Hello there! Welcome to Chapter 5! So, I just want to address a little something. Quite a few of my reviewers have came to the conclusion that Tanya's parents were somehow responsible for her death. They were not. It really was just a sad and tragic tale of Edward losing his best friend. Like it says in the description "he's seen too many bad things happen to good people". He knows she didn't kill herself like her parents were proclaiming, but it was just an accidental drowning, fueled by alcohol.

Thank you so very much to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, and recommend Edge of the Night. I'm challenging myself as I write this because I NEVER write any sort of angst, really. So it's kind of an experiment. I love hearing from y'all, it makes me so very happy every time I get a review notification and I do try and answer them all.

See ya at the bottom!

"Mrs. Mavis, you spoil me," I moaned around a mouthful of heavenly, warm, apple crumble topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

"Nonsense, dear. You forget to eat half the time, running around so much. You're too thin, I tell you that all the time."

I didn't bother trying to correct my beloved - and fairly rotund - housekeeper. Yes, there certainly were times I did forget to eat when things got hectic, but I was in no way too thin. The truth of the matter was that I was five foot three and my mother came from a long line of curvy Italian women. My ass wasn't huge, but it wasn't petite either. My thighs weren't waif-like, but they were smooth and firm thanks to jogging and yoga. My belly wasn't hard with muscles, but I was active and healthy and I knew I looked damn good in a bikini. I had days of self-doubt just like anyone does, but I'd learned to embrace my curves.

"Would you like me to put on something for dinner, love? I could whip up one of those chicken and rice casseroles you like, and put it in the oven?" Mrs. Mavis asked, jarring me from my thoughts.

"Oh, you know how much I love your casseroles, but I actually have a date tonight," I revealed with a smile. I'd been smiling an awful lot since meeting Edward yesterday for coffee.

"Oh, do you now? Well, come on then, let's have it."

I laughed as she pulled up a bar stool and folded her hands, looking at me expectantly. I loved the dear woman, a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic. She was the grandmother I never had, since both of mine had passed away before I was born.

When I'd first moved into my penthouse, I'd been looking to hire a housekeeper and Alice had mentioned that her widowed neighbor was looking for just that sort of a job. From the moment I met Mrs. Mavis, I just adored her. She was in her fifties, very British, kind and caring. She was a fantastic cook, and always made sure everything was clean and tidy. I had a professional service that came in every couple of weeks to do the heavy stuff like washing the windows and scrubbing the tile, but Mrs. Mavis took care of everything else, She had a nurturing soul, and thrived on looking after people. She would have made an amazing mother, but had been unable to have children of her own. Emmett was so impressed with her - especially her cooking skills - that he hired her as well and now she split her time between my home and his. He teasingly called her Mrs. Doubtfire, and truthfully, that was a fairly accurate nickname.

"His name is Edward. He's a detective," I said as I finished the last bite of deliciousness in my bowl.

"A detective?"

"Yes. I met him in the hospital when he came to take my statement about what had happened with James. We talked a few times after that, and then he was a groomsman in a wedding here, and I ran into him. He asked me for coffee yesterday and then invited me for dinner tonight."

"And you're. . . feeling up to it?" Her blue eyes were filled with concern and I loved her for it, not feeling smothered in the least by her maternal-like worrying. I reached over and covered her hands with mine.

"Yes. I can't quite describe it, but there's just this pull I have towards him. I want to get to know him better. He gives me butterflies." I sighed and she grinned.

"Is he handsome?"

"Oh, yes. Tall and handsome with beautiful green eyes."

"He sounds lovely, my pet. I hope you have a wonderful evening."

And then she was off, flitting around my apartment and finishing a few things before kissing my cheek and telling me she'd bring a cake next time. I laughed and shook my head at her.

It was half past four, and Edward was coming to pick me up at seven. I smiled as I thought about our conversation last night. He'd called about seven-thirty, when I'd just gotten back to my place after wrapping everything up downstairs for the evening. He apologized again for having to leave me at the coffee house and I'd dismissed his apology once more. I knew what it was like when work was hectic, and I couldn't even imagine how it was with the line of work he was in. We'd talked more about his job and my hotel and before I knew it we'd been on the phone for almost an hour. After finally getting around to making plans for this evening, he asked if I liked seafood. I absolutely did, so he told me he was going to take me to his favorite seafood place and that he would come and get me at seven.

As I absently put away a pile of clean, folded laundry that Mrs. Mavis had left on my bed, I recalled the end of our phone conversation.

"So, this seafood place. Is it fancy or more casual?" I asked, idly thinking about what I would wear.

"No, it's not fancy, but the food is amazing. I hope you're okay with that?"

"With what? Amazing food? Um, yeah!"

He laughed.

"No, I meant with it just being a casual place. It's our first date and I was thinking maybe I should take you somewhere nicer-"

"Edward," I interrupted, "Wherever you want to take me is absolutely fine. I just want to spend time with you, okay? And if you love this place so much, I'm sure it will be wonderful."

"It's just, it might not be-"

"Forget about what you think I'm used to. You said that our differences didn't affect you wanting to get to know me. Have you changed your mind?"

"No, of course not!"

"Then please stop stressing. I'm just as happy grabbing a burger as I am dining at an elegant restaurant. I love little hole in the wall places. My bank account doesn't define me, just like it shouldn't define you or anyone else. I grew up in luxury and truthfully, I hated it most of the time. I hated being looked after by the household staff while my parents were away, traveling around the world and being seen with the right people. I hated the way people treated me because of my last name. I don't want to be known as 'Isabella Swan, heiress to the Swan fortune'. I'm just Bella. Please don't treat me any differently and don't worry so much about. . I don't know . . living up to my expectations or something. The only expectation I have is to enjoy dinner with you. Okay?"

He was silent for a few moments and I feared I'd shocked him with my verbal diarrhea. I mean, everything I said was true, but perhaps I shouldn't have let that all out at once? Although, if this was going to go anywhere, it was better he knew my feelings up front.

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I just have one more very important question."

Seriously?

"Okay?"

"Cocktail sauce or tarter sauce?"

I burst out laughing at the unexpected turn in conversation.

"That's a very important question, indeed. Both have their merits, and both are equally appealing to me, depending on what will be dipped in them. Fried clams? I gotta have the tarter sauce, and I don't mind admitting that I like dipping my fries in it as well. Hushpuppies, too. But, when it comes to fresh peel-and-eat shrimp or raw oysters? Cocktail sauce all the way, the spicier the better."

"Damn," he moaned. "I knew you were perfect for me."

I laughed, giddy from his teasing words and sexy sounding moan.

We had ended the phone call shortly afterward, and my dreams last night were filled with the sound of his moan and the touch of his hands all over me. I'd awoken before the sun came up this morning, writhing and sweaty, and brought myself to a powerful orgasm within minutes. Even now I could remember how it felt as Edward's dreamy counterpart slid his oh so talented fingers inside me, thrusting and pressing while he sucked on my neck and whispered erotic words against my skin.

My pussy began to throb as I recalled the naughty dream, and even though I desperately wished otherwise, now was not the time to take matters into my own hands. I still had some emails to go through, as well as make some phone calls, before I could begin to get ready for our date tonight. Pleasurable pastimes would have to wait, unfortunately.

*EotN*

My intercom buzzed at ten minutes to seven, just as I was slipping into my shoes, and I walked over to the wall unit in my bedroom and pressed the button.

"Yes?"

"Bella, Detective Edward Cullen is here. For some reason he's under the impression you and he have a date this evening?"

I rolled my eyes at Jake's teasing.

"Be nice, Jacob Black," I warned. "Please send him up here."

"Uh, okay."

Jake sounded surprised, and rightfully so. It was very rare that I let any visitors come up to my apartment that I didn't have a long-standing relationship with. But, Edward was different. I wanted him to see where I lived. If the situation were reversed, I'd want to see his home and find out more about him by observing the things he surrounded himself with.

I walked over to the full length mirror in the foyer as I waited for him to arrive, studying my reflection and my Seth-approved 'casual' date outfit. I wore tailored navy capris, paired with a soft ivory t-shirt that had a laced-up V neckline. I'd done the laces up three quarters of the way, showing just a little bit of cleavage. The pants were low-waisted, fitting snugly across my hips, and I had to admit my ass looked pretty good in them. My hair was down, loosely curled with just the very front pinned back from my face. I didn't want to bother carrying a big purse tonight, so I put my necessities into a slim wristlet, and slid my phone in my back pocket. I was ready.

And not a moment too soon, because just then my doorbell rang. I took a deep breath and pressed the button to engage the digital peephole.

And there Edward stood, looking ten kinds of hot. Lord have mercy.

I quickly opened the door.

"Hello," he said with that sexy smile I was coming to positively adore. He was sin on legs in dark jeans and a gray and black baseball-style shirt. His hair had been tamed with gel, and I had the strongest urge to run my fingers through it and mess up the disciplined waves just a bit.

"Come on in," I answered, stepping back and letting him enter. When I turned back around from shutting the door he was suddenly very close to me. I could smell his cologne, that same intoxicating woodsy-citrus scent I'd first noticed when he'd found me in my office, but there was also another scent, kind of like clean laundry. We gazed at each other in silence for a few moments before he shifted and brought his other hand out from behind his back, holding a bouquet of flowers that he'd evidently been hiding. It was lovely a mix of pink roses and pale yellow daisies.

"These are for you," he murmured, offering them to me. I took them with a delighted smile.

"They're beautiful, Edward. Thank you." I lifted them to my face and inhaled the sweet fragrance. He watched me and when our eyes met again, I couldn't look away. I felt restless energy thrumming beneath my skin.

"I should put them in some water," I whispered. He nodded.

"You should."

But still we didn't move away from each other. His hand rose to my face, brushing softly against my cheek and jaw. His fingertips were slightly rough, and I resisted the urge to close my eyes and rub against their warmth.

"You look so pretty," he said softly, that intense gaze still holding mine. My heart thumped in my chest at his simple words.

"Thank you," I murmured.

It was then that Ginger and Mary Ann came out of hiding to greet our guest. Edward looked down as they twined around his legs, meowing and purring.

"Well, hello there." He bent down to pet them and Mary Ann, predictably, rolled over and presented him with her fluffy white belly to scratch. He obliged, and she loudly voiced her approval.

"Sorry," I said with an amused smile. "They're pretty shameless; they never got the memo that cats are actually supposed to be standoff-ish. Jake says they're more like dogs, and he's totally right. That's Mary Ann, she's obsessed with belly rubs. The other one is Ginger."

"Like from Gilligan's Island," Edward said with a laugh as Ginger head-butted his shin.

"Yes, I loved that show when I was a kid. I watched the reruns over and over. That and Little House on the Prairie."

"I was more of a Magnum PI fan when it came to reruns," Edward said with a wink. "Higgins was awesome, but there was also the hot woman, fast cars, and all of that."

I giggled and shook my head. "I actually have no problems imagining that at all."

Edward followed me into the kitchen area so I could put the flowers in some water.

"This is a really great space," he said, looking around. "I like how open it is."

I tried to see it through his eyes as my gaze traveled around my home.

"Thanks," I answered with a smile. "I knew what I wanted and helped to design just about everything in here."

I found a painted china vase and arranged the pretty blooms before setting them on my kitchen island.

"You moved in here when the hotel opened?"

"The hotel actually opened a couple of months before all the renovations up here were complete. At that time, I had an apartment not far from here. I really wanted to take my time and have everything done before I moved in."

"It suits you."

"Does it?"

"Definitely. The colors, the style. It's warm and inviting and I can tell you've worked to make it a comfortable home. It's beautiful, but it also feels lived-in, not like a magazine page, ya know?"

I was speechless. He must have seen the surprised expression on my face.

"What is it?" He walked around the island to stand in front of me.

"Um. Well. . . it's just . . . everything you said? That's exactly how I wanted this place to feel. The house where Emmett and I grew up was beautiful, but I hated it because everything was so perfect and cold. Untouchable. There was no character, no warmth. It was like a museum. I always told myself that when I could live wherever I wanted, it would be the exact opposite. I think a true home has to have heart."

"I think you definitely succeeded. In fact, I'd love to see the rest of it, but I think we'll be running late if you give me a tour. Next time?"

I felt heat uncurl in my belly. Next time. He wanted to come back, and I definitely wanted him to.

"Absolutely," I said, unable to hide my wide grin. "Let's go."

I waved to Jake as we passed by the front desk, and Edward led me to a pewter gray Jeep Wrangler in the visitors parking lot. He opened the passenger door and ushered me inside. I hadn't been on a first date in ages, but I was thrilled to be going out with the enigmatic Edward Cullen. Butterflies erupted in my stomach as I thought of the night that lay ahead of us.

I know, I KNOW! It was a shorter chapter AND we haven't gotten to the actual date yet, but I had to break it into a couple of chapters, or it just would have been WAY too long. Do we love Mrs. Mavis? Wasn't Edward adorable with the flowers? *sigh* These two, I tell ya. Also, Bella's feelings towards tarter sauce and cocktail sauce are totally mine. It's how I roll.

Stay tuned for The Date: Part 2. It's coming soon, I promise!