It's a long one ...

EPOV

"We need to talk." She says, picking at pieces of scrambled eggs on her plate. My eyes go wide and I stare at her, brows furrowed. Nothing good ever comes from that, if the movies are any sign.

"What's wrong?" I wonder.

"It's about you wanting to take me with you to Miami." I'm quiet for a few seconds. She isn't coming with me, is she?

"What about it?" I try to play it cool, but I'm dying on the inside. I grip the mug tightly in between my palms.

"I can't just take off like that."

"Why not? What's keeping you here?" I tilt my head, questioning her choice.

"My friends… My therapist... My brand-new job?" She acts as if none of that's important to me; but it is. Because it's important to her.

"You can call your friends, look for a new therapist and I can hook you up with an even better job." I shrug.

She bites her lip and lets her fork fall down on the table.

"Where am I supposed to live, then? With you? We barely know each other, Masen." I know she has a point, but I'm not willing to let her slip away from me. I don't her want to.

"I may know someone who needs a roommate."

"Who?"

"Jasper. A buddy of mine." He's dating my baby sister, so he owes me one. Plus, his place in Miami Beach is big enough. It's a two-bedroom surf shack. Bella would love it.

"And tell him what? The person who hired you to kill her is looking for a new place. Please shack up with her?" Her voice pitches higher than usual. She's worked up, on the verge of getting angry with me. The only thing I'm trying to do is look for a fucking solution to her problems.

"You could stay at my place. I mean, it's spacious enough so you'll have privacy." I say. It's true, she could have the third bedroom if she doesn't want to share mine.

"Look…" She starts and takes a deep breath. "I know I'm being tough, but you can't expect me to just give up my life and move. Sure, I don't have a lot but the things I do have — like Rose, I treasure." She explains, but she's not done so I shut my mouth, roll my tongue ring around against my teeth. "Plus, you're a guy. Who knows what'll happen. Maybe you'll tire of me, or we'll fight and then I'll be on the street. Back to square one, in a city I've never visited before." I see the look in her eyes. She's fucking terrified. Afraid of the unknown, of the future. I am too, to be fair. It's why I recognize it.

"Baby, you promised you'd let me show you what life could be like, remember?" She nods. "So, that means submitting to it. Live in the now, not in the months from now. Okay?" She doesn't look at me, instead her hands gather under the table, in her lap. I get up, my armchair scraping along the floor before I walk to her side of the little table. Pulling her chair back, I squat down and put two fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at me. When she does, emotions swim into deep coffee eyes. I can't decipher them all. "I promise I'll care for you, Isabella Swan. But before I can do that, you'll have to fucking trust me. Trust that I will care for you." I say, softly. She smiles at me, her cheeks a little flushed.

"That's the first time you ever called me by my name, you know." I put my hands on her thighs, steadying myself. My fingertips slip underneath the hem of my T-shirt she's wearing. Her skin is soft and warm.

"I know."

"I'll agree, but on my terms." My face breaks into a giant-ass grin and my heart stammers at her words.

"Yeah?"

She nods. "I'll come, but I want to say goodbye to Rose. I want to have my ducks in a row, deal with some paperwork."

"How long do you need?" I ask.

"I don't really know… I have to go to the bank, talk to Kate about resigning and meet with the people who owe me rent and pack. And I can't just leave this place like this. My landlord needs to know that I'll be leaving, so he can look for a new tenant." I look around, see the note on the table. Her handwriting is cute and girly, and the words beneath the word 'Pro' make me giddy.

Masen.

Future.

"Okay. When can I book you a flight?"

"I'll book it myself. You don't have to wait for me. I know you hate it here and I need some time alone to deal with all of this."

"Did this place come furnished?" I wonder.

"Obviously not. I found all this crap at Goodwill, garage sales… I didn't want to spend money on it."

"But, you have money, right?" She arches a brow at me.

"Right. You know everything about me because I sent it to you…" She sounds annoyed because yes, I know a ton.

"You'll know everything about me soon, baby. You can ask me anything."

"What have you been doing here once you accepted the job?" Bella asks.

"I ah — I actually met your friends; Rose and Emmett." Her eyes grow wide.

"What?!"

"Yeah… I drove Rose to the hospital the night you OD'd. I met Emmett in the hospital, and I forged a story about being in AA and made him suggest that place to you."

"Oh, my God." She breathes.

"Yeah." I stare down at the cute freckle on her upper thigh. It's dangerously close to her pussy, but I can't go there right now. I need to focus, because we need to talk like two responsible adults.

"That's why Rose was so interested in my fucking sponsor. She kept telling me to call you."

"Which you never did." I shrug.

"Fuck." Her mouth is slightly open. She looks adorable and I want to kiss her.

"When are you going to go home?"

"I can check some flights later. But, Bella?" I suddenly feel insecure, this feeling gnawing at my insides, and I need her to answer this question.

"Yes, Edward?" I snort and shake my head.

"Whoah. That's weird, coming out of your mouth." I chuckle.

"I like Masen better, actually." She admits. "Can I still call you Masen when we're in Miami?"

"Of course. You can call me anything you want, I don't fucking care. As long as you're there." I grab one of her hands in mine and take a deep breath.

"You wanted to ask me something?" Her head tilts to the side, and she bites her bottom lip.

"When I leave… You won't ditch me, will you? Never show? It's the one thing that's holding me back from going. The fear that you'll ghost me and put your wall back up." I've never been this honest in my life.

"No way I'm letting you off the hook that easily, Masen." She giggles. "You asked me to come, so I'll come." There's a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. I purse my lips to stop myself from laughing at her innuendo.

"I know, baby. You always come, don't you?" I kiss her, lips lingering as she sighs.

"You make me feel a little happier, you know." She says, her voice quiet. My heart swells.

"You make me feel the same thing, baby."

As Ella says: I LOVE THEM. Me too, babe. Me too.

See you guys tomorrow!

xoxo