Chapter 8
"And," Jasper said, looking imploringly at Bella, "the place has a hot-tub."
It was the Thursday before Spring Break. Bella had one last mid-term and she was looking forward to decompressing for a week. Since she had covered a lot of shifts for Mike during the Christmas season, she had managed to get off for the whole week. Jasper took that as encouragement to lay out a plan that involved a ferry ride to Victoria, his cousin's cabin, and a lot of weed.
Truth be told, Bella would have preferred to spend her spring break somewhere with sun and beaches, but Rose didn't do sun or beaches, or anything where showing skin would be expected. Rose's long sleeves and jeans hid a multitude of scars that few people outside of Bella and Jasper knew about. Rose counted on the two of them to remember and accept, and they did, the same way Jasper and Rose accepted when Bella would spend weeks listening to nothing but her mother's favorite nineties grunge music, or the same way Bella and Rose accepted that they would, on occasion, have to get the key from Jasper's super and physically drag him out of his apartment. When you had that kind of know-you-down-to-your-bones friends remembering, accepting, and making allowances was second nature.
"I like hot-tubs," Bella said, with a nod.
"Good, because we're certainly not spending our last spring break in the make-up section of fucking Wal-Greens," Rose said, idly rifling through the box of new stock Bella was scanning.
"Last spring break?" Jasper asked pointedly.
"Not all of us are career students, Grandpa," Bella teased, patting him on the shoulder.
"Eventually, that'll be doctor Grandpa," he replied. He bumped Rose aside to snatch a package of primer from the box. "Primer? Like they use for painting walls? How much crap do chicks wear on their faces every day?"
"Well, we aren't lucky enough to be as naturally flawless as you, beautiful," Rose said, pinching his cheeks.
This, of course, led to war in which mascaras were hurled, and two people who weren't actually employed at Wal-Greens, stocking shelves with the one person who was.
**WIB**
"Canada? Who goes to Canada for spring break? Aren't you supposed to go to Daytona or Panama or Cancun or something?" Edward asked later that night when Bella filled him in on her plans.
The skype app on her ancient lap top lagged just a little, as his face wrinkled up adorably with his question. It made Bella smile.
"We don't really do beachy places," she told him. "Too much sand, too many people, too expensive."
Her computer caught up just in time to see him shake his head and start fiddling with something off screen.
"Besides," she went on, "there's some really primo smoke there."
Bella smiled as she piled two pairs of sweats into her suitcase. One of the bonuses of such a low-key vacation was that she could spend the week wearing comfy clothes.
"Yeah, but…Canada," Edward muttered, looking distasteful.
"I'm not exactly dying to migrate north, but that's where my favorite people are going to be, so that's where I want to be," she told him. She considered two pair of over the knees socks, then tossed them both in.
"Wait, I'm not a favorite person?" he asked. Bella glanced at the screen to see him wearing a looking of playful indignation.
"Don't worry sweetheart, you're fully in the 'I kinda like you' category. That's much better than the 'I'm merely tolerating you' echelon," she told him smiling sweetly.
"Uh-huh. Look, lady, I was almost voted the sexiest man alive. I'm favorite material," he huffed.
"Yes, dear, I'm sure your plenty of people's favorite," she appeased with a smirk.
"Rotten woman," he replied, rolling his eyes.
Bella blew him and little kiss, and went on to start digging out t-shirts.
"So, you're one hundred percent committed to Canada?" Edward asked after a moment.
Bella stopped what she was doing to focus on the computer screen. He looked like he was thinking pretty hard about something.
"Why do you ask?" she asked.
"Well," he said, slowly, "if you could be convinced to spend your time with a person you "kinda" like, maybe you could come here."
Bella wasn't sure what happened first, the flutter that started in the pit of her stomach, or the tidal wave of emotions that smacked her in the face. Excitement, anticipation, apprehension, and straight up fear. In the time span of just a few moments, she thought of at least a thousand questions. She decided to ask the most important one first.
"You want me to come see you?" she asked softly.
The smile that stretched across his face wasn't his cocky smirk or his playful grin. It was a boyish, earnest smile, and it made him absolutely beautiful.
"Of course I want you to come see me," he replied.
Bella smiled and she felt blush heat her cheeks. Quickly, she got herself under control, before she turned into a huge pile of mush.
"I mean, I guess I could consider it," she said, her grin turning sassy.
Edward laughed.
"I'm honored to be considered," he said. "In fact, I'm even more honored than when I was almost voted sexiest man alive. Hey, did I mention I was almost voted sexiest man alive?"
It was Bella's turn to laugh.
**WIB**
Edward drained the last sips from his coffee cup and steeled his nerves as he dialed his sister's phone number. It was still early, but he wanted to get this out of the way first thing. He anticipated facing the equivalent of a conversational firing squad.
"This is Alice," she answered in her business tone.
"Hello, Big Sister," he said. He couldn't help but smile, sometimes it really was fun to yank her chain.
"No, Edward. I don't care if you have a dead hooker on your living room rug literally covered in a mountain of coke. Whatever non-sense is going on, you deal with it. I'm trying to line out the European leg of next year's tour. I do not have time," she ranted.
Edward was pretty sure she hadn't even taken a breath. Of course, he found her tirade hilarious and had to take a minute to stop laughed before he could attempt to calm her.
"There's no dead hooker, Alice," he assured her.
"Then why are you 'Big Sistering' me?" she demanded.
"Because, you're my big sister…and also my manager, and professional courtesy dictates that I should let you know when I won't be available for a week," he told her in his most calming tone.
"Oh, is that it?" Edward could hear relief in Alice's voice, but it quickly turned back to alarm. "Wait, what do you mean you won't be available? Don't you have filming next week?"
"Canceled, Jana was double booked or something, so they backed it up by a week," he explained. "I thought they let you know."
"I have messages I haven't gotten to yet," she said distractedly. Edward could almost hear the gears in Alice's machine like brain grinding away. "Ok, so no filming. Good. Ok. So, why won't you be available?"
"I'm going to have a visitor," he said.
Silence took over the line. Edward began to smirk. Alice was waiting on him to elaborate and he was waiting on her to ask him to. All too often, Alice forgot that Edward was more than just a business interest. He liked to use times like this to remind her he wasn't.
"Oh, Jesus, Edward, who is it?" she asked, finally losing her patience.
Edward chuckled.
"Bella," he replied.
It took Alice a moment.
"The same small town Bella who got freaked out over a little picture on The Superficial?" she asked. Edward could picture the arched eyebrows of sardonic disbelief.
"Yes. That Bella," he said, amicably.
Alice sighed.
"Fine," she replied.
It was Edward's turn to be surprised.
"Fine?" he asked. He'd expected all kinds of push back.
"Yes, Little Brother, fine. However, when you need me to do damage control, which you will, be prepared to beg. Possibly grovel," she told him.
"Fine," he said, with a pleased shrug.
"Fine," Alice said and hung up the phone.
Edward couldn't help but smile as he looked out his kitchen windows at the city; that conversation had been the easiest of the ones he'd had lately. When he asked Bella to come visit, it had been spur of the moment, as things usually were with him, and he'd spent most of the conversation making silly jokes so panic didn't make him completely nuts. Then, last night she had called back to give him an answer. She had been at the lake with her friends. They had went to their spot to blow off steam after their finals finished. At first, Edward was stoked, because Bella told him that she decided to come see him, instead of going to Canada. Then Rose grabbed the phone.
"I can't believe you," she hissed, instead of saying hello.
"Um… I'm sorry," he blurted, surprised by the girl's fire.
"You should be! You're stealing my best friend in the entire freaking world," in the background Edward heard, what he assumed to be Jasper, yelling in offense about being chopped liver. "Right before spring break. What are your intentions toward my friend?"
Judging from Rose's slight slurring, and Bella's giggling somewhere nearby, Edward was pretty sure they were pretty tipsy.
"My intentions are completely honorable," he assured Rose.
"Well, then why the hell would she come there for that? She can sit around with us being honorable. She's coming to you to do some dishonorable shit. Can't wear white on her wedding day shit. Probably still illegal in Southern states shit," Rose ranted.
"In which case, my intentions are completely dishonorable," he amended his statement.
While the crazy girl on the phone was a bit overwhelming, it was nice to know that Bella had friends that cared enough to rip into a total stranger for her.
"Hang on a minute," Rose told him. Following that, he heard what sounded like Rose moving away, while Bella asked her where she was going with her phone. Then, it sounded like the phone was muffled in a shirt or something, then Rose was back again. "Ok, look, seriously, I need you to take care of my friend. Like, really good care of her. I know you're mister important rock star guy, but she's important too."
"I know," he agreed.
"Do you? Do you think she's important? Important to you?" Rose was pretty direct for someone who'd been imbibing.
"Well…yeah. She is important," he told Rose truthfully.
"Ok, good," she said. She sounded happy.
"Ok," he agreed. He was smiling, amused at both the conversation, and as crazy it was, that he'd just admitted feelings, he'd barely even admitted to himself, to a virtual stranger.
"Oh, and Edward?"
"Yes?"
"If you hurt my friend, I'll rip your balls off," she said and hung up the phone.
Now, all that was left was waiting for her flight to come in. The night before, he'd circled the house, checking on things. There was a cleaning service that came twice a week so everything was tidy. There wasn't much to eat, but he figured they'd just order in whatever they wanted. There was extra pillows and blankets in the guest bedroom. On one hand, he really hoped they'd spend time doing dishonorable activities, and the guest room would go undisturbed. On the other, he didn't want to be presumptuous. He sat down with his lap top and tried to focus on work e-mails, but it was no use. He was like a kid waiting on Christmas morning. Eventually, he gave up all together. He grabbed his hat and keys, and headed out at least an hour before he needed. He figured, at least at the airport he could people watch.
On a bench in the arrivals area, he alternated between playing on his phone, and watching people greet their loved ones. That, of course, led him to wonder how he should greet Bella. Should he sweep her into a big hug and spin her around playfully? Should he do the side hug thing and take her bag? Was there even a protocol for almost hooked up social media friends? He sighed. It seemed like he only had two modes where this girl was concerned; either he flew by the seat of his pants with no thought at all, or he agonized over every little thing.
His buzzing phone brought him out of his inner turmoil.
This place is insane, her text read, followed by a shocked emoji.
He smiled.
I'm in the arrivals area. Did you check bags?
Nope, I'm a light traveler
He headed over to the escalators to watch for her. When she came into view, he couldn't stop his grin. She was looking this way and that, for him presumably. He saw her lift her phone, but before she started to text or call, her eyes caught his. It only took a second for her smile to match his. Neither of them looked away, as she rode down, what had to be, the world's slowest escalator. When she reached the ground, she stepped over to him.
"Hey, rockstar," she said happily.
"Hello, beautiful," he replied.
Then, he just did what he felt was right. He took her face in both of his hands, and kissed her.
A/N: Would you look at that, they're together again. Reunited...and it feels so good. And now that we've gotten the lame musical pun out of the way, standard thank yous apply. Thanks to my Beta doing awesome Beta things. And thanks to you guys reading along and telling me what you think (by reviews and favorites/alerts).
Chapter Songs: Calling You – Blue October
Sweater Weather – The Neighborhood
