"One of you wake me up before we land and I will put my seatbelt on."
"Okay."
I laid down and simple exhaustion won out over everything else.
Chapter 29
The copilot gently prodded me awake. "Bella, it's time for us to make our final approach into England."
"Okay." I got up and moved into my seat. She went up into the cockpit. Once on the ground the pilot and copilot escorted me to the British Airways ticket counter and then walked me to security. Once on the plane, I slept almost all the way home. When I landed in Phoenix, one of my driver buddies drove me to my car. I got home and called my parents and told them I was safe and sound but was heading off to lala land. I told them I would come over for dinner later that night.
I called Rose and all she said was, "I'll be right over." I think she must've flown over because I hadn't even finished unpacking when I heard the doorbell ring. I answered the door and Rose started asking questions immediately.
"Whoa!" I said. "Hold on," and I started waving my hands.
While I waving my hand, Rose grabbed it and said, "Okay, tell me how he proposed."
So I regaled her with last night's dinner and dancing. The words he had written and how he turned the candle that was holding the ring. Then he used his own lips and said he loved me and asked me to marry him. Obviously, I said yes.
"Well?" Rose asked.
"Well what?" I responded.
I said, "Hold on, I'll show you something." So I went and got the unopened package of condoms and showed it to her.
"Oh Bella, I'm sorry; but it'll be wonderful when you do."
"Well let me tell you about the rest of the week." So I started at the beginning and went back through the entire week and when I got back to his proposing to me, I took Rose back to my bedroom to show her my new clothes. When I showed her the dress, I was wearing when Edward proposed to me. She commented on how pretty it was. I told her it sure was especially when he carried me to our room and laid me down on our bed. Then how he undressed me and then yes we did make love using protection he had with him. And it continued to all night long. Then we got up and watched the sunrise and I got on the plane alone and flew here.
"God, Rose, I miss him and love him. I'm turning in my notice tomorrow."
"I figured so. They hired three new agents last week. Well, what was it like?"
"You know, it was beautiful and gentle. He made sure that the first time was all about me." The telephone rang and I picked it up. "Hello, Beautiful," was the first thing I heard when I picked up the phone. "I have just a few minutes; but you're going to find some surprises when you unpack. I wanted to say I love you and I'll see you in six weeks; but last and most importantly, look inside of your engagement ring."
I slid my ring off and engraved inside is "I love you, Beautiful."
"I love you now go do your show and I'll talk to you later." When I hung up the phone, I showed the inside to Rose. "Will you go get us some Taco Bell? Then when we are done, I think I'll take a nap."
"Sure."
So after a nap, I headed to my parents house. My dad liked hearing about the Concorde. Then I told them that I decided to do the record deal. My dad asked me what made me change my mind. I said, "Actually, it was something that you told me. You said that if I was willing to be public with regards to dating him what was the harm in making a record. Plus about six weeks ago, I came over and dug out my old poems that I used to write. I finished them and wrote some more and showed them to him one night and he loved them. There is one that Edward wants to record and I showed them to Emmett the next night and he loved them also. I told him, I was willing to make the record work under two conditions. One was I wanted the most recent offer that he had given me and the other was that I wanted to record the album and give it to Edward as a surprise present for all he had done for me." I then looked at them and said, "You're going to have two kids in LA soon. I'm turning in my notice at work and plan to move to LA in 2 weeks. Also, I'm engaged to Edward. He proposed to me last night and I said yes."
My dad said, "Good for you; I'm glad he got up the nerve to ask you. He called us about a month ago and asked if he could have your hand in marriage. When he asked us that, we knew it was inevitable that you would be moving to LA yourself. Tell us about making the record."
"Emmett already has someone working on music to go with the song lyrics. As soon as I get to LA, I'm going into the studio to start recording it. Hopefully, we'll have a single ready within four weeks and the album out in 8 weeks."
"What about planning your wedding?"
"Oh, I'll get to that after the album is done. Plus I'm going to work with his sister the fashion designer."
"Well tell us about what you saw, did and ate."
"Sure, but let's go get some BBQ to go with my story." I filled them in on the rest of my trip even how he proposed, but I left out the steamy parts. We had finished dinner and were driving back home.
My mom said, "Well honey, I'm glad you had fun."
"If you guys will excuse me, I'm going home to go to sleep hopefully since I have to go to work tomorrow."
"Alright, your mom will come over tomorrow with boxes to help you start packing. By the way, when is your lease up on the apartment?"
"The end of next month."
"Okay."
"Mom, I love you and I'll see you tomorrow night."
The next morning I got up and felt perfectly exhausted so I got a real soda and struggled through the day. I told my city manager I was leaving in two weeks. I started filling my customers in on what I was doing. It was decided that Kathie, Rose, and Sam were going to rotate the job on a weekly basis. The city manager and I composed a letter to send to my customers. When I told some of my regulars that were from California, they told me if I ever needed anything to give them a call. As I left after two weeks, all my furniture and house stuff were in storage. I had received over $5000 in free airline travel, hotel stays, cash and other stuff. I had left all kinds of notes about my customers. Plus Emmett sent me multiple recordings of the music and words together. We had agreed upon a single, actually two, an average speed song and a slower one. We were hoping to be in the studio by that Thursday. After being out until 1am on that Friday night saying goodbye to my co workers, Saturday, my parents and I loaded up my Camaro and my parent's truck. Mom and I rode in my car and Dad drove the truck.
Once we arrived in LA, I used the directions we were given to get us to the condo in Laguna Beach. When we got close to his condo, everything started looking familiar and I found it easily. We unloaded all my stuff and went out and grabbed a bite to eat with my brother. The next day, we met his family at church and they invited us to their family picnic. Around two, my parents headed off to go back to Phoenix. His family insisted that I stay and play more volleyball. When I was taking a break, Alice, his fashion designer sister, said, "We're going to make your wedding dress so you better start figuring out what you want. Can you be at the office around ten tomorrow?"
"Sure, but-"
"But what,"
"I need to share a secret with your family; but not the kids and Edward." So the kids were sent down to play in the sand for a few minutes.
I took a deep breath and said, "I have agreed with Emmett to record an album; but I want to keep it as a surprise for Edward."
"I still want you working with me; I know we can work around your recording schedule."
"I'm so glad you decided to make the album you have a voice that needs to be shared," said his mother. "We'll all help you keep your secret. You're right though; we did need to keep this from the kids they're notorious for blabbing."
"Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to the condo via the grocery store and start unpacking."
I got home 90 minutes later. I put my groceries away and I was upstairs in the master bedroom unpacking when the phone rang. I picked it up and said, "Hello."
"Hello Beautiful, I was hoping to find you there. I wanted to talk sweet nothings in your ear."
"I'm sorry I think you must have the wrong number. This is the Jones' residence."
"Well Ms. Jones, you sound a lot like my fiancée. She's a beautiful, sexy lady. I wish she was in my arms right now because I would kiss her and start unbuttoning her top and then her bra and start kissing her breasts. Since this isn't my fiancée, I guess I'll hang up."
"No, my love, I also wish you were here right now. Especially since I could use your help unpacking."
"I could hire someone to help you."
"No you won't. How's the rest of the tour going?"
"Great. What did you do today."
"My parents and I met your family at church and they invited us to the family picnic. My parents left around 2 to head home and I stayed to 4. I had to relay the proposal to your sisters."
"What did they say?"
"Thank goodness he grew up with three sisters since he learned sensitivity. They also said it must've been beautiful and magical. You did wonderful at least in the future Mrs. Masen's opinion. I thought it was totally unexpected. Well go enjoy your day in Europe."
"Just remember you can't bring home any Swedish blonde bombshells."
"No, all I want to do is come home and make love to you."
"I love you Edward. Now I'm serious, go enjoy your day. I'm going to do some more unpacking."
"Alright but tell me this, how well did you clean up from gifts in the last two weeks?"
"Well let's say I could take us on a vacation around the world. Two airlines gave me 500,000 frequent flier miles, hotels to stay at for at least a year, two weeks at a timeshare every year, architecture people who will do the design for us to have a house built, five hotel chains said they would do our wedding reception. Three job offers are here in LA for me if I need them. A couple of mutual funds. 1000 shares of stock and over $5000 in cash."
"Holy cow, maybe I'm in the wrong business."
"No, but will you help me enjoy it?"
"Sure, good night, I love you."
The next day, I met his sister at her office and we looked at her sketches. We came up with a flexible schedule for when I would start in the recording studio. When I got home, there was a message from Emmett and a message from Jim, the president of the recording studio who wanted to have dinner with me tomorrow night to talk about my recording sessions starting on Thursday. He left a couple of numbers to try and reach him at. Edward was the third message on the machine. Emmett had just said that recording president would be calling. As I started to heat up something for dinner, I tried tracking down Jim. I started with the 1st number I had been given. A lady answered the phone so I asked for Jim. She asked, "May I ask who is calling?"
"Isabella Swan."
She said, "Good, he's been expecting your call. I'm going to put you on hold while I page him so I can connect you directly through to him."
"Okay."
Within two minutes, I heard a voice say "Hello, Ms. Swan. I'm Jim; how are you tonight?"
"I'm fine."
"My message said I would like to have dinner with you. Is tomorrow night okay?"
"Sure, where do you want me to meet you and when?"
"How about Ricardo's in Beverly Hills at seven? But tell me where you'll be and I'll pick you up."
"No, that's okay; I'll just meet you there."
"Emmett told me you were independent and strong minded. There will be four of us, I'm bringing two of my best producers with me and afterwards, you can decide which one you want to work with for your album."
"Okay, sounds good; see you at seven."
"Alright, if you have any questions, call me on the second number I gave you, that's my cell phone. Otherwise I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay."
