AN: Thank you everyone for hanging in there with me through this writing break. My dissertation is turned in, and in the hands of the universe now. I've just started a new job, so until things settles there, I won't know what my regular posting schedule will be like. For now, I'll assume about the same as it was before the break.

Thank you to Fran S. Flower for beta-reading this chapter for me!

Chapter 21: Bella

Saturday, November 3

Malibu, California

13 Weeks

Unsurprisingly, I was up way before Edward. I'd never seen him drunk before, and though it had been slightly amusing, it has also been incredibly telling. There had been a lot of shit he'd brought up when he'd been mumbling in the car that I knew we'd have to talk about.

We'd been making good progress with Kate, but it was clear there were still some things left unsaid on both sides.

I got out of bed, making myself a cup of tea. I left a glass of water and some aspirin on the nightstand by Edward and went back upstairs to start breakfast. I was nearly done whipping up box pancakes by the time he emerged. He looked ragged, his hair was in every direction, and his stubble was thick. I looked up at him as he came into the kitchen.

"Morning," I said, trying not to smirk. He groaned, sitting at the counter.

"Fuck," he moaned. I set down the spatula and moved to the cupboard, getting him another glass of water. I brought it over and set it in front of him. He drank it eagerly.

"How are you?" I asked, moving back to the griddle. He sighed, his head coming to rest in his hands.

"Feeling like an ass." He moaned. I flipped the pancakes on the stove, and he looked up at me. "Baby, I'm so sorry for all the shit I said last night."

I looked at him and saw he was wincing in the morning light. I sighed and moved pancakes to two plates. I brought one over, setting it near him in case he was hungry.

I moved back to pour him a cup of coffee. I brought it over to him, setting it down before I pulled up the stool next to him. He picked up the coffee, taking a long drink.

"We should probably talk about some of those things you brought up," I suggested finally. Edward nodded.

"Before you say anything, I'm really happy you and my mom are getting along." He said, shaking his head. "I mean it. It took me by surprise, but I am actually thrilled about it." He shut his eyes, wincing.

I stared at him, and eventually, he opened his eyes, looking at me. He looked nervous. I let out a long breath. "I should have told you I reached out to her," I said quietly. "I realize that now. I'm sorry that I didn't. I should have at the least told you when we started chatting on friendlier terms." I paused and looked him over. "I really like your mom, and I think she really likes me. And as much as I'm happy about our friendship, the fact that she approves of me in your life means even more." Edward looked at me. "Babe, your mother loves you so much; you are her world."

He sighed. "I know," he groaned. "I know."

I took a bite of my pancake, chewing as I thought. "I don't know how to be with moms. Not really," I paused, frowning. "I didn't think about how weird it might be for you for me to be friends with her."

Edward looked at me. "No, I'm glad about it. It just surprised me," he insisted.

I sighed.

"Why on earth would you think I was plotting to leave with her?"

Edward winced, his head hanging down. "I don't think that, not really. I think I just, reacted really stupidly." He reached up to rub the back of his neck. "A few weeks ago, Mom told me she and my dad were separated before I was born. My whole life, I thought their marriage was perfect, but it turns out that they had problems that almost ended things. When she talked about leaving for a year, this deep insecurity surfaced in me. I panicked." He glanced at me. "I am ashamed of it, and I know it's not right, but if my parents can't even make it, then no one can."

I frowned. "That's a lot of pressure to put on your parents."

Edward sighed. "I know. I've been talking to Kate about it, but I just, I haven't been able to get past it. It scares the shit out of me to think about." He sipped his coffee again, thinking over his next words. "Mom told me their love for each other wasn't enough to keep them together." He glanced at me. "I think part of me panics about that. I can't imagine love—true, deep love—not being enough to keep some people together."

I didn't know what to say. Edward and I had love, but without the Pip, I likely never would have stuck around to find it. The thought made me anxious.

"I don't know that love is enough," I said after a moment. Edward looked at me, his eyes wide with surprise. "I mean, think about it. People fall in love all the time. There has to be more to it." It had been something Kate and I had been discussing lately. I hadn't realized how much more work there was to be with someone. It turns out, to do things right, it was constant work. "I love you, but we know my instincts to run from shit are almost stronger than anything." I looked down at my pancakes, ashamed at even the thought. "If we were only relying on love to carry this relationship, I don't think it would have lasted even this long." I looked up at him. "Every day, I wake up, and I choose you. I choose us. It's work, but it's work I'm committing to." I watched his face as he tried to sort out his thoughts. After a long moment had passed, I shook my head. "You're not the only one to miss someone when they're gone." I said softly. "I miss you when you're not around. Sometimes it even makes me sad not seeing you. But I trust that wherever you are, whatever you're doing, you'll come back and I'll see you again. I trust that you're going to keep choosing me too."

Edward looked like he was in pain, though I couldn't tell how much of it was because he was hungover and how much of it was the conversation. "I trust you, Bella," he said, looking at his coffee.

I set down my fork. "Babe, I know you think that, but there is obviously some part of you that is still worried I won't come back."

Edward shook his head while I spoke. "It's not that." He said quietly. I waited for him to explain. He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know I have control issues." He said, glancing at me. I nodded. We'd talked about them a lot in and out of therapy. "But that's just the surface with me. I'm a jealous, needy ass who can't let go of my possessiveness." He brought the mug of coffee to his lips, sipping. "Bella, sometimes, I'm so overwhelmed by how much you've come to mean to me. It scares the shit out of me, and my instincts are to hold on to you tight and not let you go. It's not about not trusting you; it's about not trusting myself to be okay without you."

I stared at him, processing his words. Edward let out a long breath and turned to me. I licked my lips and slowly reached out to cover his hand with mine.

"We should be able to tell each other when we are feeling this way," I said softly. "Isn't that what Kate keeps telling us?"

Edward huffed. "I know, I just. I thought if you knew what a jealous monster I am, you'd want nothing to do with me."

I frowned. "Babe, if you can handle all of my crazy," I said lightly, "I think I can handle all of yours."

Edward deflated a little, looking over at me with a small smile. I rubbed his hand gently and leaned over to kiss his bicep. "That being said, I won't hesitate to leave you and your dad to be sad roommates if you ever stop communicating with me. I'd be perfectly happy in Europe with your mom."

Edward snorted then winced. "Fuck, I'm such a moron. I can't believe I said all that shit to you last night."

I hummed. "It wasn't all bad," I said shrugging. He glanced at me and caught my smirk. He groaned, and I giggled. "Who knew you were such a lightweight."

Edward looked at me. "I had like five drinks," he said, frowning. "Maybe six. I can't remember."

I smiled, taking a bite of my pancakes. Clearly, Edward was not as accustomed to partying as I was. Pre-pregnancy, I'd have drunk him under the table. "Maybe next time you drink, drink one less, so you stay at horny drunk," I advised. Edward choked on a laugh, then groaned, reaching up to rub his head.

"Fuck, I'm sorry," he moaned into his coffee.

I snickered, and he grunted. I took another bite of my pancake, trying to pluck up the courage for what I was about to say next. "And, I don't love everyone else more than I love you," I said quietly. He looked at me. "Not by a long shot." Edward was silent; his eyes raking over my face. "People tell me I'll love the Pip, and I probably will, eventually, but it can't compare— not to you."

Edward sighed. "It's easy to say that now," he said softly.

I frowned. "So, it's true now. Why can't that be enough? Look, I know I don't express it a lot, but Edward, I love you. That's no small thing for me to admit, let alone repeat. I can't promise the Pip won't change things because I don't know what will happen when I see it. But every day I wake up, and I choose you because I love you."

Edward set down his coffee and reached out, pulling me to him. He tasted like coffee, and the syrup on my lips mingled between us, turning our kisses sweet. He groaned, leaning into me, and I shifted, forgetting my pancakes. "Fuck," he growled, drawing a ragged breath in when we pulled apart. "Bella, fuck. I love you. I choose you too. I'm sorry I'm such an ass."

I yanked him closer to me again, my legs winding around him as I perched on the edge of the bar stool. "You're my ass," I growled. Edward hummed against me, and I was about ready to throw him on the counter and mount him right there when he pulled away from me. "Baby don't take this personally, but," he cut himself off, pulling away from me completely and sprinting to the bathroom. I heard him throwing up a minute later, and I sighed.

I got up to help him, but a moment later, the toilet was flushing, and he was back out in the kitchen. He grimaced, and I smiled. "Drink more water, go brush your teeth, and sleep it off," I told him. He nodded and refilled his glass.

"Thanks, Baby," he said quietly. I nodded and watched him head back downstairs. I sighed, shaking my head. I finished eating breakfast, then quickly tidied up the leftovers, putting Edward's in the fridge for him to eat later. I went downstairs to check on him, and when I stuck my head in the room, I could hear gentle snores. Smiling, I went upstairs to the office, settling at my computer. I thought over our conversation, laughing quietly to myself.

What a frustratingly complex, beautiful man that I loved.

…

I worked for a while writing out a few more chapters that I'd outlined, but soon I found my mind drifting. I saved my work, opening up a web browser. My fingers hesitated over the keyboard as I stared at the search bar. Taking a deep breath, I quickly typed in "Southern California wedding destinations" and hit enter before I could change my mind and try to look in an incognito window instead. Immediately, several lists popped up, and I read through them warily. Most of them looked too fancy and extravagant for what I had in mind.

I was so caught up in my search that I didn't hear Edward coming up the stairs until he was right behind me. "What are you doing?"

I screamed, jumping up from the chair. He jumped back, startled, his eyes wide. "Fuck!" I screamed, a hand to my heart. "Fuck, you scared me."

He stated at me, wide-eyed. "I'm sorry," he stopped, and a smile crept up his mouth. "I thought you heard me coming up," he said chuckling. I pressed a hand to my heart, willing it to slow down. I shook my head, and Edward laughed harder. "What has you so jumpy?" he asked, glancing at the screen. I snapped the computer shut.

"Nothing," I mumbled. "I'm just doing research for my dad and Sue."

Edward watched me a long moment, and I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Finally, he nodded. "I didn't know you wore glasses."

I reached up and tugged the glasses off my face. "I don't. They are to block the blue light from the screen. It helps when I stare at a computer all day," I said, tucking the glasses away. Edward nodded. "How are you feeling?" I asked, looking up at him. He shrugged.

"Better than I deserve," he said, sighing. "I was thinking. I'm sure you've got a lot to do, but how would you like to go for a drive?"

I frowned. "Right now?" Edward nodded. "Yeah, actually, that sounds fun. Let me just change," I said, motioning to his shirt I was wearing. He nodded.

"Sounds good."

I slipped past him, running downstairs to the bedroom. I quickly pulled off my shorts and his shirt. I kicked off my underwear, running into the bathroom to rinse off. When I was done, I moved to the closet, pulling on a pair of leggings. To my annoyance, my jeans were starting to feel a little too tight for comfort these days. I pulled on a bra, fishing around for a sweater. I found it near the end of my tiny clump of hangers and pulled it on, pulling my hair down from the bun I'd put it up in. I ran a hand through my hair as I grabbed socks. I shoved them on my feet, before yanking on my Chucks. When I was done, I nodded to the mirror and headed back up to find Edward.

He was in the kitchen, eating a cold pancake like it was a taquito. "These are good," he grunted. I smiled and moved around the kitchen, making sure I had a snack for the car. I didn't know how long we'd be gone, but I'd learned it was better to be safe than sorry.

When I was done, Edward cleaned his dish and nodded to me. "Ready?" he asked. I nodded, and he motioned for me to follow him upstairs. We climbed the stairs, and Edward stopped at a closet near the top to pull out a jacket. He rooted around and pulled out a second jacket, offering it to me. I took it, frowning. "Trust me," he said, nodding. I grabbed my purse and followed him to the garage.

Edward had several cars, though really we'd only ever driven in one. I hadn't paid much attention to the other cars in there before now. Edward led me to a small, sleek black car. I stared at it. "What kind of car is this?" I asked. I didn't know cars well, but I knew I'd never seen one quite like this. Edward smiled, moving around to the driver's side. To my surprise, he unplugged the car from a charge port at the wall. "It's a Tesla Roadster." He said, grinning. "They're barely out on the market and available mostly for reservation only." He opened his door, and I stared at the passenger side. There was no handle.

I frowned. "How the fuck am I supposed to get in?"

Edward grinned, pulling a tiny toy car out of his pocket. I eyed him curiously as he clicked the side of the car. My door slid open, scaring me. I stared at it, wide-eyed as Edward chuckled. "Get in."

I moved around the door, sliding into the plush leather seat. It was like sitting in a rocket ship. I looked around at the massive control screen, the sleek interior lines that made me feel like we'd left earth behind. Edward climbed in behind the wheel and turned to me. "Is this a car or a spaceship," I asked. He laughed and pressed the display, and the car lit up. I'd never seen anything like it.

Edward hit an icon on the massive screen, and the garage door started to open. I looked at him, baffled by the car.

"Better strap in, Baby. This thing can hit over two hundred fifty miles an hour."

I gaped at him, and he gently rolled the car out of the garage. I pulled on my seatbelt. Edward parked on the driveway, getting out to remove the hard glass roof. The sky opened up, and above me, it was a perfect Los Angeles autumn day. Edward put the roof in the trunk and came back around to climb behind the wheel. "Ready?" he asked. I nodded, and he opened the gate. The car was impossibly smooth, and as soon as we were on the street, Edward grinned. Checking the street was empty of traffic, he hit the accelerator, and I was launched back into my seat. I let out a surprised laugh as the g-forces hit me. The car streamed down the street effortlessly, coming up to a stop right before Edward hopped on the freeway. I laughed as he opened it up on the One, effortlessly weaving through traffic as he drove impossibly fast.

"This is insane!" I screamed over the wind whipping past us. Edward grinned.

We sped up the coast, going so much faster than the cars around us. Soon, I adjusted to the speed, and I laughed again.

We sped away from Malibu, up the One. The waters were stunning as we trailed up the California coast. With difficulty, I pulled my hair up out of my face so I could watch the ocean as we drove.

It seemed like not long at all had passed when we were approaching Santa Barbara.

Edward blazed through the traffic, slowing down a little to accommodate for the road construction. Once we were through Santa Barbra, he again hit the pedal.

It was exhilarating—the sea air, the speed of the car, the roar of the wind in my ears. I never wanted it to stop.

We drove for a while, and I spent the whole ride gazing out at the coast, enamored with the Pacific Ocean. I'd grown up on the forested, northern beaches of this ocean, but this, this was the Pacific as I'd never seen it before. It was breathtaking.

At some point just past Santa Barbara, the highway turned inland, but I didn't mind. The landscape here was just as interesting; big, rolling hills that were dotted with trees and cows as far as the eye could see. We drove on peacefully, eventually coming back to the coast. Edward never slowed down, and I never asked him to.

I was just enjoying the drive.

…

After a couple of hours, Edward looked over at me, grinning. I looked at him curiously. The road had met back up with the shore, and I'd enjoyed my time staring out at it. Edward slowed down a bit, enough so that I could hear him talking. "Look over there." he nodded toward my right. I frowned but turned my gaze away from the sea. To my right were large rolling hills, the grass brown and dying off for the winter. I frowned and looked back at Edward.

"It's nice, but I think I like looking at the ocean," I shouted. Edward shook his head.

"Look!"

I looked back at the hill. I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to looking for when a flash of black and white made me sit up straighter. I leaned forward, gaping at the hill.

I looked at Edward. He was grinning. "Was that a zebra?" I asked. He laughed and nodded back to the hill. I turned, and sure enough, there was an entire herd of zebras, munching on the dead grass. I gaped at them, bewildered by their appearance in California. Edward slowed the car down until he was able to pull over on the roadside. I scrambled out of the car, staring up at the field. The zebras were close to the fence between the field and the highway, about twenty yards away from us. They were happily ignoring us as they chewed. "What are they doing here?" I asked, turning to Edward. He climbed out of the car and came around to stand next to me. He was grinning.

"This is Hearst Castle," he said, nodding up the hill. From here, I could make out the faintest outline of a building. "The zebras are part of a private zoo. They aren't domesticated, but they've been here for years, roaming the coast."

I turned to him, amazed. I'd seen zebras before, of course. I'd been to Africa a few times and had crossed paths with them. But this was so unexpected; I didn't know what to say.

"Look at them," I breathed, laughing as I looked out. Edward smiled, wrapping an arm around me.

"I thought you'd like them. Come on; I have something else to show you."

I turned to look at him. "More than wild zebras in California?" I asked. Edward smirked, nodding me back to the car. I climbed in, waving to the zebras as he jumped back on the highway. We drove only a few minutes before he was pulling over again, this time on the coast side. I looked around, curious, but I couldn't see anything obvious. Edward parked in an empty lot and grinned. "Come on."

We climbed out of the car, and a strange noise met my ears. I frowned, looking at Edward. "What is that?" I asked. Edward grinned and nodded toward the water. I followed him out toward the wood railing that edged the parking lot. Down on the beach were thousands of massive seals. "What are they?" I asked, my eyes raking over the beach. They were everywhere I could see.

"Elephant seals," he explained. "They're here throughout the year. It's mating season now, and the males are coming in from the ocean," he nodded toward one male that was emerging from the water. It was massive, with a huge, bulbous nose and scarred fur. I stared at them, entranced.

"I've never seen an Elephant seal before," I said, shaking my head. Edward smiled.

"We'll come back in a few months. There will be pups out then. They are adorable."

I looked up at him, suddenly overcome with gratitude. I threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. He laughed, hugging me back. "Thank you," I sighed, leaning into him. "This day has just been," I paused, unable to form the words. In truth, this day had been exactly the sort of adventure I loved to have.

These were the moments I lived for, and for Edward to go out of his way to give them to me meant so much.

Edward pulled me close to him. "I love you, Bella."

…

Edward and I sped further up the coast. It was an absolutely unbelievable view that kept stealing my breath around every turn. We kept the top down, and though Edward slowed to drive through the progressively winding road, the roar of the wind and ocean were deafening. It was spectacular. I had no idea the California coastline was like this. I'd seen photos before, but this— this was something else altogether.

We pulled into Monterey late, and Edward navigated us to a Tesla charger while I found us a hotel for the night. I'd never been to Monterey before, and though it was dark when we arrived, it looked absolutely adorable.

"I know we have to get back tomorrow," I said, looking at Edward. "But, I'd love to come back up here sometime, you know, to explore."

Edward nodded.

"I've not spent much time up here at all. We'll definitely come back," he assured me. I grinned at him.

When the car was charged, Edward drove us to the hotel I'd found. I slipped inside to check us in, trying to protect Edward from being sighted. We'd had to put the roof on the car shortly before we got into town, and thankfully, his windows were tinted enough that no one would be able to spot him, even though the car certainly garnered enough attention on its own.

Once we were checked in, I ran out to the car, instructing Edward on where to park. The hotel had little bungalow suites spread out along the property, and we pulled over in front of cabin 16. We darted inside, but it seemed needless. No one was out to spot Edward.

The room was small but quaint and certainly comfortable enough. We decided to order room service. Later that night, we curled up on the bed, eating off trays and talking about our upcoming trip to Australia. I knew we were about to go on a three-week vacation together, but Edward's spontaneity today had been so incredible and fun. I'd been so blown away with his ability to just take off and roll with the punches, as it were. It felt impossible that I could love him more, but the gift he'd given me today, this silly little jaunt up the coast, meant so much to me that I felt my heart swell with feelings for him.

When we woke in the morning, we took our time, driving down the coast, and really soaking in the spectacular views. A couple of times, Edward pulled over, and we just stood there, staring out at the ocean. My heart felt like the sea; impossibly vast and full and glowing.

I'd been to a lot of places in the world, but somehow, none of them could compare. Maybe it was the company I was keeping, but California was very quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the world. I looked over at Edward, smiling warmly at him. He smiled at me, pulling me against his chest as he dropped a kiss to my shoulder.

This is what it meant to be home.

…

Monday, November 5

Malibu, California

13 Weeks

"Baby, I'm heading out now."

I grunted, my eyes cracking open at the sound of Edward's voice. He was hovered above me, leaning over to whisper against my cheek. I sighed. "Okay, act good," I grunted. He chuckled and kissed me softly.

"I'll be back tonight. I love you."

My eyes were still shut when I mumbled. "Love… too."

Edward left, and I fell back to sleep.

…

I woke up sometime later, slightly groggy. The blinds were down, but I could tell it was sunny out already. I yawned, stretching as I sat up and glanced at my phone— and yup, it was past nine.

I groaned and climbed out of bed. I headed to the bathroom, peeing quickly. I shucked off my clothes and headed straight into the shower.

Once I was out of the shower and dressed, I headed upstairs to make tea. I started in surprise when I saw Carmen into the kitchen. I hadn't seen her much lately, though I was usually working in the office when she was around.

"Hey, Carmen," I said surprised. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Bella, it's good to see you. How are you?"

I yawned and nodded. "Good," I said, laughing past my yawn. She smiled at me as I moved over to make myself a cup of tea.

"Are you hungry? I can whip something up for you if you like?"

I looked at her.

"Oh, don't worry about it; I'm meeting a friend for brunch," I said, waving her off. She nodded.

"How have you been?" she asked.

"Good. Edward, and I spent the weekend exploring the coast a bit. It was amazing." I smiled and leaned back against the counter as I waited for the kettle. Carmen smiled.

"That's lovely. Edward tells me you are headed to Australia next week?"

I nodded. "We're leaving Friday, actually," I said, smiling. Carmen grinned.

"That sounds like so much fun; you'll have a wonderful time, I'm sure." Carmen reached out to me, squeezing my hand gently. "I've got a few things to do around the house, but let me know if you need anything, Bella."

I nodded, watching her head out of the kitchen. I poured myself a cup of tea and sighed. I had about half an hour before I had to leave to meet Rose for brunch.

I brought my cup of tea with me upstairs to the office, settling at my laptop to try to get a bit of work done before I had to leave to meet Rose. When she'd texted me earlier last week about getting together for brunch, I'd been surprised. We'd had a good talk at the girl's night, but that had basically been the extent of our communication until her invite. I was wary at first, but I'd told her I was in, and now, though I was anxious, I was also looking forward to the opportunity to get to know her better.

I settled at Edward's desk, opening my laptop. I froze when the last site I'd looked at came back up. I'd forgotten about looking up venues for my dad.

My heart beat loudly in my ears. Edward had to have known I was looking for my dad and Sue. There was no way he thought…

I swallowed anxiously and exited out of the browser. I drummed my thumb on my laptop and sighed, going in and clearing my browser history while I was in there. I didn't need cookies left telling companies to advertise wedding shit to me.

Seeing the site had disrupted my thoughts enough that I gave up trying to work. I shut my laptop, sipping my tea, and looking out over the water. Things were going well with Edward, and I saw no reason that they couldn't just continue like this for a while longer. There was no rush for us. There couldn't be. We had too much to work through.

I finished off my tea and realized it was about time for me to leave. I brought my cup downstairs to the kitchen, putting it in the dishwasher. I grabbed my purse off the sofa in the living room and went upstairs. Edward had told me I could use any one of his cars. It was a dangerous suggestion, and I considered the Tesla before shaking my head and reaching for the keys for the Audi RS 7. I pocketed the keys, heading into the garage.

I made my way to the Audi, climbing in before opening the garage door. I turned the car on, and it purred under me. I hummed, making sure the seats were adjusted before I nodded and pulled out. I closed the door, and while I was waiting for the gate to open, I plugged the address of the restaurant into the navigation. The car beeped quietly, telling me to proceed to the route. I pulled out of the gate, following the directions.

I hadn't owned a car since I was in high school when my dad had given me his old truck. I loved driving, but cars were heavy anchors that I just hadn't been interested in before. I realized that because it looked like I would be in LA for a while longer, so I'd likely need to get a car at some point. But for now, I was happy borrowing Edward's.

I headed south toward Santa Monica, enjoying the drive. It was a beautiful, mild day, as most days in LA seemed to be.

Rose and I were meeting at a café she had recommended. I'd never heard of it, but I was up for trying anything.

The drive went quickly, thanks to the fact that much of the commuter traffic had already died down for the morning.

The restaurant Rose had suggested was right across the street from the water and connected to an outdoor mall. I parked in the parking structure, hoping Edward's fancy car would be fine among the regular cars. I smirked as I thought about it and climbed out of the car.

I made sure my sunglasses were on as I headed out of the structure and into the mall.

Though I wasn't famous, the recent attention Edward and I had been getting from the press had made me recognizable enough to the right people. It was still hard to identify me because I didn't have a whole lot of photos online that clearly showed my face, but it didn't stop me from feeling paranoid. I felt a girl watch me as I walked past her, and I wondered if she recognized me or was watching me for some other reason.

It was definitely not something I was used to, and I found myself second-guessing everyone around me.

I made my way to the restaurant and smiled when I saw Rose sitting at a table on the patio. I moved immediately toward her. "Hey," I said, approaching. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Hey, Bella," she said as I settled at the table. Her long blond hair was swept up into a bun, and she was wearing a pale pink sweater over jeans. She looked casual but flawless. "How are you?" she asked as I settled into the chair.

I smiled. "I'm good. How about you?"

Rose smiled, taking off her sunglasses as I did the same. "I'm fine. Missing Emmett this week," she sighed.

"How long is he gone?" I asked. Rose hummed.

"It'll be a while. It's a big action movie, so there are a lot of stunts."

I nodded. A waiter came over, placing a glass of water in front of me. I smiled at him in thanks. "Can I get you anything else?" he asked. I shook my head, and he glanced at Rose. "All right, I'll be back to take your order in a few."

He left, and I looked at Rose. "So, are you ready for your trip?" she asked. I huffed.

"I thought I was, but none of my summer clothes are going to fit me anymore," I waved down at myself. "I'm going to need to do some shopping." I frowned at the idea. I wasn't inherently opposed to shopping, though it did exhaust me quickly. It was the thought of having to start buying maternity clothing that was dragging me down.

"There are some cute shops in here," Rose said, motioning behind me. "We can check them out after we eat," she offered. I smiled at her tentatively.

"You'd be up for that?" I asked. She nodded, and I let out a breath, relieved. "That'd be really great, actually. It might help me get through it if someone else is with me." I chuckled.

Rose smiled and reached out to her glass. "So, I started looking up some of those sites you recommended," she said, sipping her water. I looked at her curiously. At our girl's night, I had given Rose some sites for her to start planning a surprise trip for Emmett. They were coming up on their fifteenth anniversary since they first started dating, and Rose had wanted to do something special for him.

"Oh yeah?" I asked, leaning forward. "What were you thinking?"

Rose leaned on one of her elbows. "Well, all of my family is Norwegian, and Emmett and I have talked about going out to see them for years now, but I just had no idea where to start. I mean, I have family in a few places that we could go stay with, but I wanted us to do it right."

I nodded. "That sounds like a great idea. I've spent quite a bit of time in Norway. I have all sorts of things I could give you to read up on," I said, nodding.

"I figured you would. I was going to reach out to Esme if you somehow didn't have anything."

I chuckled. "Well, reach out to Esme, anyway. I'm sure she'd have great insights that I would never have been able to choose." I said sipping my water.

"How are things with you and Esme?"

I laughed, letting out a long breath. "Great. Almost too great. Edward and I went over for dinner the other night, and I think Edward was jealous of how well his mom and I got along." I shook my head. "I mean, there were other issues at play, I didn't tell him Esme, and I had been talking, but well, he didn't handle it very gracefully."

One of Rose's eyebrows rose. "What did he say?"

I reached a hand up, scratching at my neck and leaning my elbow on the table. "He got drunk." Rose looked surprised, and I nodded, continuing. "He held it together until we were in the car, and then he just went off, babbling like an idiot." I laughed quietly. "He mostly pouted, though there was the occasional horny comment he couldn't quite keep to himself."

Rose snickered. "He doesn't get drunk often," she said, shaking her head. I sighed.

"It was the first time I'd seen him like that. It was a little sobering, hearing his normally internal rant out loud. There's a lot of shit he keeps to himself."

Rose's mouth twisted, and she sighed. "Edward is used to keeping things so close to the chest that he doesn't know when to let his guard down anymore," she said, shaking her head. "He's been like that since I've known him."

I nodded frowning. "The next morning, we talked, and it was good. We spent the rest of the weekend driving the coast." My hand landed on the table, and I looked at Rose. "Did you know there are zebras up the coast?"

Rose laughed. "You should have seen me the first time Emmett took me up there. I refused to believe him. He loves pranks, and it just felt like there was no way it could be real."

I laughed, shaking my head. "I couldn't believe it either. I've seen zebras before in the wild, but this was just so random!"

The waiter came over then, looking at us expectantly. Rose ordered her food while I looked down at the menu. I ordered the first thing I saw, smiling at the waiter as he took our menus.

"Okay, so tell me about your latest song," I said, looking at Rose.

Rose smiled, looking a little shy. She started telling me about the song she'd been working on, and her face brightened as she spoke about her music.

All through brunch, conversation flowed between us way easier than I had expected. We talked about her music and my book, about places we'd been or wanted to be. We didn't talk much about Edward or Emmett, allowing the conversation to be truly about us. It was nice to get to know her outside of her relationship with Edward.

After lunch, we made our way toward some of the shops. I drew the line at looking at maternity stores specifically, since I'd spotted a paparazzi following us from across the street while we ate. Instead, we headed into a small boutique that looked like it would offer at least some coverage from prying eyes.

Rose led us toward the back of the store where summer items were on sale. Fall and winter clothes were all up front, and though some of the sweaters looked cozy, I passed them by to follow her.

"Okay, so what do you need?"

I hummed. "I'll probably need some shorts and tops. I might also need a bathing suit since," I pointed to my boobs, and Rose smirked. "I'll also need a dress or something to wear to the wedding."

Rose nodded. "How formal is it?"

I shook my head. "Barefoot on the beach, I think."

Rose turned to one of the racks near the back of the store. "Are you comfortable in a halter?"

I looked at her as she tugged a light teal dress from the rack. It was gauzy and simple, though elegant. The bodice was fitted, and it looked like it flared out around the waist. I shrugged. "I'll try it on," I said, nodding. Rose handed me the dress, and I jumped into the rack with her. We pulled a few more options out, and I slipped behind the curtain of the fitting area to change.

"Any color bathing suit in particular?" Rose called as I changed.

"No, I'm not picky," I called back. I pulled on the first dress, a pale pink number that was cute but a little too feminine and young for me. I pulled it off, grabbing the halter top. I pulled it on and smirked at my reflection as I pulled back the curtain, getting Rose's attention. She looked at me and snickered.

"Well, hello there," she said, laughing. I looked down at my cleavage. Because of the cut of the dress, it was pushed up, and I looked stacked.

"Shit, no kidding," I said, laughing. "Is it too much, though?" I spun so she could see the back of the dress. She shrugged.

"It's a lot, but I don't think it makes you look trashy or anything." She paused, considering me. "It'll get a lot of attention."

I snorted. "Edward would love it," I said shaking my head. Rose giggled. "He's obsessed with my boobs right now. They're finally starting to hurt less, and I think he's been secretly counting down the days."

Rose let out a loud laugh, and I laughed with her. "Get it. Even if you don't wear it to the wedding, it looks amazing on you."

I smiled at her, turning back to the fitting room. I tried on the other dresses to make sure, but none of them could compare. When I was changed back into my clothes, I met Rose at a rack of bathing suits. She motioned to a few she'd pulled out, and I nodded.

"I'm used to bikini's," I said, eyeing over one of the pieces she pulled. "But, this is super cute." It was a single piece bathing suit with large cutouts around the waist. I added it to my pile as we continued searching the store. I ended up with several bathing suits, a few sundresses, as well as a couple pairs of shorts and some cute tops. I found a great straw hat that completed the looks we were building, as well as some new shoes.

"Thank you, for this, Rose," I said as we headed to the counter. She looked at me. "I don't often spend days just hanging out with girlfriends. I realized today that I probably should do it more often."

Rose smiled at me. "Same for me." She said softly. "I am glad that we could do this together; it was really nice."

I smiled at her as I placed my items on the checkout counter. Rose and I were still getting to know each other, but after today I knew there'd be fewer obstacles between our friendship, and for that, I was grateful.

AN: A few notes on this chapter. The story is taking place approximately 2018-ish, but Edward's Tesla is a 2020 roadster. I know it's barely even out now, but, well, it's an insane car and it's definitely what I would want to ride up the coast in.

The road trip they took up north is a real trip that is easy to do most of the year and totally worth it. The zebras aren't always visible from the highway, but I've never not seen the sea elephants. If you are in California, whether for a visit or living, I highly encourage that road trip up the One. It's my favorite drive, and absolutely breath taking.