Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OC

The first thing that I learned about wedding planning is that everything is a scam or a rip-off. There wasn't a single place that I called that hadn't tried to unfairly profit off of my inexperience at wedding planning. Alice could take it all in stride, sweet-talking various vendors with a sweet laugh and an innocent comment and they'd melt into puddles at her feet, moving the sun and moon to please the sweet girl. I, on the other hand, was left with nothing but a string of frustratingly difficult phone-calls to make and appointments to schedule. Alice continued to assure me that budget wasn't an issue and that even if I didn't get the best deal there was no real harm, but I refused to settle for anything less than I could get. Therefore, I had spent the last two days scouring catalogs, advice columns, and the internet, all in an attempt to well prepare myself on what was really a fair price and what was a rip-off. This really was exhausting work but I wanted Bella's wedding to be wonderful.

The bride herself didn't seem to be all that worried about the wedding, not really caring what went where as long as she got to be with Edward. While endearing, I wouldn't have been opposed to hearing a few of her opinions about what she wanted rather than blindly guessing after she told me that it didn't matter. Alice seemed to already have a perfect vision for the wedding and the placement of where everything was going to go. I was amazed at how well she did under the pressure of putting together an entire wedding in just a little over two-months.

While in the few days that I had begun to spend planning with Alice at the Cullen's house, I hadn't seen the groom or for that matter many of the other Cullen children either. I still saw Carlisle, always between making notes or phone calls in the halls. He'd give me a wave if I was on a call or if he caught me before or after one we'd be able to talk for a few minutes before Alice would call out to me, saying she knew that I wasn't planning a wedding if I was talking to Carlisle. What made it worse was somehow only seeing Carlisle for bits and pieces made me miss him more than when I was gone for three-weeks. How is that even possible?

I was also seriously starting to think that his children were avoiding me, perhaps I hadn't given them a good impression. They were just never around, not really. I tried not to let it bother me, pushing away my worries as I focused on one of Alice's various tangents about the placement of the flowers along the aisle.

"And that's why the flowers have to line ¾ of the right side of the aisle but not to the left, did you get all of that?" she said, giving me a skeptical glance.

I tapped my note pad with the tip of my pen, "All written down, I'll go make the call, boss." I stood, stretching out my arms. God, I had been listening to that for a while. "I'll go make the call."

"Don't forget to tell them that we need same day delivery," Alice called out as I made my way out of the room, phone in hand. I waved her off, a fond smile on my lips as I shook my head.

Earlier, I had scribbled down the number onto my notepad, somewhere in the notepad, I just needed to find it. I flipped through the pages. I had doodled Alice's plan, using my just lovely drawing skills. Well, that's a lie. My drawings could probably pass for some of my student's art work, although some of those kids could really use a pen. My drawing would look like prehistoric cave drawings, well maybe not even that good.

I jumped at the sound of a voice behind me, "Making a phone call?"

I already recognized the voice, turning automatically. "You've got to stop sneaking up on me, you're going to give me a heart-attack," I couldn't keep the slight smile from appearing on my face as Carlisle gave me a slightly guilty look.

"And I'm sure you'd recover quite fine in the house of a doctor."

I rolled my eyes, "I see the headlines now, 'Local doctor gives woman heart attack only to help her recover.'"

"I'm sure the news would love it," he said, his eyes glittering with amusement.

"Yes, of course, perfect plan, just give me a heart attack and then throw me into the arms of the person who gave me it in the first place, just lovely." I really was smiling now.

"You've discovered my evil plan, how will I capture you now," he retorted, the playful sarcasm evident in his voice.

I replied without thinking, "Well, it wouldn't take much convincing to make me stay with you," I meant the comment to be teasing, just another remark in our light banter but as soon as the words came out, I felt my cheeks light on fire as Carlisle looked at me with the slight tilt of his head.

"Is that so?" he asked lightly, but I couldn't think of a clever way to dig myself out of the embarrassing hole I had plunged into. He looked completely unperturbed but my cheeks were still reddening with each second that passed. I couldn't take it.

Shaking my head, I forced a laugh out, looking at the ground as I clutched the items I was holding close to my chest. "Well, I should really get on those phone calls, see you around." and before he could say anything else I was already taking measured steps into the next room. I didn't exactly want to rush out of there like my body was trying to compel me to do. That wouldn't look great and would only lead Carlisle to believe I was upset and him being him would come to ask if I was alright. Right now, I just really wanted to be far away. Finding the nearest bathroom and closing the door behind me, I let myself slide down against the wooden door.

I shook my head, putting my stuff down onto the ground. What was wrong with me? I just had to go and say that. It was just a joke. I didn't really feel like that, no, I most certainly did not. It wasn't easy to be around him, and it would take more than a bit of convincing to stay with him. Then why did I say that? I'm sure he didn't take it as anything more than a joke, that's what it was. I wasn't serious. Being around him made me fluttery, nervous even, why would I want to stay around that? But I did. I did want to stay around him and I wouldn't need any convincing to be around Carlisle. It was as easy as gravity but it was also like being in space and a meteor is coming very quickly down to Earth. I didn't know what that meant.

I didn't like him, I couldn't like him. He was one of my closest friends, no, I wouldn't like him. I had only just become friendly with his daughter and I was getting involved in all of this wedding planning, that's what must be rattling my brain. The hours of not sleeping probably didn't help either.

Sucking in a breath, I stood up from the floor. I grabbed my phone, dialing the number on the notepad, I had calls to make and Carlisle to not think about.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I had this chapter half done almost all week and it's all I could manage to write in between the numerous essays for actual classes that are due. I'm actually surprised that I was able to finish this today. Anyway, I will be updating relatively soon, I hope. Let me know what you think! Review! Read!