The One That Got Away

Chapter 14

A/N – The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Another new record for reviews! Thanks everyone – you are the best! Yes, I know it was a cliffie, but you have to give Bella some time to react to Edward's question, don't you think? Two steps forward and one step back….

Bella was awfully glad she hadn't taken a sip of her tea, because she would have spit it all over the table, and probably all over Edward too. She grabbed the arms of the chair to steady herself.

"W-what did you say?"

He spoke carefully, cautiously. "It's a simple question, Bella. Am I the one that got away?"

She jumped out of the chair and picked up her teacup, instantly annoyed that her shaking hand was making the cup rattle. She nearly snorted. There was certainly nothing simple about that question.

"I don't know what that means. I don't know what you're talking about." She turned to stalk toward the kitchen, but a gentle hand on her arm stopped her.

"Bella" he said, his voice like warm velvet flowing over her "I know about the dedication, the one in your new book." He swallowed hard. "What I need to know is whether it has anything to do with me. Or, I guess, with us."

"I'm sorry, Edward" she said without looking at him. "I don't have a new book, and you just aren't making any sense." She knew if he looked into her eyes, it would be all over. Of course the dedication was about him!

He wasn't buying this. "Well, just tell me this." His voice was a little more demanding. "If it's not about me, then who is it? Is it someone else?"

Of course not, Bella thought. There was never – would never – be anyone but him. But she couldn't tell him that. Could she?

He knew. Edward knew, in his gut, that he was the person in the dedication. But how to get her to admit it? Frustrated, he took his hand off her arm and ran it through his hair.

As soon as he released her arm, Bella took off for the kitchen. She put both hands on the sink and tried to get control over her breathing. She wanted nothing more than to tell him, to tell him she'd always loved him, that she'd never stopped. Not for a minute. If she was being honest with herself, she'd dreamed about telling him since the day the stupid dedication came out. But she'd spent seven years trying to protect her heart from the consequences of her actions, and didn't know how to do any different.

A quiet voice came from behind her. "You didn't answer me."

She shook her head back and forth. She was just barely holding back tears, and knew if she said anything, anything at all, that the tears would break free.

It was all the confirmation Edward needed to know he was on to something, but he had no idea what to do next. He tried the first thing that came into his head. "The book…I know you wrote it. I know Barbara Smith is your pen name, and that…" That was as far as he got before a furious Bella wheeled on him.

"How could you know that?" The tears that ran down her face were angry tears, not sad ones. "Did Alice put you up to this? Damn it, Edward. Did she? Is she the one who told you all this?" In her anger, she didn't realize that she inadvertently gave him the answer he was seeking.

What the hell? Edward wasn't sure what he expected, but this wasn't it. "Alice?" He thought for a minute, and a face from the past clicked in his brain. "Alice Brandon?"

"It's Alice Hale now. She's…"

A smile broke unexpectedly across his face. "Alice married Jasper Hale?"

"Yes" Bella said "but that's not the point." She was having trouble thinking straight, because half of her brain was busy figuring out exactly what she would do to her so-called best friend when she saw her.

"Alice and Jasper. That's great, really." Edward's smile was genuine. "They were always inseparable. They shared something special. Always did."

She nodded, but didn't say anything.

He whispered it. "So did we."

Bella winced at his comment, but it was the straw that broke the camel's back. "We did, yes."

"Bella. Please tell me." Edward wanted so badly to hear the answer. "Is this about me – and you?"

She simply bobbed her head to up and down to indicate yes.

He opened his arms, and she walked into them.

-TOTGA—

Alice was thrilled at the prospect of a reunion with her two best friends. She typed out a quick reply to Rose.

Hey gorgeous,

YES! Yes, yes, yes! A girl's weekend would be wonderful. You book the tickets, and I'll get Bella here. She's overdue for a visit to New York anyway, and she can tell us all about her trip and her next mystery. Send me the details about your flight, and I'll take care of everything else. And don't you dare make a hotel reservation – you're staying here, with us. Jasper would love to see you. It will be like old times….well, old times except for the Cullen boys.

Speaking of them (which, by the way, I try not to do around Bella – just a heads up) what was Emmett doing in London? Small world and all that, right?

See you soon! Love,

Alice

A few minutes later, her email dinged again. Sure enough, it was from Rose.

Ali,

That's great! I'll email you all my travel details in a day or so. I didn't get to exchange too much info with Emmett, but his Facebook page says he lives in Ireland. I think he's a vet there. Gotta go – we'll catch up when I see you!

Love,

Rose

Alice read the email once, twice. By the third time through, only three words jumped out at her. Emmett. Ireland. Vet.

She quickly scrolled down to find the last email she got from her college girls. Oh yes, there it was. Edward Cullen is a veterinarian. Both brothers are vets – and Emmett lives in Ireland. The same place she'd sent Bella. Alice winced. If there was one thing Bella hated, it was being manipulated. And Alice knew exactly what this would look like to her friend.

Alice reassured herself. Just because both Cullens were in the same profession didn't mean that they were in the same place. And even if they were, there was almost no chance they'd be anywhere near Liam's little cottage. After all, Ireland was a big country. Still, Alice had to admit that she'd gotten where she'd gotten by relying on her instincts, and all of a sudden, she didn't like where her instincts were going.

She whipped out her cell phone and hit the first number on speed dial. A smooth, sexy voice answered.

"Hello, darlin'. What – exactly - can I do for you?"

She could hear the smirk in her husband's voice, but she was in no mood to return his flirtatious opening. "Oh Jasper, I just found out something really important and I need to talk to you about it, see what you think. I have a really bad feeling about this!"

-TOTGA—

Edward buried his nose in Bella's hair, the familiar scent wrapping around him. He'd been dreaming about holding her for so many years. He wanted to kiss her hair. Hell, he wanted to kiss her mouth, too, and her neck, her shoulders, to pull her closer to him and feel the curves he remembered and the new ones he could see. But whatever this was, it was too new and too fragile, and he was afraid of scaring her by moving too fast. Instead, he gave her a quick, gentle squeeze, and made himself step back. He slid his hands down her arms until his fingers found hers and their hands were joined.

"Let's sit" he said. "I think we have lots to talk about."

Bella smiled, and led him back to the comfortable chairs where they were sitting before. The tea, now too cool to drink, still sat on the little table. She watched as he pushed the table out of the way and sat on the edge of his seat so that he could keep her hands in his.

He started. "What are you doing in Ireland?"

"I write mystery novels. Alice is my agent, and of course, still my best friend. I was starting my next novel, and had writer's block." She wasn't about to explain that he was the reason for her inability to work. "Alice suggested I come stay here at the cottage. Some friend of Jasper's owns it." She thought turnabout was fair play. "Why are you in Ireland? And how did you end up in this particular little town?"

"The vet office you brought Matilda's puppy to? It's Emmett's. I'm a vet in Philadelphia. Emmett's gone for a tour of veterinary hospitals throughout England for a month, and asked me to come over and fill in for him."

Edward, impatient to shift the conversation back to the infamous dedication, plunged in. "Tell me what it means. Why? How am I the one that got away?" He took a deep breath. "Not trying to make this more awkward than it is, but really, Bella, I'm not the one who left."

She knew he was right, but his offhand remark sparked her temper. Did he still not understand what she did? And why she did it? Over the years she'd convinced herself that he must have puzzled it out and just decided not to try to find her. Her eyes widened as the two parts of their conversation came together in her head.

"Holy crap!" Her emotions were so raw she snapped at him. "You never answered my question before, Edward. Did Alice contact you? Did she tell you I was here? Did she set this up?"

He looked at her, confused. "No, Bella, I swear I knew nothing about you being here. I'm just filling in for Emmett."

"Well, I'm sorry Edward, but I write this kind of shit for a living and even I know this is too much of a coincidence to be true. Just tell me how we ended up at the same time in the same little tiny town half way around the world from where I live."

It was his turn to stutter. "I don't…"

"Let me answer that for you. Alice pain-in-the-ass Hale. And this time, she's gone too far." She pulled her hands away from his, ran into what he assumed was a bedroom, and slammed the door.

Edward grabbed his hair with both hands and kicked the chair. What just happened? How had everything gone to hell so fast?