"I'll be waiting for you. When you're ready to love me again," – I'll be Waiting by Adele (Album: 21)
We're keeping it simple and going to dinner. Edward picks me up from my apartment and we go to a little Mexican restaurant he swears by. It's cute and casual and perfect for a first date. Or in our case a second first date.
As always it's easy just being with him. The hard part is my feelings, because I've always felt too much for him. We talk as we eat, keeping conversation as simple as the date. Not getting too deep. We talk about college, about our friends. He tells me about how he and Emmett became friends, finding it funny he's my best friend's husband. We talk about his move back to Seattle and of course, Maggie.
"While I was gone, my mom was decorating my house and unpacking everything for me." He says. "Every day I'd get e-mails or phone calls with paint colors or decorating idea's she wanted to try. If I hadn't come home as much as I did, I'm pretty sure my house would look like the inside of an Ikea." He laughs.
"How often did you come home?" I ask
"As much as possible. I'd call Maggie every day, but I couldn't stand not seeing her for too long. Whenever I was home we'd just stay in and I'd fix the house. And she'd just tag along. Telling me all about what she'd been doing, even if she already told me on the phone."
"She's so enthusiastic when she tells a story. It's so cute." I say.
"She gets very into it." Edward nods.
"The way she waves her little hands. It's adorable." I tell him. Edward smiles wide.
"I love the way you notice thing like that about her." He tells me.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." He nods, "It means you pay attention. That you care enough to notice."
"Of course I care." I tell him.
"And I love that you do." He says. I smile and take a bite of food. Not being naïve to the fact that he used the word love twice in less than two minutes. That's the way it always is with Edward. Though circumstances have changed and we've grown, it's still so simple between us. Easy to just fall right back to where we were. And that scares me a bit. It's almost too easy.
When we leave the restaurant Edward drives me back to my apartment, walking me up to the door like a gentleman.
"Did you have a good time tonight?" He asks.
"I did." I smile.
"Are you sure?" He asks, a serious expression on his face. Deep green eyes boring into my brown.
"Yes, why do you ask?"
Edward sighs deeply and runs a hand through his hair.
"It's just…Bella, if you didn't want to go out with me, all you had to do was say so. Because I can feel you're holding back. I know you. We've been focusing on getting to know each other again but forgetting how well we still know each other. And after all these years somethings haven't changed."
I start to speak, but he continues, "I know years ago things ended because they had. And I never expected to see you again. Not like this. When I have a chance with you. And I still feel something. The same something I felt back then, but more. We're older Bella, I want more with you than just dating. I want this to become something. And if you don't feel it too, tell me now, before I get anymore invested."
I keep quiet for a minute and look at him. I see him for less of the boy he was and more of the man he is. Both of which are amazing. With his hair going every which way, face serious, and prepared for heartbreak. He looks exhausted. A single father trying to find the love he lost before. Thinking he missed his chance for good.
"I feel it too." I tell him, his green eyes light up instantly. "And more. I'm invested, Edward. I'm just scared by how invested I already am. By how easy it is to just fall right where we left off." I explain.
He steps closer, rubbing my arms with his callused hands.
"It's easy because it's us." He says. "You and me, Bella. And we're not falling back. We're different people in different places in life. We're taking a step forward. Toward something more. Something better than teenage love gone wrong."
"I see now why you're a writer." I tell him, moving closer, resting my hands on his waist.
"This isn't fiction. Believe me." He says. His breath fanning my face.
"I believe you. And no more holding back." I tell him, proving my point by closing the space between us and kissing him. Deep and full of feeling.