AN: Thank you all for reading.

Chapter 2

Deep Dog Walking Thoughts:

Smiles are wonderful things.

You can change someone's whole day if you are kind enough to give someone a grin.

If you are an attractive, green-eyed curmudgeon and can't find a way to grace a customer with your pearly whites, you'll find yourself unpacking inventory in the back room.

The good news is I found who's playing The Grinch at the store's holiday party.

Edward Cullen will look divine painted all green.

He was pouting by the cash register again, as I flipped on the lights. Edward came in everyday at the same time. He was there when I opened doors and left when I locked up at night. His unofficial uniform was a striped button-down and khakis. I wore old Nirvana concert tees and ripped jeans. The wrong one of us looked like the boss.

I put away my things under the counter and looked at him. "I'm going to make some coffee."

He huffed, "I'll make it myself. Your coffee is terrible."

"You keep drinking it!"

Edward rolled his eyes. "It's the only way I was going to stay awake in this place."

I watched as he stomped away. I really should fire him. Unfortunately, the back of him was as nice looking as his front. Basically, I had hired a cranky piece of eye candy. Yet sometimes, the sad look on his face as he gazed out the windows made my heart break and I would give him another chance.

It had been a week and mornings were still tense in the store. I looked around the dark room that was filled with oak shelves and old furniture with mismatched paisley and plaid fabrics that I found in local antique malls. What was possibly the most disgusting job around here that I could give him? I settled on toilet bowl cleaning. The picture of him with his fancy shirt sleeves rolled up and scrubbing out the bowl made me smile.

I grabbed my dust rag and couldn't help feeling the comfort at my real home. The shop was cozy like a grandparents' house that you visit when you're young and they fill you with cookies and chocolate milk. That was a close description to the store's former life. The old, baby blue Victorian was originally owned by Harrison and Matilda Cope who were siblings. The Cope family had owned large house since the early 1900's and it was a place that I loved with all my heart.

I had spent my summers pretending I was Anne of Green Gables, as I explored the hidden nooks of the house. The brother and sister watched me when my father had to work long shifts at the police department. Those were the days when my father would distantly play with his beard and reminisce about my dead mother while ignoring me, I felt like an orphan until my elderly friends made me a part of their world. They were my Marilla and Matthew that would allow me to play hide and seek under their thick, ruby velvet curtains. Matilda taught me to make jam and Harrison would play checkers with me for hours on end. They both taught me to love books.

When Harrison died last year and Matilda was going to the nursing home, I used my savings to buy the house and make repairs. It was a money pit, but Michael Newton and his wife Jessica wanted to demolish it and put up a new Shop & Dash. I would ever let that happen, so I put doctorate dreams aside and opened up the store. It was the best decision I ever made.

I started to dust a shelf of bestselling non-fiction books when Edward stuck a coffee in my face. "Milk and two sugars."

"You know how I take my coffee?" I dropped the dust rag on the floor and took the coffee. It smelled divine and much better than Emmett's.

He shrugged. "I grabbed some fresh coffee beans from the Weber's coffee shop. I could barely drink that canned stuff you bought."

I gave a little smile. "The Holy Bean. Did you know that the owner is a minister online. I used to work there after school with their daughter, Angela. He made us pray over the beans."

"This is an odd town, Miss Swan." He bent down to grab my rag and handed back to me. Tha man was always so serious.

"It is, but that's a part if his charm."

He ignored my words and looked around. "Should I scrub this place?"

"I was going to have you scrub the bathrooms. You read my mind, dear sir!"

Edward's frown deepened. "I was thinking about out here or in the used books room. It smells in here."

I sniffed the air and shot him a dirty look.

"It smells like parchment and ink! This is a bookstore and it smells like the books that reside in it."

He sighed and sat on the stool behind the counter. Edward's long fingers tapped on the wood. "You know it's easier to download on a tablet."

I think it would be a shame to bludgeon the handsome face of Edward Cullen with a hardback copy of War & Peace, but if it would knock some sense into him, I would.

"Mr. Cullen, the feel of the paper under your fingers as you turn the page to the next exciting development in the story is thrilling! A tablet loses power and you're stuck not knowing the twist!" I threw my hands up in the air. "What do you like to read?"

"I'm not much of a reader," he stated, as he stood and grabbed my rag. He started dusting the romance section.

"Dude, you work in a bookstore!"

He looked around him with a sigh, as he continued to dust halfheartedly. "I noticed."

That's when I had an idea.

"You don't look like a fan of the bodice rippers," I pointed out. He turned to me with his mouth wide open. I pushed his mouth shut and felt a momentary heat fill me at the feeling of his skin on mine. Shaking off the way I was drawn to him, I grabbed his arm and pushed him a chair and grabbed the rag away from him. I dropped it back on the floor. "Stay."

"What are you doing?" I placed his coffee in front of him on a small table and hurried to the stacks, as he continued to complain, "You really need to stop throwing things on the floor! No wonder no one comes in here!"

I peered at him from around a stack of books. "I'm the boss and you need to drink your java. Hush now!"

I went through the mysteries and shouted, "Eureka!"

The cream cover of the paperback was right in front of me and I pulled it out with a grin. I skipped over to Edward and dropped the book in his lap. "This is a masterpiece by Truman Capote called, In Cold Blood. Read it and I'll quiz you when you're done."

He looked at me angrily. "I should be working!"

"Your job is books and reading them for me is now a part of that job." I tapped the cover with my hand and rested it there.

We both looked down. My hand was on his dick. Technically, the book was on his dick, but my hand was practically touching it if that book slipped out from between. It was an uncomfortable moment, until Edward coughed and said, "I should get reading."

"Yes. I'll let you get right to it." I moved away quickly.

I needed to think about my options. He was going to sue me for sexual harassment and if I ever fire him, Edward was going to sue me for that too and take my dog. She was the only thing in my life worth anything.

This plagued my thoughts, until I turned to gaze at his beautiful profile. Edward's lips were turned up slightly in a smile. That's why he was here, because moments like this made my heart sing.

XXXXXX

The morning was brisk and I cringed as the breeze tickled my nose. Clementine wagged her tail happily as we walked down the trail. The rising sun hit her golden fur making the pup glow slightly. I was jealous of that fur. It was warmer than my fleece.

"Hey Bella, wait up!" I walked faster.

There had to be a shortcut around here so I could escape. A rabbit hole to hide in, perhaps?

"Bella!" Jacob Black's voice echoed through the forest. A large group of birds flew up into the air at the noise that interrupted their morning serenity. He wasn't dressed properly at all for the weather in his thin tee-shirt and shorts. "Can I walk with you?"

I had changed the time of my walk just to avoid Jake's running schedule. His oppressive, ongoing crush had continued on from high school. It was suffocating. I looked into his eager face with its warm, brown eyes and sighed. He was always a handsome guy with his dark, good looks and blinding white smile, but there was no spark.

Clementine growled. If my dog didn't think it was a good match than I didn't. It was a good rule to live by.

"I don't want to interrupt your run, Jake." I hoped that would get him moving on, but instead he peeled off his shirt.

The man had muscles everywhere. It made me feel odd just staring at him, half-naked in the cold. He reminded me too much of Emmett.

"You need to put that back on! It's freezing out here!" He was obviously insane. "You'll get hypothermia!"

"Come on Bella, it's just a bit chilly. The run made me hot." Jake gave me a wink. He tried to take my arm, as Clementine growled louder and deeper. "Emmett doesn't walk with you anymore and I want to keep you safe!"

I rolled my eyes. "Six months too late, Jacob! Emmett hasn't walked with me since our relationship ended. I can handle things just fine."

Jacob gripped my elbow. "Give this a chance, Bella."

The growling got more intense and Clementine was ready to pounce. I struggled to keep her from biting Jacob and attempted to get away from Jacob myself. It was an awkward, juggling act. "I know how to walk, Jacob!"

"I mean us," he pleaded. "We start with a walk, then maybe dinner."

"No!" I yelled and it echoed through the trees. "Get off of me!"

That's when I heard someone running towards us. I turned to see Edward coming towards us. He looked so casual with the hooded sweatshirt he wore and a black beanie on his head. He looked like a college student and not the uptight, loafer wearing complainer I was used to.

"You should get off her!" Edward's eyes narrowed like a snake ready to strike. His hands were balled into fists. "Now!"

Jake looked him up and down then laughed. "Who the hell are you?"

"Bella's friend and walking partner," Edward stated. "Sorry I was late, Bella. I was up late reading that story you suggested."

"No problem." I gave him a smile. I had a beanie wearing savior.

Jake let go of me and folded his arms over his chest. "I've never seen you before. Bella and I have been friends forever and she's never mentioned you on Facebook."

"I'm not on Facebook, dumb ass." I was really close to let Clementine eat Jacob, but she had lost interest in him. Instead, she jumped on Edward and proceeded to lick his face.

"Clementine! Down!" I commanded, as I tried to peel her off my employee.

Edward just knelt down and rubbed her fur with a joyous smile. "Hey puppy! What a good girl!"

I watched in amazement. Clementine had a hard time warming up to others. I was the exception to her picky disposition. I was with Emmett for a long time and it still took months for my dog to like him. Watching Clementine embrace Edward with such positive attention was amazing. His smile in return was brighter than the rising sun.

Jacob was pissed. "Bella—"

"You should really get back to your run. Thanks for stopping, but Edward is a perfectly capable walking companion." I gave Jacob a wave.

"I'll wear you down yet!" Jacob's mood turned happier like a light switch being flipped on. I had to wonder if he was bipolar. He ran off and whistled as headed into the woods.

Edward kept petting an overjoyed Clementine. "Who was that?"

"A constant bother," I explained. "He's harmless, but crazy and annoying."

"I didn't like the way he was touching you," Edward stated. "Let me know if he bothers you again. I should—"

I didn't want him to leave. "You walk here often?"

"I just started. It helps me think."

"Me too!" I saw him absentmindedly rubbing Clemmie's ears. "You have a dog?"

Edward's expression was forlorn. He admitted, "No. I was never allowed."

This was shameful. It was plain to me that this man just fit with a canine companion.

"Would you like to walk with us? Clementine seems to really like you." I wanted to know more about this secretive man.

His face relaxed slightly. Clementine licked his palms and I knew he was close to accepting. A part of me liked the idea of being close to him in this lovely location and listening to his melodic voice.

Edward looked me in the eyes and I saw fireworks. I think he saw them too.

It lasted less than a minute. His face tightened back into a scowl and his back stiffened. Edward backed away from us. Clementine whimpered. I wanted to as well.

"I need to go. I'll see you at work." He was a stone wall again.

I watched as he turned away and almost ran down the path. Clementine tried to follow, but I held her back.

The mystery of Edward Cullen grew deeper and I wanted the answers even more desperately.