Long time no update I know, but here it is. You finally find out who Bella's mystery guest is.
I want to thank all my readers who have waited patiently for this chapter!
BPOV
"Dad it's half eleven what are you doing here?" I asked, watching as his colouring slowly returned from purple to its normal pale shade.
"I came by earlier but you weren't here so I phoned Alice thinking you were with her. I need to talk to you." He said as he moved closer to me a pensive look on his face.
"Okay so talk," I pulled my previously elusive keys out of my bag and stuck them in the lock. Opening the door I allowed my father to walk in behind me before letting it click shut, I may have just wanted to go to bed but apparently this talk was taking place in my apartment not the stairwell. Charlie said nothing until we had entered my apartment, now I was beginning to worry. Was something wrong with him or mom?
"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked as I threw my purse down onto my couch before flopping down next to it. I took my shoes off and watched as Charlie squirmed in the chair opposite the couch, clearly he was not looking forward to this conversation.
"Who was that you were with?" He shot out suddenly. I really didn't want to discuss this but figured if I gave him enough information then maybe he would let sleeping dogs lie and allow me to get to know Edward a whole lot better before I carried out introductions.
"Edward Cullen, Alice's brother."
"I don't remember an Edward Cullen when they moved here."
"He was already at college," I explained. Charlie nodded at that and I could see the cogs turning in his mind as he worked out the age difference between the two of us. "Dad age is a number, so don't start on about that!"
"Okay, okay. Jeez sometimes I swear you can read my mind." He responded sarcastically.
"I wish I could, at least then I would know why you actually came here so late. I mean what couldn't have waited until I came over tomorrow?" I snapped back at him, instantly regretting my tone when I witnessed his face twist into a grimace. "I'm sorry dad, you know I love you. It's just been a long day you know." I apologised quickly.
"I know, I really don't want to tell you this but here goes; Billy phoned me today," that statement alone got my back up and put me on high alert. Billy Black was Jacob Black's dad, the same Jacob who had broken my heart in high school.
"Alright," I choked out, dreading what was coming next.
"He told me, well he said Jake's coming back and he wants to speak to you." Charlie finished in a rush, as though hoping the faster he said it the less pain it would cause me. Why is it that Jake had to ruin everything, even now years after he had broken up with me he was still messing up my life? I mean I had had an amazing date, with the most gorgeous man on the planet and instead of pondering over the possibilities on Sunday, I was now thinking about Jake.
"Daddy, I can't...I won't. I am moving on I don't want him dragging me back into that drama. Look tell Billy to tell Jake I'm sorry but no." I pleaded with my father. I truly hoped he would agree, I knew he liked Jake a lot but I'm his daughter and Jake had hurt me.
"It's okay I'll tell Billy, I don't think that will stop Jake though Bells and you know it. He is very persistent, is there no way you could-"
"Not a cat in hell's chance dad!" I cut him off; I rose from my seat and began pacing furiously around my front room.
"I get it kid, Billy will tell Jake you said no." Charlie soothed as he slid out of his seat and moved to give me a hug. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held on tight; dad and I rarely hugged so I always made the most of it.
"You're losing weight," I stated simply as he pulled out of the hug. He instantly became like a teenager and began picking at a nonexistent thread on the arm of my couch.
"Well, it's good for my heart right? You want me around for as long as possible don't you?"
"Sure I do dad, but I have a feeling that maybe there's more to it than that." I responded smiling slightly as I watched him blush.
"Okay so maybe your mother thinks I could do with losing a bit of weight." He explained shyly, I didn't want to even think about why she wanted him to lose weight that was dangerous territory for any daughter.
"Alright then, no more information required." I said smiling, which caused Charlie to burst out laughing.
"Now that's cleared up, I had better get going. You know what you're moms like, will we see you tomorrow?" He asked as he moved slowly towards my front door.
"Is it Saturday?" I asked, to which he just nodded. "Then you shall see me, after all we have dinner plans with Ali and Jazz remember?" I watched as a smile graced his face again, making him appear ten years younger. He loved Alice like she was his own daughter, and Jazz was his baseball partner so they were always welcome in his and moms house.
"See you tomorrow honey," he said pulling me in for another hug. "Sorry about Jake coming back," he whispered, with that and a squeeze he left me alone with my troubling thoughts. I wasn't left with them for too long though because just as I had finished locking up my cell rang, knowing instantly who it was I sighed but smiled at the same time. I walked back over to the couch and flopped down before removing my cell from my purse.
"Hey Ali," I answered without even looking at the screen.
"How did you know it was me?"
"I have just come back from a date with your brother who, I presume you called first and told you I had a visitor. Therefore you allowed me half an hour to get rid of them, plus you're the only person who calls me at ridiculous times!"
"Ahh so true. So how did the date go, Edward wouldn't say." Alice asked, excitement lacing her tone.
"It was good," I answered cryptically.
"Bella, don't lie to me!" Alice warned. I shook my head, how did she always know when I wasn't being totally honest.
"I'm not lying it was good." I heard her sigh in preparation for a speech and decided to cut it off before she could start. "Okay so it was amazing, we are meeting for coffee again on Sunday and I need you to give Edward my number."
"Oh my gosh, I knew you two would hit it off. I am so happy, what are you going to wear? We need to go shopping tomorrow for a new outfit."
"Ali I can't, it's Saturday remember."
"Right Saturday, we have dinner tomorrow with Charlie and Renee don't we? Okay so no shopping for you, but I can go before I come to dinner." Alice ranted, running through options for an outfit which would be appropriate for coffee with her brother.
"Alice can't I just wear something I already have, it's only coffee." I argued, knowing it was futile.
"Do you not remember our deal Bella? I shall remind you, if you had any further dates with my brother I get to dress you. Now it may be coffee but coffee is still a date and you never know what it may lead to." Of course I remembered that stupid deal, bet thing and I was now beginning to regret it.
"Okay Alice, but please keep it casual. I had better go if I want to be up before ten tomorrow." I acquiesced, setting one precedent for her shopping trip tomorrow.
"I'll see you tomorrow Bells." Alice rang off cheerfully; sometimes I wondered why I even bothered trying to argue with Alice. I mean what is the point when the woman always wins?
"See you tomorrow Ali," I clicked off ending the call before she could continue. I threw my cell onto the couch next to me and pushed off it to pad off towards my bedroom, and my lovely comfortable warm bed!
The next day.
"Bella honey, how are you?" My mom gushed as I stepped out of my car and walked quickly through the rain which had just started towards the house I had grown up in.
"I'm fine mom, I hear you're making dad lose some weight," I answered as I gave her a hug before entering the house and closing the door shutting the rain outside. I hated the rain, it was just so wet. Okay so I know that is a stupid thing to point out because rain is obviously wet, but it's just a pointless way to get wet when you have already had a shower. Plus the rain makes my hair resemble the texture of straw once it has dried and no one wants that now do they.
"Yeah, I read in a book about maintaining a healthy sex life that if-" She began to explain as we headed for the kitchen.
"Stop right there mom," I begged her; I hadn't been paying much attention to her until she had mentioned the part about sex. I had always and would always pretend that my parents had never had sex after they had conceived me; I didn't need to know anything more.
"Bella sex is a natural part of life."
"Yeah well I don't need to know about anything you and dad may or may not get up to!" I responded sitting myself down at the table while she made coffee for us.
"Okay, well what time are Jasper and Alice getting here?" She asked in a change of subject.
"I'm not sure; Alice is going shopping before but probably usual time."
"What's Alice shopping for this time, surely not more clothes?" Mom asked as she slid a cup of hot coffee in front of me. I stared down at my coffee refusing to meet my mom's penetrating gaze as I answered.
"She's shopping for an outfit for me, I have a date tomorrow."
"Really? Who with? Is he cute?" She gushed excitedly, barely managing to keep herself seated.
"Edward Cullen, he's Alice's older brother." I explained when mom appeared confused. I refused to answer the other question, which would inevitably lead to more. Just as she was about to speak my cell phone rang, I reached into my jean pocket to pull it out. Glancing at the screen I saw it was a number I didn't recognise so with some trepidation I answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hi Bella, its Edward." His smooth, silky tones sounded down the phone. I blushed and saw my mom smile conspiratorially at me.
"Hi, how are you this morning?" I asked with a smile as Ipushed away from the table in order to take the call somewhere more private, which meant the front room was out of the question. With that thought I wandered up to my old bedroom.
"I'm okay and you?" He asked, I don't know why but for some reason I imagined him in his office sat in his chair with his feet up on his desk. It was a position I mimicked at my old desk, which had stayed in the room when it had been converted into an office for my dad.
"I'm okay. Ali, my dad and my mom have each taken turns in questioning me."
"Was that your dad last night then?"
"Yeah, he came by to talk to me." I stopped there, because there was no way on this earth I was telling him about Jake, especially as Jake was out of my life and would never worm his way back in.
"I hope everything is okay." He sounded genuinely concerned, which made me smile.
"Everything is fine."
"Good, I wouldn't want anything to get in the way of our coffee date tomorrow."
"Don't worry that is still very much on. What time did you want to meet?" I asked, nervously tapping my fingers on my left leg.
"Twelve, at the Starbucks in Port Angeles." He suggested the bonus was there was only one Starbucks in Port Angeles so there was no chance of us getting two different ones.
"Sounds good," I was going to say something else when I heard a distant voice come from Edward's end of the line.
"I have to go, my next patient just arrived. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow Bella maybe we can finish what was interrupted last night."
"Sure," I squeaked out, smiling at the thoughts which now invaded my mind. Edward really had this ability to make my mind take turns it shouldn't when I am in my old bedroom, in my parents' house. I heard Edward chuckle before he hung up the phone ending the call, I just dropped my phone onto my old desk and decided to give myself a couple of minutes to get my blushing under control before I went down to face the Spanish inquisition.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, I will aim to get the next chapter up on Monday, Tuesday at the latest. I know I have said that before but now the issues at home are sorted and I am no longer doing my summer camp placement due to aforementioned issues it will be a lot easier.
Jake is making an appearance soon, and to Jake fans I am going to apologize now. I like Jake most of the time, but in this story Jake has to behave a certain way so please don't hate me if he is a bit of a dick sometimes.
