I really do try to reply to reviews, but you guys are just blowing me away with these. I got a start on it, but then I just got swamped, so if I missed you, my apologies. I do read (and re-read) every single one. Your support and enthusiasm is really touching.

There is a thread for this story now on the Twilighted forums, started by the lovely TallulahBelle. Stop by and say hi.

http://www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=44&t=9390&sid(=)

Thanks a million times over to WriteOnTime for beta'ing.

Stephenie Meyer owns any Twilight characters that may appear in this story. The remainder is my original work. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

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Bella

"Why don't you see if you can find us some sort of traffic report on the radio, Bellarina?"

"Sure thing, Colonel," I replied. He shot me a sideways smile at the teasing use of his old nickname in response to his use of mine. I was the one who started calling him Colonel Brandon when Alice and I were kids, but it stuck, and for a long time absolutely everybody called him that. He had Alice's coloring; her black hair, pale skin, and grey eyes, but where Alice was tiny, Colonel Brandon was tall, six-foot-four, and strapping. He was funny and kind and perpetually hounded by his highly-energetic wife and daughter. And he just might have been one of my favorite people in the whole world. I loved few people the way I loved Colonel Brandon.

I fiddled with the radio controls in the rental car and replayed that crazy little moment back at the airport in my head again. It was really nothing, but things like that just didn't happen in my life. He was beautiful and magnetic, so the way I was practically salivating over him wasn't surprising. When he caught me at it the first time I thought it bothered him. He looked like he might have been angry, or at least irritated. But then after I met the Colonel and looked up to find him not twenty feet away, watching me, not looking at all irritated, my heart stopped. And then that smile, like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, and the little salute. I got butterflies, actual butterflies, when I thought about it. I hadn't realized how invisible I had been feeling. But all it took was one little innocuous bit of eye contact with a handsome stranger in an airport to make me feel prettier and more desirable than I had in ages. The memory of him watching me was enough to keep me flying for hours.

Which was good, since the traffic into downtown Chicago was so bad, it looked like it would be hours before we got there. I didn't mind, though. Since my own father died, I'd only become fonder of Alice's parents. I really did want to hear all about the new condo in Tampa and the Colonel's latest far-fetched business venture, and about their crazy, sex-starved, eighty-year-old neighbor. I ate up every single detail.

Eventually, though, we were pulling up at the Regis, where a uniformed valet rushed out take the car while another uniformed porter came forward to retrieve my luggage. I guess the luxurious wedding weekend was officially underway. While Alice's family was decidedly middle-class like mine had been, Jasper came from some serious old Southern money. With Jasper's cash and Alice's love of spectacle, this thing was bound to be one for the ages. Although over-the-top weddings were not really my thing, I was secretly very excited. There was very little in my life these days that was remotely luxurious or glamorous, so this wedding was like a vacation for me. A vacation with all of my favorite people in the world. I realized with a sinking sensation that I wasn't including Jay in that grouping anymore, and I felt a stab of guilt in my chest again.

We scurried as quickly as possible from the car through the bitter Chicago cold and wind and into the hotel lobby. I silently cursed Alice for dragging me to Chicago in mid-December, but she'd always wanted a Christmas wedding, the cold be damned. From what she'd told me so far, though, the whole wedding and most of the related events were taking place right in the hotel, so at least we wouldn't have to go outside all that much. I'd never been to Chicago before, but I wasn't sure I was too keen on exploring it for the first time in these arctic conditions.

Colonel Brandon stayed with me the whole time I was checking in, chatting happily, which was good, because now that thoughts of Jay and what I was planning had invaded my head again, I was having a hard time dislodging them. First I was happy that he didn't come with me, then I was practically leg-humping some strange guy at the airport, and now I wasn't even missing him during my fun weekend away. All while he was going through a crisis at work. I felt like shit. How would I ever do this to him? And after all he had done for me? The worry and guilt was starting to eat away at my chest even as I kept up a steady stream of pleasant conversation with Colonel Brandon.

Once I had my key card, the porter retrieved my suitcase and herded us towards the bank of shiny, brass-plated elevators that would take us up to my room.

"Bellarina, I'll take this young man on up to your room and get your suitcase all set up. Why don't you hop off on five and go see Alice? She's been desperate to see you since she woke up this morning."

"Thanks, Colonel. That's so sweet," I said.

"It's nothing. We're just…" he trailed off, his normally booming voice sounding a bit gruff, "We're just real glad to have you back with the family, Bellarina. Even if it's just for the weekend."

I smiled at him and kissed his cheek quickly, ducking off the elevator on five before either one of us could start crying.

I found room 512 and knocked. It swung open under my hand like Alice had her eye pressed against the peephole waiting for me. She didn't even manage a coherent word, just a high-pitched, giddy squeal before she launched herself at me. I caught her thin little body against me and laughed, not really capable of forming words either.

"God, I thought you'd never get here! I missed you! I need you!"

"Ally, calm down! It's okay, I'm here now. I can help you with whatever you need," I said reassuringly, certain that some part of her carefully-orchestrated plans had gone awry and that's what she was so frantic about.

She planted her hands on her hips and scowled at me.

"No, I just need you, Bella! How can you possibly live so far away?"

Then she was dragging me after her into her suite, pulling my bag from my shoulder and stripping my coat off, throwing everything onto an arm chair. When I saw her last year, she'd been growing out the choppy, shag hairstyle she'd worn since college, and now her hair was a sleek little jet-black Louise Brooks bob. It was so different, but it suited her, setting off her tiny, angular features perfectly.

"The new hair is amazing, Ally. I love it on you."

She beamed and struck a little pose, running a hand over it. "Right? I should have grown it out years ago."

"You never had the patience to tough it out through the awkward in-between phases," I reminded her, and she made a little face.

"So," she said with a satisfied sigh, pulling me down onto the sofa with her, "tell me everything that you've done since we last talked, no matter how tiny and insignificant. I need a Bella fix and I need it bad."

I looked at her for a second, her happy, excited little face, and I flashed back on my midnight revelation, my decision to break up with Jay, my fear of ending it and being alone, and my guilt over doing it, and I was completely overwhelmed. Without a word, I started to cry. And then I started to sob.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Her face creased up in concern as she rushed to put her arms around me. She kicked off her stiletto heels and scrambled up on to the couch next to me, wrapping her whole body around me as I sobbed and shook. "What happened?"

"Jay," I choked out.

"What did he do now?" she sighed.

"No, Alice, it's me!"

"What do you mean?"

"I just can't…I don't…I don't think I love him anymore." Saying the words out loud brought on a fresh round of tears, and I descended into uncontrolled sobbing as it all came crashing down on me. Alice said nothing for a long time, she just rocked me gently back and forth.

"Did something happen?" she finally asked, softly.

"No. I mean, nothing new. Just the same stuff. He's afraid he's going to get laid off. It's eating him alive. It's like I don't even know him anymore. Then…I don't know…last night it just sort of came on me in a flash. I don't love him anymore. I don't even know how long I've felt this way. I just can't….I don't know what to do."

"Shh…shhhh," she soothed me as I cried. "Bella, it's really okay," she said, pushing on my shoulders a little to get me to sit up and look at her. I sniffed loudly and looked up, getting myself under control.

"I know, Ally. It's just that things are so awful for him now and here I am, contemplating dumping him on top of it. After everything he's done for me…"

"Hey, he held your hand and helped you make some phone calls when Charlie died. That was four years ago. You don't need to throw away the rest of your life on him out of some sense of obligation."

Alice took a deep breath, like she had something else to say and wasn't sure if she should. I looked at her expectantly. "What?" I finally prompted her.

"Well…" she started, then stopped, then started again, "Bella, when Charlie died, it seemed like the light just went out in you. I get it, it's totally normal. It would happen to anybody, losing him the way you did. But the thing is, Jay didn't help re-light you. It was like he was happy to keep you in the dark as long as he could hang on to you."

I shook my head forcefully. "Jay loves me."

"He might love you, but it doesn't mean he's right for you. Or that he's good for you. Bella, if you don't love him, you can't stay. You know that, right?" she said softly, ducking down to peer into my face as she tucked my hair behind my ear.

I nodded wordlessly and sniffed again, fresh tears streaking down my face because I knew Alice was right.

"It's just…leaving him, it's so hard to think about."

"I know. But you can do it," she murmured, tipping her head close to mine, resting her forehead on my temple.

"I'm afraid of being alone," I whispered. "I know that makes me a terrible coward…I hate that I'm even thinking that way. He's just all I have, and it's scary to think about walking away, starting over by myself."

"Bella Marie," Alice barked, using her nickname for me that she used whenever she was really serious. "You are not alone. You have me…us, all of us. Mom, Dad, Jasper...just because you're far away doesn't mean you are ever alone. Got that?"

I smiled at her and gave a snuffle, the worst of the crying past.

She reached up and took my face in her tiny hands, wiping away tears with her thumbs. "Remember what we used to say?"

I nodded and gave her a watery smile.

"Then let's hear it!" she said, dropping her hands to grasp mine.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, but she'd made me smile. She smiled back and started.

"We are brilliant and beautiful and we rule the world!"

I joined in by the time she said "beautiful", just the way I always did.

"God, Ally, I am so sorry," I sighed.

"What the hell for?" she said as she smoothed my hair back out of my face. It felt so good, so comforting.

"This is your wedding, your big weekend, and I just walk in the door and drop all this drama on you. It's really unfair of me."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "No more apologies," she said sternly. "Now, this is your weekend as much as it is mine. It's ours. There's time to deal with all of that later and dwelling on it now won't solve a thing. So from this point forward this weekend, no more brooding. Got it?"

I nodded solemnly.

"I positively forbid you to think about him. Just relax and have fun. Please?"

"I promise. No more dwelling. I really am looking forward to this, Ally," I said earnestly, trying to make up for my earlier hysterics.

"Good," she said, shooting to her feet and stuffing her feet back into her shoes before crossing to the table where several large binders were stacked. She fished through one and came out with a set of pages stapled together. She crossed back to me, waving it in my face. "Because this is your itinerary."

"I knew it was coming," I sighed, flipping through it, "but this is impressive, even for you, Ally."

"Are you kidding?" Alice said, "Jasper's mom has been dreaming of putting on an event like this since he was born. And you know how I am with the planning…I swear, the two of us together…Chicago never stood a chance!"

I laughed and leaned back on the sofa, now feeling lighter than I had in weeks, even in the face of the daunting schedule I apparently had ahead of me.

"First up," Alice said, "is dinner tonight. Just the parents and the wedding party."

"Isn't that the rehearsal dinner?"

Alice made a horrified face, "Oh, no! That's Friday night. This is much more intimate. Just a little get-to-know you, since everybody is from all over. But it's a great group. I think everybody will have fun together."

"So is everybody here already?" I asked.

"The Best Man is getting in this afternoon. Delayed flight. But yeah, he's the last one. So," she switched her tone of voice completely and I knew what was coming next, "what are you wearing tonight?"

"Ally, whatever it is, I'm sure you won't approve."

She scowled and looked at her watch.

"It's only three, we have a while until we need to be ready. There's a little shopping esplanade downstairs with all kinds of cute boutiques. Let's go find you something new."

I rolled my eyes at her, "Alice, not this again."

"Bella! You just cried your eyes out on my sofa the minute you walked in the door. You clearly need a little pick-me-up. Come on, it will make you feel better, I promise."

I thought about that for a minute. A new dress, something to make me feel pretty and feminine, would be nice. God knows, it seemed like forever since I'd felt like that. Well, outside of Mr. Butterflies at the airport. Alice could see me wavering and went in for the kill.

"I'm the bridezilla! It's my weekend. For me?"

"Is this the shit you're going to pull all weekend to get your way?" I asked with mock severity, and she nodded eagerly. We laughed together and I let her pull me to my feet and out the door.

Confession time: the shopping trip did help me feel better. Not necessarily shopping for a dress, since that was never really my thing, but just spending some time with Alice. We wandered aimlessly for a long time, so caught up with chatting and laughing together that we forgot for a while that the point of this was to come back with a dress for me. Eventually though, Alice got down to business and started her hunt.

I knew I needed to call Jay and let him know I'd made it okay, but I really didn't want to talk to him. Alice was right. I needed clear my head and forget about this for the weekend. But at the same time, it was unkind not to check in. He would worry if he didn't hear from me. Finally I settled on a text. If he really needed to talk to me, he would call back. I just really hoped he didn't. I waited until Alice had gone to try on a blouse for herself and typed out a brief, emotionless message.

Made it fine. Call if you need me. –B

Please don't call. Please don't call.

Alice finally found a dress that she insisted I had to own. It was dark blue silk chiffon, fitted to the waist, with a deep v-neck and thin straps. The skirt was swishy and soft, skimming the tops of my knees. It was feminine and delicate and I felt prettier in it than I had felt in ages. We found a great shoe sale at one little boutique and I came away with some slightly dangerous dark gold heels. But it was just dinner, I didn't have to walk around much, and Alice said they made my legs look ten miles long, so I was sold.

She decided our way up in the elevator to come back to my room with me and get ready there, so she called Jasper on our way up in the elevator and told him to meet us at the restaurant.

The afternoon was perfect with just the two of us. She put on some loud French pop music and we raided the mini bar for tiny bottles of booze while Alice curled my hair and did my makeup. It felt great, and if I closed my eyes I could almost imagine that we were back in college, getting ready to go out on a Friday, high on the endless possibilities held by the night before us.

Two hours later, we exited the elevator on the mezzanine level of the hotel arm in arm, bound for the restaurant there where everyone was assembling. Alice fixed her hair and makeup in my room, so we'd stopped by her room just long enough for her to slip into a tiny black halter dress and a pair of strappy patent red high heels. Once she'd moved to Chicago and gotten her first "real job" at a local culture magazine, she had left behind the crazier vintage clothes she wore in college, but she was still so effortlessly sophisticated in a way I envied.

We stopped just inside the restaurant so Alice could check in with the hostess and I saw a few familiar faces mingling at the bar. Alice's parents, Jasper, and…

"Bella!"

"Angie!"

I threw my arms around her, straining on tip-toe to reach. She was stunning. She'd always been striking in her way, but in high school she'd been shy and nerdy, invisible to the unsophisticated boys in our small town. Then at UW, she'd been earnest and passionate, volunteering for Greenpeace, Habitat for Humanity, and Amnesty International, along with a dozen political candidates, all while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. The frat boys around us were more interested in that weekend's kegger than in a girl as smart and driven as Angela. She'd hidden behind her thick glasses and she slouched when she walked to hide her height. But the woman in front of me was nothing like that. She was in heels, and she had to be nearly six feet tall. Angela had grown out her glossy black hair, and now it was a dramatic, silky curtain framing her face. And the thick, geek glasses had been replaced by sleek little black frames that set off her angular, dark eyes.

"Angela, you look amazing. Really," I breathed.

She laughed, the same familiar soft and gentle sound. "You too! Just the same as I remember!"

She meant it as a compliment, but spending the afternoon with the now-chic Alice and seeing this transformed Angela, I wasn't so sure looking the same way I had five years ago was such a good thing. Stalled. Like every other part of my life.

I shook off my dark thoughts so I could meet the slightly shorter, sandy-haired man hovering at Angela's elbow. I'd heard about him, of course. Alice was inordinately proud of their relationship, since introducing them had been her idea. Ben taught at the college with Jasper, and once Alice met him, she said she was sure he was perfect for Angie. I had to hand it to her, she seemed to be right. He was delightful, I discovered, as the introductions were made and we exchanged a little small talk. Smart, dryly funny and self-depreciating. And completely crazy about Angie. It made my heart hurt a little to see his face when he looked at her.

Jasper approached us then. I'd known him for a few years now. Alice had insisted he accompany her home for a visit as soon as they started dating, since she was positive from the first night that she was spending the rest of her life with him. He was everything I never thought Alice was looking for. Laid-back, understated, and intellectual. But in the end, he filled in all her missing pieces, and after a while I couldn't picture her without him. He fit himself seamlessly into our relationship and now I loved him like my brother. He kissed my cheek in greeting and professed to actually notice my new dress, although I could tell he only had eyes for Alice. Then he dutifully tucked my hand into the crook of his arm and pulled me into the room to introduce me around.

His parents, Marian and William Hale, were everything I was expecting. Both tall, both blond, both handsome and patrician. Marian, in her immaculate pink St. John's suit, clasped my hand between both of hers and insisted that I call them Mims and Biff. Everyone did, apparently, and they seemed to actually like it.

Next were Jasper's sister and cousin. Alice had mentioned the sister before, his twin, if I remembered correctly. This family's genetics were insane, I decided. Rosalie Hale was every bit as tall, platinum and lovely as her parents, but where they were cool, elegant and slim, she was all stacked curves and sex appeal. I wracked my brain for details about her that I'd gleaned from Alice, but they didn't match up with what I was seeing. She worked in investments, I thought; high finance. She'd been in New York, but moved to Chicago recently to take a position as CFO at a mid-sized manufacturing company. I stared at the tall blonde in the tight, black dress and tried to make "CFO" connect with the visual, and it just wouldn't. She wasn't helping either, greeting me with a tiny Mona Lisa smile and almost no words. Hmmm. She was a puzzle, for sure.

The astounding Hale genetics apparently dried up when they got to Jasper's cousin, Mike. He was blond, and that's where the similarities ended. He was shorter and stockier than any of them, but his baby face was open and friendly, and he shook my hand enthusiastically.

When Jasper and I had approached, Mike was completely absorbed in talking to a petite, curvy girl with huge hazel eyes and a volcano of light brown curls falling down her back. Alice appeared at my side then to introduce her as her co-worker, Jessica, and one of the bridesmaids. I was glad to put a face to her name, as Jessica and I had actually exchanged a few emails. The bachelorette party was technically mine to organize, but since I lived so far away, Jessica had contacted me and offered to step in, which I thought was really nice of her. But her no-nonsense email persona wasn't matching up with the doe-eyed doll in front of me. She fairly radiated perky. I remembered Alice's stories about her. They were nothing alike, and in any other situation they probably would have hated each other. But they'd started at the same time at the magazine, and they'd had the boss from hell. Surviving him (and ultimately teaming up to run him out of the company) had bonded them for life. I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, for Alice's sake. And since we were in the wedding party together, I'd have plenty of chances to get to know her this weekend.

The only other person in the room I didn't know was Jasper's roommate from college, Emmett. He was massive, practically bursting out of his finely-tailored suit as he lunged forward to shake my hand enthusiastically.

"Damn! It seems like all of Alice's friends are hot!" he blurted. I think I blushed and Jasper punched his arm.

"Dude! Behave yourself!"

"What? It's a compliment! Right?" He looked at me expectantly and all I could do was smile and nod. He smiled back, and it was so warm and open that I liked him on the spot. And despite the actual words he'd spoken to me, I didn't get any sort of vibe that he was in any way attracted to me. He just seemed genuinely delighted at the degree of hotness Alice's friends possessed, and I found the whole exchange bizarrely charming. He brushed right past the moment, anyway, immediately offering to get me a drink, so I didn't have a chance to dwell on it any further.

Alice was right. These were good people. I could feel it in the air. I was immensely happy to be where I was at that moment and full of anticipation for the four days ahead of me.

"Jazz," Alice was murmuring behind me, "is he coming?"

"He's running behind. He texted and said we should start without him. He'll be right down."

"Who?" I interjected.

"The Best Man," Alice explained. "The one with the delayed flight. Well, if he's on his way down, we should go on in to dinner."

She moved away to talk to the hostess again, and her place was immediately claimed by Angela. We fell into an easy conversation, reminiscing about college and New Moon as Alice ushered us all in to dinner. Alice and Jasper were at the head of the table and I was to Alice's left. Happily, Angela was on my other side. The rest of the table filled up quickly, save for the empty seat across from me, for the absentee Best Man.

Angela and I kept up our conversation, talking about her job with a not-for-profit that promoted early childhood literacy. It was a perfect fit for her, and I marveled and delighted all over again at how she had seemed to completely grow into all her early potential.

Then she started telling me about the first time she met Ben, and how Jasper met her at the door when she arrived at their house, apologizing profusely in advance for the disaster he was sure would be the result of Alice's matchmaking. I was laughing helplessly, able to picture Jasper's distress so clearly, when a low male voice coming from behind us interrupted her story.

"Sorry I'm late. I had to check in at work."

Jasper smiled and stood up, speaking to the newcomer still behind me, "No worries. You know almost everyone here already anyway. I think the only real stranger in the wedding party is Bella, the Maid of Honor."

Jasper indicated me with his hand as his friend rounded the head of the table to take his chair across from me. I looked up to say hello and my voice died in my throat.

The man from the airport. The smile and the salute. Oh, God.

I felt the smile fall from my face and my cheeks flush. He stopped in his tracks, his gorgeous, harried smile vanishing from his face as well as our eyes met. Judging from the way he was looking at me, he remembered me, too. I felt a tiny flush of satisfaction along with the overwhelming embarrassment. We were spending the whole weekend together and we'd just been eyeing each other shamelessly at the airport. This was going to be seriously awkward. Scratch that; it already was seriously awkward.

Jasper's eyes cut from me, to his friend, and then back to me, seeming to pick up on the tension. Well, who wouldn't? We were just staring at each other like morons.

"Um…" Jasper began tentatively, "Bella Swan, this is Edward Cullen, my roommate from Dartmouth. Edward, this is Bella, Alice's friend from back home."

He snapped out of it and arranged his face back into a pleasant smile, leaning forward across the table and extending his hand to me. I leaned forward and reached out to take it. His large, warm hand curled around mine, and I felt a shot of heat travel all the way up my arm. Christ, it really had been too long since I'd been properly touched by a man if a simple handshake from Jasper's friend was rendering me weak in the knees. Good thing I was sitting down.

I released his hand almost immediately and smiled slightly at him.

"Nice to meet you, Edward," I said.

"Nice to meet you, too…Bella," he murmured, lowering himself into his chair across from me. I looked down at my hands while Alice and Jasper had a quick, whispered discussion about who was going to do the talking.

Of all the dumb luck. A huge airport like O'Hare, a huge city like Chicago, and the one guy I was shamelessly checking out at the airport winds up being the goddamned Best Man. How was I ever going to look him in the eye without blushing? Because from the look on his face when he saw me, I was sure he remembered that moment...that connection. I chanced a glance back up at him and he was still looking at me, his gaze so intense it made me catch my breath. I met his eyes for just a little too long before I tore my eyes away to look at Alice. This was nothing but trouble.

Alice finally stood to make her little speech, and I was glad to have something to focus on besides the incredibly good-looking man across from me.

"Hi, everyone!" Alice began, "I won't keep you long, I just wanted to say, from Jasper and myself, how perfect it is to have all our favorite people here in one place for our special day. It means so much to us that you came to share it with us. You're all from different places in our lives, and it's wonderful for us to bring you together like this, so you can get to know each other and see all the great things in each other that we see in you."

Everyone around the table was suitably touched by Alice's lovely words, but then the dinner service began, so she left it at that and we all focused on the meal. The food was wonderful, the wine plentiful, and Angela and I were having a great time catching up, with occasional input from Alice. I was able to successfully forget about Edward for long periods of time, although now and then when I'd look to Jasper, I would see him, too. A couple of times I thought he was watching me, but then I decided I was imagining it. After all, he looked…the way he did. I'm sure women checked him out like that all the time. It was certainly no big deal for him. A little embarrassing for me, to be sure, but surely nothing out of the ordinary for him. That's what I kept repeating to myself, hoping it would sink in so I could look him in the eye sometime before Sunday.

Dinner wrapped up and we all filtered out of the dining room towards the exit, but everyone seemed to stall again at the bar. Alice ordered after-dinner drinks for everyone, so there was another impromptu cocktail party as everyone mingled and chatted.

Ben came to claim Angela, so I went to find the Brandons. I'd missed saying hello to Mrs. Brandon in that flurry of introductions. She saw me weaving through the crowd towards her and let out a loud squeal, throwing her arms wide. I laughed and threw myself into her steely grip. She was built just like Alice, tiny and birdlike, but where Alice had gotten her father's dark coloring, Mrs. Brandon had artificially auburn hair that she wore in a high full twist on her head, and she was tanned to a burnished gold. Alice was effortlessly stylish, throwing on a ten-dollar sundress and making it look couture, whereas her mother was heavily groomed, highly made up, and perfectly, if somewhat brashly, coordinated. She was just a tiny bit vulgar and loud, and I loved her more than life itself.

"Sweetie pie!" she cooed, rocking me back and forth in her firm embrace. "We have just missed you to pieces! Haven't we, Carl?"

The Colonel nodded in happy agreement as Mrs. Brandon held me at arms' length, her face creasing up in a wide smile.

"More gorgeous than ever! How is that possible, sugar?" she beamed.

I laughed and twined my arm in hers, asking all the appropriate questions about the new condo and Tampa, and she happily talked my ear off for the next several minutes. She was telling me about her watercolor class at the art center when I felt someone approach me from the left. Glancing up, I saw that it was Edward, making his way through the crowd, his eyes intent on me. I figured that he must not know Alice's parents, so as soon as he reached my side, I jumped into the introductions.

"Colonel Brandon, have you met Edward, the Best Man?"

"No, we seemed to miss each other today," The Colonel said, smiling broadly, shaking Edward's hand, "How are you, son?"

"Very good, sir," Edward replied, and I smiled a little at his formal response.

"And this is Alice's mom, Mrs. Brandon," I continued.

He reached out to shake her hand, but in typical Cheryl Brandon style, she seized him by the shoulders and yanked him forward so she could kiss his cheek. Edward looked mildly shell-shocked when he straightened back up, so I decided to help him out and steer the conversation. After all, I had years of Cheryl Brandon experience under my belt.

"Mrs. Brandon has just been telling me about her art classes in Florida," I said politely, channeling my very best Emily Post.

"Oh, yeah," Mrs. Brandon enthused. "I tried to get the Colonel to sign up with me, but he's too busy with his golf buddies!"

"I'm surprised that Jasper never mentioned that Alice's father is career military," Edward said, "You know, with his interest in military history and everything."

Colonel Brandon looked puzzled. "I'm not career military. Left the service years ago and went into the private sector when Alice was just a kid.

A little line formed between Edward's brows. "But you're a colonel?"

I suddenly understood his confusion and started to laugh.

"No, he's not really a Colonel!" I interjected, reaching out to touch Edward's forearm before I realized what I was doing. He glanced down at my hand and then up at my face and I quickly dropped my hand away. "Uh, Mr. Brandon was in the Army when Alice and I were little kids. When I was twelve I read Sense and Sensibility, and I got all excited that I knew a real live Colonel Brandon."

The Colonel jumped into the story, chuckling. "Bellarina here was so disappointed that I had never been more than a Lieutenant and that I wasn't even in the army anymore at that point. So I told her that I would be happy to be a Colonel for her, and she started to call me Colonel Brandon..."

"And it just stuck," I finished, smiling at him.

"I've been Colonel Brandon ever since! The whole damned family calls me that now!"

Edward laughed. "Then I'm sure I can't be the only one who's made that mistake."

I smiled at him, keeping my voice light and teasing. "No, just the only one in this decade. But that's okay. You're new here." I had no idea where that flirty version of me had just come from. What the hell was I thinking talking to him like that?

But Edward didn't seem to mind. On the contrary, he met my eyes and smiled back as his expression darkened slightly. "Lucky for me I think fast. I'm sure I can keep up from here on out."

It was an innocent enough exchange, so I couldn't explain why my breathing suddenly sped up or why I felt so flush, or why it felt like we were suddenly the only two people in the room.

"Bellarina," Colonel Brandon interrupted, and with an effort, I tore my eyes away from Edward's dangerously pretty face and turned my attention back to the Colonel. "Cheryl and I want to go chat with the Hales about some of the out of town guests. We'll see you tomorrow at breakfast?"

"Absolutely," I replied.

"Bye, sugar," Cheryl cooed, kissing my cheek with a smack. I surreptitiously rubbed her lipstick off my cheek with the back of my hand.

Colonel Brandon shook Edward's hand. "Nice to meet you, Edward. At ease." Then he winked at us, threw us a mock salute and they were gone.

Edward and I stood wordlessly for a moment, watching them walk away. I glanced over at him at the same moment he looked at me. He was just too damned good-looking. I couldn't even look at his face without getting completely distracted. This was so inappropriate.

"So," he murmured, never taking his eyes off mine, "are we going to talk about that thing at the airport, or pretend it didn't happen?"

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I could feel the flush creeping all the way up to my hairline. I couldn't believe he just referred to that moment so boldly. His eyes were still boring into mine, his perfect lips curling up slightly in one corner. He leaned in just a little bit closer and suddenly I couldn't breathe.

Say it, Bella. This is where you say "I have a boyfriend". I knew I needed to open my mouth and spit the words out, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. It wasn't that I wanted to deceive him, exactly. I just knew what would happen when it was out there. He would shut down and he'd be distant and polite, and this…this spine-tingling, electric energy he made me feel would vanish. I didn't want to let go of this just yet. But I also couldn't lie. I couldn't even lie by omission. I had to tell him.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to do just that when Angela's voice stopped me.

"Hey, Bella? Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to tell you that Ben and I are taking off for the night."

"Oh…." I struggled to right myself mentally. "Right. Will you be at breakfast?"

"Sure thing."

"Oh, good. Angela? It really is great to see you again. Let's talk more tomorrow."

We smiled warmly at each other and she reached out to hug me lightly. As she released me, I spotted Alice, hovering just behind her shoulder, her eyes bright and boring into mine.

"See you guys tomorrow." I waved after Ben and Angela as Alice seamlessly stepped forward and hooked my arm with hers.

"Sorry, Edward, I need to steal her for a second."

He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it and shrugged with a smile.

Alice pulled me towards the bar.

"Two Maker's Marks, on the rocks," Alice barked.

The liquor was set in front of us and Alice shoved my glass at me.

"So? What the hell was that all about?"

I lifted my glass to my lips and took a tiny sip, eyebrows raised.

"What do you mean?" I asked innocently.

"Don't you try that with me, missy. You know what. You and Edward. Do you know him from somewhere?"

"No. Well, not exactly," I hedged nervously, looking anywhere but at Alice. As my eyes scanned the room, I saw Edward on the other side, drink in hand, talking to Emmett. As he spoke, he glanced at me, and I looked back for just a beat too long. Alice's eagle eyes caught the wordless exchange.

"So you do know him! You've been holding out on me!"

"Alice, geez, just chill!" I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut. "No, we never met until dinner. But we may have…seen each other at the airport earlier today."

"And…?"

"I might have…sort of shamelessly checked him out."

"And…?"

"And what?"

"Did he check you out, too? Because just now, he was totally checking you out," Alice was practically salivating in delight.

"He might have checked me out, too," I grumbled. "But seriously, Ally, just leave it alone."

"Why? He seems to like you…"

"I have a boyfriend," I said reflexively. Oh, sure, now it just trips off my tongue. Where were those words ten minutes ago?

Alice scowled. "A boyfriend that you're about to dump."

"Alice! A boyfriend that I'm having some problems with. A boyfriend that I still live with."

"But if he likes you and you like him…"

"It would be wrong, Ally. Look, whatever is going to happen with Jay will happen. But the fact of the matter is, I haven't talked to him about it at all and until I do, until Jay and I sort out whatever we're going to do, then I'm still in a committed relationship. End of story."

She huffed and looked like she was going to keep going, but Mrs. Brandon saved me by swooping in and demanding that Alice take her back to her suite and show her the pictures from her last wedding dress fitting. Alice shot me a look over her mother's shoulder as they walked away that was loaded with meaning. She was so not going to let this go.

I glanced around the room quickly and spotted Edward, watching me. Then he set his empty glass down on the table next to him and purposefully started towards me. Trouble. He was nothing but trouble. And this situation was nothing but trouble. I dropped my eyes and pretended I didn't see him and headed for the exit. I didn't exhale until I was safely in the elevator alone. I was going back to my room to call Jay, just like I should.

I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the polished brass panels lining the elevator.

"You're a tramp," I muttered angrily at myself.

Yes, Edward was astoundingly good-looking. And yes, every time I looked at him I felt a little boneless. And yes, knowing he was looking at me made me feel like I was flying; it made me feel beautiful and desirable again. But what I said to Alice was the truth. Jay and I had been together for over four years. We lived together, we had a joint checking account, joint utilities, our lives were entwined in a million different ways, big and small. I might have decided to end it, but that didn't mean that I was free overnight. Edward, as dazzling as he was, would hopelessly confuse an already painful and confusing situation. He would hopelessly confuse me, and I already had enough to deal with.

The next time he flirted with me, if he flirted with me again, I would be honest and tell him about Jay, like I should have tonight. Then he would go to his corner and I would go to mine, and I'd be the same faithful, trustworthy girl who left Seattle this morning. It was too bad that I was so tired of being that girl.