Emmett's point of view:
"I can't believe you're making me do this," I muttered to Rosalie as I followed her into the grocery store as I pushed the babies in their stroller. Hannah was sound asleep while Jordan sucked on his thumb, his eyes roaming the bright colors he saw.
She glared over her shoulder at me as she started to push a grocery cart through the store. "You know, you could be more supportive of your sister."
I snorted. "I don't think I'll ever trust the little whelp she's dating."
Rosalie laughed, sending a rush of joy through me. "You're so strange, Emmett. I hope that I'm there when Hannah starts to date so I can save her the pain of an over protective dad."
"Hannah will be too smart to date boys," I said, making Rosalie laugh again, "or she'll spare her old man and not date until she's forty."
"I'm sure she will," Rosalie muttered. "So, I was thinking lasagna, unless you had another idea."
"Lasagna sounds great. It's too cold to grill, and I'm not much of a cook otherwise," I said.
"Lasagna it is." She smiled at me as we started to head toward the pasta aisle.
"Can we have garlic bread too?" My mouth watered at the thought.
Rosalie snorted. "It is dinner at your house, Emmett. You don't need my permission."
"Just thought I'd ask, mother," I said sarcastically.
She bummed me with her elbow, making me bump her back.
"I was thinking we could have salad too," she said, ignoring my jab.
"And we'll have to have dessert as well," I told her.
"What should we do for drinks?" she grabbed the lasagna pasta before grabbing the correct jars to go with it.
"I don't think you or Alice will be able to hold any more wine." I gave her a knowing look.
She punched my shoulder. "Ow, jeez, woman." I rubbed my arm where she punched me and pouted as we entered the produce section.
"Come on, that didn't hurt, you big baby." She rolled her eyes at me as we made our way toward the produce section.
"How would you know?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
She glared at me as she lifted a container of spinach in her hands. "Go choose some vegetables for the salad, Emmett."
"Yes, ma'am." I winked at her, making her turn red.
I chose a few of my favorite vegetables for a salad while Rosalie picked up a loaf of garlic bread from the nearby bakery section. I carefully pushed the babies toward Rosalie while balancing the vegetables in their bags in one arm.
"I'm really glad we're doing this," Rosalie said as I approached her.
"Oh?" I asked.
Rosalie nodded. "I haven't gotten to see Alice much lately it seems, so I'm glad to have dinner with her again."
"She does love you," I commented. "I'm sure she'll be able to do more now that she's off for the Christmas holidays."
"That's what she said." Rosalie grinned at me. "We've arranged a girl's lunch with Bella and your mom."
"I bet Mom would love you to bring Hannah with you."
"I'm sure she would." She grinned up at me, her violet colored eyes meet mine and I swallowed hard. She was beautiful, and I couldn't bring myself to look away from her as she walked a little ahead of me. Her long blonde hair swayed as she walked down the soda aisle. I loved long hair on woman, and I wondered what it'd be like to run my hands through her hair. I swallowed hard again as she grabbed several drinks before heading toward the checkout counter.
"Ooh, look what they have!" Rosalie said as we came to the end of aisle. She held up a clear box of white and red treats.
"What is it?" I asked, looking at the treat. In the white chocolate, I could see flecks of peppermint.
"Peppermint bark. Bella and I discovered this in college," she explained. "It would be a perfect dessert for tonight."
"If it's super good, will you save a box just for me?" I asked.
"If we can leave the store without you throwing a fit," she teased, making me laugh.
By the time we checked out and got home, Jordan started to cry with hunger. I quickly made their bottles while Rosalie put the groceries that would spoil into the fridge before feeding Hannah.
"Are you ready to help me cook dinner, Hannah?" Rosalie said, smiling down at my daughter. "I bet Aunt Alice and Jasper will think it's amazing, huh? Especially since if they know that you've helped."
She's so beautiful, I thought.
Rosalie looked up at me, catching my stare. "What is it?" she asked, looking a little confused.
"Nothing." I shrugged. "You're just good with my kids, you know?"
"Thanks. I love these babies so much."
"I'm really glad we found you, Rosalie," I whispered, and there was something more to my words; I wasn't sure what it was, but there was something more to what I'd just said.
"Thank you, Emmett." She gave me her dazzling smile. "I'm really glad you found me too."
My stomach dropped out from under me, and I quickly looked away from her. "Do you need any help with dinner?" I asked.
"When it gets closer to dinner time, how about you make the salad?" she asked me, but I forced myself to look back into her eyes.
"Sure." I shrugged. "Do you think our salad could be better than Rosalie and Hannah's lasagna, Jordan?"
Rosalie laughed. "I doubt it. I have my grandmother's great recipe." Rosalie smirked at me.
"Well, we have the Cullen men amazing salad recipe," I teased her back, making her laugh again.
"You are so full of it, Emmett."
I laughed as she rolled her eyes at me. An hour and a half later, I found myself opening the door for Jasper and Alice, scowling at their intertwined hands.
"Oh, hello, Jordan," Alice chirped, stepping away from her boyfriend to take Jordan in her arms. He giggled and cooed up at his aunt. "I've missed you so much! You look like you've grown too, my handsome boy."
I stepped aside, while Alice walked by me, ignoring me to pay attention to my son.
"It's nice to see you again, Emmett," Jasper said, holding out his hand.
"You too," I replied, trying to be polite as I shook his hand.
Just like last time, Jasper didn't react to me squeezing his hand too tightly. I trailed behind Jasper and Alice while Jasper talked to Jordan, who stared at him with an open mouth.
"Aren't you going to say hello to Jasper, Jordan?" Alice asked as she walked into the kitchen.
Jordan gurgled up at his aunt again. I ignored the chatter while I picked up Hannah from her swing.
"Well, you guys have perfect timing. Dinner's ready and on the table," Rosalie said. "There's soda on the table."
We settled at the table, Alice holding Jordan while I held Hannah. I didn't say much as conversation went on around us. I had to observe Jasper to make sure he'd be good enough for my baby sister. He seemed alright, and I was impressed with his knowledge and passion for being a nurse.
"What made you want to help kids with cancer?' Rosalie asked.
"I had a cousin that had cancer when we were kids. She passed away when we were eleven, maybe twelve. We were best friends, and I needed change from working in the ER, so I decided to look in to helping kids with cancer," he explained.
I looked at Alice while I chewed my bite slowly. She looked at him in a way (and a part of me hoped she'd never look at a man like this) that said she was totally in love with him. They were a good match, him quiet and reserved while she was louder and more outgoing. Their passion for medicine and helping children with cancer had drawn them together.
"I'm so sorry, Jasper. I'm sure she'd be proud of you," Rosalie said.
"I hope so." Jasper nodded.
He smiled at Alice as she took his hand. Maybe he wasn't that great after all.
"Well, I'd better clear the table," Rosalie said.
"I'll do it," Jasper said, standing. "You made an amazing dinner, so I'll clean the table."
"I'll help, Rosy," I said to her. "You relax."
"Thanks, Em." She smiled up at me.
"No problem." I winked at her again, earning a slight blush.
After handing Hannah off to Rosalie and grabbing a few of the dirty dishes, I heard Alice and Rosalie whispering to each other as they walked into the living room. When I got to the kitchen, I popped the babies' bottles into the warmers before accepting a stack of plates from Jasper. Just as I started to load the dishwasher, Jasper returned with the pan the held the left over lasagna.
We worked in silence for a few moments until I said, "Jasper, I want you to promise that you'd take good care of my sister. She means a lot to me, and I couldn't hurt her even if I wanted to."
"I wouldn't hurt her, Emmett. My mom raised me to treat women well, and I care for your sister deeply. She's the exact woman I'm looking for, and I don't plan on ruining that."
"And you know I'd find you if you did hurt her." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I know that." He laughed just as he put the last dish into the dishwasher. "Your sister did warn me about her over protective brothers."
I snorted as I pulled out the bottles, which felt warm in my hands. I threw the bottle to him, and he caught it. "Want to feed one of the kids?" I asked.
"Sure."
When we returned to the living room, Jasper kissed Alice while she held Jordan, making me roll his eyes.
"Can I feed him, darlin'?" he asked her while I settled next to Rosalie on the couch, our arms touching.
"Sure." Alice smiled as she handed my son over to her boyfriend.
"Is that good, Hannah?" Rosalie asked while she fed my daughter. "I can't believe how big they've gotten."
"I know. They're growing up too fast," I said. Hannah's eyes found my face as I talked, and she gave me a smile. "Aren't you, baby girl?"
I leaned forward and kissed Hannah's head. When I straitened, I looked into Rosalie's eyes. When the desire to wrap my arm around her, I looked away quickly.
"So, Jasper," I said to distract myself from the beautiful woman next to me, "since you're now living with my sister, you may want to watch out for her trying to play dress up with you. I remember her doing that with her little friends …"
"You remember that one time when you played dress up with me, and mom came home early and caught you in her heals, Emmett," Alice interjected, causing Rosalie to burst out laughing while Jasper looked amused.
"Hey! I told you and mom to never tell anyone about that," I protested
"That went out the window when you implied that I'll play dress up with my boyfriend, you weirdo!" Alice argued back.
"Sorry if I did it so my baby sister wouldn't cry when your friend got sick and couldn't come over. I hate it when you cry," I told her.
Alice smiled at me. "You, Daddy, and Edward always hated to see me cry. It was the easiest way to get something out of you guys."
I frowned at her. "Of course you used it against us."
"I think it's cute," Rosalie said to me and I looked at her. "It's adorable that you'd do that for your sister."
My heart swelled as I grinned at her. She blushed and looked away for some reason. "Are you all done, Hannah?" She took the empty bottle out of her mouth and handed it to me without meeting my eye again. I watched Rosalie start to burp my daughter as Jasper and Alice talked quietly.
"Would you like dessert?" I asked, not wanting to be caught staring at her.
"That would be nice," Rosalie replied as I stood.
I went into the kitchen and pulled out the bark and opened two of the containers, not bothering to put them on plates. When I returned to the living room, Jasper was burping Jordan while Rosalie and Alice talked about some shopping they wanted to do after Christmas. When I handed Alice the container of bark, she said, "Really, Emmett? You couldn't at least put them on plates?" She scrunched her nose at me.
"I bring you chocolate, and this is the thanks I get?" I asked.
Alice laughed. "I guess I can't argue with that."
After I sat, I ate a few pieces of bark, enjoying the chocolate with peppermint.
"Are you going to save a few pieces for me?" Rosalie asked as she positioned Hannah across her lap; Hannah yawned and rubbed her eyes.
"You snooze, you lose, woman," I teased her.
"I bet I can find where you hid the other box, Emmett. I think I'll have to take it home with me." She grinned at me.
"I know Edward stays over with Bella, so I can have him bring it back to me," I told her.
"Oh don't you know that I'm best friends with your brother's boyfriend, so I could get her to tell him whatever I want him to." She smirked at me.
"You're evil, woman." I held out the box so she could take one.
"You have no idea." Rosalie narrowed her eyes at me.
"Remind me never to try and cross you." I smiled at her, earning one in return.
"Oh, I'll keep you in line, Emmett."
I stared at her face for longer than needed, and I looked away embarrassed.
An hour later and after the kids had been put in their cribs, Jasper and Alice left while I walked Rosalie to her car while I held the baby monitor in my hand.
"I do think dinner was a good idea," I admitted to her.
Rosalie smiled up at me as stopped by the driver's side door. "I'm glad you did it. Jasper is perfect for Alice."
"He's okay."
Rosalie laughed. "At least tonight was a start." She grinned up at me.
"I'll see you tomorrow to wrap presents."
"I'll look forward to it."
Without thinking, I leaned forward and kissed Rosalie's cheek. When I pulled away, Rosalie met my eyes, and I felt like I could get lost in them.
"Goodnight, Rosalie."
"Goodnight, Emmett."
I watched her drive away, and a part of me wished that Rosalie didn't have to leave.
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