A/N:

A whole lot of you worried Bella will bring George to Alice's launch party. Well, I want to reassure you from the start that he won't be there.

Someone you've been waiting for will, though ;-)

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 of Ligonier 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 19

SO CLOSE

"You're unusually nervous tonight," Jasper said and gave Bella's bopping leg a pointed look. "Is something wrong?"

Bella tore her eyes away from the window and looked at Jasper and Rebecca, who were both in the car with her heading toward Alice's launch party. Saying she was nervous was an understatement. She had changed her outfit five times before she remembered she had no business in wanting to make an impression on Edward. She had a boyfriend, and for all she knew, Edward could have a girlfriend as well despite not having married Maria.

She was also going to the show to do a job, and she didn't want to be distracted, but the closer they got to the venue, the harder it got to focus on anything but that she'd see Edward again. It had been so long, and they'd both been so young. Both their lives had changed so much, and while she had no idea what kind of person he was now, she knew she had matured enough to see her shortcomings in their relationship.

She hoped that she'd get the chance to truly apologize to him for everything she'd put him through, and maybe they could be friends again. She wouldn't blame him if he turned his back the second he saw her, and perhaps that was what made her the most nervous—the possibility of Edward hating her. It didn't matter Alice had said he didn't.

"No, nothing's wrong," she answered Jasper, but she felt obligated to tell him what exactly was going on in her head. "The designer is a former childhood friend. We lost contact in college, and I didn't know it was her until Rebecca and I met her two days ago."

Jasper hummed to himself. "Did you lose contact because of a fight?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what reason do you have to be this nervous?"

She exhaled sharply. She hadn't divulged her past to anyone but Irina, Emmett, and Rosalie, but she had started to see Jasper as a friend, and she knew he only asked out of concern for her. "I was in a serious relationship with her twin brother, and it didn't end in the best way. He's going to be there tonight, and I haven't seen him in over eight years."

"I see." Jasper nodded in understanding, and to her relief, he didn't press it further. Instead, he turned to Rebecca to make sure she had everything prepared for the night.

Bella gratefully turned back to look out the window. Her mind was once again agonizing over her outfit but not because she thought it was inadequate. She was starting to believe it was too revealing and that Edward would get the wrong impression of her.

Suddenly, a flask appeared in front of her, and she looked up at Jasper in shock.

"There will be a bar at the show, but you look like you'll need some liquid courage just to get out of the car," he said and smiled gently.

Bella accepted the offer with her own smile and took a small mouthful of what she quickly realized was whiskey. The burning liquor slid down her throat and settled in her stomach soothingly. "I never pegged you for the kind of man who carried hard alcohol with him at all times," she said as she passed the flask back.

Jasper shrugged. "Not at all times, but I like to be prepared for everything on nights like this."

The car came to a stop, and Jasper got out first so he could be the gentleman and offer his helping hand to the ladies in his company. Rebecca giggled softly—Bella had a sneaking suspicion she was a bit enamored with their charismatic boss—and Bella thanked him before both of them hooked their arms through his.

Bella looked around the gathering crowd to see if she could spot the familiar bronze head of hair, but when she couldn't find it, she distracted herself by taking her camera out of her bag and clicking in the settings she wanted before she started snapping pictures of the guests. Teasingly, she directed her lens at Jasper, and she thought she detected a slight blush as he looked down at the ground with a chuckle.

After an hour of pre-show mingling and still no sight of Edward, everyone was invited to take their places around the catwalk. Jasper had seats right next to the stage, but as one of the photographers, Bella placed herself at the front where she'd get the best view of the models coming and going.

It was clear from the setup that Alice had planned the show for a while, and Bella was very impressed. The lights were stunning, and Alice's brand logo would be very recognizable once she'd established herself in the fashion industry.

The music was lowered as a spotlight lit up the catwalk and Alice came walking out, looking stylish and professional with a mic in her hand.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Alice Cullen, and I'm the creator of Alicia Hush. I want to welcome you to a lovely and glamorous evening.

"Alicia Hush stands for sustainable and ethical luxury clothing. We have complete transparency into our production, which is more important than ever as we reach a time when the consumer wants to know everything.

"You might notice how my first collection has been heavily influenced by the European fashion in France and Italy, which in my personal taste is highly sophisticated and beautiful, but I plan to integrate other cultures from around the world as I go forward. What you'll see tonight is a mix between couture and classic casuals.

"With that said, ladies and gentlemen, let the show begin!"

Everyone applauded, and Bella cast a glance toward Jasper and Rebecca. Rebecca was writing furiously on her notepad, but Jasper appeared spellbound. He was following Alice's every movement until she disappeared behind the stage, and Bella couldn't hold back her smile.

She couldn't say she considered Jasper and Alice to be a good match because they were so vastly different, but then again, she had never really paid attention to what kind of girl attracted Jasper. She made a mental note to introduce the two of them after the show. Not to play matchmaker, but she had a feeling Jasper would ask her anyway.

The show was inspiring, and Bella snapped photo after photo. The clothes were as colorful as Alice's personality, and her talent shone through every seam and line.

When the show was over, Bella walked around and took more photos of the people mingling around the venue. They were all in high spirits, and the mood heightened as the alcohol started flowing as it tended to do. Occasionally, she checked the photos and deleted the ones not even worth taking back to the studio for closer scrutiny.

After years in the business, it was still her favorite part of the job. Taking pictures as her inspiration saw fit. She wasn't the center of attention as she moved around the bodies and captured people's essence in its purest form.

Once Bella had decided she had enough photos of the crowd, she ventured backstage to photograph the models, and after that, she found Jasper and Rebecca in the crowd and asked what the plan was.

"Rebecca, you should interview some of the invited designers. Find out their thoughts on the show," Jasper said as his eyes searched around the room.

Bella laughed and it got Jasper's attention.

"What?"

"You know I can introduce you to Alice if you want?"

Once again, a light blush colored Jasper's cheeks. "I'm that transparent?" he asked, but Bella shook her head.

"Only because I happened to look at you after her speech." They shared a smile and Bella patted his shoulder. "She has that effect on people. Always has." Alice might have had an unfortunate love life, but there certainly hadn't been a shortage of boyfriends as they grew up. Boys were naturally drawn to her optimistic nature.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Rebecca had found Alice and was asking her some questions she hadn't asked on their scheduled interview. A smile stretched across her face. She felt happy and proud of her childhood friend's accomplishments; to see her thriving and achieving her lifelong dream.

Hooking her arm around Jasper's, she steered them toward where Alice and Rebecca were talking. "Hi," she said pleasantly.

"Bella! Hi!" Alice replied enthusiastically. "I'm so glad you're here. What did you think of the show?"

"Your work is spectacular, Alice," Bella complimented earnestly. "I always knew you had it in you."

"You're just saying that to flatter me," Alice insisted, but Bella was already shaking her head in disagreement.

"I'm not. I have no reason to lie to you." She turned her head toward Jasper to introduce him. "Jasper, this is Alice Cullen. Alice, this is Jasper Whitlock, the owner of The Metropolitan Chronicle and my boss."

He offered his hand, and Alice accepted with a wide smile. Bella couldn't determine whether she was as taken with Jasper as he was with her, or if she was just acting professionally polite. Either way, it wasn't Bella's business.

"It's a real pleasure to meet you, Ms. Cullen," Jasper said with his southern charm dripping all over the place.

Alice appeared just a tiny bit stunned. "Pleasure's all mine, Mr. Whitlock. Thank you for wanting to come to my show."

Bella wandered back into the crowd as she wanted to take a few photos with a more artistic vibe, which she hoped to add to her portfolio. She absolutely loved her job and adored her colleagues, but a part of her still dreamt of showcasing her work in art galleries one day and, hopefully, have her very own studio.

She held up her camera and looked through the lens to lock the frame around her intended subject when she sighted someone in the background. A certain someone who she had almost forgotten about in the midst of the show and launch party. He still caused her heart to beat faster after all the years that had passed since she last saw him.

He had been a boy then, but the one she was looking at now was undoubtedly a man.

As he placed a gentle hand on his twin sister's shoulder, Bella couldn't tear her eyes away. She'd just barely been able to keep a good grip on her camera to prevent the expensive equipment from smashing to the ground. The strap securely wrapped around her wrist and hand would also have helped, but seeing him again had affected her so profoundly, only her basic instincts functioned at that moment.

Then, before Bella could get herself together, Alice said something that caused him to look her way, and Bella realized eight years had done nothing to dull Edward Cullen's piercing gaze.

He said something else to Alice before he started walking through the crowd with determined steps, his eyes zeroed in on her without faltering. The moment felt dramatic, and Bella was speechless as her mind started screaming at her the closer he got.

What would she say? What if he hugged her? Could she hug him? Would that be all right or would she step over an invisible line created by their time apart? Was he angry with her? What if he was coming over to give her a piece of his mind? Yell at her for everything he hadn't been able to say before?

Her mind was spinning so fast it made her dizzy, but she was out of time to think. He was standing right in front of her, and he was … smiling.

"Bella Swan," he said, his voice somewhat deeper than she remembered. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Edward Cullen," he said and held out his hand for her. Bella was momentarily confused until she saw the glimmer of humor in his eyes, and she was pulled back to a time so long ago it felt like it belonged to another person.

A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, and she let out a deep breath as she accepted his hand. "Nice to meet you, Edward," she replied, and he let out a laugh before he used their connected hands to pull her into a tight hug.

She was enveloped by his scent when her nose pressed against his shirt. Involuntarily, she breathed it deep into her lungs, but then her senses came back to her and she realized what she was doing. Her face started burning and she moved to step out of the hug, but Edward tightened his hold, not allowing her to do so.

"I haven't seen you in eight years, Bella. You're not escaping me that easily," he said in quiet tones, and she relaxed again. He didn't sound angry at all. On the contrary, he appeared almost a little bit too enthusiastic.

When he finally let her go, her blush had calmed down, but she was still embarrassed by her behavior. She acted as if their time apart had been caused by a series of unfortunate events, when in reality, it was because of her choices. They weren't star-crossed lovers separated by situations out of their control who finally had the opportunity to get their happily ever after. Not after the pain and heartbreak she had put him through.

And she had a boyfriend. She seemed to forget that every time thoughts of Edward occupied her mind.

He'd always affected her, but Bella had forgotten how strong an effect even though it had been a huge reason for why she had been unable to stay away from him all those years ago when she first gave back his ring.

Bella took a moment to take in everything standing before her. Naturally, he'd changed. He was wearing a perfectly tailored suit with a tie. He had worn a tuxedo for their senior year prom—that he'd attended with Alice—but there was a huge difference between a boy wearing a tuxedo and a man wearing a tailored suit. So much so Bella had to swallow.

His hair was also much shorter than she'd ever seen him wear it before, and while his eyes were the same green color, they had a hard edge to them. It made him look older than his twenty-nine years and was probably to his advantage when he was working with clients.

"You look really well," she said because she genuinely couldn't come up with another topic than polite small talk.

"So do you. I like the hair."

The compliment warmed her up, and she automatically touched her hairdo. "Thanks. It's rather different, isn't it?"

"A good different," he insisted, and Bella couldn't stop herself from comparing his reaction to George's.

He had nothing against her short hair now, but when she first showed him, he'd gaped in shock and immediately asked her why she'd cut it. It had made her feel self-conscious.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to focus on photography anymore that night, she gestured for Edward to follow her to where she'd stashed her camera bag so she could put her equipment away.

"Alice told me you're being transferred here to New York. How does that feel?"

"Honestly? I'm a little divided on it," he said and buried his hands in his pockets. "On the one hand, getting an opportunity to practice law in New York is amazing, but I was just getting into a good routine in Boston, and now I have to take my bar exam again. Not exactly looking forward to that." He chuckled, but Bella could hear the tension in his voice.

"And New York is a little bit bigger and busier than you imagined for yourself, isn't it?" she asked because she knew cities the size of New York had never appealed to Edward.

"Just a smidge," he agreed with a smirk, clearly not wanting their conversation to head into the more serious stuff so soon, and Bella took the hint. "But who knows, maybe it was just meant to be so that we could meet again."

"Yeah, maybe."

"But you've lived here for quite some time now. Tell me. What's the best part of living in New York?"

Bella thought about it for a moment, but she knew it wouldn't be easy to explain what was so appealing about the concrete jungle that was The Big Apple. She did her best, though. "I guess it's kind of a magical place where you get to experience everything in one day if you choose to. The energy is infectious, and the people who live here are nothing short of incredible." She grinned at his skeptical look. "Believe me, you'd be surprised at how many socially compatible and interesting people are out there once you open yourself up."

"Maybe it's a mentality that comes with living here," he said. "I'm not quite there yet, but between you and Alice, I'm sure you can make me into a proper New Yorker."

She liked that he included her in that statement. They just automatically fell back into their way of talking to each other as if eight years hadn't passed, but she was also acutely aware of how they needed to talk about some stuff before everything could be smoothed over.

Over Edward's shoulder, she caught Jasper's eye, and he was gesturing to her that it was time for them to leave. Edward noticed, and he turned around.

"Is that your date?" he asked. He didn't sound upset. It was just a question.

"No, that's my boss." She shouldered her bag and reached into her pocket for one of her business cards, which she offered to Edward. "I have to go, but I'd like to catch up with you some more another time. Give me a call, okay?"

"I will," he promised and pocketed the card.

As Bella left the party, Edward followed her retreating figure with his eyes and slowly made his way back to Alice. When he was next to her, Alice followed the direction of his gaze and sighed before taking a sip of her drink.

"Are you planning on telling her?" she asked and experienced a sudden hit of déjà vu. The two of them had a similar conversation more than a decade ago.

"Of course, I am, but I didn't want to freak her out by just spitting it out first thing," he replied.

Alice nodded in agreement, but then made him turn to look at her. "I get that, Edward, but remember I told you she's got a boyfriend now. You have to prepare yourself that she very well might not be the same girl you once knew, and she might not want to be with you again even though you totally called off your wedding for her."

Edward looked down at the floor. "It wasn't just for her, Alice. Mom and Dad were right all along. It wouldn't have been fair to Maria if I'd married her when I was in love with someone else."

"I can't believe your feelings for her never once cooled off," she murmured incredulously. "She doesn't deserve your unconditional love, you know. She chose everything except you over and over."

"It wasn't all her fault," Edward said, but he didn't deny Bella's part in their shaky past. "We're both responsible for ending up like this. We both made mistakes." He looked toward the entrance where Bella had disappeared. "But I'll be damned if I don't do what I can to make things right."

A/N:

How many of you feel that Alice said exactly what you want to say as well? :-P

It might have appeared as if she was quick to spill the beans about Edward in the previous chapter, but believe me, Alice isn't Bella's biggest fan. She'll act happy and civil around her, but Bella will have to work to gain her full trust.

With that said, what did you think of the reunion?

Next chapter, Edward and Bella will have a more in-depth talk!

Until next week,

Stay Awesome!