I'm writing this story all in good, clean fun. All rights and respects to Stephenie Meyer. No infringement intended

Well people, it's date night. So let's get to it.


Chapter 29

Friday flew by in a flurry of activity. Emily and I had two wedding cakes as well as Charlie's big birthday cake to finish up and then I spent the rest of the evening preparing party favors for the next day. Several nights of restless sleep was beginning to creep up on me but no matter how early I put myself to bed, I spent all night tossing and turning.

Because I couldn't talk to Rosalie about it, I finally broke down on Friday and admitted to Angela that I was going on my first date in several years. She immediately declared everything in my closet inappropriate for a 'hot date' and arrived on my doorstep later that evening with a garment bag containing a little black dress and heels. I made a mental note to talk Ben into finally asking her out. I'd even pay for the whole damn date if that's what it took.

By Saturday morning, I was exhausted and running on a steady stream of coffee and nerves. I focused every ounce of my attention on Charlie's party to keep myself from thinking about my date that night. To make matters worse, Nessie and Rosalie spent the party bonding over talk of nurseries and baby gadgets and I found myself overwhelmingly jealous. Everyone in my life was happy and moving forward while I remained stagnant. I didn't want to be the sad, lonely, single mother anymore.

I pushed my nerves aside, stepped away from the party and pulled out my phone, composing a quick text.

Looking forward to tonight. What time should I be ready?

His reply was almost instant.

Me too. What time can you be ready by?

Another message followed immediately.

Sorry. Am I being too eager? I just can't wait to see you again.

My heart fluttered and a smile crept across my face. I was just about to type out my reply when a familiar voice pulled my attention away.

"That him?" Rose asked quietly.

"Yep," I replied. "Our date is tonight."

"Bella…" she began but I didn't want to hear it.

"Just stop Rose. I love you and I get that you're worried but I'm following my heart and maybe it'll blow up in my face but I still have to try."

"I know," she agreed, taking me completely by surprise. "You are my family, my sister, and I love you. I might not understand but I can respect your decision and I'll be here for you regardless. Well, unless he fucks up. Then you'll have to raise Henry for me because I'll be in jail."

We laughed it off and with a big hug, we were back to normal. Jake interrupted our reconciliation to let me know it was time to cut the cake. I tapped out a quick reply to Edward before getting back to the party.

I'll be done here in about an hour. Then I'll just need some time to shower and change. P.S. I think I like eager.

I hit 'send' and then lit the eight candles on the top of Charlie's cake which looked like two giant cupcakes stacked together, complete with oversized sprinkles and a massive cherry on top. Her face lit up as we sang 'Happy Birthday' and she blew all the candles out with one breath. It wasn't until the cake was all sliced and the ice cream was scooped that I was able to check my messages.

Hmm I'm tempted to tell you to just come as you are so I don't have to wait as long. But I'll be patient. How's 6:30?

I checked the clock on my phone. It was just after three. There was plenty of time to make myself presentable by then.

6:30 is fine. I'll see you then.

It was all I managed to type out before several of the moms approached looking for business cards or asking about pricing. I loved birthday parties. There was no better advertising.

When the cake was finished and the presents were opened, our guests began to scatter. Nessie, Rose and I made quick work of the clean-up as Jake helped Charlie put away all her new stuff. In no time, all evidence of a party was packed away and everyone was on their way out, including my sweet birthday girl, leaving me alone once again, but not for long.

I had an hour and a half to make myself presentable and jumped in the shower the second I was alone. As someone who spent most of their life in jeans and t-shirts with their hair pulled back in a bun, I would need every second of that hour and a half. I took my time in the shower, scrubbing and shaving every inch of myself. I wasn't sure why I went to all the effort since I had absolutely, zero intention of sleeping with Edward yet, but it seemed like a good idea anyways.

My nerves returned the second I stepped from the steaming shower but I silenced them with a rather large glass of wine, sipping the dark red liquid as I tamed my long locks into loose curls cascading down my back. I'd never been good at applying makeup as it was hardly necessary in either my personal or professional lives, but I was capable of making myself look presentable at least. I told myself that lately this man had seen me in pajamas, covered in flour, or only a few hours post-partum. At this point, anything would be an improvement.

There was half an hour to spare as I stepped into the little black dress Angela had let me borrow. I was surprised at how well it fit, hugging my Henry-enhanced curves perfectly and hiding all of my flaws like it was magic. Suddenly just getting Ben to ask her out wasn't good enough, the girl was getting a big damn raise.

The shoes she brought were a bit high for my liking but a decade of being Rosalie Hale-McCarty's best friend had given me more than enough practice walking in them, and I was confident in my ability to not fall on my ass at least. How Angela knew my shoe size remained a mystery but I was glad I wouldn't have to pair this beautiful dress with flip flops or tennis shoes, especially when, as much as I hated to admit it, the heels did make my legs look a million times better. They must have been magic as well. Maybe Angela was some sort of young fairy Godmother in disguise.

With fifteen minutes to spare and nothing left to fill my time, my nerves grew exponentially. I found myself sitting on my couch, clutching my refilled glass of wine and desperately trying to keep myself from backing out. Just when I'd pulled out my phone, ready to call the whole thing off and crawl into bed, the damn thing buzzed in my hand, alerting me to a new text.

I'll be there in five minutes.

Oh God, he was on his way. I couldn't back out now. My breathing quickened and my heart began to race. What was I doing? I gulped my wine and headed into the kitchen to place my glass in the sink and then dug through my purse for a mint, not wanting Edward to know that I'd needed to get buzzed to go through with our date. The combination of mint and wine wasn't a pleasant one but it took my mind off of Edward's impending arrival long enough for the alcohol to seep into my bloodstream and slow my heart rate to that of a normal human being. At least it did just until the soft rap on my door alerted me to Edward's actual arrival. I exhaled slowly, gave myself a three second pep talk and then opened the door slowly.

He was wearing a simple dress shirt and slacks, something I'd seen him in plenty of times over the last few weeks and yet, I was still taken aback by how absolutely delicious he looked.

"Wow," he sighed, his eyes grazing over my body slowly. "You look incredible."

"Stop it," I whispered, my cheeks blazing as I turned away embarrassedly, searching for my bag as I strived to regain my composure. I couldn't let him know what he did to me.

"You ready?" he asked as I pulled my purse over my shoulder and turned to face him, blush under control for now.

I nodded and followed him out the door. He waited as I locked the door behind me and then led me to his car, the same sleek, silver car I'd spotted over a week ago on my way home when I'd suspected him of waiting for me.

"You're not very sneaky, you know?" I asked with a smile as he held the door open for me.

"What do you mean?"

"That night you came to the bakery and I made you leave. You were way too easy to spot when I left."

"I know, but I wasn't hiding. I know you walk home alone all the time but that night I wanted you to know that someone was out there, making sure you got home alright. I just wanted you to feel safe," he said matter-of-factly before closing the door, leaving me to mull over his declaration as he walked around to the driver's side.

We were quiet as he pulled the car out onto the road and effortlessly navigated his way through the weekend traffic. The drive was a short one and in a matter of minutes, we were pulling into the driveway of a modest sized townhome. My eyes shot to Edward who suddenly looked quite guilty as he pulled the car into the garage and killed the engine.

"Where are we?" I asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer but needing to ask the question anyways.

"Somewhere quiet where we can talk and get to know each other again," he replied quietly before exiting the car and quickly coming around to open my door for me.

I silently followed him into the house and was instantly met with a delicious aroma. My stomach groaned in appreciation but I pushed that thought aside as I took in Edward's ridiculously beautiful townhome.

"This is amazing," I gasped. "It's like a model home or something."

"Yeah something like that," he replied with a laugh. "This is all mom. I brought my clothes and books and not much else when I moved here. She had it all decorated and furnished for me and, in exchange, I let her use it to show off to prospective clients."

"It's so clean," I exclaimed, following Edward into the spotless kitchen. I instantly felt embarrassed by the state of my own kitchen. I was a clean person by nature but this beautiful kitchen was making me feel like a slob.

"Yeah, well you can't show off a dirty home but none of this is me. I just have to keep it tidy and there is a lady that comes in a few times a week for the deep cleaning."

"I'm jealous," I said with a smile, earning myself a quizzical look.

"Really? I think it's too clean."

"Is that possible?" I asked.

"When you could do surgery on your kitchen table, yeah, I think it is. I've been here for months and it's still so sterile and impersonal. I feel like I don't even live here."

As he spoke, I glanced around the room, noticing for the first time that it was void of all the little tell-tale items of a lived in home. There were no notes scrawled on the generic calendar hanging on the wall. The fridge was spotless and held not a single magnet or post-it or even a fingerprint. There was nothing to give even the tiniest hint of the person living there.

"I see your point," I conceded. "But after living with my clutter for so long, it's nice to see something so clean and pretty."

"I envy your clutter," he said quietly, his voice almost sad as he rooted through a cabinet. "I love your home. It's lived in. It's comfortable and it feels like a home there, not a showroom." He pulled out two wine glasses and filled them before handing me one. "I need to finish dinner real quick. Is that ok?"

"Of course," I said taking the glass carefully. I knew I shouldn't have. I'd already drunk enough at home but I didn't want to be rude or explain my earlier drinking. "I can't believe you cooked for me."

"Why not?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I've done it before."

"Exactly. I already know you can cook. You don't have to impress me." I smiled at him over the rim of my wine glass, sipping slowly as he busied himself by the stove.

"It's not about impressing, it's about reminding."

"Reminding?"

He nodded. "Not everything in our past was bad. The first night I made you dinner was probably the best night of my life, a memory that has both haunted and comforted me for the last few years and given the opportunity, I really wanted to recreate that night."

Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "Oh really? Just how much of that night are we planning on recreating?"

The color drained from his face. "What? Oh God! No, Bella. I'm not, I mean, I didn't. Oh fuck. I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention at all. I swear. I just wanted to make you dinner for old time's sake. Nothing more. Just dinner, I promise."

His clumsy apology was cute and endearing and I appreciated the fact that he appeared just as nervous as I was. "Edward, relax, it's ok," I said with a reassuring smile and then decided to try and change the subject. "So, what's for dinner?"

"I hope it's ok, I went a little basic with some steaks, potatoes and salad." He froze for a second and then whirled on his heel to face me. "Shit, you haven't gone vegetarian or anything have you? I didn't even think to ask."

"Steak sounds fantastic," I reassured him. "It smells delicious. Can I help with anything?"

"Absolutely not. Just keep me company?"

"Of course."

While he finished preparing dinner, we talked casually about food, comparing favorites. Since he was still fairly new to Seattle, I gave him a few tips on the best places to shop for certain items and ingredients and before I knew it, he was pulling out a chair for me at the small dining room table lit purely by candlelight. Suddenly it was two-thousand and two again and I was just as nervous as my eighteen year old self had been.

When Edward excused himself to bring out our dinner, I took the opportunity to take several deep calming breaths, telling myself that I was a strong, independent businesswoman and not the same naïve, inexperienced girl I'd been. It helped to steady my nerves, that is, until Edward walked back into the room. Even after everything that had transpired, this man still owned me, body and soul. A fact that both excited and terrified me to my very core.

Dinner was delicious and I enjoyed eating a home-cooked meal that I didn't have to prepare myself. Once I'd begun culinary school I found that everyone in my life expected me to cook for every single holiday or gathering. They all claimed that it only made sense because it was my passion and being professionally trained meant I was much better at it than they were. It was all bullshit, just an easy way to pawn Thanksgiving, Christmas and every other big dinner off on me. The closest thing I'd had to someone else cooking for me lately was the meals Esme sent after Henry's birth. Being fed and cared for was a feeling I'd long since forgotten.

"Can I pour you some more wine?" Edward asked as we finished dinner.

"Oh, no thank you," I replied. "I've had quite enough." It was more than true. I'd had a glass and a half with dinner and the two at home to work up the nerve to come. I was definitely tipsy and any more would only spell disaster.

"I would love a tour of the rest of the house though," I said.

"Certainly." He rose from the table and held out his hand to me. I place mine in his gingerly and allowed him to pull me to standing. Once I'd risen, he released my hand and I mourned the loss of his touch until he placed it against my lower back, leading me from the room gently. Through the thin layer of fabric, the heat from his hand burned deliciously.

He showed me into the living room which was just as gorgeous as the kitchen and dining room. The soft music that had played so quietly during dinner was a bit louder here, courtesy of an expensive looking stereo system just below an expansive flat screen TV. Opposite that was a black leather sectional couch and ottoman. Spanning almost the length of the far wall was a large bookcase filled with books, photos and other odds and ends. I spotted a lovely photo of Alice and a handsome blonde man I could only assume was her fiancé and stepped forward to have a closer look only to trip over my ridiculous shoes. No matter how much practice I'd had walking in heels, combining them with alcohol was always a less than stellar idea. But, instead of falling face first into the massive bookcase as I'd expected, I was steadied by Edward's careful hands around my waist.

"Still the same old Bella," he whispered into my ear, in no hurry to remove his hands from my body.

I turned in his arms and gave him a playful glare for his teasing. His eyes locked on mine and my heart quickened in a mixture of panic and anticipation as I waited for the kiss that was sure to come. However, it never came and I was left wanting as Edward lowered his lips to my ear once again.

"Dance with me?"

I didn't answer but wrapped my arms around his neck in silent acquiescence. His arms wrapped tighter around my waist as I laid my head against his chest. I listened to the rhythmic thrumming of his heart as we swayed in time to the music. His distinctive scent wafted over me, breaking down my reservations one by one, until I no longer cared about the repercussions, I just wanted this man. Consequences be damned.

"Can we finish that tour now?" I asked quietly, lifting my head just enough to look into his gorgeous eyes.

"There's not much left to see."

"I saw a staircase," I replied softly. "Show me the second floor?"

I didn't wait for an answer as I took his hand and led him towards the stairs. I was certain of what I'd find on the second floor of Edward's home and I had to restrain myself from sprinting there. Four years without physical intimacy was a long time but after feeling the heat of a man against my skin again, it began to feel more like forty and my body was aching for him to touch me, kiss me, make me his, even if it was only for the night.

The stairs combined with my shoes proved to be a bit of a roadblock and after stumbling up the first few steps; I kicked off my cumbersome footwear and opted to carry them in my free hand instead. The first door at the top of the stairs was open, revealing a small home office, not exactly my target destination and so I chose to ignore its existence and continued down the hallway.

At last, I came to a large bedroom, the walls painted a rich, warm brown. The room contained a large king sized bed with a tall, black leather frame, flanked on either side by end tables and matching lamps casting a dim light over the room. The bedding was also black with brown and white accents. It was a very masculine room but much more adult than the last room belonging to Edward Cullen that I'd been in. It was just another reminder that the teenage boy I'd fallen in love with was gone, leaving behind a man I was just barely getting to know.

"So, this is my room but I'm guessing you've figured that out." He said from the doorway as I intrusively wandered through his bedroom.

"Is all this you or your mom?" I wondered aloud, taking in the model home décor and pristine conditions.

"Still mom," he said with a smile but there was a hint of sadness just under the surface. It was clear that though this was his home, it was not quite his at all. There was nothing here to give me any hint that the boy I once knew still resided in this beautiful man, and I began to question my earlier resolve.

"It's lovely," I mused, turning my attention to the décor, looking for any scrap of the man I once knew within these walls before I lost my nerve completely. A small silver picture frame on the left side end table caught my eye. I walked round the bed, desperate to see what or who was important enough to keep near the bed where he'd see it first thing in the morning and before falling asleep each night.

"Oh my God!" I cried as I picked up the delicate frame for a closer look. The picture was in black and white but the memory hit me as clearly as the day it had happened. It was of Edward and I at our senior prom but not the standard posed photo like the one I had nestled away in my dresser drawer. It was a candid photo, in black and white, of the two of us on the dance floor. Edward was smiling at me, having just told me how much he loved me and there was a small contented smile on my face as I listened to him. The happy glow on the face of my younger self brought tears to my eyes as leaned against the bed, tortured by the knowledge that I'd not been this happy in all of the nine years since. I barely noticed Edward come around to stand in front of me as I was too engrossed in the picture and the memory of that night.

"You looked so beautiful that night," he said softly.

"Where did you get this?"

"Eric or one of his buddies on the yearbook took it. He emailed it to me a few weeks after graduation."

After graduation? We'd been broken up by then. "And you still framed it? Kept it all this time?"

"I couldn't help it," he admitted bashfully. "I took it with me to Dartmouth, kept it on my desk. When I heard about your wedding, I wanted to smash the fucking thing so much, but I couldn't do it. Instead, I stuck it in a box and the next time I visited my parents, I shoved it under a pile of stuff in my closet there and forgot about it. When I moved back, mom made me sort through all the boxes of stuff she'd brought from the Forks house so she could finally get rid of it and there is was. I couldn't stop myself from bringing it home and placing it there," he said, motioning to the end table. "That was less than a month before I walked into your store that first time. Maybe it was fate, bringing you back to me."

I was speechless as I continued to stare at this small photo finally bridging the gap between the boy I still loved and the man standing in front of me. He'd saved this picture from the trash pile before even knowing I lived just down the street, before knowing my marriage had crumbled, before knowing our reconciliation was even a remote possibility. All of his words from the last few weeks echoed in my mind as I finally became certain of their truth.

I was breathless by the time I finally managed to set the frame back on the table and launched myself into Edward's arms.

"Oh, Edward, I've missed you so much."


I know, I know. Another evil cliffie. I'm sorry but you know I never make you wait too long. I like you all too much.