Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.
Thanks to MeteorOnAMoonlessNight for being my beta and Sara aka Nikki Black and Sukiethree for pre-reading!
EPOV
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I knew I was taking a chance when I asked her to have dinner with me, but the loneliness of going home to a quiet house and sitting in my bedroom eating reheated leftovers from the dinner I had once again missed with my daughter was too much to bear. So I asked, and immediately regretted it when she hesitated to answer. She was with someone, and she just didn't see me as I saw her. I felt my heart drop into my stomach like a lead weight.
"You don't have to. I shouldn't have asked. I'm sure you have to get home to—" I began to say when she cut me off.
"Actually, I'd love to have dinner with you, Edward."
I couldn't help the smile that overtook my face. "Great, I know just the place."
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The look on her face was priceless when we pulled up in front of the grungy-looking diner. "I know it doesn't look like much, but they have the best burgers and pie you could ever imagine."
"I'm sure they do, I just didn't expect…" she trailed off, but I knew what she was going to say. I knew how I portrayed myself; a stuck-up asshole that always knew better than anyone. It was the constant façade that I kept up. I was the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine that primarily catered to women. As far as fashion editors went, it was a mainly female-dominated world. I had to constantly appear to be better than the next person in order to be taken seriously.
In my personal life, though—or lack thereof—I had no clue what to do with myself. I wasn't truly comfortable unless I was behind my desk or in a meeting of some sort.
"Come on, I haven't been here in ages and I'm starving." I pushed my door open and reached my hand out for her to take. And when she did, just like the few times before that I held her hand, I never wanted to let it go. It was disarming to feel these feelings. I knew that after four years of being alone, I should want some form of companionship, and I did. I just didn't know how to accept the feeling that Isabella was dropped into my lap and was too good to be true. I was scared to have my heart—or even worse, Katie's heart—broken. So this time I dropped her hand instead of waiting for her to pull away. I'd have to settle for trying to be friends with her for right now. Besides, as I constantly had to remind myself, she already had someone.
We sat in a somewhat comfortable silence for a few moments before I decided to speak up. "So a degree in journalism from the Columbia School of Journalism. Why, when you had no real interest in the fashion industry, did you apply for a position as an assistant at Soigné?" I was honestly curious.
"Well… it was a job at a magazine, and the only one to call me back," she said sheepishly.
"Ah, it all makes sense now." I smirked at her. "How are you liking it? You know, besides dealing with your demanding boss?"
She gave me a small smile. "Honestly, the first couple of weeks were… difficult.But now, I really am enjoying learning the ins and outs of the industry. I never had a chance to experiment with fashion when I was growing up. It was just me and my dad, and he had no clue. By the time I was old enough… well, it just didn't seem important anymore." She shrugged.
It was nice to have a little insight into what made her, her. I'd figured there was a reason behind the way she had initially been dressing and comporting herself. She showed a lack of confidence in what she was truly capable of being, inside and out.
"And you enjoy letting Alice help dress you?"
She gave me another small smile. "I am. It makes me feel… good. Jacob doesn't seem to agree, but I don't want to complain," she added hastily.
"Jacob is your… boyfriend?"
"Yes," was all she replied with, ending that part of the conversation. Thankfully, our food arrived a few moments later.
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Once we'd finished our meal, I knew there was no avoiding the fact that Isabella would have to head home. "Did you drive to the office?" I asked, hoping that she hadn't and that I would get just a few more moments with her. I knew nothing would become of us, but that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy her company or her beauty.
"Oh, no. I normally take the subway, it's just a couple blocks from our apartment. I can take it now, it's not too—"
"No! I mean no, my driver can drop you off. You're on the way to my house, anyway." I lied, she was nowhere near my house.
She raised an eyebrow at me. "All right. If you're sure."
"I'm perfectly sure," I said as I opened her door for her and she slipped in.
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Once again, we rode in comfortable silence, and this time I didn't feel the need to fill it with any sort of conversation. I was content to simply be with her.
All too soon we pulled up in front of her building. I slid out of the car first in order to walk her to the door, wanting to make sure she got in safely. It didn't seem like a bad neighborhood, but it was Queens, after all.
"Oh, you don't have to walk me up—" she started, but was interrupted by the front door clanging open loudly and who I assumed was her boyfriend jogging down the front steps.
"Where the fuck have you been, Bella? I've been trying to call you all night! And who the hell is this? Is this your boss? Are you fucking him now? Is that how you got your job?" he shouted at her and grabbed her roughly by the arm. I could smell the strong odor of alcohol coming off of him in waves.
"Get off of me, Jacob!" she shouted, wrenching her arm out of his grasp. He moved in to grab her again, but I stepped in between them.
"Don't you dare lay another hand on her," I growled, before turning slightly toward Isabella. "Get in the car, Bella. You're not staying here." Thankfully, I didn't have to tell her twice and she hurried back into the car.
"If you ever so much as look her direction again, I'll rip your balls off and shove them down your throat," I snarled at him, shocking myself with such a violent threat before I climbed inside the car with Isabella.
"Drive, now, Alec," I told my driver.
"Where to, sir?" he asked as he put the car in drive and sped off.
"Home," I stated.
"What? I can't stay at your place, Edward! This is all just so—" she started, but before she could finish, a sob burst forth.
I pulled her against me. "You can, and you will," I said softly and she just nodded against my chest. All I wanted was to turn the car around and go back to beat him within an inch of his life. Once again, I shocked myself with such violent thoughts. It seemed Isabella really brought out my inner caveman.
"You called me Bella back there," she said quietly after she had calmed down, her voice hoarse from crying.
"So I did," I agreed. I was beyond screwed. I had continued to call her Isabella to keep myself from getting too close, and now all I wanted to do was to hold her and protect her from everything and anything. I had only known her a short while, but I already knew I was falling for her, fast and hard.
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A/N: Hi Friends! I just wanted to apologize for not getting back to all of your reviews. I've had a few real life issues that have fogged my brain a bit, and they just completely slipped my mind. I've read each and every one of them though, and I'm so glad you're all loving this story! I promise to try to get back to you next time!
