Hello all! Sorry for the delay in this posting. There have been a number of things keeping me from writing like I planned.
It's summer so it's riding season. Anyone with a bike (Harley / Honda anything) will understand. Plus I ended up in the hospital for a week and then recovery for another week. I don't plan on being five weeks behind in posting again! Hope that everyone has decided to continue this trip!
All of that said, I really give high praise to my pre-reader Caz and my Beta's Jen and Jasper's Destiny! These ladies have been the best to me. No telling what you'd be reading without their input!
RTR Chapter 25
DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and its characters. I'm just taking them for a ride!
Bella set the two bowls of potato salad on the table and picked up a couple of the dishes from the appetizers. "Sam," she said and waited until he acknowledged her. "Earn your keep. Grab a couple of these dishes and help me bring the rest of the salads out."
She saw Edward begin to stand up and guessed he was about to assist. "Don't even think about it, Edward. You're a guest here," she said as she turned her gaze and glared at Emmett. "Sam and Paul eat here so often I have to get some kind of repayment."
"Hey, Bella," she heard Sam say as he went about picking up dirty plates and platters. "Please tell me that you made the corn salad."
God! These men and their food fascinations, she thought. With a small chuckle and a shake of her head, she answered him. "Yes, Sam, corn salad, and the ramen noodle salad as well." As she turned from the table, she heard the distinct sound of two hands slapping together and a resounding, "Yes!" coming from both Sam and Paul.
Later, after all the salads and side dishes were placed on the table, which looked like it was about to collapse from the shear amount of food on it, Jasper announced that the meats were ready to be dished up as well. Everyone gave him their preference, and he dished up the rest of their plates. For the next ten minutes or so the only sounds to be heard were the scraping of utensils against plates and low moans of appreciation.
"Oh my God, Bella," Paul mumbled around a mouthful of burger. "These fucking burgers are to die for." He swallowed. "And the potato salad. This batch is one of your best ones yet." She heard groans of agreement from around the table.
"Yes, Bella," Alice said. "I've never had potato salad like this before." She hummed in appreciation as she put another small forkful in her mouth. "Where did you get it?"
Bella bowed her head as she felt a blush wash over her cheeks. She had always been confident in her culinary skills, and frequently received compliments from her family and friends, but for some reason earning the praise of Alice—and hopefully Edward—at that moment was important to her.
"Thank you," Bella replied. "It's fried potato salad. I saw it on a cooking show and kept making it until I got it exactly the way we all like it."
"Well, you'll definitely have to give me the recipe. For the burgers as well," Alice continued. "I don't think I've ever had a stuffed burger before. Have you, Edward?"
As he had not contributed much to any of the conversations taking place around the table since the food had been laid out, Bella was anxious to learn if he was as impressed with the simple meal as everyone else was. As she turned in his direction, the sight and sounds coming from his end of the table were almost her undoing.
Edward had the remainder of a burger in one hand while the other held a fork of ramen salad. His eyes were closed, and he had a content, almost fulfilled look on his face. A low groan escaped from him, which seemed to draw the attention of the rest of the people around the table. A second later another groan escaped his lips, and an intense ache shot between Bella's legs akin to a jolt of electricity. Hell, she thought, if he looks like that while enjoying a burger, I can only wonder what his face looks like when he's in the throes of ecstasy.
She was brought out of her reverie by Emmett's voice. "Dude! Either you were really enjoying that burger or you were remembering a good fuck!" He cocked his head to the side and eyed him warily. "And I seriously hope that it's the former."
Edward's eyes popped open in surprise and flashed toward Emmett. He shrugged his shoulders and mumbled out, "Umpf. Fff's defisus." Then his glaze landed on Bella. He could see the quick rise and fall of her chest and the slightest hint of color over her cheekbones.
"Wow, so elegantly put, Edward," Alice said with a smirk.
He finished chewing and swallowed. "Please accept my apologies. What I said was, it's delicious." Then he quickly averted his eyes from Bella. It wasn't that he didn't mean the compliment in all sincerity, but he was embarrassed by his behavior. He had acted like a starved man being led to a buffet. He couldn't determine if Bella was embarrassed by the noises he hadn't even been aware he was making. The food was just that fucking good.
Bella wasn't insulted when he looked away. As a matter of fact, she was grateful for it. She was certain that the look on her face would have shown the desire she felt just by watching him enjoy his meal.
"Well, Masen," Emmett called out to him again, "good burger or . . .?" Emmett glared at him until Edward could feel small beads of sweat breaking out onto his forehead.
What is up with this asshole? Edward thought. He involuntarily flinched when Emmett's large hand clamped down on his shoulder and the man let loose the loudest laugh Edward had ever heard.
"Welcome to the club, fucker," he heard Emmett say as he picked up his and Edward's cups and stood. "Anyone else need a refill?" Emmett asked before he walked away.
Edward stared slack-jawed at Emmett's retreating form, not sure what to make of what had just occurred. He turned his gaze to Sam, who gave him a slight nod then mouthed, "You're getting there." Somewhat comforted by Sam's appraisal of Emmett's reaction, Edward returned to his meal.
"Really, Bella," Alice said, "this food is awesome. Did you take culinary classes?"
"Oh, no," Bella replied. "It's just some things that I made up on my own and others I've seen on the Food Network."
"Well, I'd like to get the recipes from you . . ." Edward watched Alice and Bella interact. He was happy to see that his cousin seemed to be fitting right into the mix of people that were present. He only hoped that he could as well. A few moments later Emmett set a fresh beer in front of him along with a tray of shot glasses and a bottle of Patrón.
"Who's up for a blast?" Emmett bellowed. "Bells?" He cocked an eyebrow in Bella's direction, a full shot glass raised in his hand
"Ugh! Emmett, I told you that today's my last day of vacation. I have to be at the station early tomorrow."
"Aww, come on, Bella!" Sam, Paul, and Emmett pleaded in unison. "One won't hurt," Emmett said as he handed her a glass that was full to the rim. "Besides, you have to toast the opening of the pool."
"Fine," she conceded. "I'll have one shot, and only one. And you guys better not get wasted. When it's time for you to go later, you have to go. No spending the night tonight."
Emmett was busy pouring and passing the glasses around, nodding in acceptance of her conditions. "Sure, Bella, no problem." He handed the last glass to Edward. "Need any salt and lime with that, pal?" he asked.
"No training wheel needed here," Edward responded.
"Well, here's to good food, good friends, and a good summer," Bella toasted. Her gaze swept over to Alice's and Edward's locations as she said friends, hoping that it would come true.
"Hear, hear!"Everyone chorused as they raised their shot glasses in the air.
Moments later a huge wave of water washed over the edge of the pool. Bella turned to see that Sam and Paul were both in the water trying to dunk each other. She guessed that Paul had tackled Sam, which he had been threatening to do so since their arrival.
"Well, I guess it's time to open the pool," she said with a chuckle before removing her cover up. She thought she heard a low growl from behind her, but when she turned around, all she saw was Edward walking away toward the beer kegs.
"Who's up for water volleyball?" Sam hollered from the pool, where he was currently dunking Paul.
"I'm in," Emmett chimed in. "Jasper, are you playing?"
"Nah, I'm good for now," Jasper replied. There was no way he was going to allow himself to be pulled from Alice's side for quite some time.
Emmett looked to Bella to see if she would be joining the game. "Yeah. Not happening, Em. I'm just going to sit on my float and enjoy the show," she replied as she grabbed a float lounger and walked into the pool.
"Rosalie, hon, you want to play with me?" he asked as he turned to his beautiful girl. He knew she would most likely be joining Bella on her own float, or lying out and soaking up some sun, as his golden goddess usually enjoyed doing.
"Not this time, dear." She slathered suntan oil on her arms. "You know I have to get a good base tan before we go to Acapulco."
"Well, I guess that leaves you as my team mate," he said, turning toward Edward. "Are you game?"
Edward looked around, but it appeared that he was the person that Emmett was addressing. He nodded his head in Emmett's direction then pulled his t-shirt off and over his head. As he did so, he swore that he heard a light gasp, but when he turned around, there was no evidence of where the sound had come from.
Sam and Paul had pulled a net across the shallow end of the pool and were practicing shots back and forth across the net. Bella was on a float in the deeper end of the pool. She gasped lightly as she inconspicuously watched as Edward stripped off his shirt, revealing the washboard abs and chiseled chest she had seen once before. As he approached the pool, she further appreciated the way his board shorts hung low off the obvious masculine V of his hips, revealing a light splattering of auburn colored hair below his navel leading into the waistband of his shorts.
The four men played an intense game of volleyball. At one point when Sam served the ball, it travelled over Edward's head, so he feigned backward to recover. In doing so, he stumbled back into Bella, sending her tumbling from her float. "Sorry." He gripped her waist to pull her back up to the surface then lifted her back onto the float. "We really have to stop meeting like this," he said with a lopsided grin before swimming back over to the game.
The rest of the day was very challenging for Bella. She reverted back to her days of waitressing as she found herself looking for more excuses to pull herself out of the pool to ensure everyone, especially Edward, had a beverage. The few times that she tried to engage him in conversation proved to be challenging. He would either give single word responses or she was convinced that he pretended not to hear her. At other times, though, he would approach her and strike up a conversation about the vaguest of topics. Earlier in the day she was convinced that Edward had initially appeared attracted to her, then seemed cold, then attracted again. The whiplash effect was wearing on her.
By the end of the day, the group had eaten pretty much all of the burgers and salads, and both kegs were floating lightly in the tubs in which they sat.
"Well, Bells," Emmett said with a yawn as he stretched and kissed the top of her head, "guess it's time for us to head out. I'll be by tomorrow to pick up the kegs for return. Hey, Rose, we have any pizza leftover from dinner?"
"Geez, Emmett, didn't you get enough today?" Bella heard her reply.
"Never enough, hon! Don't forget I'm a growing boy!" He patted his stomach.
As Emmett and Rosalie bade their farewells, Sam and Paul seemed to realize how late it had gotten and decided to make their way home as well. Ever mindful of Bella's generosity, they grabbed some of the dishes and took them into the kitchen. When they came back out, they thanked Bella for an extremely enjoyable day then bid their goodbyes. Alice, Jasper, and Edward pitched in to help with the cleanup as well.
"Bella," Alice said as she set the dishes she was carrying on the countertop. "I just want to say thank you again for today. You've made me feel very welcome." Bella was then pulled into one of the strongest embraces she could ever remember getting.
"Same here, Bella," she heard Edward say. He held out his hand to her as she pulled herself from Alice's clutches.
"I had a great time as well." When their hands connected, she felt a shock run from her fingertips down to her toes.
She woke the next morning ready to face another day. As she stood on the platform waiting for passengers to load, she immediately recognized a familiar car in the parking lot and looked around for its owner. Her search ended as her gaze landed on one of her favorite passengers standing alongside Edward. Today's going to be a long ride, she thought.
A/N – if anyone's interested in the salad recipes (yes they're real) let me know!