AN: Denial date continued ...
Once again this is a cheat fic, although still a HEA
My thanks to MeteorOnAMoonlessNight, Midnight Cougar and ghostreader24, without whom this wouldn't look nearly so good
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight but this Edward is mine
Deceit and Destiny Chapter 5
With Edward returning at seven, I had just over an hour and a half to take a shower and get ready. There was no sign of Jess, so I guessed the girls were still at the beach, saving me from a questioning. I was ashamed that Jake was only just crossing my mind now, though I'd thought about Connor all the time. I decided I had enough time to call my son since he would be getting in the bath shortly.
The phone rang twice before my mom picked up. "Hi, Mom, how is everything? Is Connor okay? Is he there?"
"He's more than fine, Bella, though I suspect he'll miss you at bedtime tonight. Don't you worry about him, sweetheart, we'll take care of him for you." She leaned away from the phone, calling out to Connor that I was on the phone. "Are you enjoying yourself? Getting some sunshine?"
"Well, I know he'll be fine with you. It's glorious here, Mom. I'd think about moving here if everyone I loved wasn't in and around Port Angeles. I've no doubt it's a bit different when you're working instead of vacation, but the idea is intriguing."
"We'd miss you, too, Bella. Hold on, here's Connor. It's your mom, sweetheart," I heard her say to him before his voice rang out through the phone.
"Hey, Momma. Me and Grandad went fishing today, and it was raining a lot. I caught a fish, but Granddad said it was too little to eat and made me throw it back in the water. He caught a bi-i-ig one and we gonna eat him for dinner."
"Is that right? You do have to give them time to grow, don't you? Or there wouldn't be enough to fill you up, would there?"
"S'pose so. When you comin' home, Momma?"
"Don't you worry, I'll be back before you know it, then we can go to the ballpark and to the beach for a picnic. How does that sound?"
"Yeah! Can I look in the rock pools at the beach? Do you think Daddy will come wiv us?"
He sounded a little sad, so I made my voice as upbeat as I could. "I'm sure he'll try, but you know how busy he gets. I'll talk to him when I'm home." I changed the subject before he could get too upset that his dad didn't seem to bother to talk to him, even when they happened to be home at the same time. "You know what? I'm looking for a present to bring back for you, so why don't you think about that and tell me what you'd like when I call you tomorrow?"
His attention wandered when I heard my mom calling him. "I gotsta go now, Momma. Nana says I need a bath 'cos I stink."
I laughed, knowing that he probably did, and said goodnight as he handed the phone back to Mom.
"He'll be fine, Bella. He's stayed with us often enough for you to know this. Don't upset yourself, and get out and enjoy your vacation; you deserve it."
I sniffed and said my goodbyes to her, too, before heading toward the bathroom. I did feel guilty about not being more forthcoming about how I was spending my time, but I figured there would be time enough for me to chat to her when I got home.
Turning on the water, I dropped my clothes on the bathroom floor and brushed my teeth while I waited for the water to heat up. I stepped under the rainfall head and luxuriated in not only a great shower, but the time to enjoy it without either Connor or Jake banging on the door.
I washed my hair, which had dried into stiff strings with the saltwater after my dunking in the ocean, then left the conditioner to soak in while I shaved my legs and other parts again. It wasn't really needed, but it was part of my routine. After rinsing my hair, I stepped out of the cubical and wrapped it and my body in large, clean, fluffy towels before heading back into my room.
"Well, it's about time you turned up."
I jumped a mile high and turned to see Jess leaning on the doorframe, smirking at me.
"Jesus, Jess, you could have warned me; you almost gave me a heart attack. I didn't see you there."
"Too busy thinking about lover-boy, I'll bet." Her grin widened.
"I was doing nothing of the sort, Jess." I snorted. "And he's not my 'lover-boy' as you say. You know he's just a friend." I turned away from her before she could see my cheeks color in a blush that would give away thoughts I didn't want to admit to. "Where are Angela and Alice? What are you doing tonight?" I asked innocently. I was certain she'd pick up on my use of "you" and not "we." Once Jess worked out that I really, really liked Edward she'd never let up until I admitted everything.
"Don't give me that innocent voice, Bella. I know you like Edward more than you're saying, and I know you. Are you seeing him again?"
I busied myself with pulling some lingerie out of the top drawer of the dresser, choosing ice blue cheekies and a matching bra, sliding on the panties underneath my towel, then turning my back to put on my bra and fasten it. Jess and I had spent many evenings together, and I'd finally lost most of my embarrassment at changing in front of her. Stepping over to the closet, I looked over the dresses I'd brought with me, wanting to look nice for Edward.
"You've picked up a bit of a tan today, Bella. Where did he take you?" Jess changed the subject smoothly, trying another angle, although her eyes took in everything I had just put on.
"We rode along the coast road and stopped at Laguna Beach. We had lunch before heading out onto the beach for sunbathing and swimming while listening to music." I turned back to Jess, holding up the two dresses I'd taken from the closet. "Which one?" I asked.
"Hmm." Jess looked at each one as I held them in front of me. "The red one is really sexy, but I like the yellow one. It shows off your tan perfectly. I can lend you my nude heels if you like."
I hung the red one back in the closet and slid the yellow one over my head. Looking in the mirror, I had to agree. For the first time ever, I thought, I was sporting a light tan, and the yellow of the dress highlighted it beautifully. Ignoring Jess's earlier question for the moment, I pulled the towel off my hair, glad that it had been on long enough to absorb the excess water, then ran a comb through it to get rid of the tangles.
"Well, you are seeing him again, aren't you?"
I sighed, knowing I wasn't getting out of this conversation.
"Yes, we're going out to dinner. And, no, I don't know where, but he'll be here in about twenty minutes to pick me up, so I have to dry my hair." I grabbed the hairdryer and my brush then turned my head upside down.
"Good," was Jess's only answer, then she turned to head to her room. "I'll let the girls know you won't be joining us, and I'll run interference with Angela because you know she won't approve. But, tomorrow, you're gonna get the third degree; you know that, don't you?"
"I know, and I appreciate you stepping up for me, Jess." I flicked my hair back and ran the brush through it while curling it around the brush. "I really do like Edward, but you and I know it can't ever go anywhere. I'm a married woman with a child. We live in Port Angeles and he lives in San Francisco, so it's not like we're going to meet again. I'm just going to enjoy our time together. He's flying home tomorrow, and I'll never see him again." I shrugged as if it didn't mean anything to me when it couldn't be further than the truth.
Jess walked back over to me and hugged me tightly. "I know, Bella. The chemistry we can all see between the two of you is so strong, but I understand where you're coming from. Just don't close your eyes to possibilities, even if it's not with Edward. You deserve more than Jacob, and you'll never make me believe otherwise."
As she walked out of the room, I looked at the woman in the mirror. I saw the sparkle in her eyes that had been missing for goodness knows how long. The last time I felt this excited, I was heading out for the bonfire where I met Jake and his friends. I knew I'd been sort of content since then, and there were times when I'd been happy. Those were usually moments spent with Connor or my girls, and I had to admit to myself there was definitely something missing in my life. I shook the thoughts out of my head, determined I'd enjoy the time I had left with Edward, and stepped toward the mirror to add some light makeup and lip gloss.
Deciding I was as ready as I'd ever be, I hung the towels on the bathroom rail, then added my phone, credit card, and lip gloss to my purse before leaving the bedroom. Jess was still in her bathroom, but she'd left the shoes she was lending me by the suite door. I slipped them on, glad they were already worn in as the heel of my foot was still a little sore but manageable.
The ringing of the room phone startled me. Lifting the receiver, the receptionist informed me my guest was waiting in the lobby. I called out to Jess I was leaving, and received a "see you later," from behind her door, and made my way down to the lobby.
Edward was dressed in black dress pants and a green shirt, bringing out the color of his eyes. My self-esteem was pretty good, but I did wonder for a moment why such a gorgeous man was interested in me. If he knew the full picture, would he still be interested? Would a man like Edward ever want a relationship with someone like me? I was just a simple, small-town girl.
Before the thought could embed itself in my psyche, Edward turned away from the simpering receptionist, a wide grin crossing his face. The closer I got, the easier it was for me to see the admiration and lust in his eyes, and I had to admit I was flattered.
"Bella." He took the few remaining steps between us and leaned down to kiss my cheek. "You look beautiful," he murmured.
I closed my eyes as his scent assaulted me.
"Thank you," I answered quietly. "You, too. I mean, you look very handsome—not that a man can't be beautiful." I closed my mouth and took a breath to stop myself from rambling. He only smiled and held out his arm for me to hook my hand into the crook of his elbow, and we left the hotel. A car with a driver was waiting, and Edward opened the door for me to get in first.
We were comfortably quiet as we sped toward downtown Los Angeles. "Where are we going for dinner? An afternoon in the sun has left me starving."
"I thought that since I promised you a walk down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we'd catch a bite at Bella Italia. You like Italian food, don't you?"
"Pasta sounds perfect, Edward."
It wasn't long before we arrived outside the restaurant. Ever the gentleman, he climbed out of the car and held the door open for me, helping me out. Inside, the hostess led us to a corner booth and instead of taking a seat on the other side of the table, Edward slid in beside me. Everything about it screamed romance, and I knew I should tell him the truth, but I just didn't want to do or say anything to ruin his birthday or the last night of his vacation.
The food was absolutely divine, the wine sparkling, and the chocolate dessert to die for. The conversation between us didn't falter, and I'd never felt so at ease with someone, nor enjoyed a meal so much. On occasion, my phone buzzed, but I ignored it for the time being; I didn't want anything to pop the bubble we were in.
It was ten o'clock before we left the restaurant, and I suspected both of us were a little tipsy, having downed a couple of cocktails and a bottle of wine between us. We spent an hour walking along the Hollywood Walk of the Fame, taking pictures of each other beside the stars of the most famous actors.
"Come on, Bella, I'll request an Uber back to the hotel, and we can take a stroll along the boardwalk or sit by the pool."
I held my hand out to him, and he placed his warm one in mine, as I tugged him toward an empty bench while we waited.
~ oOo ~