Chapter 2

"Edward Cullen! You told me to put on something simple!" Bella cried. She whirled around, a bewildered look upon her face.

"Bella, my love, calm down." I grinned and gently gripped her shoulders. "You are right. I did tell you to wear something simple – what would be the point in dressing up if you are going to be undressed right away?"

"But Edward," she protested as I knew she would, "I thought that that would mean there would be no fancy dresses or surprises."

I bent down and whispered in her ear.

"You should know me well enough to know that I am full of surprises." I kissed the hollow of her ear before adding something else. "And that I love to spoil you."

"I refuse to be spoiled." She said, trying hard to keep her voice even. I could tell by the dumbstruck look on her face that I had dazzled her. I loved the effect that I had on my Bella. It reassured me that I was indeed doing the right thing.

"Bella it will be fun. Come on." Alice finally interceded, wrapping her fingers around one of Bella's wrists. Her eyes were shining and she looked eager to dress my beautiful Bella up and make her look even more stunning then she always did.

"Alice…" Bella said warily, glancing sideways at my sister.

"Don't worry, I promise it will be fun." Before she could receive an answer, Alice was dragging her up the stairs and stampeding down the upstairs hall to her and Jasper's room.

I chuckled.

While my angel was being transformed, I glided up the stairs and stepped into my own room. I could hear Alice and Bella conversing about what had happened on the TV show they both watched religiously. They were discussing how they each thought a paternity test would come out and whether or not a male named Brian would show up in time to stop a wedding. I found myself listening to the conversation intently as I dressed myself.

"I hope Brian shows up in time. He just has to stop Clarissa from marrying that smelly French guy. What's his name again?" Bella snapped her fingers as if it would help her to remember the 'smelly French' guy's name.

"I know! I just hate Pierre. If Clarissa marries Pierre then he'll be able to kill her and gain all of her money from the lawsuit she just won. I'll bet Pierre was the one to hire the Russian to ambush Brian and send him halfway across the country." Alice answered.

"Well you know what I was thinking? Jack just has to be Harry's real father. Remember what Linda said? She said that after she married Kevin, Harry was born one month early. I'll bet he was conceived when Jack and Linda were together on that deserted island."

"I think so too! But it is going to be weird because Harry is dating Jack's daughter."

"I'll bet Harry will hate his parents."

"Oh no! I hope that Jenny won't get pregnant because if Harry is Jack's son, then that means he had sex with his sister."

I shuddered and stopped listening to their chatter after hearing that last bit. I only hoped that poor Harry would not end up being Jack's son. I would feel for the kid if it turned out that he had had sex with his sister.

After pulling on my white, button up shirt I rolled the sleeves up to my elbows. I looked in the mirror and made sure that I looked alright before returning to the ground floor.

I sat down on the couch and found my thoughts wandering.

Summer had arrived and it would be Bella and I's first one together. I wanted everything to be perfect and safe. That was why I was going to ask her to come with my family to London for our vacation.

There was suddenly a shriek from upstairs and I recognized it as Bella's. I shot to my feet and bounded halfway up the stairs before hearing Alice shriek as well.

"I can't believe it! Oh no that is awful!" Bella yelled.

"I know!" Alice agreed, her tone just as surprised and appalled as Bella's.

I could hear the television after the shrieking and repetitions of, "I can't believe it," finally stopped. I knew that they were watching their highly disturbing show and sighed, returning to my seat on the couch.

"What bullshit are they watching?" Jasper asked. I looked up to see him leaning against the doorframe, shaking his head with a smile on his face.

"I don't know and nor do I care." I answered, a smile spreading across my own face.

"So where are you taking Bella? Have you asked her about London yet?"

"I'm going to ask her on our date. I reserved a table for us at a little restaurant in Port Angeles."

Jasper eventually seated himself beside me and we continued our conversation until Alice and Bella suddenly appeared.

Bella was wearing a dress colored an iridescent fuchsia. It was sleeveless with a deep V-neck, the material bunched up slightly at her chest. The skirt was full and sheer, the same color as the bodice. A nice sized bow was positioned at the small of her back.

Her hair was curled with silver bobby pins holding back her bangs. I could see that Alice had put a faint, purple eye shadow on her lids and lined them with a bit of eyeliner. There was just a touch of mascara as well. Besides this, her face was very natural looking.

"You look beautiful." I smiled as I moved towards her, her face growing a lovely shade of red as I said this. This only made my smile widen.

"Thank you." She mumbled, averting her eyes. I placed a finger beneath her chin and tipped her face back up so that she could not hide her blush or her eyes from me. I then dipped my head and kissed her lips softly.

"Alright you two, have fun." Alice snorted. Jasper had looped an arm around her waist and they walked Bella and me to the door.

I escorted her to the Volvo, opening the door for her and also closing it behind her. Before she could buckle herself in I had made it around to the other side and gotten into the car as well. I placed the key into the ignition and we were flying down the road in no time.

"I guess you won't be telling me where we're going?" Bella asked from beside me.

"Of course not." I glanced sideways at her, taking her hand into mine. "Now how was your show?"

"You mean Another Life To Live?" Her eyes widened. "I thought Alice and I were the only ones who liked that show."

"I never said I liked it." I said defensively.

"Aww Edward," she pinched my cheek with her free hand, "were you concerned about poor Harry? Or were you more interested in Brian desperately trying to stop Clarissa's wedding?"

I clenched my teeth and stared straight ahead, ignoring her giggles.

"Well if you want to know, I guess I'll have to fill you in on what happened. It turns out that Harry really is Jack's son, and Harry has been having sex with his half sister, Jenny. Jenny thinks she's pregnant-"

"I don't care about Jack or the disgusting storyline of incest. If I'm being perfectly honest…it was Brian and the wedding that I was wondering about." I admitted, seeing Bella smile out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh. Well, Brian ended up hitchhiking with a truck driver and was able to make it to the wedding in time. He busted in and told Clarissa about the Russian that beat him up and left him stranded. Clarissa ended up taking Brian back, and the episode ended with Pierre pulling out a gun."

"A gun? What is he going to do? Shoot them?"

"Duh Edward, that's what you do with guns."

"I know that silly Bella." I let go of her hand to ruffle her hair instead. "I just wondered how shooting Brian and Clarissa would help the situation. If he kills them then he will go to jail."

"Right but if he threatens them and the guests, then Clarissa will have no choice but to hand over the money that Pierre wants."

"I suppose. But I'm sure that Brian will try to fight Pierre."

"What makes you think that?" Bella wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion.

"Bella," I turned my head completely to look at her, "don't you think that if someone had the stupidity to threaten you with a gun that I would fight to protect you?"

"Well of course Edward, but you're a vampire. Brian is human." She pointed out.

"But if he loves Clarissa then he would do anything to keep her safe, to keep her alive." I returned my eyes to the road.

My words had more than one meaning to them. I wanted her to know that the reason I would not change her was because I loved her.

Another fit of giggles broke the silence.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"I just can't believe that you, of all people, were concerned about what happened on a stupid television show."