Huge thanks to Sherry and Paige for being amazing betas and pre-readers! This story would be such a mess without them! You both are beautiful and amazing!
"Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream she said
The one that makes me laugh she said
Threw her arms around my neck
Show me how you do it and I'll promise you
I'll promise that I'll run away with you, I'll run away with you"
-The Cure-
EPOV:
Bella had been flustered all day. It felt odd, providing her with moral support for a date I didn't want her to go on. But what could I do to stop her, besides ask her out myself? If I didn't man-up, I would have to watch her date someone else before my very eyes. Which brings me to this moment, sitting on her bed, watching her try on dress after dress with Charlie in my arms.
Part of me believes she must be teasing me with this dress up shit. As if putting on dresses was her way of saying, "You don't like it? Do something about it!"
"What do you think about this one?" she asks as she twirls in front of me.
Charlie is smiling in approval, before he returns to trying to place his foot in his mouth. I laugh at his attempt and bring him to rest on my shoulder.
"You look beautiful. So, where is this guy taking you?" My expression is nonchalant, but my voice is anything but.
"Some Italian restaurant in the city," she explains with a shrug of her shoulders.
If it's not important to her, why must she torment me with this?
"So why do you need my opinion anyway? Do I look like a man who knows anything about fashion?" I ask, gesturing to my worn black t-shirt and ripped jeans. "Can't your sister give you advice?"
"Well, I wanted a man's opinion," she says with a blush.
The tension in my chest dissipates as I see a shy smile appear on my girl's face. "Bella, you know you're beautiful. Anything you wear would be perfect."
She looks at me, as if she was really seeing me for the first time and thanks me, before returning to her walk-in closet to try on another dress.
I can't contain myself any longer. I can't sit idly by while another man pursues what is mine. I place Charlie on the center of her bed, and follow her into the closet. She is shocked at first, and I'm stunned momentarily by her exposed flesh, which she is making a half-assed attempt to cover. Looking away from her tempting body, I meet her eyes and focus on what I need to say.
Taking a deep breath, I speak before I can overthink things and stop myself, "Bella, I don't want you to go on this date tonight."
She cocks her brows at me, and drops her hands, placing them on her hips. "Why? I haven't been on a date in a long time Edward."
"Is that the only reason why you're going out with this guy?" I can't help the contempt that is in the tone of my voice, but I've never felt anything toward a woman before. I've never even had a female friend...Bella is my first.
"Because he seems nice. He comes highly recommended by Alice," she smiles, before slipping into another dress.
"Don't play with me," I say, darker than I intended to.
"Are you looking out for me as your best friend?" she challenges me.
She looks so cute all of the sudden. Spirited, beautiful, and just what I need.
"No, Bella I'm not," I say taking a step forward, trapping her in the corner of the closet. "If you want to go on a date, I'll take you out."
"A real date?" she smiles up at me.
"Well," I smirk, "It doesn't have to be a real date, we could just fake it and see how it goes."
She snorts and hits my chest. "No, Edward. I think you should try again."
"Cancel your date tonight, and I'll take you out."
Bella gives me a knowing grin, and I wonder if this was her plan all along. "Okay, Edward. I'll go on a date with you."
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It's not a fancy Italian spot, but it is pizza, which is close in my book and well within my price range. Bella doesn't seem to mind it, because she hasn't stopped smiling since our arrival. Charlie is just as happy, bouncing on my lap while we wait for the waitress to bring a high chair.
"So, is this what you envisioned for the night?" I tease her, as she plays with the napkin on her lap.
"Yes," she says with a coy smile.
She did plan this!
Before I can ask her how long she had been planning this, in that pretty little head of hers, our waitress returns with a high chair in one hand and a notepad in the other. I stare at the drink menu on the last page of the menu for a moment, thinking about how nice a cold IPA would feel. Shaking my head, I order a Pepsi and take the formula I brought for Charlie out of the bag I brought with me.
"So, did the guy take it pretty hard when you canceled?" I want her to confirm this guy is real and she hasn't just been messing with me.
"Well, he was hopeful that we could reschedule for another time. He is Alice's friend, and I guess my sister really talked me up to him."
"I'm sure that is easy to do."
Bella flushes, pleased by my words. Our waitress returns for our order, before asking whether we would like one check, or two tonight.
Before Bella can speak up, I quickly tell the waitress, "Just one, thank you."
I don't understand the shock on Bella's face, did she honestly think I would allow her to pay tonight? This is the first date I've ever been on, and growing up, it was ingrained in my brain that the man should be paying for dates. Suddenly, I am nervous. This is my very first date, how pathetic is that,and I don't want to screw anything up.
"Thanks, Edward. But you didn't have to do that."
"Well, it is a date, isn't it?"
I never envisioned that my very first date would involve a baby...but this is a date nonetheless. As if he can read my thoughts, Charlie laughs in my arms and spits up a bit of his formula.
"Yes, it is," Bella responds with a pretty blush. "I never thought you would ask me out."
I laugh, astounded by this. Although we have been friends for a while now, I always thought I had been rather flirtatious with her. But maybe my feelings weren't as easily conveyed, as I had imagined. I thought I had been showing her how deeply my feelings ran when we had reminisced over our very different upbringings, or when we discussed our favorite music as we found we had the same tastes, or when we discovered that, although we were opposites, we had still became best friends.
"Well, I suppose I just needed you to tease me until I caved," I tease her.
Bella throws her head back with a giggle, and all my suspicions are confirmed, that little minx most definitely planned this. I love how she can flirt with me one minute, and then the next we can have these deep conversations. I never feel like I have to hide with Bella. While she doesn't know every aspect of my past, she sees me and accepts me for what I am. There are definitely certain aspects of our upbringings that we have left unsaid, but I know that nothing could change the way I feel about her. I hope that she believes the same when it comes to my situation.
Our pizza arrives and we fall into a deep discussion about literature and music, two things I loved before I found the many different forms of self-medication. I can't remember the last time I talked about Kesey, Bukowski, or Palahniuk, but it's always freeing to discuss something you love. I used to read all the time before I sold all of my books. Bella approves of my tastes, and has read every book that I name, but explains that she prefers the classics, such as Austen and Brontë. I wonder if it would impress her if she found me with a copy of Pride and Prejudice.If I could stomach reading that sort of thing, I've never been one for romance.
Charlie grows restless, and I know he is tired of lying in my arms and wants to get up and move. Now that he can finally stand with the assistance of the furniture or me, he doesn't like to be still for long. He begins kicking his legs and I wonder if I should take him outside to get some fresh air.
"Awe, poor guy," Bella coos, leaning across the table to get a better look at Charlie. "Is it past his bedtime?"
"Yeah, sorry about this," I find myself apologizing as I rock Charlie against my shoulder. I flag the waitress down to indicate that I want the check, and with a flirtatious smile, she is more than happy to oblige.
"It's fine," Bella says with a shrug of her shoulders, "I love having Charlie around."
I'm glad because Charlie is part of the package. I can't do anything without him being the most important thing. "Do you mind holding him for a moment?" I ask, as the bill comes our way.
Bella is eager, as always, to take him and I fish for my wallet, so I can hand over my card with as little conversation, with this eye-fucking waitress, as I can manage. I slip her my card as soon as she comes by, as my gaze never wavers from Bella and Charlie. The waitress comes back with my card and her phone number, and I have to roll my eyes and hide it from Bella's view.
"Thanks for tonight Edward," Bella says conversationally as we make our way out to the parking lot. "That was a lot more fun than a stuffy dinner with a stranger," she giggles at the thought.
"Well, I appreciate that Bella," I tease her.
"I didn't mean it like that," she says with a cute roll of her eyes. "I had a lot of fun with you Edward. Just like I always do."
Tonight, was progress. All my fears about having a possible relationship have dissipated due to Bella, and I feel hopeful moving forward.
A/N: So, they finally went on a date! Yay progress! I thought Edward needed something positive to happen haha. Please review! I would love to see this story hit 1,000 reviews!
Song- "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure