Edward Cullen POV
I said goodnight to Bella and went through the house shutting off lights as I went. When I reached my bedroom, I finished my beer and then stripped down to my boxers and crawled into bed. I anticipated another restless night, but awoke in the morning feeling refreshed.
It was just after 7 am and I distinctly heard running water coming from the kitchen. I got out of bed and threw on a pair of flannel pajama pants to see what on earth Bella was doing. When I stumbled into the kitchen I found her in a pair of black Lycra running pants and a bright orange sports bra. She had on running shoes and was washing fruit. She was swaying her hips and I realized that she was listening to her iPod.
I stood there staring at her and couldn't help but be amused by what I saw. She turned the water off and placed the fruit on the cutting board behind her. She hadn't seen me yet and had started singing along to Pink. She started cutting fruit and placing it in a large mixing bowl. I cleared my throat and she jumped slightly. She laid down the chef's knife that was in her right hand and pulled her ear buds out with her left and turned around.
She started to blush and gave me a timid smile.
"I thought I would cut up some fruit in case you couldn't make anything edible." She explained as she gestured towards the fruit. I shook my head and laughed.
"Be ready in 10 minutes." I said as I grabbed a hunk of cantaloupe and walked back to my bedroom to brush my teeth and change. It was early enough in the year that I could easily wear a pair of sweat pants to run in. I grabbed a black pair and pulled on a black shirt. After getting socks and lacing up my sneakers I went to tell Bella that she might need a sweatshirt or something for outside. I knew with it being February it could easily be as low as 30 degrees, if not colder. As I walked past the front door, movement from outside caught my eye.
Bella was outside stretching. She had on a light weight black sweatshirt. I walked outside and shut the door behind me. I began stretching and as soon as I felt limber I told Bella where I usually ran.
"I usually start out here and go along the docks," I said as I pointed down to the far end of the wooden paths. "Then I take the steps up along the back of the movie theater and run past Miller's farm. Then I come down Lover's curve and down main street right back here." I explained. It seemed a little daunting for anyone who didn't run regularly. Bella didn't seem fazed by it.
"About how many miles?" she asked. I thought for a moment before answering.
"Probably 3. Is that enough?" I asked as I tightened my laces. She shook her head.
"No, I usually do 4, but I am supposed to be on vacation." She said with a laugh and took off. I sprinted after her and was glad to see that she wasn't pushing herself too fast at the beginning. I had often run with people that felt they needed to try to push through right off the bat. They didn't realize that you needed to find a comfortable pace and keep it. I was also surprised that Bella's pace was slighter faster than what I was used to and more comfortable with. I pushed myself a little harder and kept up with her.
As we ran down the docks I realized that I had failed to mention that there might be coils of rope laying on the platforms. Bella seemed to notice them, because she deftly diverted them and sometimes jumped over them completely. She had obviously come a long way from the clumsy girl I grew up with.
When we reached the stairs I saw her smirk. Hardly anyone on the island used these stairs. They led up to the back door of the small movie theater. When we were in high school, and Jasper worked there, he would sneak us in through that door. There are 92 steps leading up and I noticed that Bella's pace slowed down considerably. I felt bad, realizing that she was probably used to running on a flat surface in the city. I also thought about how the air might affect her.
While Captain's Cliff was at sea level, we were running up to the top of the small mountain, where Bella's home was located. The sea air tends to be a little thicker and this early in the year with the cold, it can be murder on a body if you aren't used to it.
When we reached the top of the stairs I was about to offer to stop, but Bella picked her pace back up and was several feet ahead of me before I realized what was happening. We ran up past Miller's farm, which I saw Bella looking at wistfully. We had grown up with Seth Miller. He was a couple years younger than Bella, but they had been close as children. There was a terrible fire one year and the entire Miller family perished. I always thought that one day I would buy the old place and rebuild. I saw Bella shake her head sadly and look up ahead.
We were coming up from the back of the Swan property. I could feel Bella tense next to me. She lagged a little, but I couldn't slow my pace down. I was several feet ahead of her when I couldn't hear her footsteps anymore. I slowed and looked behind me. Bella was standing at the tree line at the wrought iron gates that ran along the property's edge. Her hands were wrapped around the bars and she was looking up intently. I jogged back over to her and she turned to look at me and raised a finger to her lips telling me to be quiet. She looked back up to the house and I followed her gaze.
There on the widow's walk was a foggy image of someone standing there looking down at us. It appeared to be a middle aged woman with flowing dark brown hair. She was holding a lantern and looking out to the sea. She glanced down at us briefly before turning to hang the lantern back up. She turned to walk back to what I knew from memory was the sunroom when she turned back around.
Bella and I both gasped as we watched her jump over the side. I braced for the impact of her body hitting the ground, but she when she did, there was no sound. The apparition lay on the ground for a moment. Bella reached out a hand through the gates as if trying to reach her. The phantom picked up her head and glided towards us.
She stopped when she was about 50 yards away. To me it looked like she was moving her mouth to speak, but I heard no words.
"Where am I supposed to look?" Bella cried out. I turned to look at her and found her crying. I reached over and out my hand on her shoulder. She didn't shy away, but she didn't acknowledge my gesture either.
I looked back to the ethereal spirit and saw again that her lips were moving. She turned slightly and pointed up to the direction of the walk. I saw Bella nod out of the corner of my eye.
"Wait! Don't go. Who are you? Are you Anabelle?" Bella asked. She had stopped crying and she had a look of confusion and awe on her face.
Then I heard a soft whisper that sounded as if it were reverberating through the trees and all around us.
"I am you, for you are mine; another woman of my line. Tread carefully with your love. He will not stray, but he will have difficulty staying." I knew that the soft voice was that of the lovely specter before us.
"A woman of your line? So you are Anabelle?" Bella asked again. The woman nodded briefly and then pointed again to the walk. Bella turned to look at me, I saw her out of the corner of my eye, but I was so engrossed in what was happening in front of me that I didn't return her gaze.
Bella turned back and the woman disappeared before us. I scanned the area as best I could from behind the gate. I saw nothing. I heard birds chirping and the wind rustling through the trees; two things that had stopped during out encounter.
I heard Bella slump to the soft earth and knelt down to check on her. She was pale but she had stopped crying. I cupped her cheeks in my hands and she looked up at me from under her long lashes.
"Did you see it too?" she asked me quietly. I nodded and helped her stand up. When I pulled her to her feet she wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me close. I instantly wrapped her in a hug and swayed a little on my feet.
"Are you ok, Bella?" I asked. I felt her inhale deeply and let it out. She pulled away from me and wiped at her face.
"I'm ok," she said as she glanced back up to her house. "She told me again to 'find her words', whatever that means." She muttered. I shook my head.
"I didn't hear her say that. I only heard that part about being a part of her line. Do you think that it was Anabelle?" I asked as we started to walk down the path towards town.
"I know it was. She never said it, but she nodded her head. You saw that right?" she asked me as we continued walking. "She wants me to find something, Edward. I have no idea where to start looking." She sighed and ran a hand over her face. She shivered lightly and I pulled her close to me and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. We'd been sweating and then just stood for about 10 minutes in 45 degree weather. We'd be lucky if we didn't get runny noses.
"Well, you have some time to figure it out, right?" she nodded. "What do you think she meant about treading carefully with your love?" I asked as we continued down Lover's Curve and I could start to see the tops of the buildings in town.
Bella shrugged, but I saw curiosity in her eyes. We walked in silence through town. A few of the older people seemed to recognize her, but I had the feeling that was because she had been in the tavern last night and the fact that she was walking with me. These were the people that watched us grow up together and walk these streets as children.
We made our way down to the docks and to my house.
"Go take a shower, and we'll eat in a little bit." I said as she made her way back to my spare room. I went to the kitchen and set up the coffee maker and started it brewing. I went to my room and turned on the shower in my bathroom. I stripped, leaving my clothes in a pile on the bathroom floor and stepped under the water.
This bathroom had been one of the indulgences that I allowed my mother when she remodeled this house for me. It was a large bathroom with a whirlpool tub and wide vanity counter with a gilded mirror on the wall. The shower though was the most beautiful part. Treated natural stone tile on the floor and walls. It boasted three shower heads and also acted as a sauna if I desired. It had a bench against one wall and frosted glass doors.
I cleaned up and washed my hair while thinking about our ghostly encounter earlier. We had all heard the stories while growing up on the island. Bella's grandmother used to tell us the stories when she would sit us down with cookies and milk after a long day of playing. As young boys out camping, we would tell the stories with more blood and gore to try to scare each other.
I wondered how Bella was taking this. I knew that she had been drawn as a young girl to the bedroom on the top floor and it had eventually become her bedroom. The stories and the legend never seemed to bother her though. I can remember clearly asking her one day what it was like living with a ghost. She told me she had no idea, because her house wasn't haunted. Looking back I always thought it was self preservation on her part. If she just denied the stories and whatnot, then it just wasn't real to her.
It seemed to me though, that aside from yesterday when she first arrived, Bella had never seen a ghost. I had never had an experience like that, but I had a strange experience one day while exploring the tiny island off our coast. It had unofficially renamed after Bella's parents had died. The town started referring to it as Swan's Neck. It was a gruesome name, but appropriate I suppose.
I had taken my boat out to the island; I felt like I needed closure. I was wandering around when I felt pulled to specific spot on the island. I headed north on the island and came across a small cottage. No bigger than a single room with a fireplace in it. It obviously hadn't been in use for many years, if not decades. I was about to leave when I felt a sudden chill. I turned around and there was what looked to be a young man in sailing clothes. He wavered for a moment and then floated towards me. I saw him look into my eyes and heard him, or felt him since his lips never moved, that I wasn't ready to find what was here. I needed to wait until my heart had healed.
He was gone as quickly as he had appeared. I shook my head as I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off. I brushed my teeth quickly and walked into my bedroom to my dresser. I pulled out what has become my everyday attire. Worn jeans, a flannel work shirt, and my boots. I opted to stay barefoot for now as I tucked my shirt into my jeans. I stepped out of my room and walked towards the kitchen still reminiscing about that moment when I saw Bella sitting at my counter sipping a cup of coffee.
"Hey. Sorry I don't have any coffee creamer." I mumbled as I went to the fridge and pulled out the carton of eggs and package of turkey bacon. I went to the counter where Bella was sitting and grabbed a bowl from next to her.
She shrugged, "I stopped using creamer about 2 years ago, I guess," she said as she set her cup down. "What's for breakfast?"
I turned and smiled at her as I turned my oven on. "I'm making a small frittata. Sound good?"
I saw her eyes light up. I remembered how much Bella loved eggs and how she had a frittata for the first time when she went to LA her first year in college. Jasper and I both received a 3 page email about how great it was.
"Can I help?" she asked. I nodded and she hopped off her stool and came to join me by the stove.
"If you want, you can chop up a few of those chipolini onions and like 2 cloves of garlic." I said gesturing to the bowl I had brought over. She grinned and grabbed a small paring knife and set to work on the onions and garlic. I walked back to the fridge and brought out a pack of mushrooms and some chives.
I went back to the stove and reached in the cabinet to the left and brought out a medium size frying pan. I put it over the heat and quickly chopped up a few slices of the turkey bacon and set them in the pan to cook. After a few minutes, I added sliced mushrooms and had Bella add the onions and garlic. I shooed her away at that point and took over.
"So, where did you learn to make a frittata?" she asked casually. I glanced over and saw that she was sitting up on the kitchen counter by the sink. She had her legs tucked under her Indian style and was leaning back against the backsplash.
"I started watching cooking shows. The next you know, I'm making the stuff I'd seen and then I'm buying cookbooks and looking up recipes online." I said with an easy smile. Bella started laughing and I knew she wasn't making fun of me. It was just my nature to become, obsessed almost, with anything that captured my interest.
"So, how many cookbooks do you have now?" she asked as she calmed down.
I shrugged, "Not sure. They're scattered throughout the house. Maybe 30?" I said, thinking. I wasn't sure. My mother usually bought me one whenever she ran across something she thought I would like. My father didn't get it, but he supported it; unlike my decision to leave Seattle and move back to the island.
I broke a few eggs into a bowl and scrambled them fast, and poured them into the pan with the rest of the ingredients. I it all cook together for a few minutes, then took the pan and slid it into the oven. As I was cleaning up, Bella cleared her throat.
"So, why did you move back?" she asked, curiously. I sighed; I was wondering when she was going to ask.
"This is home Bella."I stated simply. She gave me a disbelieving look. I finished drying my hands on a dish rag and went to pour myself a cup of coffee. "Can I short hand it?" I asked as I took a sip.
"No Edward. I want to know why you left. The honest answer." She said firmly.
I knew she had me cornered. "You were right. I ended up hating it there. I hated my life, I hated the city. I hated being my firm's 'golden boy'." I shook my head bitterly. We had argued about this after her parent's funeral. I had wanted her to move to Seattle with me so we could be together, but she had just gotten a huge promotion and she didn't understand why I wouldn't even consider leaving Seattle. I thought back to that day.
3 years ago.
"Edward, I don't understand it! You complain all the time that your company boasts about you being their youngest partner, but hardly ever has you do any design work. Isn't the whole reason you wanted to be an architect?" Bella asked me exasperatedly. I turned my back on her.
"Of course that's why Bella! But don't you see," I started as I turned back around. "Once they realize that they can't keep promoting me without producing any of my work that they'll have no choice to start giving me some of their larger projects?" I explained. It was lame even to me, but I had convinced myself.
"Plus, the money is good. And the recognition is nice, Bella. Are you going to get that as a bank manager?" I asked hastily. Her head snapped up at that. I saw fire in her eyes.
"I might not get recognition and a ridiculous paycheck, but at least I like my job and I can look at myself in the mirror every morning." She stood and gathered up her clothes and started to get dressed. "One day Edward, you're going to realize that the fame and the money are nothing compared to what you're missing out on." She said as she pulled her sweater over her head.
I threw my arms up, "And just what am I missing out on, Bella? Please enlighten me." I mocked her.
I saw her lip tremble and she bit down on it, "You're missing out on actually getting to do what you love. And you're missing out on me. We could be incredible; but you've got your head so far up your ass that you're going to make a huge mistake, that I hope you deeply regret one day." Having said that, she stormed out of the bedroom.
"I'm sorry Edward. It's always hard to realize that you were wrong about yourself." She offered as she took a sip of her coffee. "It's the one thing you should know everything about." She said quietly.
I avoided her gaze for a moment and then moved to the oven to pull out our breakfast. I set it on the counter and pulled two plates down from the cabinet. I reached into a drawer and pulled out two forks and a serving spatula. I gestured to Bella and had her grab the plates and utensils. I went to the fridge and brought out the fruit salad she had made earlier. I picked up the pan and led her outside to the back of the house where I had a small deck built. I went back inside and grabbed our coffee cups.
When I came back onto the deck, Bella had served up portions for each of us. I sat down and watched as Bella took a small bite. A smile spread slowly on her lips as she swallowed.
"Ok, you can cook a frittata. This is really good, Edward." She said as she scooped up another bite.
"Thanks. I can cook any type of egg you could want." I said proudly. We sat eating in silence. Bella sat back in her chair for a moment and sipped hr coffee.
"I really am sorry, Edward." She said over the rim of her cup. "I know how it feels to find out that the life you created for yourself is all wrong."
I set my fork down and looked at her, "What do you mean?"
She sighed and ate a strawberry before answering. "I quit my job. I realized that I never really wanted to work there, but I took the job because it was a job. I felt like I needed something to occupy my time." She shrugged. "Edward, I hated it. It was like I was on auto pilot for 9 hours a day." She giggled lightly.
I leaned forward, "So, what now? You quit. What are you going to do?" I asked seriously.
"I'm not sure. I thought I might stay here for a while, but I need to make a decision about the house before I can do that." She stated.
I took another bite of eggs, "What's the deal with that anyway? Jasper never really explained it."
Bella sighed, "I didn't really tell Jazz the whole story. You've heard of this Emmet McCarty, right?" I nodded.
"I've met him a few times. He's seems nice. Moved here from Oregon about 3 years ago. I guess it was soon before your parent's accident." I said quietly. That was another topic that we would avoid until we couldn't anymore.
"Well, he basically wants to turn CC into Martha's Vineyard of the west coast. I don't understand it. We aren't that big, or that exciting. He wrote to me about the house, and I told him that since I hadn't been back in a few years I needed to come back and figure it out." She explained.
"How much did he offer you for it?" I asked. I had a feeling it wouldn't be what it was actually worth.
Bella smiled, "Less than half of the appraisal." She said smugly. "I have a friend in LA that does property appraisals and I sent him up here to take a look. Plus, let's face it…that house has a lot of history to the island. A big part of me can't bear the fact that it wouldn't be here anymore."
I nodded. I had been thinking the same thing since Jasper told me that Bella was thinking about selling.
"Don't you want to figure out what's going on there before you make a decision?" I asked, referring to what we experienced earlier.
"Oh, I know what it is Edward. Don't you remember what Grandma Swan used to tell us when we were younger?" she said excitedly.
"Bella, all I remember is that Anabelle was in love with some sailor who left and died as sea. And that she used to stand on the widow's walk all day every day." I said trying to remember the whole story.
"That's right, but don't you remember the part about how the sailor came back and found out that Anabelle had died. He supposedly went away to find fortune and when he made it back, he was a rich man. Supposedly he buried his treasure on Captain's Cliff and left the map in Anabelle's diary." Bella explained. She reminded me so much of her grandmother then and my mind traveled back 15 years.
15 years ago
I loved hanging out at Bella's house. Her grandmother lived with her and her parent's and whenever Jasper and I came over she would make up huge sandwiches and huge glasses of lemonade. She would sit with us while we ate and tell us all about the legends of the Swan family history.
"I know you've heard it before, but I want to tell you about Anabelle and Anthony." She said calmly. The three of us settled down and listened intently.
"Now, Anabelle was my mother, but I never had the chance to know her. She died shortly after giving birth to me because she was older than most women at that time when she finally had a child." She took a small sip of her tea and set the cup back down on the saucer.
"We know that grammie. Tell us about the treasure." Jasper encouraged. She smiled sweetly at him.
"Soon enough Jasper. You need to hear the truth about their love. Anabelle was the daughter of Henry and Eliza. Henry ran what you know now as Cliff's Shipping, but it originally started as a shipping and exporting company. Henry made quite a good business doing trade with the Canadian territories and Alaska before it joined the Union." She explained.
"Anabelle was educated and smart. She was a strong and sometimes defiant young woman, who was never afraid to speak her mind. Bella, you're quite a bit like her. You aren't afraid and you tell things like they are." She said and brushed a hand over Bella's hair. Bella blushed deeply.
"Go on grandma." She urged. The old woman chuckled.
"Well, Anabelle was out walking one day and fell through a loose plank on the docks. Anthony came to her rescue. He helped to free her leg from the wood and walked her to his father's office. Anthony's father Caleb was the town's doctor. Although many people chose to head to the mainland because he would help the natives that inhabited a portion of the island. Anthony stayed until Caleb had finished his examination of Anabelle's leg. She had no injuries and he sent her off with a clean bill of health". She took a deep breath before continuing. No one knew at the time, but she was already starting to battle cancer. It was what we ended up losing her to just 2 years later.
"Anthony escorted Anabelle home, but they ended up walking through the whole island talking and laughing and falling in love with each other. They eventually made their way to this house and Anabelle invited him to supper. He accepted even though he was dressed in his work clothes. He made quite the impression on her parents and Anthony asked that night for Anabelle's hand in marriage." She said closing her eyes and lifting her head to the sun.
"So, it was love at first sight? What did Anabelle's father say?" I asked with my mouth full of turkey lunch meat.
She laughed lightly, "He was probably shocked at Anthony's forwardness, but not surprised. They say that Henry knew that whoever fell in love with Anabelle would know it right away. Henry's only concern was for their financial well being. He offered Anthony a job in his office, but Anthony refused. He said his dream was to set sail and find his fortune out on the water." She took another drink of her tea.
"He told Henry of his plan to depart for one year, and if in that time he couldn't find his fortune, he would return and gladly accept the job offer. Henry promised that as long as Anabelle waited for him the job would always be available. Anthony bid his farewell to Anabelle and her parents. Two days later he left for the sea."
"They say that she stood every day up on the widow's walk of this very house and watched the horizon waiting for him to return to her. After a year was up, she still waited. She had many men that came to court her, but she refused, saying that she was already betrothed. The ship that Anthony left on returned about 15 months after it left. Anthony was not with the crew. At some port, he had been kidnapped by pirates and the crew feared he had been killed."
Bella cried, "How sad! She waits for over a year and he ends up getting killed?" Jasper and I snickered at that.
"You guys!" Bella admonished us, "It's sad." We tried to stifle our giggles as grandma Swan continued.
"It was tragic. Anabelle believed that Anthony was still out there, heading home for her. She sat up on that widow's walk everyday for 30 years! She took up residence in what is now your room, Isabella. The only time she left the house was when she attended the separate funerals for her parents. She became a recluse. This house was left to her by her father, along with a large inheritance. The man that took over Henry's company came to call on Anabelle one day." She told us quietly, like it was a secret.
"Like all other visitors, she allowed him to join her in the sunroom on the third floor. He explained that he wanted to marry her, to take care of her. Whether she agreed because she was lonely, or because she just didn't care anymore, we'll never know. They were married here on the grounds a week later. As often happened, Anabelle submitted to her wifely duties and soon she was pregnant with me." She looked at each of us in turn. Jasper and I were 14 and Bella had just turned 12.
"She was put on bed rest, but refused and still stood on the walk every day, still looking for Anthony's return." She said, but Jasper cut her off.
"Wasn't her husband jealous of that? I mean, he married her and she was having his child, but she loved someone else!" Jasper exclaimed. Before grandma could answer, Bella chimed in.
"I don't think he was jealous, but maybe hurt. I think great-grandpa thought that he could convince Anabelle that she loved him more than Anthony. He never left her side, right grandma?" her grandmother nodded.
"So maybe great-grandpa understood that while he loved her, and she grew to care for him, her heart still belonged to someone else." Bella finished. Her grandma smiled at her.
"You're right Bella. My father, Jacob, loved Anabelle so much that he lived with the fact that she loved another. He never left her side in their few short years together. Anabelle died at 46, just 5 days after giving birth to me. She wrote in her diary every day, and afterwards my father wrote in it several times." She stood and picked up our empty plates and headed in the back door to the kitchen. She was at the sink washing them when we rushed in behind her.
Jasper climbed up on the counter and began drying the dishes, "What about the treasure grammie?"
She chuckled and handed him a plate.
"Well, I heard my father talking to a man one time when I was about 5 years old. He told the man that Anabelle had died after childbirth, but never stopped loving Anthony. The man cried out loud and I heard my father comforting him between both of their sobs. The man then went up to the third floor and stood on the walk for several hours. When he came down he asked to see my mother's diary. He read it in the parlor and cried again." She said as she finished the dishes. Jasper handed Bella and I the clean dishes and we put them away. It was our routine.
"The man then added an entry in Anabelle's diary and told my father that he would return. He came back a week later and wrote another entry. That was the last time I ever saw that diary. No one knows where it is now." She turned to look at us.
"Everyone says that man was Anthony. He hadn't been killed by pirates, but had become one. Eventually he became a pirate captain and made himself a large fortune. Supposedly he left a detailed map of the location where he buried his treasure. He apparently married a native woman that he cared for since he was a child. He died shortly after she became pregnant. Many people say that he killed himself out of guilt for marrying another woman, besides Anabelle."
"You all know who that woman ended up giving birth to, correct?" we all nodded. My grandmother, Elizabeth was the first woman born on the island that was half white, half native. Everyone always joked that I was the descendant of a ghost.
She looked at me and then looked at Bella. "The legend says that only two true lovers will ever find the missing treasure." She smiled and I remembered thinking how weird it was that she looked at Bella and me when she told us that part.
"Wasn't grandma an amazing story teller?" Bella asked pulling me out of my trance.
"Yes. I miss her a lot." I said as I started to clear the table. "Do you think any of its true?"
Bella shrugged and helped me clean up. She walked inside and I followed behind her.
"Who knows? I mean, grammie said she saw Anabelle's diary. I can't imagine anyone throwing it away, especially if there's supposed to be a treasure map in it." She explained as she started rinsing dishes and handing them to me to put in the dishwasher.
"Edward. I think we should look for it. Before I decide what to do about the house, I want to try to find it. We'll get Jasper in on it, since we all used to hear the stories. What do you say?" she asked me excitedly.
"What the hell?" I said with a shrug. I heard Bella's cell phone ring and she ran off to answer it.
I finished up in the kitchen and went to the piano. I sat down and started to play Moonlight Sonata. Bella walked back in and smiled down at me.
"I have to go." She said, dejectedly. She was fumbling with the strap on her purse.
"Ok. Thanks for staying for breakfast." I said as I stood up. She looked confused.
"Aare you kicking me out?" she said with a shaky laugh. "I just have to go and finally meet this Emmet McCarty. I was thinking you could come with me." She replied.
"Oh." I said surprised. "I'll go with you. And, I'd never kick you out, Bells. You're welcome to stay as long as you want." I answered. I went to the front door and grabbed my keys off the hook.
"Where are you meeting him?" I asked as I gestured to my truck.
"His office. It's on Main Street." She said as she climbed into the cab. I nodded and turned the ignition and pulled onto the street.
"What are you going to tell him?" I asked quietly. I saw Bella sigh and shrug her shoulders.
"I'm not sure yet." She replied, turning to me. "I want to keep it though."
"Well, then just tell him Bella. It's your home; you own it, you can make the decisions about it." I stated firmly.
I pulled into a small parking lot and parked my truck. We stepped out and I led Bella around to the front of a small office building. She paused outside the front door.
"Do you want to do this? I'm sure you could just call him." I said as I turned to look at Bella who was frozen on the street. When she didn't answer I walked back to where she was standing. I followed her gaze and saw her looking at a poster of Emmet McCarty that was on the window.
He had dark brown hair and deep set brown eyes. He appeared to be broad shouldered and quite muscular. He had fair skin and a light spattering of freckles across his face.
"Bells, what's wrong?" I asked her gently, as I turned her towards me. She looked back over her shoulder at the picture and then back to me.
"It's just like I feel like I've seen this guy before." She explained as she gestured over her shoulder. "He looks incredibly familiar to me. I just can't place it."
"Well, maybe you saw his poster from the street when you got here?" I offered as an explanation.
"Maybe." She agreed. I walked with her towards the door and we were greeted by a lovely young woman, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was tall and all legs. If I wasn't already standing by the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, I would have been awestruck by the woman before us.
"Hi, can I help you?" she asked kindly. Her eyes sparkled almost as brightly as the huge engagement ring she was wearing on her left hand.
Bella stepped forward, "Yes, I'm Isabella Swan. I have an appointment with Mr. McCarty." She said calmly.
"Oh, hi! I've been looking forward to meeting you in person." She stood up, "I'm Rosalie Hale. We've spoken a few times on the phone. I'll let Emmet know you're here." She said as she shook Bella's and my hands.
We both smiled and sat down in the chairs in the front office. Rosalie picked up her phone and spoke to her boss, letting him know that we had arrived.
A couple minutes passed and then we heard footsteps coming down the hall. We both turned and were met by a hulk of a smiling man. Emmet McCarty was at least 6 feet tall, if not taller. I was right in thinking that he would be huge. Emmet was indeed broad shouldered and quite buff. He probably played football in high school. When he reached us, I noticed him wink at Rosalie and then turn towards us with a huge smile.
"Isabella, it's very nice to finally meet you. I'm Emmet McCarty. Who's your friend?" he asked while shaking Bella's hand.
"It's nice to meet you too. This is Edward Cullen; he's an old friend of mine." Bella answered as Emmet took my hand.
"Edward, good to meet you. I think we've seen each other a few times before, right?" Emmet asked as he took my hand.
"Think so, good to meet you. I've known Bella since we were children and I practically grew up in her house." I tried to explain as he nodded.
"That's great!" he boomed. "Why don't we go into my office and we'll talk. Would either of you like some coffee?" he asked as we followed him down the hallway.
"No, we're fine." Bella answered as we stepped into a brightly lit room with a huge oak desk and framed blueprints on the walls.
Emmet gestured for us to sit down in the two large leather chairs. I sat down and chance a glance over at Bella. She looked calm and collected, and I was wondering if she felt the same way that she appeared.
"Mr. McCarty, before we begin," Bella started as Emmet took his seat behind the desk.
"Emmet, please Miss Swan." Emmet said with a smile. Bella returned it warmly.
"Then I'm Bella, Emmet. I want you to know that I appreciate how flexible you've been with you time, regarding my decision about selling my family home." Bella said, as she let out a breath.
"Bella, it's been my pleasure to give you all the time you need. But, I do have some news that I'd like to share with you, before you tell me about any decisions you've made." Emmet responded briskly. He stood and walked over to the window and looked out onto Main Street.
I looked over at Bella and we both shrugged our shoulders. She looked a little amused and I gave her a quick wink.
Emmet turned around to face us. He smiled and began.
"After some great consideration and from getting to know the town much better over the last year, I've decided to scrap the development idea." He said finally. He came back and sat down in his desk chair.
"I've come to realize that a place like Captain's Cliff, while we would greatly benefit from the tourism, is the type of place that should be kept secret from the rest of the world. It's a quiet and secluded haven, and I've come to realize that it should remain that way."
Bella reached over and squeezed my hand. I turned to look at her and I could see that tears brimming her eyes. I looked back to Emmet and he had a serene look about him. Like he was so content with his decision of keeping our tiny island just that.
Bella stood up and went to the window and looked out herself.
"Emmet, I don't think you understand how happy I am to hear you say that. I don't even think I know how happy I am." She turned back around and looked at the both of us. "I didn't realize when I started my trip up here, that I was coming home. I thought I was coming here to make a choice, and I have."
Bella took a step towards me and smiled at Emmet.
"I've come home. This is the place where I long to be. My home has been empty for far too long. I plan to eventually change that." She came and sat back down, and I couldn't help but feel elated at this information.
Bella went on to explain that after some renovations and restorations, she wanted to turn her childhood home into a bed and breakfast.
I was surprised, but I knew that when Bella put her mind to something, she would see it through. If this is what she really wanted, then she would make it happen.
We left having made friends with Emmet and his promise to help any way he could with Bella's plans. We said our goodbyes and stepped out onto Main Street. We started walking, but bypassed my truck.
We made our way to the diner, where we knew we could get the best cheeseburgers and thick milk shakes. As Bella and I made our way to a booth, I felt the eyes of all the customers looking at us.
Bella's presence gave people a sense of being home and belonging. For others it was a feeling of dread and displeasure.
We sat down and Bella glanced around. Most people were polite and smiled. Those that didn't, well they also didn't even acknowledge us.
"So, a Bed and Breakfast, huh?" I asked after we briefly looked at the menus.
"Yeah!" Bella said excitedly. "I figure it will be great after we tear the house apart looking for Anabelle's diary. I'll need to renovate it at that point." She exclaimed as our waitress came by and took our order.
I was a little stunned. Bella wanted to try to find Anabelle's diary.
Were we ready for this?