A/N: Thanks for all the kind reviews and encouragement.
And So…They Meet Again
EPOV
The next morning, I woke at eight; my head was so full of thoughts of Bella that I got up and made a beeline to the keyboard. Twenty-three hours until Bella. I'm hopeless. I was considering packing up and heading out on the road. Maybe play some piano bars. But I knew I couldn't stay away. Look but don't touch I could tell myself all I wanted but my dreams told a very different story. I kept myself busy later with Sam and checking out how to's on porch repair and painting on Google, putting my favorite five thousand plus songs on randomize. Beethoven, hard rock then a ballad, I liked not knowing what to expect. Maybe I should apply that to life. I looked more closely at the porch and saw a few loose and rotted boards and figured I should get an estimate on the repair. Sam gave me the number for the carpenter and I shouldn't have been surprised when he told me her name.
When I called this Leah and told her who I was it seemed she'd already heard of me and my plans. That sealed it. If anyone finds out who I actually am it would spread through town like wildfire.
"Edward. I'm sorry but I can't make it today I'm working with my uncle. But I'll come by early tomorrow. I'll bring what I can." Leah apologized and even this made me smile. Everyone I know in New York would drop anything for a moment with Eddie Masen. I believe one of the producers for our sophomore album missed the birth of his daughter. So not worth it. One day, really I can wait.
"No problem. I'll be out until lunch tomorrow. Leave me an estimate; I'll take care of it."
"No need. I know the owner; I'll just get it done. I've got it covered," she said. Again, I think, only in a place this small.
"Thanks Leah. Any idea what paint I should get? I'm kind of a newbie at this." She gave me detailed instructions about sanding and the best paint to buy saying she'd drop off some tools, trays and brushes as well. She also asked me to check the outbuilding because it probably has some stuff I could use. Good idea. I didn't really want her in there to get a peek at the car.
I found a scraper and a whole bunch of sandpaper and though I hoped Leah would bring something electrical to make the work faster I spent a good part of the afternoon drinking wine, sanding the banister and spindles where an electric sander would be unlikely to reach. Every now and then I'd head inside and start playing whenever a musical thought flitted into my head.
None of this stopped me from thinking of Bella driving around with the vet imaging her excitement at whatever animals she was tending to. Carlisle had tried to influence both Emmett and I on the merits of going into medicine. And though math was easy for me since there's a strong musical link, I was hopeless at biology and chemistry and didn't have any possibility of getting into med school even with Carlisle as a tutor. Not to mention the fact that I get a little queasy at the sight of blood. So does Emmett. Rose will remember, I hope, and keep him on the right side in the delivery room and seated. I could picture a concussion. Bella will make a great vet. I don't even really know her but her kind eyes and sweet manner have already endeared me to this woman.
I'd missed lunch and didn't notice. I'd done all the spindles and railing on the east side of the house and could count about a dozen floor boards on that side that needed replacing but the railing was solid. I could sense I'd be sore in the morning. I hoped I could hold the reins. I didn't want to make a fool of myself on a horse. In front of Bella. And I didn't want to be late or tired. So I went to bed at nine.
I woke up too early but needed a long hot shower to work out the muscles in my right shoulder. I might need to sand the rest of the banister with my left arm just to even things out. I started a new book and then listened to all the recordings I'd made in the last few days. I won't release any song I don't firmly believe in – we have a lot of crap that will never be heard by anyone but our close knit team. But these, I could find only one reason why I wouldn't release them tomorrow. As is. Solo. Classical. Masen Hale – the band is family. And we are on top.
But I did put them on random repeat and tidied the house and did laundry, trying to get a feel for which ones I might send to Jazz. I haven't needed domestic skills for so long. It's usually room service and in-house laundry – I even get pressed boxers, as long as Alice pretends they're hers - I don't like thinking about why they frequently go missing. Today, it took me fifteen minutes to figure out the washer. But I got it and felt vindicated. The little work I did was rewarding and I flopped on the freshly made bed waiting for six thirty to arrive so I could head out and see Bella.
I made it to ten after six. Then I remembered water and some apples for the horses. I don't have any dog treats. I'll have to see what they like so I can bring some next time. Edward, it's only today, I chastised myself. It's not like it's a summer of lessons. In the truck at quarter past I got to the ranch at ten to and Bella was already in the yard with the dogs. I should have left earlier.
"Jake's not coming?" I figured it would be at least polite to ask after we said our hellos.
"No, we had three births last night - he was busy with Embry and Quil – the ranch hands - until all hours. I could only stay up for two of them. It's so amazing Edward!" I could just see her glowing.
"I figure we can head down the trail on the left, follow the road. The pasture's a bad place to run." She continued. I was just staring at this girl and nodding. I wish I had Jazz's way with words.
"Lead the way, Bella." Then I could watch her from behind.
"Here take Hope. She's the sweetest." I had to guess it was the dog's name. Me. I didn't have a hope in hell.
"His name is Love." She said pointing at the second dog. "Don't laugh. Jake's joke from way back is that I needed to have hope and then I didn't need to go looking for love."
"Jake sure seems like a great guy." It was true, unfortunately.
"He is. He's my best friend. We grew up together." Bella said. Just like Jasper and Alice – they met in grade school. Damn.
So we ran and talked. Bella told me again about Tampa. I told her I'd been there but not for how long or how often or that I'd only seen the airport, hotel and stadium, per usual.
"So Edward, what do you do?" She finally asked about the halfway mark when we gave the dogs her bottle of water and shared mine. I could taste her lipstick and was imagining her lips when I had to come up with an answer that wasn't a complete lie.
"I went to Julliard. I'm a musician. Piano." All true. Good. It really does sound better than I didn't actually graduate and usually use a keyboard. And a lot less pretentious than telling her I've won more than a few Grammys.
"Julliard! Wow. You must be amazing."
"Esme and Carlisle got me into music. I started late. But it was a safe place to put my energy. It's way easier for me to express my thoughts and emotions in music than in words. My parents were killed by a drunk driver when I was eight. Esme and Carlisle took my brother and me in. I've heard foster kid horror stories Bella but none of that happened to us. I have a lot – too much really – to be thankful for." I didn't have to edit this at all. Bella was interested in my life. I found myself just saying what I wanted to, for once.
"Edward" She stopped. She was actually in tears. I didn't mean to upset her; I'd learned to live with it long ago but I found my eyes welling in response to her. Her voice broke. "Sorry. I...sometimes feel like I got a raw deal. My mom just left. I was a baby. But to not have both your parents…and so young. My dad raised me; I grew up quickly – no rest when you need to work the land. My dad died just after I finished high school. I found my mom and decided to head to Tampa. We're trying to work a few things out. But I do have an agency on standby to take care of my menagerie back home so I can't say the trust is there."
In that moment I understood Jazz's lyrics in Naked more clearly than ever before. Bear your soul. Then you have a home. We hugged until the dogs started barking, both drying our eyes and apologizing – it was a sorry sight.
"Horses, Edward?" she asked.
We were being honest now. "Well, I guess I can't make more of a fool out of myself than I have already."
"You were worried? So was I. I'd forgotten I had only ridden once since I headed to Florida. But it's like riding a bike. You'll be fine. We've got Hope, Love, Lucky and Faith. I think we've got it covered."
"Shouldn't it be Luck? Each leaf of the four leaf clover?"
"I can't believe you get that. Yes. But Jake didn't want to be yelling that across the pasture. It might sound like a different word."
I chuckled. "I see. Lucky it is."
So we made it to the barn and I got introduced to Faith, a beautiful chestnut mare. Bella made me work and learn how to put on the saddle and walk around the horse safely. She even boosted me up even though I probably could have done it on my own I wasn't going to turn down having her hand touch my ass. And after all, my arm was still a bit sore; I rationalized. Bella got up gracefully and she showed me how to turn and stop. We practiced in the enclosure for a bit. I was picking it up all right - walk and trot were just a different tempo. No problem.
"You're good Edward. Do you feel ready for open pastures?"
"Go for it Bella. But keep an eye out. If I get hurt…" I had a sudden flash of the damn insurance policy we'd signed. I knew I wasn't allowed to bungee jump, skydive or pilot a small plane. I don't think it specified horses. But then, I thought, who cares. I have Faith.
"…she never bolts, Edward. Relax. Then she'll relax. You're doing great. You're a natural." With Bella's optimism and encouragement it was easy to do just that. Relax.
We had a great morning. Riding through the pastures and exchanging friendly banter. Everything Bella does seems to be golden. I think I have horrible hours. Working, volunteering and going to school with a near perfect GPA in order to get into vet school - I don't know how she does it. We did get into a little debate about the arts versus the sciences but called it a draw, deciding neither can really exist without the other. It was a good compromise. What would I do without the invention of the lightbulb, the CD or the keyboard anyway? She said she hadn't ridden much lately but she looks like she lives on a horse. Her smile and sense of peace despite her difficult past were rubbing off on me. I kept up and did as she instructed. Too soon, we were back at stables and hanging up the saddles.
Jake came down and gave Bella a bear hug. I cringed. I had almost forgotten about him.
"So Edward. How was the ride?" He asked. Jake's super friendly and welcoming, I shouldn't be thinking about his girl the way I am.
"Good. Really Good. I didn't fall, so primary fear averted."
"Bella loves to ride, you're welcome back anytime. I hope the truck isn't too much of a burden."
"It's great, Jake. Solid. But I should go meet this Leah. She's doing some measurements for me at the house."
"She just called. It's all done and she had to run home. She replaced about twenty boards in total. And she left you a sander. Good luck. That's a big project."
"It'll be done in a week or two probably. I'm working the vineyard with Sam too. It's great. I have drive."
"Hear that Bells? That's a good thing, right?" Jake said enthusiastically.
And suddenly I'd never seen Bella look so angry. Now I know she has a temper and doesn't look like one to give in. Feisty, that's good. Jake even took a step back.
"Sorry, Bells." He hugged her again and she softened. I wondered how hard he'd punch me if I gave her a hug again. It might be worth it. But Bella, with her temper, might be the one to punch me. Better not chance it.
"So Edward, would you like to stay for lunch?" She asked.
I figured I was overstepping some invisible boundary even though I really didn't have anywhere to be. I wanted to say yes but figured I shouldn't. Bella's phone rang before I could make up a reason to leave her side.
"Hey, Leah." Bella answered and then continued after a long pause. "Really? No. I'll put on the radio at noon and call you. Who's this Jazz again?" That peaked my interest. Eavesdropping again. I wished I was getting the other half of the conversation.
"Oh, yeah. No, I haven't even had time to listen to the whole CD but I love the one…" she hummed a few bars of Illusion. It is my favorite one on the album. Though I shouldn't really pick favorites. "I was riding this morning." She huffed at Leah. "It's not like that at all. I'll call you later. Later. Thanks for the porch repairs by the way." She hung up and smiled at me.
"Sorry, Edward. Leah's on about a band. I've got to go listen to this radio show at noon or she'll kill me. Can you take a rain check on lunch?" Bella apologized, sounding incredibly sorry for cancelling plans that had yet to be confirmed. I was close to hyperventilating and nearly swore out loud. Was that today? What day is it?
"No problem. I'll go help Sam. Maybe I'll head out to the hardware store for paint later."
"I can bring you lunch tomorrow, if you'd like. Help out with the porch?" I didn't have time to think of an excuse. I shouldn't want to be with her.
"That would be great, Bella. See you tomorrow. Thanks for the run and the lesson." I hopped in the truck and took off as quickly as I dared. I certainly wasn't eager to leave Bella but work beckons. I edged over the speed limit but the truck groaned and for the first time since I got here I really and truly missed my Ferrari. And I needed Bluetooth. And A/C doesn't hurt either. I hadn't read any of the stuff Alice had packed for these shows and I desperately need to call Jazz so he could save my ass. It wasn't lost on me that all my thoughts all the way home were the whinings of a rock star. Esme would have my head.
I got home before I checked my phone. Yeah. I had five messages. Twenty missed calls. Countless texts. Everyone but Rose. And Jazz had called seven times. I called him back. "Thank God, Eddie." He only ever calls me Eddie before work. "Where have you been? We've been calling all morning."
I told him I'd forgotten. I'd been riding. He was shocked that I'd get on a horse. I should check my phone more often. I'd turned off the ringer so as not to startle Faith. We only had ten minutes before this thing started, though I'm sure they'd play a couple songs as an intro.
"They'll want your take on the shirt incident, Eddie." As though I wasn't expecting that.
"Can I say I was an idiot? Or that I was absolutely ecstatic to hide for four months?"
"Alice won't like it, Eddie. How about that you were caught up in the emotion of the crowd?"
"That sounds great – I'll write it down. Anything else?"
"They'll ask what you're doing." Sure with Bella listening I'll just say I'm drinking wine, riding horses, painting a porch, working in a vineyard and falling desperately in love with a beautiful girl named Bella. But it would sound fake, like something out of a fairy tale. Until someone realized I was the villain trying to steal the princess from her true love.
"Relaxing." Sure, that sums it up.
"It's radio, Eddie. You'll need to be a little more descriptive. No dead air."
"Reading, writing, and getting ready for a killer tour in the fall."
"That sounds perfect. And where are you?"
"You know that Jazz. Texas."
"And you're going to tell every fan in Texas that. I know it's a big state but they'll be looking under rocks. And fans from neighbouring states will come for some Eddie sightings. We'll need to send Laurent." Good thing Jazz is saving my hide.
"Earth."
"Maybe a tad more specific. That sounds facetious. And only Hatfield has recorded in space. Alice won't let me go to the ISS – I already asked." That sounds so Jazz. On the edge. I got ripped by him for almost a year spending a cool half million on a piano, this little trip – and Jazz would have gone, no doubt, if it weren't for Alice, the price tag would tack on at least a couple zeros. Why not?
"Good. How else are you going to stay grounded?"
"But it would be out of this world." He quipped. We can do things like this for hours. Sometimes Jazz writes a song.
"Jazz, we can this continue after the show. I should have been going over Alice's notes all morning. This isn't like me. Are Garrett and Emmett prepped? How about I just say I'm staying with friends. Vague yet familiar, fans would go for that, right?" Sam and Paul already seemed like great friends, Jake too. Bella, yes, I'll have to consider her a friend too. Just a friend.
"That works. And Garrett's fine. Emmett's unpredictable at the best of times. Alice has already warned him, yet again. Everything else should be the same questions we've been asked for millennia. OK, you have to call the number Alice gave you. We need to talk for real later. I've got the first single for the next album, I think. The music wrote the lyrics, Eddie, I swear, you are brilliant. It alone will make the album."
"Thanks Jazz. One take. I was inspired. Showtime."
So back on duty. Good thing the interviewer was saying our names before we said hello to the listeners. I so would have introduced myself as Edward Cullen. That would have been awkward. It was going so smoothly, the interviewer had done her homework and knew all our top songs. We talked about the new album, single and previous tour and the one coming up, of course. Emmett said Rose was fine and then the interviewer was a little more intrusive and Emmett wasn't even Emmett when he answered "When we're ready" to both the marriage question and when there'd be a sister or brother for the baby that wasn't even born yet. I think we'd all asked him and Rose the marriage question and each of their answers was to ask the other. We're not holding our breath about a wedding and I sincerely hope fans aren't either. Garrett thanked Alaska for the warm welcome and his mother-in-law for some home-cooked meals. And Jazz just answered it's up to Alice about any future children. They were all pretty pat answers. Alice would worry she'd get e-mails about making babies and we'd get lot of recipes and probably a few more inappropriate comments when Emmett's child arrives but all-in all no faux pas. And when it was my turn I think I answered the questions about me just like we'd rehearsed. Jazz had prepped me almost enough. I say almost. Though I'd been asked the last question so often I should have been able to answer it by rote.
"So Eddie, any progress on the romance front?" The perky radio host asked as a wrap up. And like Jazz had said, silence in radio is bad. VERY BAD. But I couldn't even answer that I'm still on the lookout for that special woman or a similar vague bit of drivel that I'd said in every single interview since we'd started giving them. Because it would have been a lie. I'd found her.
And since I didn't say a word the all guys coughed, snickered and whistled. Great. That was a big help. Back to Jazz's space metaphors I was spinning completely out of control and they let me crash and burn. Alone.
"So this new love seems to have you speechless, Eddie. Maybe it will spur some great music to come." At least the interviewer didn't like dead air either.
This was easy but I didn't acknowledge the elephant in the room. "I've been writing every day. We'll be playing the old favorites on tour this fall along with the newest release and maybe a few unreleased songs too. It should be a great tour though we do wish all of our fans could see us live and not everyone could get a ticket. We're already working on a new tour starting in January and appreciate all the support. Thanks, to all of our fans." The interviewer was smart, didn't press and thanked us all, they started playing Always Never as the wrap and I instantly thought of Bella. The lyrics are actually always love you, never leave you. But it really felt like Bella had always been in my life, though knowing what I know she never will be. Sigh. At least I didn't say that on the radio.
We signed off the radio and immediately went into a private conference call. The grilling started.
"Who is she Edward? It's the song. I should have known. I called it Unrequited because it's haunting but it's worse than that I'd say. Forbidden? Is she married?" Jazz, of course. And he's damn close.
"Can we come down?" Emmett, he sounded thrilled for me, I had to remind him he had an important upcoming event himself. A baby.
"Is she ok with the band?" Garrett, sometimes he's flighty, this was one of his more practical questions.
"No. It's just a girl who's giving me riding lessons. Unfortunately, the feeling isn't mutual. She has a long-term boyfriend. So, no, not married but she might as well be. And not a soul here knows about me. Least of all her. And I want it to stay that way. But, I learned her friend is a big fan. And the friend just finished fixing my porch."
"This sounds like you've got it bad, Edward. And the press is going to have a field day."
"You guys could have helped."
"We were as blind-sided as our perky host, Eddie. You could have warned us."
"If I'd known to do that I would have warned myself. Anyway, we'll have lots of material. I can't stop writing. We'll be in good shape come fall."
"You won't be Edward."
"I'm not that guy, Jazz. She's happy. I'm not going to try anything."
"But you'll go riding again?"
"I shouldn't, but yeah."
I asked Emmett about Rose for real. On the radio he had said she and baby were doing well. Now he sounded more nervous. "She's hanging in. Her blood pressures still up but the OBGYN says she's ok; Carlisle wants to check her in to hospital. I don't know what to do. Rose wants to stay home, so that's what we're doing for now."
"Give her my love, Emmett."
"No. Obviously no girl is safe from your clutches, Edward. Rose is mine." At least Em still has a sense of humor despite his stress.
"I'll come home if you need me, Em, just say the word. How's Kate, Garrett?"
"She loves it here, at home. But the first few days were rough. Fans around the block. But I can now get to the store without Kate threatening to use a stun gun, so it's progress. We're going to settle up here when all this is over, they'll have to get used to me someday. We can't be nomads forever."
We said good-bye and I spent a good hard afternoon in the field with Sam talking grapes again trying desperately not to think about the disaster that was unfolding in the tabloids, on the radio and on TV. I could see the bold print on The Enquirer already 'Masen's Secret Love. Who is She?' With a multitude of guesses and unrelenting innuendo. And, of course, People 'Most Eligible Bachelor – No Longer Eligible'. Fuck. I could bet there was a crowd of paparazzi at my apartment, Em's and Jazz's. They'd all be trying to catch a glimpse, a photo or a sound-bite. Rose might actually get more sleep in the hospital. I turned my phone off. I knew everyone would be calling. Especially mom. I tried to focus on the vineyard. The grapes were now just tiny dots but there were certainly a lot of them. I don't know how Sam usually keeps up all by himself. The field seems endless. And today I learned no one but Sam is allowed near the pruning tools, he has his ways. There's some kind of formula to cutting new growth and keeping the grapes shaded that he tried to explain for at least an hour but it went way over my head. I kept him talking so I'd keep my inner voices at bay. I decided I'd stick with tying the new vines. Paul grilled us a late supper of steak and veggies and the stars came out as we sat outside drinking many a bottle of merlot. I certainly had more than my share. I should know better than to drown my sorrows. After a while I just lay down on the ground and stared. Wishing upon a star I could have just answered no, it wouldn't have really been a lie – there's certainly no progress from Bella's point of view.
Will Edward catch a break?
And speaking of Bella's point of view…that's, of course, next.