This is the first part of the epilogue, and I hope you like it! There's a good deal of flashing back and forth, so keep that in mind. Next chapter will be up in about a week. Slapping a big old lemon warning for the end of this chapter.
And there's a vision I've been holding in my mind
We're 65 and you ask
"When did I first know?" I always knew
Yeah, I see us in black and white
Crystal clear on a star lit night
In all your gorgeous colors
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life
See you standing in your dress
Swear in front of all our friends
There'll never be another
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life
-Black and White-Niall Horan
My fingers drummed anxiously on my keyboard as I peeked at the clock behind my desk. With a huff, I heard the last bell echo throughout the school as I took my bus duty station.
The past year zoomed by, beginning with Alice's wedding. Although Alice originally planned for a September wedding, she postponed the wedding to December citing she needed more time with the decorations.
The night before the wedding was the last night I lived with Alice, which elected for a final sleep over with Rosalie. After the rehearsal dinner, Rose brought over a bottle of champagne.
Rose scrolled through Netflix as she popped another piece of popcorn in her mouth. Immediately after we walked through the door of the apartment, we changed into pajamas. As I lounged on the couch, I peeked over at Alice and Rose. Both were staring at the screen where Rose scrolled.
"So this is it, huh?" I asked, breaking the silence. As soon as the words escaped my lips, Rose and Alice turned to me. Rose shrugged while Alice vehemently shook her head at my words.
"We can still have sleep overs," Rose argued, throwing another piece of popcorn in her mouth. While I agreed with Rose, this night marked the end of an era. With Alice moving out to live with Jasper in Houston, I decided to rent the room out with another teacher in my school. Our impromptu dinners or movie nights would soon become a thing of the past.
"You'll be in Houston though," I said with a frown. Alice hugged us close as she shook her head.
"Jasper does want to get traded maybe to San Diego or to the Diamondbacks," Alice said, pursing her lips. I let out a chuckle, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that Alice was the driving factor in that decision. Rose patted her hand as she clicked on Glee.
"You do have magic powers, Alice, but I don't think your powers extend to the managers," Rose said, with a frown. Alice huffed as she leaned back against the couch cushions. When Alice set her mind to something, she usually succeeded, which made me dubious of Rose's claim.
"No, but Jazz and I are a team now, and he wants to get out of Houston too," Alice retorted as the Glee theme song played in the background.
"Well there's plane rides, even if I hate them," I offered, immediately regretting my words. As much as I despised plane rides and did everything to avoid them, if they were my way to see Alice I'd do it. Alice sniffled for a moment as her eyes met mine.
"That's a big deal for you, huh? I ought to buy you a stock of Dramamine," Alice said, obviously touched by my words. She should be touched, I didn't fly in a metal death trap for anyone.
"Or I could get her to finally take the dive into CBD gummies," Rosalie argued with a sparkle in her eyes. I groaned at her as Alice laughed.
"In all seriousness, it may be the end of one era, but it's a start of a new one," Rose said, hope blooming in her tone. She was right, the distance between us grew as Alice moved, but we could still make time for each other.
"No babies yet though," Alice argued with a sniffle. Rose and Alice were waiting to have kids until they were in their thirties which I understood. Both of them still wanted to travel more often.
"Of course not," Rose agreed.
"But…after my wedding there will only be one girl with no ring on her finger," Alice said, her eyes meeting mine. Blush heated my cheeks as my eyes turned to the ground. We had the fateful conversation almost a year ago.
There were plenty of times I thought he'd pop down on one knee, like when we took our yearly getaway trip. This year, we went to Belize, which was incredible. However, despite the absolute incredible memories on the beaches none of the memories included a proposal. He did however insist on chasing me around the beach and finding the best restaurants within the resort.
I knew he was going to propose when he was ready and more importantly, when we were ready. However, waiting for the proposal wasn't easy. I scrolled through Instagram and Facebook and saw more and more people with rings on their fingers.
The ring wasn't what sold me though, and I didn't care if he put a damn Pop Rock ring on my hand. The ring was a symbolism of the larger commitment towards forever, which meant more to me.
"Alice," I seethed.
"It'll happen soon. He hasn't given me any details, I think he wants this to be a total surprise," Rose offered. Alice knitted her brows together as she looked at Rose calculatedly for a moment.
"You haven't heard anything from Em?" Alice questioned. She had a fair question since Edward would probably ask Emmett beforehand. Rose let out a weak huff as a smile bloomed on her lips.
"No, Em is a terrible secret keeper though so I'd find out easily," Rose answered. I heaved a sigh as I rolled my eyes. Knowing Rose, she would be able to get it out of Emmett almost too easily.
"It'll be so exciting to finally have my bachelor brother civilized," Alice said with a grin. I felt my jaw drop for a moment. Edward was probably one of the most civilized people I ever met. He was a planner to his core, and was a perfectionist.
"I think he's civilized. Have you seen his house? It's clean almost all the time," I argued.
"Defending your man," Rose noted with a giggle.
"Okay, fine, he does better than most men," Alice said with an eye roll. In my mind, there wasn't even a competition. Speaking of the man, my phone went off a moment later with a text from him.
As I peered down at my phone, Alice grinned impishly.
Goodnight, most gorgeous bridesmaid. I will see you tomorrow.
I grinned like an idiot before texting him back. We hadn't seen each other in a week, which was much shorter than usual. Thanks to the offseason, he could do more interviews at home. However, he was flying across the country for television advertisements.
"You got your speech prepared?" Alice questioned pointedly. I exchanged a glance at Rose who nodded vigorously. Public speaking was one of my least favorite activities and truthfully I had nightmares about how the speech would go for the past week. Despite my fear, I knew how much this meant to Alice so I had to be a big girl.
"Of course, A," I assured her with a hug. The rest of the night we ate an egregious amount of popcorn while assuring Alice she would still fit in her wedding dress. Sometime later, we drifted off to sleep.
When I awoke the next morning, Alice was already up practically sprinting around the kitchen. I rubbed my eyes before I stretched. I threw off the throw blanket while shaking Rose, who was beside me. She mumbled a few curse words at me before flipping me off. I merely chuckled before resorting to using words.
"Rose, wake up. I doubt Alice wants to add murder to her wedding day," I urged, shaking her awake. With a garbled groan, Rose huffed as she sat upright. She threw a hand over her eyes as she blinked a few times.
"She would kill me too," she agreed, her voice still scratchy from sleep as she bolted upright to go to the bathroom. My eyes traced back to Alice as I stopped her from pacing a hole into our tile floor.
"Alice," I called her out of whatever disaster she was thinking in her mind. Knowing her, she was torturing herself over every single detail. Somehow, in between waking Rose up and myself up, I managed to call in her usual Starbucks order along with Rose and mine.
We had to be in the venue for hair and make-up in about thirty minutes, but I knew Alice needed to be in a more calm state before that could happen. Gently, I grabbed her shoulders as her eyes remained fixed on the ground.
"What if the florist is late? Or the caterers?" She questioned, her lip fastened between her teeth. I ran my hands down her arms soothingly as I pushed a hair out of her eyes. I bit back a smile as I peered into her nervous eyes.
"Don't worry about that right now. That's your wedding coordinator's job. Rose and I are here to help you with any minor mishaps, okay? But you hired an incredibly experienced wedding coordinator who will handle all those thoughts in your head," I assured her as Rose came up behind me. She played with her keys in her hands for a moment before she smiled.
"A, you're going to get married today and that is all that matters. Something will go wrong, and it'll be okay. Now come on, Bella has our breakfast waiting for us at the venue," Rose assured Alice before she tugged on her hand.
The entire ride to the venue, Alice went over every detail in her head before she called her wedding coordinator. Of course her wedding coordinator made the same assurances we did as we almost had to bargain with her to get her to eat her breakfast.
I let out a sigh of relief as I saw Alice finally take a bite out of her breakfast sandwich before switching to her coffee order. The wedding hair stylist came to do her hair, because Rose was busy applying our make-up.
Time seemed to pass by quickly as Rosalie worked her magic on our make-up. I hardly recognized myself under the layer of make-up Rose instilled on me. She smiled appreciatively at both of us, as she started to do her own.
The hair stylist had Alice's hair in a glamorous updo with silver crystals embedded in her hair. Meanwhile, I opted for a simple updo with several curly tendrils framing my face. Our bridesmaid dresses were gold and shimmery, which was perfectly Alice.
Her gown however, was a trumpet style gown with a dramatic train. The dress was a combination of lace, tulle, and satin with crystals scattered throughout. Her dress had straps over the shoulders that skimmed her forearms. She truly looked like the epitome of a princess.
"Oh A, you look incredible," I assured her as we admired her in the mirror. She twirled around for a moment as Esme adjusted her train. Tearfully, Esme hugged her daughter as both their eyes filled with tears. My heart swelled at the emotion in both their eyes as their gaze met.
Rose even blinked back a few tears as she stood beside me. I clasped my hand in hers as the photographer took a few shots of Alice and her mother. All of the stress from this morning seemed to dissipate from Alice as time grew closer to the ceremony.
"I can't wait to see him," Alice admitted as we sat down together on a gray armoire in the get ready room. Rose squeezed her hand as she grinned at her.
"It will all feel worth it when you see him. He's going to lose it," Rose assured her. Jasper's jaw was going to drop once he saw Alice walking down with Carlisle. My heart thrummed with anticipation of seeing Edward in a suit.
"You think so? It took him long enough," Alice chuckled.
"He will. You look absolutely stunning," I replied.
"I know I've been a huge pain in the ass this past year trying to get ready for this, and thank you for sticking with me," she murmured, looking at both of us. Rose and I both looked at each other as we shook our head.
"It's the day you've been dreaming of, A. We just want it to be so special for you," I reminded her, as I squeezed her uncovered shoulder. Her nude lipstick covered lips curved into a grin as she squeezed us both.
"Thank you," she murmured, her eyes shining with tears. I heard a crisp knock on the door as Esme rushed to answer it.
"It's time, sweetheart," Carlisle said from outside the door. We gave Alice reassuring glances as Carlisle opened the door. His jaw dropped when he saw Alice as tears swam in his eyes. He rushed over to her, grasping her shoulders as he took her in.
I could see the pride in his features as he shook his head. Carlisle wore a black suit, which contrasted against his light skin and blonde hair. Alice enveloped him in a hug as the camera flashed in the background to memorialize the shot.
The wedding coordinator came in moments later, telling us how to line up as Esme was escorted down by Emmett. The ceremony space was beautiful as I took in the tea lights framing the buildings outdoor as a patio came into display. Brick lay beneath us as an arbor was at the end of the aisle. White chairs framed the aisles with compotes at the end of the aisles with white hydrangeas and greenery. The arbor had light pink flowers along with white hydrangeas and tasteful touches of greenery. The musicians behind us began the processional music as Edward came up beside me.
My eyes took him in as I had to regulate my breathing. He looked absolutely handsome in a crisp black suit. His green eyes twinkled as they took me in as a wide smile spread across his lips. He leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear.
"You are absolutely gorgeous," he murmured. Goosebumps erupted on my skin with how close his lips were to my ear. He placed my hand in the crook of his arm, as Alice made sure we would walk down together.
"You don't look so bad either, handsome," I replied. He smiled impishly as he kissed my unoccupied hand.
"Wait until you see Alice though. Jasper is going to die," I remarked.
"I'm sure she looks beautiful. Jasper is a lucky bastard," Edward agreed. I elbowed him before we got our cue. Walking down the aisle with Edward was a strange experience for me. He walked with pride as if he held the world's most valuable jewel in his arms. His eyes would dart to mine every other minute as if he didn't want to forget the moment. I peered back at him with curiosity before we took our spots. The bridal party made an arc around Alice and Jasper. The music shifted once Alice came into view. On her father's arm, she looked radiant as she had to stop herself from running down the aisle. I peered over at Jasper, who looked mystified as she walked down the aisle to him.
His eyes filled up with tears that somehow stayed in his eyes as he gasped at her. His eyes never wavered from her as Carlisle handed her over to him. The officiant cleared her throat before she began the ceremony.
Throughout the ceremony, Edward would wink at me which resulted in my cheeks heating up. My mind couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to take Alice and Jasper's place one day as the one getting married. My heart beat faster at the thought of walking towards Edward down an aisle. Even though I was so hellbent against marriage, I could see how marriage could be.
Spending more time with Carlisle and Esme along with Rose and Emmett allowed me to see how a healthy marriage was supposed to look like. They weren't perfect and they had their share of disagreements and fights. However, they always came back to each other because they were a team. I knew without a doubt that Edward was my person, even if I spent years dismissing the fact. He didn't complete me, but he walked beside me. Throughout the craziness of our lives and thankfully we had a decently drama free year, he stayed unwavering.
"Jasper," Alice began, which snapped me out of my thoughts as she unraveled the piece of paper in her hands shakily.
"You are my rock, my voice of reason in my world full of color and disasters. You listen to me, love me, and push me to be better every single day. I promise to love you, find you great outfits and allow you to freedom to reject them," she began as a chuckle slid out of her lips at the last word. Jasper held onto her hands as he let a single tear fall before promptly wiping it away.
"I promise to be by your side wherever baseball sends us and more importantly where life sends us afterwards. I promise to respect you and burn lots of dinners and then find great take out places to supplement my cooking failures. Jasper, I love you with all of me and I give all of me to you," she said, tears slipping down her cheeks as Jasper wiped them away.
Jasper did not bring out a sheet of paper, the ever romantic. Instead he looked straight into her eyes as if she was the only person on the planet.
"Jesus, I wasn't expecting the water works," Rose whispered in my ear as she wiped away a tear.
"Alice, you are the most incredible woman I've ever met. You have a huge heart and want desperately to help every single person you meet. You have a creative mind that keeps you awake at night as you design the next dress for an actor in Hollywood. When we first met, I didn't think I could see behind the wild dresses or jumpsuits you wore. However, as I got to know you and see the heart that was underneath I fell for you, darlin.' I promise to love and honor you all the days of my life. I promise to protect your heart and grow old with you. Thank you for making a better man because of your love," he said, squeezing her hands in his.
As my eyes looked away from them for a moment, Edward's eyes trained on me. I knew now the expression he wore down the aisle I couldn't decipher. Longing. He ached for us to have the same commitment and same declaration of love. With tears in my eyes at the realization, I nodded at him. In what felt like seconds later, Alice and Jasper kissed as they were declared husband and wife.
Once Alice and Jasper came down the aisle, Edward laced my hand in his.
"Hi, gorgeous," he murmured in my ear.
"I never asked you how your day was going," I realized as he laughed.
"Well, we had fun this morning waking up late and took a shot before the ceremony. Jasper was so excited to see Alice," he replied. I rolled my eyes at the word shot, and cursed him for being able to wake up late.
"We woke up at the crack of dawn," I muttered.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. We can probably leave early if you're tired," he suggested. He had to be the most caring person on the face of the planet.
"I'm not going to miss Alice's reception. She'll murder us both," I reminded him as we stood with the rest of the bridal party to take pictures. Once we finished pictures, Alice insisted we all have a glass of champagne before the reception began.
"I think I preferred the shot before the wedding," Emmett interjected as we walked to the reception area. Rose threw him a glare as he held up his hands in surrender.
"Rosie, it was a shot of whiskey, babe," he reminded her.
"Really, Jasper? Before the ceremony?" Alice asked at her new husband. Edward and I giggled at them as Jasper held his hands up to plead for mercy from Alice.
"Just to ease the nerves, darlin'," he retorted.
"You were nervous?" Alice asked, quirking an eyebrow. His eyes softened for a moment as he bobbed his head.
"I spent two weeks memorizing my vows and was worried I was gonna choke under pressure," he replied, squeezing her hand. Her eyes widened before she kissed his cheek. After we were introduced, we settled into a sit down dinner.
"The best part," Emmett commented as we sat down at the head table. Rose merely rolled her eyes as she shifted in the chivari chair with white pillows. The ceremony space was flipped into a reception area, which had champagne colored table cloths with white flowers in elaborate candelabras.
I sipped on my glass of white wine as Edward wrapped an arm around the back of my chair. He leaned closer to my ear as he murmured.
"I don't think I've ever seen you in this color," Edward murmured, his eyes studying me appreciatively. I leaned closer to his ear so Alice didn't have a shot of hearing me.
"You never will again, babe. Not my color," I replied. Our dresses were glittery champagne colored with deep v-necklines and a slit in the front. The only benefit of the slit in the leg was that I wasn't dying of heat stroke.
"I beg to differ, although I think it will look even better on the floor of my bedroom while I'm..." he began, and blush erupted in my cheeks as I playfully slapped him.
"Edward," I chastised him as his hand that was around my chair fell on my dress covered thigh.
"Sorry babe," he murmured, but he did not retract his hand.
"Are you trying to round the bases at my wedding?" Alice asked, which made my cheeks turn beet red. Edward chuckled.
"Hey don't blame the man for trying," Emmett said, in defense of his brother.
"You have plenty of time after the reception," Alice reminded as she took her seat. Rose and I insisted Alice actually sit down and eat dinner before she rounded the tables to greet people. Begrudgingly, she complied as she took bites out of her salad and chicken scampi.
During dinner before Alice and Jasper made rounds, we spent time catching up with each other. Truthfully, we all hadn't been around the same table in over three months with everyone's schedules.
Alice insisted we maintain our Christmas tradition of spending Christmas eve together opening presents. Although Alice and Jasper would join the Cullen's Christmas festivities later because they would spend Christmas day with Jasper's family.
Sometime later, I heard Edward and Emmett tap their forks on their glasses. I heard microphones switch on, as there were easily over a hundred guests scattered throughout the patio. Edward and Emmett both stood up next to each other as they grasped the microphones.
"Hi, my name is Emmett Cullen, co-best man and Alice's favorite brother," Emmett began as an echo of laughter enveloped the patio.
"Alice is easily one of my favorite people in the world and my favorite person under five feet. Alice is my baby sister. Jasper I've known since college, and he was the first person I met with a Southern accent. I got to see them be awkward around each other until Jasper finally grew a pair of balls and asked her out," Emmett began, which resulted in a chuckle from me.
"I can remember the night Jasper came to me to ask how the hell to propose to Alice. He was nervous, he looked like he was going to pee himself. He pulled it off, I'd say because she said yes," Emmett continued. His eyes flicked to Alice, who leaned against Jasper.
"In all seriousness, Ali, I'm so glad you found someone who almost deserves you. I'm so happy for you and welcome to the married club!" Emmett finished, lifting up his glass. Claps began around us as Emmett sat down.
Edward stood, with a cautious smile on his face.
"I'm Edward, and I'm Alice's brother and a groomsman. I'm also unfortunately related to Emmett," he began. A series of laughs echoed through the audience as he fiddled with his cuff link for a moment. His eyes went to his sister's as he winked at her.
"Alice has always been a cheerleader to everyone around her and she has many talents. She's a self professed matchmaker, an ear to listen, a fashion designer, a loyal friend. I can speak on all of those qualities. She helped me find my girl after years of trying to set us up," he winked at me, which resulted in crimson blush across my cheeks.
"She loves people fearlessly and loyally. But most of all, Alice is there for everyone around her. I never thought I'd meet someone who deserved Alice, but Jasper you're pretty damn close. Thank you for loving her. I'm beyond happy for both of you and I'm so excited to see what the future holds for you both," he murmured before he lifted his glass.
I held my glass high as Edward handed back the microphone to the wedding coordinator before taking his seat next to me. His fingers laced with mine as the rest of the toasts went on before Rose and I got up. I felt like vomiting, but managed to hold myself together as I took the microphone in my shaky hands.
"I'm Bella, maid of honor. I met Alice when I was in sixth grade. Alice always wanted to be a designer, as I was often used as a model for her creations and our school's prom was her runway. When Alice sets her mind on something, she goes for it. When she met Jasper, I could tell from the moment she met him that she was falling for him," I said, smiling at Alice.
"Her eyes lit up when she talked about Jasper and although Alice has a fierce independent streak, Jasper perfectly balances her out. Jasper, you have to be one of the most patient men in this world, and the way you love Alice..." Rose trailed off, getting chocked up.
"Is the way we always dreamed a man would love our best friend," I finished, giving a quick hug to Rose before we met Alice's tear filled eyes. Once speeches were finished, the dance floor was unearthed.
After Alice and Jasper had their first dance, Edward pulled me in his arms for a dance.
"Hmm, you know we haven't done this since the benefit," I said as I met his gaze. His hands were sure on my waist as opposed to hesitant on that night. His lips framed into a wide grin as he kissed my forehead.
"I remember that night, you were wearing this blue satin dress and you took my breath away. I wanted to memorize the way you felt in my arms that night," he murmured into my ear.
"I have improved my dancing abilities since then," I murmured. He looked down at me for a moment before he spun me in his arms.
"That's not fair," I argued as he smiled crookedly at me.
"I remember how much I wanted to kiss you on the dance floor," he admitted before he pressed his lips lightly to mine.
"Edward," I reminded him, as we were in a public place. He swayed us in his arms for a moment before every line of him pressed into me as his lips felt cool against my ear.
"Although this dance is way better than that night because you're mine now," he murmured as I leaned into his chest. My hands pressed into his chest, as I let the weight of the day fall of me.
I smiled at the memory, as I found the light sweatshirt on my desk before packing up my bag. Edward promised me this weekend we'd go on a hiking in the morning, he insisted the view was the best at sunrise.
I agreed, only slightly begrudgingly because he looked so darn excited about the hike. Edward was coming back from a flight tonight and promised he pick me up in the morning since his car was more used to rugged conditions as he called it.
I felt a slight pang of disappointment that Edward wasn't catching a red eye to come see me the night before. He always spoiled me with coming home on the red eye just to spend an extra night with me.
However, I also knew the man needed sleep, which he somehow never got enough of. As soon as I got in my car, I got an incoming call from Alice.
"Hey A," I greeted as I flipped her on Bluetooth.
"Hey Bella, do you have a minute?" She asked hesitantly. My eyebrows pushed together as I heard the reluctance in her voice.
"Of course, Alice, I'm just driving home, what's up?" I asked, as I turned onto the main road. I heard a deep intake of breath and before I could urge her forward, she opened the floodgates.
"Bella, I don't think I want to have kids. Does that make me a bad person?" She asked, her words rushing out. I raised my eyebrows at the thought of her thinking she was a bad person.
"No, Alice, it doesn't make you a bad person. Have you talked to Jasper about it?" I asked her. I had a feeling Jasper did want to have kids, but having an open line of communication between the two of them was important.
"Yes, he understands and is perfectly fine without them. I've just been thinking a lot about it, and everyone tells me I'll change my mind. I've never had the desire to have babies and the thought of birth makes my heart rate go up to near heart attack levels. I just don't think I want to be a mom. I'm fine with kids, but I've never had baby fever or even liked them," she admitted.
While I didn't share her view of kids or motherhood, I could empathize with where she was coming from. Edward and I did want kids one day, but having kids wasn't part of everyone's life and I understood that.
"It is perfectly fine to not want kids, Alice," I assured her.
"Really?" She asked with a sniffle.
"Of course, Alice. You can be perfectly happy without kids. I think you'll be a great aunt one day," I said as I made my next turn into my apartment parking lot. My roommate was gone for the evening which meant I had the apartment to myself.
"Thank you, Bella," she murmured.
"Anytime, A," I said as I opened my car door.
"So you're seeing Edward this weekend?" She asked excitedly. I nodded my head as I placed my phone by my ear while I fished out my apartment key from the array of keys I had on my keychain.
"We're going on this morning hike. It's quite a hike so we're starting at like five in the morning," I replied. I was hoping the man at least provided caffeine to help wake me up. Luckily, I still had a pair of hiking shoes.
"Oh god, I wonder why you chose him sometimes. I'm just kidding. You have to send me pictures though," Alice said, and I bobbed my head as I unlocked my apartment door before setting my stuff on my bed.
"I'm gonna be sore tomorrow. Edward said we can get breakfast afterward though," I said. He knew food was the way to lure me. Alice chuckled before we said our goodbyes. I found a show on Netflix to watch before I made myself some pesto with pasta and chicken.
I fell asleep on the couch after finishing my dinner. Somehow I managed to set my alarm for the crack of dawn so I didn't oversleep. When my alarm went off blaring at an unspeakable hour, I found my overnight bag I packed along with a matching set of a sports bra and a pair of shorts for the hike. Edward assured me he had a backpack and packed water bottles for us both. I washed my face before applying the bare essentials of make up before I heard a knock on my door.
"Coming!" I yelled as I threw on a pair of hiking shoes. I opened the door to find an adorably prepared Edward. He grinned at me before pulling me into a kiss.
"Good morning, sweetheart," he murmured into my hair.
"Mm, please tell me you packed the essentials," I murmured. He chuckled as he pulled my hand into his. I locked the door behind me as we walked together to his car. Once I opened the door I nearly fell to the ground at his feet for thanksgiving.
"Coffee!" I gasped.
"I know it's key to your survival and mine," he murmured as he got into the driver's seat. I sipped at the delicious drink in a Starbucks cup as he reached across the console to hold my hand.
"I know mornings are your least favorite time of the day, but I really think you'll like this hike. I did some research on it," he said, his green eyes meeting mine. My heart swelled that he put time and effort into our date.
"That's adorable, Edward," I murmured. His cheeks tinged pink for a moment.
"We don't even have to drive that far because it's close to Phoenix," he replied. We saw signs for Camelback mountain, which was no easy feat for a hiking trip. Although the actual hike wasn't long, the altitude was high.
He helped me out of the car and into the still dark trail before us. He lugged a backpack on his back which looked full.
"Are you gonna be okay carrying that?" I asked him curiously. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and nodded.
"You know we do farmer's carries for training," he reminded me. Of course he had to be in incredible shape for baseball season, as he was away all week for interviews.
"True. But just let me know if it gets heavy for you," I reminded him.
"Edward, how was training and interviews this week?" I asked him. He was a few weeks out of pre-season which meant he had a flurry of interviews and practices scattered throughout his week.
"They were fine, I guess. Emmett was insisting his swing was off which meant he was watching it in agonizing detail on the television screen," he chuckled. Emmett was a confident fielder and catcher, but hitting he could beat himself up.
"You would do the same thing. Do you remember we spent a whole afternoon and you drilled me about what was wrong with your swing?" I asked him. He laughed as he nodded.
"My feet were too far apart and I was upper cutting it!" He argued. I rolled my eyes. He was a perfectionist, especially with his swing. Although his job depended on his hitting ability so I could understand.
"You are one of the better batters in the league," I reminded him. He would never admit the fact though. Although the outfield is really where he shined, making unbelievable catches.
"I'm a better fielder," he shrugged.
"That may be true. But your on base percentage is great," I reminded him.
"I'll give you that one, B girl," he chortled as I struggled to maintain his steps. The path before us was rocky as I fought to stay upright. Edward turned to me, concern shining in his face.
"Are you alright?" He asked worriedly. I mustered a grin at him as his anxious eyes met mine.
"I'm fine, babe, it's just more of a challenging hike than you let on," I teased him. His eyes widened as his gaze shifted for a moment. He looked more fidgety than normal, which worried me.
"Edward, I was kidding with you. I just consider myself a decently in shape person and this is kicking my ass already," I assured him. He seemed to relax momentarily at my words as he shifted beside me.
"I don't want to have to carry you back down although I will if you need it," he said with a slight smile. I shook my head at him as I chuckled.
"Unless I break something, carrying me isn't needed," I assured him. As we walked, he asked me about my demanding week at school. As the softball season started, I barely had a chance to do anything other than coaching and school work.
"I've heard a rumor that Arizona State is looking for another assistant coach," he murmured, looking at me pointedly. I blanched at him as he reached over to squeeze my hand for a moment.
"You'd be wonderful, baby. You took those girls to a state championship last year and they won," he reminded me. Although I wouldn't turn down the momentous opportunity, I doubt they even remembered me.
"Edward, that's very flattering but I doubt they'd consider me," I said, rolling my eyes.
"Well, I think they should. You're a great success story of their program," he said. I huffed as I shook my head.
"I didn't go pro," I reminded him.
"You didn't have to. Your coaching matters more than your playing," he argued.
"You don't want to coach after you're done with baseball?" I asked him curiously. I always envisioned him as a coach since he was not only a fantastic player, but he understood the sport. He shook his head at me.
"Maybe an announcer or have my own podcast," he said. My eyes lit up as a smile donned on my face.
"You have an excellent television voice. I hear you on podcasts," I admitted. His eyes widened as a wide smile broke out across his lips.
"I didn't know you watched," he murmured in amazement.
"Always, unless I have a softball game. I wish I could coach and watch you, but I'm not that talented," I said with a shrug. Light started to peak out as the moon started to fade in the distance.
"We're almost there, baby," he assured me with a smile. He seemed tense as we got closer, which worried me. I figured once we reached the overlook, I could ask him what was going on. As we reached the rocky overlook, I let out a sigh of relief.
"Holy crap, Edward, I think I need either a water or a double shot of espresso," I said, out of breath as I reached for the backpack. He handed me the backpack as he got closer to the overlook.
"I can't provide the espresso here, but there's a water bottle with your name on it," he said, handing me the bag. I shifted through the bag as I saw Edward out of the corner of my eye move closer to the overlook. I set the bag down to search for a water bottle, which I found.
"This has to be like Tetris. Dammit," I cussed. I was so caught up in looking for a water bottle, I missed the sun start to peak out from the mountains stretched before us. I dropped the water bottle as I saw Edward on one knee with the overlook behind him.
Butterflies erupted in my stomach as I walked closer to him so he was mere inches from me. I covered my mouth in utter surprise as his warm eyes met mine. My eyes swirled with tears as my heart pounded in my ears. I was positive his knee hurt from kneeling on the rock like he was.
However, he didn't seem to care. Instead he looked up at me with love and admiration that nearly sent me to my knees.
"You would cuss at me in a moment like this," he chuckled. I peered at him, tears shining in my eyes. He chuckled before he answered my unanswered question. I didn't look at the supposed view behind him as I fixed my eyes on him.
"The moment I ask you to marry me," he explained. My heart went into overdrive as I fought back tears. His eyes shined with tears as they met mine. In this moment with him, I didn't feel fear like I imagined. For so long, I spent my life avoiding any commitment to anyone because I associated commitment with control. Edward had shown me that love was never about control, instead love was freeing.
He saw me as I was, just as he said that fateful night on my couch. He saw me and he didn't run away. Despite every detonating bomb I threw out of my idea of self preservation, he stayed.
Instead, the same man almost two years later was on one knee before me with his heart in his hands. I looked down as he unearthed a black box. His fingers shook as a wide smile broke out across his face.
"Bella, I've wanted you since the moment I saw you in sixth grade across the classroom in science class. I daydreamed about you since that moment, and I always wondered what it would be like to be loved by you. After two years of loving you and you opening your big heart to me, I want more of you," he said, his breath hitching. My mind went briefly back to the day we met.
Ms. Biers cleared her throat as she turned on the Elmo, which buzzed itself awake. I looked down at my notebook and flipped to an empty page. Although biology was my least favorite subject, I had to make a decent grade so that I didn't have to take it ever again.
Riley, one of the irritating boys in my class, peered over a me and make a sickening finger motion with his hand. Even though the other girls in my grade hadn't begun to go through puberty, by some curse I was. Which meant my boobs had ballooned and I became the spectacle of every male in our class. I swallowed back the vomit before rolling my eyes at his petty advance.
My legs, which never touched the ground at any table hovered above as I kicked my feet below the table. They were still sore from drills from softball practice yesterday. I hoped I remembered my mitt in my bat bag because the idea of calling Dad when he was knee deep in patrol was not a grand idea. My eyes travelled away from my notebook as Ms. Biers cleared her throat.
"We have a new student who just moved Phoenix. From, where again, sweetheart?" She asked the tall gangly male with somehow perfect windswept copper colored hair. His sea green eyes which reminded me a sea turtle's shell met hers as he smiled at the class.
"Forks, Washington," he replied easily with a shrug. A few guffaws came from the boys in the class who made a joke about not knowing where that was. I didn't know where that was either, but had the decency to shut my mouth. His eyes searched the room before they landed on me.
I tried to submerge myself in my seat as my stomach suddenly felt all weird with his eyes on me. They studied me for a moment before unlike all the other boys, they stayed glued on my eyes. A wide, slightly crooked smile overtook his face as he grinned at me.
"I'm Edward Cullen," he greeted. Ms. Biers smiled down at him before she opened her mouth.
"Edward, we are so happy to have you. There's an empty seat by Bella Swan and I'm sure she can catch you up," Ms. Biers suggested, pointing at the seat next to me at my lab table. Quickly, I moved my pencil box so he had room as he walked over to me.
Was my heart supposed to beat this fast?
"You sit next to the one girl who doesn't even like boys," Riley bellowed. He sounded more pathetic by the minute. I flipped my hair to the side as I rolled my eyes dramatically at him.
"Just not you, dweeb," I retorted which earned a grin from Edward as he pulled his chair out before sitting down next to me.
"Bella," I greeted.
"Edward," he said, putting his hand out for a handshake. I raised an eyebrow at him before I shook his hand.
"I hope you're not against friendship though," he murmured, his eyes full of hope. A hesitant smile spread across my lips as I shook my head.
"I'm not," I assured him with a smile before turning my eyes to Ms. Biers as she started her lesson on the different parts of the plant cell. However, his eyes stayed on me.
Shaking myself out of my memory, my eyes trained back on his as he continued.
"I don't want to say goodbye to you anymore. I want to be your best friend, your biggest cheerleader, your lover, the arm candy you hold when you walk into a room because I lose my breath every time I see you looking back at me. I want your coffee kisses in the morning and your wine kisses at night. I've been a baseball player, college student, podcaster, sinner, brother, son, but the best thing I've ever been is yours," he said, his eyes never wavering from mine. My eyes took in the sight behind him as the sunrise crept over the mountains.
He promised to be mine forever, which was the biggest gift anyone had ever given me. While I didn't see myself the way he described me, I didn't doubt his words. His voice held such sincerity and his eyes met mine with such intensity I couldn't look away.
"B, will you marry me?" He asked, opening the black box to expose a beautiful emerald cut diamond with surrounding diamonds on the band. I felt my breath catch as I willed words out of my mouth.
"Yes," I whispered, nodding my head. He bounded up from where he was standing nearly falling over as he reached for my hand.
"Wouldn't want this to fall off before we get to the good stuff," he said with a grin as the ring fit perfectly on my finger. I reached up to clasp my arms around his neck as he lifted me up in the air before his eager lips met mine.
He held me in his arms like I was the most precious piece of his life as he let me breathe. His lips never left me as they migrated to my cheeks, forehead, neck, and exposed collarbone.
He pulled away to wipe the tears that escaped my eyes.
"Edward, how did you keep it a secret?" I asked him. He grinned proudly as let me down on my feet unsteadily.
"I didn't tell Alice," he replied easily. I raised an eyebrow at him as he held my left hand in his.
"Smart thinking," I said, with a smirk.
"And that business trip I went on? Last night I drove to see your dad, I hated lying to you but I wanted to ask him." He admitted as we started our descent down the trail again. I quirked any eyebrow. He misinterpreted my expression as anger as he quickly explained himself.
"I know we don't like in medieval times when your dad owns you or I have to pay a dowry, but I want him to respect me, B. Because he's your father and I have a hell of a lot of respect for the man who raised you," he explained.
"I'm not mad, Edward. I think it's sweet," I assured him. His lips turned upwards as he cleared his throat.
"He was confused why I was asking him since you're a "grown" adult. He told me he gave me his blessing because he hadn't seen you happy like you are when you're with me," he admitted. I was happy without him, but with him he made me a better person.
"I am stupidly happy with you," I agreed. He let out a megawatt grin as he walked beside me. Once we reached the parking lot I nearly cried with relief. Edward opened my door for me as we drove to a breakfast place.
"Can we take a nap after this?" I asked once we reached the cafe. His eyes glimmered with amusement as he nodded.
"Of course, love," he assured me. He held my hand as we walked in the diner like stupid fools. He found a cafe with avocado toast which made me want to cry with happiness. This man knew me so well.
"When do you want to tell people?" He asked as he looked down at a menu.
"Can we do it when the world wakes up at a reasonable hour?" I asked him. He laughed in response, squeezing my hand as he sat across from me. When we were on our way over to his house, he showed me his phone.
I looked down to see a photograph of him proposing to me in stunning color. As much of a sweaty mess as I was in that moment, I didn't look it. The shots were absolutely gorgeous with the backdrop of the mountains behind us.
"Edward, how did you?" I asked him. He grinned wickedly as he squeezed my hand.
"I hired a photographer," he replied easily. He really had this planned, didn't he? However, that detail didn't surprise me since he was a strict planner. My eyes shined at the care and thought he put into it.
"That's so sweet of you," I murmured. He grinned as he squeezed my hand in his.
"Totally worth it, baby girl," he agreed as he helped me out of the car and into his house. Before I could set my feet on the gravel of his driveway, he swept me up in his arms.
"Edward!" I protested. He chuckled as he held me close to his chest. He carried me over the threshold which made me giggle.
"I'm pretty sure that tradition is for after you get married," I reminded him. He stared down at me for a moment before he walked us up the stairs into his master bathroom.
"I'm practicing," he argued. I rolled my eyes as he set me on my feet.
"I'm gonna take a shower, love, but I would love to take a shower with my fiancée," he murmured in invitation. I giggled as he wrapped me in his arms.
"I'm disgusting, so it's never a bad idea," I assured him. I stripped off my sports bra and shorts before meeting him under the stream of the shower. While I fully believed he would start something in the shower, he didn't. He washed my hair and the rest of me with such care. When we were finished he gave me a fluffy towel as I towel dried my hair.
As I walked into the bedroom to find my overnight bag, his hands wound around my waist as he kissed the nape of my neck. I let out a moan as his fingers traced the top of my towel.
"As much as I love how absolutely enticing you look in my towel, I'm partial to you without one," he growled as he turned me around before he fell back against the bed. My towel slipped away as I kissed him, trailing kisses down his chest. His hands traced every part of me he could reach before he scooted me up against the edge of the bed. His lips skimmed my abdomen, his lips smiled as they felt my muscles contract beneath him.
I let out a deeper moan as he kissed my breasts, his lips went around a nipple as I clawed at him. Finally, his lips went to where I wanted him most as I squirmed against him. He wrapped a hand around my abdomen to keep me from squirming away as he pressed a kiss against my clit. I let out a cry as he lapped at me as my hands went into his hair. He didn't let up until he felt me reach close to my peak.
His fingers replaced his mouth as he plunged two into me. I cried out as I felt my release go in waves over me. He smiled against my abdomen as I regained my bearings. My lips traced down his chest before they reached below his navel.
He let out a hiss as I licked his cock once.
"Jesus, B," he moaned as my lips enveloped him. His hands went in my hair, pulling lightly but never uncomfortably. As he was close to his own release, he pulled away as I leaned back against the pillows of the bed. He followed me, his eyes never leaving mine as he laid over me.
He clasped my hands in his as he kissed me until we were both breathless. I pulled away as thrusted to meet me, a low groan leaving my lips. He thrusted up against me, I wasn't sure where he ended and I began. We fit together perfectly it made me wonder why I chased all the wrong men when the right one was right in front of me the entire time. He pressed eager kisses to my neck as he moved with me.
Tears bloomed in my eyes as this was the first time I was making love to the man I would marry.
"Bella," he pulled back, his once lust filled eyes shining with worry.
"I can't wait to marry you, Edward," I assured him. He wiped away the tears with his fingers before his lips trailed on my cheeks.
"I love you so damn much, beautiful girl," he murmured as he kissed me again. I whimpered as he thrusted relentlessly into me, my fingers clawing into his back. He moaned into my neck as he let out a curse before he let himself go. Feeling him come apart above me was indescribable. He knew I was close as his finger found my clit.
"Come for me, gorgeous," he murmured into my ears. His eyes watched mine as I came apart underneath him. A proud smile bloomed on his lips as he pulled me closer to him before flipping us both over.
He wrapped the comforter around both of us as he laid my head down on his chest, both of us trying to catch our breath. Breathlessly he kissed my forehead, before his fingers intertwined with mine. He stared down at my left hand, intertwined with his as he studied the diamond.
"Can we get married in the mountains?" I asked him after a blissful few moments of silence. He nodded against my hair, squeezing his hand between mine.
"We can get married anywhere you want," he assured me.
"How long do people wait to get married? Do we need a pre-nup? I know most famous people get those," I rushed out and he silenced me with a kiss as he turned on his side so his eyes could meet mine. I had no experience with the engagement process since with James we went to a courthouse a few hours after he asked. I knew this time I wanted it to be different because I wanted to do it right this time.
"No pre-nup, B. It's you and me. Those vows we speak that day are our promises together and I have zero plans to lose," he replied, his lips tracing my forehead. My eyes trailed to the monstrous rock on my hand which glittered in the low light of the bedroom. I didn't want to get married immediately, I wanted to plan our ceremony. I knew I wanted my grandparents involved and include some aspects of my Navajo roots.
I also knew I didn't want the fanfare involved with Alice's. The mere thought of having over a hundred people staring at me had me nearly in hives. However, I realized the wedding wasn't the most important part of a marriage. Which is why I wanted to ask Edward to go to pre-marriage counseling with me. I wasn't sure how he'd react as I tapped my fingers against his chest. He closed his eyes as he flipped over so I was on his chest again.
As he felt my fingers drumming into his chest, his fingers quieted them by laying over them. Counseling wasn't glamorous and I knew Edward was supportive of me going to see a counselor, but I wasn't sure if he was comfortable doing the same.
"What's got you nervous?" He asked, his eyes still closed. I raised an eyebrow at him, confused how he could read me so well.
"Your eyes are closed, how can you tell?" I questioned him. A laugh rumbled through him as he kissed my hair once more before intertwining my left hand in his as he wrapped one arm around me.
"You got one eyebrow raised, don't you?" He asked. I was really creeped out by his perceptiveness as he chuckled at my silence.
"Do you think I have to have my eyes open to know what's wrong with you? Out with it, sweetheart," he explained. I let out the breath I wasn't aware I was holding as I shifted in his arms.
"You can say no, but I was thinking about us doing pre-marriage counseling...I totally understand if you're uncomfortable," I started rambling and he tightened his arms around me. I waited for an obvious rejection in his body language, but I didn't find any. Instead, he pressed me closer to him before his lips were at my ear.
"I think it's a great idea. Now give that rabbit wheel that goes on your head a rest and lay with me," he murmured, as I leaned my head against his chest and let my eyes closed. I fell asleep to the sound of his heart beat, drumming in his chest.
And we have one more chapter left! Any ideas of what the part two is? I actually wrote the proposal scene first before I wrote anything else. I hope you enjoyed reading the proposal scene, as I loved writing Edward in it :)
Let me know your thoughts and see you in a week!
