Author's Note: some people may not really like where this chapter heads, but I promise you it's only temporary.
The weekend passed uneventfully, but Monday saw Bella closing up early so she could prepare to her date. She had to admit she was really out of practice with the whole dating thing, since her last date had been seven years before with a vampire who had been alive for a hundred years plus change.
Deciding simple was best Bella selected a simple cotton dress in a dark shade of blue that perfectly complimented her skin tone, added a little makeup and called it good. A knock sounded on her door at precisely 7 o'clock and she smiled at Jacob's prompt appearance. He had also dressed only slightly better than a t-shirt and jeans, Bella smiled as she took in his khaki pants and simple button-up shirt. "You look amazing Bells," Jacob exclaimed easily falling back on the nick-name her father had once used.
"You don't look too bad yourself," she replied blushing a little at his compliment. Jacob offered his arm and Bella smiled as she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and let him lead her out of her building and down the street. "So, where is this great restaurant of yours?' Bella asked.
"Not far," Jacob replied mysteriously. She laughed quietly and followed him as he led her through the streets. They walked for several more minutes until Jacob stopped outside a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. Jacob and Bella shared a small smile as she held open the door for her. They talked and laughed over dinner, and then Jacob took her on a tour of the college just a few blocks further down the road.
Conversation between them was effortless and light, and as the evening wound down they fell into a companionable silence. Jacob walked Bella back to her apartment and waited as she unlocked the door. "I had a good time tonight," Bella stated leaving the door closed, in no hurry for the night to end.
"Me too," Jacob agreed. They stood in a charged silence for a minute before Bella decided to break the tension.
"Well, I'd better get inside, early day tomorrow." Bella excused herself, opening the door and taking a step into her apartment.
"Good night Bella," Jacob sighed.
"Good night," she replied with a smile. Jacob turned and walked down the hall. Bella didn't close the door until Jacob was out of sight, then with another smile she got ready for bed. As usual Bella woke with the sun, got ready for a day of work and went out to her little patch of sidewalk. At noon she put up a sign that she was taking her lunch break and smiled when she saw someone approaching.
"Hey," Jacob greeted her.
"Hey yourself," Bella smiled as he came to stand beside her.
"I thought you might like to have lunch with me," Jacob invited.
"Sure," Bella replied easily. She led the way to a nearby café where she usually ate lunch.
"Hey Phoenix," the girl behind the counter greeted Bella as she stepped up to the counter to order.
"Hi Fiona," Bella replied.
"The usual?' Fiona asked with a smile.
"Yeah," Bella answered. Jacob ordered as well and they went to sit together at a table.
"Phoenix?" he asked arching an eyebrow.
"It's my artist name. I got it from my old home town, I grew up in Phoenix, and I thought it was fitting. This is the start of my new life, kind of like I'm rising from the ashes," Bella explained.
"I like it," Jacob replied with a smile, "it's a lot more creative than anything I could have come up with," he added.
"Oh, I don't know," Bella contradicted, "you seem imaginative to me."
"Really?" Jacob asked skeptically.
"Yeah," Bella said with a smile taking a bite of her sandwich. Over the next week Bella and Jacob had lunch together several more times, and dinner once more. Three weeks after their first date they shared their first kiss. Jacob had just walked Bella to her door and as they said goo night Jacob leaned in and kissed her gently, chastely. It was Bella, surprising them both, who prolonged the kiss by wrapping her arms around his neck. Taking advantage of her acceptance Jacob pulled her close and deepened the kiss. They were both slightly breathless as Bella pulled away, effectively ending the kiss. "Good night Jake," she sighed as she opened her apartment door.
"Good night Bella," Jacob replied. He stood in the hall for a minute savoring the memory before he left to go back to his own apartment. Time seemed to pass quickly, what felt like only days later to Bella and Jacob was almost two months of lunches, dinners, movies and leisurely walks. They could talk on any subject for hours and the only arguments they had were over what they should have for dinner, or what movie they wanted to see.
Once night they were sitting together in Bella's apartment sporadically talking about things that came to mind, but eventually they fell silent. Jacob was holding Bella to his chest as they lounged on the sofa when he finally chose to speak about something that had been on his mind for a while. "Bells," he said to get her attention.
"Hmm?" she asked noncommittally, only vaguely interested.
"I have something to ask you," he stated nervously.
"Okay," Bella replied still not looking at him. When Jacob didn't immediately ask Bella sat up to look at him. She could tell he was incredibly nervous. "Jake you can ask me anything," she assured him earnestly.
"Bella, I know we've only been dating for a few months but I've known you for most of my life, and I've been thinking about us being together for so long that now that I have you I don't want to let you go. So with all of that in mind . . ." Jacob paused and pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket. "Isabella Swan, will you marry me?" he asked finally forming the words he most wanted to say.
Bella was silent for a whole minute just staring at the ring Jacob had picked out for her. It was modest and it wasn't a diamond, but to Bella it was the most beautiful ring in the world. Jacob waited patiently for Bella's answer, not pressuring her, knowing that her brain would catch up to the moment eventually. Finally Bella looked up to Jacob's face and exclaimed, "Yes! Yes I'll marry you." a smile burst across her face followed a moment later by Jacob's own grin. He quickly slid the ring on her finger and they kissed.
Before they had even a moment to celebrate Bella's phone rang, but it wasn't the apartment phone or even her normal cell phone. It was what she had dubbed the 'Alice phone.' "I really have to get that, or it will just keep ringing," Bella excused herself as she pulled away from Jacob.
"That's okay, I should call my dad anyway and tell him the news," Jacob replied easily, and slipped his own phone out of his pocket. Bella gave him one more quick kiss and ran to answer the 'Alice phone.'
"Hi Alice," Bella greeted her a little trepidatiously.
"Bella why didn't you tell me you were seeing someone?" Alice exclaimed more annoyed with Bella's lack of sharing than anything else.
"Well . . . for one thing I thought you probably knew, and I didn't think things had come so far," Bella replied a little amused by Alice's initial reaction to her vision. She was sure that eventually Alice would have discovered everything on her own, so there was no point in talking about it before then.
"Bella, are you happy?" Alice asked her voice sounding anxious and concerned to Bella's ears.
"I'm ecstatic!" Bella exclaimed earnestly. "Honestly, I never thought that this would happen, but now that it has – I couldn't be happier."
"Then that's all there is to it," Alice stated. Bella thought for a moment, just a moment that Alice sounded disappointed, but when she spoke again Alice was bright and enthusiastic. "I wish you all the happiness in the world!"
"Thanks," Bella smiled and rolled her eyes, a little amused by Alice's energetic wishes. Jacob interrupted just then by stepping around the corner, holding out his phone to Bella.
"Bells you dad wants to talk to you," he informed her in a whisper.
"My dad?" she asked. Jacob nodded silently; Bella took a deep breath, said a quick "call you later" to Alice and took the phone from Jacob. "Hello?" she said tentatively making it sound like a very uncertain question.
"Bella?" Charlie, her father asked in return, "Is that really you?"
"Yeah, dad, it's me," Bella replied, her voice was guarded and uncertain, and she grasped Jacob's hand. He gave her the emotional support she desperately needed.
"What are you doing in California?" Charlie demanded to know sounding extremely worried.
"I guess the hospital never called you," Bella stated. "I had a new doctor for only about a week before he transferred me to a private hospital. I was there for about a month before they determined me completely sane and let me go." Bella hoped that her explanation was both detailed, and vague enough to satisfy Charlie.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Charlie sounded a little relieved, and hurt, and more than a little suspicious.
"I didn't want to complicate your life," she replied lamely. "I mean, you've gone through so much in the past few years. Besides I thought, you know, maybe if I started over that we could both have a better chance of being happy and putting the whole thing behind us."
"Bella –" Charlie sighed.
"I don't blame you dad," there was a silence thick with meaning.
"Well . . . are you happy?" Charlie finally asked.
"Yes, I am very happy," Bella replied smiling up at Jacob.
"Let me talk to Jacob," Charlie ordered. Bella immediately handed the phone back to Jacob. She couldn't hear their conversation, but she guessed it was some kind of lecture from all of Jacob's "I will," and "I won't" and "I promise" responses. When Jacob finally hung up the phone they both let out a sigh of relief.
"So, was he threatening to hunt you down if you don't take care of me?" Bella asked half joking.
"Among other things," Jacob replied with a shrug.
"What other things?" Bella's tone was sharp with suspicion. Jacob didn't answer for a minute, allowing Bella to guess. "He's afraid I'm going to relapse and he wants you to send me back to a hospital if I do," she stated.
"He's a little worried, but I think that's just because of all the news," Jacob tried to reassure her. "I mean, he didn't even know you were in California and now you're getting married. It was just the shock talking," Bella smiled and gave him a quick kiss.
"Sure, sure," she replied, something she had picked up from Jacob. They spoke for a while longer and eventually Jacob went home. Once he left Bella called Alice again. "Sorry about earlier, but I had to talk to Charlie for the first time since he left me in Oregon."
"How are you doing with that?" Alice asked hearing how tired Bella was.
"Okay, I suppose, I don't really know yet," Bella replied. She paused deciding if she really wanted to ask her next question. "Alice when we were talking earlier, you sounded a little disappointed that I'm marrying Jacob . . . were you?"
"No!" Alice immediately denied, "I was just a little sad that you're not going to be my sister – officially."
"So, you were disappointed," Bella concluded. "It's okay," she continued before Alice could say anything. "I understand why," she paused once more before continuing. "Just don't tell the others, at least until after. I don't want Edward popping up trying to change my mind."
"Okay," Alice promised. "If you need any help with the preparations just give me a call. I could even come out for a couple days."
Bella laughed a little at Alice's new found enthusiasm, "I'll keep that in mind," she replied. Over the next few months Bella made a few calls to Alice, asking her opinion on designers and companies. She had Jacob spent half the time talking about the wedding and the other half talking about their lives after. It was during this time that Bella confessed that she owned a house free and clear. Jacob wanted to see it and was surprised by the expertly restored Victorian home.
The last of the construction finished two weeks before the wedding, and Bella spent most of that time furnishing the house and moving her and Jacob's things into it, except for the bare essentials.