The Last Summer
10. Opportunity
"Harriet, I said don't touch that! Harriet!"
It had been one month since James disappeared without a trace. Edward Cullen had called Bella two days later to inform her that he had not shown up for work but the entire police department was on the look out for him. They would be doing routine drive-by's and surveillance checks to her house so she needn't worry about her safety. Things seemed to fall into place after that, and Bella had used most of her time to help Leah prepare for her wedding. Grateful for anything to keep her mind occupied.
Bella sat in Leah's kitchen surrounded by a hundred ivory and lavender ribbons and fifty feet of tulle that Leah had been weaving fairy lights into. She was watching with mild enthusiasm as her sister scolded the seven year old for trying to touch the white fabric with peanut butter and jam stained fingers.
"But Mommy! Daddy told me to help you and Auntie Bella. I can't help you if you wont let me!"
Leah looked over at Bella. "This kid will be the death of me." She said flatly, then turned back to the small child. "Listen, I don't care what your asshole of a father told you. He just pawned it off on you so he could get away with not helping."
Harriet didn't bat an eye. "Daddy said weddings make men sick, mommy."
"Weddings make me sick, Harriet! Now go wash your hands."
As she twirled another piece of ivory satin into a bow she thought about Jacob. After their first night together, she had slept for twelve hours. When she finally awoke that evening, he had been downstairs working on an old Jeep. They had exchanged a few awkward pleasantries until he finally asked if she regretted it. She told him no; she could never regret anything with him, but she needed time to process everything that had happened in the last 48 hours. Jacob told her he understood and when she asked him if they could take things slow he laughed - a genuine laugh - and told her they had been best friends since they were old enough to walk and that he'd been her friend for a hell of a lot longer than her lover. She sighed in relief and they had settled into a comfortable pattern since then.
But six days ago that all changed when he sat her down on an overturned milk crate near his workbench, and ran an oil stained hand through his hair.
"Bells, I need to be honest with you about something."
"Um, okay." She placed both hands on either side of the milk crate, bracing herself. "What is it, Jake?"
"Well... Before you moved back home I applied for a mechanical apprenticeship."
Her face twisted into confusion. "Apprenticeship? But you're already a mechanic."
"Well, yeah. But I'm only self taught aside from the 9 month online course I took at the community college."
When she didn't respond he started pacing. "I hadn't heard anything for the last two months and to be honest, I forgot all about it. With all the shit that's been going on with you, it was the last thing on my mind. But, uh, I got a call this morning from one of the co-owners. And I- I got accepted."
She blinked at him. "Wow. That's great news, Jake. Where is it?"
He was fumbling with a screwdriver, not looking at her. "It's at Hale Inc., Vintage & Classic Restorer. I'd be training under Jasper Hale and his sister Rosalie. They're practically famous in the automotive world. It's the opportunity of a life time."
"So then... why do you look so upset?"
He looked at her then, frowning. "Because it's in Seattle."
"Oh."
He knelt down in front of her. "I can say no."
"Of course you can't, Jacob. Don't be stupid." Bella scoffed.
He was thoughtful for a moment, until finally he shrugged his shoulders. "You could come with me."
"What?" She sputtered, half laughing. "Are you crazy? I can't just pack up and leave."
"Well I can't just leave you here alone and unprotected."
"But, I-"
"You what?"
She started talking really fast, the way she always did when she was overwhelmed. "We don't even know what we're doing, Jake. We haven't figured anything out yet. I don't know where we stand and James- I don't even know where James is." She sat up straight and gave him a serious look. "I can't give you an answer right now, Jake."
He nodded in agreement. "Okay. But you'll think about it, at least?"
She nodded back to him. "I will. I'm sorry if that's not good enough."
Jacob took her hands in his. "Bells. I know you love me right? You said it yourself. And you know how I feel about you. That's all we need to know right now. We can figure the rest out later."
"Hey, Bella. Are you even listening to me?" Leah was waving a wrapped up extension cord in Bella's face frantically.
"What? Sorry, what?" Bella shook her head, blinking back to reality.
"I asked, what time we should head over to Billy's tonight."
"Oh, right. Uh, he said seven thirty should be fine."
Bella had successfully convinced Jacob to let her throw him a going away party seeing as he'd be leaving in a little over a week. He agreed as long as she promised to keep it small, but after word got out - no thanks to Sue and Quil - half of the reservation was going. Jacob's small apartment was much too small but luckily Billy Black had happily volunteered his house and front yard. He told Bella he may have been bound to a wheelchair but he was never one to say no to a party.
"Cool." Leah nodded, plugging in the extension cord and lighting up the starry light decorated tulle. "Ugh, I can't wait until this wedding shit is over with."
"Oh, relax." Bella scolded, smoothing the fabric down. "Once everything is done you'll just have to walk ten feet and say two words."
"Good. If I never see anymore tulle for as long as I live it'll be too soon."
When Bella drove over to Billy's later that evening he had been attempting to push the sofa further against the wall to make room for the party. Bella dropped her bags when she saw him grunting - his cheeks red and breath haggard - and ran over next to him.
"Here, Billy. Let me help you."
"Thanks, Bella. I guess I'm older than I thought." He chuckled and wiped sweat off his brow, settling back into his chair. "So, did you get everything we need for tonight?"
She smiled as she pushed the sofa into the corner with a big heave. "I think so. I just hope I bought enough corn to feed the whole reservation."
"The boys will bring whatever they can round up at the butchers, not to worry. Is Jacob still at the garage?"
"Yep. He was just locking up when I called him twenty minutes ago. He should be over any minute."
Billy nodded. "Have you decided if you're going to the big city yet?"
She pursed her lips and sat down on the arm of the sofa and put her hands on her knees. "No, not yet. Do you think this is all happening too soon, Billy?"
"Bella," Billy began. "I have learned that everything that happens is meant to happen, no matter how anybody feels. Never forget that. It is an important lesson we all must learn."
She raised her eyebrows and nodded slowly, the way she always did when Billy got spiritual. She always felt like an outsider whenever the Quileutes talked about their beliefs.
"Say, Bella. What's the date again?"
Bella blinked. "Uh, the twenty-eight."
"Hmmm." Billy said cryptically, wheeling into the kitchen. "Let me know when Jacob gets here. I'll get started on the corn."
The party turned out to be a huge success. They did end up having just the right amount of food and everybody brought enough liquor to share with the entire population of Forks. Bella proved to be an excellent hostess; she kept the food coming at a reasonable pace, hung a giant banner on the wall in the living room that read in big, blue letters "Good Luck Jake!", kept refilling the coolers with ice, and she even stopped Quil from lighting the bonfires outside, warning him she wouldn't be able to save him from the Blacks' temper if he caught their house on fire.
When Jacob found her in the kitchen hours later, she was busy smothering raw chicken with barbecue sauce. He leaned against the counter and took a sip out of his can of beer. "Are people still hungry?"
"Don't pretend like you're not going to eat five of these." She said simply.
He smirked at her. "Touche. You know, it kinda feels like it did before."
"Before?"
"Before you left. Except this time you're uh, married. To somebody else."
"Separated." She corrected, pointing a finger at him. "Divorced if they ever find him." She said the last part quietly, returning to the chicken legs.
"Even so." He finished the beer in one swig and crushed the can. "You haven't given me an answer yet."
"I know."
"Are you going to?"
"Soon."
"Soon? I'm leaving in like, a week, Bells."
"It's a big decision, Jake."
"Sure, sure. You just take your time. It's not like I'm going anywhere."
He smirked at her but she could tell his smile didn't reach his eyes. She pretended she didn't notice and smacked him with the barbecue brush instead, the sticky sauce covering his arm. But before he could further their conversation, Embry walked into the kitchen looking around, his brow furrowed.
"Hey, uh guys, where's the cake?"
Jacob perked up. "There's cake?"
"Shit!" Bella yelled, dropping the brush. "I forgot the cake at home."
"Awww man, not the cake!" Embry dramatically fell back into the kitchen chair, his hand thrown over his face. "What will we do now?"
"Don't worry, Call, I'll run back and grab it." Bella gave him a sarcastic look, and then pointed to the chicken legs. "Can you make sure these get cooked?"
"It's okay, Bells," Jacob said, shooting Embry a dirty look. "It's not his party. I don't need a cake."
"Since when does Jacob Ephraim Black turn down food? Much less a cake that Bella made?" Embry shot back, his words slurred from too many Jell-O shots.
"It's fine," Bella brushed him off. "I'll be back in half an hour."
"Are you sure?" He asked. "Or are you just trying to avoid our conversation?"
"I'm not avoiding anything." She retorted, reaching into her back pocket and pulling out her keys. "I'll be right back, don't worry. Go and enjoy your party."
In truth, Bella was avoiding the talk every time Jacob brought it up. She had been staying at his apartment most nights for the last month, even the ones he worked late. The fear of sleeping alone in Charlie's house with James on the run was enough to send her into a panic. And Jacob had been so good about having a roommate, letting her sleep in his bed while he crashed on the couch. The nights she did sleep at home, he was never far. Sleeping downstairs or in Charlie's bed. Bella hadn't moved anything out his room yet, aside from some clean sheets. As she pulled into her driveway she wondered if she'd ever be able to.
The lights were all off when she walked in, and she was in such a hurry she didn't bother turning any on. Instead she kept her boots on and walked into the dark kitchen where the cherry chocolate cheesecake had been waiting on the counter for her.
She had just put her hands around the plate when something - or someone, came up behind her and wrapped one large arm around her chest, his arm gripping her shoulder. The other hand he used to cover her mouth.
"Don't scream."