Rating: M
Disclaimer: Twilight is still owned and operated by Stephenie Meyer, I'm just slurping in her saucer (okay I borrowed that but I really liked it)
Once again Lovinrob and Amandac3 has stuck with me and I am very happy to say they are coming with me for my next story.
Alright ladies, two more chapters. I thought I would wind it up with Chapter 53 but there is just too much to do yet so it will be one more chapter and then the epilogue. I think you are reeeeeally going to like it. In Plain Sight will post on October 6th. I think this story will post only once a week because with BD posting twice a week, I put a lot of pressure on my Betas who have kids and a husband and jobs, plus their own stories they are writing. I need to give them a break. So if you haven't alerted yourself to follow me, and you want to read my next story well… you know. Jus' sayin.
CHAPTER 52
Edward
As I stand in my office looking out over the vineyard, I see Bella drive by in Pinkie. She can't see me because the windows are tinted but she looks up in my direction anyway and smiles not knowing if I'm there or not. But I am.
I sip on my coffee thinking about the very first time I laid eyes on her. How I noticed then how beautiful she was. I believe that I was a goner from that very moment. She has given me one hell of a roller coaster ride this past year and I thought I had lost her more than I care to remember but still, I know I love her with all that I am and all that I will be.
I move to my desk and buzz Jasper to come in to see me. I pull out two beers from the refrigerator and sit on the couch while I wait for him.
"What is it, Edward? He asks as soon as he comes through the door and sits across from me.
"Jazz, I've only spoken to Bella and dad about this but it's time you and I have the conversation." I say taking a long drink of my beer and waiting for Jasper to do the same.
"It's harvest time again and soon you will hear that Jackson Denali is going to file Chapter 11. Before he does, I want to make him an offer he can't possibly refuse." I look at Jasper and know that his mind is working in a thousand different directions. He stares straight into my eyes. He is calculating, analyzing and finalizing.
"He will know soon, if he doesn't already, that last year's production is shit. He will scavenge to buy grapes but no one will sell to him now. I need you to determine what his property is worth then reduce the amount by the amount you deem suitable." I can see realization come to Jasper's eyes and then he starts writing notes. "I would like to have this in three days. Can you do that?" I ask, bringing my bottle to my lips again.
"Well, it is crush time with the whites, if you can do without me for a few days, I can get to work on this, and this is certainly something you can ask Bella to help you with as well. She may not have her test results yet but she does have the knowledge that she can put to use, Edward." I look at Jasper and nearly jump up to hug him with that suggestion.
"That is a perfect idea, Jasper. She has been antsy and I thought the remodel would keep her occupied but it's just not enough." I jump up to call her cell, smiling at Jasper's brilliant idea.
"Hey, babe, would you come to the office? Jasper and I have something to discuss with you."
"Am I in trouble?" Bella asks like a little kid being called to the principal's office.
"No, silly girl. Just hurry, okay?" I laugh at her and hang up my phone.
"Okay, she's on her way. What is it you need her to do, Jasper?"
We discuss the different possibilities before Bella arrives and when she came through the door, I saw her using her arm in a way that she knows she has already been reprimanded for.
"Bella, dammit, babe. Where is your sling?" I admonish her. "You are not supposed to be without it."
"I know, I'm sorry, Edward, but my shoulder feels better and I have better use of my arm now. As soon as this comes off, my arm will be perfect, I promise." She says, making excuses for herself.
"Well, I'm telling." I say getting up and walking to my desk drawer, pulling out a new sling and slipping it over her arm.
"Oh, please. Don't tell. I'll wear it every day if you don't tell." She begs but I ignore her.
"Bella," Jasper begins. "Edward has filled me in on the Denali ranch going bankrupt. He has asked me to gather some data and come up with numbers for the purchase of the winery and I think you can help with gathering some of the information, if you want to get your feet wet."
Shit! I cover my ears and Angela runs in the office to find out what happened when she hears Bella scream.
"Oh my God, you guys. I would love that. What do you need? Just tell me and I'll do it." She says sitting on the edge of her seat… literally.
"I need you to start researching the bankruptcy court filings to see if he has filed yet." Jasper says, looking over his list. "Then ask Angela for a list of equipment that we have here at our winery, assume that Denali has like equipment and calculate, or shall I say, guesstimate, what the cost would be as used equipment. Place all that data into a spreadsheet for me. That would save me a ton of time and make your friend happy that I am not stuck here at my office all night while she is at home alone." Jasper grins at me and I nod in acknowledgment.
"After you are done with that, we will need an estimate of the land itself, the vines, you know, basically everything that is there. I am going to get to work on the production end of things right now and how much the property stands to make, if successful, over the next 10 years or so." Jasper seemingly talks to his notepad while writing.
"Okay, I'll get started right away." She says, heading toward the door and then stops before opening it. "Thank you, guys, for including me." She says and then stops at Angela's desk for the inventory records. I hear Angela tell her that she has everything in Excel and she will have Ben network her computer to the system so she can access all the records from her office at the house.
"Is that okay with you, Edward?" Angela yells at me from her desk.
"Yes, and also get her a set of keys to everything and give her the codes." I say but decide to walk out to her desk.
"Bella, Angela will instruct you on our procedures and protocols okay? We all have them and we all abide by them so…"
"I understand, Edward." She says, reaching up to kiss me. "Thank you for trusting me."
"Hey, you are two months away from being our legal counsel; you need to know this, so why not start now?" I say, shrugging my shoulders.
"Right." She says, turning back to Angela to get filled in on the policies and procedures.
I go back to my office and walk up to Jasper and extend my hand to him. He looks at it and then up at me questionably.
"What you did for my girl just now was something I didn't even think about doing. I've had her wrapped up in a cocoon for so long, just seeing her spread her wings and the joy you have given her by not only treating her like she was part of our family, but a valued part of our team as well. I wasn't doing that for her but you did and I thank you for that, brother." Jasper stands and takes my hand, shaking it.
"You'd do the same for Alice, Edward." He says as he walks down the hall toward his office.
I reach for my phone and call dad to see if he has time to meet with me as well.
"Hey dad, how's it going?" I start off with formalities.
"Good, son. How's Bella doing?" He returns.
"Good. She's good. Hey dad, can you come by my office real quick. I want to talk to you about the Denali place." I say, getting to the point.
"Sure, sure. I'll be right there." Dad says before hanging up.
I know he's nervous about my decision and I've thought about it long and hard and had long discussions with Bella about it as well. She helped me sort it out a lot, so it's time to talk to dad about it. I decided to write Bella an email before dad gets here and chuckle at how much she will love this.
To: Bella Swan
From: Edward Cullen
Re: How much do I love thee…
Hey you. You have just left my office and I wanted to sit and write to you to tell you how very much I love you, Bella. You have brought so much joy and light into my life when I had nothing but the same thing every day with nothing to come home to. Now that I have you waiting for me it is the most precious gift I have ever received. I will love you forever and will do everything I can to make you happy and keep a smile on your beautiful face.
Thank you for taking part in my pet project, Bella, and I can thank Jasper for the idea of assigning this project to you. I have been so wrapped up in what happened with Tanya, I have been smothering you and didn't even realize I was doing it until I saw your face just now.
Once you get that assignment completed, let me know because I have another idea I think you might enjoy and I know you are perfect for.
I'm glad you are in my life, baby. I can't wait to call you my wife.
Yours always,
Edward
"Knock, knock." Dad says before he enters my office.
"Hey dad." I say, clicking on 'send', forwarding Bella's email to her. "I've made a decision on the Denali property."
"What do you have in mind son?" He says taking a seat in front of me.
"I have decided I want to keep it all in the family but this venture, I want to keep just between you and me." I look at him for his reaction and there is none.
"Alright. Why just you and I? Why not your brothers too?" I knew he would ask that.
"I want to buy it but since you said you wanted to keep it in the family I was going to ask you if you wanted to invest in the project as a silent partner. You see, I want to give the winery to Bella as a wedding gift."
"Edward, you know how I feel about Bella but don't you think that's rather extravagant?"
"Possibly. Probably. But it's our legacy I want to start. I will be marrying her and we will have children and I want to leave my children with their legacy, like you will leave yours. It will still be run by Volturi, a portion of the profits will be earned by Volturi, but the majority will be held under Swan Wines." I say out loud making it seem more real now.
"Okay, son. I think this is something we can work with. What about your brothers?" He reminded me again.
"Well, I will negotiate a contract with them on an escalating scale to a designated salary cap. Bella will be our in-house counsel and will earn a salary from both Volturi and Swan Wines. You as a silent partner will invest, but only if you want to, although it is not necessary but you did express your desire to be involved. You will earn a percentage over and above your investment amount, if you want. You don't have to be involved if you prefer not to." I say, giving him the option to be a part of my project or not. The choice is his. He certainly doesn't need it, but I know he likes to be involved; to belong.
"Absolutely, son. Just tell me where to sign." He says beaming with excitement at starting a new venture.
"As soon as I get the numbers from Bella and Jasper, I will let you know when I plan on calling Jackson for a meeting. Do you want to be there when I do?" I ask, knowing the answer.
"You know I do, Edward. I want to watch his face when reality sets in that he has lost everything. I just hope he takes your bait." Dad says getting up from his seat to head home.
"Can I talk about this with your mother?" He turns and asks.
"It's not a secret, but let's keep it that way until we get everything ironed out first, okay?"
"Okay, son. See you at lunch." He says, more of an order that I will be there.
"I'll grab Bella and we will see you then. Tell mom we are coming will you?" I say as I turn my attention back to my computer to see if Bella has written me back. I smile when I see her name in my 'inbox'.
To: Edward Cullen
From: Bella Swan
Re: The love of my life
Dear Edward,
What a sweet treat it was to open my email to find a love letter from the most handsome man I have ever known.
I ask myself almost daily how it is that I have been fortunate enough to have met you. Me. A simple girl who was driving down the road to a vacation spot to rest and relax for two weeks. It was then that I realized that my blessing was twofold. First you saved my heart from a loneliness that I was unaware of until you came into my life. I was just existing but not actually living until I met you. You opened my eyes to a love that I never dreamed I would have. Secondly, you saved my life. Literally. In every way a girl could be saved. I knew you would never give up on me; never give up the hope of finding me. You kept me alive.
I cannot tell you how much I love you. There are no words. You make my heart and soul sing when you touch me. I promise you that I will try and show you for the rest of my life how much I love you and will be the happiest woman alive in proving it.
I will love you forever,
Your Bella.
I read her email over and over and it sinks in deeper and deeper just how she feels and how much she actually does love me. The next thing I know I am standing at her office door and I see her head bent over papers while she is scribbling frantically.
I quietly walk toward her knowing I need to hold her and feel her against me when she sees me. I look deep into her beautiful brown eyes and I can't look anywhere else. As I walk around her desk she slowly places her pencil down and sits back in her chair as she watches me literally stalk her.
I take her hands and pull her into my arms and just hold her. I need to just hold her. To smell her and feel her heart beat against mine.
I find my hand twisted in her hair and I pull her head back to look at me and I see it. I see the love she has for me. I can't help it when I slowly lower my lips to hers and tenderly kiss her. Her lips are so soft and warm. So giving. When my tongue traces the bottom lip she favors, she whimpers and it is my undoing. I need to have her and my tongue invades her mouth to taste her and to show her how much I want her.
I can feel her heart beat harder now. I can hear her breathing intensify. I know she wants me but this is not about sex. I need to feel her and taste her just like this. I need to tell her how much I am hers.
"I love you so much, Bella. So much that my heart actually hurts. There is nothing I can say or do to release that pain. You are everything to me. You are my reason for existing and I can't wait to call you my wife." I can see tears fill her eyes and I pull her head up against my chest, holding her tight for a long while.
"Come on, baby. We are expected at the house for lunch. I promised dad." I say but not before I taste her lips again. And not before I have to reach down and adjust myself from a very painful and uncomfortable problem.
She giggles and shakes her head at me.
"What?" I say frowning and pulling her against me again.
"It must suck to be a guy." She says taking my hand leading me toward the door.
"I don't know about that. I like being the guy who gets to bury himself inside you whenever I want. Nothing in the world can beat that, Isabella." I say to her, stopping her from going through the door. I pull her to me again and hold her in my arms and I breathe a sigh of contentment.
"Thank you for your email, Bella. It means the world to me and I finally get it. I knew you loved me but I didn't know, or I should say, I didn't grasp the intensity of the love you have for me. I only know how I feel for you. I need you to know that, baby." I say as our foreheads touch.
"I know it, Edward. You show me every single day and I love you for it. I need you to know that as well." She says breathing her sweet breath onto my lips.
I give her one long last kiss before we walk to my parents for lunch. When we enter the house, it's obvious my brothers and the girls are there as well.
"Hey guys." Bella says as she walks to the kitchen to help mom set out lunch.
"Hey Belly. I saw you over at the office this morning. You can't keep distracting the boss here. He'll never get anything done at that rate." Emmett says, popping an olive in his mouth.
To her credit, she didn't say a word; she just smiled at him and put the bowls in her hands onto the table.
"She was there to take on an assignment I gave her. I'm putting her to work and we've had a conversation about this, Emmett. I won't have you disrespecting Bella that way." I say sitting down at the table watching Bella as she sits next to me.
"Sorry, Belly." Emmett says quietly.
"So," Alice begins, getting everyone's attention. "Jasper and I have set a date and we have an announcement to make." She says and blushes when she sees everyone's eyes on her.
"June of next year… In Italy. We want to get married at the estate there." She says and it seems to be too quiet when the announcement is made. I look around and everyone is looking at Bella and me.
"What?" Bella says, looking at everyone.
"Well," Alice continues. "We, being me and Jasper and Rosalie and Emmett are getting married on the estate and we want you to get married there with us. On that date. Please say yes, Bella. Pleeeeeeease?" She begs with her hands clasped under her chin and I look down at Bella and her face is blank.
"We aren't getting married in Italy." I say to everyone breaking Bella's spell. "I have plans for us and it does not include a triple wedding. Sorry, Alice, Rosalie. I know you want to make this a threesome but that is not what Bella and I have planned. In fact, I have asked Bella to turn over the wedding plans to me and she has agreed." I say and everyone continues to stare at us.
"What?" Bella says again looking at everyone at the table.
"Bella, we thought you would want to do this with us." Rosalie chimes in.
"I do want to do this with you and I will be there with you all the way. I will be at the altar with you as we planned but I want to wait and see what Edward has planned for us. He knows what I want and we don't have a date set. It will happen though. I'm sorry you guys." She says looking at her crushed friends.
"Oh, stop. This is your wedding you two are planning. Don't make this about me. Make it about you. I will be there, just not 'up' there with you."
Once the initial shock of Bella not getting married with them in Italy wears off, we are all back to normal, being a family, talking over each other about anything and everything. While we are eating lunch, dad's cell phone rings and he looks at the caller then looks at me and excuses himself to his office. While the girls talk wedding plans, colors and honeymoons, dad leans out his door and motions for me to come to his office.
"Excuse me. Be right back, babe." I say, leaning in to Bella. Our eyes meet in a questionable glance wondering what my dad could possibly want with me.
I graze her shoulder as I walk past her to my dad who is waiting in the doorway.
"That was Jenks on the phone." He says hurriedly. "Sandra is in intensive care and she has asked Jenks to get you and me there as soon as possible." He says as he grabs the keys to his car and starts for the door.
"Okay, let me tell Bella and I'll meet you out front." I say.
"Let me tell everyone, son." He says, and I nod in agreement and we walk back to the dining room.
"Okay, that was Jenks on the phone. Apparently Sandra Denali is in the intensive care unit at the hospital and she has asked for Edward and me to get to the hospital right away. It doesn't look good for her. Jackson has beaten her up pretty bad and he has taken off, presumably leaving the country." My dad looks at me and he knows this has thwarted my plans to offer to purchase the winery.
"Fuck." I say out loud, looking apologetically at mom.
"Let's go, son." He says and rushes to the door.
"Bella, I will call you as soon as I figure out what's going on and why she wants to see me, okay?" I say to her before kissing her quickly, then heading out the same door my dad went through.
Once we are on the road I try to get more information out of dad but apparently he has told me all knows. When we get to the hospital, we park in the ER parking lot and rush inside, asking the desk for the ICU, specifically Mrs. Sandra Denali's room. We then run down the hallway and see Jenks squatted on the floor opposite the door that goes into Sandra's room.
"Jenks!" I shout at him. "What the hell is going on?" I say when he stands up, running his hands through his gray hair.
"He nearly killed her, Carlisle." He says frantically. "She's in there fighting for her life. He was intent on killing her and I think he may have. They don't know if she's going to make it." I've never seen a grown man, other than myself, cry as hard as he is crying right now. I really wanted to say 'welcome to my world' but that would be just too cruel. Even for me.
"What did she want with me, Jenks?" I ask as he wipes his face on his shirt sleeve.
"Apparently Jackson snapped over me killing Tanya and he took it out on her because he knows about us. He's always known about us. Now, with Tanya out of the picture, Sandra was finally leaving him and he wasn't having it." He explains. Suddenly the alarms go off in Sandra's room and all we see are hospital personnel running inside her room.
"It's been like this since I brought her here. She nearly dies, they bring her back then she is quiet for a while then the alarms sound again. Each time they run in there, I don't know if they will bring her back." He breaks down again and I finally give in to my human side and actually feel sorry for him.
We wait until the doctors come out and tell Jenks that she is back to breathing again and that they are surprised she has made it this far. I can't think what she went through at the hands of that mad man who hurt her so bad that she is in this state.
"Jenks, do you need anything? Coffee, water, food? Anything?" I ask him putting my hand on his shoulder.
"No. Nothing. Just Sandra to pull through this. Edward, I never knew what you went through when I watched you sitting with Bella, willing her to live."
I look at Jenks and I see compassion in his eyes. He looks like a broken man, as if he truly believes she will not make it.
"Still, Jenks, why am I here?" I ask again.
"Edward, Sandra owns Denali Winery. The land has been in her family for over 100 years. Jackson wants it and tried to kill her for it." He says, looking through the window again at Sandra.
I hear an audible gasp between my father and myself.
"She wants you to have it. She wants you to buy it from her. I have the papers here for you to sign but you need to sign them while she's alive. She's already signed them so do it now before it's too late. I know you will agree to the price." He says shoving the folder at me so that I can review the documents.
I take the documents from him quickly peruse them and fully agree to the amount and terms. I sign on the bottom line with the date and time of signing. I hand the papers back to Jenks and he continues to stare into Sandra's room. I finally look in and am shocked at what I see. Her head is completely wrapped in gauze where he beat her face, breaking her cheek bones, her nose, and her jaw. Her ribs seem to be broken; her hand looks broken where Jenks said Jackson slammed a door on her. I cringe at the thought.
"I will take these to the lawyers as soon as I feel it's safe for me to leave her." He says still staring at her.
"Would you like me to take them, Jenks? I know you would rather stay here with her and I would be happy to drop them off." My dad volunteers.
"That would be great, Carlisle. It's Brown's office there on Main Street. He's expecting them and is ready to get this settled. She does not want Jackson to have one grain of sand off that land and with him out of the country she wants this deal done quickly. Can you get a check to the Napa Title Company tomorrow, Edward?"
"Yes. I will do it first thing in the morning. As soon as I hear from Mr. Brown's office, I will run a check over. Jackson won't take any of that money will he? I don't want him to take that from her." I say, feeling protective of her suddenly.
"No, you will make it out to a corporation she formed. He can't touch it." He explains, looking at me. "I'm afraid I'm going to kill him, Edward. If she dies, I will kill him." He says. By the look in his eyes, I don't doubt him for one second. I sigh and nod as I don't know what else to say. I would probably do the same thing. No, I know I would do the same thing.
"Okay, Jenks, I'll run this over to Brown's office. Edward, you stay here and keep Jenks company and I will be back to pick you up." I nod and he walks quickly down the hall toward the door.
"Edward, she wanted you to have the land as an apology for what Bella went through at the hands of her daughter and husband. She did it for Bella. She hopes that you share this gift with her." He says, looking at me, wanting me to understand that the land was actually Bella's and not Volturi's.
"I plan on gifting it to her, Jenks. When Sandra wakes up, I want you to tell her that, alright? And she will wake up Jenks. Have faith." And just as I spoke those last words, the alarms sounded again, and the rush of personnel come at us from down the hall. I stand by Jenks, offering what little support I can when I look up and see my entire family coming toward us.
"Jenks, look." I say, grabbing his shoulder as he looks down the hall.
"That's my family, Jenks. They are here for you and Sandra."
And he breaks down into sobs again and falls to his knees. I know he is grateful that they are there for him and he feels he doesn't deserve it after what he did to Bella. But there's my girl at the front of the line to offer her support.
"Jenks, here. I brought you a hot meal. I want you to eat this because you aren't going to be any good for Sandra if you don't eat. She's going to need you healthy when she wakes up." Bella says, giving him a plastic container filled with her personal stash of mushroom ravioli and warm sourdough bread.
"Thank you, Bella." Jenks says, looking at her, then at the rest of my family.
"Where's Carlisle?" My mom asks.
"It's a long story. Come to the waiting room and I will tell you what Sandra has done."
As we all huddle together in the waiting room, I begin to share the story when I hear the alarms go off again. This afternoon, I would never have thought I would say this, but for Jenks' sake, I hope Sandra survives.
A/N: *Sniff* Now don't you kind of feel a little sorry for Jenks? I know I do. Now onward we go. Guess what happens next chapter chickies? Yup, the wedding *shhhhh* we don't want Bella to know. So, please tell me how you love the story and how much you will miss it. I know you will. Because I know how much I will miss you if I don't hear your reviews dammit. Go'on now…. click it.
