Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight.
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BELLA:
Jerk! I mutter under my breath, as I slam the till shut and hand the innocent customer his change. I scowl at his back as he walks away.
Asshole! I think as another comes up to me and asks inoffensively if we have any more lemongrass and mint candles in stock. I smile through gritted teeth and go fetch them for him. Inwardly sneering at his grateful smile. Menstrual much? I taunt myself.
"Bella, are you okay?" Esme comes and stands besides me, softly stroking my back with her hand. "You seem out of sorts."
My shoulders sink down. I know I've been rude without actually speaking out loud and insulting anyone. "Sorry, Esme. I'm having a bad day today." I mentally smack myself for my childish behavior.
Esme nods. "When was the last time you saw him?"
"Jacob? Two weeks ago."
I hang my head in shame as I recall throwing him out of my house after using him for my own satisfaction. Whore, I castigate myself. I have considered approaching him, by every time I have started on my way to his shop, I find myself getting cold feet and detouring around it and heading back home. If I was a real woman, I would march myself over there, apologize and take my punishment with my head held high. Truth is, I am a big chicken, and can't bear the thought of seeing and hearing what he really thinks of me.
Besides, I imagine he has moved to Seattle by now. I do miss Embry though, I think of him twice a day when Esme puts the beautiful wooden sign outside in the morning, and when she bring it in for safe keeping at night. The whole affair has made me more miserable than when I was with Edward. He has started seeing Irina to my great relief, but we still hang out with each other from time to time.
At least I don't have to look over my shoulder for Emily anymore. She has been taken into a clinic, not dissimilar to the one I was in, and is undergoing rigorous assessment. Esme seems to have taken the whole thing in her stride. Her strength amazes me every day. She was unhappy for a few days after the anniversary of her son's death, and a sad melancholy descended upon the shop. As soon as she was aware of it, she shook the gloomy cobwebs away and made an effort to be her usual bubbly self. I never asked her too much about that time, aware how sensitive she was to the issue but every now and then a glaze would form across her face and I know she was remembering.
She would occasionally sigh and mumble 'Carlisle', the name of the man who was her first and true love, the one that got away and she never quite got over. I hoped she knew I was here if she ever wanted to talk.
"I've got a proposition for you, Bella."
I am taken aback, as Esme motions for me to come and take a seat on the stool next to her. I sit down, a little wary.
"Yes?" I ask tentatively.
"The shop here is doing really well now, and that's partly down to you." She smiles and I grin back at her. Without Esme and the shop, my life would be dire, and again I feel ashamed of my asinine behavior this morning.
"I notice that recently we are having more and more private orders coming from Port Angeles." Esme reaches under the counter and brings out a collection of papers. She rifles through them and brings out a photograph of an empty shop that I recognize from near the harbor. "So I have decided to open a shop there."
"Great! That's brilliant news, Esme. I am so happy for you." I wrap my arms around her neck and kiss her on her cheek. She beams back at me, maternally patting my arm.
"So will you be getting a new manager to run this shop?" I ask. I will miss Esme working away in another town. "I've heard Jacob is looking for a job," I hint and immediately kick myself for mentioning his name. Us working together would not be a good idea. Shut up, Bella!
"A new manager? No, I'm going to keep running this shop. I love Forks, I have made my home here." Oh, okay, I think. She's going to find someone else to run the new shop.
"So what's the proposition?" I ask confused.
Esme laughs and swats me lightly with the papers. "I want you to run the shop in Port Angeles, Bella."
"Me? Are you sure?" I can't believe it.
"Yes, silly." She hands the papers over to me and I look through them. She has thought of everything. I look at the layout of the new store, it is a little bit smaller than the one here in Forks, but that just suits me fine. The color scheme is a little different too, here in Forks the colors remind me very much of Washington, grass greens and earthy browns. The Port Angeles shop is more girlie, more pastel purple and canary yellow. It looks modern but feminine.
"Wow." I breathe. I'm flattered. I don't know what to say.
"Shall I take that as a yes?"
I nod, floored and dumbfounded. "I'd be honored, Esme."
She laughs again and I join in with her, it's the happiest either of us have been in weeks.
"Come on." She says, standing up and getting both our coats. "I'm treating you to lunch as a celebration!"
…
Two days later, Esme and I are standing in the hollow shell of her new shop in Port Angeles.
"So how long have you been planning this?" I ask Esme, and she smiles mischievously.
"A while." She admits. "I was looking for a new shop in Port Angeles that day I met you, but I didn't think I would be able to expand so soon."
"And you're still sure you want me to run it? I will totally understand if you have changed your mind." I still can't believe my luck.
"It's a big responsibility, Bella, but I trust you implicitly and I know you are capable of running a great store here."
"And you're not just trying to get rid of me?" I grin at her, and we move to one side to let the first of many builders traipse through and start shop fitting.
"Heh heh. Of course not." Esme winks at me. We both have been different people since she asked me last Wednesday to run this shop. I still find myself thinking about Jacob constantly, but having something to throw myself into, and means it is a little bit less painful when he does come into my mind and a whole lot easier to focus on something else.
The shop is ready within the month, and I sub-let my little house, after turning Edward's request of moving in with him down. I find a little apartment not too far from the shop and instantly fall in love with it. Esme takes me shopping and we try to find little touches to make it more personal and cozy. The apartment has a tiny little balcony leading off from the kitchen and she helps me erect a window box and we fill it with soft and hard herbs and lavender.
"It's not quite up to the standard of your garden yet." I joke, as I run my fingers through the soft spines of rosemary, releasing a relaxing fragrance into the air. I can see across the harbor and can't wait to get a little bistro table and chairs set, and have my morning coffee and read the papers here.
"It's perfect for you now." Esme replies, and I nod. I wonder how I am ever going to repay her for all her kindness.
"Yes. Perfect." I agree.
"Have you thought about what you want to do with the space above the shop?" Esme asks. The shop is on two floors, but we only need the downstairs for customers.
"Use it as a storeroom for now, I guess."
"Are you ready for tomorrow? Your very first day as manager?"
I smile weakly. "I can't wait, but I am also terrified." I admit. I will be running the shop on my own, six days a week, until business picks up enough to employ an assistant. Esme too will be back to running the shop in Forks on her own.
"That's only natural, Bella. I will be there for you to help you out for the first few hours in the morning, then I will have to return to Forks."
"I'll be fine." I tell both of us. "I just hope I won't let you down."
"You couldn't if you tried." She tells me, and I hug her tightly. She embraces me back and strokes my hair, as if I was her child.
"Thank you, Esme. For everything."
…
On the morning of the grand opening, I am a wild mixture of exhilarated confidence and absolute horror. I know that I am going to have to put some serious effort in, not just running the shop, but promoting it and getting customers through the door. I will also be spending a good deal of time making extra products for when Esme has large orders to fill, but I am a grafter and look forward to hard work.
We had spent a good week before the opening asking our regular customers to come along and support us, as well as talking to local ethical and green organizations about the type of products we make and the direct action we support. Esme and I are at the shop at seven in the morning, fussing around and embellishing the final few touches before we open the door. We open a minute early and taking a deep breath wait for the first few people to come in. We are surprised to look out on the street, and see that a small queue of people has formed, waiting patiently for the shop doors to let them in.
Unbelievably, we take nearly a thousand dollars in the first few hours. Esme and I occasionally look at each other with disbelief, as I ring up the sales on the till, and she works her magic on customers, answering questions and giving tips and advice. By lunchtime we have nearly sold out of half of our stock and Esme is reluctant to go.
"Crikey." She says breathless. "I had no idea we would get this kind of reception."
"Me neither." I shake my head in wonder.
"I'm afraid to leave you on your own, Bella. Can you cope another deluge?" She smiles, to let me know she is kidding.
"I'll be fine, Esme. I can always call Edward to come help if things get nutty again." I find myself pushing her gently out the door.
"I guess we can call the first day a success?" she asks, dizzy with excitement.
"A glorious success. I will call you after I have cashed up." I promise and she takes one last look around the shop before waving and leaving. The afternoon continues in the same fashion as the first and I am left giddy as the last person leaves and I lock the doors.
Madness, I think to myself. What a day! I am so proud how well we both coped. I look around the shop, it is a delightful mess and as I clean up I find it a cathartic experience. I wonder what stock I will use tomorrow as some lines have already sold out. I am shattered, but tired in a good, healthy way. I cash up, putting the money in the safe and am about to switch the lights off and leave, when there is a firm knock at the door. I look up, expecting it to be a wayward customer or even Esme. I am gobsmacked when I see who standing in front of the shop.
Huh. I think to myself. What is Jacob's dad, Billy, doing here?
…
What do you think he is here to say to her?