Thanks, as always, to my betas Beans827 and Shug. Also, a big thanks to The Twilight Awards for rec'ing this story on Twitter. And thanks to anyone else who has rec'ed. Word of mouth is so important, so I truly appreciate those of you that think of this story when you're recommending stories to people.

BPOV

I only promised not to over-think. It was a damn good thing that thinking in general was still an option, because that was apparently all that I was capable of doing. Who knew that letting every single wall, ones I had spent the past four years painstakingly building, crumble could feel so good?

I should have been terrified at that moment. This afternoon had changed everything. Sure, I had been mentally preparing myself for this step, but preparing and doing are two vastly different concepts.

And it was strange how quickly my brain switched. I had gone from doing everything in my power to deny the feelings he evoked in me to absolutely not wanting to leave him in that garage, all in barely more than a month. While it couldn't ever be considered impulsive, it was certainly the biggest, fastest change I had experienced since moving back.

If it hadn't been for the fact that I was running extremely short on time, and needed to pick Max up so that I could get him to soccer practice on time, I would probably still be there with Edward. Maybe not there in the garage, specifically; I didn't need to put on a show for the entire building as hundreds wandered out at the end of the day to find their cars. But I would definitely still be with him, basking in the thrill and novelty of whatever this was. I wasn't ready to try to define any of it quite yet, but I sure as hell planned to enjoy it.

Instead, for the time being, I found myself pacing parallel to the soccer field. I was restless and couldn't stop moving. If I stopped, I subconsciously still found some way to move: tapping my foot, wringing my hands, or biting my nails. I was full of nervous energy and enjoying every second of it. I was also pretty sure my heart rate hadn't completely slowed back down to normal yet.

By the time practice was over, I was certain that my feet had logged a few miles due to all the pacing. I quickly loaded Max into the back of the car as I called in an order for take-out that I could swing by and pick up on the way home since I knew that there was no way that my newly impaired attention span would allow me to attempt to cook something.

The rest of the evening passed quickly, and before I knew it, I was laying in bed, ready to call it a night. For the first time in over a month, I wasn't trying to talk myself out of anything. I was still frustratingly unable to sleep, but I could hardly complain about the memories of the afternoon that flashed behind my eyelids. Of all the ways my mind had conjured up in the past couple weeks that it might happen, in the middle of an empty dance floor with my iPod reverberating off of the walls right after approving an order for a dozen kegs for the weekend hadn't been one of them.

And yet, now, I couldn't imagine it happening any differently.

It wasn't some grand event. There was no big gesture. It was spontaneous and it was perfect.

Even though feelings of doubt had begun to creep up—one final attempt by my self-conscious inner voice to remind me that by putting myself out there, I would be putting myself at risk—I was somehow able to find the strength to push it aside and let go.

And it was all due to him. The way that he looked at me, the way that he held me… I had never felt more secure or more cherished. I had closed my eyes, resting my chin on his shoulder for one final internal pep talk. He had been unwavering from the beginning—never showing even the slightest interest in anybody else. Lauren and Jessica weren't the only interested parties in the office. There were plenty of women hoping to catch his attention, and many of them were nice, honest, trustworthy, and—though I hated to admit that I had compared myself to them in moments of doubt—pretty. And yet, somehow, I was the one that he had noticed. Even with all of my issues, my baggage, and my child, he'd waited for me, even though there were no guarantees that I would ever allow him in.

Just as I had been trying to figure out if and how I could tell him that I was ready, he spoke up. He'd asked me to acknowledge this thing between us, and it terrified me. I wished I had been able to answer without hesitation, but even though I had no doubt that I felt the same, there was something frightening and intimidating about verbalizing it. It would be out there and I wouldn't be able to take it back. The idea of him knowing wasn't what scared me. Strangely, it was admitting it to myself that frightened me the most.

But he had asked, so I did. And his reaction, the utter elation he'd showed through those tiny kisses at my neck and shoulder, emboldened me and gave me the confidence that I needed to admit that I was scared. Just because I was ready, didn't mean I wasn't still a little intimidated. But he'd anticipated each fear, reassuring me before I could even finish the thought. Just the idea that he knew me well enough already to be able to foresee my uncertainties and bring them to a halt at once just encouraged me further. It amazed me how quickly he could wash away doubts that I had held onto for so long that I had been certain, up to that point, were a permanent part of my psyche.

Just when I hadn't thought the moment could get any better, he kissed me. I could've tried to convince myself that it was the void of the past four years that made it so good, but I knew better. I knew that I had never felt anything like it before. For the first time, a kiss meant so much more than a means to an end, an obligation as part of the relationship, or a way to be claimed as a possession. Nobody had ever made me feel so treasured, so adored. Only Edward.

And I felt it with each subsequent kiss.

The memory of each one played on repeat for hours until the exhaustion finally prevailed, but as soon as the alarm shocked my system back into consciousness, the highlight reel took over again.

I was a mess of nerves going back to work. Not that I wanted to hide it from our friends; I just wasn't ready for everybody's commentary. The nerves increased as I neared the studio, and relief swept over me when I saw that the on-air light was on, meaning that, at least for a moment, their attention would be occupied elsewhere.

I slipped in quietly so that the sounds of my shuffling around wouldn't be picked up by any of the mics. Though my eyes wanted to seek out for Edward first, my sense of self-preservation forced me to assess Emmett and Jasper to see if they knew anything or if they would figure it out.

When both looked up quickly, offered a half-hearted wave, and then looked back at each other without interrupting the conversation they were having on-air, I relaxed further and allowed myself to look at Edward. He was already watching me, smiling, and he winked when I smiled back at him.

My heart thundered in my chest as I took my seat, waiting for them to finish. It took a little while, but they eventually started a block of music, turning their mics off.

"Hey hey," Emmett greeted as he turned around. "What'd you get into last night?"

I stared at him blankly for a few seconds, thinking we were already busted. When I noticed that he was giving me a funny look, I realized that he didn't know anything and my silence was doing nothing but making me look like an idiot.

"Soccer practice," I answered, my voice raising an octave higher than normal and the words blurring together.

Edward chuckled lightly, most likely at my obvious paranoia, and I glanced up at him before quickly averting my eyes when I realized I definitely wouldn't be able to keep up the charade if I allowed my eyes to truly connect with his.

Before I could completely fall apart and give it all away, the door opened and Rosalie walked in. I was thankful for the distraction, suddenly aware that I was a pretty bad actress and would have crumbled in less than thirty seconds.

I didn't hear what anybody was saying as they greeted her, too busy mentally berating myself and laughing at my lack of poker face. Rosalie came over to the credenza and placed two boxes next to me. I could instantly smell the sugary sweetness, only barely registering the fact that Emmett was complaining.

"Hold on a second," Rosalie told him, annoyance seeping into her voice. "Christ, you're worse than a kid sometimes."

She opened the top box and the smell of a dozen fresh donuts invaded the room. She closed it after a quick inventory of the contents and moved that box to the bottom, opening the second.

"I just had a meeting this morning with the manager at the bakery, and they gave me these to bring back," she explained while pointing to one specific donut in the box. "There's only one."

"Only one what?" Emmett called over, irritated. "What kind is it?"

I grabbed it and took a bite, then mumbled through the mouthful. "Blueberry."

Emmett jumped up from his seat and ran over. "What? You gave her the only blueberry?"

"What can I say, Em? She loves me more." I dramatically took another bite and moaned, just to show off.

Rosalie shrugged and deadpanned, "She's right, you know."

Jasper, Edward, and I erupted into laughter while Rosalie fought her own laugh and Emmett feigned offense. He quickly stacked three donuts and stormed back to his seat giving the two of us the evil eye the entire way.

"Big baby," she teased as she took out one for herself and carried the two boxes over to the guys before returning to sit next to me.

She and I finished our donuts and whispered back and forth while the guys went back on-air. When the spot block started, Rosalie hopped off the credenza and started pulling at her pants. "Damn it. Is it too much to expect that if you spend fifty bucks on a pair of panties that they won't attempt to slice you in half?"

I started laughing, stopping myself just short of snorting, at her lack of class. I smoothed her hair as if petting a dog, and in the most condescending tone I could muster, I said, "You're so lucky you're pretty."

She turned her head to me, brow furrowed. "Huh?"

I laughed harder at her confusion, registering three other laughs in the room.

"Seriously, Rose. Do you really think that if you didn't look like this," I said, using one hand to wave up and down, motioning to her body, "that you'd be able to get away with saying things like that?"

She smiled, strangely proud of my assessment, and I shook my head. It was true, though. She could be so crass at times, and yet guys were still falling all over themselves to be near her, acting as if she had just spoken the most profound words they had ever heard.

"Oh! I need your keys," she said, changing the subject.

I pulled them out of my purse and handed them to her. "Okay. Why?"

"I have to go to the dealership and renew their advertising in about an hour so I'm going to have them do an oil change while I'm there."

"Oh, yeah," I said, nodding. "I guess it is about due."

Conversation stalled as the guys went back on air. Rosalie hopped back up to sit beside me again, then rested her head on my shoulder.

"You okay?" I whispered.

"Yeah," she said through a yawn. "Just tired. I had to be up earlier than usual this morning and my body isn't used to it."

"Just go home after your meeting and take a nap," I told her. "You know you don't have to be here all day."

She shrugged. "I don't want to be like some people, making an appearance just so I can say I was here and then disappear for the rest of the day."

"Trust me," I told her. "You have nothing to worry about. Everyone knows you work your ass off. You deserve to take an afternoon to relax."

She was always worried about making an extra effort and consistently went above and beyond for this job. She felt the need to prove herself as more than a pretty face. I had to laugh; if she only knew that she was guaranteed a promotion in the very near future because she had already proven herself a hundred times over.

"Maybe," she said, shrugging again.

The hour came to a close, and it was time for everyone to head their separate ways. As soon as we all stepped out of the studio, I was stopped by an intern. The venue yesterday was just the first of many that needed deliveries, and the interns were getting the next set ready down in one of the conference rooms where there was more room to spread out and pack up. Just as I was getting ready to walk with the intern so that I could show him what I needed, I felt a soft touch at my shoulder. I turned around to see Edward subtly smile as he lightly stroked the back of my arm from shoulder to elbow as he passed. The butterflies returned in full force, and I wanted nothing more than to follow him, but I was unfortunately needed downstairs.

An hour later, after pointing out what was needed for the next venue, I was standing in the middle of my office staring at the wall. Actually, I was staring at the large calendar on the wall, but I was sure it looked equally ridiculous. As I distractedly tapped the capped end of a thin dry erase marker against my bottom lip in thought, I felt a hand at my waist.

I couldn't stop the smile from spreading as I turned around. "Hey."

"Hey." Edward grinned as he dipped his head down to kiss me, and just like each time yesterday, I found myself nearly dizzy at the feel of his lips on mine.

We broke apart much sooner than I'd have liked, and after a few seconds of simply enjoying the moment, he drew his attention upwards, looking at the calendar I had been staring at prior to his very welcome interruption. His hand remained at my waist when I turned back around, and he gently ran his thumb back and forth, drawing an invisible half circle over my shirt.

"So, what are you doing here?" he asked, studying the large plastic calendar with multicolored scribbles covering the majority of its surface.

"Trying to figure out where and when to add more shows," I told him, leaning back into him as I began to explain my system. "Each venue has its own color marker for accepted offers and signed contracts. The ones in yellow are offers we haven't heard back on yet."

"Don't you have a calendar on your computer to keep track of it all?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I find that being able to see the full year all at once really helps me figure out scheduling better than an electronic version. I can literally see the big picture if I also track it on here."

We talked for a little while longer, and he seemed truly interested in my work and my anal-retentive processes. Eventually, the topic switched.

"So, did you happen to find a babysitter last night?" he asked, hopeful.

Before we parted in the garage, we had made tentative plans for Friday night. They were based, of course, on finding a sitter to keep Max, and I had told him I would call that evening. I didn't call.

"Not yet," I said hesitantly and immediately noticed the expression on his face drop. I quickly tried to reassure him. "No, please don't think I've changed my mind. I just started thinking and … I think I need to talk to Alice first."

He still looked somewhat unconvinced, and knots formed in my stomach. He had every reason to believe that I would end up questioning everything, regardless of the promise I had made.

"Alice?"

"Yeah, I realized that if she found out that the sitter knew about this," I said while motioned between us, using the little amount of space that was available between our bodies, "before she did, she'd kill me."

He immediately burst into laughter, and all my worry faded. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kissed my temple. "I think you're right."

"I know I'm right," I scoffed, enjoying the feel of his frame shaking with laughter against me.

Later that afternoon, I found myself sitting outside of Alice's salon, trying to work up the courage to walk in. After a few deep breaths, I grabbed the gift bag from the passenger seat and headed inside.

I greeted the receptionist who let me know that Alice was in her office and to head on back. I snaked my way through the salon, trying to avoid a contact high from the mix of chemicals in the air. The door to her office wasn't completely shut, so I knocked and opened it the rest of the way without waiting for a response.

"Bella!" she exclaimed, as she hopped up to hug me. "I wasn't expecting you here today!"

I forced a smile, my nerves growing by the second. I wasn't scared of her reaction; it would no doubt be a positive one. I was nervous about the exuberance of her response.

"Yeah, well, I just wanted to bring this over for you."

I handed her the bag and then fell onto the couch, chewing nervously at my lip and waiting for her reaction.

She dug through the tissue paper in the plain red gift bag and pulled out the pair of ice skates I had picked up at a sporting goods store on the way here. She looked at me in confusion but I didn't explain. I just waited for her to make the connection.

She looked back at the skates, and I could see the moment that it clicked. She laughed hysterically when she remembered the conversation we had a year ago after one of her failed attempts to set me up. She had been frustrated, stomping her foot and insisting that I would have to give in eventually. Out of annoyance at the situation, I had yelled, "And when hell freezes over, you and I will go skating with Satan."

I laughed silently as her body folded over on itself and she wiped away a few tears. I had been stressing on how to start this conversation. I couldn't bring myself to walk in and lay it all out there, gossiping like we were back in high school, so I decided to start with a joke.

"So you—" she started.

"Yes."

"And Edward?" she continued.

"Yes," I responded simply.

She squealed, and I cringed. "When?"

"Yesterday."

For some reason, I was unable to expand beyond one word answers. I hadn't had a chance to adjust to living it; apparently, I wasn't quite ready to talk about it yet either.

"Why the hell didn't you call me last night?" she yelled without a hint of anger in her voice as she launched across the room and hugged me.

She bounced on her knees beside me on the couch, and I laughed as I motioned to her. "I don't know, maybe because of this?"

She backhanded my shoulder, playfully. "Yeah, whatever." She pulled me into another hug. "I'm just happy for you."

"I know," I told her sincerely. Then with a laugh, I added, "I'm happy for me, too."

"So?" she asked, urging me to fill her in.

I sighed and dropped my head back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. "I never knew it could be like that, Alice. And it was just a kiss. It was perfect and beautiful and … I've never felt like that before. Nobody has ever made me feel like that. He actually makes me lightheaded."

We both laughed at that, and I pulled my head back up and looked at her. She was beaming and watched me for a second before she started talking.

"Do you remember what you said the first time you told me about Chad?" she asked.

My brow furrowed. She never brought up Max's father if she could help it. She had never been a big fan of his; at best, she'd tolerated him when she had to be around him. I tried to think back but honestly couldn't remember the conversation in any great detail, so I shook my head, curious as to why she would bring him up now, of all times.

She chuckled to herself before filling me in on the big secret. "You said, and I quote, 'Eh, I guess he's all right.'"

We were both silent for a few seconds, staring at each other before we simultaneously burst into laughter.

"Are you trying to tell me things are different this time?" I asked her as the laughter began to fade, wiping a tear.

She sighed with a grin on her face. "That's exactly what I'm trying to tell you."

It took nearly an hour for me to convince Alice to let me go. She insisted that I replay the entirety of what had happened between me and Edward, and although I did give her a fairly detailed account, I tried to avoid a few specifics that I wanted to keep private. I exhaled in relief the moment I stepped out of the salon's doors to have that conversation over with, ready to relax the rest of the evening.

Maggie brought Max over as soon as they heard my car pull into the drive. I threw together a quick dinner, and we headed back out to the driveway so that Max could ride his little bike until it was time to head back inside and start the bedtime routine. I tried to be as attentive as possible, but I caught myself spacing out a few times with a goofy grin on my face.

Walking into work the next morning was another battle with nerves. The fact that Alice now knew meant that I was even less sure as to what I was about to walk into, and more than once I considered altering course and heading straight to my office. I realized, though, that I would simply be delaying the inevitable and perhaps getting it over with in a soundproof room would be the lesser of two evils.

The on-air light was on, and just as I breathed a sigh of relief at being able to slip in and assess the situation as I had the morning before, the light flicked back off. I whispered a soft 'fuck' at the tease.

I steeled myself with a deep breath and took that last step that would put me in view of everybody in the room before pushing the door open. Three heads turned in my direction: one crooked smile and two knowing smirks.

"How long did it take her?" I asked in defeat. Edward chuckled and reached one hand out toward me, calling me over to him. I stepped closer, slipping my hand into his, allowing him to pull me to his side. As soon as I was close enough, he dropped my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist.

Jasper threw his head back, laughing. "I don't think you were out of the parking lot."

I nodded, unsurprised by his words. "I'm impressed. I was certain she already had her finger on the send button before I stepped out of her office."

To my amazement, nobody mentioned anything else. I quickly relaxed and fell into conversation as if it was any other day after moving over to my normal spot before anybody had walked past the door and saw Edward holding me at his side. At the end of the hour, I was able to walk with them all, as usual, with no interruptions by interns. Although our friends were now very much aware of what happened on Tuesday, Edward and I kept our distance in the hall. I wasn't ready for the entire office to start talking, so we were trying to maintain subtlety as much as possible.

His fingertips trailed lightly at the small of my back when the guys left me at my office, causing me to need a moment once I stepped inside to gather myself. I somehow managed to complete quite a bit of my to-do list through the fog that seemed to have taken over my head, leaving me unable to focus on much with any amount of precision.

Rosalie stopped by at lunch, loaded down with bags of take-out, making my office rival any Chinese buffet in town.

"So," she said, looking at me pointedly. "Alice called me last night."

"I'm sure she did," I responded, not looking at her, as I pulled boxes out of the bags and laid them on the coffee table in front of the couch in the corner of my office.

I flinched when something hit my shoulder and laughed when a packet of soy sauce plopped on the table in front of me.

"You bitch," she teased. "Why didn't you tell me? I can't believe I had to hear it from her."

"Sorry," I said, not at all apologetic as I finally looked up at her, unsuccessfully fighting a smile. She grinned at me, letting me know she wasn't really angry.

"I can't believe I sat in that room yesterday and didn't pick up on a thing." She shook her head in disbelief, chastising herself and her lack of detection. "How did you pull that off? You're a shitty actress."

"You brought donuts." I shrugged as if donuts were an obvious answer. "Everyone was distracted."

I gave her the abbreviated version of what I told Alice the night before, finding myself unsurprised when Rosalie nodded to let me know she already knew all of the details rendering my commentary completely unnecessary. Once we finished with 'girl talk,' she called the guys over. We loaded plates and stepped out of the line of fire, knowing once they—specifically Emmett—made it over, it would be safer to distance ourselves from the food.

Rosalie and I had claimed the couch, resembling bookends the way we mirrored each other with one foot tucked underneath ourselves while the guys sat on the floor, rounding the coffee table. Edward sat below me, his right side pressed against my left leg. It was comforting to know that I wasn't the only one who felt the need for constant contact. Moving away and sitting on the opposite side of the studio this morning was torture now that I'd allowed myself to let him in.

"Why are eggrolls so good?" Rosalie asked rhetorically, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"It's like," Emmett started, then paused, deep in thought. "Someone said, 'Hey, I have all this shredded cabbage. What should I do with it?' And someone else said, 'wrap it up and deep fry it!'"

He glanced around the room at the odd looks directed at him before biting dramatically into his own eggroll, crunching loudly.

Conversation shifted, thankfully, and seemingly out of nowhere, Rosalie announced, "So, I have a meeting with Peter tomorrow."

She was looking at me, waiting for a reaction before Emmett spoke up. "Really? What about?"

I must have played dumb well enough because she shifted her focus to him and didn't return to assess me further. After mentally patting myself on the back for pulling it off two days in a row, I glanced down at Edward who was giving me a questioning look, his arm now snaked around my leg and his fingertips trailing lightly over my ankle. These seemingly innocent touches were going to kill me, I was certain.

I nodded imperceptibly, letting him know this was about the promotion. She was going to find out tomorrow with the official announcement being made on Monday morning.

"I have no idea," Rosalie said. "He said it was nothing bad. Maybe they're going to give me a big client or something. I can't think of anything else."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Jasper reassured her. Though she was speaking optimistically, her voice suggested that she was somewhat concerned, and he had picked up on it. "You're one of, if not, the most reliable, consistent person in that department. If Peter said it's nothing bad, then believe it."

Everybody chimed in, agreeing with Jasper's assessment before diving back into our food. Before long, we finished up and everyone needed to head in separate directions once again. Edward hung back after the others dispersed, laughing at me as I sprayed Febreze all around my office.

"What?" I asked warily, suddenly self-conscious. "I don't want to smell lunch the rest of the afternoon."

I twisted the nozzle to close it before putting the bottle back in the cabinet. I felt Edward move in behind me and shivered when his hands settled at my waist for a moment before moving to wrap around me and hold me to his chest. His forehead rested against the back of my head.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I knew he had been worried about how I would feel once everyone in our group knew. I felt terrible that all of my neuroses caused him to be on guard, but I couldn't fault him for it. I hadn't given him any reason to think I wouldn't be a wreck when they all found out, and, honestly, if they had subjected me to any of the teasing I had been expecting, then I probably would have been an awkward mess all day.

"Yeah. They've been surprisingly…" I trailed off, searching for the right word, "… normal?"

He laughed silently, and I squirmed a bit in reaction to the short bursts of breath tickling the back of my neck.

"You seem surprised by that," he responded, amused.

I shrugged. "I've known them too long. They don't typically do normal."

He laughed a little more as he eased his hold and turned me around to face him. He seemed so calm and contented, and I took a moment to admire the effect it had on him. A thought popped into my head, relating to our abandoned conversation.

"They got it all out of their systems this morning before I got here, didn't they?"

His hands slid down my arms until they met mine, before tugging me slightly closer and leaning in until his face was inches from mine. "Maybe."

"Sorry about that." I felt bad that he had to deal with that on his own simply because I was too cowardly to face my friends and just accept their good-natured harassment. I started biting on my bottom lip, then immediately released it in self-consciousness when I realized his attention was drawn to the action.

"Don't be," he said, leaning in to kiss me and focusing on the spot that I had been attacking. "They weren't too bad."

We continued kissing, allowing it to deepen, and I recognized that I had never been this comfortable, this affectionate, so quickly with anybody before and, surprisingly, I didn't care. I didn't feel the need to slow down.

I couldn't stop the slow grin, and as soon as he noticed, Edward pulled back slightly.

"What?" he asked, his turn to be the self-conscious one. I smiled wider, finding humor rather than absurdity in the fact that I had so many issues that it would throw people off when my reactions presented nothing but pure happiness.

I stepped up onto my toes to close the distance again but had to pull away seconds later when we heard voices coming down the hall. Though the corner we were standing in couldn't be seen from the hall, if someone were stopping by to speak to me, the fraction of a second it would take them to turn their head upon entering the room wouldn't give us enough time to separate.

We each took a step back, listening to the voices until they faded as they passed my door and kept going. As soon as we were sure that nobody was planning to walk in, we looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"I don't think we're going to be able to keep this quiet for long," Edward said, still laughing.

"I'm pretty sure we're just setting ourselves up for failure," I teased.

He stepped closer, slipping one hand around to the back of my neck and running his thumb along my jaw and up under my ear. "This is one time I'll enjoy the crash and burn."