A/N:

I very nearly forgot to upload this! :O

Do you remember I said you'd get to hear from Edward in this one? And also, two new characters will be introduced!

Title: Love is Strange

Author: MarieCarro

Beta: Alice's White Rabbit

Pre-reader: LunaEclipse

Genre: Friendship/Romance/Drama

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Bella Swan and Edward Cullen live in the small town ofLigonier in Pennsylvania. They've been best friends since they were six years old, and not much can keep them apart. Bella wants to leave small-town life behind, while Edward is fine with whatever, but that's not the only complication in their relationship. What happens when they fall in love … with each other?

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER 17

TUXEDOS & WEDDINGS

Edward looked at himself in the full-body mirror, not feeling fully satisfied with what he was looking at, but he couldn't pinpoint what caused the bitter aftertaste in his mouth.

The tuxedo fit him like a glove, and the color scheme Maria had chosen was perfect, yet he still felt uncomfortable.

He caught his dad's eyes in the mirror's reflection but quickly had to avert his gaze since the older man was appraising his son with barely contained disappointment.

"Don't look at me like that," he said and unnecessarily straightened the lapels of the jacket to keep his hands busy.

"Like what?" Carlisle inquired with pretended ignorance.

"Like you think I'm making the biggest mistake of my life."

Carlisle shrugged. "Well, your mother and I have made our opinions clear on the matter. No need to flog a dead horse and repeat myself."

Edward turned to face his father and sighed exasperatedly. "Why can't you be happy for me? Happy that I've found love for a lifetime?"

Without breaking eye contact, Carlisle got up from his seat and stood in front of his son, his expression serious. "You know your mother and I want nothing more than for you and Alice to find happiness. To find love and build yourselves the lives you want. But that's not what you're doing, Edward, and I don't understand why you can't admit that to yourself."

The annoyance within Edward steadily built up, and he narrowed his eyes. "What do you have against Maria? She's been nothing but nice to you since I first introduced you."

Before the sentence had fully left Edward's mouth, Carlisle shook his head vehemently. "I have nothing against Maria. On the contrary, I think she's a lovely girl. It's what you're doing to her that I don't approve of."

"What I'm doing to her?" Edward asked incredulously. "You mean marrying her? We've been together for almost three years. Are you saying that's not the appropriate thing to do?"

"You're setting her up for heartbreak, son. She doesn't deserve that. You're marrying her for the wrong reasons because you think it'll finally make you forget—"

"Forget what?" Edward exploded. The subject would always be a touchy one for him. "Forget about Bella? Was that what you were gonna say, Dad? That I'm marrying Maria just because I couldn't have Bella? Is it such a foreign concept that I might actually have moved on?"

Carlisle collected his coat and gloves from his seat and prepared to leave, but before he did, he faced his son one last time. "Before you try to convince me, maybe you should convince yourself."

No goodbyes were exchanged, and mostly because Edward felt too ashamed to swallow his pride. He hated that his father still had the ability to see right through him despite him being a grown man now. A grown man who was halfway down the aisle.

The worst part was that he wasn't wrong.

When Edward dreamed of his approaching wedding day, and he lifted the veil covering his bride's face to kiss her, the sad truth was that it wasn't Maria standing before him.

It used to be Bella, but not anymore. The woman before him never really revealed her face, but the simple fact still remained that he wasn't dreaming of marrying his fiancée.

The wedding hadn't been his idea.

Maria was well aware of the infamous Bella, whom she had to share her boyfriend's heart with, and four months earlier, she had given Edward an ultimatum. Either he would put some real effort into their relationship and move forward, effectively leaving Bella in his past, or she'd leave.

Their relationship wasn't even close to what he'd shared with Bella. It wasn't particularly passionate, but it was nice. It was stable and safe. It was more than some could say they got to experience in their lifetime, and Edward didn't want to lose another girlfriend.

So he said he'd do whatever she wanted, and she had countered with, "Marry me, then."

He hadn't expected a proposal, and it took him a few seconds to process it, but then, despite the protests from his mind and heart, he accepted. Because Bella had moved on so he needed to the same.

"Do you need help with anything, sir?"

The sales clerk, who couldn't be much older than himself, looked at him hopefully.

Edward cleared his throat and forced his depressing thoughts out of his head. He should have felt happy a girl like Maria wanted to build a life with him. She was such an intelligent girl, beautiful and kind. He was, in no way, drawing the shorter straw.

If he allowed himself to do so, he knew he could have a great life with her.

"No, I think everything's good here," he told the clerk. "I'll take it."

~~LiS~~

7 months later

"No, please, don't make me." Bella shook her head toward Emmett's offered hand and tried pleading with him with her eyes.

"C'mon, Bella, it's a wedding. You're supposed to dance at weddings. Especially when the groom asks you to. "

"I can't slow dance." Bella wasn't a bad dancer, per se, but she hadn't slow-danced since her sweet sixteen. She was rusty and afraid Emmett would pull a move that would cause her to tumble to the floor, which wasn't beyond him.

"Just follow me and you'll be fine," he said in his most persuasive voice.

"Fine, but don't blame me if I accidentally step on your toes," she warned him, and he chuckled.

"I'll keep them out of the way."

She let out a dramatic sigh but still grabbed Emmett's outstretched hand and let him lead her out on the dance floor. She did her best not to look where Rosalie, in her white, poufy dress, was dancing with her brother, George Hale.

Bella had noticed early in the evening how George kept looking at her, and while it had started out subtly, now, after a few drinks, he was full-on staring at her. She could feel his eyes on her, and it made her movements stiff and clumsy.

"Damn, Belly, you weren't joking when you said you can't dance," Emmett said and laughed, but then he led her into a spin and dip, so she couldn't quip back at him.

"He's been staring at me all night," she said in low tones.

"Who?" Emmett asked and looked around.

"Rosalie's brother."

Emmett laughed again, and Bella met his eyes. "Yeah, you have him spellbound."

"How?" she asked and furrowed her brows in confusion. "I haven't even said a word to him."

"He asked me who you were before. He saw you at the rehearsal dinner last night, and he talked about you as if angels started singing when you entered. It's kinda hilarious."

Bella huffed. "For you, but you're not the one who has to reject him."

"Why do you have to reject him? Just go on one date, and I bet he'll come back to earth after that."

"Are you implying I'm not a particularly charming person?" Bella asked and lifted one eyebrow in question, but the humorous smirk on her face made it clear she was joking around.

"Oh, you'd charm the pants off George in zero point three seconds," Emmett replied with a grin. "If you need an easy lay, he's already wrapped around your little finger."

She smacked his chest but was still smiling. "That's your brother-in-law you're talking about."

"Exactly, and I'd only strengthen our brotherly relationship if I got him hooked up with you." He shrugged as if it was the simplest math.

Bella rolled her eyes. "If you say so. Too bad I'm not interested in dating anyone right now."

The song stopped and they walked off the dance floor together.

"Why is that?"

"Why is what?" Bella asked, not following what he was talking about.

"Why aren't you interested in dating anyone? Last time you were on a date was over a year ago." He handed her a drink from the bar. "What's holding you back? It's not the boy you left back home, is it?"

"I don't know, Em," she replied, not wanting to linger on "the boy she had left back home" or the fact that she hadn't been invited to his wedding—not that she had actually expected an invitation. It had just been a strange summer for her, knowing that her former best friend and boyfriend was married by now. "I tried to go on dates when I moved here, but I just can't seem to get past the first date. All the guys are either dull or so self-centered I'm amazed they aren't dating themselves. And I'm quite content with my life as it is." She took a sip and leaned back against the bar to look at the guests dancing.

It had been a beautiful wedding. Every detail had been meticulously planned by Rosalie, and nothing had gone astray so far, but as Bella looked out over the sea of people, she noticed a vaguely familiar man in the crowd, his posture tense and his face set in a scowl as he stared at Rosalie's aunt and uncle.

She gained Emmett's attention by lightly poking him with her elbow. "Emmett, who is that man in the back? He seems kinda familiar."

"Who?" Emmett asked, looking in the completely opposite direction.

"The blond man with the scowl on his face."

Finally, Emmett saw who she meant, and he nodded solemnly to himself. "Oh, yeah, that's Jasper Whitlock. The owner of the Chronicle."

Bella whirled around to fully face Emmett. "What? The owner? And he's here? How do you know him?"

"Through work. I've known the guy for about three years, but we don't hang out very often. He's always busy with the paper, but he's a friend so I wanted to invite him."

"That's nice of you." She once again took notice of how he was scowling at Rosalie's relatives. "Why is he so put off with Rosalie's aunt and uncle? Did they personally offend him or something?"

Emmett hesitated for a second, but when he saw that Bella wasn't prying, he sighed. "Jasper is Rosalie's cousin," he admitted as if that was some dark secret.

"Okay," she replied, not understanding what the big deal was. "Has he had a falling out with his parents or something?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that." He paused and then took a quick look around to make sure no one was listening in. "When Jasper was a baby, he was abandoned at a police station in Austin, Texas. He is biologically a Hale, but he wasn't raised by them."

Bella's jaw dropped and she gaped at Emmett. Then she looked at Jasper again, and then Rosalie. "Does Rosalie know?"

He shook his head.

"So what happened?"

He took a deep breath, and Bella noticed how a hint of bitterness seeped into Emmett's eyes as he looked toward Jasper himself. "He hasn't told me everything. He's quite a private person, but I've gathered he moved to New York and created his life here just so he's got something to show for when he's ready to confront his parents."

"That's so sad," Bella said and felt her heart break for the man who was essentially her boss's boss's boss.

"Yeah, but he's got a small newspaper empire now, so it's not all bad."

Bella wasn't convinced, but she agreed anyway. "No, I guess not."

As the two of them watched Jasper, he took a deep sip from his drink, and then started toward his parents with determined steps, and Bella inhaled sharply.

"Is he gonna do it now?"

"Appears so. Why?"

She immediately shoved Emmett in the back. "Well, stop him. If he creates a scene on the dance floor, Rosalie won't want anything to do with him, cousin or not, and she'll be furious at you for allowing it."

"Seriously?" he asked, but Jasper was getting too close.

"Just go," she stressed. "Bring him here if you must, and I'll explain it to both of you why he can't do it now."

Emmett hurried across the dance floor and intercepted Jasper the second before he had the chance to announce his presence with the Hales, and Bella exhaled in relief.

"Bella Swan?"

Bella turned around, surprised at hearing her name as a question since the few people she knew at the wedding were her colleagues, and found George Hale standing there. She suppressed a groan because she had a feeling he was now making his move, and she wasn't looking forward to it.

"Yes," she confirmed and gave him a polite smile. "You're Rosalie's brother, George, right?"

He smiled back. "I am. I saw you at the rehearsal dinner last night, but I never got the chance to introduce myself."

"All the planning for this has been a whirlwind," she agreed and took a drink to give herself time to think of how to reject him in the most polite way the minute he asked the question. "Rosalie sure knows what she wants and how she wants it."

A surprisingly pleasant laugh escaped George. "She's always been like that. Even when we were kids. But it guaranteed her a career in the limelight, which is where she thrives. Unlike myself."

"You don't like the spotlight?"

"No. Which is why I write under a pseudonym."

"You're a writer?"

He nodded. "Horror novels. Maybe you've heard of some of them. Room 999 is my most popular."

Bella gaped at him. "You're G.T. Haze?" she asked, all too familiar with the book he'd mentioned, and when he nodded, she felt almost speechless. "Have I heard of some of them?" she quoted him incredulously. "You're a NY Times bestselling author. Of course, I've heard of them."

George laughed shyly. "From your reaction, I guess you're a fan."

She exaggerated an eye-roll at the ridiculous statement. "Well, when I have the time to read, I prefer horror novels, so yeah, you could say I'm a fan." She crossed her arms and looked him over again. Despite her best efforts, she found herself liking George. It didn't mean she suddenly wanted to date him, but she could envision the two of them becoming friends. "I'm impressed."

Emmett came back with Jasper in tow, and Bella saw how George got visibly disappointed he didn't get more alone time with her, but she was just glad he didn't get the chance to ask her out yet.

"Bella, this is Jasper Whitlock. Jasper, this is Bella Swan, one of your junior photographers," Emmett introduced, and the two shook hands.

"Bella Swan?" Jasper repeated, and then nodded to himself. "I've seen your work in my paper. I have to say I didn't expect someone so young." His southern drawl was thick despite having lived in New York for years.

She grinned at him. "Right back at you."

"Touché," he replied with his own smile.

"Well, I'm gonna go and find my wife," Emmett announced. "Bella, why don't you tell Jasper what you were gonna say before." He clapped George on the back and led him away. "Have you seen your sister?"

Jasper met Bella's eyes, and she suddenly felt shy. "I hope you're not upset Emmett told me about you."

"Not really," he assured. "Emmett knows to be discreet when he has to, and I knew some of my employees would have questions as to why I'm here, so it's fine. But apparently, you had a few words of caution for me?"

"Kinda. Or more an insight into the mind of women."

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. "I'm not following you."

She sighed. "Look, not all women are like this, but I know Rosalie is, and I'm telling you, if you want a good relationship with her once she knows you're related, you better not steal her thunder at her own wedding."

Immediately, he shook his head. "I wasn't going to. But talking to my parents here would guarantee they couldn't escape."

"While that is true, dropping the bomb of being the child they abandoned right here where so many people can overhear it would most definitely steal Rosalie's thunder. This is Emmett's and her day, and she would never forgive you if you pulled a stunt like that."

With his eyes filled with both anger and resignation, Jasper gave his parents another look. "I understand what you're saying. I won't do it tonight."

Bella relaxed and placed her empty glass on the bar. "I know we just met, and I hope you don't mind me asking, but what do you hope to achieve by confronting them? I might be assuming now, but you seem to have had a descent upbringing in Texas, and you're a success now. What can they give you that you don't already have?"

"Closure," he replied instantly. "Don't get me wrong. I love my parents, and I never wanted for anything as a child, but when I found out I was abandoned, I got this gnawing question in my head, and I just wanted to know why."

For a short moment, Bella could see Garrett in Jasper. Her former friend had also been abandoned as a child, but whereas Jasper was lucky enough to not remember it, Garrett had always been haunted by the memory of his mother driving away from him in Pittsburgh. He never got the closure Jasper was now seeking for himself, and while he hid it well, there had always been a gloominess to Garrett that he never quite let go of.

Bella would never wish that feeling on anyone, so she didn't pry further into Jasper's motives.

"I suggest you tell Rosalie first," she said. "She knows her aunt and uncle, and I'm sure she can help you with how to approach them. And you'd save Emmett from having that kind of secret from his new wife."

Jasper let out a small laugh. "Are you sure you're only a photographer and not a psychologist as well?"

The camaraderie she felt with Jasper felt natural, and she had a feeling they were at the start of a really good friendship. "I just happen to know my friends well, Jasper."

A/N:

So Edward's not too keen on the wedding. Jasper has entered the story and he's Rosalie's "long-lost/abandoned-at-infancy" cousin. What are your thoughts on this George character?

I can tell you that in ch 19, Bella and Edward will meet again, but some things need to happen first ;-)

Until next week,

Stay Awesome!

PS. If you haven't checked it out yet, I've started posting Alice's origin story. It's called Living in my Future and as of now, there's a prologue and the 1st chapter :)