A/N: Hello, poppets!

Meeting Edward's pseudo-family was much more nerve wracking than meeting his mother.

Maybe it was that she walked back into the little home she shared with Edward and caught them in the most innocent of acts. Edward was leading Bella around the small living room in an easy dance.

Bella noticed she was much more graceful when Edward was dancing with her than she was when she was practicing on her own. Maybe it was because she found it easier to follow his body than the rhythm of the music.

Elizabeth Masen had a very tired look about her. When she stepped in the house, her face registered surprise at seeing a stranger in her living room. When Edward introduced Bella though, the corners of her mouth crinkled. She looked much more like Edward when her face was relaxed - so beautiful.

Her smile was warm and welcoming when Edward introduced Bella as his girlfriend.

"So good to meet you," she greeted. There was a skeptical look about her that broke Bella's heart a little. This woman had been hurt by her husband's betrayal. But given that, she seemed genuinely pleased by Edward's obvious happiness as he pulled Bella close to him.

The boys at the strip club were another matter entirely.

It was Saturday afternoon, and Edward had been reluctant to leave her to go to practice. It had been his brilliant idea to take her with him.

"I don't know what you're so nervous about," he teased her as they drove. "You don't even have to picture them all in their underwear. They'll already be in their underwear."

Bella cast a disparaging look in his direction but otherwise stayed silent.

She was somewhat relieved to find Alice there as well. They'd met briefly at Rosalie and Emmett's wedding the week before, and Bella liked the woman.

In retrospect, Bella didn't know what she'd been worried about. The boys were rowdy, but that was to be expected. They teased her, making her part of their practice.

When Garrett toppled her to the ground, hovering over her, pinning her down with his hips, Edward protested. "Get your own dance partner," he groused, helping Bella to her feet.

Shaking his head, Carlisle held a hand out to Bella. "Why don't you come stand by me. The boys are used to manhandling women. Alice certainly doesn't discourage it."

Alice kissed his cheek. "I'm just here to help, Dad."

"Don't know how much help she is," Benjamin joked, lifting Alice right off her feet. "Picking up Alice is like picking up a toddler. She's just a wisp of a girl, hardly representative of the rest of our clientele."

Bella wrinkled her nose, casting a mock-offended look in his direction. "Are you calling me fat?"

The boys laughed, and Bella tried not to be unreasonably pleased. What a difference it was hanging out with them as opposed to the girls and boys at the academy and the country club. She much preferred their easy going nature to the self-important stuffiness of most of the rich in the town.

Bella sat with Carlisle, laughing as they tried out a new skit. It was a Roman bathhouse idea where James and Emmett sat across from each other in nothing but towels. Set to a fairly typical electronica type song, they gesticulated at each other, obviously insinuating they each had the bigger package. Emmett pointed out how broad he was, as if to say, "I'm a big guy, ergo I'm a BIG guy." James rolled his eyes, unimpressed, stood and whipped his towel off, waving it around his head in time to the music. He had a very nice package. Emmett nodded, appreciative, and then ripped his own towel off. He had an even nicer package.

The "punchline" of the act was Benjamin, sitting quietly in the corner, unobtrusive until he jumped down between the other two, teasing as he held the towel out in front of him, shaking his hips to the music.

As the song ended with a flourish, Benjamin dropped the towel.

He was ridiculously well hung.

After practice, they all lounged, enjoying a little bit of the free whiskey that was a perk of the job. The conversation got around to Bella and what she might do for the gala.

"Coming up with the skits in the fun part," Mike mused. "We could help you come up with something fun." He grinned. "And not too randy."

"Where's the fun in that?" Garrett waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Call these stuffed shirts on their bullshit. Fucking hypocrites. They'd pay to see you dance dirty under other circumstances, but I bet they'd be so appalled to see it in their fancy country club."

"There's a time and place for social commentary," Carlisle said mildly, giving Garrett a pointed look.

"You know what you should do? Why not get Edward in on the act," Jasper suggested.

Edward quirked an eyebrow. "What? That's crazy."

"Why not?" Jasper continued. "Bella already said she dances better with you anyway."

"If Edward doesn't want to do it-" Bella began, trying to get him off the hook before his friends joined in.

"Well, it's not a matter of me not wanting to do it," he simpered at her, making a jolt of energy go down her spine. "You know how much I love dancing with you, but think about it. You'd be up in front of everyone dancing with the help."

Bella snorted. "It just so happens the help is a pretty impressive dancer." Now it was her turn to smirk at him. "I know I'm no Mrs. Stanley..."

Edward rolled his eyes and smiled softly. "Well, if it's what you want..."

Jasper clapped his hands together. "Excellent. Now the fun part - figuring out a dance."

Bella felt a little dizzy as the others eyed them speculatively, mischief inherent on their features.

What the hell had she just gotten into?

A/N: Who will volunteer to help the boys practice?