Chapter 21
Hey Bella, what's long, yellow and fruity?
I rolled my eyes as I listened to the ranting printer at the other end of the line.
"Yes, Patrick, I get it, but that's what the original contract says. Now you can either keep ranting on at me or I can put you through to Tyler in the legal department and actually solve the problem."
I don't know, Edward.
I put down my phone as Patrick reluctantly agreed to be transferred. I dialled Tyler's line.
"Tyler Crowley."
"Patrick from the printers."
"Oh goody. Which contract did he not read and misprint vast amounts of?"
"The Carter one. Ready for him?"
"Put him through." Tyler gave a long-suffering sigh.
"Thanks, Ty. I owe you a beer."
"You owe me too. Patrick's a dick."
I snorted and put the call through before hanging up.
An apple in disguise!
You obviously missed your calling as a comedian. Better get back to drawing buildings. I sent the text back and put my phone down, noticing Angela's smile.
"What?"
"You and your little 'Edward' smile."
"I do not have an 'Edward' smile." I scoffed and Angela nodded.
"Yeah, you do. Every time he texts you, you get this teeny tiny smile. It's freaking adorable."
"Shut up, Ange, and go make me coffee."
"I'm not your coffee bitch." She glared back at me and I got up to make coffee.
The office was going to be closed on the Friday in two weeks time, for decorating. Angela and Ben had made plans for a long weekend away and she asked me what I was doing.
"Sleeping. Eating. Converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. It's going to be a no holds barred weekend of craziness." I fist-pumped the air as Victoria appeared out of her office.
"Is that coffee fresh?"
"Yeah, I was about to bring you some." I handed her a fresh cup of coffee and she sipped it gratefully. She looked really tired.
"Is anyone doing a lunch run?" She asked as she rifled through the papers on her incoming tray and Angela pointed at me.
"Chicken Caesar Salad." Victoria said, disappearing back into her office.
Edward called me as I left the office to get us lunch.
"I could still make it as a comedian." He said instead of hello and I snorted.
"That could be your opening joke."
"You're a cruel, cruel woman."
"All part of my charm." I laughed, taking a few extra moments in the rare sunshine that was beating down on the streets of Seattle.
"So, do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Tomorrow was Saturday.
"Nope."
"Do you want to go out?"
"Where?"
"How long have you lived in Seattle, Bella?" Weird subject change, but I went with it.
"Uh, about six years."
"I'll bet ten bucks that you've never been to the Space Needle."
Of course I hadn't. You just didn't visit tourist attractions in the place where you lived. I entered a deli and waited in line at the counter, eying the rows of sandwiches and salads.
"You'd win ten bucks."
"Then that is what we're doing tomorrow." He said proudly, "Oh, I've got to go, I'm having lunch with clients. Pick you up at ten?"
"Sure." I smiled.
"Hey Bella?"
"Yes?"
"Why can't you play cards in the jungle?"
"Oh, god. I don't know, Edward, why?"
"Because there are too many cheetahs. See you tomorrow." He hung up and I glanced up as the guy behind the counter asked me what I wanted. There was a mirror behind the counter and I caught sight of myself.
I was smiling.
"Why the Space Needle?"
"Why not the Space Needle?" Edward laced his fingers through mine, "Come on, let's go to the observation deck."
It was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday morning, messing around on the observation deck before going for lunch in the SkyCity restaurant. Edward spent the whole time we were on the observation deck looking through binoculars and loudly complaining that he couldn't see anything until an attendant scowled us away. In the restaurant, he ordered steak sandwich and I had cod and chips. We both turned down dessert, groaning at our too full stomachs.
After we'd finished we walked to the international fountain. It was another warm day (surprising for April) and there were plenty of people running around under the spray of water. The way the sunlight hit it made a rainbow.
"Dare you to run through." Edward breathed in my ear and I twisted my head, smirking at him.
"What do I get if I do it?"
"The knowledge that you win?"
"Not good enough. Up the stakes, Cullen."
He seemed to consider for a moment.
"I will buy you an ice-cream cone."
"You want me to run through a freezing cold fountain in exchange for sub-zero dessert?"
"Yes."
"Not a chance. How about… you quit sending me lame jokes for three whole days?"
"Hey, my jokes are not lame." He said indignantly. I turned and grinned up at him before standing on my tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his mouth before turning and running through the fountain.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK, that's cold!
I emerged on the other side of the fountain, soaked to the skin and already shivering. The early spring sun was not warm enough to dry me off and Edward ran around the edge of the fountain, laughing loudly.
"You've got balls, Swan!"
"Yeah, yeah, hand over the jacket!" He handed me his warm jacket and I slipped it on, scraping my wet hair out of my face. Edward was still laughing and I poked his stomach.
"Funny man."
"And you said I didn't have a career as a comedian." He grinned.
He was so sweet and genuine that I didn't even realise that I was reaching up to kiss him again until I was already doing it. Immediately his hands went to my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck, the sleeves of his jacket falling over my hands.
"Edward?" We broke our kiss and Edward looked over my head. I twisted my neck and then turned back abruptly as I saw Esme and who I could only assume was Edward's father.
"Mom, Dad…" I dropped my arms from Edward's neck, turning to face them but he kept his hands at my waist, smiling, "What are you doing here?"
"Your father had the day off so we had lunch with some friends. Carlisle, this is Bella." Esme beamed at me and I pulled back the sleeve of Edward's jacket to shake Carlisle's hand. I must have looked a sight, my hair dripping down my back but Carlisle simply smiled at me. He had Edward's square jaw and the shapes of their eyes were the same, but the similarities ended there.
"A pleasure to meet you, Bella."
"You too." I said, feeling my face grow warm as I thought about what they had just seen. Namely, their son making out with me in a fountain.
"We won't interrupt your day, we just wanted to say hi." Esme said hurriedly. No doubt she didn't want to put an end to all the pro-imprint kissing that had been going on. That wouldn't do at all.
"Edward, we'll see you for dinner tomorrow. Bella, we'll catch up soon." Esme beamed at me and Carlisle offered me a warm smile. I smiled back briefly, concentrating on the way the Edward's hands were wrapped around me rather than the awkwardness of the situation.
We said our goodbyes and Edward hurried me towards a Starbucks, ordering us both coffee as I'd started to shiver. We cozied up on a couch and chattered about work and films and books. Edward, as promised, didn't make a single dumb joke but his hand found its way into mine, his long fingers sweeping over mine. Every now and then he would lean over and kiss me briefly before pulling away and carrying on the conversation as though it hadn't stopped. It seemed like he was exploring his limits, seeing what he could get away with, seeing how far he was allowed to go before I stopped him.
I didn't stop him. I didn't really want to. I liked him. He was so sweet. And sweetness wasn't usually a characteristic I looked for in men.
Once my hair had dried, Edward and I caught a cab back to my apartment. He didn't invite himself in and I didn't offer. Instead he kissed me one last time, tasting of coffee and kindness.
"I really enjoyed today." I said quietly, my fingers straightening the front of his jacket. He smiled.
"Me too. I'm glad you said yes."
I was too. I liked him. I liked kissing him. I liked when he kissed me. I liked how precious he made me feel.
Maybe that was part of the imprint – making you feel valued, like you were worth the world.
Did I make him feel like that too? I didn't dare ask, so I said goodnight and let myself into my building. As I unlocked my front door, kicked off my shoes and made my way into the bedroom, I noticed that I was still smiling.
A/N: Not a real chapter. Just fluff. But cute fluff at least. This chapter may have been up slightly earlier if not for the fact that I picked up this book yesterday. Oh, you've probably never heard of it, some little series called 'The Hunger Games'. I picked up the following two books today and read them in one sitting. I have vowed not to hunt out any THG fanfiction before I finish this story OR IT WILL NEVER GET WRITTEN.
Anywho, happy Easter! So this chapter comes to you live from my brother's house in Liverpool, where I am sleeping on an inflatable mattress and freezing my arse off.
Oodles of love
Katie