A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful thoughts.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have a hard time understanding E&B's Facetime calls because every other word is missing, imagine how she feels? ;) (Which means, I wrote it that way on purpose). :)

Most characters belong to S. Meyer. The rest is all mine.

After Christmas: The First Post-Christmas – Chapter 3

Mid-February

Kathmandu – Friday, 3:37 p.m. local time/Friday, 4:52 a.m. NYC

Jersey Girl, just want to make sure you got home safely last night. Last time we spoke, you told me about that concert you were going to, and I asked you to send me a quick text when you got home. It's past three p.m. here, which means it's almost five a.m. in NYC. I'm a bit worried. Just text me when you can, okay. You're prob already sleeping, but just shoot me a quick text when you can. (I hate this time difference.)

Kathmandu – Friday, 5:02 p.m. local time/Friday, 6:17 a.m. NYC

Bella, I swear I'm not trying to stalk you. I'm just a bit worried. Two words, okay? "I'M FINE" – and I promise I'll leave you alone. Promise.

NYC – Friday, 1:33 p.m. local time/Saturday, 12:18 a.m. Kathmandu

Sorry, Edward! I know you asked me to send you a quick text when we got home from the concert, but as soon as my butt hit the couch, I knocked out. Then, I overslept, and I just saw your texts and missed calls. It's about one-thirty in the afternoon Friday here now, so it's past midnight Saturday for you? Now, I feel like shit. But just sleep, Edward. I'm fine. We'll talk in the morning. Or afternoon. Or whenever we can. (I hate the time diff too).

With a sigh, I flicked the cell phone aside, closed my eyes, and resumed my position on the couch, knowing I'd have to force myself up in the next couple of minutes. Just as I began to doze, the tinkling of a Facetime call had me sitting up straight. The quick movement jostled my already aching head; still, a wide smile spread across my face as I swiped a finger over the phone.

"Hey!" I sang out rather hoarsely.

"Just got - text. I've - worried," Edward breathed, a small smile of relief lifting one corner of his own mouth as he jerkily raked his free hand through his hair; or rather, the shitty connection made his movements appear jerky.

"I'm sorry," I chuckled, "but you know I can't hang."

"Which is - - - worried," he grinned. "So, - was the concert?"

We had a name for it by now - BC, for Bad Connection. It was even worse than usual that afternoon.

"Long," I smiled, "and loud."

"Yeah, sounds like a - -al-." He shot me a teasing grin, so I assumed whatever he said was meant to tease me. "I don't-"

The picture froze as Edward's lips came together on his next vowel. While I waited for the frame to unfreeze, two seconds became four, then six.

"Edward? Edward?"

When it was obvious BC wouldn't fix itself, I sighed and hit 'End.' Two seconds later, he Facetimed again.

"I'm sorry, Bella. The internet in this part of town is so damn spotty. Is the connection better?" He raked a hand through his messy hair, but with the picture's jumpiness, I only caught the lift of his hand before it was back at his side.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's better."

"Good." He rested against the bed's iron headboard. In a white tee shirt and gray sweats, he was in what I'd come to learn in the past few months was, like me, his preferred bedtime attire. At his side, a lit lamp, a mug, and haphazardly strewn papers were on his nightstand.

"Working late?"

"Yeah," he replied, exhaling heavily, the dark circles ringing his eyes further confirmation. Yet, they made the emerald of his eyes pop, and made me want to reach through the small screen to stroke the shadowed skin. "But it's fine. Gives me - excuse to - up in case you call without - too - a stalker."

I laughed despite the pain caused by the sharp hammering in my brain. "It's kind of hard to stalk someone from seventy-five-hundred miles away. I'm sorry," I said again. "I didn't mean to worry you when you're busy."

"Don't apologize. I'm just glad you're okay."

I rested my head against the couch. For a few seconds, we just smiled at one another.

"So how have you been, Bella? You look…beautiful," he said, as he always did. That is, whenever we were able to connect. With time differences, schedule differences, spotty connections, work, school, and everything else…it wasn't easy or often.

"Beautiful, I'm not. Hungover, I am," I chuckled. "And I've got a massive headache."

"Which apparently makes you speak like Yoda." He grinned.

I laughed. "Did you just call me Yoda?"

"Hungover I am," he mocked. "That's because you, - Jersey Girl, are not accustomed to the party life."

"Ugh, the party life is overrated," I said.

Edward chuckled. "Are Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumb as badly off?"

I laughed. "Tweedle-Dee is in her bed, and Tweedle-Dumb is in mine."

Edward frowned darkly. "Really?"

"Relax," I snorted, pulling the phone back so he could see my surroundings. "I'm on the couch. See?"

"Oh. I mean, not that I have a right to say anything." He swallowed.

"Mhm," I smirked, nodding sagely.

He gave me a sheepish chuckle. "Though, I do find it interesting that you get the couch while Diego gets your bed."

"Had you seen me last night, you'd understand why I couldn't even make it past the couch."

"Question: Does Diego ever go home?"

"Answer: Once in a while," I smiled.

"Anyway," he sighed, "Jasper - a great day-after - for hangovers. I can text - and get - for you - you'd like."

"Yeah, I'm sure MW knows an amazing day-after cure for hangovers," I snorted. "Thanks, but no thanks."

Again, he laughed, and the sound just made my heart swell. "MW. I told him - call him that. He thinks it's hilarious, by - way."

"He would, the Man Whore," I chuckled, rolling my eyes.

His chuckles died down, a soft smile remaining. "Yeah, come to think of it, never mind. He'd probably want to deliver it personally. He's dying to meet you, you know, but I'd rather be there when he does."

"Would you?" I lay back on the couch again. "How come?"

A wry grin replaced the soft smile. "Well, he is considered the more handsome one of us."

"What? Man, he must be God-like or something, then," I teased.

"Yeah, he is," Edward said with mock seriousness. "Aside from knowing just what to say to the girls, he's an inch or so taller than me, he's got blonder hair, lighter eyes, and he makes a shitload of money."

"I can see why he's so popular! Maybe I should accept his Friend requests."

He lifted a brow. "Maybe you should."

I chuckled. "You, Mr. Cullen, have a serious jealous streak going on. Edward, please don't take this to mean I care one way or the other, but you must be wealthy yourself."

Here, he released a long and deep sigh. "Well, I would be, if I hadn't told my father to shove his money up his ass a few years ago."

Now it was my turn to lift a brow. "Sounds like an interesting story."

"One day, I'll give you the full account, but considering the current local time and the distance between us, suffice it to say we had a disagreement regarding my career choice. He claims I'm disinherited, which is fine by me." He shrugged.

"That must make things uncomfortable, at the very least, at family soirees."

"We still speak, as much as we've ever spoken, which isn't much. Jasper gets along better with him."

"No surprise there," I smiled.

"He and my mother play mediators when required. But…" he raked a hand through his hair, "it is what it is, Bella. My parents and I rarely see eye to eye on much, as you and I have discussed."

I nodded somewhat sadly. "I wonder if that's part of the reason you were so ready to leave the States for so long."

"Maybe," he conceded easily enough. "Aside from Jasper, who despite his MW ways, I really do get along with, there wasn't much tying me to home, Bella." Then, with another wry grin, he added, "Which just gives me more of a reason to be pissed off at my parents, because if that's the case, then it's their fault I'm here when I should be there with you, Jersey Girl, nursing that hangover of yours."

"With your brother's cure?" I murmured.

"Yeah," he breathed. "No. Better yet, with my own secret cure."

"That does sound supremely better," I breathed in return. "Ugh," I threw my head against the back of the couch, "I swear, I don't understand how some of my fellow Millennials party like this from Thursday to Sunday every single weekend. Thank God I have no classes on Fridays."

"So, just sleep - for the - of the day, Jersey -," he said softly. "You'll feel better in a - while. I wish I was - to take care - you."

I tried my best to ignore the return of BC.

"Me too. In which case, I might be tempted to stay in bed."

He snorted, and even with the distorted image, I could see him swallow. "Ah, Jersey Girl, you're killing -. If I was there, I'd - - - - - night -. Trust me, that - - care of - -."

I chuckled. "God, I wish I knew what you just said."

Edward sat up. "BC?"

"Yeah," sighed.

"You should've told me."

"It's alright. It comes and it goes. I've gotta go anyway," I said reluctantly. "It's late, and I've got to shake this off, take a shower, do my laundry, run some errands, and then finish up a couple of projects due next week."

"My brainy girl. I understand," he said, though I could see his disappointment. "I've gotta finish up this stuff too. These plans keep getting changed, rewritten, re-reviewed." He exhaled. "It's frustrating. I swear, at this rate, we won't actually begin construction until next year."

"That's a depressing thought," I snorted, "on so many levels."

"I know it is. But more for the people here who are waiting for their own homes."

"You're right, Edward. You're right. Edward? There's no way your brother is better than you, in any way, shape, or form. And I'm glad you told your dad to stick it – no matter what the complete back story is."

He laughed. "Jersey Girl? It's not even logical how much I miss you."

"I know," I chuckled. "Trust me, I know."

"We'll talk again soon."

"Okay."

"Okay."

OOOOOOOOOO

Late March

When the Facetime call came in, we were on the brink of solving an algorithmic formula which had stumped us for the better part of an hour.

"No, Bella, don't answer it!" Diego pleaded. "We've almost got this!"

"He's got an important morning," I explained quickly before swiping my finger across the screen.

Diego groaned under his breath.

"Jersey Girl," Edward smiled softly. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

I smiled in return. "What's going on? How's everything?"

"Nutty. And for you?"

"Same," I shrugged. "You caught me mid mid-term-study-session-ing."

"Shit, that's right. Did I interrupt? I interrupted, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did," Diego muttered.

"Good talking to you too, Diego," Edward said in the same flippant tone.

Out of view of the laptop's screen, I flipped Diego the finger.

"Never mind him. We were due for a break anyway."

"Hey, Edward!" Alice called out, squeezing her head into the screen's view. "How's Kathmandu and the humanitarian effort?"

"Hey, Alice," Edward smiled. "It's Kathmandu-like and humanitarian-like."

She chuckled. "I hear you've got a big meeting this morning."

"Pretty big, yeah."

"Hold on, Edward." Uncrossing my legs, I stood from the couch and carried the laptop to the bedroom.

"Bella, we need the laptop!" Diego protested.

"Diego, use your own damn laptop. Jesus, dude," I said without turning around. As I closed the bedroom door, I heard Alice laughing at Diego.

"So, what's up?" I asked.

Edward looked anxious, his hands on his hips as he stood a few feet back from his own laptop. Still, seeing him dressed in dark dress pants, with a crisp white dress shirt unbuttoned, and his usually wild hair brushed back neatly made me smile.

"I really am sorry I interrupted, but I need your help." He walked back quickly to his bed and picked up a couple of objects, holding them up as he turned back to the screen. "My Nepalese HFH counterpart'll be here any moment to pick me up, and I don't know which tie to wear. Red or blue?"

"Hm." I rubbed my chin with my thumb. "It is an important decision. Are there cultural connotations you're aware of associated with each color?"

His arms fell to his sides, the ties still gripped tightly in each hand. "That's a good question. I think red means something-"

"Hold on, I'm googling it," I said. "Okay, so basically, red is associated with power and bravery, while blue is associated with peace and harmony. Therefore, it depends; do you want to demand from them…or request from them?"

"Jesus, Jersey Girl." He raked the hand holding the blue tie through his hair. "I don't know what I'd do without you – even seventy-five hundred damn miles away."

"Edward, you've got this. You've worked hard for it for months, and the Nepalese officials know it. No matter which tie you wear, you'll do fine and get those permits – although, I'd personally go with the blue," I chuckled.

"The blue it is," he said softly, sitting at the edge of his bed and resting the laptop on his knees, appearing much more relaxed. He sighed. "I wish I could come back home tonight and find you here so I could take you out to celebrate."

"Yeah? Where would you take me?"

"I'd take you to the best damn restaurant in Kathmandu. Then, I'd take you dancing, and then I'd…"

"And then you'd...?"

He swallowed thickly, his green eyes dark, even through the screen.

"I'd better go," I murmured. "The midterm is at seven in the morning."

"All right. Go finish your studying. Diego's probably ready to tear down the door."

I laughed. "Yeah. He probably is."

I heard his doorbell ring. "There's Irina. I've gotta go, too."

"Good luck, Edward."

"You too, Jersey Girl."

For a long while, after we disconnected, I just…sat there, even though I knew they were waiting. Alice eventually came looking for me.

"I thought you were still Facetiming," she said as she closed the door behind her.

"Nah. He had to go to his meeting."

"And you've got a big test tomorrow morning." She took a seat beside me.

"Yeah."

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Babe…you know he's thousands of miles away, right?"

I looked at her. "No! I thought he was right across the street." I smirked. "I know that, Alice."

She chuckled. "It's just, sometimes, the way you two speak with one another, it's like you both think you're just across the street."

I shifted my gaze to the closed door a few feet away. "Sometimes it feels like he is nearby. And sometimes…" I sighed, "it feels like he's exactly seven thousand and five hundred miles away."

We were both quiet for a moment.

"Are you holding out for him? Four years apart is a long time, especially when you only spent one day together."

I shrugged. "I don't know that I'd consider it holding out for him. It's not as if there's anyone here I'm pushing away because of Edward," I snorted.

"I don't know that I'd agree with that."

Again, I looked at her. "What does that mean?"

"Never mind," she said softly. "So, it's serious between you two?"

"We're not even officially dating, Alice. My Facebook status still says Single."

"And his says It's Complicated."

I swallowed and moved my gaze to the door again. "I'm here. He's there. When he's awake, he's busy, and I'm asleep. When I'm awake, I'm busy, and he's asleep. Sometimes, I think even if he was closer, we wouldn't have any more time for one another than we have now. So really, what difference does it make?"

OOOOOOOOOO

Early April

When the laptop beeped from my desk, I swiped distractedly.

"Edward!" I laughed, while still moving around the bedroom.

"You're just packing now?" he chuckled.

My glance was only meant to last a second, but when I caught sight of Edward, I had to pause and sit.

"I haven't had time," I grinned. "I just finished all my midterms. And shouldn't you be at work?"

"I've got nothing big this morning before my nine-a.m. meeting, so I figured I'd hang around here and call my Jersey Girl, see how her spring break prep is going."

"I don't know why I agreed to visit my parents for spring break."

"Because you love them and miss them, and because it doesn't hurt that they're in sunny Miami."

"Yeah, Yeah. I guess. But now I've got to deal with a long weekend of my dad grilling me on my safety precautions, my mom grilling me on my future, Emmett grilling me on guys, and Rosalie…well, no, Rosalie's cool. Plus, I've got so much to do here."

He chuckled. "You're looking forward to seeing them. Besides, you deserve a break, Bella," he added softly. "You've been going non-stop for months."

Edward looked relaxed, sitting on what I recognized as his living-room couch. The Nepalese sun shone brightly through his windows, framing him in glowing daylight.

"Looks like a beautiful day over there."

"It's been hot as balls these past few days," he moaned. "I'm showing up at work in shorts today."

"Are you really?" I chuckled.

"Hell yeah. Look." He picked up the laptop and rotated it so I could see his legs. "See?"

Chuckling, he returned the laptop to his lap. Apparently freshly showered, Edward's hair was still damp. A few tendrils fell over his forehead, giving him a boyish look. His cheeks were red and glowing, contrasting beautifully with the green in his eyes. I'd never seen him in shorts before, and his legs really were attractively muscular. A few, light-toned wisps of hair showed through the top button of his white polo.

"Edward, you really are good-looking."

His chuckles stopped. Instead, he gave me a peculiar look.

"You know," I said, "I've never really understood that expression: 'hot as balls.' Are balls really hot?"

He threw back his head and howled with laughter. "Bella, only you would ask that."

"That's not a full answer," I said, throwing one of his favorite phrases back at him.

He smirked. "Do you really want an answer?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked. Mind you, I'm not completely unfamiliar with balls, per se, but I'm not expertly versed with them either."

He held my gaze through the screen and grinned. "I'm glad to hear you're not an expert, per se. Regardless, someone's feeling fresh today."

"Maybe I am," I murmured.

Edward quirked a brow. "All right," he replied rather hoarsely. "Yeah, Jersey Girl, they're pretty hot. Something to do with physiology and the maintenance of a high sperm count." He cleared his throat.

"Interesting," I breathed. "I wonder…"

"What do you wonder?" he asked after a few seconds of silence between us, smiling wistfully when I still failed to finish my thought. "Bella, do you think we'd have this much trouble getting these little phrases out if we weren't so far apart?"

"I don't really know.

Again, a loaded silence stretched out between us. When his gaze shifted past me, he snorted. "Is that your suitcase? I thought you were only going Thursday through Sunday."

"I am. Don't forget I have that internship interview next Wednesday."

"I haven't forgotten." He smiled. "I'd never forget something so important to you. So, tell me what takes up so much room in your luggage."

"You'd be surprised how much room you need for swimsuits."

"Oh, yeah? Swimsuits, huh? Let me see."

"You want to see my swimsuits?" I grinned.

"Oh yeah, Bella," he said salaciously. "I'd love to see your swimsuits."

I only hesitated for a split-second. Yeah, I was feeling fresh, as he'd put it. In all honesty, I was feeling more than that.

"Would you…like me to model them for you, Edward?"

We had a good connection that night – or that morning, for him. So good, in fact, I heard his short intake of breath. I saw his gaze sharpen. I saw the slight teasing expression wiped off his face and replaced by something much darker.

Standing, I walked over to the open suitcase resting on top of the bed. My two-pieces were in the envelope flap, which I gingerly unzipped. All the while, nothing but silence emanated from the laptop screen.

"Are you there?" I asked as I pulled each bathing suit out.

"I'm here, Bella."

My heart raced as I spread each two-piece over the bed, but it wasn't out of fear or nerves. It was pure, unadulterated excitement.

"Which one first?" I asked.

"Hm. Let's try the red one first."

"All right."

When I turned back to the laptop, Edward's dark eyes locked me in his gaze.

"You're home alone, right?" I breathed.

"I'm always home alone."

"Okay. Just making sure," I smiled.

With the red two-piece in hand, I walked back to the front of the bed. Then, setting the swimsuit aside, I reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. Next, I pushed down my sweatpants.

"Bella, Diego isn't in the apartment, is he?"

"No, Edward. He's visiting family in DR."

He nodded slowly. "And Alice?"

"She ran to Walgreens for some last-minute toiletries for the trip."

Again, he nodded, his chest heaving as my hands moved to the front clasp of my bra. When it fell away, his breath seemed to stop altogether. Finally, I pulled my eyes away from him. Moving my hands to my hips, I pushed down my panties. Without looking at him, I picked up the triangle bikini top and tied it on. Then, I pulled up the red, triangle bottoms before finally sweeping my eyes back to Edward's.

He shook his head languidly. "God, Jersey Girl, there are no words for your perfection."

I chuckled somewhat self-consciously. "What about the swimsuit?"

"You're wearing a swimsuit?"

"Edward…"

"I'm joking. It looks hot as hell on you."

"Not 'hot as balls?'" I teased.

"Totally different expression." Then, with a deep breath, he asked, "How about the black one now?"

"All right," I said somewhat breathlessly. "Let me get it."

"Wait!" he said when I took a step toward the luggage.

"What is it?"

"Take that one off first – before you walk toward the luggage." His voice was low and rough.

"Okay." Slowly, I stripped off both pieces and took the few steps around the bed. Then, I tried on the black swimsuit.

"What about this one?"

"Also a good one," he murmured. "And the last one?"

Repeating the process, I took off the black pieces and allowed them to cascade to the floor as I retrieved and modeled the final swimsuit for Edward, keeping my back to him. I took him in over my shoulder.

"Well? What do you think?"

"I think…Bella, I think I'm going to go crazy before this year is up – never mind four years. You're amazing in every way, you know that?"

I dropped my gaze. "Edward, I've never done anything like this. I want you to know that."

"I do know that my sweet girl," he whispered. "Of course I know that. I've never done anything like this either."

Turning around, I lifted my eyes back to him and watched him lick his lips, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"I want to ask you…Bella, may I ask you to do something? But I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in any way." His speech was agitated, breathing heavy.

"What is it?"

"Would you…would you touch your body, and pretend it's me touching you?"

My eyes fell shut as blood pulsed wildly in my veins, hot and thick while adrenaline coursed through me, and it all pooled in one very specific place.

Reopening my eyes, I held his gaze. "Only if you do too."

He released a long, shuddering breath. "Deal."

OOOOOOOOOO

Early June

We sat squeezed into a round table big enough to accommodate our party of eleven – my parents, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, her mom, Diego, his parents, his kid brother, and me. As was usually the case with large tables celebrating, a few conversations went on at once.

"I'm just saying you should've asked them for a couple of weeks between graduation and your starting day, Bella," my dad said. "You just graduated and you start that internship on Monday? That won't give you a chance to enjoy your newfound freedom."

"Dad," I choked as I swallowed my steak, "do you have any idea how many kids from my program alone competed for that internship? You don't go in there demanding your own personal starting date."

"Hmph," he grunted. "Should count themselves lucky to have you."

My mom chuckled. "She's right, Charlie. She has to start on their terms. Afterward, when they've had a chance to realize what they've got, then she can make demands. I remember how it is," she added quietly, patting my hand.

I grinned at her. For about the hundredth time since graduation a couple of hours earlier, she stroked my hair and gave me a wistful look.

"Oh, Bella, honey. I still can't believe you're done and done so well! Well, I can believe it. It's just…" she sighed. "Just yesterday you were graduating kindergarten."

"Mom." I rolled my eyes playfully.

Her hand trailed past my hair and stroked the delicate white chain around my neck. "What's this pretty thing? Where'd you get this?"

"It's a gift from a friend," I said.

"It's the state of New Jersey," she frowned, chuckling before her eyes met mine. "Since when do you proudly wear the state of New Jersey around your neck?"

"Since Edward gave it to her," Alice provided with a grin.

It was almost comical the way every single conversation around the table, even the one going on in Spanish between Diego and his parents, suddenly came to a halt. Every eye turned my way.

"Edward?" My dad's bushy brow quirked high. "Who the hell is Edward?"

"A friend, Dad," I repeated impatiently.

"Is Edward the same friend who sent that gorgeous flower arrangement back at the apartment?" my mom asked.

"Yes," I sighed.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Emmett asked with a teasing grin.

"Well, he's not a boy, he's a man," I smirked, "so he can't possibly be my boy friend."

"Ooh, Bella's got a guy!"

"Emmett, shut up," Rosalie chided him before grinning my way. "Do you have a guy, B?"

"Bella, honey, why haven't you told us about this Edward?"

"And why the hell isn't he here if he's dating my little girl?"

"Yeah. I've been waiting since the day you were born to put a guy of yours through the Big Brother Third Degree! I've got every word and scene planned out perfectly."

"Em, babe, leave her alone."

"But Rose-"

"Seriously, Bella, why wasn't he at your college graduation, when you graduated summa cum laude?"

"And when can I meet this guy?"

"Jesus! He's just a friend, and he's in friggin' Kathmandu, which is in Nepal, if anyone's wondering! And in case you're wondering further, Kathmandu is seven thousand and five hundred miles away, and ten hours and forty-five minutes in time ahead of our time zone! And he wasn't at my college graduation because he's got a crazy hectic, crazy important job, building a whole goddamn neighborhood for the underprivileged in Kathmandu, and he'll be there for the next three and a half years doing so! Therefore, whether I graduated summa friggin' cum laude or not, his humanitarian efforts clearly take precedence, don't you think? Any more questions?"

Everyone – and I mean everyone in the restaurant – stared at me, open-mouthed.

"Well, okay then," Emmett said.

They returned to their expensive steaks because it wasn't every day most of us could afford a meal at Ruth's Chris i.

My mom patted my hand again and turned to talk with Alice and Diego's moms.

Alice gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry," she mouthed.

Diego pursed his lips and shook his head, returning to his kid brother's pride-infused questions.

I sighed and fingered my necklace, playing with the small NJ plate with a tiny diamond encrusted in its center and a dedication only I knew of engraved in the back:

Jersey Girl: YOU are my pride - Always.

OOOOOOOOOO

Early August

My alarm went off at six a.m., as it had all summer. I had to be at my internship by seven-thirty. While Alice snored – her job didn't start until nine – I slipped into the shower and planned out my day. Grad school would be starting in a couple of weeks. I had books to buy, a couple of teachers I wanted to email with a couple of questions, there was an idea I wanted to discuss with my supervisor at work. Oh yeah, and I wanted to run my schedule by her again before grad school started, to make sure there were no last-minute snafus-

"Bella, someone's desperately trying to get in touch with you! You missed a call and got a text!"

"All right, thanks!" Quickly rinsing the shampoo out of my hair, I let the water run cold for ten seconds and then wrapped a towel around myself. Walking back into the bedroom, I plucked my phone off the nightstand.

Good morning, Bella. I know you're probably rushing to get to your internship, but do you have a couple of minutes? May I call you?

I made the mental time calculations which had become almost second-nature in the past eight months. Six-fifteen a.m. for me meant already five p.m. for Edward. He was almost done with his day; although, he often stayed late at the office.

Sure. :)

I set the phone down and threw on my bra and panties, shimmying into my skirt just as my phone vibrated with Edward's call.

"You, Mr., have been MIA," I said as I slipped an arm through my blouse.

"I know, I know," he said apologetically. "I've been insanely busy trying to get a few things done so that…" A long and deep sigh escaped him. "Hey, do you have any plans for mid-August?"

With only one arm through my blouse, the rest of it blew in the A/C's breeze. "Just grad school and the internship."

"Is that all?" he laughed.

"Why, Edward?" I breathed. All the while, my heart hammered in my chest. "Why?"

"Because, my beautiful Jersey Girl, I'm coming home for a visit."

A/N: Thoughts?

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