Chapter 16: The Meeting and the Reckoning

"You don't have to be nervous," Mickey mumbled distractedly, her eyes set on her phone as she lounged on her stomach on my bed.

I sighed. I was beyond nervous. "I'm meeting his friends. It's nerve-wracking." I adjusted the strap on my shirt so my bra strap was hidden underneath it.

I turned to Mickey with my arms out. "How do I look?"

She looked up from her phone and smiled. "You look beautiful, Ma."

I bit my lip and turned to the full-length mirror on my closet door. I wore a strappy black and white shirt that flared out at my hips and black jeans that fit me just perfectly. I topped it off with my hair in a loose bun atop my head, tendrils framing my face.

I turned this way and that way, checking myself out. "It's not too much?"

Mickey rolled her eyes. "You're prettier than a picture, whatever the fuck that means."

I glared at her in the mirror and she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

I checked the time on my phone and groaned. I had half an hour before I had to start heading to Edward's apartment. I still needed to put my makeup on. I wasn't big on makeup, but I knew how to apply the basics and I wanted to look nice.

I sat at my vanity and started with my eyeliner, winging it out and then topping my lashes with a small coat of mascara. I finished off the look with dark red lipstick, smacking my lips together in the mirror and appraising myself.

"It will have to do," I mumbled to myself.

Mickey came up behind me and smiled at my reflection. "You're so purty," she giggled.

"Are you going to be okay while I'm out?"

"Yes, Mom. I'm just gonna get into your wine and throw a party for my friends. All two of them."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, smartass." I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. I never swore unless I was really peeved off and never in front of my impressionable daughter. I had cut swearing out of my life almost completely when I had her and one of her first words was "shit."

She cocked her brow at me. "Mama's growing up," she cooed and I reached back to slap her on her stomach. She winced and moved away from my flinging fingers.

I checked the time again. I really had to go. I sighed and stood up, grabbing a pair of black booties from my closet. "Just be good while I'm gone. I'll try to be home before midnight."

She nodded, her eyes back on her phone. I stilled on my way to the door. "Have you... tried contacting your dad yet?" I had been avoiding the subject but curiosity got the better of me.

She shook her head. "I'm not ready yet."

"It's all up to you, Mick."

Her head nodded minutely, her eyes still on her phone. If she hadn't contacted him yet, her serious interest in her phone was questionable. I decided I would ask about it later.

"Love you, baby."

"Love you, too," she replied.


I took a deep breath in through my nose and held it as I stood outside Edward's door, my hand poised to knock but not cooperating. I let the breath out I had been holding and forced my hand to bang on the door. I could hear music coming from inside and muffled voices.

The door swung open and a giant man the size of a linebacker appeared with a mischievous smile on his face. It took me a moment, startled as I was, to recognize him as the kindly bartender from Pete's.

"Hello, little lady," he greeted tipping an imaginary hat and waggling his eyebrows.

I blushed. "Hi," I replied in a small voice.

He stepped to the side and gestured for me to come in. I did so reluctantly. My eyes widened as I saw three sets of eyes staring at me from various places around the apartment. Jake came barreling down the hallway and jumped up, trying to lick my face. I pat him awkwardly on the head.

"Jake," that familiar voice called from my side and I looked to see Edward standing at the entrance to his kitchen. He was leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his chest. "That's no way to treat a lady. Down."

Jake jumped off me and ran over to a tiny raven-haired woman lounging on the couch. She smiled and greeted him almost as energetically as he did her.

Edward pushed off the wall and came to stand next to me, the heat of his body enveloping me as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pushing me slightly forward to the center of the room.

"Guys," he called their attention even though it was already on us. "this is Bella. Bella, you've met Emmett. This is the rest of the misfits. Alice," he gestured toward the spiky-haired beauty on the couch. "her husband Jasper," he motioned towards a tall broad-shouldered man with ear length blond hair that stood by the record player, "and last and very least, Rosalie," he pointed to an intimidating model-like blonde standing in the corner of the room, her arms crossed over her chest.

She gave me a one-finger wave and half-smile, then proceeded to flip Edward the bird.

I gave a tiny wave to the room. "It's nice to meet you all."

"It's so awesome to meet you, Bella!" Alice jumped from the couch and came over to me, her eyes raking over my entire being. "Love the shoes," she finally said after a long hard look at me.

"Thank you." I scuttled awkwardly on my feet.

"We've heard so much about you," Jasper said, coming to collect his exuberant wife from my face, leading her back to the couch.

I looked at Edward. His cheeks were tinged pink and I smiled at the sight. "Hopefully all good things."

"Many things," Rosalie piped up, stepping out of her corner. She put her hand to her chest. "Her hair shines in the sun, her eyes sparkle like diamonds," she snickered lowering her hand. "Crap like that."

Edward's cheeks got impossibly redder and he glared at Rosalie.

"Babe, leave him alone. He's smitten as a kitten," Emmett came up and clapped Edward hard on the shoulder. Edward pushed him and Emmett laughed going to stand next to Rosalie.

I guessed they were a pair as well.

Everyone was looking at me. My cheeks flamed from the attention. Edward tightened his hold on me.

"Why don't you sit? Do you want a drink?"

"Water, please."

He nodded and pushed me lightly toward the couch. I watched his back as he retreated to the kitchen. Looking back at the room, all eyes were still on me. I took a deep breath and made my way to the couch, hyper-aware of my surroundings and the people in my bubble.

Alice immediately turned to me when I sat down, her eyes bright and expectant. "So you own a bakery?"

I nodded and smiled shyly back at her. "Yes."

"That's so cool! I'm trying to open up a clothing store, something small right now until I can find my footing. All my own designs and all my own creations."

"That's really cool," I replied and I meant it. Anyone willing to go into business for themselves needed all the support they could get.

I felt the seat next to me dip down and I looked back to see Rosalie sitting there languidly with her legs crossed, her arms permanently locked over her chest. "So you have a kid?"

"A fifteen-year-old," I replied somewhat protectively at her brusque tone.

"Me and Em are currently trying for one of our own." She smiled sadly, her voice softening. "It's been about a year with no luck."

Emmett came to sit on the arm of the couch next to her. He rubbed her back in small circles. He smiled down at her. "Trying is the fun part, no?"

She smiled indulgently up at him. "You got that right."

"Kids are hard work," I said. "And once the teenage years hit, things get weird."

They all laughed at that. I fell back in my seat and fell into a comfortable conversation. Edward finally returned with my water and sat on the table in front of me, a happy smile on his face.

At some point, Edward grabbed lightly on my ankle and whispered, "You doing okay?"

I nodded and smiled reassuringly at him. I actually was completely okay. His friends were great. And the night was going better than I could have hoped for.

Alice was exuberant and brilliantly kindhearted. Her husband balanced her out nicely with his calm demeanor and quiet words. Emmett was a boisterous troublemaker, taking every opportunity to embarrass Edward. Rosalie was quiet and observant, her eyes taking in every look and touch between me and Edward with a small smile on her face. And she was very interested in what being a parent was like.

"She sounds like my Em a bit," Rosalie laughed as I told her about my daughter. "Little buggar."

I laughed and nodded. "She can be quite the handful. Sometimes it's all I can do not to rip my hair out when she opens her mouth."

"Aw, I can't wait to have one of my own," she sighed, looking up at Emmett with warmth and love in her eyes.

He stared down at her with the same amount of devotion.

I looked at Edward and he was smiling from ear to ear. "Glad you came?"

I nodded. "Very. I'm having a great time."

His smile grew impossibly wider. "Me too." He leaned in closer to me giving us at least the illusion of privacy. "They're not so bad, huh?"

"Not at all. I like them."

"They like you, too. I can tell."

Smiling, I reached out to take his hand that was sitting on his knee. My skin tingled where it touched his and my heart raced from the contact.

"I like you," I told him, feeling bold.

"I like you more."

I blushed and looked down. I wasn't so sure about that. Spending time with him, with his friends, I felt so close to him and yet not nearly close enough.

I checked my phone for the time. It was nearing midnight. "Oh, shoot," I sighed. "I have to get home. I told Mickey I'd be home before midnight."

"Aww, that sucks," Alice griped next to me.

"We'll have to do this again," I offered.

"Yes, absolutely. Here," she said holding her hand out for my phone. I gave it to her warily. "I'm just gonna put my number in and we can set up a time to hang out, just us girls."

I smiled. That sounded actually really great.

Alice handed me back my phone and Edward stood from his perch on the coffee table. He held his hand out to me and I took it eagerly. "I'll walk you to your car."

Grinning, I stood with him and waved my goodbyes to the room.

Edward and I walked in silence to my car, our hands swinging between us. When we got to my car, he stopped and let go of my hand, pushing me up against the side of the door and melding his lips to mine. The kiss was excruciatingly hot and slow, our lips tangling together. He pulled away all too soon and laid his forehead against mine.

"I've wanted to do that since the other night," he breathed heavily.

My breaths were just as labored. I smiled shyly up at him. "Glad you took the initiative this time."

He grinned and pushed back from me, his eyes smoldering into my own. "Drive safe, Bella. Text me when you get home, please."

"Will do."

He walked backward as I climbed into my car, a goofy smile on his face. He waved as I drove away. The whole way home, I had the biggest smile on my face.

When I pulled up to my house, there was a blue Prius parked on the curb and all the lights were on in the house. My eyebrows knitted together as I quickly walked to the door to find it unlocked.

"Mickey," I called when I entered the threshold.

Mickey came running to me from the kitchen, her eyes wide and pleading. "I didn't ask him to come," she whispered urgently.

"Who?" I asked but I had a feeling I knew the answer.

My suspicions were confirmed when a head of blond hair popped out of the kitchen. "Late night?" he asked, a small half-smile playing on his lips.

"What the fuck," I growled, taking a step closer to him.


Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement for my little story! It made me want to stay up and write more for you. Bella is not happy. What do you think she will do?