AN: First thank you for all the story alerts! It really made my day yesterday. Also thank you to KGunter34 for the review. It made me laugh!
I hope you like this one! I'm working on the next chapter of Ugly Duckling Bakery. It should be up tomorrow. (Or hopefully tonight!)
This is a long chapter, so I think it isn't a drabble fic anymore. Oh well, I was on a roll! Enjoy! (Plus, reviews would be great, too!)
Chapter 11: Enter The Man In Black
"Bella...I...I...understand...you're angry, but..." Esme stammered.
Put a fork in me, because I was done with this mess.
I held my hand out to stop her simpering and stated forcibly, "Enough of this nonsense. This is a place of business and should be treated as such. Half the customers have run out of here or are sitting back and watching the freak show. This is partly my fault, since I think the shock made me overreact. That's over now. I need to leave in a couple of minutes, so I need to finish up my duties here. If you feel the need to stay, then fine stay. Please buy a book, a coffee or maybe one of Jess's tasty pastries. I don't care what you decide, but of you continue to loiter in the middle of the store then I'll let the Chief come at you. Take your pick."
"You have five minutes people. Buy something or I'm calling in backup," Dad said while stroking his handcuffs.
Edward started to approach me when one of the blonde bimbos grabbed his arm. In her thick accent, she purred, "Edvard...the muffins have too...much of the fat. Is that man...a Burt Reynolds...of the Smoky and the Bandit? him."
"No...no, Irina!" The other blonde with the curly hair explained. "He is the Tom Selleck! Magnum, P.I.! Edvard, can we take the Tom Selleck home with us?"
Charlie looked at the women in shock and perhaps a little pride. It was gross. Before I could get my dad back on track, Edward snapped at the vapid twosome, "Be quiet, Tanya and Irina. God, you both are giving me the worst headache. Listen, Isabella, I don't want to get you in trouble with your boss. I just don't understand why you're working here. What happened to your job at the library? Not that you needed to work there either. I left you more than enough money to live a life of leisure or at least go back to school for fun. You love school. You're too good to be a shop girl."
"I am the boss, Edward. It's my business." I felt offended by him. Even after leaving he was trying to control my life.
The curly blonde exclaimed with dollar signs flashing in her big, blue eyes, "Edvard, she bought this store with money! Your money! You have much money, Edvard?"
"Shut up, Tanya," Edward sneered. That's the Edward, I knew. It felt nice that it wasn't directed at me.
"Well, Tanya," I answered in a sickeningly sweet tone. "I bought it for myself. I borrowed my money from a place called the bank. It's a building and not a person that you get money from. If you would be so kind as to purchase something from my establishment, I can pay back the loan I took for the bank. You see I borrowed money, which I will pay back. I just don't take money without repaying it with hard work. Tanya, you do understand what work is?"
"I am a model." Tanya began to pout.
"I will take that answer to be a no." What a stupid, annoying model.
Edward grabbed my arm. "I gave you a very large settlement in the divorce, Isabella. You shouldn't be taking out loans at banks. You should be laying on a beach somewhere warm and drinking Margaritas."
"That's hilarious, Edward! Did ever really know me? Lying on a beach is the last thing I would ever do, with or without your money." I shook off his arm. "I never cashed your stupid check. I never wanted your money before and I don't want it now. You just don't get it do you?"
"You never cashed the check?" Edward asked in confusion. He ran his hands through his hair. My eyes watched intently, a part of me missing the feeling of my own hands caressing his head. After a busy day at the hospital, Edward would come home and lay his head on my lap and have me stroke his head while we watched the evening news. It was a favorite memory of mine, but it was ruined by the way he treated me before he left.
I shook my head to clear my mind of any positive thoughts I ever had of him. "Do you even look at your finances? It must be nice to live without any worries. Maybe, I should let the network know that their medical expert isn't the most observant person in the world. It makes me question how good of a doctor you are. Would you even notice if you left a clamp in a patient during surgery? Tsk, Tsk, Dr. Cullen."
"That's a low blow, Isabella. I have a person who handles my money." Edward took a deep breath and cupped my chin. I heard Charlie yell behind us and Angela telling him to be quiet, but was unable to move my head to calm my father down as a stared into his green eyes. "I am issuing a new check and you are going to cash it, beautiful. Let me take care of you."
That was all it took for me to pull away and push him back. "I think you took enough CARE of me when you decided to leave with Carmen. How is she anyway? Still a wildcat in bed?"
The straight hair blonde, Irina, interrupted before Edward could answer, "We hate that...that...horrible woman."
"Well, I guess I can agree with your models on something, Edward. I don't care about Carmen or you Edward." I shrugged. I glanced at Jessica. "Can you get my dad something to cool to drink? It looks like he's about to have a coronary."
"It looks like your dad needs a whiskey, but an ice cold tea will work for now." Jess looked at Edward. "You leave her alone, you hear. Bella, Jasper will be here any minute. Fix your lipstick, Bells. You keep biting your lip."
I went to grab a lipstick out of my purse. I looked up to see Edward staring at my lips, his eyes going dark. This was so confusing. I turned around from him, so I didn't have to look at him, as I heard Alice say, "My Jazzy's coming!"
Carlisle stroked her arm and said, "Monkey, you need to remember you aren't married to him anymore."
"I want to be his friend! Maybe..."
"Monkey, just be calm. You need patience for things to work out," Carlisle pleaded. These Cullen's were a delusional bunch.
"Speaking of the extremely hot devil, he's arrived!" Jessica smirked behind me.
The door opened and there he was looking like perfection on legs. I was used to Jasper being cute in his paint covered shirts and ripped jeans, but this version before me was swoon worthy. Wearing a fitted black button down and charcoal pants that fitted him perfectly, he looked like he stepped out of a men's fashion magazine. Clutched in his hands was a bouquet of tulips, which were my favorite flower. Edward always gave me red roses, but it was tulips that I loved.
Jasper walked over to me with purpose with his eyes locked on mine and a smile gracing his face, not noticing those around us. I was staring at him to until a shrill little voice yelled out, "Jazzy, you brought me flowers! I mean lilies are my favorites, but that's okay. Short notice about my visit and all! Daddy, was this why Edward and I needed to get here so quickly? Jasper is forgiving me?"
Carlisle started stammering as Alice grabbed onto Jasper, while that creepy James ran over and pulled her away.
James looked at Alice with an angry look on his face. "Alice stop being inappropriate."
"But, Jamie, its Jazz..."
"Alice, what are you doing here?" Jasper asked in a stern tone.
She looked sadly at him. "Daddy and Mommy said we need to come back. It was important that we come here! I just knew it was because you and Bella needed us!"
I looked at Alice's desperate face as she looked at Jasper and my heart dropped. He was going to take her back in an instant. I wasn't sure if she broke his heart so severely like Edward did mine, but I knew Jasper couldn't talk about his heartbreak. This led me to think about my own feelings for Jasper and Edward, not to mention a tricky thing called forgiveness. Tonight was supposed to be about starting fresh with a handsome man, but now everything was all mixed up.
Jasper words brought me out of my fluctuating thoughts. "Ali, these flowers are for Bella. We are heading to Seattle tonight."
"Wait a minute, is Bella your date?" Edward announced grabbing my arm.
Jasper gave him a small smile, as he walked up to us leaving a crying Alice behind him. "Well hello to you, Edward. Could you unhand my date? This lovely lady and I need to be heading out."
Edward gripped my arm harder and I stepped on his foot. He let out a yelp and let my arm go. I gave Jasper a smile and said, "You look very handsome, Jasper."
"Why darlin', I pale in comparison to your beauty. These are for you." Jasper handed me the yellow and orange tulips and kissed my cheek which made me blush. "Pink is a very beautiful shade on you."
Edward's face turned various shades of red as well, but his coloring had nothing to do with blushing. He was furious. "You don't touch her, Whitlock!"
"I can't promise anything, old buddy. Have you ever really looked at her? This girl is gorgeous in sweats, so if I can barely contain myself then can you imagine what Bella in a dress is doing to me."
As Alice started wailing behind us, Edward snarled, "I will destroy you, if you try to lay a hand on her. Isabella's mine!"
Jasper let out a laugh. "You really think that, Edward? This is what I think. That ship sailed when you sent Bella divorce papers. I promise you that you will be the last thing she's thinking about when I have my hands on her tonight."
My eyes widened and I let out a gasp. Edward launched himself at Jasper, as Carlisle and my father jumped up to restrain him.
The curly haired blonde, Tanya said in confusion to the other, "Why are the beautiful men fighting over the plain one? Her boobs are small and she has hair like dirt."
Angela stomped over to them. "I think it's because her beauty is pure and not plastic like a Barbie doll. I think the two of you need to leave."
"I like Barbie! She is a pretty doll. Why do you not like the Barbie, small bird girl?" Irina asked with a pout.
"Irina, Tanya...go wait in the limo with James. I'll handle this!" Edward said struggling with my dad who had handcuffed him.
"Don't let the door hit you the asses on the way out!" Angela announced as she pushed them out the door.
Jess and I gasped at Angela, as my dad started reading Edward his rights. "You have the right to remain silent..."
"Dad, what are you doing?" I asked.
"I think this boy needs a night in the clink. Attempted assault should work just fine," My dad said with a grin.
"Charles, please no!" Esme pleaded.
My father just shook his head and winked at me.
Jessica grabbed my overnight bag and handed it to me. "You two need to get going. Have a wonderful time! I want you to call me tomorrow morning and tell me everything!"
"You look fantastic and don't think about what happened here! Just be happy!" Angela said giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Please at least think about separate beds for my sanity and Charlie's. I'll be praying that you make the right decision."
"You're spending the night together! Isabella, baby, please don't do this! I love you! You know this!" Edward cried. I looked at his pained face in shock. What the hell?
Jasper grabbed me around the waist, before I could question Edward. "Edward, you are getting desperate. It's embarrassing. Here's a little something for you to think about tonight when you cuddle up with Bubba in jail."
That's when Jasper places his lips onto mine in a deep kiss, with his tongue entering my mouth with a lustful urgency. He weaved his fingers through my hair and pressed his body to mine making my whole body flush with a heat that I haven't felt since the last time I had been intimate with Edward. It felt amazing.
Jasper released my mouth as I took in a deep breath. That man left me breathless. He then grabbed my bag in one hand and my hand in his other. Jessica handed me my purse, as Jasper announced to the room, "Well, we're off. See y'all later. Have a terrific night, because we certainly will!"
He walked me out the door as Alice cried and Edward snarled behind us. We went quickly to his car and as he opened it for me, I had to ask, "Not that I'm complaining, but was that scene to make Edward and Alice jealous?"
He gave me a smirk. "Maybe a small bit, but truthfully as soon as I saw you looking so sexy I needed to put my lips on yours."
"Oh. Well that works," I blushed again. "Have you noticed we have only kissed in my store and in front of an audience?"
"Well, pretty girl, I think we need to rectify that." Jasper grabbed my face and gave me another amazing toe curling kiss. He added, "More of that to come, sweetness."
I sat down into the car with a sigh. I had lived the last couple months in a sad, but comfortingly predictable way. Now in one day, my relationships with Jasper and Edward have become a roller coaster. The question now was would I embrace the twists and turns or run screaming the other way.