"Yes, we have reservations for Roxanne Grayson and Roy Harper," Edward replied to the receptionist while Bella was waiting impatiently for Edward to finish checking in. It had been three days since they had traveled together to Forks, and for the three days after that, they hadn't spoken a word to each other until today. For some reason Bella felt impatient to talk to Edward. They had an early start to the city, and yet they hadn't had a decent talk just yet. Bella's chocolate brown eyes followed a woman, who she thought looked familiar and suspicious. She put down the bags she was carrying and looked back at Edward, who was becoming impatient with the receptionist, who seemed to be new at this.
He looked at her and when he saw her distressed face, he asked into her ear, "What's up?"
Bella whispered into his ear, "Just wait, I think I found a suspect." He looked at her puzzled, but she mouthed, "Trust me." Shrugging, he let her go while he waited for the receptionist to find their reservations.
Bella followed the brown haired figure and she made sure she couldn't be seen as a suspicious sleuthing FBI agent. She followed the woman into a banquet and she widened her eyes when she realized who she was following. She was about to leave the room when someone called her name.
"Bella?" The woman's sweet voice echoed through Bella's ears, and Bella's conscience wouldn't let her take a run for it, so she turned around. She smiled sweetly when she walked towards the figure which called her.
Renee Dwyer looked at her and was shocked, "Bella? Is that really you?" Bella looked at her mother and saw how much had changed of her in the past five or so years. When she saw the dimness of the color in her mother's eyes, she realized she should have taken those vacation times she was offered to see her mother.
Bella cracked a smile, "Yes, it is. Hi, Mom." Renee couldn't help but allow the tears to flow down her cheeks as she hugged Bella with all her might. Bella returned the hug as she put her own arms around her mother. She felt as if it was the old days when she would hug her mother all the time when she had troubles with school, friends and even worse, boys. Bella always counted on her mother to be there for her in a time of need. It all changed when her mom met Phil. It wasn't that she didn't like Phil; she even thought he was amusing. It was just Bella felt incomplete so she offered to live with Charlie in Forks and let herself ruin her life for the year and a half she was there.
Renee murmured into her brown hair, "I can't believe it's you, Bella. I missed you so much. How could you be away from me so long?"
When they broke apart, Bella laughed, "Well, I have been away from you so long, haven't I?" Renee smiled as she looked her daughter from up to down. When she noticed the engagement ring Bella was wearing given by the Bureau, Renee looked up at her shocked. "You're engaged?"
Bella looked at her as if she was the craziest woman she had seen in her life. Afterwards, when she followed her mother's gaze to her ring finger, she laughed slightly, "Oh Mom, I'm not engaged. I'm just undercover as an engaged person to solve a case in this hotel."
Renee looked as if she had been given the most shocking news in her life, "Really?" She looked more relieved after she received an explanation from her daughter. "That's good." She trailed off looking every where except Bella. Bella hung her head sideways and chuckled. Renee, startled, looked at her peculiarly. "What?" she asked innocently.
Bella laughed, "I know about Lisette if you are wondering. I went to see Charlie, Alyssa and Jake and I found two new people: Lisette and Roxanne Wolf." She spit out Roxanne Wolf as if it was bacteria.
Renee felt relieved once more as she wasn't the one to break the unexpected news, "Well, in that case, I have nothing else to tell you."
Chuckling, Bella sighed as she looked at her mother in admiration. How happy she was despite all of her misfortune. Yet, Bella had to agree, her mother did make her life better her own unique way. Bella asked, "Where's Phil, Mom?"
Renee replied as she looked at her daughter lovely, "He's sleeping in his room. I was hoping to get some dinner before I got to sleep myself."
"I see," Bella replied but she was interrupted when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and saw Edward staring down at her with concerned eyes.
"I had to look everywhere for you, Bella. Are you alright?" he asked with genuine concern. Bella nodded and looked back at her mother who had her mouth wide open.
Shying with embarrassment, Bella whispered into her mother's ear, "Mom, this is my partner, Special Agent Edward Cullen. He is supposed to be my 'fiancé'."
Renee whispered back, "Are you sure that you aren't engaged to him, dear? He seems so…I don't know…"
Bella smiled as she whispered back, "Handsome? Protective? Caring?"
Her mother looked back at her with a knowing look, "Yeah, exactly." Renee looked at Edward, "Well, hello, Edward, it's nice to meet you. I am Bella's mother, Renee Dwyer." She leant out a hand to shake his hand.
He accepted it, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Dwyer. Bella has told me wonderful things about you." Bella snapped her head towards him and gave him narrowing eyes. Edward ignored her and continued to smile at Renee.
Renee was obviously flattered, "Well, thank you, I think." Bella smacked her head with her hand in embarrassment.
Edward smiled and let go of Renee's hand, much to Renee's disappointment. After few seconds of awkward silence, Renee said, "Well, I better get dinner eaten before there's nothing else. I wish you luck on your mission and oh, Bella don't forget to meet me again. I'm in room 102," she looked at Edward and smiled, "And it was nice meeting you, Edward." With that, Renee left the two to them to find herself some dinner.
Edward looked at Bella, "She seems nice and exotic, just like you said."
Bella glared at him, "Whatever. Anyways, is everything set?" He nodded as he dangled a card in front of her.
"We're in room 201. Follow me," he ordered as he took his two suitcases, which left Bella carrying hers. When they reached the room, Bella was still worried of sharing a bed with a man she didn't even know very well.
Edward opened the door and Bella gasped at the sight of the beautiful hotel suite. The room, she noticed, was in a red and gold theme. She flopped hard on the bed and sighed, "This is going to be awesome."
Edward smiled slyly as he sat down on the nearby gold leather couch, "If you count the fact that we'll be sleeping in the same bed for what, two weeks."
Bella looked up and then straight into his eye, "Do you care if we sleep together? Or are we going to have to take turns sleeping on the couch?"
He shrugged, "Whatever's fine with you is fine with me."
Bella smiled in relief, "Then we're going to sleep together in the bed. There is no way am I going to be sleeping on the couch."
Edward grunted all of a sudden, "Spoiled brat."
Bella caught him and glared at him, "Arrogant jerk." Edward held his hand up high in defence.
"Hey, hey, no need to fight, we're engaged and we're going to have to act that way, 'kay?" Bella looked at him and realized he was telling the obvious truth. She reluctantly agreed, grabbed her night gown and rushed into the bathroom. She stuck out her tongue when she was in the bathroom. Edward shook his in disappointment, but shook it off by looking for his clothes.
Twenty minutes later, Bella came out with a towel in her hands drying her hair. She looked at Edward and commented, "Go in. We have to have an early start tomorrow." Edward shrugged as he walked into the bathroom. Bella waited for him in the bed while reading a novel, Blood and Chocolate. When the door opened, Bella's mouth dropped when she saw Edward wearing only boxers, with his chest fully exposing his well built, toned body and muscles.
Edward smirked when he caught her staring at her, "Ready to go to sleep, Roxanne?"
Bella shook her head and put her book away, "Of course, Roy." Edward took off the covers as he jumped into the bed beside her. Bella felt uncomfortable, but tried to not show it. Bella turned off the lamp and said, "Good night."
Edward smiled as he tucked into the covers and faced Bella, "Good night." He closed his eyes after that, and all Bella could think was, Oh boy, this is going to be a long mission.
Like it? I hope you guys did. Please review! Hey, I was thinking of deleting either Putting the Lamb's Head in the Lion's Mouth or Come Up Roses. It all depends on you. What do you guys think I should delete? And don't tell me to not delete either of them, because six stories are way too much for me to handle. Thanks!
Forgiveness is the scent that the rose leaves on the heel that crushes it.
-Rosefire