On My Way
Chapter 11
Esme has been such a gracious host these last few weeks and spoiling me like crazy.
She drives me everywhere, gets up at the crack of dawn to take me to my shop and get my gang started, where Stephan shows up to have morning coffee with us.
"There's something off about him Bella, I'm not just saying that because I want you with Jasper. I just want you to be happy. I think he's weasley." She stated.
"I'm not letting my heart get over run, if that's what you're worried about. Jasper truly has the edge. He's been really sweet and kind and when we Skype, he's been different. He said he has something special planned for us and he's hoping Carlisle has me in a walking cast by then."
"Well, you go in for your check-up next week, two days before Jasper comes home." Esme smiled.
Waiting at my appointment, there's a woman with two little kids and the boy is giving her a hard time, but the girl is sitting there quietly, Esme had gone to say hi to some of the nurses she knew and so I was people watching, this little family had me captivated and knowing I was nowhere near ready for kids.
The mom kept threatening the little boy "S.J., I'm going to call your father and tell him how naughty you were today!"
S.J. was around 6 or 7 would look at his mom and smirk "So, he's never home. What's he going to do?"
Little sister would just cling tighter to mommy, mom looked like she needed a bottle of wine, screw the glass.
Finally, Carlisle came out and called me and saw the little boy being disobedient.
"Hello there. Are you the one making all this noise in my hospital?" Carlisle asked with a big smile.
"Yes, it's so boring." He sighed.
"How about a lollipop and some cartoons on the TV." He handed each of the children a sugar free lollipop and had the nurse put it on cartoons to suit children, not adults.
"Thank you." The mom smiled at Carlisle.
"You're most welcome."
"Now, come Bella. We have a date with a saw."
"Bella? Do you own that bakery?" the woman asked.
"Yes, was there a problem?" I was now concerned with the way she said that.
"Stay away from my husband!" she got in my face.
"Excuse me." I was confused.
"Stephan. Stay away from him! I know he goes there to see you."
"I'm sorry, I had no idea. He'll no longer be welcome. I promise. I don't play those games." I was truly mortified.
That asshole was going to get my wrath when he came walking in this afternoon.
"The ring? Family outings?" she asked.
"There was never a ring, and no outings. He worked. I work. I don't live for a man. I have very few hours available in my life, so I was probably convenient. But guess what? I don't put out, so he picked a lousy mistress, if that's what he thought he was getting. We talked business mostly." I shrugged and walked away with Carlisle apologizing once more.
"Well, that was awkward." Carlisle laughed.
"You think?"
Carlisle checked my foot and said he'd put a walking cast on, but I had to be careful and it I messed it up, I'd go back in a full cast and it'd be on longer.
"I promise I'll be careful."
"Okay, I'm holding you to that. I know how you are though when you're pissed off." He laughed.
"I'm not going to beat the guys ass, I wasn't vested in him. He was nice to talk too. He has a great business mind, it was nice. But I won't be a party to cheating and he won't be welcome into my shop with that in mind, only as a patron."
"Don't let Jasper know what he did." Carlisle gave me a look.
"Who did what?" Esme asked as she walked in.
"I'll tell you over lunch." I hopped off the table.
Esme laughed it up during lunch.
"Only you Bella, only you."
"Hush Esme. I don't need the 'I told you so' speech."
"Well I kind of did." She shrugged.
"Yeah, yeah."
We headed home and I showered and shaved the part of my leg I hadn't been able too for a few weeks because it was gross and told Esme I was going to take a nap.
"I'll wake you at dinner."
"No, we've got to go close the shop."
"I'll go close it. I know how to count money Bella. I've ran a business. Just rest." Esme assured me.
"You've done enough." I argued.
"Now, take your pain pill and rest! Quit running for one day! My orders." She pointed towards my room.
"Fine. Fine." I laughed and climbed in bed. She walked in and drew the curtains to make it darker.
"Rest."
I put on soft music, slipping off my pants, bra and top and slipping on a tank top after she left and sleeping in that and my panties, slipping under the soft cool sheets and falling fast asleep.
Not sure how long I'd been sleeping I felt the bed dip and my hair pushed out of my face and "Bella, Bella" being whispered.
"Ten more minutes." I grumbled.
Then I felt a kiss on my forehead and slapped the offender.
"What the fuck?" I sat up startled.
"Shit! You've got a mean right hook!" I shook my head looked to see Jasper running into my bathroom.
"Oh my god Jasper! Are you okay?" I hobbled over to him.
"Mom told me to come wake you for dinner." He grinned.
"And you end up with a bloody nose, I'm so sorry."
We finished cleaning him up and were getting ready to head down.
"Bella, aren't you forgetting something?" Jasper wiggled his eyebrows.
I gasped, I still had on just my tank and panties.
"Out! I need to dress." I blushed.
He smirked and I dressed quickly.
"Glad you got the walking cast. I've got a great day planned tomorrow."
"Are you going to tell me?
"No, just wear some jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt and light sweater."
"Okay."
"Oh, and your hair in a ponytail. No makeup."
"Well, that's usually a given on." I shrugged.
Dinner was great, Esme had done everything at the shop for me, told me Stephan had been by to apologize and brought flowers for me, Esme had them on the bar.
"Oh, these are nice." I smile and winked at Esme.
"Since when do you like roses?" Jasper looked offended.
"Be nice." Esme snapped at him. "I'm sure you'll learn everything tomorrow."
"If he's nice."
"UGH! You're not supposed to take her side mom." Jasper laughed.
Jasper and sat out on the swing and talked, catching up.
"Can I learn about this Stephan character tonight? Than our day isn't ruined tomorrow?
I told him all about Stephan and what I'd found out at the doctor's appointment.
"So, was he just trying to get into your pants or what?" Jasper was furious.
"I don't really know. I told him I wasn't going to sleep with anyone, that wasn't what I was looking for. We just spent hours talking business. I seriously think he's just bored intellectually and had he'd told me he was married up front, we could have been friends and talked business at the shop, I feel bad for his wife. She's thinking there's so much more between us where there wasn't." I sighed.
"Bella, only you would feel bad for the wife when you're the one who was lied too." Jasper laughed and tucked my hair behind my ear.
"How else am I supposed to feel? She thinks her husband is having sex with this young thing, when he honestly doesn't even have the energy, I'm sure. He just wants me for what's between here." I laughed pointed between my ears. "Mental stimulation, not physical is what he's craving. He was never overly handsy. He only tried to deepen a kiss once, but when I told him 'no', he was okay with it. He knew what happened to me, from the last name." I shrugged.
"Wow." Jasper was left speechless for once.
We sat out there for a while, I was curled into Jasper's side and he was rocking us.
"This is nice." I sighed.
"It is."
"I want to try." I looked up to him.
"Try what?" he looked puzzled.
"Us. I want an us." I pulled his face to mine a kissed him softly.
He had a goofy grin on his face when I pulled away.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. You just have to promise me you're in 100% too. This can't be one sided."
"Bella, I've wanted this for quite some time. I'm glad you've finally caught on." He pulled me on his lap.
"This isn't about sex either Jasper." I gave him a serious look.
"I've waited this long, I can wait longer; and no, I'm not going to get it from someone else, so don't even suggest that. I know how your brain works."
"Sorry, I kind of have trust issues."
"But you shouldn't. I haven't cheated on you. I can understand about being alone, but about being a couple? Don't overthink us. Okay?" he pleaded.
"Okay." I smiled.
We had a pretty good kissing session before he stopped it and said we needed sleep because of our big day tomorrow.
"Rest. I'll wake you."
"I bet I'm up before you."
"And what are the stakes?"
"Loser buys breakfast."
"You're on Swan." He nibbled my lips at the door and gave me a quick kiss.
I slept soundly that night.
Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.
Swatting at my face and connecting with someone else and hearing a chuckle, "You'd think I'd learn."
"Damn it. I guess I'm buying breakfast." I sat up.
"You really need to wear more to bed." He growled running his hands up my sides.
"Thought it wasn't about sex?" I quirked an eye brow.
"I swear it's not, but I'm a guy and you are wearing this tiny tank that's barely containing the girls." He pulls me into his lap "Inside we're all twelve and like boobs." He confesses making me laugh.
"Okay, well out. Let me shower and cover the girls so your inner twelve-year-old can go away and your honorable gentleman can come back out."
"You're no fun Isabella." He pouted.
"Please don't call me that."
"Sorry."
"It's okay, you didn't know." He kissed me softly and walked out.
I got myself together and showered dressing quickly and walking downstairs.
Esme had breakfast made.
"Look, you don't have to buy." He laughed, stealing a kiss.
"Hmmm, that looks promising." She pointed out.
"We're going to try." I informed her.
She shrieked like Alice, sending Carlisle running into the kitchen still tucking his shirt into his pants.
"What happened?" he was panting.
"They're a couple!" Esme was dancing.
Carlisle hugged me.
Jasper borrowed one of their cars and we were out of the house by 7am.
"Have you ever flown in a Sea Plane?"
"Uh, no."
"Good, you're in for lots of adventures today."
Within twenty minutes we were at a business that read 'Seattle Orca Whale Watching'.
"It will take about an hour and then we can walk around for a little bit before our ferry leaves, I've ordered a basket lunch for us while we're on it, we'll pick that up, I've got a reserved table too, that way we don't have to stand the entire time. Then we'll eat dinner before flying back. I've got reservations made for dinner too. It's low key, so don't panic about dress code."
"You're pulling out all the stops."
"I'm nothing if not a gentleman and a romantic." He kissed me as we walked into the tiny office and gave his name.
The day was wonderful, the flight beautiful, we took so many pictures. He had people snapping pictures of us and he was snapping selfies of us; dinner was magical, it was a quaint little restaurant on the wharf with a million-tea light and twinkle lights, right up Alice's alley, they served a little of everything. Jasper had steak that he said was perfection and I had shrimp alfredo.
"Jasper, thank you for today. It was perfect. I don't think I could have asked for a more perfect first date."
"The first of many Bella. I want you to consider coming to visit me next time. Please."
"My shop." I argued.
"My mom can take care of it. She's done it for the past week, has she not?"
"Well yes. But she shouldn't have too. She's on the verge of retiring."
"Bella. I'm not asking you to move to Alaska, just a weekend visit We've got to make this work sweetheart."
"I'll talk to her." I promised.
"That's all I ask."
All too soon he was headed back to Alaska, but on much better terms than last time.
"I'll Skype with you in a day or two, but we'll be texting until then. Yours."
"Yours." We kissed until the last minute and he ran to the check in.
"Yours?" Esme asked.
"I'm not ready to say, 'I love you' and he keeps saying it, I feel bad, so I said 'Yours' the other day and he liked that. And now that's what we say."
"That's very sweet. Almost as meaningful as 'I love you', though." She gave me a look.
"Meh, I'm committing myself to him; that much is true and he knows I'm not going anywhere. So, it is a kind of promise."
Esme hugged me. "Welcome to the family 'officially'." She made air quotes and we broke into fits of laughter.
AN:
They're OFFICIAL…
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