Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

The Things We Do For Love

Chapter Eleven: Secrets From Rose

Alice's POV

I didn't care what Rose or Bella thought, I was going to meet Jasper.

We had spoken last night on the phone and he spent ten minutes apologising when I had already forgiven him. If anything, what he did was sweet and rather romantic. It made me like him even more.

He also told me about the crazy lady I had set him up with to be his new personal shopper and I automatically felt guilty for unleashing that witch on him. I thought it would be funny but it most definitely wasn't for him. So the following morning I called work and told them I'd take Jasper back as my client. To be honest work recently hadn't been as much fun without him and I missed him more and more with each passing day.

The arrangement was that he would take the day off work, I would meet him at a café close to mine and we'd talk some more, face to face. I think we were going to take things slow even though he had already told me that he wanted more than a friendship with me.

One day he planned on taking me out on a date, but only when I was ready. Though I was pretty sure I was ready now, I'd just have to convince him of that.

I took a half day off and went over to the café on the corner, one of my favourite places to go. Jasper was already there, sitting nervously waiting on me I smiled at him through the window then pushed the door open and let myself in.

Jasper stood up immediately on my arrival at the table and smiled at me, making my heart skip a few beats at his gorgeous good looks.

"I'll get you something to eat or drink. What would you like?"

"A hot chocolate would be nice." I said while sliding my coat off, feeling his eyes on me.

"Coming right up." He darted away to the counter, letting me get a chance to calm myself.

"Here." Jasper placed the mug down then sat opposite me.

"Thanks."

"It was no bother. I should thank you just for being here and meeting up with me."

"No, look I'm sorry for over-reacting. I just didn't like being lied to." I said, watching for his reaction.

"Perfectly reasonable. But I only lied as I felt like a school boy again asking a girl out for the first time and that nervous feeling was consuming me."

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way." I said, taking a sip of my hot chocolate and savouring the hot liquid running down my throat.

"I'm not. Hell you're the most exciting and thrilling thing that's happened to me in years. Before you everything was dull and mundane."

"So if everything's fine now, what does that mean for us?" I asked him, hoping her would want to at least be friends.

"This means that I would like for you to be my girlfriend and take back the gifts I gave you since I have no purpose for them." I smirked at him. "So will you Alice, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Of course Jasper." He grinned at me, making my insides melt. "But I have one condition."

"Okay…what is it?" He asked slowly and cautiously.

"We can't tell anyone or let the others know. It has to be kept quiet."

I didn't want to handle Rose and Bella's reaction to this so it was best just to keep it to ourselves. Well to be honest I wasn't worried about Bella's reaction, more of Rose's. She wouldn't be impressed and although it didn't matter as it was none of her business I didn't want to cause tension in the apartment.

"I can do that, if that's what you want." Jasper said, seeming a bit deflated.

"Don't think it's because I'm embarrassed, because I'm not. I would love to shout this out from the rooftops and you know I would do it, I just…with Rose feeling scorned over what happened it will cause issues I don't want to handle right now." I said to him praying that he wouldn't think it's because he was an embarrassment to me.

"I understand." He kissed my hand and smiled at me.

"Great." With that out the way I desperately wanted to kiss him but right then didn't seem like the ideal moment. So instead we spent several hours just talking and getting to know each other much better.

When it was time to leave me insisted that he left the tip even though he paid and walked me back to my workplace. We stood outside for a couple of minutes, neither of us saying anything, just looking at each other. It was so cold outside you could see our breathes in the air. This caused my eyes to go to his lips which was a mistake.

I mauled him with my lips.

My hands were in his hair, pulling him closer to me. My tongue was trying to get into his mouth and I was making small moans as his lips moved against mine. Jasper had one hand on my hip, pulling me into him roughly, and the other on my neck. He ended up pressing me against a wall and I loved every second of it.

"Are you free tonight?" I asked basically panting.

"Yeah. Can I see you?"

"Absolutely." I kissed him again.

"I'll call you." I nodded and he gave me one last searing kiss before departing.

God I wanted him badly.

Edward's POV

Nothing had changed and it seemed like nothing ever would. I was still hung up on her and knew that my affections wouldn't disappear overnight. It would be easy if they did but of course nothing is ever easy as I've come to learn.

There wasn't anything to look forward to in my day so after I dropped Jake down in the apartment lobby I headed straight to the practice. There I was met with my usual work and the other things I had to do like paperwork etc.

The atmosphere between Jasper and Emmett was slowly increasing, thankfully, but I knew it would take more time than I liked. They had to work out their issues and I was not going to be the mediator, that would eventually lead to me taking sides, which I was not going to do.

With that all pushed to the side I got on with everything else. The only excitement lined up for this week would be visiting my parents for dinner. They knew there was something unusual going on with me so wanted to have a meal so I could talk it out with them.

Later in my day I checked my schedule and saw I didn't have another surgery until three o'clock. With two hours to spare I grabbed my jacket and left, going to buy a gift for my parents.

Since they were having me over for dinner it seemed polite to bring them something. It would most likely be flowers or something for the house, it didn't really matter but I liked to look for something nice for them.

Most of the shops were empty so it allowed me to get the task done faster. I found a vase I thought my mother might like and had it gift wrapped. Since I had quite a while before I had to make my way back to the office I walked to the park and took a seat on one of the benches, just to watch life go by.

There was enough to amuse me with the young children playing, the dogs running crazily and giving their walkers hell, and the paper left on the bench next to me. I was enjoying myself, taking time out to just relax and get some fresh air when everything shot down around me.

Walking across the park, hand in hand, was Bella and Mike. I knew him from med school and thought he was a weasel. Not only was he a sleaze bag who would hit on anything female but he also was very unethical and didn't treat women with any respect. Hatred would be too light a word, I completely despised him.

"Edward." Mike called, smiling at me.

"Hey." I folded the paper and put it down next to me before grabbing my bag and getting up.

"How are you? I haven't seen you in ages." He shook my hand too firmly for my liking.

"I'm fine thank you." I looked at Bella to see her looking down at the ground.

"Oh how rude of me. Edward this is Bella Swan, Bella this is Edward Cullen. We went to med school together and occasionally see each other at charity functions."

"We…eh know each other Mike, thanks." He grinned wider at me, showing he already knew that.

"Right, my bad. How did you two meet?"

"I walk his dog." Bella said, deciding not to add any more to it. So I guess she put it in perfect perspective, I was just her employer and nothing more. "Just so you don't panic Jake is with my friend, she's a vet. He was sick earlier and she's checking him out. I was told to pick him up in an hour."

"No problem. Eh…when you drop him off I'll be there so you can give me the full low down of what's wrong with him."

"Of course." She was speaking through me, not to me. The entire conversation was had with the ground and I felt like a complete fool.

"Well it's good to know you two are such good friends, we better be going. Bella and I have a date to get to. See you later Edward." He smacked my arm and pushed me away. I stumbled but tried hard not to show it. Hearing Mike laugh as he walked away made me want to smack him hard but I knew that would not be wise.

My pride was a bit battered but I just got my things together and left. He had ruined my day and then made it even worse by being with Bella. She had moved on. Rose and moved on and now her.

The rest of the day passed very quickly. I did the surgeries I had to do then got the hell out of the office. For starters, I wanted to get back to my apartment so I could speak to Bella and second, Jasper and Emmett were having an 'icy' moment. I definitely didn't want to be around for that. They just needed to work out their spat in their own time.

There was enough time when I got home for me to dump a few of my things in the house and then hopped down to the lobby just to see Bella enter. Jake was at her side trotting along quite happily and it was hard to believe that he could be unwell earlier.

"Hey." I said, walking over with my hands in my pockets, trying to appear casual.

"Hi. The vet said he just ate something he shouldn't have. It seemed like it was a bar of chocolate with the wrapper still on."

"Oh, right. Well I guess I should keep a better eye on him." I took the lead and Jake clawed at my legs, clearly not wanting to come back to me.

"Yeah. Bye." She said quickly.

"No wait Bella please." I put my arm out and gently touched her elbow. She stopped but didn't turn to me. "Give me one minute to explain. That's all I ask."

"One minute." She said, finally turning round to me.

Silently I thanked God and we walked through the lobby and into the lift. No doubt she thought I was going to travel up to my floor and let her in to my apartment before I began but I couldn't wait that long. I hit the emergency stop button and turned to her.

"Basically I had a crush on you, a school boy crush. I was nervous and didn't know what to say or do to get you to talk to me for longer than thirty seconds. I jumped at the opportunity to speak to you and the only way I could think of was to buy a puppy and have you walk him. It was rash, stupid and very foolish but to be honest I don't regret it, I would do it over again just so I could get that moment to talk to you and move our friendship on to a relationship. The only thing I would change, I would have told you sooner so I didn't get webbed in lies."

I waited for any type of reaction but didn't get any. She just looked at me and bit her lip before sighing. Leaning over she pressed my floor button and the lift moved up again. I didn't know what was going on but really wasn't going to say anything just in case I stopped it.

The elevator doors opened and Bella held my free hand and gently tugged me out towards my apartment. Jake followed on our heels and both he and Bella waited until I opened the door before going in, with me last to shut the door. I just stood in the middle of the floor confused, frowning.

"Edward…I…to be honest I missed you."

"So why have you ignored me and why did you send back the gifts I sent you? I thought you would like them?" She came over to me, held my hands and looked straight at me.

"I did like them. I loved them."

"So why return them to me?" I asked a little confused and hurt still. Mixed messages were being sent all over the place to me.

"To stand firm with Rose and Alice, well more Rose. I'm sure Alice is going to cave any day now."

"What does this mean?" I needed some clarification.

"I'm not sure. I don't mix business with pleasure and currently you are my employer."

"What about you and Mike?" She rolled her eyes and smirked.

"He 'accidentally' walked into me and wanted to make it up to me so he was taking me to lunch. That's all, I had never met him before that and after that lunch I never want to meet him again." I chuckled, knowing what a git he was and smiled at her.

"And about this business with pleasure thing?"

"Well I either quit or you fire me. Whatever happens we can't have anything if you're paying me, that would basically make me a prostitute." I smirked at how brazen she was but knew she was right.

"So which one do you prefer? If you quit I can't give you severance pay." I pointed out. Bella laughed and wrapped her arms round my neck.

"Fire me?"

"Alright then. Bella you're fired."I dropped Jake's leash and put my arms on her hips.

"Thank you Mr Cullen. So now that I am no longer your employee what does that mean we can do?" She gave me a flirtatious smile but I was going to do this right this time round.

"This means I can take you on a date and we can finally try and be together. If you want?" She kissed my cheek and nodded.

"That's exactly what I want."

"Then tomorrow night?" Bella nodded again and leant in to kiss me but was unfortunately interrupted by her cell phone ringing.

"Hello?" I decided to kiss the exposed skin on her neck since I couldn't kiss her lips. "No Rose I am just on my way home. I stopped at a store to get…eh…a vase. It looked nice and I thought we could put it somewhere in the apartment. Great okay bye."

"A vase?" I asked.

"I don't know, it was Rose. She doesn't want me talking to you. She's very pissed that you guys lied and thinks it's completely inappropriate for us to forgive you. So basically we will be keeping this a secret and I need that vase."

"What vase?" She turned my head to the gift I bought my mother. "Oh right. Well sure okay."

"You're frowning, whose was that?"

"It was a gift." I said shrugging.

"For?" Bella raised her eyebrows at me.

"Esme."

"Oh no keep it. I'm sorry, I'll just tell them I couldn't find one I liked." She went to step away but I stopped her.

"Bella, if we are to keep this a secret so it doesn't cause a problem between your friendship then that's what we will do. Take the vase and I'm sure I can find some other way for you to make it up to me." I smiled at her, earning a cheeky one in return.

"Yeah I'm sure we can do that." I kissed her softly, missing the softness of her lips. "I better go."

"Okay but remember our date."

"How could I forget?" She kissed me one last time on the cheek then leant down, stroked Jake goodbye and left with bag in hand.

God I loved her and now I could show it, albeit in secret.