Disclaimer: I own nothing Twilight. I merely play with the characters for entertainment. No copyright infringement intended.
Bella
I Have A Job
"Bella, Bella," I heard my name being sung. I groaned and turned in my bed refusing to open my eyes. "Bella."
"Leave me alone," I grumbled.
"Wakey, wakey, eggs and steak-y," the familiar voice sang.
I groaned and grimaced. "Bac-y."
"Hmm?"
I finally opened my eyes to the harsh sunlight and turned back around to face my supposed friend. "It's eggs and bac-y, not eggs and steak-y," I informed grouchily.
"Well, you can get eggs and bac-y. I'm going to get eggs and steak-y," Eric smiled annoyingly cheerfully.
I was tangled up in my sheets while Eric was sitting on the edge holding two paper cups with lids. I leaned up on my elbows and asked, "Weren't you going vegetarian?"
He rolled his eyes. "That was just for Tyler. And that was the worst two weeks of my life," he exaggerated.
I raised my brows and nodded in acknowledgment. Eric had broken up with Tyler a few days ago. I didn't think if it was because of the whole no eating animals thing, but I wouldn't be surprised. Eric was a dear friend, but he was even more commitment-phobic than I was. He also liked to say the time he dated anyone was the worst fill-in-the-blank weeks-slash-months of his life.
I smelled the sweet aroma of coffee. "Are those both coffees?" I asked him about the cups he was still holding.
"Of course, sweetie," he answered to my disappointment. I was never a coffee person to begin with, but I didn't understand how someone could work with coffee all day every day for years, making it, serving it, smelling it, drinking it, and not get tired of it. He was truly an addict.
I groaned and plopped myself back on my pillow. It had to be a joke. Eric knew I didn't drink coffee. "You are making me regret giving you a spare key," I told him. I then saw in the corner of my eyes Angela enter my tiny room with a steaming mug with a string with a paper tab hanging out.
"My angel," I greeted her happily. She walked over to hand me my cup of tea as I sat up. Then she took one of the coffees from Eric for herself.
I inhaled the herbal steam and took slow sips.
After we had drunk about half our cups, Eric urged me to get ready already. I kicked off the covers and complained. "How are you so cheerful so early?"
"I'm a morning person," he smiled.
"And a night person? We were out all night," I asked with grumpy disbelief. The three of us had gone to a few bars last night and I had gotten back around four in the morning. Angela had left us much earlier, so I understood her well-restedness. I had mistakenly agreed to this brunch in my drunken excitement.
"What can I say? I'm well-rounded."
I dressed quickly paying only half attention and we left for the restaurant. I made sure to remember my sunglasses. Sunlight was killer to hangovers.
When we finished eating, we exited the restaurant and started walking toward Twilight Cafe. It was my day off and the last place I wanted to go was my place of employment, but Eric had a shift starting soon and I had a paycheck to pick up. Angela was going to do a bit of studying there, because she was totally the smart and dedicated one of our trio.
When we neared the cafe, the rear door of a black sedan parked at the curb opened up and a man in a suit stepped out. It was Jasper.
He was impeccably dressed again in a dark suit and a smile. "Bella," he greeted me.
The three of us stopped where we stood and Eric who was standing in the middle grabbed my left arm in surprise. "Bella," Eric whispered to me urgently. "Bella, it's him."
"I know," I whispered low from the corner of my mouth. Then I raised my voice to a normal decibel and called, "Jasper."
He smiled at my recognition. And Eric grabbed my arm tighter. I tried to push his arms off mine with my free hand but he wouldn't budge. His vice grip meant I would not be talking to Jasper alone.
Jasper shut the car door and walked the few steps between us to be closer. "Hello, again."
"Hello," I smiled. It had been about a week since the little boy Emmett came to the cafe and I met Jasper. Seeing him in person was much better than trying to recall him from memory. Seeing him at all was a treat since I was beginning to think I would never see him again.
"Hello!" Eric inserted himself. He finally let go of my arm, to my circulatory relief, to extend his hand to the handsome man standing before us. "I'm Eric."
Jasper smiled in good sport and clasped Eric's hand in greeting. I was surprised my friend didn't jump the man right there.
"I'm Jasper," he said, and his blue eyes darted to me as he let go of Eric's hand, "Jasper Whitlock. I'm sorry I didn't properly introduce myself last time."
Eric did the proper thing and introduced our shy friend for her. "And this is our friend Angela."
She adjusted her glasses as she often did when nervous, and politely shook Jasper's proffered hand. "Nice to meet you," she said softly.
Angela could hardly keep her eyes on him, while Eric had never taken his off. I liked to think myself the happy median between the sweet but deathly-shy Angela and the sweet-meaning but sometimes in-your-face Eric in our little group. We balanced each other well.
Jasper's eyes found their way back to mine. "Are you on your way to work now?" he smiled politely.
"Uh, no," I said. Had he been waiting for me?
"I know this is sudden and unexpected, but I was wondering if you could accompany me to my office. I have something I would like to discuss with you."
My brows indeed went up in surprise. I had no idea what he would want to 'discuss' with me. I could think of plenty of other things I could do with him, but talking at his supposed office was pretty low on the list.
"Like what?" Eric interjected.
I gave him a quick look. He had taken the words out of my head, but truthfully, I was so used to giving him that look when he spoke out of turn which he often did that it was a natural reaction.
Jasper didn't take offense, though. At least, he didn't look like he had. His friendly smile didn't falter for a second. Actually, his smile became bigger like he was part of our group and knew not to take Eric's rudeness seriously. It was actually very cute. "I guarantee your friend will be completely safe with me. I would like to discuss a proposition with her."
"Like 'Indecent Proposal?'" Eric said. He had no filter or any sort of self-censorship.
"Eric!" I scolded. I was absolutely mortified. Eric just chuckled at his own joke. Thankfully, Jasper had a sense of humor and joined Eric's laughing.
"Nothing indecent, I assure you," Jasper said in good spirits. "Strictly professional."
"Oh," Eric sounded disappointed.
There goes his dreams of becoming my pimp, I thought with a quick roll of my eyes.
Jasper turned back to look at me and said, "If you're available now, I have a driver to take us to the building. It's not far from here." He put his arm back in the direction of the shiny, black car, and as if on cue, a young man stepped out of the driver side.
This was all a bit much for me and I was trying to process it all when my thoughts were interrupted by Eric impulsively shouting, "We're coming with you!"
We all turned to look at him, Angela confusedly, me wide-eyed, and Jasper still with his smile. Jasper didn't miss a beat. "Of course, if that's what you'd prefer," he said. "I respect your concern for your friend."
Somehow I knew it wasn't concern that was driving my friend. If my potential kidnapper wasn't cute, he wouldn't give him another glance.
"Don't you have a shift starting soon?" I asked him through gritted teeth.
I saw the realization set in his eyes, then he yelled, "Damn it! I totally do." I had to admit, I was a little pleased to see him so upset. "Well, Angela can still go with you."
"What?" Angela said a bit bewildered.
"Yes," I added. "Angela can join me." I wasn't above imposing on this stranger, cute or not.
"Don't worry girls, I'll take down the license plate number and if I don't hear from you in an hour, I'm calling the police," Eric said.
Jasper just smiled in response and gestured towards the car. I grabbed Angela's arm and pulled her along. The driver had made his way to the other side of the car and opened the rear door for us. Angela and I filed in, and Jasper got in the passenger seat.
The car had a dark and roomy, leather interior. As the driver pulled away from the curb, I looked out the tinted window to see Eric waving to us. I did not see him write anything down. If we were really being kidnapped, we'd never be seen again, thanks to our friend. I simply rolled my eyes and shook my head.
My friend and I were sitting quietly, nervously in the backseat. I saw some movement from Jasper, who was sitting in front of me. He put his arm up to his head, presumably to lift his cell phone to his ear, and he said, "Yes. We're on our way."
We were in the car for only a few minutes when the driver pulled up in front of a tall, sleek looking building. Both men in the car got out and opened the rear doors for us, the driver for Angela, Jasper for me.
"This way, please," Jasper gestured and we two girls followed him. The driver stayed behind with the car. I barely had time to look up and inspect the building before we were inside.
It had a fairly large, open main lobby with lots of light since the outer walls were mainly glass. There were a few people around in the lobby area, some walking in or out, and some sitting in chairs waiting. I then realized how underdressed I was. I was in a black t-shirt and dark jeans. Angela was dressed better in a cute red skirt with a navy cardigan. But she, too, looked somewhat out of place in this place of professional, business attires.
Luckily, we didn't linger. We passed right through by the reception and security desks, Jasper nodding to the security guard who was closest to where we passed and him nodding back.
We got into a decently-sized elevator, just the three of us, and Jasper pressed the 28th floor button.
It reached the floor fairly quickly, and we stepped out onto a brightly lit floor with high ceilings and lots of glass panel walls. We followed Jasper down a wide, but short hallway to a reception desk. Above the desk on the wall read Cullen, Corp.
He stopped in front of the desk and Angela and I stayed a few feet behind while he talked to the receptionist. "Kate, can you tell Edward we're here and we'll meet him in the conference room."
The beautiful blonde woman named Kate nodded and picked up the phone.
Jasper turned around to us and said, "Angela, would you like to wait here for Bella?" He gestured his hand to a waiting area behind us with comfy looking chairs and couches. She nodded and walked over to sit down on one of them.
"Now, Bella," he said to me. "If you would follow me just a little further." He led me to what I assumed was the conference room, since that was what he told Kate. It was a big room with a large table in the center with chairs all around it and some against the walls. "Have a seat," he told me.
I tried to take a seat near a corner next to the head of the table when I bumped my thigh into the sharp corner. I managed to keep my mouth shut and muffle my yelp, but Jasper had seen. "Are you all right?" he put a warm hand gently on my exposed arm. I nodded and smiled through my pain and humiliation. It was definitely going to leave a bruise tomorrow. Luckily, Jasper didn't make my humiliation last longer by pressing the matter. I safely made it around the table corner on my second pass and into a chair. "Would you like anything to drink?" he offered. "Coffee? Soda? Water?"
"Water would be good, thank you," I said. I was suddenly feeling parched. He walked over to a corner with a smaller table and poured a glass from a pitcher. He came back to me and I took the glass from him. He sat down next to me, not the head seat.
I took a long sip and put the glass down on the table. Now that my throat was quenched, I was just about to ask him why he brought me here when someone interrupted us.
I turned to see the tall man with dark hair that practically shined in the sunlight from a week ago with Jasper stride into the room and sit down at the other chair next to me. He had a manila folder that he slapped down on the table in front of him. I eyed the thin folder. I thought perhaps it had to do with why they asked me here, but I had a bad feeling about it for some reason.
Maybe it was because he had no greeting or smile for me. In fact, he looked completely serious, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say he was annoyed.
But I could see him so much closer and clearer than I had a week ago. He was a strikingly good-looking man. He had sharp, attractive features and dark brows that highlighted his greenish eyes. He was handsome in a youthful looking way, but his sternness gave him a maturity. I could objectively say he was handsomer than Jasper. But subjectively, Jasper was so much more endearing than this silent man.
I thought better than to speak to him first.
"Bella," Jasper said, "this is Edward Cullen."
As in, Cullen, Corp., I thought.
Jasper continued, "We would like to thank you again for taking care of Emmett when he ran away last week." He was a bit hesitant to mention that last part.
"It was no problem," I answered.
"If you don't mind my asking, how did you get along with Emmett?" Jasper asked.
"Your brother was fine," I answered him. I still wasn't sure which man was Emmett's brother, but since they were thus far slow with the explanations, I thought I would try some active probing.
"Oh, I'm sorry for the confusion," said Jasper. "Emmett is Edward's brother. I work for Edward."
"Oh, right. Sorry," I apologized, though I wasn't really sorry. I finally got a straight answer. And really, I wasn't surprised to find out Edward, not Jasper, was Emmett's brother. Though they didn't really share a resemblance in physical features, besides dark hair, their similarity in personality was becoming more apparent to me.
"So, Emmett didn't cause you any trouble?" Jasper inquired, truly curious.
"No," I trailed off. "Is he saying I did something? Because he wanted coffee and I wouldn't give it to him, so he got angry. But I didn't do anything to him." I wondered what that little brat had been telling these two.
"No, no, Bella," he tried to assure me. "It's nothing like that. I realize this is unexpected and a bit unorthodox, but would you be interested in becoming Emmett's nanny?"
Nanny? What the� "Nanny?" I asked out loud. "Like a babysitter?" What did I know about being a nanny?
"In a way, but more involved. You would be responsible for his morning routine before school, to get him there every day, to pick him up and get him to his after school activities and get him back safely home for bed. You would have the time he's in school for yourself, but you would be expected to be available for emergencies. I think you'll find the salary and benefits generous."
I blinked. "Is this for real? I mean, I don't understand. I met you a week ago for like 5 minutes. Where is this coming from?" I didn't even bother directing the question to the other man in the room. It was his brother, but the man was mute for all I knew.
"Emmett can be a handful. He's gone through quite a number of nannies, some highly qualified and recommended. And Emmett will not cooperate with any of them," Jasper explained poorly. That still didn't really quell my reservations.
I finally turned to the other man as a last effort. "You don't even know me. You're willing to trust your brother with me?"
"Isabella Marie Swan," Edward Cullen finally spoke, and his first words to me were my full name. He opened the folder in front of him and glanced down every so often before directing back his attention to me while speaking. "24 years old. Parents divorced when you were 3. Mother deceased. Estranged from father. Attended the University of Washington with top marks. Graduated with a degree in English and a minor in psychology. Yet afterward, floated around on a string of odd jobs for which you are overqualified. And currently working as a barista." He looked up and stared at me. "I don't think I need to go further." He closed the folder without looking away.
My mouth had opened in shock. "How did you...?" I trailed off. Then I realized where I was. This was a man of obvious wealth and power. To him probably, he was just researching a potential caregiver for his brother. He would have no moral qualms about invading the privacy of some nobody. I was mildly pissed. "Well, as you've pointed out from that file you've questionably obtained," I said with my tone tinged with attitude, "I have a job already, overqualified as I may be. One that doesn't involve children. Because to be perfectly honest with you, I don't even like kids."
He leaned his body forward. "Let me be perfectly honest with you, Ms. Swan," he replied in kind, "you are far from my first choice. You have no qualifications, no experience, and by your own admission no interest. But I'm running out of options and I don't like being backed into a corner." He paused for a second. "Now, I'd rather not spend any more time on this, so as much as I may disagree, I'm doing this for Emmett." His eyes were piercing. This unarmed me.
"I think there was a misunderstanding somewhere, Mr. Cullen, because Emmett hates me."
He took a breath to say something when he was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. He took a look at the screen and looked back up. "I have to take this. Excuse me." He then walked out of the conference room taking the dossier with him. I couldn't help but feel he somehow knew I would've wanted to take a peek at it.
"Bella," Jasper said, and I turned back to him. I had nearly forgotten he was in the room while I was talking to Cullen. "Emmett's the one who insisted it be you."
That took me by surprise. I was baffled, until I recalled something Emmett had said to me. "Is this so you can fire me?"
"Excuse me?" he asked confused.
"Emmett said," I tried to explain. It was coming back to me now, and I couldn't help begrudgingly smiling at having to explain what sounded completely ridiculous to me now. "Emmett said he was going to get me fired. That his brother would fire me."
Jasper's brows furrowed slightly. "I don't know if Emmett told Edward that. I doubt it, but even if he did, Edward isn't a petty man."
"Could've fooled me," I mumbled, though not quietly enough since I was quite sure after I said it that Jasper had heard me. I regretted saying it at all.
He looked at me sympathetically. "I understand your doubts. You don't know him, and he can come off a little... cold," he searched for the right word. He was generous, I thought. "But I can assure you, this isn't a joke. It's been a very busy time for us at work, and Edward's had to take considerable time away for this. He's eager to resolve this so he can concentrate on the company right now, and Emmett is unmoving in having you."
His assurances weren't so reassuring to me. "I sympathize with the position Mr. Cullen's in, but I have to think about myself. I'm not going to quit the job I have now for something so unsure. You've said so yourself, he's run through a lot of nannies. Emmett can throw a tantrum and have me fired whenever he pleases, and then where would that leave me?" I reasoned.
His blue eyes gazed at me with conviction. "Edward has authorized me to help you transition. If that's your main concern, you don't have to worry about it. Please give this a try and if you decide this isn't the position for you for any reason, or if Edward does decide to let you go, and you cannot get your old employment back, I will personally guarantee a position at any Breaking Dawn Cafe, if that's the line of work you wish to continue with. Or we can discuss some other position that's available. Edward has many connections if you'd prefer to go in another direction. Of course, I would help you with whatever you might need."
Breaking Dawn Cafe was one of the few places I had applied to before starting at Twilight Cafe. I was reluctant to work with a friend when Eric first offered me a position. I never heard back from Breaking Dawn, which was an upscale coffee shop chain, so I took Eric up on his offer after all. Twilight had a more chill, loungey coffee house atmosphere to it. It was popular with students.
"Wow," I said, not quite believing what he was telling me. It seemed too good to be true. Not the whole child-rearing part, of course, but the rest of it. I didn't know why they wanted to hire me so badly. "You really want me," I said bewildered. I realized how what I said came off. "For this job. I mean, you guys, or Emmett did..." I stumbled over my words. It was bad enough I stumbled around on my feet, and now this.
"Yes," Jasper said with complete sincerity, "we really want you. So will you say yes?"
How could a girl not say yes to that? "Yes," I said with a healthy dose of doubt. I had a feeling I was going to regret this, but it wouldn't be the first time in my life so why stop now?
He smiled with relief, and I was genuinely pleased that I was the reason.
"Good," I heard behind me. I turned around to see Cullen had returned from his phone call and was now leaning on the doorway with his hands in his pockets. "You can go pick up Emmett now."
