*Note the small time jump. We begin this chapter about four months after chapter 4.


*Fiddling was had. Words were added. All mistakes are mine.


Song:

"What Are You Waiting For?" Nickelback


Chapter 5

Alice only spares me a glance before turning her attention back to the computer screen. "You should bring the kids over this weekend. Brandon had such a good time with them at Jacob's birthday party last month. He's asked about seeing them a dozen times since then."

"I'll have to see how this week goes."

"Garrett still being difficult about the swaps?"

It's been four months since our week-on, week-off visitations began, and we've had a few bumps in the road. The boys spend their afternoons at home with me once I pick them up from the after-school program. But with his father giving him more and more responsibilities at work, Garrett's been working later and later, which in turn means he's late to get them more often than not.

I've tried to avoid Kate picking them up, but Garrett's already suggested it a few times. As much as I'd rather not involve her, it's only a matter of time before she's involved in carting the kids back and forth. But I guess that's the natural progression of things.

After all, he's already proposed to her.

The news wasn't wholly unexpected when he dropped it on me just after Christmas. That doesn't mean it didn't sting. It did. But once that initial sting went away, I realized it doesn't hurt like it might have months before.

I sigh, returning my attention to Alice. "Yes and no. We're still trying to figure out how to navigate the weekdays with his work schedule getting more complicated."

"He's in construction, right?"

"Yeah. It's his family's business. He's actually part owner now." I roll my eyes, thinking about how he decided to take his father's offer to buy in after the divorce—something he was never financially able to do before. I have a sneaking suspicion Kate has something to do with that. I turn to face Alice, crossing my arms as I lean against the counter. "But it's not even just the weekdays. He didn't get them home until almost nine last Sunday."

"That's way past their bedtime, isn't it?"

"On a school night? Yes. And from what the boys tell me, they're allowed to stay up later over there than when they're with me."

"Bella," she says seriously, "you really need to nip that in the bud now, before it becomes a habit. I thought you two worked out the details."

"I thought we had, too."

"Then talk to him. You've still got at least ten more years of this child-raising gig to share. It's better to clear up the misunderstandings and issues earlier than later."

"Yeah, I know."

She gathers up the stack of paperwork she was working on to go back to the box. "Don't let it go too long, hon. I know the only thing you want is for your boys to be healthy and happy. And co-parenting well is one way to make sure that happens."

She kisses my cheek before disappearing, and I turn back to the customers coming through the door, plastering a smile on my face. "Good morning, Mrs. Mitchell."

The day crawls by, and just when I start to eye the clock, wondering when Maggie will be back from her lunch break so I can take mine, the bell at the door chimes. My heart rate kicks up a notch, and it's a little harder to breathe, because the man who's been dancing through my daydreams for months walks through the door.

True, Edward Cullen's been on my mind when I'm alone and fantasizing, but more than that, he made me feel good about myself for the first time in a long time. I can't say I haven't thought about what it would have been like to take him up on his offer. In all honesty, I'm in a marginally better place than I was back then, but the thought of putting myself out there again—with anyone—gives me what feels like the beginnings of a panic attack.

Just being in the same room with him again twists me up inside.

He pulls off his mirrored aviators and slips them over the collar of his shirt. Smiling my way, he almost sheepishly approaches the counter. "Hey, Bella."

As much as I want to deny it, my heart races at the sight of him, even after so long. He's every bit as handsome as I remember. "Hey, Edward."

"How have you been?"

"I've been … good. Yeah, things are good."

"Good. That's good."

We both chuckle at the sudden awkwardness between us.

"I hope you're not mad," he says, "but I asked Alice to keep me updated on how you were after the last time I saw you. I was worried about you. You took off out of there so fast I was afraid I made you uncomfortable. I probably came on a little too strong, so I thought maybe you were upset with me."

A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth at his genuine concern over something that happened months ago. "I wasn't upset with you at all. That was just … a really shitty day."

"Yeah, Alice pulled me aside and explained all that after you left."

I tilt my head and furrow my brow. "You were really worried about me?"

"Of course, I was, Bella. I wasn't joking or trying to score points with you when I said I wanted to get to know you. The good and the bad, remember?"

The bell over the door chimes, and another customer walks in, breaking our little bubble.

I clear my throat and try to sound professional. "So, is this only a social call, or is there something else that brings you in today?"

He smiles. "I need to pick up a prescription."

I nod and turn around to shuffle through the bags in the ready bin. When I spot his name, I pluck the bag from the bunch and step back to the counter. "Can you confirm your date of birth, please?"

When he does, I do the math in my head, arguing with myself that it's part of my job and not at all creepy. Thirty-eight this June.

My eyes flash to his as I punch the numbers into the register and scan the barcode on his bag, rattling off his total. "I thought there was a pharmacy on base."

I watch as he slides his credit card through the machine. "Yeah, there is"—he chances a glance up at me, his cheeks just a tinge pink—"but I wanted an excuse to come and say hello. I was hoping you would've called me by now, but …"

"You were still hoping I'd call you?" I ask quietly.

He stands straight and makes direct eye contact. Usually that would make me incredibly uncomfortable, but for some reason his directness makes me feel more at ease. "I told you I wanted to get to know you. But the ball's in your court." He looks over his shoulder and sees the line behind him has grown. The store is suddenly filled with people on their lunch breaks, here to pick up their prescriptions. He looks back to me. "I'd still love to take you to dinner—just as a friend if that's what you want—or even if you just want to call and tell me about your day. Whatever."

"I'll … I'll think about it, okay?"

He grabs the bag from my outstretched hand, and his fingers brush mine. The undeniable spark I felt that first night is still there, and judging by his growing smile, he feels it, too.

"Okay." He nods his head, and the beaming smile he's wearing grows impossibly wider. "Okay."

Before the awkwardness creeps in again, Alice appears from the back. "Hey, Edward! I was hoping I'd catch you when you stopped by. What has you slumming it with the civilians?"

He glances my way, and his grin is full of secrets. "I was in the neighborhood anyway."

She raises a brow as she watches the exchange but, blessedly, doesn't bring any attention to it. "Uh huh. Whatever you say, Vamp."

"Well, I need to get going. I've got a meeting this afternoon I can't miss." He tips an imaginary hat as he steps away from the counter.. "Alice." He turns to me and winks. "Ma'am."

With the confident stride I remember, Edward disappears out the door and into the afternoon sun.

After the last of the lunchtime customer rush leaves, Alice finds me. "So, you two looked pretty cozy when I walked out here."

"How so?"

She leans against the counter, folding her arms and giving me the patented Alice Whitlock interrogation stare. "Just cozy. You certainly don't get that close to any of the other customers."

"Well, I don't really know any of the other customers. I know Edward."

"But do you? You're telling me you know Edward better than old Mr. Watson who comes in here every week with either a new prescription or to ask your advice about a recipe he found in Reader's Digest? Or if he should take the risk of taking the ED meds his doctor prescribed? You know Edward better than that?"

I huff a sigh. "No."

Her grin is a little too victorious for my taste. "You like him."

I give her a deadpan expression. "What gave me away?"

She holds up a hand. "Hey, I don't blame you. He's easy on the eyes and a great guy. I'm just wondering what changed."

"That's just it, Alice. Nothing's really changed." My voice lowers. "I still don't know if I'm ready to date."

Her expression turns sympathetic. "Oh, honey, if we waited until our lives were settled and we were ready, we'd never do anything." She takes a step toward me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "And don't forget, sometimes we can just go out and have a good time with someone. There's nothing that says every date turns into something serious. You're overthinking it. He's a good guy. There are worse things than having Vamp as a friend." She jostles me a bit. "Live a little, Bella."


I pull the pink slip of paper from my son's homework folder.

Parent-teacher conference requested.

"Jacob, what's this?" I hold the paper out for him to see.

He looks up but quickly looks back down to his worksheet, his ears turning red. "I don't know."

I sit in the chair beside him at the kitchen table. "I think you probably do. What's going on, sweetie?"

"She said she wants to talk to you and Dad."

"About what?"

He shrugs.

"I think you know." I lower my voice and place a hand on his back, rubbing a soothing circle on it. "Are you having trouble with something at school?"

Another shrug.

"Jake, whatever it is, you're not in trouble."

His eyes flash to mine. "I'm not in trouble?"

"No, Jacob. I'm sure the teacher only wants to meet with us because she thinks we can all work together to help you with whatever the problem is. Now, what's going on at school?"

"I'm not turning in my work, and … and I wasn't being nice to some of my friends."

"Oh."

"I'm really not in trouble?"

I shake my head. "I promise. But we'll talk more about it after we meet with your teacher. All of us—me, your dad, your teacher—only want you to do your best, okay?"

"Okay."


"Well, what time does work for you, Garrett?" I tug on my hair in frustration as I pace my bedroom.

"I don't know, Bella. It's not like I can just take off in the middle of the afternoon to go have a chat with a teacher. What do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to give a shit about your son and how he's doing in school," I hiss. "I have to take off work to do this, too, you know? It's not like I'm sitting around the house all day watching television. I have a full-time job, too."

He huffs a breath. "Look, set it up and I'll try to be there. Okay? That's the best I can do."

"Fine."

"Come on, cut me some slack here. Between the bills here, child support, alimony … I'm being pulled in all directions right now."

"Yeah? Well, so am I."

A long silence follows, and it's heavy with unspoken words. I have no doubt he wants to shout at me, and the urge to argue with him just for the hell of it is overwhelming. But we both hold back. Maybe we're both realizing this is more about the kids than us, and this is really the first time we've faced something we both have to handle where the boys are concerned.

"How about this? I'll ask her if a time in the morning, before school starts, works," I offer. "Then both of us will only have to take off a bit from the first part of the day instead of the middle of it. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah," he says. "That works."

After agreeing to talk again later in the week, we say our goodbyes. When I finally lay back in my bed, not for the first time I wish there was someone lying beside me who I could curl up with and tell all my troubles to. It's one of the things I miss most about having a partner. The ability to pour my heart out and confess my biggest fears to someone without judgement is something I took for granted.

I look over at the nightstand where, buried under a well-loved paperback, the worn coaster is. I had it tucked in my purse until Edward came to the pharmacy a few days ago. I nudge the book out of the way and pick up the thin cardboard, my fingers dancing along the edges and over the sharp lines of his number.

"Just know that you can call me—for anything, even if it's just to complain about the idiot too stupid to see what he's giving up."

When he offered, it felt like an open invitation, but the thought of taking him up on it is almost paralyzing.

Without thinking about it too much, I open my messages and type out a text.

Hey, Vamp. This is Bella.

My heart races, thumping wildly as my finger hovers over send. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, blowing it out in a quick exhale as I press send.

My entire body vibrates with nerves while I stare at my phone like it's a bomb, waiting for his response. I toss off my covers and pace.

"What are you doing, Bella?" I mutter to myself. "What the hell are you doing?"

Before I make the turn to walk to the other side of the room, my phone dings.

"Shit, shit, shit." I'm rooted to my spot, unable to even look at the damn thing. When it dings a second time, my feet finally move.

I sit on the edge of my bed and reach for the phone, my trembling hands barely able to open it. But when I do, a rush of nervous energy hits me. I'm excited, anxious … terrified.

Well, hello, Bella. What a lovely surprise.

To what do I owe the pleasure? - E

My pulse goes into overdrive, because clearly I hadn't thought about what I was going to say if he replied.

What do I want? Do I want to give whatever this is a shot? How bad could dinner with a beautiful man be?

My hands shake and my fingers fumble as I try to form a coherent reply. Simple. I need to keep it simple.

How are you? - B

There. Straightforward and not too personal. I can do this.

I'm better than I was five minutes ago. ;) How are you? - E

How am I? It feels like a loaded question. I could give him a polite answer, but instead, I go for honesty.

It was a rough day, but it's getting better. - B

Anything I can do to help? - E

His offer makes me smile and reminds me why I thought this was a good idea in the first place.

Actually, I'm hoping your offer for dinner still stands. - B

Yes, ma'am. I thought you'd never ask. How does this Saturday sound? - E


"So, the plan is what, Jacob?" Mrs. Brown asks.

He licks his lips, and his eyes shift between all the adults here to help him. Nervousness radiates off him, but he swallows past it. "That for every assignment I turn in, I get a star, and after so many stars I can cash them in for a reward?"

"That's right," she says with a gentle smile. "And your mom and dad and I will all use the yellow notebook to leave messages for each other. Any worries you have, any goals you meet, anything important will go in that notebook so we're all on the same page. How does that sound?"

Jacob nods. "Okay."

"And do you think it will help you stay on track?" she asks him.

He nods. "Yeah."

"Wonderful." She looks up then, her kind eyes looking between Garrett and me. "I've used this system for my kiddos who spend time with both parents, and it seems to help. I know it can be a big adjustment when the children are splitting their time between parents. Homework is sometimes forgotten, things get lost, stuff happens. I'm more than willing to help him stay on track in any way I can."

"Thank you," I say softly. "That really means a lot."

She turns her attention back to our son. "We all want you to succeed, Jacob. Getting a better grasp on homework and class work will help you when you have more than one teacher in fifth grade next year. I want you to succeed then, too."

"Okay."

Her expression turns thoughtful. "I also hope if we can all stay in communication and you talk to your parents about how you're feeling, the way you've been speaking to some of your classmates will improve."

"Yeah," Jacob says softly, the tips of his ears turning pink as he stares down at his lap.

"Why don't you pick out a book from the lending shelf for independent reading while I chat with Mom and Dad?"

After he goes in search of a book to read, Mrs. Brown turns to us, her voice lowered. "I don't want to pry, but I think Jacob might benefit from speaking with a counselor. I've seen children in his position do so much better time and again when they're able to talk to someone who specializes in helping children of divorce."

I glance at Garrett, his arms crossed as he stares at the floor, before looking back to the teacher. "I think that's definitely something we should look into."

"Wonderful. I'm sure you can speak to your pediatrician for a referral, but if you need some other recommendations, the school counselor might have a few as well."

"Thank you."

"And if you have any other concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to me."

"We will."

We all stand. Garrett and I each shake her hand before we tell Jacob goodbye and wish him a good day at school.

By the time we're back in the parking lot, the parents who drop off their kids are showing up, and a couple of the buses are pulling in.

"I can make some calls this week about getting him in to see someone," I say as we near our cars.

He rubs the back of his neck. "You really think it'll help?"

I stop in my tracks and sigh. "He's struggling. He's never acted out before now. We've never had a problem with him in school and with friends. I don't want to wait until it's more than missed assignments and fighting with classmates." I get a little choked up thinking about it. "Our son is hurting, and I want to help him."

Garrett's head bobs in a nod. "Yeah, go ahead and set it up. I'll do what I can to make sure he gets there when I have him."

"Okay … good. Thanks."

We each step toward our vehicles, but before he can climb into his truck, I shout, "And thank you for coming today, Gare."

He nods once. "Thanks for making arrangements so I could come early. I appreciate that."

"For them, right?"

For the first time in a long time, he gives me a smile. "For them."


"Casual? Dressy? What kind of place did he say he was taking you to?" Rose asks as she flips through my closet.

"He said to dress nice. That's it."

She shoots me a disapproving look over her shoulder. "That's not very helpful."

"Tell me about it." I hold a hand over my twisting stomach. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

She spins on her heel, grabbing my shoulders and sitting me on the edge of my bed. "Oh, no you don't. You're not backing out now. You're going to wear your very best bra and—"

"What? He's not even going to see it."

"Doesn't matter. It'll make you feel more confident. It's been scientifically proven."

"Scientifically? I doubt that."

She narrows her eyes at me in the no-nonsense way she does when she means business. "You're going to wear your best underwear, curl your hair, and put on some lipstick. Then you're going to go out and have some fun tonight. You were on cloud nine after the last time you went out. Call me selfish if you want to, but I want to see you smile like that again."

I nod. "Okay."

It takes Rose one more sweep through my closet to find what she calls the "perfect" first date outfit. She holds out a deep blue, knee-length dress and a lightweight cardigan.

"Really, Rose?"

"Why not? You've got great legs. You should show them off. And you can't really go wrong with this one. You look fabulous in it. He said dressy, and this is dressy."

I chew on the side of my thumb. "Isn't it a little short?"

She smacks my hand away from my mouth. "Stop it. You can't go to dinner with mangled fingers." With a gentle forcefulness my sister has perfected, she grabs my arm and lifts me from the edge of the bed. "It's not too short. You're a woman, in case you've forgotten that. Shake what God gave you and use it. And maybe, just maybe you'll remember what it's like to have a man tripping over himself to spend time with you. Now," she says, turning her attention to my underwear drawer, "when is the last time you bought anything new?"

I snicker. "How old is Seth?"

"You can't be serious."

"Well, if we're talking anything fancier than the Hanes I buy at Target, then yeah, it's been a while."

She shakes her head in disbelief and continues rummaging through my bras and panties until finally, she pulls two black scraps from the dark recesses of the drawer. She spins around and holds them up. "These may not be Victoria's Secret, but they're lacy and they match." She lays the dress over my arm and piles the underwear on top, turning me around and giving me a nudge. "Dress, then we'll work on your hair."

"So bossy."

"Isn't that what big sisters are for?"

"Are they, though?"

"You know you love it." She purses her lips and blows me a kiss.

Laughing, I shut myself in the bathroom and slip into the lingerie and dress. It's been so long since I really dressed up to go anywhere, I'd almost forgotten how I look in a dress. And Rose was right; the extra oomph of the push-up bra does give me a boost of confidence.

By the time I come out of the bathroom, I'm feeling more self-assured. I spin in a circle. "How do I look?"

"Like sin. Now get back in there and we'll work on your hair."

By the time the mop on my head is curled into submission, a light dusting of makeup is swept across my face, and coats of lipstick and mascara are brushed across my lips and lashes, I'm almost unrecognizable.

"Wow," I breathe as I take in my reflection. "I forgot what this felt like."

"What? What it felt like to focus on yourself for a change?"

I turn to my sister, a grateful smile on my face. "Yeah, maybe."

She sweeps my hair off my shoulder. "You deserve this, sis. You've neglected yourself for too long. I want to see you happy again. And even if things don't work out with this guy, I know your happily ever after is out there waiting for you."

The chime of the doorbell echoes through the house.

"He's here," I whisper. "Rose, he's here."

"And you're ready."

My pulse races and I start to feel overheated. I press the back of my hand to my forehead. "Am I, though? Am I pale? I feel clammy. Do I look—"

"Stop. You look amazing."

"But—"

She grabs both my arms, halting my spastic moment. "You're going to be fine."

Swallowing hard, I nod. "Yeah, okay."

Rose follows me downstairs, and part of me wonders if it's because she doesn't trust I won't bolt back up to the safety of my bedroom.

"I'll just be in the kitchen if you need me," she says, passing me on her way there. But before she disappears, she meets my eyes. "You got this, sis."

I nod and take a deep breath, slowly opening the door and willing my thrumming heart to calm the hell down. But the moment I see his smiling face, all my worries about how this night might go disappear.

"Edward," I say softly.

"Hello, Bella." He holds up a small bouquet of white daisies. "These are for you."

"They're beautiful. Thank you." I step away from the door, holding it open. "Please, come in. I'll go find a vase then we can go."

"Thanks."

When he steps inside, I surreptitiously take in his appearance while he looks around the space. His charcoal gray suit looks like it was made just for him. The lighter gray shirt beneath it has the first two buttons undone, and his bronze hair is in perfectly ordered disarray. He looks like he just stepped out of a magazine, and I wonder what the hell I'm doing going out with him. Standing in the middle of my living room, he looks larger than life and way out of my league.

When he catches sight of my sister peeking around the corner, he stops short. "Oh, hello."

I snap back to attention, clearing my throat. "Edward, this is my sister, Rosalie."

He holds out his hand for her to shake as she comes out of her hiding spot. "Nice to meet you, Rosalie."

"You, too, Edward. So, where are you taking our Bella tonight?"

There's a twinkle in his eyes when he looks my way. "It wouldn't be fair to tell you before I told Bella, would it?"

"No, I guess not."

"But I can promise you I'll take excellent care of her."

Rose's eyes flash in my direction as she raises a brow. She turns her attention back to him. "Very good answer." She grabs her purse off the sofa. "Well, I'm going to head home and rescue the girls from Emmett's cooking. You two have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do." Before she heads for the door, she walks over to me with huge eyes and gives me a tight hug, whispering in my ear, "Oh. My. God. Call me tomorrow."

After a peck on the cheek, she's gone.

"So, that was my over-protective sister," I say as I arrange the bouquet in a vase. "I hope she didn't make you uncomfortable. Rose means well, but …"

"She's just looking out for you. I think it's a good thing."

Satisfied with the flowers now displayed on my kitchen table, I grab my sweater from the arm of the sofa. "Okay, Lieutenant Colonel, lead the way."

When he offers me his arm and leads me to the door, that warm tingle spreads through me again. And I know he feels it, too, because he shoots me the cocky grin I recognize from the night we met.

His SUV is a big one, and when he opens my door, he extends a hand. "Let me help you. It might be a bit of a jump for you to get into this thing."

I gratefully accept his offer and try to climb into the truck without flashing my ass at him. "Thanks."

He closes my door and runs around to his side to climb in. "Are you ready?"

I take a deep breath, giving him a smile. With my nerves churning in my belly, though, I have to wonder if I really am.


A/N: How do we feel about the return of PilotWard? Do you feel like Bella is gaining a little more self-confidence? I can't wait to hear what you think!

Whew, a few of y'all were a little rough on poor Bella last chapter. I'm pretty confident most women would need a moment to get their ish together when their lives get turned inside out. Yes, divorce is very common, but does anyone ever enter a marriage thinking theirs will end up being a statistic? She's rebounding, just give her a minute. Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)

A reader asked if there will be an EPOV in this story. The answer is yes, there are a couple planned, but further along in the story.

For whatever reason, the words for this story are coming slower than I expected them to. I might decide to switch to updating every two weeks if the writing doesn't pick up. I don't want to catch up with myself and empty my reserve of chapters and leave you waiting for updates. So, send me some mojo so I can keep this one in the air. Xo

"See" you soon!

Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.

Lots of love
~Sunshine