Sorry, guys! My humblest apologies - unfortunately real life does things that derail timelines. Work is super crazy, especially now, but I'm back on my feet. Thanks to everyone's encouraging reviews and PMs. Nice to know that I - we (Streetlight's Bella & Edward included) - were missed!
Streetlight People
Part Four: Working Hard To Get My Fill
Chapter Nine
To say that Edward was pissed for the rest of the day was an understatement.
After leaving the diner and hitting a White Castle drive-thru, he sulked around at home, slamming cabinet doors and throwing unsuspecting remotes at random. When the clock on his cellphone told him it was time for work, he stomped down to his car and drove through back streets (not heeding any of the stop signs he encountered along the way) and slammed the door to his Seville so hard when he got to Cullen's that the door handle fell off of the passenger side.
"Fuck," he muttered, his bad mood amping up further.
As he walked into the bar, Carlisle (fresh from his afternoon nap) approached him, seemingly oblivious to his shitty mood.
"Come with me, boy," he said, tapping the bar top thrice before turning heel towards his office.
"Seriously?" Edward sneered at the back of his boss' head. "What do I look like, some sort of dog?"
But he tucked his bar rag into his back pocket and slowly followed.
"Sit," Carlisle commanded when Edward eventually made his way through the door.
"Woof," Edward spat, plopping down into the plush red velvet arm chair.
"I'm going to ignore the insolence," Carlisle began, "because Es told me what the cheeky little sass did to you."
"Fuck."
"But I am going to tell you – get your shit together, man."
"Believe me, Carlisle, I'm trying." Edward slouched into cushions. "I'm fucking trying."
"No you're not, you little shit."
The two sat in silence, Edward holding his tongue lest he get fired and Carlisle observing the young man before him. And truly, this was a man – he had come to Cullen's a punk, but this Edward Masen sitting in front of his was a man, and not one to shrug at, either. He felt a swell of pride run through him.
"I…"
Carlisle quirked an eyebrow but waited as patiently as his minimal self-control would allow.
"I… fuck. I wouldn't… I don't know where to start."
Carlisle leaned back in his leather desk chair, a small smile on his face and his fingers tented below his chin.
"And that, my boy, is the best place to start."