Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight and characters.
A/N: Thanks to all who have read and reviewed, if you haven't please do!
Chapter 7
Bpov
The next week was extremely busy at work. I hardly had time to eat anything, and to top things off Edward wasn't coming into the office anymore. I would see Tanya around and she always looked upset, I dared to hope that maybe things were winding down between the two. However, I couldn't count on that, I now valued Edward as a friend and maybe more. I didn't want to see him hurt, unless his feelings for Tanya didn't exist anymore, then I would be more than happy to be there for him.
Alec was annoying me at the moment. He had taken a few liberties this past week, which I didn't mind at the time, but now they were starting to piss me off.
"Alec this coffee is cold! How hard is it to turn on a switch." I stood at the coffee machine nearly yelling at him. He looked like he was about to cry so I eased up a bit.
"It's fine I'll do it, just make sure you confirm the Peabody meeting."
"Yes Miss Swan I'll do that right now."
Monday and Tuesday went by incredibly fast. Work had almost become tortuously busy. Alice called a few times and we chatted, making plans for lunch this week. Even though I was excited to see her, something felt like it was missing and I couldn't quite place it. Later that night I was standing over the stove making dinner when my phone rang. As I looked at the screen, a huge smile crossed my face, it was Edward. I let out a breath, not realizing that I had been holding in since that night he stayed over. I wasn't sure how he felt about that night, if it was too much and he got scared away from our friendship. Or, if Tanya had gotten her claws into him and warned him to stay away from me. I could just see her now, yelling at him about how I was a bitch and that he wasn't allowed to see me.
"Hi Edward."
"Bella" He said in a long drawn out breath that made me weak in the knees. "How are you?"
"Oh I'm good, just making myself dinner. You?"
"Well, what do you know, so am I. I was hoping you would take me up on my dinner offer, but I guess I should have called sooner." I wanted to drop what I was doing and run over there, however I knew that playing it cool and proceeding slowly was probably better.
"Thanks for the offer, again, but I'm really exhausted after work today. But I will take a rain check."
Our conversation was very relaxed and comfortable. I didn't want to ask him why he wasn't coming into the office anymore since I didn't want to bring up Tanya.
He called me everyday that week, just to talk and catch up. I enjoyed getting to know him, it was a lot of fun. He was such a loving and caring person I couldn't understand how he was with someone like Tanya. We continued to talk most days, even through those hellish weeks, he was my sunshine. He could always make me smile when I was feeling down, and help me relax after a particularly stressful day at work. I learned so much about him in so little time, yet it felt as though we had been friends since high school. Alice and I became closer as well, however I regretted that I didn't get to know Jasper as much. His schedule was different than Edwards, he was lot busier since he worked in the ER and was on call most days. So whenever I was over at Alice's place, he was never there.
Tanya however, remained sullen, in fact, her mood seemed to decrease as my friendships became closer. I wooly thought that perhaps she was upset at how close Edward and I had come, but I couldn't bring myself to be that vain. Maybe the busy season was just getting to her. I hoped she wouldn't make it through so I wouldn't have to work in the same company as her. I wasn't jealous, but there was something about her that I didn't trust. Of course I wouldn't discover that I had no trust in her until after I had hired her, but hey, I could always get rid of her. The problem was she had done nothing as of yet to warrant such a move.
Alice called me at work and asked to go to lunch, which had become somewhat of a weekly habit for us. We agreed to meet up at this cute little deli on Madison Avenue that I loved.
"So," she sat there pushing around lettuce leaves with her fork while looking a little uneasy. "Tanya and Edward were over for dinner on Saturday."
"Yea? How was it." The look on her face and the fact that she wouldn't make eye contact was making me curious.
"Well I had some alone time with Tanya and we talked for a little bit. I think she was trying to get on my good side, but whatever."
"Oh yea? What did she have to say, anything interesting?" I really wanted her to get to the point. She put her fork down and finally looked me in the eye.
"She brought you up." I just nodded my head waiting for her to continue. "She told me that her and Edward had gotten into an argument a while ago about you. About how he was always in your office or something. I don't think she realizes that you and I are so close," She smiled at me, "or else she probably wouldn't have told me all this."
"That's probably why she looked so upset that one day at work. But lately she always looks upset."
"Well, then she mentioned how Edward seems distant recently and she was trying to figure out if it had anything to do with you." She looked really uneasy at this point and I couldn't help dreading what she was about to tell me next.
"Then Jasper walked in and Bella if I had any idea what he was going to say I would've stopped him and his big mouth but he wasn't thinking and he didn't mean any harm, but of course you and Edward are just friends so there could be no harm and you work with Tanya so there might be some animosity there and.." She trailed off after her ramblings, which weren't making any sense.
"Alice I'm sure it is not that bad. What did he say?"
"Well he said, he said something along the lines of 'Bella and Edward talk all the time'." She had an apologetic smile on her face. "Then she stormed out of the room and Edward had to go console her."
"Alice, while that sucks, it's not that bad. I mean no, it really sucks because now Edward and I probably won't be able to talk as much, but I guess I can't be that upset because he does have a girlfriend, so a friendship isn't really feasible, or whatever it is we are." I thought out loud and it was my turn to ramble. Alice just sat helplessly at my side. She had no idea my true feelings for Edward, since I could barely say them to myself for fear of never being able to get over him. So for Alice, she was just witnessing me lose a good friend, but the knowing, sorry, smirk she was wearing after my mumblings made me nervous. I hoped I wasn't that transparent…
"Alice look," I placed my hand on her arm, "I'm sure Edward and I will still be able to be friends because I don't think he's the type to put up with being told who he can and cannot be friends with." Even though I wasn't sure I completely believed that myself.
I tried not to think about what Alice had told me on the walk back, I didn't want to think about having to end my 'realtionship' with Edward. A slight panic attack over came me and I began to sweat, what if I couldn't talk to him or even see him again? I hadn't realized until that moment how attached I had become to our 'relationship'. I needed him in my life like I needed air. I didn't want to give him up now that I found him again, even as a friend. Tears started in the corners of my eyes but I wouldn't let them fall. Closing my eyelids, I tried to get a grip on myself. He wasn't mine to hold onto. If he let Tanya break our friendship then it was too one sided and shouldn't be allowed to continue anyways. That last thought was the one that made me able to breathe easy again. This time however, it was a defeated breath. I never had him nor would I ever.
Before walking into the office I made sure my tough exterior and guards were up. If I ran into Tanya today, I wouldn't let anything show. In fact, I realized I hadn't seen her that day. Better, if I don't see her at all.
Alec was still at lunch, which I was grateful for. I needed the alone time, but I didn't need to be alone with my thoughts, so I threw myself into work. I was taxed emotionally and just didn't want to feel.
I worked well into the late hours until I realized I had to go to the bathroom. Thinking I was the only one left in the office I was surprised to find voices coming from inside. There were two voices and one of them sounded like sobbing. Wondering if someone was hurt I listened at the door and was shocked to hear my name coming from Tanya's mouth. She was the one that was crying and it seemed as though Emily was in there trying to comfort her.
"That bitch. I just know this is all because of her."
"You don't know that Tanya, you can't jump to conclusions like this. You said yourself that things haven't been the same for some time now, even before you started working here."
"No. I just know it's because of her, no one would break up with me for no reason. I mean look at me." She said through sobs. I thought I heard Emily almost laugh.
Suddenly I didn't have to go to the bathroom anymore, but I did find a smile on my face. I sat at my desk in shock. Today was full of too many emotions. I was happy for Edward that he was finally rid of her claws. I would call him later and see if he was ok though. My phone beeped.
Please tell me I will get to see your face this week and use that rain check for dinner.
Edward
He always made me smile and this time was no different. I couldn't respond just yet, I needed to talk to Alice first so I called her on my way home.
"Hi Bella, what's up?" I immediately launched into my story. "Oh my god! They broke up?!"
"That's what I heard."
"Bella you have to go for him." I almost walked right into a table of knockoff purses set up on the sidewalk.
"I don't know."
"Oh come on Bella you can't fool me. You may be able to fool yourself but you aren't fooling me. I know you like him."
"I know." I said in a quiet voice
"Eeek!" She screeched in my ear.
"Alice will you help me?"
"Of course silly that's what girlfriends do!" We made plans to get together that Friday after work and go shopping. Now was the time to respond to Edward, I almost felt bad making him wait so long.
Of course. Except let's go out for dinner. Saturday
BellaI had a response within thirty seconds.
Saturday is perfect. I'll call you Friday.
Edward
The week dragged by. I couldn't help but notice every time I walked by Tanya she just looked away, but I saw the hatred in her eyes. It was smart of her not to say anything since I was her superior, I'm sure she realized her job would be at stake. After all it wasn't my fault they broke up, that was on her.
Friday had finally arrived and I met up with Alice at my office.
"Are you ready to go shopping?" She was bouncing on her toes.
"Ooo you girls are going shopping? I'm so jealous!" Alec interjected.
"Yep! Bella has a hot date tomorrow!"
"Alice, Alec doesn't need to know about my personal life, he doesn't care."
"Well hey girl, of course I do, and I hope you have fun tomorrow."
"Thanks Alec. Ok Alice lets go."
I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. Alice was a force to be reckoned with when it came to shopping. The first couple stores weren't too bad, but once she found out that I hardly went shopping she apparently stepped up her game. She had me try on multiple outfits at every store trying to find the perfect dress for tomorrow, but I somehow ended up with a whole new wardrobe. I didn't think mine was too shabby to begin with, my new one however, was completely designer. Everything from my head to toes was attended too. The shoe part I had no problem doing, but trying on clothing was very trying. When we finally found the dress, Alice squealed with delight. It was a midnight blue thigh length dress that I paired with a pair of Louboutin black platform pumps, and a long silver necklace.
Edward had called during the shopping excursion to finalize plans for tomorrow. His voice was velvety smooth in my earpiece and Alice kept rolling her eyes at my permanent grin. I couldn't wait for tomorrow, but I was also raked with nerves. Even though I had been alone with Edward many times, this time felt so different. We were both single adults and I was very attracted to him. Needless to say I had a very hard time sleeping that night.
**
