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I Should Go copyright 2013 nikkipattinson
I Should Go
Chapter 36
I parked in front of Alice's house at half past five, which was the time I was told to be there. I didn't know why I had to be so early. We had a full hour to drive less than five miles. I'll never understand women.
I had on the suit that Alice had picked. I had put on a plain white t-shirt, since Alice had my other one and had the tie she'd picked draped around my neck. As I stepped onto the porch I noticed that the door wasn't already open for me. Alice wasn't standing there like she knew I'd be setting foot on the porch at that exact moment. I did something that I'd rarely done at her house… I knocked on the door.
I was beginning to worry when she hadn't answered the door after almost a full minute. I raised my hand to knock again, when the door flew open. Alice was standing there in a red bathrobe and her slippers. Her hair and make-up looked done, but I could tell that she was far from ready to go.
"Why are you standing outside? Get in here," she said as she grabbed my wrist and pulled me inside.
"I knocked," I explained as she disappeared into her 'closet'.
"I left the door unlocked so you could just come in. I'm running behind," she yelled from somewhere in the racks of clothes.
I walked to the door of the 'closet' and said, "I don't make it a habit of barging into other peoples' houses."
Alice's head popped out from behind a rack of shoes, "I thought you were related to Esme Cullen."
"Very funny," I deadpanned. "Can I do anything to help?"
"Yes. You can go into the bathroom and put on your shirt."
"Oh, now you respect my privacy and allow me to use the bathroom to put on my shirt. How very kind of you."
She appeared around a rack of clothes again and asked, "Are you going to bust my chops or are you going to get dressed so that I have one less thing to worry about tonight?"
"What are you worried about?"
"Really? You're asking me that? You're not worried?" I shook my head and shrugged. "Oh, to be a man and be so oblivious. Your shirt is in the bathroom. Scoot." She disappeared again.
I went into her small bathroom and found my perfectly pressed shirt hanging on the door. I took off my jacket, placing it and my tie on the counter by the sink. I put on my shirt and was finishing with my Windsor knot when Alice appeared in the door.
I looked down at her. Bella hadn't been kidding about the dress. I was a pale pink with these large sparkling disks on the top. They seemed to flutter as she bounced into the room. She actually looked like a picture I'd seen in a book of fairy tales when I was a kid. She looked like a fairy princess.
"Wow, you look unbelievable," I said.
"I know that it's a little much, but it reminded me of a dress I worn in high school once. I just had to get it. I do like to make an impression, you know. Turn around... let me see."
I turned in a circle so that Alice could admire her work. When I was facing her again, she reached up and began pulling on my tie.
"You do know that you make a crooked knot, right?" she said as she fixed my tie.
"I've been told," I said as I remembered Tanya complaining about it often. "I tried."
"It's fine. It makes you look less straight-laced… less perfect."
"I never look perfect," I said as I pointed to my head of unruly hair.
"Bella thinks you look pretty perfect and she's going to love how you look tonight." She stepped back and clasped her hands together. "I am a fashion genius!"
"I hope she likes it. Do you know how many times I almost deviated from the plan this week? You should thank Rose, Emmett, and The Chief. They managed to cockblock me more than once. I can't wait much longer. I just want to kiss the woman. Scratch that… I need to kiss her. I'm going nuts here."
"How do you think I feel? I haven't even seen Jasper since Sunday. We've never gone this long without at least meeting somewhere for a quick meal. I miss him so much and I'm running out of excuses to not see him."
"Maybe he'll show up tonight," I said as I shrugged into my jacket and followed Alice out into the living room.
"He probably won't. He hates these things. Anyway, he's not a part of tonight's plans. Tonight is all about you and Bella." She slid on her shoes, which increased her height by about four inches… at least. They were a complementing shade of pink and looked like they had been dipped in glitter.
She picked up her purse, which, surprise, surprise, matched her shoes, and said, "Let's do this."
I looked at my watch and said, "We're going to be really early."
"I know. I want you to be there when Bella walks in. I promise you that Charlie will be there promptly at six thirty. If we're there at six thirty-one, then we're late. Let's go."
I followed Alice to my car and opened the door for her. She giggled and said, "I bet Bella just eats this up when you do it. I know that Jasper never opened her car door for her."
"Actually, she said that I'm not real." I shrugged. "I guess my mother did something right." I closed the door and jogged around the back of the car.
We had to drive past Emmett's house on the way to the Elks lodge. I didn't see the cruiser or his Jeep parked out front.
"I guess they've already left," I said to Alice. She nodded.
I was parking the car at the lodge at twenty minutes past the hour. I took one more look at myself in the rearview mirror.
"You look great," Alice said. "Quit worrying about your hair. There's nothing you can do about it now. Let it do what it's going to do."
"Like I have a choice," I muttered. "Wait here. I'll be right around." I jogged around the car again and opened the door for Alice to exit the car. She smiled and shook her head.
I looked around the lot as we walked to the door of the building. I saw my dad's Mercedes and a few other cars, but it was obvious that we were early. I opened the door for Alice and followed her inside.
My mom zeroed in on us immediately. She made a bee-line for us.
"Oh, Alice, you look beautiful! That dress is so interesting. I love it! And my darling son… you do look nice. Good job, Alice."
"Thank you, Esme. He was easy. Edward looks great in anything."
I rolled my eyes and felt the blood rush to my cheeks.
"Oh, look at him blush," Mom said as she placed her hands on my cheeks. "He's so handsome."
"Please quit talking about me like I'm an inanimate object," I said as I looked around the room. "Where's Dad?"
"He's over there with the other men," she said as she waved toward a group huddled together in the corner. "They're putting the final touches on their speeches."
"I'm going to go say 'hi'," I said.
Alice grabbed my arm to stop me. "Why don't you wait a bit? People are starting to show up. We can help your mother greet people." She gave me a look that I took to say, 'wait here for Bella.'
"That would be wonderful," Mom said. "There were a few people that didn't get to talk to you at the housewarming. They can welcome you home tonight."
"I don't know," I said as I tried to get away from my mother. Not that I didn't want to see Bella the very moment she walked into the room, but I just wasn't comfortable being the center of attention again. "This is The Chief's night. I think I'll let him have it. You two can greet everyone. I'll be right over there." I pointed to a table that was by the door.
"Oh, nonsense," Mom said as she tried to take my arm.
Mary Whitlock approached then and I must say that I've never been so happy to see a Whitlock in my entire life. "Esme, let the poor boy go. You, Alice, and I can welcome everyone tonight."
I watched Mom's face fall, but she conceded. "Fine, go be a wall-flower."
I retreated to safety. A few seconds later, my father appeared with a drink in hand. He handed it to me and I took a drink without asking what it was. I grimaced as the whiskey slid down my throat.
"Wow… smooth," I whispered.
"You looked like you could use something a little stronger than wine or beer. Everything okay?"
I coughed to clear my throat and said, "Yeah. Mom's in her element."
"Yes, your mother is as happy as a pig in shit. I'm more concerned with how you are. You look extremely nervous. This doesn't have anything to do with Alice, does it?"
"God, no," I said as I sipped my drink. "We're just friends."
"Like you and Bella?"
I cut my eyes toward him and smirked.
"That's what I thought," he said as he too sipped his whiskey. "So Alice knows about your crush and is okay with it?"
"She's helping," I replied.
Dad sighed and said, "I will never understand young people."
I was finishing the last of my drink when the doors opened and Rosalie walked into the room. She had on a black and silver dress that clung to her body in all the right places. It was short so we were all offered a glimpse of her legs and they were great legs. I couldn't deny that Rosalie was a gorgeous woman.
"Damn," Dad whispered.
Emmett entered the room after Rosalie. He had on his dress uniform. I had to admit that he looked good. I watched as he placed his hand possessively on the small of Rosalie's back as my mom greeted them.
"They look good together," Dad said.
"Don't let Rosalie hear you say that. She's adamant that she's done with men."
"I give it six months," he said as he downed the last of his drink and went back to the bar for another one.
I had just turned back to face the door when I saw her. Bella. She was with The Chief. She had on the blue dress that I had seen her trying on in Port Angeles. She looked even more beautiful than I remembered.
I looked down at my shirt. Alice had managed to match it exactly to the royal blue of Bella's dress. I looked back at Bella and it was almost like seeing her for the first time; she was that beautiful. The blue in contrast to her dark hair and eyes was striking. The dress was so thankfully strapless. The smooth skin of her shoulders tempted me mercilessly. I wanted to run my hands across her skin. The top of the dress had beads or something that teased me as my eyes were drawn to her cleavage.
I thanked the heavens that the dress was short. If I had thought that Rosalie had great legs, then Bella's could only be described as perfection. Perfection. There was no other word to describe her. Bella was perfection.
And I couldn't move. She was too beautiful. I suddenly couldn't think of a single reason why she should want to be with me. I just stood there staring at the perfect woman in front of me. I could no longer pretend that I didn't see how her body curved beneath her clothes.
I heard my name being called, but I couldn't stop my mind from running away with me. She and her dad were talking to the mayor. Whatever he said made her laugh. The sound was so pure and unaffected. I was more than a little shaken by what I was feeling inside.
Finally, I heard a snap beside my ear and I jumped. Alice was standing next to me. "Go talk to her," she said through clenched teeth.
"I… I can't."
Alice pinched my side. "You can and you will. What is wrong with you?"
"I'm not good enough for her," I said. I watched as she and The Chief began mingling in the growing crowd.
"Don't make me smack you," Alice said. "You are so good enough. She'll be lucky to have you… just like you'll be lucky to have her. Now go." She gave me a little shove toward Bella and her dad. I looked down at my empty glass and wished that I had another.
I took a couple of steps and then looked back at Alice. She waved me forward. I took a deep breath and walked over to the woman of my dreams.
"Hi," I said and looked down at the floor.
She turned to me and said, "Edward… hi! You look so nice."
"You look… there are no words for how good you look. You're breathtaking, Bella," I gushed.
She bit her bottom lip and blushed. "Oh, don't do that," I said as I reached out and used my finger to release her lip. "You'll cause every man in here to have a heart attack if you do that."
"You're too much, Edward," she said as she looked at the floor.
I cupped her chin and raised her face to look at me. "I'm honest. You're the most beautiful woman in the room, Bella."
"Hello, Edward," The Chief said, pulling my attention away from the beauty before me.
"Congratulations, Chief," I said as I extending my hand to him.
He shook my hand and said, "Please, call my Charlie. Hey, you two match." He pointed to my shirt and then to Bella.
I looked at Bella again and said, "I guess we do. What a coincidence."
Bella smirked at me knowingly. "Yeah, a coincidence." She looked around me and asked, "Where's Alice?"
"Um." I looked around trying to locate my 'date'. "I really don't know. She was just here a minute ago."
"Poor, Edward, you've already lost your date," she teased.
I laughed and said, "Yeah I guess. What a shame." Maybe I would be leaving with a different date.
"Bells, I think we're being seated," Charlie said. "We're on the dais."
"I'll talk to you later," Bella said. As she walked away she reached out and squeezed my hand.
I watched her walk away. I could still feel the tingle from where her hand had briefly held mine. I was still staring after her when my dad startled me out of my stupor.
"You're being very obvious, son."
"You scared the shit out of me. I'm not exactly trying to be discreet, if you must know. Alice and I have a plan and if we pull it off, then Bella will be going home with me tonight."
"And if this plan backfires?" he asked.
"I'm trying to not think about that," I mumbled.
"You better find your seat. Dinner is about to be served." He walked away from me, but then turned and said, "Be careful tonight. We don't want anyone to be hurt."