A/N: Hi ladies. I decided to post this chapter a little early. Hope you like it.

I still don't have a beta, so if anyone wants to volunteer or knows someone who might want to take it on, let me know. Put the word out there for me.

I've also added some pictures to my profile for each chapter up. Just a little visual to go along with the story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Chapter 4

Can't Get My Head Around You

With the wedding out of the way, life moved on. Ben and Angie returned from their honeymoon. My business was steadily picking up steam. I was so busy; I had to hire Alice full time to help me. She really was a life savior. She had created the website for the company and did the initial consultation on all new clients. We worked great together.

I didn't hear much from or about Edward after that day. This was mostly because I was too proud to ask. I was still annoyed that my panties were being used as some man-whore's trophy for his exploration around the country. He really was disgusting. Angela would try to make conversation about him or what exactly happened that day, but I wouldn't take the bait.

A few months later, Alice decided I needed to put myself out there. She met this guy and he was perfect for me. I resisted, but ultimately she broke me down. I agreed to go out with Eric Yorkie. He was a nice guy on paper, but it didn't translate in person. Alice told me he worked at an art studio and we shared similar tastes in music. She gave him my number and we talked for a while. We got along okay and set up a date to meet at a restaurant downtown the next night.

I showed up and gave the hostess his name. She informed me that he had not arrived, but that she will seat me at the table. We were supposed to be meeting at 7:30 and it was now 7:32. The waiter came over and asked for my drink order, I let him know that I was waiting on someone and would order when they arrived. He walked away and returned fifteen minutes later. Eric had still not shown up, so I went ahead and ordered myself a drink. If I was going to be stood up, I could ease my pain with alcohol.

Another ten minutes passed, I looked up at a man approaching the table. The first thing my eye catches is the zebra print LADIES blouse he is wearing, along with the extremely tight, black leather pants. This cannot be him! But just as the thought entered my head, it left, as he sat down across from me. I think my mouth was wide open and he must have taken my expression as a compliment because he tells me there is a little drool in the corner of my mouth. I think I might throw up.

"So how are you Bella?" He asks seductively. At least that is what I think he is going for.

"Well…Eric…I'm feeling pretty good since I sat here an enjoyed several drinks, seeing that you were twenty-five minutes late." I responded snidely.

"Good, that's great. Got you good and loosened up?" Eric wiggled his eyebrows and I think I actually threw up a little.

"No, no it didn't. The only thing that needs loosening up, is your pants." I threw some money on the table and walked out. I called Alice to let her know she was relieved of her match-making duties, but she unsurprisingly didn't answer the phone. I stopped at a burger place on the way home and enjoyed dinner alone.

I wouldn't let Alice set me up with anyone else, even though she asked frequently over the next several months. "Come on Bella, this guy is really hot. He works at a bank, so he wears a suit, no women's clothes," she said persuasively.

"No thanks, Alice. Not interested."

"He is a great catch; you are going to regret this. I can feel that you would be great together."

"If he is so great, why don't you date him?"

"I can't date a banker," she said with and disgusted look on her face. "Gosh Bella, don't you know me at all?" I rolled my eyes at her. Alice preferred the grungy, struggling musician or artist. I guess opposites attract. She walked out of my office with a little huff.

Angela called later to ask if I would join them for dinner that night. I agreed and asked if she needed me to bring anything. "Just yourself. I have a surprise for you though."

"Oh my god, you're pregnant," I asked excitedly.

"No, I'm not. Just…"

"You got a promotion?" I guessed again.

"I'm a teacher, what am I going to get promoted to?"

"I don't know, principal?"

"Just be at my house tonight, dress nice." And she hung up. Dress nice? I always dress nice. I wasn't going to change my clothes to go over there. I was wearing a black pencil skirt with a royal blue blouse, finished with my four inch Manolo's. This was as nice as it was going to get.

I tried to think what the surprise could be, but couldn't come up with anything. I dove back into my work until it was time for me to head over to Angela's house. I decided to pick up a bottle of wine for dinner. I arrived at her house and just walked in. "Hello…Angela?" I could hear some noise coming from the kitchen, so I headed in that direction. I turned the corner to see Angela and Ben moving around the kitchen. "Hey, I brought wine."

Suddenly an arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me roughly. I let out a little yelp of shock and a voice whispered close to my ear. "Hi pumpkin, miss me?" I spun around quickly and pushed Edward away from me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked venomously.

"Surprise!" Angela said from behind me. I turned around and cut my eyes at her.

"What the hell Angela?" What did she think was going to happen? Was she expecting me to run into his arms?

"You didn't miss me?" Edward pouted. I ignored his question and turned back to my traitorous sister.

"Edward just moved here and I thought it would be nice if we all had dinner together," she said meekly.

"What do you mean moved here? Like to New Orleans?"

"Geez Bella, I didn't realize you were so dense. Keep up. I am now a proud citizen of the Crescent City. Shouldn't you be welcoming me or something?" Edward quipped with his arm around my shoulder.

"Shut up!" I shrugged his arm off of me. "He's here for dinner? Like with us, at the same table?" I looked at my sister expectantly.

"Yes, I am and maybe you should crack open this bottle of wine so you can relax a little," he said sweetly.

"I have a boyfriend," I blurted out suddenly. Everyone looked at me strangely. "Um, he works at a bank…and wears a suit…not women's clothes…and I have to meet him, so bye." I turned on my heel and made my way to the door. I could hear Edward laughing and Angela calling my name. I walked right out the house and didn't look back.

Footsteps approached me from behind. I knew it was Edward. I could smell him. Masculine but undertones of something sweet. "Bella wait, I'm sorry I was a jerk." I just kept walking. "Please stop. Bella, I was excited to see you. It made me nervous. I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "Just come back in…"

"I can't. I really do have to go. Tell Angie I'll call her later." I got in my car and left. I couldn't handle sitting across the table from Edward. He said he was excited to see me; I was excited to see him too. I couldn't deny the attraction I had for him, but he could be such an asshole. It was like he was two totally different people. The sweet, easy to talk to guy was usually masked by the cocky man whore, the latter of whom I couldn't stand. Besides, I'd embarrassed myself enough for one night.

And Angela, she was really confusing me with all of this. I don't know why she was pushing us together so much. She never tried to play match maker, that was Alice. I would have to let her know that Edward and I were never going to happen. We just didn't get along, didn't mesh well. There were things we had in common and of course the sex was magnificent, but he wasn't a person I could see myself with. That's a lie; I could see myself with him if my hands were wrapped around his neck or a pillow over his face.

I called Alice and told her to set me up with Mr. Banker. She was ecstatic. I didn't tell her why I had a sudden change of heart; I didn't want anyone to know. I would deny any and all assumptions that I was harboring some feelings for Edward. I barely knew him and didn't want to get to know him any better, so I would get to know someone else. That works doesn't it?

Mr. Banker, who turned out to be Tyler, emailed me the date information. A little impersonal, but whatever. He thought it would be best if we met at a coffee shop and take it from there. He told me what he would be wearing, which made me raise an eyebrow. Just from the tone of the email, he sounded extremely anal. But I would give it a shot; I would at least get a cup of coffee out of it.

I met Tyler the next day at a small coffee shop a few blocks from my home. I approached the good looking man wearing a light grey suit. He was sitting in the back corner of the café, reading a newspaper. I walked over to him and introduced myself. "Hi, Tyler?" He stood and extended his hand.

"Bella, nice to meet you. You look great. I went ahead and ordered you a coffee, because the way I drink coffee should be the only way anyone drinks it," he said proudly. I resisted rolling my eyes and sat down across from him.

"Um okay, what is it?" I smelled the coffee through the lid, waiting for him to answer.

"Venti vanilla latte, iced, five pumps, low fat with whip and a little hazelnut on top. I bet after you drink that, you won't order your coffee any other way." He sipped his coffee and let out a dramatic moan. Pretentious coffee drinker, yay!

I took a small sip of the coffee, it was okay. Nothing to call home about and I definitely wouldn't be ordering it again. Hell, I couldn't even remember what he said it was called. I would stick with my coffee with sugar and cream. Tyler was looking at me expectantly, so I gave a little nod in his direction. "Yum," I added. I leaned forward and asked Tyler about his day. I would come to find out this was a mistake.

"Well, I had to work a few hours this morning. I'm a loan processor, so Saturdays are usually pretty busy. A lot of people are in the market for new vehicles right now. That has probably been what 75% of the people applying for loans were looking for."

"I'm actually in the market for a new car, since my-"

"Yeah, I just bought a BMW M3 convertible. It's pretty awesome. I got a really great deal on it. You should take me with you when you're looking for a new car. It's proven that men get better deals on automobiles than women. I wouldn't want you getting ripped off." He gave me a wink, sounding like he would be doing me such a great favor.

"I don't think that would be necessary. My father-"I started. He interrupted again. Wow, can't believe he is still single.

"My dad just moved to Colorado, did I tell you that already? He couldn't take the humidity anymore. My mom really didn't want to move, but he told her she could continue to live in this hot as hell city alone. So she ended up moving there. I'm looking to buy a cabin or something up there, you know just to get away. It would be a great investment. Do you invest, Bella?" He asked. I had started to tune him out and look around the coffee shop, so I was shocked that he was actually asking me a question.

"Oh, um, I don't really invest. Alice is more into-"

He cut me off AGAIN! What is up with this guy? "You should really think about your future Bella. You have to spend money to make it. That is what I tell all my friends. Even starting out small, it could really push you to the next level."

I had about just enough of this guy. I just nodded my head. He began talking again, surprise surprise. I just entertained myself looking at the other people entering and leaving the shop. There was a young girl typing away on her laptop and guy nodding his head along to whatever he was listening to through his headphones. I looked to the counter; the baristas were just standing around talking about an upcoming concert. My attention turned to the door and I desperately wished someone I knew would walk through the door and rescue me.

"-broke up. I don't think I could be with a woman who spent money so carelessly. I mean $300 shoes. How impractical." Tyler looked at me expecting me to agree with him. I just shrugged my shoulders. Truthfully, I own several pairs of shoes that cost that much. It's my money; I'll spend it as I wish. He must have taken my silence as agreement and started on a new topic. I resumed my people watching.

The bell on the door chimed and my head turned in that direction. Edward walked in and up to the counter. Oh shit. I slouched down in my seat a little, hoping he wouldn't notice me. But of course luck is never on my side. "Bella?" Edward asked, walking over to Tyler and me.

I smiled up at him. He looked great, wearing a black t-shirt, dark jeans and converse. His hair was in its usual state of disarray. My mouth watered a little. "Hello, Edward. What are you doing in this part of town?" I asked, trying to play nice.

"I live just down the road," he said his eyes moving between Tyler and I. "I'm meeting a realtor to look for a space to open a bar. I just started searching." As Edward was finishing, Tyler cleared his throat and looked at me expectantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Edward, Tyler. Tyler this is Edward," I introduced them.

"Tyler, the banker boyfriend who wears suits and not women's clothes? Nice to meet you." Edward said with a smirk. "Bella is a good friend of mine, we go way back."

"Way back, I just met you like six months ago. I wouldn't even say we are friends, acquaintances maybe." I corrected him.

"Acquaintances? I would say our relationship is more intimate than that…" he said sadly. I felt my face flush. "Looks like you remember what I'm talking about based on that blush. Well there's my realtor. See ya around Bella." He walked away, leaving me with my mouth hanging open in shock. Bastard.

I turned my attention back to Tyler. He looked pissed off, like really pissed off. "Did he say boyfriend. Are you going around telling people I'm your boyfriend? This is the first time we've met, that is a little strange Bella. You're really nice, but I think I'm going to go." He was looking at me nervously, like I was going to freak out. Tyler walked out of the coffee shop, never turning his back to me.

Well I hoped for a savior, and got one. I could have done without the smart ass comments, but it got rid of Tyler none the less. I began my walk home and phoned Alice to let her know she sucked. She was great at many things, but setting people up was not one of them. She laughed when I recounted the details of the date, leaving out Edward of course. "It's not funny Alice, I think I said like ten words the entire time." She laughed some more and told me she wouldn't look for anymore guys to set me up with. I thanked her and told her I would talk to her later.

I walked up my steps and thought of something Edward said in the coffee shop. He said he lived around here. Around my neighborhood. I would probably see him all the time. We apparently would use the same coffee shop, who knows what else. The same grocery store, gas station, oh god, what if he was my neighbor? No, I would have noticed someone moving in over there. I guess I really needed to get over this tiff with Edward. I would definitely being seeing him again.


A/N: As always all reviews get a teaser. Let me know if you guys would be interested in and Edward POV for any of the chapters already written. I know there will be EPOV in future chapters, but just wanted to know if you wanted to see anything from his point of view up until now. Let me know. ~Ashlei~