BPOV
It's a quiet walk back to the lodge in the early morning air, sneaking glances with flushed cheeks and toothy smiles. Neither of us knowing what awaits us on the other side of our hotel room doors but, hand in hand, we're as prepared as we'll ever be.
Edward holds the glass door open as we take a side entrance off the kitchen in order to avoid walking through the lobby in the same clothes we left in last night. Simple touches from Edward's fingertips and delicate kisses on his stubbled chin are all we risk in the elevator. The clock is ticking. I need to be showered and dressed and headed downstairs for primping with the bridesmaids in less than forty-five minutes.
At the door to my hotel room our fingers linger together for longer than time allows. "See you soon," he whispers. His breath is warm in my ear as he adds I love you off the tip of his tongue. We let go and I watch him walk tall and secure down the corridor until he disappears around the bend. My heart beats with a longing for him already. But first this.
I take a deep breath in preparation for what awaits me on the other side of the door and slide my key card.
The door clicks loudly and I scrunch up my eyes.
"Garrett?" I squeak, not really looking inside yet. His name barely leaves my lips but it doesn't matter because there's no one there to hear it.
The room is empty. The curtains are closed and the bed is perfectly made. My suitcase is exactly where I left it, propped right next to Garrett's. His shirts are still folded meticulously and piled neatly on the chair next to the dresser. Had housekeeping already been through this morning? It's awfully early for that, isn't it? Yet the room is immaculate.
Unsure of what to do next I sit on the edge of the bed and decide to mentally sort through the last twenty-four hours, which can be summed up in a sentence.
You left your date at the bar while you went off to fuck your ex-boyfriend, I remind myself.
To say I left Garrett in the lurch this weekend is an understatement and I wouldn't blame him if he up and left back to Pennsylvania. There's nothing keeping him here. Not even our friendship which I have no doubt is now on shaky ground. I've had a one-track mind this entire visit and that track has been Edward. Edward's face, Edward's arms, Edward's smell, Edward's heat, where's Edward? What'd Edward doing? He's all I've cared about since I stepped foot off the plane. He's what I came back here for. Esme and Carlisle's wedding - sure, I told myself I was coming back for them. But it's him. It's always been him. It will always be him. Always.
A light knock on the door breaks me out of my daze. I answer it swiftly. My heart leaps into my throat to find Edward leaning against the doorframe with a lazy smile on his face and his suitcase at his feet. He's still wearing the same wrinkled suit from last night.
"Garrett isn't here," I blurt out in a low voice, scanning the hallway and pulling Edward into the room. "Do you think he went back home? Where could he be? I left him alone, Edward. I've been so shitty to him this whole visit. He must –"
"I'm sure he's fine."
"But he doesn't know anybody. He sort of made friends with Jasper but – what are you doing?"
He's taking my hand and leading me out of the room and back down the hall. Before I can argue or ask why he had his suitcase with him we're standing in front of another door.
"This is my room," he whispers, putting his index finger to his lips. Quietly he pushes down on the handle and steps inside the threshold.
Instantly I understand why he's whispering.
In the middle of the bed, sprawled out a tangle of white sheets and nothing else, are Kate and Garrett.
"Is that?" I mouth. But it's obvious it's them. Her blonde hair and big boobs on display. His scrawny legs and bare ass in the air. Clothes are strewn all over the floor. A bra hangs from the mirror.
Edward nods, surveying the scene with boyish glee. We shouldn't be watching them - it's dirty and wrong but it's like a train wreck, impossible to look away. We gawk for a few more seconds until we hear one of them start to moan.
"Let's not disturb them," Edward whispers, taking my hand once again and easing us both out of the room. He takes a final look over his shoulder as he shuts the door and shakes his head. I can tell he's trying not to laugh.
"You're getting a real kick out of this aren't you?" I ask when we're safely down the hall and out of earshot.
"Aren't you?" he answers, picking up his suitcase and bringing it into my room.
"I don't know," I sigh, collapsing on the bed. "What happens now? Should we have woken them up?"
Edward silences me with a kiss and I melt. "You're going downstairs to do bridesmaid things. I'll get ready in here and then meet the guys in Carlisle's room for tequila shots," he smiles, licking his lips and smoothing my forehead with his thumb. "Don't look so frowny. Today's a good day. Everyone's getting what they want."
EPOV
After a quickie in the shower and another ramming into the headboard, Bella heads downstairs to join the girls while I lounge out on the bed in a towel. My tuxedo is pressed and upstairs in Carlisle's room waiting with the other groomsman's, and unlike the ladies we don't need five hours to get ready.
So here I sit. Freshly fucked and in love again. Funny how life works, isn't it? I'm contemplating turning on the TV or ordering room service when I hear the click of the door handle. My first thought is that Bella forgot something. A smile begins to spread across my face at the thought of how frustrated she'll be with herself…but instead I'm greeted with a high-pitched yelp from a disheveled Garrett entering the room like he's just seen a ghost.
"Edward!? Holy shit you scared me! I wasn't expecting you here. I, uh, I just came back to get my things and –"
I rise from the bed and stand to face him. It's immediately apparent how much taller I am than good ole Garrett and if this towel slips it's also going to be apparent just how well-hung I am. Garrett looks away and backs up a step or two.
"What, uh, what are you doing here?" he accuses pitifully.
"Where's Kate?" I ask like a curious child avoiding the question.
He begins to squirm as if trying to shed his skin and I swear I can see sweat beads forming on his upper lip.
"Shit. Look I'm sorry, man. You saw us didn't you? We heard the door close. Kate's in the shower. She's so embarrassed. I planned on leaving before the morning but we - I don't know what happened."
"Sure ya do," I half-chuckle, crossing my arms over my bare, slightly damp, chest. "You took your dick out and you put it in her - repeatedly."
"Yes, yes ok," he grimaces, preparing his face for my fist. "I know what happened and I'm sorry, ok?"
"Easy man, I'm not going to hit you. You banged my date. It's ok."
"It-it is? ...We were just sitting at the bar last night talking and - "
"And one thing led to another. I know how it goes." Should I tell him now or later how many times I've fucked Bella since last night?
"Right," he says, breathing a sigh of relief that I'm not going to kill him. "But listen Edward, it's more than that. It's more than sex. I really like her." His eyes glass over and I think he might be swooning. "Kate. Do you know it's short for Katherine? I think I might be falling for her. I know it's sudden, that we just met but –"
"Sometimes you just know?"
"Exactly." He stops flailing his arms and takes a deep breath. "But then there's Bella."
"What about Bella?" I ask quickly.
"I've liked her for so long. Not while you two were together, of course, although I thought she was really cool then, too."
"Uh huuuh?" I draw out slowly, not exactly sure where this is going.
"And I thought when she invited me out here that it meant she wanted to take things to the next level. Asking me to be her date? Taking me home to meet her family and friends? I was on cloud nine. She's beautiful and smart and funny. I would do anything just to spend ten minutes with her. Be late to class, eat when I wasn't hungry. Anything. Then when I found out we'd be sharing a room I couldn't believe it. I've dreamt about what it would be like to be with her."
"If you're trying not to get punched you better get to the point."
"As soon as we landed it became apparent why I was here. I was her mask - to distract her from her feelings and shield her when she finally saw you again. I should have known she wasn't over you, but it doesn't take a genius to figure it out. She's wanted you back since that day you left campus, but she needed my help. That's how I'm looking at it anyways. And I've been rewarded for taking one for the team by meeting the most amazing woman I've ever laid eyes on. Edward, Kate is incredible. At first we spent an hour at the bar bitching about you and Bella but then something clicked. It's like we've known each other for years."
"I'm happy for you, man. There was never going to be anything between me and Kate. I might have gotten drunk this weekend and fucked her, if there was no Bella."
"So are you and Bella back together? I mean, I was pretty sure when she said she was going back to the manor house last night that she was really going to find you."
"We belong together. The rest we'll figure out as we go." I shrug at the simplicity of it all.
"I feel the same way about Kate. This is going to sound crazy, but I can already see myself with her forever. Like, one day she'll be Mrs. Garrett Denali."
"Did you just say Denali?"
If you've stuck with this story you might remember where that name comes from. If not no biggie - The next chapter will straighten it all out. Almost ready to wrap this baby up!