Chapter 26
The alarm beeped at 7:15, and my first breath of the morning was Bella's shampoo. Don't ask me what flavor or scent or whatever it was, but it was a damn fine thing for my nose to be buried in. As were her perfect ass sitting in the lap of my boxers, her feet curling around mine, her hand clasping mine tight to her chest…oh wait, maybe I moved that there myself some time during the night. I stretched like a lazy cat, enjoying every bit of body-to-body contact she was allowing me.
"Mmmm," she said. "Is it morning already? I was having the most amazing dream."
"Bella, you better not be dreaming about other guys while you're in bed with me," I warned. "Seriously, that shit is not okay."
"Who could I ever dream up that would be dreamier than you, my luscious 22-year-old boyfriend?"
"Goddamn, it feels good when you call me that."
"Luscious?"
"Well, that too, but I was referring to the boyfriend label."
She twisted her neck around to look at me. "That's okay, right?"
"Yeah, Bella, it's fucking amazing. My plan for today seemed so smart last night, but now all I want to do is stay in bed and do this for another few weeks."
"I don't think Carlisle would appreciate that too much," she chuckled. Giving me a meaningful wiggle with her ass, she said, "Up you go!"
"So it seems," I answered, with a disappointed laugh. "Seems a shame to waste it," I bargained.
"Something tells me you've got a few more where this one came from, Sweetheart."
"Most likely," I said, admitting defeat and getting up. "You can stay in bed if you want. I don't think the guys are coming back here this morning before work."
"No, that feels kind of wrong. I'll leave with you."
I dressed efficiently and remembered to grab the shopping lists that Jasper and Bella had left me. Outside my door, Bella gave me a sendoff kiss, a yummy combination of Bella and mint toothpaste.
"So, should I meet you back at Spruce at 4 so I can start cooking?"
"Sounds good," she said. "Hope your day goes well."
Rose was waiting for me reliably at the launch. "She's all gassed up for you. Give Carlisle a smooth ride back, eh, hot shot?"
"I'm wounded, Rose. Stop treating me like some immature 21-year-old, will ya?"
"Sorry, Edward. As long as you've got testosterone in you, I'm gonna be looking over your shoulder."
"Good to know, Rose," I laughed. "Don't worry. I'm not taking Carlisle for a joy ride today. The goal is to get him home safely."
"All right then, here's the key," she said, finally trusting me.
I took extra care backing the boat out of its slip and turning her to the open water. I gave Rose a wave as I sped off. Slowly.
It was another absolutely glorious day on the island, and I wondered briefly if we'd get any rain this summer. The Cliffs was obviously meant to be a fair weather escape, but we had enough shelter to entertain the guests during a brief rainy period. Any more than a day or two became challenging, however.
My mind drifted to its favorite place, Bella. Bella's smile, Bella playing guitar, Bella pulling off her bikini top for me, Bella blowing out my "candle", Bella snuggling up against me in bed. I'm quite sure I had that idiotic smile plastered on my face again when I pulled up in front of Boone Provisions.
Danny Hooper came over to help me secure the boat. "Hey, where's the hot girl from last time- what was it, Becca?"
"Bella. And here's a tip, Danny. First rule- try and remember the girl's name. It shows you weren't just ogling her tits and ass," I said playfully.
"Bella, Bella…that's right. So why didn't she come with you today?"
"Long story. You got the boat?"
"Sure. Go on in."
I took my time in the meat case, deciding first on the entrée for tonight. I was looking for something that would require some up-front prep but could basically be thrown in the oven to cook itself. Just in case we had better things to do, which I already knew we would. A couple of Cornish game hens caught my eye. Perfect! They would be elegant, easy, and most importantly, delicious!
After that, it was easy. Most of what I needed was in the produce section- fresh parsley, sage, and rosemary-Simon and Garfunkel really did know their way around the herbs- I threw in some thyme just to be musically authentic. Fingerling potatoes and Caesar salad ingredients rounded out the meal. I stopped at the bakery to pick out some nice rolls.
Excited to have gathered all the ingredients I wanted, I took another spin through the store with an eye toward romance. It's not like I'd ever seduced a girl at the Hollow before. Any passing fling I'd ever had with a lifeguard or server was a brief affair spent in the staff bunks. I picked up some unscented candles, some fancy paper napkins, and finally, a bouquet of …hold on a second, this wasn't as easy I thought it would be.
I'd just pulled out my blackberry to Google rose color meanings when I felt the presence of Mr. Hooper.
"Edward, how are you?"
"I could not be better, Mr. Hooper."
"Can I help you with a flower selection?"
"I know different rose colors are supposed to convey different emotions, and I really need to get this right."
He laughed heartily. "Important date?"
"Very," I agreed.
"All right, here's the lowdown," he shared. "You got your basic red. Easy, that's love and romance, beauty and perfection. You absolutely cannot go wrong with the red rose. Unless the girl happens to be your Mom," he joked casually.
Oh, shit, Mr. Hooper. You're gonna feel really bad in a second. One Mississippi…Two Mississ-
"Aw, hell, Edward. I'm sorry. What an idiotic thing to say."
"No sweat, Mr. H. All right, back to the roses…"
Seeing that I wanted to press on, he continued. "Pink roses are softer than red- they say I admire and appreciate you. They can be a little more subtle and ambiguous than red."
Subtle, ambiguous. I wasn't sure those were the right connotations for my intentions.
"Then you got your white- innocence and purity. Moving down the line, here we've got yellow- warmth, happiness, friendship, and joy."
I definitely didn't want to evoke friendship or God forbid, purity tonight! I ruled out white and yellow immediately.
"And finally, the orange rose. Excitement, enthusiasm. Desire and passion."
Ding ding ding ding ding!
"And we have a winner," I told him enthusiastically.
He chuckled over my selection. "Knowing you, young man, I probably should have just started with the orange and saved both of us a whole lot of words!"
"You got me pegged, Mr. H. Let's go with a dozen of your finest orange please."
"Sure thing, and good luck with her, Edward," he winked, reaching into to the bucket to pluck out a dozen roses for me.
While he wrapped them, I finished my shopping and pulled together everything from all the other lists as well. I left the store energized for my date and happily anticipating my reunion with my Dad.
O – o – o – O
I stowed the groceries in the boat, stashing everything that needed refrigeration into the cooler that Rose had thrown in the back for me. I knew Danny would keep an eye on things while I went to pick up Dad.
I took a short taxi ride to the hospital, and located my father's room. He was in great spirits, already dressed in his street clothes to leave and chatting away and laughing with Kate when I walked in.
Despite all that, I could see the wear and tear of the previous week written across his face. Having suffered a major trauma and a week's confinement inside the sterile hospital room, the usual Carlisle luster was a little bit dulled.
He was just a little pale, just a little weak, just a little scared.
I approached the bed cautiously, feeling an instinctive need to be gentle with him. Leaning over, I gathered him in my arms and hugged him. "Dad-" I started, but the rest of the words got trampled by the gigantic boulder in my throat.
"Hey, hey, Edward. It's okay. If you think I look bad now, you should've seen me five days ago!" he joked, trying to ease my worry.
I pulled away and stood up. "I'm sorry. You don't look bad. You look great. It's just, seeing you in this bed is kind of a shock."
"I understand. Listen, I think we'll all feel better when we get the hell out of this place."
"Hi, Kate," I greeted belatedly. "How are you?"
"I'm great, Edward. I can't wait to get back to the island and take proper care of this man."
Dad beamed a smile at her. "What'd I tell you, Edward? She's a godsend."
"I can see that," I agreed, as the doctor walked in.
"Well, well, you must be the prodigal son. Come to rescue your Dad from the fortress of doom?"
I reached out to shake his hand. "Thanks for taking such good care of him, Doctor."
"My pleasure, son. Let's get you into this wheelchair, Carlisle. Now you two have strict instructions, and I don't want to see you back here any time soon. You got that?"
"Yes, doc. Got it," answered Kate for both of them.
We arranged ourselves into a waiting taxi and headed back to the boat. Danny helped me settle Dad into the seat up front, and Kate was a good sport about sitting in back. I was grateful, because I had a lot on my mind that I wanted to run past Dad.
It occurred to me that Kate had just spent five days and nights with him in the hospital without any provisions. Clearly, she'd made a visit to Boone's only clothing store- The Pickin's, an obscure play on T. Boone Pickens I guess- and at least gotten herself some clean clothes to get by. I had to admire her pluck. She could've made one of several different choices under the circumstances, including coming back to the island, staying in the Boone Inn (always sounded a bit too much like 'bone-in' for me to take seriously) or even going back to California to wait it out. Instead, she'd chosen to stay with Carlisle and put up with terrible food, little sleep, and scratchy clothes. I was mighty grateful, but this wasn't the ideal time to let her know that.
I thanked Danny for watching things for me, and he helped me unhitch all the ropes and get on our way. After clearing the marina, I looked over at Dad. He reminded me of a very happy puppy, sticking his nose out the car window to catch the breeze. His eyes and mouth were closed and his head was tipped back to capture the sun on his face. He looked happy to be alive, and even happier to be outside. He'd never been an indoors kind of guy. Kate seemed equally content and totally zoned out in the back.
"Edward," he said, without opening his eyes. "Stop worrying about me. I'm fine."
"Jeez, Dad. That's just spooky," I answered.
He opened his eyes and smiled at me. "So what's going on with Bella?"
Direct. I was grateful he'd opened the conversation, even though it wasn't the easiest thing to talk about with him.
"We're really good, Dad. We're…together."
"Together?
"Yeah, together. Like I'm her boyfriend," I said, trying out Bella's new label and loving the shit out of how it sounded out loud.
"Wow," he said. "I guess a lot has gone on since I left on my little trip."
"You could say that," I smiled.
"Hmm."
As in, "Well, I'll be darned."
But not as in, "WOW, SON, I COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED FOR YOUR HAPPINESS IN THIS NEW BURGEONING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GIRL YOU'VE LOVED PRACTICALLY YOUR WHOLE LIFE!"
"Dad, I feel like you're not saying something you want to say," I said, fearing the worst.
"There's nothing I'm not saying, Edward. I'm just trying to process."
"Okay," I said, giving him some time. After all, this was a pretty big bomb to drop not five minutes into our trip home. I'm sure one of the things at the top of the doctor's to-do list was REMAIN CALM; DO NOT ELEVATE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE. Oops.
He turned his face to the side so he could think things through. It was a gesture that was familiar to me. I'd seen him do it my whole life when solving difficult problems. The time the police showed up at our door with Emmett in tow after a few too many drinks. The time I told him I wanted to go to Amsterdam for spring break. And the time Jasper...hmmm, not so much Jasper. And now. This moved the Bella-and-me thing into an exclusive category of difficult issues for Dad. I worried some more, but I continued to wait patiently.
Finally, he turned back to me and said, "Edward, I don't want you to think that I'm not happy for you. I am. Truly, deeply happy."
"But?" I prompted, my patience wearing thin with anxiety.
"But…" he started, then carefully lined up his words so they would come out exactly as he intended. This was a habit of his that I admired and hoped to emulate. "But, I'll admit to a hesitation where the two of you are concerned."
My stomach flipped around at his words. Was my conviction in the two of us together strong enough to override his misgivings, now, with everything so fresh and fragile? Without Bella here to bolster my confidence in this new reality, I faltered and doubted.
Sensing the devastation left in the wake of his response, he quickly said, "Edward, I don't mean to dash your hopes away. Believe me, that's the last thing I would ever want. I've only ever wanted the best for you."
"Dad, Bella is the best for me."
He conceded the point. "That may well be, but that certainly has not always been the case," he added, looking pointedly at me.
His forehead wrinkled with the discomfort of long-buried pain. "Do you have any idea what it was like for me as your father to witness your tender young soul so completely overwhelmed by feelings for Bella that there was nothing anyone could do to save you?"
"So you knew, then? That she was going to leave us?"
"Of course I knew."
"Then why didn't you stop her?" I pleaded uselessly, as if our talk could undo what had been done so long ago.
"It was the right thing for her to do," he answered simply.
"How can you say that?" I demanded, feeling totally betrayed. "I was a complete zombie for months. I gave up my music, my friends, everything!"
"But you eventually moved on," he said, reminding me instantly of Bella's argument at the waterfall. "And so did she."
"I may have had other girlfriends, but I never really moved on," I admitted.
He sighed deeply. "That's what I always feared." He snuck a glance back at Kate, who appeared to be dozing.
"Edward, when Mom got sick, all I wanted was to protect you boys. The moment I met Bella, I knew she was perfect for us. She loved you all with such devotion..What little boy wouldn't have had a crush on such a sweet, nurturing babysitter? I thought it was all harmless."
"Yeah, it's always harmless until somebody gets hurt," I chimed with the familiar refrain.
"And it hurts me to admit this, but I was so lost that first couple of years after Mom passed that I failed to notice your crush blossoming into full blown puppy love until you were already a goner. And for Bella's part, I don't think she had a clue how you were feeling toward her, or that it was starting to get dangerous.
"By that point, we'd all become so attached to Bella that asking her to leave would have been far too damaging. You'd just lost your Mother; I couldn't separate you from the most important female figure in your life. So I stood by cautiously and prayed that you'd get over her before it really turned into a problem. Meanwhile, Bella went through a series of boyfriends-"
"Ugh, don't remind me about the Loser Parade!" I interjected.
"And I thought, 'Well, maybe this will be what you need; you'll see it's all futile and you'll give up.' But I think it had the opposite effect. You seemed more determined than ever that they weren't right for her, and she should return your affections."
"God, what a pathetic retelling of my childhood," I lamented.
He reached his hand up to clasp my shoulder. "I'm sorry to drag you through this, Edward."
"Well, don't stop now. You're just getting to the truly mortifying part!"
"Ah, yes. The volleyball game from hell," he said sympathetically.
I flinched with the memory that no amount of better memories could ever eradicate.
"It turns out, it wasn't my best day either."
I tore my eyes from the ocean in front of us to look at him. His eyes were glassy with the salty air, the motion, and obviously, the recollection. He pointed his finger forward, reminding me to watch where we were going.
Facing front again, I waited for his story to come.
"Right after your accident, Bella came to my cabin in tears."
"With that asshole Eric?" I asked, trying to fit the pieces together.
"She'd already broken up with him at that point and he was waiting on the beach for the next launch to take him off the island."
Something about that was intensely, retroactively gratifying. I knew she'd asked him to leave, but I hadn't realized it was immediate.
"Bella was hysterical. She told me what happened-"
"What did she say?" I demanded, unable to refrain from turning toward him again.
"Let's just say she gave me the picture in broad strokes." Again, he reminded me to face forward. Dad was always gonna be Dad.
"She apologized for Eric's behavior, and she apologized for not knowing how to deal with your feelings. She said she wished that she had come to me sooner, and now everything was out of control. I told her that I shared equally in the blame and admitted that I'd known for some time how deep your feelings were for her."
"Oh God, This is horrible. Are we almost done?"
"Probably," he smiled. "Remember that day a couple years earlier when you told Bella you liked her?"
"Jesus, Dad! Why don't I just cut my balls off and hand them over to you?" I cringed at the unwanted memory, relived so recently with Bella on this very same boat ride. But what I recalled now was my father's comfort later that night.
O – o – o – O
When Dad gets home, I hear him talking with Bella. He comes into my room and lies down next to me on my bed. I curl up in his side and cry a little more.
"I'm sorry, Edward. I know that Bella loves you and she is feeling really terrible that she hurt you."
"Dad?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Is this how Mom made your heart feel?"
"I think your heart feels the way mine did when Mom got sick. But, Edward, mostly love is a really good feeling in your heart. And one day, you're going to meet a girl who is exactly right for you, and you're gonna get to feel the good things."
"Dad, what if I already did and she just doesn't know it?"
"Wow, that's really a tough one. I think the important thing is to try to keep your heart open just in case."
"I'll try, but right now, it just hurts."
"I know just how you feel. Would you mind if I stay in here with you tonight? I'm feeling like a little company."
"Sure, Dad."
O – o – o - O
"Is there a reason you're taking me down every humiliating dark alley off Memory Lane?"
"Edward, your humiliations were my failures."
"What?"
"I did that to you. I brought Bella into your life, and I stood by while this thing happened right under my nose. And I was too afraid to address it, and then it was too late. So when Bella came to me that day, I knew there was only one course of action. I had to step up for once and act like your father. Bella and I agreed; it was time for her to leave. I helped her make up that story she told you at the waterfall, and then I called in Emmett and Jasper and arranged for them to show up after it was done."
"Why didn't you come yourself?"
"I knew you would need my comfort in order to heal, and I didn't think you'd let me help you later if you knew that I had engineered the whole thing. I let your brothers pick up the pieces that day because I didn't trust myself to witness your total destruction without caving in and admitting my part in it."
Suddenly, a prickly awful feeling took over my body. "Dad, are you strong enough to take the wheel for a minute?" I asked hastily.
"Sure," he said, shuffling quickly to sit in my chair.
I rushed to the side of the boat and vomited up the muffin and coffee I'd grabbed in the hospital lobby.
Kate woke to my disturbing wretching noises. Seeing me hanging over the side of the boat, she looked over at Dad, handling the wheel up front. Alarmed, she asked, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, we're okay, Sweetheart," Dad soothed.
Kate got up and moved to my side. "You seasick, Edward? Want some water?"
"No, I'm fine," I answered, wiping my mouth with the bottom of my tee shirt. "Thanks."
I returned to the front of the boat and took the wheel back from my dad.
"I got it. Thanks," I told him. He took a careful look at my face before relinquishing the wheel to me.
Silence took over the next few minutes while we all recovered. I reflected on everything he'd shared, his complicity, his guilt, his fear, his worries.
When I spoke again, my voice was gritty. "Dad," I choked out. "I understand what you're telling me, and I understand you and Bella still both feel guilty over what happened. But I don't believe it was anyone's fault."
"But it was our job to protect you, MY job to protect you, and that went horribly wrong."
"Okay, let's say it did. And I'm not willing to say that what I felt for Bella was ever wrong, but let's just say that it was not a workable situation."
"Agreed."
"But I'm asking you to fast forward, to 2011, eight years later. I'm a 22-year-old man-"
"Oh yeah, happy birthday, by the way…"
"And Bella's a 29-year-old woman-"
At this, Dad's eyebrows went up in a tone that seemed to say, "You're not about to tell me it doesn't matter, are you?"
"And it seems that we are perfect for each other."
There. I said it. I hoped it wasn't too strong a statement for Dad to swallow.
Dad placed one hand over mine on the steering wheel and said so softly I barely heard, "Edward."
Ugh, now what? I dreaded to hear whatever he'd been holding back.
"Bella is vulnerable right now. She's had a string of bad relationships and she has no idea what she wants out of life. She comes back here, looking for the comfort of easier times, and she finds you waiting for her with open arms and an open heart. And maybe the taboo is lifted-somewhat- now that you're older, but the fact remains, she is much older than you, and you have to face the possibility that you may not be the answer to all her problems."
"But what if I am?" I beg, praying he'd see that this is right, so that I'd know it was. Tears stabbed at my eyes, the pin pricks of doubt injecting their poison into my heart. I fought back valiantly.
"And what if she's the answer to mine?" I challenged.
"Yours? Edward, you've just graduated with honors from one of the top schools in the country. You've got your whole life ahead of you. The Cliffs is yours for the taking. You've got true talent for this. People love you. You lead a charmed life."
"Is that what you see when you look at me, Dad? Because that's not how it feels. Please don't get me wrong; I appreciate everything you've done for me and given me in my life to reach this point. And I love it here, and you know I'm excited about taking on The Cliffs eventually. A long time from now when you retire," I said, reminding both of us the real purpose of this boat ride.
"But I'm starting to understand that parts of me have been locked away, for a really long time now. And I'm not really sure how I've functioned so long without them, but now that Bella's back in my life, I'm not settling for anything less than everything."
He waited for me to unleash the rest.
"Do you have any idea how it felt to pick up my guitar again? To access that place where I used to be able to express myself so easily? To feel the fulfillment that comes with mastering a difficult piece?"
He was looking at me now with wonder in his eyes.
"Hell, Dad, just to sing with Bella again is the definition of joy!"
"I have to admit, Edward, watching you perform again…" he trailed off, failing to find the appropriate words to describe his emotions. "Under those stage lights, with your copper hair, watching you bend the guitar strings to your will…you looked like your very soul was on fire."
"So you get it then?" I asked, hoping that maybe my arguments had convinced him that this could be right.
"Of course I get it, Edward. I've been in love." At this, he glanced back at Kate, who had happily dozed off again. "More than once," he added softly.
I've been in love. He said the words as if it was all so obvious. Of course, I'd known forever that I loved Bella, and the complex emotion called 'love' was wrapped up with comfort and admiration and affection and trust.
And the hopeless crush of the young boy had recently morphed into a more mature love. A need to protect Bella from herself and from the unworthy people she welcomed into her life who sought to take chunks of her for themselves. A yearning to take her by the hand and draw her deep into my world and find a place for her there. And an insatiable longing for the delights of a physical relationship.
Of course, I was in love with Bella.
And I suppose I also understood that Bella loved me back, in all kinds of different ways. First, as a nurturer, then in that familiar way of a mother or a sister. And then, maybe the stirrings of something that she must have experienced as the joining of two souls that weren't supposed to want to be together.
And now, her love seemed to be changing and maturing alongside mine. Opening her eyes and her heart to the new reality of two adults, each able to give and take from the other in equal but different ways. Forgiving herself for past mistakes. Feeling entitled to happiness. Partaking of the sweetness our bodies could bring each other.
"If you see that I'm in love with her, why aren't you more excited for me?"
He placed his right hand over his heart, looking for all intents and purposes like a kid ready to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
"Edward, if she breaks your heart again, I'm not sure mine could take it."
With his declaration, I felt the tug of a decade of parental guilt and worry.
I tried to answer, but in the end, there was no real way to assuage his concerns. "Who can say what's going to happen? Or that there won't be pain somewhere down the road? But this is what we both want. We have to put all we have into this because it deserves no less."
"I know you do. Just try to go easy on the old man, eh?"
I reached my hand out and clasped his shoulder, showing him that I appreciated his concern. Kate was stirring now in the back, and I invited her to come up and join our conversation.
"So, Bella wants to stay a while, but she doesn't want to be a freeloader. I told her I would talk to you about some options."
"Okay. What have you come up with?"
"Well, she rejected my first offer, which was to move in with me at the Hollow," I shared, hoping for a little levity.
He gave me a look that was probably supposed to be stern, but was tempered by his laugh. "And what's the next idea?"
"Well, there's the obvious- singing for her supper. You know, playing acoustic guitar at dinner or even offering workshops during the day. But I don't think that's going to be enough for full time work."
"I don't see how it would," he agreed.
"So then I was thinking she could take over the swim instruction program. Tyler's been saying for a while that the demand is there for more classes at all different levels. Bella would be great at that. She would just need to get recertified, but that's a no-brainer."
"Edward," Kate piped in, "do you really think Bella is going to be happy with this?"
"I'm not sure. I haven't spoken with her specifically about what a typical work week might look like. I suspect she would be fine doing the work, but probably not feel like she was working to her potential."
"Why do I feel a Plan C coming on?" Dad asked.
"Because you're a very wise man," I answered. "First, a disclaimer. What I'm about to share with you is Jasper's creation. He is fully supportive of my bringing the idea to you, but he certainly isn't aware of my idea about how Bella might fit in."
"I am intrigued. Tell me more," said Dad, eagerly.
"I know you're aware that over the years, Jasper has received unsolicited tips from some of his clients. They know he won't personally accept a gratuity, so they'll say, 'Give it to your favorite charity' or something along those lines."
"Yes, he's told me that before."
"He's been saving for years, keeping track of the money and trying to come up with a worthy plan. He's now thinking along the lines of establishing a charitable foundation to bring underprivileged kids to the resort either during the summer or other times of the year."
"That's an awfully lofty plan for the tip jar. How much are we talking about anyways?"
"Almost five thousand dollars."
"You're kidding!" he said with amazement.
"Jasper has some pretty loyal patrons at the spa, both home and here. A few are quite wealthy."
"So it would seem," Kate mused.
"And?" Dad prompted, waiting for me to share the business plan with him.
"And I know we'd never want to outright solicit our customer base, but I could easily see this taking off once we announce our intentions. It's a great cause, and our customers would want to support it."
"And you want Bella to make it happen," he guessed.
I smiled at the fantasy hatching in my brain. "Yes. She could potentially pilot something later this summer, working with one or two of our staff from each division. We could even retrofit Spruce Lodge with two bunk rooms to make the housing work. She practically ran her own mini-camp here for years for the three of us; it should be a piece of cake for her to formalize it into a program. We can partner with one of the local school systems on the mainland or reach further into the urban areas. This can be a rich outdoor experience including swimming and the new bike trail Emmett's working on. Throw in music, yoga, and even literacy. We've got the perfect spot for nighttime activities or crafts or rainy day alternatives-"
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA there, tiger. You have really given this a lot of thought."
"Yes, I have. But I haven't said a word yet to Bella. This is a business decision first, for The Cliffs, for you."
"For us," he corrected.
"Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it. Of course, selfishly, I want Bella here. And this is good, meaningful work for her. She can get the program off the ground this summer and work on fundraising and expansion all through the off season. She would be fantastic with the kids as well as the donors. So from that perspective, I'm already excited.
"That said, I feel that this is a wonderful move for The Cliffs. Giving back and partnering with the local communities would take us to the next level. Even our non-contributing customers can feel good about taking their vacations in a place where the ownership is devoting part of our resources for charitable purposes."
"It's a beautiful plan, Edward," Kate shared. "If you don't mind my saying so, Carlisle," she added quickly.
He took her hand and said, "Of course I don't mind, honey. I value your opinion, especially as someone seeing our business with fresh eyes."
"Well, in that case, I'd like to say that I would feel very excited personally to donate my own time to your foundation to help Bella make this happen. This is exactly the kind of opportunity I've been looking for."
"Wow, Kate, that is incredibly generous," I said appreciatively.
"How about if we spend some serious time talking about this at our next management team meeting on Sunday, and if all goes well, we can approach Bella."
"Thanks, Dad," I answered happily, my heart lifting with the possibilities for the future. Until he interrupted my thoughts with that word.
"BUT…"
"But?"
"But, Edward. Melding relationships and business plans can get complicated. Your new bond is tender and requires lots of TLC. I certainly wouldn't want to jeopardize your future together for the sake of business."
"Don't worr-"
"AND…" he started again.
"And?" Christ, there's more?
"And, the reverse is also true. It wouldn't be fair to the business if something happened between the two of you personally and Bella had to leave here."
"All good points, Dad," I conceded.
"So we'll give it some serious thought then," he concluded.
"Fair enough," I said, pleased that the topic had been broached and he was agreeable.
"So, what else did we miss?" he chuckled heartily.
O – o – o - O
I called Emmett before we arrived back at the dock to see if he was available to help me unload the groceries. It wasn't exactly as easy as pulling into the attached garage at home and walking ten steps to the kitchen. Thankfully, he had a free time slot, and he was happy to help me and welcome Dad back home. Soon, we had both everyone and everything settled in their proper places.
I hastily pulled on my swim suit, my long-sleeved tee, sunglasses and flip flops and headed to the beach. I'd promised Tyler I'd be in the chair at noon, and I made it with only two minutes to spare. The cliffs were alive with the familiar buzz of teenage activity, and the sand was already crowded with beach towels and sand toys and all kinds of vacationers enjoying themselves. I was sharing second watch with Tyler on the beach, and Brody was guarding the cliffs. We staggered our lunch breaks and the three hours passed quickly. Everyone was pretty much staying out of trouble. Five more minutes and I could find Bella and kiss her some more. Yum, kissing Bella was really, really nice.
"Help!" I heard the cry first and stood in my chair to find the source of trouble. Splashing weakly in the direct line of my chair was Bella. She had a huge smile on her face, and she was treading expertly while playfully flicking water toward me. "Someone, save me!"
I yelled over to the other guards, "This one's mine." I jumped down to the sand and ran into the water toward Bella. I swam out to where she was treading water. "You rang?"
"Thank God you're here! I swam out too far and can't get in by myself."
"Well, since you're definitely, um, responsive, how about you hop on my back and I'll swim you in."
"You can do that? Wow, what a big, strong guy you are," she flirted shamelessly.
I turned back to the shore. "Hop on, Miss. Put your arms around my neck and don't let go."
"Oh, I won't."
I felt her climb on top of me and grab me around the neck. I started a breast stroke toward the shore. Occasionally, her body would bump on top of me, and I could feel her deliciously bare skin against my back. I was overjoyed that she'd chosen a bikini for this sexy little role play.
When the water was shallow enough for me to stand, I planted my feet and allowed her to stand behind me for a second. Then in a swift move, I turned and lifted her, one elbow crooked under her knees and the other around her back. Bridal style wasn't the standard lifeguard carry, but then again, this wasn't your typical save.
"Please place your arms around my neck again, Ma'am. Just in case," I said in my most serious lifeguard voice.
She raised her brown eyes to mine and I could see miles of want and desire written all over her face. I imagined mine must have been even more obvious, having spent the last three hours in the chair thinking exclusively about Bella, and what I wanted to do to her the second this shift was over. Then again, my normal thoughts never strayed very far from Bella.
"Hey, wait a second. Didn't I already save you once this summer?"
"That didn't count. I was barely conscious. I kinda wanted to enjoy it this time."
"Hmmm. And are you enjoying it this time?"
"So far. Yeah, it's a pretty kickin' rescue."
I really liked the sound of that! She was not done being saved. I carried Bella over to my chair.
"Do me a favor and grab my shoes and shirt so I don't have to put you down."
"Now that you mention it, I am a little shivery here."
Mmm, shivery. That probably means…I swept my eyes down her body, stopped dead in their tracks at…yep, her perky nipples standing at attention for me.
"Well, Miss, the best cure for shivers is body heat. Why don't you snuggle in a little closer and take some of my heat for yourself."
"Can't I just put your shirt on?"
"No can do. Sorry, but I lost my very favorite sweatshirt that way just last week."
And I'd like to keep looking at your body in that wet bikini for a while longer. Yeah, I felt like a pig, but it was worth it. She angled her body so that her front was more fully…engaged with my chest.
Standing at the bottom of Tyler's chair holding Bella in my arms, I informed him, "Ty, clock me out."
"Sure man, no problem," he laughed at our antics.
Bella let out a huge contented sigh as I set off carrying her back to Spruce Lodge. Her eyes were closed and she resembled a big cat curled up in a sunny spot at the window. I could probably have walked ten miles carrying Bella this way. Her weight wasn't insignificant, but I was completely distracted by the view that her clingy wet bikini was affording me.
I felt Bella shift a little and looked down to see her nuzzling her face into my chest. She inhaled deeply and burrowed in further. I was all for the nuzzling and burrowing. I helped her a little by pulling her tighter to my body, extending the invitation. Make yourself at home right there, Sweetheart!
Speaking of home, we were now heading up the walkway to Spruce Lodge. I turned the knob and gave the door a little nudge with my foot. I carried her straight over to the couch, where I laid her down gently before sinking to my knees on the floor right next to her.
"What are you doing, Mr. Lifeguard?"
"Oh, I'm just doing a safety check. Standard procedure."
"Really? You do this with all your victims?"
"Actually, no. Just the extremely hot ones. Now, if you'll please allow me to do my exam." I gave her the one eyebrow challenge.
"Okay, okay. Do your exam."
"Well, first, I have to do the visual scan. To look for anything that looks suspicious." I started by placing my head about six inches away from the bottoms of her feet. I carefully and slowly moved my way up to her knees, then thighs.
I could feel her body shaking under the close scrutiny. As I raised my eyes slowly over her bikini bottoms to her belly, I could see goosebumps breaking out all over her skin.
"Are you cold, Ma'am?"
"A little."
"One second, and I'll get you a cover up. This part of the procedure is highly critical." Then with all the eagerness of the 12-year-old boy inside of me who'd never had a chance to be this bold, I slowly drew my eyes up to Bella's bikini top. With the thin guise of my professional duty, I ogled her breasts for all I was worth. Her chest was heaving under my inspection but she didn't move. Reluctantly, I continued my movement up her neck, over her lips and nose and finally met her eyes. I knew that if Bella were to perform a similar exam on me right now, she'd discover something extremely hard poking out of my swim trunks. I was way beyond aroused from her little display in the water and the close contact we'd shared.
"So, does my body look okay?" she asked shyly.
"Your body looks fucking fantastic, Ma'am. Want that blanket now?"
"Actually, would you mind just lying on top of me instead? I think that body heat theory has some merit."
"Well, that's highly unusual, but I suppose it would make the next part of the exam easier."
"Really? What's that?"
"I have to check your breathing." I climbed up onto the couch and held the full length of my body just over hers. I could feel her lifting her hips toward me.
"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to keep perfectly still. I just need to check something." Her eyes told me to go ahead, and she relaxed her body back down to the couch.
Holding my elbows on either side of her head, and keeping my weight off her body, I brought my lips to hers and gave her a whisper of a kiss. "Could you feel that?"
"No, not really. Try again, maybe?"
Staying in character, I touched her lips with mine again, this time a shade more firmly.
"How about that?"
She shook her head. "Nope. Harder?"
This time, I went in for the kill. I locked my lips onto hers and we moved together until she needed a breath. I brought my tongue out to play along her lower lip, and she opened greedily and took me right in. When she moaned, I felt it all the way down to my toes. I let some of the weight off my arms and settled my body into hers. She seemed to really like that, because she grabbed one of my legs between her two and gave a healthy squeeze.
I let my fingers come up and thread through her hair, and I felt her doing the same to me. I had forgotten that she'd been swimming in the ocean, and running my fingers through her hair was a harsh reminder that she probably needed a hot shower more than anything right now. Even more than this.
I had to laugh to myself at my self cock-block, but I had plans for tonight, and Bella was threatening to derail me if we continued any further. I gave her one final appreciative kiss before pulling off her and standing up.
"I'll be right back." I went into her bathroom and plugged the bathtub. I started the hot water and opened the cabinet, hoping that we'd stashed some bubble bath in there. I found a small bottle of body wash. That would have to do. I poured it in and watched as the bubbles started to form. I went back out to where Bella was still lying on the couch.
"Okay, here's the deal. I had planned to cook dinner for you tonight anyways. So I want you to have yourself a relaxing bubble bath and change into something comfortable. I am going to shower and grab my dinner supplies. I'll be back here in a half hour, okay?" I knew I could have easily been back in five minutes, but now I needed a little me-time in the shower and I didn't want to rush Bella- too much.
She got up from the couch and came to stand right in front of me. "So, thanks again for saving me." Bella reached her arms around my neck and pulled me down for a sweet kiss.
"Ma'am, the pleasure was entirely mine."
"There's more pleasure where that came from. Hurry back!" With that, she gave me a sly little wink, spun me around toward the door, and gave me a gentle shove. I grabbed my flip flops on the way out and tossed her my shirt.