Chapter Fourteen

Jasper

When I picked Bella up on Sunday morning she seemed a little on edge and I wondered if she was annoyed that I hadn't been able to accompany her last night but she greeted me warmly enough.

"How was your evening? Plenty of good photographs?"

"Enough to keep our boss happy, it was a pretty impressive fire. How about you? Did you get a quote from the businessman of the year?"

"Yes, he was only too happy to tell me all about his plans as chairman of the chamber of commerce."

"I'm sorry I couldn't go. I hope Edward proved to be good company, it was good of him to take my place."

She glanced at me and hesitated before answering,

"Yes, he was very thoughtful."

"But?"

Bella

I had been thinking about the answer to that question all night. Edward had done nothing I could criticise, he just made me feel uneasy and I could hardly say that could I? The family were very close and I didn't want my irrational dislike of Edward to ruin things for me.

"No, but, I guess I just missed you and I don't know Edward very well, he makes me a bit nervous that's all."

I could have kicked myself when Jasper immediately decided that I should get to know Edward better. All I wanted was to stay away from his brother but I could hardly say that now, could I? So, instead of going out for the say, just the two of us he drove back to the house and suggested Alice and Edward join us. They weren't a couple but at least I would have Alice to keep her brother occupied.

We drove into Port Angeles and caught a boat going whale watching. I had been before but the whales were very shy that time so I hoped for better luck this time. I tried to stay close to Jasper but he seemed to be making as much effort for Edward and me to talk, spending time talking to Alice about her recent trip to New York. Edward joined me at the rail turning back to glance at the others,

"I love to see creatures in their own habitat, don't you? They should never be caged or enclosed, it's not natural."

I had to agree with him and we became engrossed in a conversation about zoos and conservation. I found him less creepy and didn't feel so uncomfortable today, maybe I had just overreacted last night missing Jasper as I had.

The whales were happy to put on a show for us today and Jasper took some wonderful photographs including some with me and the other two. Edward came very close but then so did Alice so I could hardly complain here either but I felt his hand on the small of my back. It could have been accidental but it still made my skin crawl a little. What was it about Jasper's brother that put me on edge so much?

I was relieved that we were back at work the next day so Jasper couldn't try to give me more space to get to know Edward. He seemed to know I was still unsettled but didn't pursue the matter when I told him I was just feeling a bit under the weather,

"A cold I think."

Of course, he then became very solicitous and that made me feel guilty.

The week flew by as Jasper and I drove back and forth to work together and spent our evenings at my place, Charlie was on nights so we had the house to ourselves. At the weekend I knew I would be alone, Jasper had promised to go hiking with his brothers some time ago and I didn't feel it would be fair to ask him not to go. He was looking a little sick himself with deep shadows under his eyes which had gone very dark. He assured me it was just a side effect of the meds he took for his illness and I had seen it before, usually just before he took a couple of days to himself. Maybe he just wanted to rest and who was I to crowd him? I loved him too much to put pressure on him.

Jasper

I hated leaving Bella for two days but I really needed to hunt properly and going into the mountains with the family was the best way to do this. I found my thirst becoming more of a problem when I spent nights with Bella, I was using up my reserves much quicker, especially on an animal blood diet. I had arranged a surprise for her so she would know I was thinking of her as I couldn't call, the cell signal up in the mountains was pretty much non-existent.

Bella

It was hard kissing Jasper goodbye on Friday night but I determined not to mope around, I had things to do, chores to catch up on for starters. I put the laundry on and began tidying the house, Charlie was the type who left things where he used them last so I had plenty of things to put back in their right places. There was a heap of newspapers to go for recycling along with beer cans, bottles, and the trash needed tidying up. Then I showered and decided to have an early night. The next day I had already earmarked for baking, Charlie liked his home cooked meals so I was going to batch cook and freeze him a selection in portions. I put my headphones on and lay on my bed listening to the selection of music Jasper had recorded for me picking up Gone With the Wind and read until I fell asleep feeling very much alone.

I didn't even wake when Charlie came in but I knew he was home from the coffee mug in the sink and half a pizza which had congealed in its box, he must have picked it up when he finished work which meant he'd gotten off earlier than expected.

I made some fresh coffee and toast and had just sat down to eat when I heard a knock at the front door. Groaning I got up to answer it only to find a delivery guy with a bouquet of flowers, red and white roses. Taking them from him I carried them back into the kitchen and set them down to find a vase, I knew I'd seen one somewhere. There was no card but they had to be from Jasper. Roses weren't my favorites, he knew that but maybe they were the best he could get, expensive too!

That wasn't the only delivery either, I was up to my elbows in flour and pastry when the bell went and this time it was a box of chocolates, a smiley balloon and a little furry dog with a card,

"A friend to keep you company while I'm away. Jazz xx.

I smiled, why hadn't he sent a card with the flowers too and why two presents? It felt like too much and he wasn't into gestures like this in duplicate. Of course, Charlie teased me about my gifts and only stopped when I threatened to boycott the cooker for a year! I knew how to push his buttons by now.

When I came down from a shower, needed after my day of housework I found Charlie in the kitchen with a spread of Chinese food on the table.

"You rang through for a delivery? I thought we were going to the diner."

"I didn't order it. See."

He handed me a written note that was slightly crumpled,

"Enjoy after all your hard work."

"You think Jasper did this?"

He grinned,

"I'm liking him even more. Come on while it's hot."

It wasn't until I climbed into bed later that it suddenly hit me, how did Jasper know I had been working hard today? Did he guess I'd be keeping busy while he was away? I stretched out my hand for my book but what I picked up wasn't Margaret Mitchell. I turned it over, The Great Gatsby. Where had this come from? I didn't even own a copy of the book. Had Charlie found it somewhere and left it for me? It didn't seem likely. I put it on the floor and found Gone With the Wind tucked under the bed, it must have slipped to the floor and I hadn't noticed.

Even so, I checked my window was shut and there was no one hiding in the closet before climbing back into bed. I was too tired to read long so I picked up my walkman and turning out the light switched it on. I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard Edward's voice in my ear. It was coming from my Walkman but how? Deciding maybe I was just having a bad dream I dropped my walkman to the floor and snuggled down but I could still hear his voice,

"Bella, you are so much better than this, don't throw yourself away on a monster."

What did he mean by that? Jasper a monster? He was the monster or at the least a creep! It was more than an hour before I could relax enough to sleep and when I woke I realized with great relief that it had been a dream, the strange book had gone and Jasper's recordings were the only thing on my Walkman.