Even though I was exhausted, I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned the whole night, completely unsettled and anxious about the gorgeous sailor sleeping on my couch downstairs. He made me a little nervous. Not in the "I'm going to murder you with an ax way." More like the "My eyes are so deep that I could seduce you with one look" way.
I eventually fell asleep sometime around sunrise and was awoken a few hours later by sounds outside. I stretched and wiped at my eyes, wondering what the hell was going on. I ran my fingers through my mess of a hair as I shuffled down the stairs and started towards the front door. I noticed Edward wasn't on the couch so I assumed he'd gotten up early and went back into town.
The pounding got louder and louder as I approached the door and pulled it open. I stepped out onto the porch and instantly froze.
Edward was pounding away with a hammer, rehanging my porch swing.
"Morning sunshine," he said with a laugh.
"You're fixing my house…" I murmured. "What time is it?"
"11:30." He shrugged. "And I figured you could use some help. I don't have anything else to do until we ship out again."
"How long have you been awake?" I yawned.
"Woke up around 6:30. I guess I'm used to not sleeping much." He held up the other end of the swing and started hammering. "You might want to run a comb through that." He smirked and nodded to my hair.
"Okay Sasquatch. The first time I saw you, you could have braided the hair on your face." I smiled and rolled my eyes as I walked back inside.
"Keep it coming, Swan."
I went upstairs and pulled my hair back into a ponytail before throwing on a sweatshirt and heading back outside.
"So…" I said. "Where do we start?"
"I already reattached your shutter and made sure the others were secure. The sink inside was a little tricky, but it should be good as new. Once I reattach this, I think a good, fresh coat of paint might go a long way."
My jaw dropped. "You already did all of that?"
"Yep. So what color do you want it?" Edward asked.
"Oh." I glanced back up at the house. "I guess I never really thought about changing it."
"You should pick something bright. Then maybe I'll be able to see it every time I come back into port. It'll be something to look forward to." He smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets. I blushed.
"Yellow?" I mused.
"Perfect. Shall we?" He motioned to my truck.
"Give me five minutes…" I bit down on my lip and rushed inside, ready to do a marathon beauty session.
I ran a comb through my hair, brushed my teeth and put some light makeup on before actually getting dressed and running back downstairs. Edward was already waiting in my truck, tapping on the steering wheel to the music. Despite the fact that I was all about women's rights and equality in relationships, I couldn't say that I didn't find him driving my truck incredibly sexy.
"Ready?" He asked as I jumped inside.
"Let's go get some paint."
We drove into town and stopped at the local hardware store. We picked out a color named Dandelion and Edward picked up a few more things for the house. The cashier smiled sadly at him and asked him how he'd been. Edward quickly brushed him off with a smile as he mumbled something about doing fine. He protested when I tried to pay, but I told him I owed him. Let me count the ways I could owe him.
I dropped him off at The Wharf before I went back to the house because he had some things he had to do before he worked tonight. He promised he would be back tomorrow to help with the paint.
I drove back through town with the window rolled down and the sea breeze blowing through my hair. The air was so fresh and pure out here. I loved it.
Just before I left town, I spotted Alice walking down the sidewalk with a large shopping bag in her hand.
"Hey, Alice," I called out. I slowed and pulled slightly off to the side of the road.
"Bella!" She waved and jogged over. "What are you up to?"
"I was um…I was just with Edward. I mean dropping him off."
"Really?" She arched her eyebrow.
"So what's his story?" I rested my arms on the window.
She shrugged, suddenly silent. I wasn't quite so sure how to take it.
"Okay. Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow night?" I asked. Esme had given me tonight off.
"Sure." She smiled and stepped back from the car. "See you tomorrow night."
I nodded and started off again. That was strange.
I made myself dinner and sat on my brand new porch swing for awhile, watching the sun slowly creep towards the water. I'd been at The Wharf so much lately and now I felt like I had nothing to do. Maybe I could go in and surprise Edward? I smiled to myself and grabbed my keys.
Esme looked up in surprise when I walked through the doors at the bar ten minutes later.
"Hey Honey, I thought I told you stay home tonight?" She asked, wiping down the bar.
"I know." I smiled. "I'm not working. I'm looking for Edward."
"Well he's not in tonight." She turned her eyes down to the floor.
"Oh?" I cocked my head to the side. "I'd thought for sure he told me he was working tonight. I must have misunderstood," I mumbled. "Thanks anyway."
As I left, I spotted Emmett and Jasper sitting in a booth in the corner. I stopped over to say hello.
"Miss B," Emmett said. "How are you doin?"
"I'm good. How about yourself?"
"Can't complain." He took a drink of his beer.
"Have you seen Edward?"
"He's stocking," Emmett said.
"He's sleeping," Jasper said at the same time.
"So what is it? Is he stocking or sleeping? Esme said he wasn't working tonight," I said.
"He was stocking and then he didn't feel well so now he's sleeping…" Emmett said. He was lying. I knew he was. But I didn't have the strength or right to argue. I barely knew them. I barely knew Edward. Even though this mystery was on its way to driving me insane, I didn't really deserve the truth, did I?
"Okay. Well goodnight." I waved and left the bar.
Something wasn't sitting right with me. Where was he? Why did that cashier look at Edward like he was a wounded puppy at the store earlier? And Alice was one of the most talkative people in the world. Why couldn't she talk about Edward? Why did she brush it off and seem so hesitant? Especially when he seemed nothing short of wonderful. It made me think there was something more to it, more to him that I didn't see. Part of that scared me.
When I got home, I tried to let it go. It was impossible. It was almost like someone had put a locked box in front of me and was telling me I wasn't allowed to have the key. Alice was hiding something. Edward was hiding something. With each passing moment, I'd grown more and more sure of it. And I needed to find out what it was.
A/N: And the mystery of Edward beings... *wiggles eyebrows*
Thanks for your reviews and retweets and...reading...and raving. I find all the best things begin with "r" : )
I've had some people ask about pictures and such for this story. Would you guys like a blog for it with pictures, playlists ect? I wasn't planning on doing one since it's a mini fic, but if you want it I'll do it because I love making blogs! Let me know : )