Chapter 12: For the Better

When Bella didn't continue, I got worried.

Well, fuck.

"That doesn't make me feel hopeful," I said, laughing awkwardly.

She continued to avoid looking at me as her cheeks turned the brightest red I had ever seen. "Can you . . . um, put a shirt on?" she asked softly. "I'll . . . clean this up."

"Yeah, sure. Sorry."

I ran into my bedroom and pulled a t-shirt on, wanting to kick myself for even asking her. It wasn't my plan, swear to God. I just . . . well, we knew each other in such a safe environment. I figured moving out of that environment would be good.

As I walked back toward the kitchen, I checked on Little One, making sure she was still sleeping. She was, thankfully. When I went back into the kitchen, Bella was cleaning off the counter, carefully picking up the broken wine glass.

"Damn it," she hissed, pulling her finger back and putting it into her mouth.

"Are you okay?" I asked, grabbing my trash can and using a towel to dump it all in.

She pulled her finger out and looked at it. "Yeah, I just nicked myself on the glass," she said.

"Let me see."

She hesitated giving me her hand, but eventually sighed and rested it in mine. "It's just a nick."

It was, of course. "I'll get you a Band-Aid . . . while you think about my question."

"Edward, your parent's vow renewal? Really?"

"Yes, really," I said, grabbing the box out of the cabinet. "Let me have you finger back."

"I just . . . wouldn't that be, you know, weird?" she asked as I applied the small Band-Aid.

"Why? I'm asking you to come. It doesn't have to be a date, I guess."

"I thought you wanted me to watch Sofia?"

I shrugged. "She can come with. I'm sure she'll behave."

She still didn't seem convinced. I was pretty sure a 'no' was on the tip of her tongue.

"Please, Bella?" I asked, fucking resorting to begging. "I really want you to come. We had a good time at the bar, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, it was nice."

"Then come. If you're worried about me . . . doing something, I promise I won't."

"I wasn't worried about that. I think you're beyond that by now."

I grinned. "Then just say yes, please?"

She bit her lip, thinking. "Alice will be there, right?"

"Yep. Her and Jasper, so you'll—" I was cut off by the sound of my phone. "Shit. I'll be right back."

I ran into the living room and grabbed my phone off the coffee table. The caller ID said it was Dad, so I quickly answered, just as I heard my pager going off in my bedroom. That couldn't be good.

"Yeah?" I answered, walking through the hallway to my room.

"Did you get the page yet?" he asked.

"Just went off. What's up?"

My pager flashed major trauma and a number across the small screen. Shit.

"Multi-vehicle accident," he said. "I'm on my way in, and so is Emmett. You need to hurry."

Way to ruin a night, idiot fucking drivers. "All right, I'm on my way," I sighed. "See you there."

I grabbed my wallet, threw my phone and pager in my pockets, and went back out to the kitchen. Bella was just putting a pot on the stove for the green beans.

"I have to go," I said. "It was my dad about the hospital."

She turned around and said, "Oh, well, if you have to go, you have to go. Do you want me to clean up?"

"Um . . . do you want to just stay here and watch Sofia? I mean, the chicken isn't even done yet. It's not like you can take it out and finish cooking it over there. What would be the point?"

She nodded. "I can do that, as long as you're all right with it."

I shrugged. "Not like you're going to rob me," I laughed.

She rolled her eyes and smirked. "That wasn't my plan, no. I'll just finish dinner, and then take her back to my place."

"Sounds fine to me. I have no idea when I'll be home, but if I think I won't be back by the time you need to go to work, I'll ask my mom to come get Sofia and take her to daycare."

"Okay." She smiled.

I walked back into the living room to say goodbye to Little One, and she followed a few steps behind me. Even though she was still sleeping, I picked Sofia up out of the swing and held her to my chest, kissing the top of her head. She started squirming, waking up.

"Daddy has to go," I said. "Be good for Bella, okay?"

She started to cry, and I was regretting picking her up, but I didn't feel right just leaving her without saying anything.

"Here, let me have her," Bella said, holding her arms out.

I kissed Sofia again and passed her along. "Bye, Little One," I said. "Thanks a lot, Bella."

She smiled and nodded. "It's no problem," she said as I started to walk away. "Oh, and Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"I'd love to come with you to your parents vow renewal, as long as you're sure."

I grinned. "I'm completely sure. We'll have a good time, you'll see."

She smiled and raised Little One's hand to wave goodbye. "Say 'buh-bye' to Daddy."

. . . . .

"How are you and Sofia doing?" Dad asked.

Dad had invited me to lunch, saying he needed to talk to me. Since cafeteria food was out of the question for him, we came to the deli across the street. If I had known this was just about Little One, I wouldn't have been so fucking nervous. I thought this was going to be about work. To be honest, my . . . performance wasn't what it used to be. I hadn't fucked up a surgery or anything, but I had gotten lazy. I was just so tired this past week with the little one being sick and keeping me up. Her sleep schedule still wasn't what it used to be — the exception being that night Bella watched her. She was back to waking up in the middle of the night, which cut down on my sleep.

To say my charting had become sloppy would be an understatement. I'd had multiple nurses come ask me what the hell it was I wanted them to do. It was dangerous and today, I really saw the effect it had. A nurse almost gave one of my patients the wrong dose of medication because she couldn't read what I had written. Obviously, I was going to do better now, but I figured that was what Dad wanted to talk about.

"We're all right," I said. "She's not sleeping as well as she used to. She went back to daycare yesterday, so hopefully the routine will help."

He nodded. "That's good. Children need a routine. Hopefully, she'll get back to normal soon, but you'll have to adjust if she doesn't. Sometimes that routine changes."

"Well, I fucking pray the new routine isn't waking up in the middle of the night, every single night."

"You know, son, I'm proud of you." He smiled. "You've come a long way in two months. Though, that mouth hasn't."

"Yeah, I know I need to work on that, but thanks. I'm trying to do the best I can for her."

"It does show. Your mother told me you said you loved her."

"I'm surprised she didn't call you the second I left and scream it at you," I laughed.

"No, she waited until I called her." He smirked. "She did squeal a little bit, though."

I took another bite of my sandwich as he did. "Is that all you wanted to talk about? How you're proud?"

He took a drink of his water and nodded. "Yes. I'm sure you feel like I've been harsh on you, putting you back on the call schedule and keeping you from taking days off, but I've done those things because real life isn't easy. You may work for me, but that doesn't mean I'll give you special privileges. But honestly, if I didn't know you could handle it, I wouldn't have. I am keeping you off night shifts for now, though. I'm fully aware you don't have the resources to work those and make sure Sofia is being taken care of, without depending on your mother, that is."

I could have said that I had Bella, but honestly, I was pretty sure she wouldn't go for that. She was already doing enough for me as it was by watching her when I was on-call. I wasn't a big enough dick not to realize taking advantage of her would be wrong. Looking back, she seemed a little put off by what I did this past weekend, just assuming she'd watch Sofia. Of course I didn't see that right away. I mean, I asked plenty of times if she was okay with it. Now though, she did seem a little odd, so I figured leaning on her for everything wouldn't be the best idea.

"Nights did have me worried, so thank you," I said. "And everything else I can work out. Weekends on-call are only once a month, so I do have someone for then."

"Your neighbor, right?"

I nodded. "Bella. And I'm actually bringing her with on Saturday."

He cocked his head. "You're bringing a date?"

"I guess it's technically just bringing a friend."

He smirked. "You have a friend who is a girl . . . that's different."

"I know, right?" I laughed. "How about that?"

"That's good, son. I'm glad you're starting to see woman differently. Though, I still don't understand how you came about your views."

I shrugged. "They're hot."

He rolled his eyes. "Your mother and I taught you better than that. You were fine until you left for New York. I think you realized you could use what you look like to your advantage, but somewhere along the way, you changed entirely. Do you understand how bad that hurt your mom?"

"What? That I slept with woman?"

"That you used them."

"I . . ." I really didn't have a point to argue. I did use them. "You're right. I did, but that's over now."

"Having a daughter has changed you for the better."

"Yeah, it really has."

He smiled. "So what is she like? This girl who's watching my granddaughter?"

"She's great with Little One. She's better with her than I am," I chuckled. "Part of me is jealous my kid likes her better."

He laughed. "I promise she doesn't. But other than how she is with Sofia, what's she like?"

"She's kind, smart — a teacher, actually — and really just . . . different. I actually enjoy being around her, and I want to get to know her better."

"Your mother is going to ask this when she sees her on Saturday, so I'm going to ask now. Are you sleeping with her?"

"Honest to God, no. She really is just a friend; though, I am trying to get to know her better because I think I could actually like her."

He nodded. "Good, but be careful. This isn't just about you anymore. There's a little girl involved now."

"Yes, I know and my daughter comes first."

He grinned. "Exactly. Now, let's get back to work. I believe you have charts to fix, yes?"

Shit.

"It won't happen again."

"It better not. But if I thought it would, we would've been having a completely different conversation today."

. . . . .

"I have a baby against my chest, and you want me to stir?" I asked Bella.

Tonight, she was showing me how to make her spaghetti, because let's face it, it was fucking delicious, and I really wanted it. I wasn't exactly paying as much attention as I should have been when she was telling me what all went into it, but she had the recipe written down for me, so I was good.

She laughed and put the bread in the oven before coming over and pushing me over to the stove. "We humans were lucky enough to be given two arms," she said, taking my hand off Little One's back and putting a wooden spoon in it, guiding it to the pot "Look at that. You're holding a baby and stirring. It's amazing."

"Oh, you're being a smart ass now?" I smirked.

"You're the one who's refusing to put down the baby."

"She's been fussy this evening. I think she just wants daddy time."

She smiled and laughed softly. "You should say 'daddy' more often. It's cute."

"Did you just call me cute?"

She rolled her eyes. "No," she scoffed. "The word is cute. That's all."

"Uh-huh, sure," I teased.

"Keep stirring," she ordered, going back to the island where she was chopping up lettuce.

"Can you believe her, Little One? She's being a bit bossy, huh?"

"She'd side with me," she said, looking over her shoulder and smirking. "We girls need to stick together against you."

Bella had definitely lost the awkwardness she had the other night when I asked her to the vow renewal. Now she seemed fine, but I still didn't understand why she was so hesitant and awkward. Or why she told me to put a shirt on as she avoided looking at me. As cocky as it sounded, I was fully aware that I did not look bad without a shirt. It must have been distracting.

When Bella said dinner was about done, I went ahead and made Little One her bottle. Bella set the table, and I sat down and fed my daughter, looking up every once in a while to find Bella watching me. She'd quickly look away, though, as I smirked to myself.

"Have you found something to wear for Saturday?" I asked, making conversation.

"Alice and I went shopping today after work," she said. "Apparently, we're all going together, according to her."

"Oh, we are?"

She nodded. "That's what she's decided. You know, she's extremely nervous. I've never seen Alice panic, but today I did."

"She's afraid of Jasper's mother," I laughed. "Although, I can't say I blame her."

"Yeah, Jasper told her his mother is . . . a little strange. Was that putting it nicely?"

Little One needed to hurry because she just sat the plates of spaghetti on the table. It was cruel to put that in front of me when I couldn't just dig in, since my hands were full.

"Well, she's definitely strange," I said. "Emmett would call her insane, but she's not that bad. He just holds a grudge against her."

"Do I want to know?"

"It involved a BB gun and Emmett's ass."

"Ah, then no, I don't want to know," she laughed. "Is she about done?"

The bottle was almost empty, thank God. "Looks like it."

"Do you want me to burp her?"

Angel. I swear to God this woman was an angel or some shit.

I smiled. "That'd be great. Thanks."

Bella got even better when she said I could start eating as she burped the little one. I was about to start drooling, so that was good. I dug in and went to heaven. I was even moaning a little, making her laugh softly.

"You act like you're a starving man," she laughed.

"Maybe I am," I said with a mouthful, making her laugh even harder.

"Don't choke. I can burp a baby, but I'm not sure I'm up for the Heimlich Maneuver on a grown man," she said, wiping Little One's mouth. "I think she's good. Do you want me to put her in the swing?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she'll play and probably doze off."

As Bella went to put Sofia in the swing, I continued to stuff my face with as much food as possible.

"So, Alice said we'd leave here around five on Saturday," Bella said, sitting back down in front of me. "Is that okay or do you need to be there earlier?"

"That's fine," I said. "The ceremony starts at six, so it gives us plenty of time."

"Good." She smiled. "Alice is coming over early because she wants to do my hair. Apparently, I'm not capable."

"Well, I think she's wrong. Your hair always looks great."

Her cheeks heated up again and she nibbled on her lip. God, that fucking nibble. It did something to me, so did that blush.

"You always blush," I said. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I can't exactly control it. I always have when I get nervous or . . . you know."

"When I compliment you?"

She nodded.

"So when I'm not complimenting you, and you blush, it means I'm making you nervous?" I asked.

"I don't know. It just happens sometimes."

I smirked. "Well, I like it, and I'm making it my mission to make you blush as much as possible."

"What?" she laughed. "That's cruel."

I shrugged. "Maybe I'm cruel then."

She rolled her eyes. "Then I'm making it my mission to stop blushing."

"Ah, but you can't. It's a bodily function you have no control over." I grinned. "But apparently, I have some control over it."

"Asshole."

I laughed. "You're doing it again."

"Shut up and eat."

I took another bite and watched her. She brought a napkin up to cover her smile. Damn, she was fucking cute. I was actually looking forward to seeing her on Saturday. If she was this beautiful now, I couldn't imagine what she'd look like then.

Was I . . . falling for her? Was this what it felt like? Hell if I knew, but I was feeling something I hadn't felt before.