The Dancer and The Wallflower

Chapter 12

. . . . .

The drive home stretched into the longest and shortest moments of Bella's life. Time had no meaning.

She kept her mind occupied by noticing everything as she drove–the way the traffic lights looked like Christmas, how the green was brighter than the red, she read the license plate numbers of the cars in front of her in her mind, she noticed how constricting the arms of her coat felt, and that her car smelled dusty. Sound was amplified; the impatient horn behind her almost had her jumping out of her skin. The hum of the engine was annoying, but she didn't want to listen to music because it tended to make whatever she was feeling stronger, or in this case, worse. Ahead of her, the road seemed to lengthen, the yellow ribbon that divided the black concrete going on and on hypnotically. Thinking of him was too painful, so she didn't think. She just drove.

It wasn't until an hour later that she realized she'd driven right past her exit.

. . .

Almost one a.m. She was home, and good and restless. One, two, three passes across the living room floor. Nothing stirred outside the sliding glass patio door but the tree branches in the wind. She walked to the kitchen, poured a glass of water that she didn't drink, then stood there staring out the window at the other side of black nothing.

Maybe she should mop the floor. She'd spilled a few drops of coffee the other day, and even though she'd cleaned it up, the thought wouldn't let go, so maybe she should mop the floor. She dragged out Mr. Clean, the bucket and the mop, and she mopped. The scent of lemon made her cry unexpectedly because it reminded her of Edward's kitchen, spotless and lemony fresh; he took his household chores seriously. He even grew herbs in a clay pot on the kitchen window ledge. As she scrubbed the floor viciously, she remembered him feeding the porcupine and squirrels with his fingers. It took care and patience to do those things.

Her conviction that she was the wronged party began to waver as she remembered his anguished expression; she hadn't asked him about the kissing, hadn't given him a chance to explain. But then again, what was to explain? She knew what she'd seen and how it made her feel. How could he go from kissing her like he did–like she was the water he needed to consume, like she'd only ever be the one for him–to kissing so many? How could he function that way? Did he not have a heart?

Oh, but she knew he did have one of the biggest, most caring hearts. For the animals. For the land. But not for her? Just not enough? Oh, did that thought hurt.

Bella began polishing the furniture in the living room.

Edward's voice wouldn't get out of her head. So long. It's been real. The last words he said began to play in her brain like a broken record, only her mind gave the words the anguished tone he used when he'd begged her to just stay in my life. It defied logic. If he didn't care enough about her because he'd lied and betrayed her, why did it seem as if his heart was breaking at losing her? Just use me, he'd said. Don't love me, just use me.

Which reminded her about the woman he'd said had seduced him. He'd had his first sexual encounter at fifteen years old? Her mind retreated from the thought; she didn't even want to imagine it. But it was a wonder that he was as openly loving as he was, at least with her–when he'd touched her, she'd only ever felt gentleness, care, maybe even reverence at times. Because he did love her. It was so evident in the way he looked at her, talked to her, and treated her–at least when they were together. It was only when they were apart that the problems started. But had she really done the right thing by leaving him?

Two-thirty a.m. and she was calling her mom's number.

Her mom's voice, raised and panicked: "Bella?! Are you all right?"

"No," Bella said and began sobbing. "I'm sorry, but no, I'm not."

She began talking about Edward, and her mom listened to her talk and cry about him through one-third of a small Kleenex box. Essentially, Edward was the best man she'd ever known, but also the worst because he'd lied to her, betrayed her. She couldn't reconcile the disparity.

Finally, she had nothing else to say. She slid down the side of her couch to the floor and stared at her white-socked feet in sorrow. Finally, she felt a deadened kind of numb.

On the other end of the phone, her mom sighed. "Well, we can discount the outer beauty, since we both know that's fun but hollow stuff. And yes, it sounds like he's made some really boneheaded decisions that you need to talk to him about. But hearing you talk about him, it seems like Edward is beautiful where it really matters."

Bella sniffed and dabbed at her nose.

"Where on earth are you going to find another man who has an owl for a pet?" her mom wondered drolly.

Bella's mind went blank. "What?"

"Honey, I don't want to tell you what to do, only you can make up your own mind. I'm just wondering, that's all."

As her mom's words registered, a slow smile broke out over Bella's face. She'd been more-or-less wondering the same thing and coming up with the same answer: she wouldn't, because Edward was one in a million.

. . .

"You can't quit," Tanya told him in a panic, her eyes flying wide at Edward's abrupt announcement. "How are you going to pay for that old monstrosity you live in?"

He ignored the comment; it was none of her business.

"I'll move you back to the third slot," she said in a huff. "You don't deserve it, but I'll do it because I don't want to lose you."

Edward sighed internally. Of course that's why Tanya would think he was leaving. Everything was always about her or the club and what she wanted for it.

"Surely this isn't about the girl who came to see you tonight," she cried, following him down the hallway, and he angrily swung around to face her. "That's right, I saw her leaving. The last I knew, everyone understood that no one but employees is allowed back here, Edward. I'm not running that kind of business."

He wasn't an eyeroll type of person, but that would have captured the essence of what he was feeling at the moment. "I'm done, Tanya," he said, his voice harsh with strain. But it wasn't worth getting upset with her; she wasn't fit to lick the bottom of Bella's shoes, and it didn't matter what she thought.

"If you walk out that door, there's no coming back," she called after him.

Galvanized with purpose, he drove home and took a third shower, brutally scrubbing himself clean, trying to wash the shame away, brushing his teeth twice and gargling with mouthwash. Then, he went to the library and began to review his options, to make plans. Without Bella's presence, the mansion was especially dark and empty, but he felt closest to her here in the library.

On his shoulder, Chaucer turned his head to the side and trilled at him. Edward raised a hand to brush his fingers through the downy feathers. "I'm going to get her back, old man," he said, and received a furious look in return, as if the owl thought he was an idiot. "I'll make it better."

He'd wait until the next morning to go see her, when Bella's resistance would be at its weakest. And while he wasn't a praying man, he couldn't help saying a quick one that she'd forgive him because he didn't know what he would do if she didn't.

. . .

It was still dark and early outside when Bella, dressed in her winter coat with purse over her shoulder, pulled the door open to leave and came face-to-face with Edward in his black leather coat. Bella's heart jumped into her throat at the sight of him, and Edward looked a bit dumbfounded as his hand slowly lowered. His face was taut and drawn, and there was a wary hesitancy in his tired eyes that caught at her heart.

"I was coming to see you," she admitted softly, beating back the urge to fly into his arms.

"Were you?" he asked faintly.

She backed away from the door to let him in, then shrugged out of her coat and re-hung it in the closet. After he took his own coat off, Bella could see his body was stiff with tension as he moved. He sniffed audibly. "You've been cleaning," he observed, his eyes following her every movement with lingering thoroughness.

"Cleaning and thinking," she said, stepping back sharply when he advanced toward her, as if he was going to pull her into his arms. She wasn't ready for that yet; if he touched her, there'd be no way she'd be able to concentrate. For long moments, they just stood still, drinking in the sight of the other with a kind of tired, hesitant relief and a tentative hope. Bella could feel it coursing through her body, and it made her lightheaded. As always, his presence also stirred up her nerves. Little shivers started at the back of her thighs, working their way upwards, and she took a hard, uneven breath.

"I have a question for you, Edward." She might as well start with the one she'd forgotten to ask.

He had raised a hand to rake his fingers through his hair, but when she spoke, he went still, as if the slightest movement might send her flying. "Anything," he stressed, his gaze holding her with steady forcefulness.

She dropped her eyes to his well-shaped hands where they hung by his jean-clad thighs, then clenched her own tightly behind her back and tried to stop shaking. There was no reason to be nervous. Either he'd lie and they would be over, or he'd tell the truth and they might have a chance.

"I didn't know, but apparently part of The Cougar Club's attraction is that the dancers kiss," she said and her darn voice cracked. "But you let me think that you were going to stop kissing the other women. Why?"

His eyes clouded with pain and closed briefly. Seeing it sucked the air from her throat; was he sad because he'd been caught, or because she'd been hurt? "Yes, the club promises kisses," he said slowly in a gravel tone. "But I honestly didn't think it would be a problem not doing it. It's supposed to be my choice about who I touch or kiss; that was in my contract." His voice began to climb. "I was able to do several routines without doing it, but Tanya made it an issue last night and I made a mistake and caved. Bella, if I could go back and do it all over again, I would have quit the job then and there."

He was looking at her imploringly when his words caught up with her. "You'd have quit then and there?" Did that… did that mean what she thought it meant? "Have you–"

"I quit my job," he said emphatically.

The relief she felt at his answer was so sudden, so violent, that her knees gave out and the breath escaped her in a rush. Edward caught her in his arms and she fell against him with a hard gasp. It was a delicious shock to her senses to feel his strong, warm body against hers again, even as her mind reeled at the suddenness of the movement, and tried to absorb what he was saying.

"I'm sorry I didn't quit sooner, that I wasn't able to prevent last night," he murmured, his eyes laser sharp and sorrowful as he looked down at her. "After you left, there wasn't anything else I could do but quit at that point. I mean, this is sacred," he said, his thumb tracing the outer ridge of her lips before he kissed her softly, apologetically, and Bella's heart began pounding in her throat. His arms were so tight around her that she could barely breathe. Her own grip wasn't gentle, either. "I hope you believe me when I say that I had trouble even touching anyone after you, Bella. I started moving like an automaton. It wasn't enjoyable anymore. In fact, I was starting to hate it."

His eyes were so radiant with love for her that Bella found it dizzying to look at him. "I believe you," she breathed, and her lips were trembling with a vulnerability she felt no sense of shame in feeling. He kissed her then with the ruthlessness and abandon she associated with historical romance novels, and she was falling and falling into him. After he pulled back, he was still gazing down at her like he couldn't believe she was there in front of him. She almost couldn't believe he was here, either, or that he was saying what he was saying.

"I've been alone for so long, it was strange and a bit terrifying to feel as if I belonged to you. It made me do idiotic things," he murmured as his eyes darkened soberly. "I'm sorry."

After her experience of hell last night and believing that she'd lost him, the simplicity of his apology had her eyes brimming with tears. "I belong to you, too, you know," she said. "We belong to each other." She had to erase the look of sorrow on his face. "No more loneliness," she said, caressing his whiskery cheek, and he exhaled shakily against her forehead. "And no more lies or omissions," she added sternly, and he raised her off her feet in a different kind of hug, holding her entire weight against his body.

"I have nothing to hide from you," he said against her temple, then kissed her there. "You know all the parts of me that are important. You know the good and the bad, and what makes me vulnerable. Obviously, I couldn't deal with losing you, that's why I'm here, baby girl. You are the most important thing in my life. I'm sorry I made you feel otherwise." Hearing him say so plugged the last painful hole in her heart, and she exhaled all the way from her toes. She'd never have asked him directly about it–in her mind, that was like asking to be lied to or merely placated–but his apology was more than she could have hoped for.

Her heart was beating so fast that she was afraid it would burst out of her chest when she brought up her idea. "You can't save the whole world, and I can't save the whole world, but together maybe we can save twice as much of it."

He let her slide down his body so she could see the stunned look on his face. "Is that what you want to do, Bella?" he asked, and his voice shook. "Save the world with me?"

She nodded. "It's one of the things I want to do with you." In response, his eyes shuttered and he gave her one of his sensual let's make love expressions. So he was understandably taken aback when she reached up to him, grabbed his neck and mock-choked him. "That's another thing I want to do! That's for the it's been real."

He laughed softly and pulled her to the couch, onto his lap, and her arms curved around his neck. "I was drunk, but I know that's no excuse." Then he grew serious again. "Can you forgive me for the crazy things I said? I don't want to change the girl I love just because she doesn't want me to strip."

Bella kissed him sweetly on the plane of his perfect jaw. "And I don't want to change the guy I love just because he used to strip."

She couldn't ever remember being this happy, but then… because she was a worrier, she had to ask. She was a planner, darn it, so they had to have a plan. "But what will we do for money now? How can we pay the taxes on the land until we can get the state to accept it as a wildlife sanctuary?"

His stunned look was back, quickly followed by utter delight at her words. He pulled her closer against his chest, kissed her forehead, then just held her there for a long moment while stroking her back. She had the thought that maybe he hadn't realized she was serious about pooling their resources and minds. Her heart lurched as she thought that maybe he wasn't sure how very much she loved him, or how much she was willing to sacrifice.

"Want a roomie?" she asked hesitantly.

He went still. "Do you mean it?"

"Absolutely."

"Roomie, my ass. You'll share my bed," he growled and tipped her face up for another kiss, this one lingering and soft, and Bella broke from it with a gasp.

"That's what I was hoping for," she said breathlessly.

"You don't think it's too soon, us moving in together?" he asked, his voice dazed. "What is your mom going to think? Or your friends?"

She tilted her head at him and briefly considered his words; even the thought of her mom's disapproval wouldn't matter, she thought in amazement. She'd once considered herself a wallflower, but now she herself was the dancer, making her own moves. "I don't care what anyone else thinks. This is what I want to do. I actually had the idea before–to move in with you and pool our resources. It just feels right," she said and pressed her palm against his chest, against his rapidly beating heart. "I love you, Edward. I want to be with you. Why should we have to wait until three months from now, or six months from now? Let's just do it."

He buried his face in the loose hair at her neck. "I thought I'd lost you," he said quietly. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I hope the universe knows how grateful I am. I love you, too, Bella, so much. Thank you."

"You are not alone anymore," she said fiercely against his neck, and heard him exhale raggedly. "So tell me, how are we going to make this work?"

His eyes were so bright as they looked at her. "Well, we have a couple of options," he began and rubbed her back soothingly. "I've been dragging my heels about it, but we could do pretty well selling some of the things I have in the attic."

She pushed up from his chest abruptly. Sell his family heirlooms? "No!"

He was nodding resolutely. "And there's Carrera marble in the fireplaces. Copper in the plumbing. If worse comes to worse, Carlisle is always trying to get me to borrow money from him."

"He is family," she murmured, and her mind spun at how determined Edward seemed to be to succeed at this new plan; he'd obviously been thinking, too. "Would it be so bad to accept his help? And once we get the state to accept your land, we could go anywhere, right? Because you will find a job, Edward."

He tumbled her to her back on the couch, then leaned close over her to press kisses against her throat. "Do you know what I was going to do?"

His kisses were caressing and tickling her softly. Catching her hands in his, he pushed them slowly above her head. The motion caused her sweater to hike up above her belly button, something he immediately took advantage of when he swept a hand underneath, moving it up to cover her breast. Languid heat began to fill her body, flowing to every place he'd taught to feel pleasure. He was so, so very him. Crazy sensual, doing crazy things to her nervous system. Impossible to resist. "Hmm?" she murmured.

"I was going to come to you at dawn when your resistance was weak," he said huskily. "I was prepared to do whatever it took to keep you."

She met his serious gaze with her own, then smiled softly. "My resistance to you is always weak." Her mouth found his and she gave him the kind of kiss he'd so often given her–the one that mimicked the act of lovemaking, so there was no misunderstanding of her intent. "Let me prove it to you."

And then she did.

. . .

An upbeat version of The Charleston was playing on the stereo in the corner of the library's high-ceilinged front room, and the line of women and children (and a few men) waiting to dance to it must have been 20 deep. Edward, wearing a black 3-piece suit with long tails and a top hat, was in full charm mode, every bit as charismatic there on the little dance floor as he'd been up on a stage.

Beside her, Charlene sighed happily. "He's such an angel to do this for us, Bella, isn't he?"

Watching his tall form exemplify the dance so commandingly, so sexily, Bella sighed and agreed.

"Five-six-seven-eight, and squish that bug," Edward said and demonstrated, long legs moving back and forward energetically, scissoring smoothly in the bug squish position. "This is a dance where your toes turn in, your knees knock, and your arms make scarecrow poses." With each beat he met, his body was in continuous motion, silkily smooth and graceful. My God, he made it look good.

Then he crooked a finger at Bella where she stood at the edge of the floor. "Come and be Daisy to my Nick."

She stiffened and gave him a playful glare as he continued beckoning to her playfully, but she should have anticipated this. "I have no rhythm," she said to him and all of the onlookers.

"Oh, I can teach anyone to have rhythm," he said with a laugh and grabbed her hand, pulling her onto the floor beside him as he continued doing the back and forth movements without missing a beat. Then, he demonstrated the moves slowly again. "Forward with your right foot, yes. Then step back with your left." Bella followed his instructions easily, if a bit wobbly, giving him another glare that he returned with a wink.

"As you get the rhythm of that, you can start twisting your feet and squishing that bug. See?" In her red fringed flapper's dress, her bug squishing looked a bit like she was about to drop a basketball between her knees, but under Edward's guidance, she kept at it and got better.

"Good. From here, you can start to add some arm movements. Bring one arm up and shake it like you're holding a tambourine, yeah!" She raised her arm, shaking it like holding a hot potato. "Once you've got that down, you're home free and can start to add your own personality, like swinging up both your arms, wiggling your hips, and having a little fun while you're doing the steps. There's no wrong moves, just your moves." It took a few more moments until she finally got the hang of it and while she didn't look as good as he did, she thought she did pretty well.

Edward did a little spin, then caught Bella's hand and led her in the dance for more than a few of the complete rotations as they moved in time with the song's snappy beats, and she was getting the hang of it but good, forgetting her embarrassment and having fun. Then, as the song ended, he had her hop to a stop with him, their shoes tapping the floor almost together. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is The Charleston, the very dance Nick and Daisy did in his ballroom in The Great Gatsby," he said and raised one arm to whip the hat off his head in a flourish.

There was a scattering of applause, then the women in twos and threes came up to drop money into the donation box for their own lessons, while the children and the men hung back to watch with reluctant smiles on their faces. Bella didn't think it would be long until they were up there dancing, either.

"Like leading kids to candy," Angela observed dryly.

"That's right," Bella answered, still panting from her stint on the floor. "And it's for a good cause, so what's the problem?"

Angela gave her a cool look. "I wonder what Charlene would say about his little performance here if she knew he stripped."

Bella ground her teeth. "He doesn't do that anymore. And the only person you'd be hurting is Charlene if you decided you wanted to stoop that low," she said and walked away from her. How they had ever been friends was a mystery she no longer wanted to solve.

As Bella began making sure water and soft drinks were readily available to the participants, one of the men watching approached her. "You did pretty well at that," he said. "So you work here?"

Bella smiled at him politely. He was nice-looking in that all American boy way with light, sandy brown hair and blue eyes. "I do. Are you going to give it a shot?" she asked and inclined her head at the dance floor.

"I might," he said. "If you do it with me."

Internally, she groaned, but since she was the host for this little event, she had to suck it up. "It's a deal."

"I'm Mike, by the way," he said. "And you?"

"Bella," she answered as they came to an unoccupied section of the dance floor. Edward was demonstrating the moves again for a small group of women and a couple of young girls who followed him with varying degrees of success. Catching her and her partner out of the corner of his eye, he did a double-take, then smiled and winked at her.

Suddenly, Bella became aware that the man with her had spoken. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if that was your boyfriend?"

She tried not to smile and lost. Guess it's obvious. "Ahem. Yes."

"Darn it," Mike said with real sorrow. "Why are all the good ones taken? I guess I should have known by the way you were looking at him, but I was hoping I was wrong."

"Sorry," she said and shrugged happily. "Now if you'll just follow me on these steps, then we'll try to squish a bug."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Boy, if I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me."

"I know, right?" she smiled. "Let's see you do it, Mike."

It turned out Mike was awful at it, but he had fun trying. Bella couldn't remember a better time at work than this one–getting paid to dance was definitely a highlight. Occasionally, Edward would grab her and they'd demonstrate the dance together again for new onlookers. At the end of the day, she was a Charleston dancing pro, and her fundraiser had brought in just over $350, which was $100 over her target and she was ecstatic.

"I saw your pesky admirer drop $50 into the box," Edward told her with a twist of his lips. "Guess he felt bad for wasting your time."

"He didn't waste my time," she said and rose up on tiptoe to kiss him. "He knows The Charleston very well now."

"Wasn't any good at it," he noted dryly and Bella laughed.

"Oh, you're cute, acting all jealous," she said, then cried out as he suddenly lunged at her, sweeping her up into his arms.

"You think this is funny, do you?"

Her smile was beginning to ache at the deviltry in his gaze. "After watching all those women fall over you and your bug-squashing technique, you betcha." Bella leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek. "I love you for this," she whispered. "Now let's go back to your place so I can thank you properly."

He let her slide down his body to her feet, then gave her a look that made her toes curl. "You don't have to ask me twice."

. . .

Alice sat with her chin in the palm of her hand, gazing at Bella with surprised bemusement. "You're in love with the dancer you wouldn't even kiss," she said with a grin.

Bella winced. Her friends were never going to let her live that night down, were they? "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds ridiculous," she replied dryly. "But yes, I'm in love with him. What gave it away?"

"The packing boxes in the corner of your living room," Rose said helpfully. "It's just the insane kind of thing someone stupidly in love would do. Plus, you have this look of preoccupation on your face, as if your mind is elsewhere. Or, on someone else."

It was true; Edward was always in the back of her mind. She missed him when they were apart–it didn't make sense after such a short time, but she didn't feel whole without him. Being loved by him made her feel brave, but loving him made her feel a bit scared, and the two feelings offset each other only when they were together.

"Wow. He's as amazing as I imagined then," Jessica drawled in astonishment and tugged playfully at the collar of her sweater. "Getting someone like you to fall for him? And it hasn't even been two months since you met him! My God, I'm jealous. How is he in bed? I mean, he's good, isn't he?"

Bella nearly choked on the wine she was drinking.

"Jesus, Jessica," Rose said. "That's none of your business."

Bella laid her hand flat on the table in entreaty. "I know this seems fast. I know that." Since the misunderstanding between them that one night they'd showed up unannounced, it had become important to her that her friends see what was really going on with her. She also wanted their blessing; she wanted it for Edward. With that in mind, she'd invited them over for a dinner party, because the next time they met him, she wanted them to focus solely on how wonderful he was.

"But I feel the way I feel and I'm acting on my own–moving in with Edward was my idea–so please don't try and talk me out of my feelings. That's all I ask. You can rail and shriek at me about how soon this is, but don't discount my feelings, okay?"

"Got it, Speedy Gonzalez," Rose murmured with a fake toothpaste grin before taking a bite of her chicken. "Or should I call you Pepe Le Pew since you're stupid in love?"

Bella shoved a forkful of pasta in her mouth. What she really wanted to do was stick her tongue out at Rose, but that wouldn't have been mature and she wanted them to believe that she knew what she was doing.

"Oh yeah, that night we came over and met him outside?" Alice said. "I remember how he looked at you. He was so protective, and I remember thinking at the time that he really seemed into you. I think it's wonderful," she sighed.

"If a bit fast," Rose added.

"He must be really amazing in bed," Jessica murmured dreamily while twirling her fork absentmindedly in the pasta on her plate.

Bella sighed and glared at her. "He is. And that's all I'm going to say, so you'll just have to use your imagination."

Jessica fanned herself. "Damn, girl."

"The last I knew, you still had reservations about him stripping," Rose observed with a hard look at her. "Is that not the case anymore?"

Bella squealed internally. "That's the best part," she told them. "He quit. He told me that after being with me, it just became untenable."

"Oh, big word, library girl," Jessica said. "You must be no slouch in bed, either." Bella gave her a look and Jessica threw her hands up. "Just sayin'. And no disrespect meant, Bella, but I also think it's a damn shame he's no longer stripping."

"You would," Rose said. "You have a one track mind."

Alice was still looking at her bemusedly. "You were already in love the night we found him here," she said. "And I'm thinking of how you looked at each other, how you acted together. It's like an insta-love romance novel, isn't it?"

"Not really," Rose said. "Bella was pretty upset the last time we talked. I told her that Angela and her posse were heading to see him perform again."

"After she called us that day to whine about how he was taking advantage of Bella? She was going to go and see him again?" Jessica cried.

Bella took another drink of her wine. She was beginning to get light-headed. "That was the night I broke it off with him. I, er, went to the club to try and head Angela off at the pass because I couldn't reach Edward." The pain of that night was still with her, but diluted now she knew it was just another misunderstanding, and that he really did love her. "I kind of lost it when I saw him kissing all those women."

Alice dropped her fork and slapped the table. "You what? Went to the club by yourself? Bella!"

"I told you she's changed," Rose said to Alice.

"Damn, I'd have gone with you," Jessica sighed. "What's up with Angela, anyway? Has she lost her mind or what?"

"She and Ben broke up," Alice said with a heavy sigh. "I think she's behaving this way because she can't accept the heartbreak."

Rose set down her wine glass with a snap. "She's a bitch. I don't care if you broke up with your man, you don't do your girlfriends like this."

"Damn straight," Jessica drawled and drained her own glass of wine.

"So you're really moving in together?" Alice asked, and a thrill of nerves raced up Bella's back.

"Really. This is my last week here," she said. "My lease is up next month, so I got lucky."

Alice's lips twisted. "What does your mom think?"

Bella drew a big breath. "She's mostly okay with it because she knows the reason why." She had yet to share the second big part of her news with them.

Rose slapped a hand across her chest dramatically. "You mean your undying love?"

Her friends were killing her, but she hadn't expected anything less; they were only doing it out of love. "I'm pooling my resources with him until we can get the Indiana Wildlife Association to accept his land as one of their habitats. Then, we'll need to find an historic preservation organization that would be interested in the house. After that, since he won't have to be tied to that land anymore, he can look for work anywhere."

There was silence as they all digested that bit of information.

"Well," Rose sighed. "It's a good thing I know you're not rich enough to be anyone's Sugar Momma, or I might be worried."

"Wait. Does that mean you could be moving away?" Alice wondered and Bella nodded.

"Didn't you just get that job at the city library?" Jessica asked.

"A job isn't a life," Bella said softly. "And I love Edward. I love him with all my heart. Where he goes, I go."

"No!"

"Damn."

"And there we have it," Rose sighed.

"This isn't the end," Bella told them emphatically. "Just because I might move away doesn't mean we're not always going to be friends."

Alice looked like she was going to cry. "It wouldn't be the same."

"Not the same, no," she said. "But I would be happy and brave and in love, everything a girl is supposed to be."

"Let's not get all maudlin over something that hasn't even happened yet," Rose broke in. "I want to give a toast. Ladies, raise your glasses."

"Wait a sec, I need some more vino," Jessica said and quickly poured some into her glass, before she, too, rose her glass.

"To Bella," said Rose. "For being brave enough to find her groove!"

"And to Edward," Jessica added, raising her glass again. "You know, for being him."

"You're an idiot," Rose said.

"You love me anyway."

"I don't know why."

"Well, I love you all," Bella told them. "And I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you for dragging me to that… stripper's club."

Alice put her chin back into the palm of her hand. "Who would have thought that night would have such repercussions?"

Jessica was more direct. "Best thing that ever happened to you, huh?"

Bella blushed. "Not at the time, no. But in hindsight? Absolutely," she said with a sigh and a slow nod.

The four of them traded glances, grinned, then raised their glasses again.

A/N: Yes, that's it. Posting this last chapter is bittersweet. I've actually felt a bit heartbroken this past week because I don't want it to end. I'm going to miss these two (especially this Edward, who was an absolute blast to write).

There's a short epilogue coming.