Disclaimer: S.M owns it, I just make them naughty
C/N: Welcome to chapter 4.
A/N: BREAKING DAWN HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN FILMING! With all the excitement yesterday into today I decided to give u guys a chapter a day early! Still swooning over dancing kissing touching R/K pics! Quick thanks to MizMandy and my new prereader ibelieverk You guys own me! and if it wasnt for u I probably wouldnt be writing! Hope you guys like it. Follow me on twitter punkfox825
I pulled up to the Cullen house at 5 o'clock. I hoped if I came earlier enough I could hide out in the kitchen with Esme and not have to interact with anyone. Namely him, Mr. Tongue-tie-woman-when-I-walk-in-a-room. I recognized the two cars in the drive way. One belonged to Esme and the other was Alice's.
Good no guys here apparently.
I walked up the steps to their door letting myself in without knocking. We all had been coming here for so long that eventually Esme informed us it irritated her when we knocked. I call out hello hoping someone will respond in this huge house. I hear a chorus of in here's come from the kitchen. I cross the entry way and navigate myself in the direction of the kitchen. As I turn the corner I see Rose and Alice perched on barstools across the counter from Esme.
"Bella dear so good to see you!" I walk around the island to greet my surrogate mom.
"Hi Esme. How you been?"
"Oh just wonderful now that you're here. The girl's here were just filling me in on the latest gossip."
I cringe knowing what that gossip entails. Me, namely me and my idiotic meeting with her eldest.
"Oh really that's nice." I plaster a fake smile across my face hoping the subject will change now that I am actually in the room. Does it? You guessed it. Bella Swan wrong again. "What's for dinner?" I turn towards the stove behind her to lift lids.
"The pasta and sauce are boiling for the lasagnas. The boys aren't home yet so we have to wait so you just make yourself comfortable and fill me in on your side of the story. I'll get you a glass of wine."
I know its worthless to even try fighting it so I try to go with the notion that if we get it out of the way now I can maybe get through the night peacefully later.
I resign myself onto a stool with a huff. "Ok what's the latest?" I robotically answer knowing full well where this going.
Esme slides a wine glass across the counter to me.
I swear she just winked at me. That must be where he gets it from.
"So you and Edward…." Esme trails off like she wants to say more on the subject.
"Let's not even go there please. We have said about 10 words to each other. And those mainly consisted of my telling him off rudely."
The three exchange looks. More of this cryptic shit going around the kitchen.
"Can I just mention something Isabella?" Esme has never looked at me so softly in my life. She actually looks like she's scared of my reaction.
"Yeah of course you can Esme." I try to reassure her that I'm not gonna bite her head off or something.
"I just want to mention, that I like to think I know my son pretty well. And on that note he came home quite different then I've ever seen him before last night. "
One of my eyebrows quirks on its own, trying to make sense of what she's telling me.
"You intrigued him my dear."
I intrigued him? What the hell does that mean?
I stew a few moments trying to make sense of what has transpired. Esme stands up and moves to the stove beginning to layer out the lasagna ingredients in two pans. Alice and Rose begin conversing to the side of me. I finally find my voice to ask the question that has been bugging me all afternoon.
"Who's Nessa?" The entire room goes silent. Esme stops ladling sauce and turns to look at me. She make's eye contact with each of the other girls. "She doesn't…." They both shake their heads. "We didn't think it was our place to say anything." Alice whispers solemnly. Now I can't help but wonder what the hell I've gotten into here.
Esme lays the ladle down before taking a deep breath and looking me directly in the eyes. "Well Bella…Nessa is-"
We're interrupted at that precise time by the front door opening and loud voices filtering into the house.
"We're home!" I hear come from the front of the house as the other three females in the room exchange a look.
I steel myself for the male bodies that I can hear nearing the kitchen and are about to turn the corner. What comes instead surprises me greatly. Instead of four adult male bodies I hear a patter of extremely smaller feet nearing. Suddenly a tiny feminine voice rings out in the silence of the kitchen.
"Gammie Gammie. Daddy got me ball!" A tiny bouncy haired little girl bounds into Esme's arms holding a purple ball.
"Oh hi there baby girl. Were you a good girl for papa?" The little girl nods her head enthusiastically.
"I houngy" The little girl tells Esme.
"Gammie's cooking dinner right now baby girl you want to go play?"
"Pwease?"
"Of course sweetie." Esme's eyes catch mine." But first will you say hi to everyone?"
The little girl's eyes travel around the room. "Hi Ali. Hi Rosie." Her eyes stop on mine before looking back at Esme's.
"This is Bella. Bella this is Nessa. My grand-daughter. Edward's daughter." Esme explains.
My heart and throat clench.
"Hi Bwellwa" Her tiny voice says to me.
Esme placed her back down on the floor after patting her head. Just as she toddled out of the room Carlisle (Jasper and apparently Edward's father) and Jasper turn the corner into the kitchen with bag's of groceries.
Esme is leaning against the counter still staring intently at me. "Does it make sense now?"
I can't help as my head automatically shakes no.
Alice questions Jasper about where Edward is after saying hello to him. He explains that he went upstairs to change apparently Nessa spilt her juice cup on him. I quietly excuse myself to the backyard. I'm suddenly feeling the need for some cool air.
I settle into one of the chaise loungers in the back yard with my head between my knees. I try taking a few deep breaths as the past 24 hours flows through my head. Gorgeous guy at the bar that I had great time bantering with is Edward. Edward is Jasper's brother. Edward is a father.
Does it change anything?
No. No it doesn't. If anything I think it just makes him more endearing. I may have only said a few words to this guy but something about the way he looks at me snaps something inside of me. Something that hasn't snapped in a really long time.
I don't know how long I sat out there but suddenly a voice behind me made me jump.
"There you are."
Edward sidles up next to me on the chair. "Do you mind?"
I wave over the space to let him know I don't. He sits and takes a deep breath before looking at me.
"So…you met Nessa." It's more of a statement then a question. I simply nod anyways.
"She's sweet." I offer up.
"She's my life." He responds. A few seconds of silence pass between us.
"Why didn't you say anything?" I whisper.
"Does it matter?" He looks me straight in my eyes and I'm immediately taken into the tunnel vision again.
I think of it for only a second. "No it doesn't." I have to break the daze he puts me in. "Now stop using your voodoo dazzling powers on me Edward Cullen."
That one earns a chuckle. "So I'm fuckhawt and have voodoo dazzling powers now? You are a mystery to me Isabella Swan."
"Do I intrigue you Cullen?" I narrow my eyes teasing him with the word his mother used. His jaw goes slightly slack as he looks at me.
"You've been talking to my mother I see."
"So you admit you talk about me to your mother? Did I make that much of an impression on you?"
"More than you would guess." I hear him murmur under his breath.
"Now is that cause of me or just the fact I turned you down?"
"Honestly?" I nod. "In the beginning I think it was just because you turned me down so strongly. But after I heard you sing and talked to Alice I just felt …..this need….. to know you more. "
I can't help as my lower lip finds its way between my teeth and I flip my ring back and forth.
"Do you think we could do that?" I look at him with confusion clear in my eyes. "Do you think we could get to know each other more Isabella?"
I don't even have to think about it that time. I feel the same need he apparently does. This stranger in front of me appeals to me in a way I've never felt before. It's not just the ink, though that helps his case greatly. It's everything about him, and the mystery of the man before me. I feel the need to indulge myself and peel apart the layers of his persona slowly. An preferably in a bed.
I have to mentally chastise myself to stop with those thoughts. The flooding screaming girly bits are making it extremely difficult though.
"Yeah I think we can do that."
"Good." He seems relieved to know this. There's a sweet vulnerable side to him that I'm seeing." Cause I think you kinda like me Isabella." And there he goes back to the cocky side.
"Oh you just know how to ruin the moment don't you Cullen. I don't even know you." I can't help shaking my head as I wonder what the hell I'm getting into here.
"How old are you?" I don't remember ever hearing exactly how old he was. Just that he was older then Jasper. He looks like he can't be more then mid twenty's, I'm not sure if I could handle if he was that much older than me.
"29, you?"
"25." I'm not sure if that changes his mind or not. His face is blank so I can't read how he feels about it.
"Where's Nessa's mother?" I don't know why I care or why it matter's, something is just gnawing at me.
"That my dear is a discussion for a different day." I simply nod my head figuring he's probably right.
"And its Bella." Now it's his turn to be confused. "My friends call me Bella."
"And is that what we are… friends?"
"For now." I have no clue where that came from, and yet I don't regret it.
We share a silent moment once again. It's odd to me how even though we are more less strangers the silence isn't remotely uncomfortable. "We better get back in. God knows what that group is up to."
Edward immediately leaps up off the lounger and holds his hand out for me to take. I slowly slipped my hand into his and was shocked when I felt a tinge of electricity zap me. It wasn't like you normally feel from just static or something. This one seemed to filter from my fingers all the way to my toes. I looked at Edward's face to see if he felt it also or if it was simply my imagination. He was staring slack jawed at our hands before connecting his eyes with mine.
"Should we… should we go inside?" He rubbed his thumb across my knuckles before bringing my wrist to his lips. He never quite kissed it, simply ghosted his lips over it. It was enough to make a shiver run down my spine.
"Are you cold Bella? We should get you inside." His mouth turned up into a grin as he winked before dropping my hand lightly to my side. He motioned for me to go in first. I swore I could feel the heat of a hand on my lower back as we walked back inside but couldn't be sure. Everyone's standing in the kitchen and each grows obviously quiet as we enter. Alice has a grin pasted on her face when she looks at me quickly before volunteering to get Nessa from her room.
She must have had one of her "seeing moments". I'll have to ask her about it later.
Esme eyes both of us as if she could just tell our whole conversation by simply looking at us but luckily doesn't say anything. "There you two are. Dinner's almost done. Everyone go ahead and take their seats."
We all shuffle into the dining room and take our seats around the table. Carlisle on one end, with Jasper next to him, Alice and then me. Rose and Emmett sit across. And of course Edward takes the seat directly across from me with Nessa sitting between him and Esme in a booster seat.
Small talk bounces back and forth around the table as food is served. I'm fairly quiet, only speaking when spoken to. I do learn that Edward is some type of computer programmer or what not. Apparently it gives him the ability to mainly work from home. Only having to travel for meetings every so often. No one brings up why they suddenly moved here or the subject of Nessa's mom. Which is disappointing to me, since I don't want to have to ask about it. I'm assuming Edward will fill in the holes for me at some point in time. We stay around talking long after the food is gone. It's not until my phone rings that I notice how much time has passed. I pull it out of my pocket to read the text message.
"I miss you. We can work this out."
He's really not gonna give up apparently.
I roll my eyes before shoving the phone back in my pocket without responding. I don't realize everyone at the table is looking at me until I look back up.
"Let me guess? Mike?" Rose snaps. I narrow my eyes but she doesn't back down.
"Who's Mike?" The voice in front of me speaks up.
I lock eyes with him before quickly looking down mumbling 'nobody'. It's silent for a moment before Edward speaks up again declaring its time for Nessa to go to bed. He picks her up after she offers her nite nites to everyone and Esme kisses her on the head. Edward disappears out of the door way towards the stairs. Suddenly there is a flurry of motion as everyone tries to fill the awkward moment by suddenly offering to help clean up. Esme excuses the boys while us females help her bring dishes to the kitchen. We finish cleaning up dinner and Edward still has not appeared. So I offer my own good nights hoping to make it out before Edward comes back downstairs. I cross the stairs headed to the front door just as I hear footsteps descending the stairs.
"Bella wait!"
I turn around and come face to face with a flushed Edward.
"I was hoping you hadn't left yet. Nessa took a bit longer than normal to go down."
I duck my head trying to escape as quickly as possible. "I was just heading out. Thanks for dinner. Good night Edward." I try to turn without stumbling but Edward reaches out and grabs my arm swinging me back around. His hand slides down my arm until he takes my hand in his.
"Who's Mike Bella?" His voice is almost too low for me to hear.
Too low if I wasn't completely in tune and thriving off any sound or movement this man made.
"That is a story for a different day." I use his own words against him.
"Fair enough." Suddenly the confident man I had grown so accustomed to seems nervous. He pushes his hand through his hair a few times before gripping it tightly and tugging. "Listen…Umm…god why is this so hard?"
"Just spit it out Edward, geez what's the big deal?" I find it almost humorous but will myself not to laugh at loud at his obvious nervousness.
"I planned on taking Nessa to the park tomorrow morning before her nap. I was wondering if you would join us." He rushes it all out so fast it takes a second for my brain to filter it and make sense of what he has said.
"Are you asking me on a play date Cullen?" My confidence to tease seems to rise the more nervous he is.
He smirks at me. "No. Not a date. I just know you didn't get to spend a whole lot of time getting to know Nessa. Thought it would be nice if you came and hung out. We could talk while Nessa plays. You know? Get to know each other a bit better. Just as you know….friends. Friends do that right?" He has a slight sparkle in his eyes that I cant quite make sense of. "That and if you're there maybe you can keep all the single moms at the park at bay."
"Well maybe if you wouldn't dazzle them with all your fuckhawtness so much you wouldn't have so much of an issue there Cullen." He gives me that crooked grin and I realize in that moment I don't think I would ever be able to tell this man no even if I wanted to. "Ok sounds good what time?"
"Uh how about 10am?"
"Ok should I just meet you guys here?"
"Yeah that would be perfect the parks just around the corner we can walk from here."
"Ok then it's a…friend date. I'll be here. Good night Edward."
He surprises me by leaning in closer to me with only the upper half of his body. He presses his lips against my cheek in a feather light kiss that lingers just a second past that whole 'friends' level before pulling away.
"Good night Bella. Sleep well." With that he turns around a walks away. I can feel the tingles in my cheek all the way out to my car. I slide into the driver's seat still in a slight daze. I realize for the first time I was actually right about something. I wasn't going to be getting rid of Edward Cullen anytime soon. As I couldn't deny the fact I didn't want to.
C/N: Awwww time for a playdate! Should have a update in week!
A/N: Find me at www . Twitter . com / Punkfox825