14

EPOV

"Chances Are"

Bella clears her throat. "I'm sorry for unloading on you like that."

Reaching out to grab her hand, I feel that familiar tingling shooting up my arm, making me feel comfortable. "Hey, I asked."

We share our meal, and Bella fills me in on her life after her mother passed. Working at her stepfather's hardware store, how her awful stepbrother had come rushing in and taken over, completely pushing her out of the way. She told me about getting out and into her first apartment, the place she still lived, in the town she grew up in … feeling alone and lost in the most familiar place to her.

"Did you ever think about getting away from the hardware store?"

"Yeah, but the dinky town of Forks doesn't have many employment options. It was safe, even if I was miserable." She shakes her head, smiling ruefully. "Enough about me. Tell me what you do or did before the big win?"

I shrug. "I wish I was a little more interesting, but I knew when I hit high school that I couldn't live like my parents did. I already knew it wasn't, um, compatible with the way I thought, with the way I wanted my life to go."

"How did you want your life to go?" She looks at me curiously, setting down her slice and focusing on me.

"I know my father worked for what he had, at least to begin with, but he's never done a hard day's work. There's a lot of nepotism in my family, and I just never wanted to be a part of that. I went to college because my parents wanted that, but after a year, I dropped out and went to trade school." Explaining to someone how difficult it is to run a small business when they, in fact, also worked for one is so easy; I know she understands a lot of my complaints and worries.

But when Bella tells me that she thinks I'm brave for getting out, for knowing what I want and what is best for me, it's then that I realize I like this girl … this woman. That I want to see this woman again, more.

The server drops by with the check, and we argue over who is going to pay.

"I asked you out."

"You said this wasn't a date." She laughs.

I smirk. "I changed my mind."

"Then I'm paying." She snatches the check out of my grasp.

"Fine, but I'm paying on our next date."

She freezes, wallet in hand. "Next, as in, we're doing this again?"

"Well, yeah. I had fun, and I'd like to see you again." I can feel my cheeks heat up as Bella smiles at me.

"I'd like that too." We walk back out to her rental, and she lets me open her door after she unlocks the car. When we get back to the lottery office, we swap phone numbers, and I climb out of the passenger side of the convertible.

"Thanks for pizza," I say with a smile, leaning on her driver's side window. "I had a really good time."

"Me too, Edward." She looks up at me, smiling softly, and when her tongue peeks out to wet her lips, I think for a split second that I should kiss her. I want to kiss her. But my nerves get the best of me, and I rap my knuckles on the roof before saying goodbye.

If she's upset or disappointed, she doesn't let on, waiting for me to climb in my truck, and I follow her out of the parking lot to the highway until we head in different directions and our separate ways.

By the time I get home, I'm beating myself up for not kissing her, but can I really blame myself? I haven't had a girlfriend since my senior year … of high school. Dates weren't a thing that I sought out or came my way often. I tended to think that most people in my parents social circle, the one I grew up in, saw me as the black sheep. Which meant that I wasn't a good enough potential partner.

But I wasn't interested in those women with their black Amex cards and bi-monthly Botox injections. I wanted someone real. Someone … just like Bella. With that realization, I knew I needed to see her again … soon. Checking the time, I knew she still had an hour or so to get home, so I waited, keeping busy with small chores and more packing as the time passed.

Before I knew it, I felt enough time had passed, and I grabbed my phone to text her when my phone buzzed with a notification.

Hey, it's Bella :) I made it home. I just wanted you to let you know. I had a great time today. Thank you.

I was just about to text you and check in. Can I see you this week?

There's just enough of a pause that makes me worried, but before my mind runs away with me, Bella finally texts me back.

I'd love to see you again. I'm pleasantly free all week.

Can I call you? Not tonight, but this week?

Yes :)

Have a good night, Bella.

You too.

I get myself ready for bed, feeling like even without the 192 million, I still won the lottery.

But my mood sours suddenly when I turn on the 11 o'clock news and catch the tail end with the segment on the Powerball win. Because that's when I see it—Bella and I standing next to each other holding a giant check. Only her name is in bold print on the graphic, but both of our faces are clear as day on the screen.

I groan, my head falling into my hands. "What am I going to do now?"