Turn and Burn

-To complete a dinner service quickly so as to refill the table with more customers-

Alice watched Jasper with narrowed eyes. She usually trusted everything the boy did, but he was deep in conversation with Edward. And Edward was bright red. The clues, when added together, told Alice neither boy was up to any good. Edward threw back his head and laughed, which almost convinced Alice to break up the fun and find out just what was going on. Instead, she focused on making the Coladatini she had created for the bar. If she had any chance of convincing Carlisle to add it to the menu, then she had to make sure that it was just right.

"Edward," she called with a mischievous grin. "I need a taste tester."

Jasper tossed his head to indicate that Edward should listen, so the conversation effectively ended. Alice grinned triumphantly and held out the paper cone with the mixture.

"Secrets don't keep friends, Edward," she teased, somehow knowing that the subject of their little talk was Bella.

"It's delicious, Alice." Edward deftly skirted the subject.

She clapped her hands and poured another cup for Jasper with the rest of the drink from the shaker. He tossed it back and grinned.

"Another winner, doll. That should be your third this month, right? They'll have you writing the full drink menu in no time."

Alice caught sight of Bella and waved her into the room. It did not escape her notice that the girl stood at the other side of the bar, as far from Edward as she could possibly get.

"I made a new one, Bella. Let me mix it for you. You'll love it!"

Bella dipped her head in acknowledgment and waited for Alice to mix all the ingredients. A tense silence filled the room, punctuated only by the sound of ice scraping stainless steel.

Alice studiously poured the Coladatini into another paper cup, while Jasper was trying to communicate something to Edward with only his eyes. Bella, still on her own at the other end of the room, avoided everyone's gaze.

"We're going to be smashed before we even open." Jasper broke the tension.

"Only way to get through this day." Bella cracked a grin.

She still refused to look at Edward, which made him wonder just what had happened since the conversation in the wine cage. They hadn't worked together for three days, but he thought they had left on fairly good terms. He'd even decided that he would ask for a real date, and not just a study session in a coffee shop.

Alice thrust the paper cup into Edward's hands and nodded her head toward Bella. He grinned and sauntered around the bar until he stood right in front of her. When she looked up and saw he was only inches from her, she backed away quickly.

"It really is delicious," Edward murmured, offering the drink carefully. When she reached out to take it from him, he laid his free hand over hers gently. "I'd like to see you, Bella."

With his thumb caressing the top of her hand, he pulled her closer to him, until she was only a breath away. "I don't mean just here at work, either. I'd like to buy you dinner that doesn't include ricotta cheese and cheap table wine. I want to talk to you about things that don't include line cooks and smoke breaks. More than anything, Bella, I want to know if your lips are as soft as they look, and I can't find out here."

She gasped and closed her fingers over the paper cone, nearly crushing it.

"I heard you...had company this week," she mumbled, pulling her hands from his grasp. "I imagine you're busy right now."

With that, she tossed her head back and poured the Coladatini down her throat. "Christ, Alice, that's amazing. If you decide to make more, it looks like I'm going to need them today."

Jasper's jaw dropped and Alice let out a snort, while Edward grasped empty air where Bella had once stood. "What. The. Hell?" he growled. "How does she know Tanya is here?"

oOo

With a bemused smile, Rosalie watched the new girl grab four menus and tersely greet the family standing by the door. No one could find fault with Bella's smile. Her words were polite and her demeanor welcoming, but Rosalie knew the real Bella was under lock and key somewhere. Surprisingly, she was impressed Bella was able to continue doing her job, in spite of whatever was bothering her.

"You need a break?" Rosalie ventured, when Bella returned.

The slender brunette blushed, just as Rosalie expected. But then, Bella's lips pressed into a firm line and she shook her head. "I'm fine, thanks. I just want to get through my shift and get the hell out of here."

With a sigh, she then grabbed another handful of menus and strode toward the front door to meet another group of guests. Rosalie watched in awe as the girl managed to make her way from point A to point B and back again without once slipping on the tile or catching her shoe on the carpet. Whatever had Bella worked up had done wonders for her coordination.

Rosalie had only just managed to complete her thought when Bella's elbow caught the basket of silverware and send them crashing to the floor.

"Well, shit," Rosalie muttered.

Under normal circumstances, she would rail against Bella for causing more work for everyone, because they could not use silverware that had touched the floor. Tears sparkled at the corners of Bella's eyes, though, and Rosalie knew she had to bite her tongue.

"Yeah," Rosalie finally said, as soon as she managed to get her temper back in check. "Time for a break. Angela can handle it for a few minutes."

Bella stared for a moment before turning toward the kitchen and stalking purposefully for the door. Rosalie signaled Esme and Angela before following. If nothing else, Bella might need someone to help her through the slippery dish room in her condition.

To her surprise, Bella had already made it to the back door and was waiting for Emmett to unlock the door for her. He made a move to muss Bella's hair but received a sharp glare for his efforts, so he pulled his hand back quickly.

"Is she okay?" he asked, as soon as he saw Rosalie.

"I'll see if I can find out," was her short response.

Emmett new better than to mess with her hair, so he just gave her a quick kiss to the cheek and left the girls alone.

Rosalie heard the door lock behind her and knew she could count on Emmett to disappear for a while so no one else could join them. Bella was already pulling steadily on a cigarette and blinking back the tears she'd been fighting all morning.

"Spill," Rosalie said, without preamble.

"As much as I would love to rant about my problems, Rosalie, why the hell do you imagine I would choose you as my understanding ear?" Bella exhaled a plume of smoke.

With her mouth hanging open, Rosalie gaped for several seconds before laughter bubbled up and over.

"Obviously, I'm not terribly friendly. I guess you could unload on someone that doesn't have a gazillion people waiting to hear the gossip. Besides," she paused and shrugged, "I actually quite like you."

"It's just a stupid boy, Rosalie. A stupid boy that acted like he liked me but was sleeping with every other girl the whole time."

With that, the tears spilled over and coursed down her flushed cheeks.

Rosalie, who hadn't expected to receive a confession so easily, stepped forward and awkwardly patted Bella on the shoulder.

"You're too sweet, really," she offered. "I mean, have you made him work for anything? Do you tease him right back? My guess is that you stand there with those big, brown eyes and eat up every last word, am I right?"

Bella dropped her cigarette into the urn and quickly lit another one. Her fingers trembled as she contemplated the veracity of Rosalie's words. Every time Edward was in her presence, she became a stuttering pile of goo. In fact, with Rosalie's wake-up call, Bella could imagine the look that must have graced her face every time he spoke.

"It's possible," she muttered around the cigarette between her lips. "I mean... how am I supposed to even think when he's around, much less form my own flirtatious sentences?"

"Are you talking about Edward?" Rosalie suddenly asked.

Bella didn't even need to respond because her immediate flush spoke volumes.

"Ridiculous, right?" Bella said. "I know he's way out of my league, but... I guess I just really thought he liked me."

Rosalie threw her head back and laughed until she had to hold her stomach for support. "Edward? Oh, my God. I'm sorry, but... Yeah, I guess he's nice looking, but... I never would have placed him outside your league, Bella. Never. Oh, God."

A sigh escaped Bella's lips, and another plume of smoke along with it. "He is...sex. He is sex personified. He has the ability to chew me up and spit me out. And I would just come back for more, because I apparently have no sense of self preservation."

"I'm having trouble picturing this," Rosalie giggled. "I guess he's always just been...Edward to me. Sex personified!"

Another indelicate snort escaped, and even Bella had a hard time keeping a straight face.

"So you like him, then?" Rosalie managed to say through her giggles.

"Well, I did. But he's apparently a fan of taking Lauren to the wine cage, and Kate in the practice rooms, and now Tanya...well, everywhere, I guess. Lauren enjoyed telling me that, let me tell you."

"Tanya's back?" Rosalie asked in surprise.

Bella's shoulders slumped and she nodded miserably. "I thought maybe I had just misunderstood. That even if he had done something with Lauren and Kate at some point that it was possible that he liked me now. But..."

"Yeah, he and Tanya were pretty tight," Rosalie said with a frown.

"Which doesn't at all explain why he would ask me out today, right? I mean, if his girlfriend is visiting... What guy does that?"

Rosalie stared at the door for a moment, thinking. She knew Tanya and Edward had been close before Tanya decided to transfer to Georgetown. She'd been a part of the usual group that ended the night at O'Malley's after closing, and Rosalie had to admit that there had been some flirtation between the two, but nothing had seemed too serious. The thought of Tanya staying with Edward for any reason, even a completely innocent one, just didn't sit right with Rosalie at all.

"Well, if you want my opinion..." Rosalie ventured, an evil smile tipping her lips.

"Sure. I've got nothing else," Bella sighed.

"Just give him a taste of his own medicine," Rosalie said with a shrug. "I mean, you're pissed at him now, so that should make it easier. You'll be able to think clearly when he's around, which means that you can stop staring at him like you're about to bow down and worship. Say suggestive things that make him think he's about to get what he wants and then just walk away."

"You think that will work?" Bella asked, her mind already racing with possibilities.

"I'm not saying that you'll win your great love in the end or anything, Bella. But at least you'll be able to keep a bit of your pride and self-esteem, right? If nothing else, you'll keep him awake at night."

A slow smile crept across Bella's face, and she giggled. "It's about time someone else lost a little sleep."

Just then, the door swung open and Edward rushed outside. Emmett stood in the doorway, throwing a beseeching look to Rosalie. She grinned and winked, letting him know his timing was perfect.

"Take your time, Bella. I've got you covered," she said, giving another awkward pat to Bella's shoulder. Without a single glance at Edward, she glided back through the door and into Emmett's arms. Before completely leaving Bella behind, she pushed a doorstop into place so that there would be an escape route if necessary.

A smirk crossed Bella's lips as Edward kicked over a milk crate and collapsed onto it. When he pulled out a Marlboro and lit it, her knees gave a bit, but she straightened her spine and renewed her careless expression.

"Are you okay?" he asked, after a moment of silence.

"Peachy," she replied, wetting her bottom lip with a slow swipe of her tongue. "You?"

Edward blinked three times before answering. "Um... Yeah. I'm all right. It's kind of slow today, so we should get out of here soon."

Bella shrugged and shook her head. "I'm a double today. Quick lunch break and I'm back at it. It will be good for you to get off early, though, right?"

"Why?" Edward asked, a puzzled frown creasing his brow. "Oh! Because of… Yeah, Bella. That's not quite—"

Bella cut him off when she kicked another milk crate over so that she could sit, as well. He was so startled by her sudden movement that he forgot to finish his thought. When she reached over and placed her hand on his knee, every other thought in his head fled, as well.

"Everything is just fine, Edward," she purred. Carefully, she picked up the hand that was not holding his cigarette, and she trailed her thumb and forefinger down the longest digit. The imagery was obvious, and she couldn't help but grin.

"Your fingers are so long," she whispered. Her caress trailed back up to the tip, and she almost laughed when he shuddered. "I can only imagine just how talented they are, Edward. Maybe some day you'll show me?"

"I, uh... I guess I could. I would love to play for you, Bella," Edward stuttered, his eyes widening in panic.

Bella stood and flipped her cigarette into the urn by the door. "Oh, Edward. I'd love to hear you play, but that's not quite what I meant."

His jaw dropped as she lowered her eyes to his hands once more. He still hadn't composed himself when she opened the door, so she tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and smirked.

"You coming?" she whispered.