I smiled as I hung up the phone in the lobby. It was just about ten o' clock in the evening and I had just said good night to Bella. We usually spoke longer but I insisted she get her sleep so she could make her trip down to Florida early and fresh for my seventeenth birthday tomorrow.

I ran my hands through my hair as I looked about the place, taking in the usual luxurious atmosphere of the five star restaurant Carlisle and the rest of us frequented since we moved to Orlando three years ago. It was always business and only Carlisle and Esme ever seemed to know who the people were that came to dine with us. Mostly formal men and women in crisp evening wear and jewelery that shouted their wealth.

With my hands in my vested navy pinstriped pant suit I strode back to the dining room. When I reached the table I noticed about five more familiar people seated. They stood with their hands outstretched to shake mine.

The last hand I shook was the blushing Elga Phillips. Quite the fashion tycoon. A favorite with my sister, Alice. She had to be about fifty but you'd probably guessed younger. She was an old friend of Esme and Carlisle back in their college days. Her face was fresh with perfectly applied rouge and white powder and she smelled as if she had just rolled out of a barrel. I kissed her hand.

"Mrs. Phillips, quite a pleasure to see you," I murmurred, laughing internally as she flustered about trying to neaten her already flawless bun.

"You too, Edward. Dear, I've quite forgotten what a hunk you are!"

Alice snorted. She had just came in from her make out session with Jasper and she shoved past me to hug Elga with her usual vibrance startling the graceful woman.

Dinner was quite the norm. Amanda was here with her father. Looking pointedly away from me. I wanted desperately to roll my eyes. We had broken up five months into our relationship, much to Bella's happiness and approval, and she'd agreed that we'd still be friends and hang out but it's been a good number of years, enough time for her to move on, and everytime she saw me she made a point in making sure I knew I didn't exist to her. Well I don't like forcing my company on people who didn't want anything to do with me but her father, Darien Jones, was the head of the legal department in Carlisle's firm here in Orlando and he would constantly try to get us back together.

The firm had surprised me, since Carlisle was much more of a medicine guy but he'd decided to invest in the car exporting and importing business. He'd explain that it will be for a more defined reason later on and I hadn't questioned. I liked the car business, just not the people affiliated. As I sat down on the other side of the table across from Carlisle, who was the head, I looked around at the greedy people my father did business with. They never refused dinner dates with my family, ordering largely and letting Carlisle get the bill. Of course, they often would have their own little dinner parties as well, but they always made sure everyone knew clear on the budget.

When everyone had eaten Carlisle called the waiter and had him fill everyone's glass with Ch. Rieusecc. He was going to make a speech. Esme pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders and squeezed Carlisle's hand as he rose, the stem of the crystal wine glass held in his right hand.

Everyone turned to him, waiting expectantly at him as he smiled graciously at us all, finally settling his gaze on me. He cleared his throat.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. Of course, you all know, there need not be any special occasion for Esme and I to host you all here." Everyone laughed as he smiled again. "But tonight there is! I have been building an empire with my wife for thirty years, a strong powerful family. There has never been more a point in my life than now that all the stars seem aligned in my favour and my family is well and healthy. My adventurous boy, Emmett, who couldn't be here tonight and his wife, Rosalie, are just wonderful and one could never be bored of the stories they bring back when they return home, I'm even going to be having a little German grandson this coming winter!" Someone whistled while the others mummurred their congratulations. "Lovely, Alice," he cooed, smiling down at my sister who grinned in return. "What could we do without you? You have taught everyone to take risks! You have perfect insight, wondrous, abundant talent! Don't ever let it go to waste! You feisty girl. Edward," he began, staring at me again gently, I sat up more in my chair as everyone turned to look at me. "You are perhaps the brightest of us all! Creative, humble, a little too much friendly with the other sex," he narrowed his eyes as I laughed with the rest of them. I thought I heard a little 'hmmph' coming from Amanda. "but of course, you are becoming a splendid man. One I'm so proud of." I smiled tentatively. Carlisle thought too good of my character. "And dear, Esme!" Esme stood up when he pulled on her hand and she grinned at him affectionately. I looked at Elga who was dabbing her eyes with a silk handkerchief and then back at the people who have been my parents almost all my life. "You have been the most exquisite, the most incredible person I've ever met and will forever be! No one has more than me in the love and patience you shower on me each and every day. I love you." They kissed. Bleh. "Now for the special occasion! Esme will you do the honours?" She grinned and turned to face me directly.

"We've decided to hand over the business to the most fitted person. Carlisle wants to spend his last years fully focused on his science before retiring with me."

I watched as the men around the table adjusted their neck ties. I wondered why all the staring at me tonight.

"We have decided that our son, Edward, would be the best fit for the job!" My eyes bulged as everyone turned to stare at me agape, as I was.

I cleared my throat from the lump I felt developing their, wanting badly to gulp down the wine now. "Congratulations honey! Tomorrow you'll be seventeen. And as soon as you're of legal age, the business is all yours. Cheers to you Edward!"

Everyone raised their glasses to me and I barely managed to raise mine, a second late. Amanda was staring at me strangely like she couldn't believe her ears or something. I tried to look happy. Forcing the muscles in my face to make something resembling a smile. I lifted the wine to my mouth drinking it all in one draw.

I did not want my father's business. What ever happened to me becoming a musician?

When everyone was sufficiently distracted, I excused my self from the room and walked brisjly over to the lounge room. When I was outside in the cool air of the late night, I pulled out a small silver flask of vodka from my vest pocket. I took a swig and braced my head against the cold brick posts of the restaurant.