she adores Jake but doesn't believe in women coming and going in her house." Embry blush as he mention the last detail about how Jake, his best friend ever, was a lady's man.
"I guess it would be okay. Do you know how long he plans on staying?" I was asking because mostly if I did not care much for him, which at this point I did not believe I would, I would be able to count the days until he left.
"He will probably just stay there for a month or two until he can find a more suitable place of his own. IF he decides to stay long enough. He moves about a lot." Embry shrug his shoulders with a weary look in his eyes.
"He doesn't sound too dependable." I thought out loud.
"He is and he isn't. He has a restless spirit." Embry smiles proudly.
"Yeah well restless spirits tend not pay the bills." I respond to that statement with a weary look of my own.
"I promise I will pay for his rent if he doesn't have it for you." Embry quickly pull out his wallet to prove he was capable of doing so.
Placing my hand over the nice leather wallet I stop him.
"Look, let him try to pay for it first. I hate to see someone else paying for another's way in life when they are more than capable of doing it for themselves." I snort.
"Wow." Embry laugh loudly as he put his wallet back. The laughter made my skin tingle.
"What?" I smile at him.
"You just sounded like my mother for a minute." He states with a cocky grin.
I felt a bomb go off in my head. Yep, I had gone off and ruined things between us before they had even got started. No man found a woman desirable that he thought reminded him of his mother. Yep, this fantasy relationship I had been having in my head and my dreams was over.
I was waiting on a piano to fall from the sky and land on me like in a cartoon. Cause this would be that pivotal moment when it should have happen.
"Thanks." I roll my eyes as I began to take a step away from our now sadly but ended relationship.
"NO, Thank you Bella. It means the world to me." Embry called out as I continue to walk, lifting my hand up giving him a backward wave.
I had to hurry or I was going to be late as usual. Just another mark against the single spinster of the group. Not only was I not feminine enough, flirty enough, but also tardy. Something none of my friends seem to be but me. I knew they love me despite my failings and I was just suffering from my own pity party this evening. Embry Call was a dream come true. It sadden me to think that I would never know what it would be like to be kissed or held by him. He was just such a perfect man that it seem a waste to let any other woman besides myself have a taste of that dark yummy goodness.
JPOV:
I drove swiftly on my motorcycle to Forks, Washington. I was sad to say good-bye to New York but on the other hand I really had no other choice. I had made the biggest mistake of my life by sleeping with my boss's fourth wife. I had no idea when she showed up at my apartment she wanted more than a driver for the day.
Besides as I argued with him, I was paid by the both of them. Was it not my job to keep them both happy. I also wanted to remind him about the few places he had me take him late at night. I knew that he was not going out to meet the guys for a poker game twice a week.
Yet I kept my mouth closed while he curse and smash my face in a few times. Once his henchman release me I took off as fast as I could. Grabbing a few things that I could not live with out I sped off to a small town about a hundred miles south of New York City. I stay in a remote hotel where I finally manage to get a hold of Embry. I knew Embry had just moved back to Washington where he was working at a small law office in a tiny little town.
Embry could have been a big success in New York but his mother's failing health had been the issue that had prevented him from a life of fame and fortune. I understood his guilt had he not gone but it still seem such a sucky way to live out your dream job.
Embry had been pleased to hear from me but once I mention I needed a place he was quick to remind me about his mother's strict rules where women, alcohol and any sort of fun was concerned. I swear the boy should have grown up to be a freaking monk with the way his mother rule her household. I knew if he had not been bless to have me in his life the boy would have never had any fun at all.
Embry had assured me he would help me find some cheap room to stay at until I could get back on my feet. I also needed to make sure that was I completely out of harms way before I started placing my resume out in a larger town. Mr. Garrison was a well know man in New York who I had wonder often if he had some sort of mob connections or worse government ones. He seem to know everyone, everywhere.
I was so impressed with his fame and power. Then after working for him over a year I started to see the man was less noble and more of a prick. He often beat the hell out of his wives when they did not do things the way he wanted them to be done. His children were scared as hell of him and begged to stay at their private school for the summer and holidays.
Yeah, Mr. Garrison was not as admirable as I had first thought. I knew this and yes, I still took a enormous risk when his twenty-one year old wife, with double d's who step into my tiny apartment, insisting she needed a ride. Yeah, the ride consisted of her riding my dick all day until the old man was due back from his Europe trip. What neither of us knew was that he had arrived home four hours earlier than planned. When I was not at the airport to get him and she was no where to be seen for the day, he put the connection together real quick.
I discovered being handsome and buff was a downfall when you were a chauffeur. The wives wanted to screw your brains out and the husbands knew it. So it was hard to get a job or to keep one thanks to their horny ass rich spoiled wives. Still, I had met a few that had showed me things I had never dream possible. I had left New York with more knowledge about women's bodies and husband's fists.
It was not a complete loss.
Maybe I would meet some nice girl and settle down. Maybe I would finally find that career I always knew I wanted but had been too restless to do before now. Maybe this was where I was meant to be? I knew that nothing in life was certain. After all I had gone through hell and back as a teenager. I saw how fickle life could be. I knew better than most people that nothing you wanted or did was certain to end up the way you planned it too.
Laughing inwardly I drove pass the city limits sign. Laughing at the meager number of citizens as I made my way to a new chapter of my already hectic but adventurous life.
