Chapter 10: Alice and the truth

I woke up the next morning I woke up to my phone ringing. I reached over and picked it up to see who it was. Alice. I took a deep breath and answered.

"Hello"

"Why are you still sleeping? Never mind, don't answer just meet me at the coffee shop in half an hour. Kay see you there." and then she was gone. I put the phone back down and sighed. I looked over and found Edward still sound asleep. I got up and washed up quickly before getting dressed. I was sitting on the sofa putting on my shoes when I heard Edward come in the room.

"Morning." I said as I turned to finish tying my shoes. I felt him sit next to me.

"Where are you go so early? I thought you didn't feel well." I looked at him for a moment.

"I was more of a mental thing than physical."

"Tell me whats wrong, I know somethings wrong please talk to me. Did someone say something to you?"

"No Edward, no 'said' anything to me, but I heard more than enough. They all think I'm a money hungry whore." I got up to grab my purse. He followed me.

"No one thinks that of you. All night all I heard from everyone was 'don't let that one go' or 'she's a keeper' they all love you. Trust when I say my family has no problem with telling me the truth."

"Fine Edward if you say so. I have to go Alice is waiting for me at the coffee shop I'll see you when I get home" before he could say anything else I walked out and made my way to see Alice. I was at the coffee shop before she was and was already drinking my coffee when she came in. Before I had a chance to say anything she began to give me a detailed description of her week in LA. I had no idea what she was talking about half the time but I enjoyed it. I got my mind off of everything going on with Edward. We had been sitting there for about an hour when I saw him come in. Alice noticed were I was looking and began her usual attempts to persuade me to talk to him.

"Come on Bella just go up and talk to him," Alice told me for the millionth time since we had first saw him.

"No Alice, please just drop it." I knew she wouldn't, she never did but I couldn't help but ask her to.

"Bella please, we've come in to this coffee shop almost every morning for coffee for the last two years, and every day for the last two years he has come in here for his coffee. You've never been able to keep your eyes off him for more than a few seconds at a time." She turned her head to look at him, "I've seen him look at you too Bella."

"Whatever, he has a girlfriend anyways." I said as looked at my cup.

"And you know this how?" damn it. Me and my big mouth.

"I saw him with a girl once or twice. They looked really close." This was not a topic I wanted to discus at least not at the moment but she never let it go.

"Whatever" she sighed and took a sip of her coffee. After a few minutes, she smiled at me and looked around. She was up to something I knew it by the look in her eyes. "Bella I'm going to do you a favor." She looked around and spotted something or someone. I looked in the direction she was looking and saw him standing at the cream and sugar counter. He looked like he was putting something in to his coffee. He turned to walk back to his table or leave which ever it was, when I heard Alice's voice.

"Excuse Me," She said in her sweet child like voice. He turned to look at her.

"Yes" He said smiling at her.

"Sorry I'm Alice and this is my friend Bella" she pointed at me.

"Hi" he said politely to me then looked at Alice.

"Again I'm sorry but I just needed to ask you something. See I have this friend" she glanced at me, "who has somewhat of a crush on you, But she is terribly shy and won't say anything."

"Alice, please stop," I said between my teeth. The beautiful man beside us chuckled causing me to blush. Alice ignored me and continued.

"So for my friend, I need to ask you, are you single?"

"No" he said at once. She pouted but continued

"Married?"

"No" he said to quickly. It was true but it hurt with all recent events that he would answer so quickly. Or maybe I'm just being to sensitive.

"Do you love her?"

"You don't have to answer any of her questions," I said trying not to look directly in his beautiful green eyes.

"It's okay and to answer your question yes I love her" my heart fluttered I knew he did but I love to hear it anyways.

"On a scale of one to ten?" She asked him.

"Alice, please stop this. Leave him alone." I said sternly

"Sir" she said looking up at him he just smiled

"Edward, please" he said.

"Of course," She smiled at me "Edward, do you mind my questions?"

"No, not really I have nothing to hide" he looked at me.

"Okay" she shot me a look "On a scale of one to ten how much do you love your girlfriend" he looked at her and than at me. He took a deep breath then placed his hand in his pocket before he spoke.

"Well, this is how much." He pulled out a small blue box from his pocket and placed it on the table between Alice and I. "I've been waiting for the perfect moment to ask her to be my wife." I couldn't take my eyes off the little box. I saw Alice's little hand pick up the box and open it. Once she was done, she placed it back down in a way that I could see the beautiful ring that sat inside. It had a diamond with a sapphire set on each side, placed on what looked like a platinum band. I felt the tears in my eyes fight to be released but I held them back. Just then, a familiar song began to play. I looked up.

"Excuse Me," Edward said as he reached in to his pocket for his phone. He turned away from us to talk to who ever was on the phone.

"Bella I'm so sorry I didn't know"

"It's okay Alice how could you know?" I knew we were talking about different things.

"Are you mad at me?" I should be asking her that.

"No Alice I'm not" I looked around the room and noticed that Edward was no longer in the coffee shop. "He left" I said mostly to myself.

"Shit, he left the ring" I looked at it, took a deep breath, and stood up.

"I'll take it to him, he shouldn't be too far." I took the small box in my hand and walked out of the coffee shop. I looked around and saw his messy bronze hair a few yards away. I sped up my pace to catch up to him.

"Excuse Me," I said as I finally caught up to him. He turned around to look at me.

"Hello, long time no see." He teased.

"You left something in the coffee shop"

"I don't think I did." He smiled.

"I think you did." I raised my right hand palm up showing him the little blue box that was now balancing on my palm.

"Oh, um, thank you." His face was unreadable as he took the box from my hand but I knew that that was the face he put when he didn't want to show his emotions. Slowly he opened it to make sure the ring was still in place. When he looked inside a smile came on his face that went from ear to ear.

"Sorry" I said, "I should have told you I put the ring where it belonged." I slowly lifted my left hand and showed him my hand where the ring now sat.

"So is that your answer." he asked me.

"I can't believe you did that to me Edward. You know she doesn't know."

"It's not my fault you keep secrets from your friends."

"You know very well why I couldn't say anything."

"Well now that everything has been resolved we don't have to hide any more."

"I still can't believe you did that." I slapped his chest playfully.

"Isabella you know I love you with all my heart. All I want is for you to be my wife. I want you to let me love you and show you and the world just how much. I want to care for you and be with you forever. Will you give me that?"

"I already gave you your answer Edward." I smiled as I wiggled my newly adorned finger. He smiled at me and crushed his lips to mine. This was the beginning of forever with him. He was mine now and he would always be mine. I pulled away form him sorry about this morning. "I over heard something last night and I may have taken it the wrong way. I see that now."

"What did you hear?"

"I heard you and Tanya talking she said I was money hungry like all the others. Then you both laughed. I didn't hear anything after that but it hurt me."

"Oh baby I'm so sorry, she was joking and making faces. She didn't mean it. She loves you, she thinks you the best thing to happen to me besides Mason."

"I'm such an ass. I'm so sorry for being mad at you for nothing at all."

"It's okay. We're good right, we're happy?"

"More than happy. Now I just have to go tell Alice, everything." I turned to walk back to the coffee shop when I stopped quickly. "Oh and Edward," He smiled at me. "I hope you don't mind having absolutely no say in how you get married because Alice will take over everything."

"As long as you're the one walking down the aisle in the white dress, I don't really care about anything else." He kissed me before he turned and walked away. I took a deep breath and walked back to the coffee shop.

"Did you find him?" she asked. I nodded. "Bella I'm so sorry I..."

"Alice please stop apologizing. I'm the one that needs to be asking for forgiveness. Please don't be mad at me but that wasn't the first time I talked to him. Honestly I talk to him all the time." She looked at me with confusion plastered all over her face. "Let me finish before you interrupt I have a lot to say." she nodded and sat quietly while I told her everything. How we first met, how I helped him, how we slowly became friends then more and how we were now a family and getting married. After I told her everything she just sat there not saying a word. It was a full five minutes after I finished till she said something.

"Why didn't you tell me? I mean I know but you know that I would never have said anything. I could have helped you if I had known. I don't know how I feel right now about this."

"It's okay to be mad but if it helps any you can plan the wedding and be the maid of honor" I gave her an unsure smile. I looked at her face and I saw her fighting a smile herself.

"Your a sneaky bitch you know that? How can I stay mad at you when you offer me something like that but I want more." I nodded my head, she smiled triumphantly. "You have to go shopping with me for everything have to do with the wedding and I mean everything. And you are not allowed to complain once. And you have to give me at least six months to plane the perfect wedding. I'm thinking next fall. Maybe late October early November. We can have it outside with the changing colors of the leaves." I smiled at her. As she went on and on about what we could do. Writing notes on napkins and drawing Ideas for dresses. It was well after lunch when we were done and Alice made me promise to properly introduce her to Edward, so I invited her to dinner that night and ask her to bring her boyfriend Jasper.

A/N : there she told Alice. Finally that is out of the way. How did I do? I have at least two more chapters after this unless I get carried away with writing. (which I bet you don't mind.) Any who thank you all for reading let me know how I did. I have a few visual to go along with the story if you want to check them out the link is on my profile. :) smile and have a great end of year.

Nina Cullen