I'm not sure what is in the drink Bella's mother hands me, but I'm fairly sure it's a concoction she's invented herself—and that I'm going to be completely shitfaced if I drink more than one of them.

Bella winces as she swallows a large mouthful. 'Remind me not to let Mum make me another drink,' she says. 'I'll be off my face in no time.'

'I've never seen you drunk,' I say, surprised.

Bella shrugs. 'Never been a huge drinker. The meds I'm on don't mix so well with alcohol, anyway.'

'Of course.' I feel like an idiot for bringing it up, but Bella winks at me over the rim of her glass.

'I do get high every now and then. You might enjoy that.'

'Yeah? Do you get the giggles?' That would be cute as hell.

Bella's smile turns sly and she crooks her finger at me. I comply, bending my knees so she can whisper in my ear. 'No. I get really horny.'

'Bel…' Without thinking, I swallow another mouthful of the 'cocktail.' I grimace; it really is disgusting. Bella shakes her head and takes my glass from me. She makes sure her mum isn't looking before she empties both our drinks into a planter box.

'Sorry, hydrangeas,' she whispers. She motions for me to follow her and we head back into the kitchen, where she pulls open the fridge and extracts two bottles of beer. She digs through a drawer for a bottle opener, opens both beers, and hands one to me.

I take a deep pull, grateful for the familiar taste after whatever the hell Renée had us drinking. Bella clearly feels the same, because she lets out a contented sigh after her first sip. She leans into me and I sling an arm across her shoulders.

I'm weighing up the odds of someone walking in on us if I were to press her up against the counter and kiss her soundly when Charlie stomps back inside. He empties his glass into the sink and turns, his expression guilty when he realises he's not alone.

'Uh.' He scratches his chin. 'Bella, do you reckon you could take over the drinks for a bit? Your mother…' He shakes his head, apparently at a loss for words. 'Just for a few minutes? Tell her you'll play bartender for a while so she can go mingle? Once she gets chatting she'll forget all about it so you can just leave it to people to help themselves, yeah?'

Bella sighs, but steps out from under my arm. 'Yeah, no worries. At least that way your plants won't all end up getting poisoned.'

'Thanks, sweetheart.'

Bella is uncorking a bottle of Prosecco when I notice Jasper heading towards us. He's with a tall, dark-haired girl who looks a little unsure of herself. I'm not positive, but I think she may have been one of the girls who was with Bella and Jasper when they showed up at that party all those months ago.

Jasper takes advantage of Bella's preoccupation with mixing Aperol spritzes for a trio of women to sidle up beside me. He's got that look in his eye, the one that tells me he's in the mood to needle me. Fan-fucking-tastic.

'So. You and Bella, huh?'

'Yep.' I take a sip of my beer. 'Me and Bella.' I look past Jasper and extend my hand to the girl. 'Hey. I'm Edward.'

She sucks her bottom lip into her mouth before she accepts my handshake. 'Jess. I, um, I'm a good friend of Bella's so I've heard a lot about you.'

I wonder if this is 'you have to fight and make up before you can know you're in love' Jess.

'Likewise,' I say. Because if it is that Jess, then I know she was one of the first friends Bella made when she started school here. Which makes it really quite bizarre that she's come with Jasper. Unless, of course, Bella has kept certain things to herself.

I look over at Bella and I can tell she's noticed Jasper from the way her gaze keeps flickering between the women she's talking to and Jasper, Jess, and me. As soon as she's passed each of the women a glass, she pats the nearest one's arm and immediately starts moving in our direction. Jasper knows it, too, because he times what he says next to ensure she hears the end of it.

'Bummer that she won't give head, right? We all know how much you were always gagging for a gobby.' He nudges Jess, apparently expecting she'll be amused by his alliteration.

Jess isn't paying any attention to him, her focus is on Bella.

'Jess, hey. You didn't tell me you were coming.' Bella smiles at her, but it's a little forced.

Jess looks completely miserable. 'I didn't realise it was your parents' thing,' she says softly. 'Jasper asked me to be his plus one to a party his parents were going to. He didn't…' She breaks off, shaking her head. 'I only realised once we turned into your street.' It's pretty clear she's figured out Jasper didn't bring her because he enjoys her company and I can't help but feel sorry for her.

Bella squeezes Jess's hand. 'I'm glad you're here,' she says. Jess relaxes a little in the face of Bella's genuine warmth.

'So,' Bella says. 'What did I interrupt?'

'Nothing,' I say, at the same time as Jasper says, 'I was just telling Jess about how famous Ed's love of head is.' He barks a laugh and claps my shoulder, apparently oblivious to the growing hostility in the three pairs of eyes trained on him. 'This guy was like, a total legend when we were at school. Got suspended for getting a chick to blow him in one of the science labs. What was her name again, Ed? She was a redhead, right? Massive rack.'

I sigh. Motherfucking Jasper. 'Is this really necessary?'

Jasper snaps his fingers. 'Vicky, right? She was a few years ahead of us.'

He's right, but I'm unwilling to dignify his antics with a response. He grins at me, triumphant, while Jess picks at her fingernails.

Bella, on the other hand, studies me carefully. 'How old were you?'

I shrug, ducking my head and pulling my hand through my hair. 'Fourteen.'

'Yeah, would of been year nine,' Jasper adds.

Bella ignores him. 'It was when Katie was sick?' she asks, her voice gentle.

I nod. 'Few weeks after she was diagnosed.'

Bella gives me a small smile before she straightens her shoulders. When she speaks again, her voice is louder and clearer. 'And did you reciprocate?'

I stare at her. 'I'm sorry?'

Bella winks at me. I have no clue where the hell she's going with this, but she doesn't seem the least bit upset.

'Did you return the favour?' she asks. 'Did you go down on her?'

Jasper coughs, his eyes bugging out. Jess stops picking at her nails and watches us, her mouth slightly open.

'Uh, no.' My face feels hot, but it has nothing to do with the scorching temperatures outside. At the time of the incident Jasper has so helpfully recalled, I was just a dumb kid whose world had been turned upside down. I'd jumped at the chance for some attention and affection when it was offered. I wouldn't have had the first clue about how to get a girl off. The thought of offering wouldn't have even crossed my mind.

Bella shakes her head, feigning sadness. 'Sucks to be her,' she says. 'Because that mouth of yours…' She fakes a shiver. 'Nothing compares.'

Jasper looks like he's choking on his beer. Jess snickers quietly.

'Still,' Bella continues, 'maybe it's for the best. You might've spoiled her for anyone else like you have me.'

She does that thing she does, grabbing me by the shirt and crashing her mouth to mine. She kisses me soundly then looks back at Jasper. 'He legit could teach a class,' she says. 'He'd make a fortune and make a whole lot of women really fucking happy at the same time. Maybe you should ask him for some pointers.'

Bella winks at me and walks away. My gaze trails after her as she returns to the women and the conversation she just excused herself from.

My brain hasn't quite caught up with the last few minutes. I'm not entirely sure what the hell just happened, but I'm mildly embarrassed, incredibly amused, and stupidly turned on.

Jasper looks like he'd be quite happy for the floor to open up and swallow him. Jess looks like she's trying really hard not to laugh. She glances at me and her shoulders start to shake and her eyes start to water and then she loses the battle and busts out laughing.

'Oh. My. God.' She gasps the words between peals of giggles. 'That was brutal.'

She looks at Jasper, which sobers her right up. 'You're a dickhead,' she says. 'I don't know what you were thinking but'—she jabs him in the chest—'you totally just got what you deserve.'

Jess turns back to me and holds her hand out for me to slap it. Bemused, I comply.

'It was nice to finally meet you, Edward. Tell Bella I'll catch up with her properly soon, okay?'

'Sure.'

She nudges Jasper's knee with her foot. 'You need to do everyone a favour and leave,' she says. 'You can drop me home on your way.'

gobby = blow job, obvs. It's gross, I know. Sorry.

Not much longer to go.