**Fiddling was had. A lot of words were added. All without supervision. All mistakes are mine.**


Song:

"Touch," Sleeping At Last


Chapter 13

How does a movie sound tonight? - E

His invitation is a welcome one, but it's the last thing I want to do. It's already after seven, and even though it makes me sound like an old woman, I'm already dressed for an evening in.

I would, but I just took a shower and put on my comfy PJs. Raincheck? - B

I really want to see you tonight, Bella. What if I rent one and come curl up with you on the couch? - E

I wouldn't be able to wipe the smile off my face if I tried.

That actually sounds perfect. I'll pop some popcorn when you get here. Xo - B

Good. See you within the hour, baby. - E

His term of endearment makes me feel all gooey inside. With a breathy sigh, I toss my phone to the couch cushion and look around. The house is clean since the boys haven't been here for a few days to destroy it. I'm freshly showered and shaved, so the only thing I need to do before he arrives is pull out a blanket or two and make sure the couch is ready for the snuggling he promised.

Forty-five minutes later, there's a knock on my door. The sight that greets me when I open it is a welcome one. He's still dressed in his flight suit and wearing a smile, but it's a tired one.

"Hey, sorry it took me so long to get over here," he says as he steps inside. "Blockbuster was busier than I was expecting for a Wednesday night."

"It's fine." I close the door behind him. "I'm glad you're here."

Before I can say anything else, he's standing in front of me. "Hi," he says softly.

"Hi."

He leans in, and I rise up on my toes, wrapping my arms around his neck as our lips come together. Warm hands glide along my waist, one splaying out across my back while the other drifts lower, and he pulls me closer to him. Before I'm ready, he loosens his hold, but not before pressing one last, lingering kiss to my lips.

"I've waited three days for that," he murmurs, resting his forehead to mine.

"Was it worth the wait?"

"Absolutely."

When he pulls away, I catch a glimpse of something in his eyes I've never seen. He's tired, yes, but there's something else I can't name.

"Hey." I reach for his hand and give it a tug. "Are you okay?"

He blows out a breath and squeezes my hand in return. "I am now."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"Just work stuff. I had to handle something today that's probably my least favorite part about the job."

"You know I'm here if you need me."

"I know. And I appreciate it." He kisses me again, only this time it's quick. "But I don't want to weigh you down with any of that." He picks up the duffel he carried in with him. "I hope you don't mind if I sneak into your bathroom to change out of my bags."

"No, not at all. It's upstairs. Second door on the left."

"Thanks."

While he's changing, I make the popcorn I promised him. The popping of the kernels slows just before he returns to the kitchen.

"Can I help with anything?"

I turn around and the sight of him in grey sweatpants and a t-shirt, barefoot in my kitchen, is enough to send my pulse racing. And I don't miss his pointed stare at my braless silhouette.

I clear my throat. "Um, if you want to get us a couple drinks, that would be great."

"I can do that."

With a snack and drinks in hand, we head back to the living room. As I get comfortable on the sofa, I ask, "So, what did you get for us to watch?"

He holds up the DVD case as he stares at the cluster of electronics around my TV. "The Departed. RedBox didn't have a copy, so that's why I had to stop at Blockbuster." He slides the movie into the PlayStation and grabs the remotes next to the TV. He hands them all to me as he settles in beside me on the sofa. "I'll let you do that part. I'm not sure how you have it set up."

"Seriously?" I ask with a laugh.

"What?"

"I'm not used to having all the control when the TV is on and a man is sitting next to me. I don't think I've ever held all the remotes."

He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer, nuzzling my neck. "Don't get used to it. It's probably the only place I'll willingly hand over control."

"Is that so?"

He grins and waggles his brows. "I guess we'll have to find out sometime."

"Play your cards right and you just might." Giggling, I curl into his chest and aim the remote at the TV. "Now, no funny business. I actually want to watch the movie."

He kisses the side of my head. "Yes, ma'am."

With the movie playing and the two of us wrapped up in the blanket, we share the bowl of popcorn and watch Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon's characters navigate the web of deceit of Boston's gritty underbelly.

The whole time, he teases me with gentle touches. He plays with my hair, twirling the ends and running his fingers through it. He skims the sensitive skin of my forearm and teases the skin of my neck. The touches are completely innocent, but they're driving me absolutely crazy.

By the time the credits roll, my body is humming with want for the man beside me.

His nose brushes the shell of my ear. "I should probably go," he whispers but makes no effort to move.

As I lie with my back pressed against his chest, the non-existent space between us buzzes with electricity. I'm surrounded by his calming scent and the thrumming of his heartbeat, and it's the most comfortable and safe I've felt in a very long time. Leaving is the very last thing I want him to do. Thoughts of feeling the safety of his arms while I sleep worm their way into my head, and it's hard to ignore the mental image. The thoughts alone send warmth through my veins. I don't think about it too long before I look up at him.

"What if I asked you to stay?"

He takes a deep breath, his eyes searching mine as his fingers brush along my cheek. "I really want to say yes."

My hand ghosts over his as I gather my courage, finally pressing his palm tighter to my cheek. Taking a breath, I confess on a whisper, "I may not be ready to …" I shake my head, ashamed to admit I'm not ready for sex with him, but he nods in understanding, saving me the embarrassment. I lick my lips. "But I want to spend the night in your arms." I rise up on my knees and lean in, my lips just a breath away from his. "Say yes. Stay."

Throwing caution to the wind, I straddle him, settling in his lap as my hands splay out over the soft cotton of his t-shirt, feeling the definition of his chest and shoulders under my palms as I press my lips to his. The heat between us builds as our bodies come together, rising like a gentle billow of steam until it dissipates into us, fueling and feeding the fire we've started.

His hands drift up under my shirt, and as they do, a groan comes from deep inside him.

Holding me tightly, he leaves no space between our bodies. We find the same rhythm we've perfected the last few times he and I have been alone together, but we're not testing these waters for the first time. We're not stuck in the confines of his car. This time, there's a bed upstairs and all the freedom to explore this.

His heart pounds under my palm as his tongue languidly invades my mouth. And when he pulls the hem of my shirt higher, I don't stop him. I lean back, allowing him to completely remove it.

He stares up at me, his unreadable expression leaving me feeling vulnerable. But that feeling doesn't last long.

"You're so goddamn beautiful," he says softly. His fingers burn a trail across my lips, down the column of my throat and between my breasts, his eyes following his movements. When he reaches the waist of my pants, he drags his fingers along the edge and looks up at me. "So beautiful."

My hair has to be a wild mess, and I'm flushed and breathing like I've just run a marathon, but the heat of his gaze and the sincerity in his voice leave me no choice except to believe him.

"I know you're not ready for me to make love to you," he says gently as his hand dances across my stomach. His fingers glide along my skin, moving to my back and up my spine and weaving into the hair at the nape of my neck. He pulls me closer, my breasts pressed against his chest. "But if I don't get to touch you, I might explode. Please say I can make you feel good."

I nod as his mouth once again descends on mine. And this time, it's my hands slipping under his shirt as his tongue delves into my mouth. I pull away just enough to whisper against his lips. "Only if I can touch you."

Leaning back, I pull his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the floor somewhere behind me. Slowly, my fingers trace along the sharp angles, the steady rise and fall of his chest only defining them more. I finger the chain around his neck down to the metal tags that hang there, warm from the heat of his body. He's picture perfect, and as he lays me back onto the sofa and hovers over me, I realize, for now, he's all mine.

He kisses my lips, my neck, and eventually, my breasts. While he swirls his tongue around one, his fingers expertly tease the other.

I'm a panting, pulsating mess.

I gasp out his name before begging him, "Please touch me."

His deep chuckle goes straight to the ache between my legs. "I thought you'd never ask."

The hand that had been teasing my breast drifts south, slipping past my waistband and pulling my pants down.

As I'm exposed, inch by inch, a moment of uncertainty passes over me. Distant memories of past insecurities threaten to make me recoil, but I push them away. Any hesitation I feel disappears as quickly as it came, and I give myself over to the moment.

Once I'm freed from the confines of my pajama pants, he settles between my legs, his fingers now teasing and trailing, circling my clit and just barely dipping inside of me.

I close my eyes as sensation sparks across my entire body. I tilt my head back as his lips return to my neck.

"Does that feel good, baby?"

"So good," I breathe.

"Can you feel what you do to me?" He presses his cock against my leg as his voice rumbles in my ear. "I want you so much. I can't wait to make love to you. To be inside you when you come."

His growled words make me bold. Letting my emotions lead my actions, I reach for him, slipping my hand past the waistband of his sweatpants and grasping onto his hardness.

If I thought his rumbled words were sexy, nothing prepares me for the sound of his groan as I stroke him. He's so close that it would only take a shift of his hips and mine and he could be inside me.

The thought is as exhilarating as it is frightening.

When his bright eyes meet mine, it feels like he can read my thoughts. But instead of pushing me and asking for something we both know I'm not ready to give, he concentrates his efforts on touching me.

And the intensity of his stare seems to spur us both on.

With quickening breaths, we each work to pleasure the other, his magical fingers finding places long forgotten inside me, and my hand pushing and pulling as he rocks his hips. With my free hand, I reach for the tags hovering over my chest, pulling him closer and bringing his lips to mine.

Tingles spark low in my belly and my soft moans grow louder.

"That's it, baby," he says, his breaths coming even faster, the rhythm of his hips beginning to falter. Another groan rumbles from his chest. "Come with me."

Those sparks in my belly heat, spreading through my veins like lava before the coil snaps inside me, sending shockwaves through my body. Just when it feels like the wave of pleasure is about to ebb, another washes over me. I'm only half aware of Edward covering my hand with his own as he stills. He pulses in my palm as warmth paints the skin of my stomach.

Only the sound of our ragged breathing and the pounding of my heart ring in my ears. As I start to pull the fractured pieces of myself back together, I open my eyes.

The man staring back at me, flushed and beautiful, his breathing labored, looks as unguarded as I feel. In that brief moment, I'm left feeling exposed … defenseless, and the vulnerability shining in his eyes when he opens his mouth sends a rush of panic through me.

"Bella, I—"

I tug on the chain around his neck and crash my mouth to his, silencing whatever confession he was about to make. My heart beats furiously in my chest as the possibilities of what he was about to say swirl in my head.

When he pulls away, it's only enough to rest his forehead on mine and close his eyes. "Okay," he whispers. "Okay."

Without another word, he climbs off the sofa and escapes to the bathroom, leaving me to close my eyes and concentrate on calming my racing heart.

Everything I feel with Edward brings so many of my battle-worn emotions to the surface, emotions that I've tucked away and protected for a long time. Emotions I've been denying lately.

By the time he returns with a damp washcloth to clean me off, the panic I felt has disappeared. Gently, he wipes away the evidence of our encounter. No more words are spoken as I slip his shirt over my head and crawl back onto the sofa with him, pulling a blanket over us.

"Do you still want me to stay?" he asks as I lay my head on his chest.

"Stay."


The sound of an alarm wakes me before it abruptly stops. As consciousness creeps back in, I'm disoriented, but it's only for a moment before Edward's arms tighten around me.

"Good morning." His voice is sleep-roughened, and it's the sexiest thing I've ever heard.

"Morning." I lift my head and rest my chin on his bare chest. "We really need to stop waking up like this."

He huffs a laugh, his eyes still closed. "Speak for yourself. I'd be perfectly content to wake up like this every day."

I trail my fingertip along the chain on his neck until I reach the tags lying there. "I've never seen you wear these before."

"I only wear them when I fly, and we were doing exercises yesterday," he mumbles. "I usually take them off before I leave the base." He peeps one eye open and grins. "I guess I was excited about coming over here and forgot to take them off."

Studying the information pressed into the small metal plates—his name, his social security number, his blood type—it hits me that they'd be used to identify him if he's injured or killed in action. The thought of them ever being needed for that reason makes my heart sink.

It's a stark reminder of what his job entails, but I push it away. It's too much to think about while lying in his arms.

I rise from the couch and hold out my hand. "Come on. I believe you promised you'd make me breakfast if this scenario ever played out."

He stands and wraps his arms around me. "I think I remember something about breakfast."

"Good. I like pancakes."

He grins down at me. "Pancakes coming right up."


"So, what's good here?" Alice asks after the waiter leaves with our drink order.

"You should get the wings. They're really good," I say as I scan the menu.

She raises a brow at me. "You've been here before?"

I place my menu on the table and fold my arms over it. "A few times. Edward and I came here a couple of weeks ago."

She perks up. "How are things going with that? You two seemed pretty cozy at Ben's birthday party."

"It's going fine." I'm distracted when the waiter places our drink order on the table. I smile up at him. "Thanks."

"What can I get for you folks tonight?"

I order the garlic Parmesan wings, and Alice chooses a burger and fry basket.

"Okay," he says, taking our menus from us, "I'll be right back with your order."

I turn my attention back to my dinner companion. "Things are good. We see each other at least a couple times a week. We took the boys bowling last week."

"Oh! How did that go?"

"It went great." I chuckle. "Seth especially is still a little starstruck by him."

"Do they know you're dating Edward?"

I shake my head. "I haven't spelled it out for them, but I think Jacob has a pretty good idea what's going on."

"You've been seeing Edward for what, three months?"

I nod, reaching for my beer. "About that, yeah. It's been a little more than three months since our first date."

"And he gets along with your kids."

"Yeah."

"Then why do you still seem apprehensive?"

I shrug. "I guess I still wonder how I fit into his life."

She leans in, folding her arms on the table. "What do you mean?"

And that's the question. For weeks, I've felt like I'm walking a knife's edge, waiting for some sign to push me that final inch and completely commit to Edward. Every reasonable thought encourages me to hold on to him and not let go. He's great with my kids. He's patient with me. He's been nothing short of incredible since I met him. But there are lingering questions I'm not sure how to ask him.

I run my finger along the rim of my glass. "Edward is … he's a great guy, and the time we've spent together has been amazing." I look up and meet her eyes. "I'm falling for him, Alice."

"But …"

"But his life is taking him who knows where in a little more than a year, so how can this be anything other than temporary for him?"

"What makes you think it's only temporarily?"

"I don't see how it can be anything but. He's lived the single life for most of his adult life in a new place every two years. I just don't know if I can trust my heart to someone who's used to moving on. Honestly, it feels like I'm waiting for the bottom to drop out when it's time for him to go to his next assignment." I sigh and sit back in my chair. "I guess I just don't know how this all works."

Silence falls over the table. Even as the waiter brings our food order, we're quiet. Once he leaves, Alice speaks up.

"Can I say something?"

"Of course."

"I've known Edward for a very long time. He's one of the good ones, you know? Has he had relationships in some of the places he's been? Of course. But I've never seen him this taken with someone. I've never seen him this invested in anyone. And the Edward I've always known wouldn't be stringing someone along when there are kids involved. If you still have questions about the other things, you need to talk to him about it. Have you talked to him?"

I absentmindedly pick at a chicken wing. "Not yet."

She levels me with a look. "That's the first thing you need to do."

"I know. It's just … how do you even start that kind of conversation? How did you do it? How did you decide to take a risk and go all in with someone who will be leaving in a little more than a year to God knows where?" My words come faster as all the questions tumbling around in my head come spilling out.

"As far as the conversation goes, you just start it. You look him in the eye and tell him what you're afraid of and ask the questions you need answers to. As far as the rest …" She shrugs. "I knew how I felt about Jasper. I knew I loved him more than anything and wanted to build a future with him. I knew I could do the things I wanted to do, live the life I wanted to live, and still be by his side. It was the right choice for us." She reaches across the table and covers my hand with hers. "You need to decide if he's worth taking a risk on. And you owe it to him to make that decision."

"Who knew girls' night would be so heavy?" I joke, attempting to change the subject.

"Bella," she says gently, "I know it's not an easy adjustment. I know choosing to walk the path with a military man isn't easy, but if you do, it really can be a wonderful life. Just remember I'm here if you need to talk."


Fridays are always busy, and today is no exception. It's so busy I don't have a chance to check my phone until my lunch break, and when I do, there's a voicemail from Edward. But it's not a call to confirm our plans with Alice and Jasper tonight. Instead, he's calling to cancel.

"Hey, I was hoping I'd be able to catch you, but this'll have to do. I'm going to have to cancel tonight. There was something that came up—a friend of mine is in town for the day looking at housing options for when they move here next month, and Sam asked me to tag along and grab some dinner to catch up. I'm really sorry. Tell Alice and Tex I'll make it up to them next time. My treat. I'll call you tonight."

His words are rushed and his tone is distracted, and when I try to call him back, I'm greeted by his voicemail. I don't bother leaving a message. Disappointed, I pocket my phone. When I return from my break, Alice catches me.

"You okay? You don't look very happy for someone who escaped the madness for an hour"

"Edward can't come tonight."

"Why not?"

"A friend flew in for the day and they're going to dinner, I guess."

"Oh? Who—"

"Alice!" Riley calls from the back. "I need you back here. We have a problem."

"Coming!" She sighs and heads in that direction, asking over her shoulder, "But you're still coming with us, right?"

I know better than to deny Alice Whitlock.


Instead of going to the nicer place we'd originally planned on, we go back to the sports bar Alice and I ate at last time. And even though Edward isn't with me, it's still nice to have adult conversation for the evening.

Jasper is every bit as charming as he always is, and Alice carries the bulk of the conversation. The food is good, and the company is better. We're still joking and laughing when dessert comes.

"You really need to try this." Alice holds up her forkful of the lava cake to Jasper.

Accepting the bite, Jasper's eyes close. His groan of satisfaction makes me feel like I'm intruding on a private moment.

"Good, right?" she asks him.

"So good." He ducks his head, whispering in her ear and making her giggle.

She straightens her back and brings another bite to her lips. She shoots a wink at her husband. "Oh yeah. We'll have to order one of these to go."

I laugh at their ridiculousness and reach for my drink, but as my eyes drift to the couple walking through the crowded dining room to a table across the way, I nearly choke as I swallow.

Because sitting down at a table with a stunning brunette is my boyfriend.

This must be the friend he needed to catch up with. I watch long enough to see it's more than a casual thing. The way he stares so intently at her, the way he reaches across the table and covers her hand with his is too familiar. My vision blurs with tears. It's at that moment that Edward's gaze lands on mine, his eyes widening. He turns to his dinner companion, saying something as he pushes back his chair.

But I'm in no mood to confront him in front of mutual friends and a restaurant full of strangers. "Excuse me," I mutter, pushing out my own chair.

Realizing something is terribly wrong, Alice looks around and catches sight of Edward walking toward our table. "Oh no, no, no."

Fueled by heartache and anger, I make a beeline for the ladies' room. I zip through the tables, dodging servers and their monster-sized trays, ignoring the call of my name over the buzz of the diners. Finally, I make it to the quiet hallway that leads to the restrooms and duck into the ladies' room. Thankfully, it's empty.

My pulse is racing, and my head is spinning. But the pain in my heart is almost enough to bring me to my knees. All the time I've spent with Edward, all the moments we've shared as I worked out my feelings felt like we were building toward something meaningful. But seeing him sit across from another woman makes me question … everything.

What's worse is it wasn't until that moment that I realized how much he means to me.

I turn on the faucet and splash cold water on my face in an attempt to wash away the torrent of heartbroken tears streaming down my cheeks. For some reason, I expect Edward to bust through the door and explain himself. Part of me wishes he would. The other part of me is glad he's giving me the space to get my shit together, because as my all-too-familiar expression stares back at me, it brings back painful, vivid memories from not so long ago.

"There's someone else. I … I'm in love with someone else."

Garrett's words hung heavy in the air.

"You're in love with someone else?" I rasped, the burn of tears stinging my eyes.

"Yeah."

"What's her name?"

There was a pregnant pause, and I could feel the regret in his hesitation. "Kate," he finally said.

"Do I know her?"

"No."

Visions of a faceless woman flashed through my mind. Was she prettier than me? Younger than me? What did she give him that I obviously didn't?

"Have you slept with her?"

"Bella," he whispered, pleading. "Don't do this."

I turned to him, the man I gave my heart to, and saw fifteen years of my life slowly burn away, the ashes left behind scattering in the wind.

Shaking off old ghosts, I blow my nose in a rough paper towel and wet another one to wipe my face one more time. Looking at my reflection, I see my cheeks are dry, but my red-rimmed eyes give me away. He'll know I was crying.

Straightening my back and smoothing my shirt, I step out into the hallway to face the inevitability of yet another relationship slipping down the drain.

Standing there, each of us on opposite sides of the hallway, I expect a litany of apologies or at least some kind of explanation. I don't expect the first words that come out of his mouth.

"Are you okay?"

I fold my arms over my chest, unable to even look at him.

"Bella?"

My head snaps up. "No, I'm definitely not okay. You told me you were meeting someone named Sam! And then I look over and see you with a woman. What am I supposed to think?"

"Her name is Sam. That's Samantha Uley. She—"

"No, just … don't. It's okay, Edward. You don't owe me anything. Really. I understand." A humorless laugh escapes me. "I always thought this was too good to be true. Maybe it's better that it came out now rather than later, before the boys got too attached."

There's a long drawn-out silence between us as we stare at each other, fiery emotions blazing in his eyes, and mine, I'm sure.

"Are you done?" he finally asks, leveling me with a look that threatens to cut straight through me. "I think you owe me the chance to explain myself."

"There's nothing to explain. You told me you were catching up with an old friend. Clearly, that was a lie. Anyone with eyes could see that was way too intimate to be between two friends. You were holding her hand, Edward!"

He pushes off the wall to step forward but stops short before he reaches me. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, tilting his head like he's trying to figure out what to say next. When he finally speaks, there's determination in his eyes.

"Samantha Uley has been Sam as long as I've known her. I was stationed with her husband, Emilio, in Aviano almost a dozen years ago. We were both in the same squadron, and when we went our own ways after that assignment, we kept in touch. We've crossed paths over the years here and there, so I didn't think anything of it when I got a call from him last month. He got new orders and he's being reassigned here starting next month. He asked me to help his wife sort through the rentals that were available and help her get her bearings since she'll be enrolling the kids in school once they're settled here. He'd called on an especially crazy day and I forgot to put it in my calendar. So, when Sam called me this morning, I couldn't say no.

"And I know how it must have looked to you. I'm sorry I made you think the worst, but it was just me offering some advice to a friend. She was confiding in me that the two of them have been having some trouble, and I was comforting her … as a friend. They're both dear friends of mine who I've known for a very long time."

"Oh," I whisper.

"Yeah, oh." He stares at me with a look I can't even describe. It's one part plea, one part frustration. It's so heated it feels like he's burning a hole straight through me. "After all the effort I've put into showing you the real me, are you really doubting me? My loyalty to you?"

"No, but …"

"But what, Bella? Do you really think I'd do something like that? I've seen it happen. I've served with men, hell, I've served under men who don't have the integrity to hold up their marriage vows, and I promised myself a long time ago I would never be that man. If I ever found someone I cared about enough to share my life with, I would honor her. I'd bend over backwards to make sure she knew I would stay faithful and that she could trust me. Look, I'm sorry I forgot to mention that Sam was a woman. It absolutely slipped my mind. I didn't think twice about it because I thought you trusted me. I know the shit you went through with your ex. Hell, my own ex screwed me over." His voice rises over the clatter of the dining room, and I glance that way to see if we're attracting an audience. "I've seen first-hand what lies and cheating do to a person, and I swore to myself I would never do that to anyone."

My eyes are glued to his feet. Embarrassment and admonishment settle in my belly, and I can't bring myself to meet his eyes.

"I don't know what else to do to convince you I'm in this. And there comes a time when I have to think about myself." He spreads his arms out wide. "I've put just about all my cards on the table with you. You need to decide what you really want, decide if you're going to trust me enough to take that next step. You've been holding back this whole time, waiting for me to fuck this up, and that isn't fair to me. Treating me like Garrett isn't fair to me. I'm not your fucking ex-husband!"

Finally, I look up, seeing the anguish on his face. It's the same anguish churning inside me. "I know you're not."

"Do you? I've tried to give you the space and time you need. I know" He grips at his hair, and frustration rolls off him in waves. "I know you're scared out of your mind to take that leap of faith with me, but, baby"—his hands drop to his sides—"I've already jumped."

In a move so quick, it almost knocks me back, he steps right up to me, his body pressing against mine. He holds my cheeks in his palms. "I told you I'm in this, but if you're not … if you don't trust me, tell me now, because I can't keep going around in a circle for you. I want you, Bella. I've told you time and time again, there's no one else. But it's time for you to decide what you want."

He pulls me to him, pressing his lips to mine. His kiss is laced with desperation, and as he pulls away, I catch sight of his shining eyes. A sob racks through me as he walks away. And when he disappears into the crowded restaurant, I realize he's right.

If I don't make a choice, my chance at happiness with this man will slip right through my fingers.


A/N: Well, I'd say they both stepped in it, wouldn't you? What do you think? Yes, it was an avoidable miscommunication, but Bella's reaction … ouch. She's still so hurt by what Garrett did to her. Do you think Edward was right to be upset/frustrated? How much of this was HIS fault? Do you think they'll be able to come back from it? I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

We'll be sticking to an every-two-weeks posting schedule for now. The words are flowing like cold molasses … slower than slow. Thanks for your patience, my friends. Xo

Don't forget, TFMU 2022 Cleveland is happening this July 15-17. And the window to sign closes on June 10! I, along with many others I know, will be there! Will you? For more details, go to tfmutwificmeetup dot wixsite dot com. There's also a Facebook group, TFMU TwiFic Meetup. I hope to see you there!

Remember, the best way to stay up to date with what I'm up to, join in the discussion, and to see exclusive weekly teaser pics, check out my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics. I'd love if you all could join us. I'm also on Twitter at CSunshine1220.

I will "see" you in two weeks!

Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.

Lots of love
~Sunshine