So before we get into Chapter 18, I just need to take the time to say thank you to everyone that has read, rec'd or reviewed. Seriously, I never expected it to do this well, and I hope that fic continues to be what everyone seems to like. Without further ado, here's 19:

"Right. Well, I should prep dinner then."

"Bella wait."

"Any allergies? Dislikes of particular flavors? I don't want to feed anyone anything they don't like."

"No. We all eat everything really. Are we not going to talk about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about. I have ribeyes to season."

"Bella don't be that way."

I was close to saying something pretty venomous when the doorbell rang, saving the day.

"Looks like your family is here early. As hired help, I'll be going to the kitchen."

I left then, thankful that whoever had delivered the ingredients for tonight's dinner had sensibly left the steaks out to come to room temperature. I donned an apron and set to work. Seasoning the steaks and wrapping the bones so they wouldn't burn, I was peeling potatoes when two of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen trailed into the kitchen behind Emmett.

"'Sup short stack? This is Alice, the annoying pixie with the big heart, and this beautiful, blonde bombshell with the bangin' booty and the brain to match, is my gorgeous soulmate Rosalie."

Wiping my hands on my apron, I rinsed them quickly and gave them what I hoped was a warm smile. I stuck my hand out to shake.

"Isabella Swan. Pleased to meet you. Edward's said good things."

The brunette, Alice, ignored my hand and very energetically and enthusiastically hugged me. I couldn't Rosalie. She was more than cold. There was cunning there.

"Well she's already a marked improvement upon the last one."

I didn't know how to take that. Wasn't Lauren Mallory an MIT graduate? Surely I couldn't compare.

"You're not wrong. She's sober and with the way this kitchen smells, she can cook. Here, Bella. I can call you Bella, right? I've baked an apple pie. Maybe toward the end of things we can warm it in the oven?"

I glanced down at the pie in my hands. Alice was smart too, but maybe lacked attention to detail? While she had handed it to me in a very nice Pyrex, I saw that the pie was wrapped in cling wrap and still had a sticker showing it's final sales price. The thing hadn't been cheap. I never knew anyone who paid $70 for an apple pie.

"Remember that movie premiere Edward brought her too? I thought Blake was going to shiv her."

I was trying to keep up here. I desperately wanted to make a good impression.

"I'm sorry. Blake?"

It was Rosalie that answered.

"Lively."

I could feel my face turn scarlet. Who the heck was he?

"I'm sorry. I'm a little behind in my pop culture. Has he put out anything good lately?"

Alice began to laugh. I could tell she thought I was making a joke. She seemed like a happy person. Her laughter sounded bell like and the smiles reached her eyes.

"Oh yes. She'll do nicely. Emmy, I don't have to worry about you being around a woman with a brain do I?"

"Rosie, not this again."

I tuned them out and focused on Alice.

"I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with his work."

"Bella, Blake is a woman. Her and her husband Ryan socialize with Edward a lot."

I made a mental note, filing that information for later. Moments later, Edward came into the kitchen, joining the group. Lightly Edward touched my shoulder and whispered as Rosalie, Alice and Emmett seemed to be bickering about something.

"I hope everyone's been polite."

"Yes. So far I've learned that Alice can't back, Rose is sarcastic and verbally biting, and I don't keep up with pop culture. Oh. And I learned that you conveniently didn't correct my assumption that Lauren Mallory wasn't your last... whatever."

"Can we discuss this later?"

"No. We absolutely cannot. Come clean. If you don't, I'm out of here."

"I asked you exactly what you wanted to know. It isn't my fault you didn't think to ask better questions."

He was out of line.

"It didn't occur to you that I maybe wanted to know why you'd chosen me?"

"Oh it occurred to me, I was just hoping I wouldn't need to verbalize it."

"I know it's only been a few days, but friends talk to each other. Get to know one another."

"I know how a friendship works."

"I can't tell."

"Don't talk down to me."

"Wouldn't dream of it Mr. Money Bags."

It was silent in the kitchen. I had no idea how much Rose and Alice had heard. Edward and I stared at one other. He'd omitted, which in my mind was still a lie.

I untied my apron, and neatly folded it and laid it on the counter.

"You're on your own for dinner. Steaks need to be seared at a high heat, and then cooked all the way through. I'd go for a medium rare, you guys seem to be into food. Potatoes need seasoning and dairy during mashing. Asparagus will be ready to come out of the oven soon, and I'd stir the sauce and gravy so it doesn't burn."

I began to make my way out of the kitchen and out of the penthouse.

"Isabella, where are you going?"

"Out."

"You're going to walk out on this dinner? Cause a scene in front of my family? Walk out on ME?"

"Why'd you choose me, Edward?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Answer me."

"Because I barely know you, and can't imagine falling in love with you and it needs to stay that way."

This was... unexpected. We barely knew anything about each other and he was already talking about love. And that conversation wasn't going favorably. As surprising as his statement was, it only bolstered my reserve.

"Go fuck yourself Cullen."

Before he could reply, I was out of the door and headed to the elevator. I had to get out of there. Like a scene from a movie, I watched as Edward and Emmett tried to reach me, but the elevator doors closed first. Walking out of the front lobby of Edward's building, I scolded myself. It was freezing out, and I hadn't thought to grab a coat, or much of anything. I had the cell phone Edward had given me, my ID, and twenty bucks. I ducked quickly into a nearby Starbucks, grabbed a free newspaper and ducked into a corner. I needed to think about and plan my next move.

All of my textbooks were at Edward's penthouse and on Monday, I'd have class. It was obvious I couldn't stay there anymore, but I needed my things. That Jacob guy seemed to have a crush on me. Maybe I could convince him to let me up, seeing as how I'd also left my security credentials. Maybe I could bribe Renee with one of today's purchases so I didn't have to stay in a shelter. There's no way Mike and her were still a thing. As I sat and tried to figure out my best moves, a metal manicure hand with blood red nails was snatching away my newspaper.

"Bella Swan."

"Rosalie. You have me at a loss."

"For business, I still use Cullen. Legally, McCarty."

I nodded then.

"I'm not sure what Edward told you, but I'm not going to be a problem, if that's what you're thinking."

"I'm not here to advocate for him. He's a grown man. If he needs to earn forgiveness for something, he's an adult, he'll need to mend that on his own. I don't know you well, but I get the sense that you aren't prone to outbursts or dramatics, and he's not a saint. Not to mention the implication that he should spend a little private time with his genitals was telling."

I was mortified. Rosalie McCarty seemed amused.

"What's the problem Swan?"

"I don't-"

"He told us how you met. What he proposed. Where you'd been today."

"I'm not the first woman he's paid for."

"Swan, let me ask you this. What's the difference between what you're doing, and what Alice and her boyfriend Jasper do?"

"I don't understand the question."

"Upon meeting Alice, Jasper took her to dinner and a private showing of the original cast of Hamilton. Two days later, they went to my parents' fundraiser for leukemia. That dinner cost money, and there's no way he managed to get the entire original cast of a musical that hadn't performed on stage together in five years without an obscene amount of cash. They agreed on something. Jasper paid. Alice ended up in a pretty dress. What's the difference between them, and you and Edward?"

"I'm not Edward's anything. He's made that quite clear."

"You're smarter than that Swan. I can tell. Try again."

All of a sudden, it dawned on me.

"Intent. That's the difference."

"Precisely. He very obviously wants to get Alice into bed. I can't say the same about Edward. From what I can tell, he just seems to want company. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing I suppose."

"So what's the problem?"

"Probably the fact that he won't come clean about his past."

"Ah. You're concerned about the others."

"The way he made it seem, there had only been one other."

"She's the one he cared about."

"And you want to know about the others that he didn't care about?"

"Wouldn't you want to?"

"Fair point well made. Why don't I grab us some more coffee, and snacks, since it's obvious we'll be absent from dinner."

"Won't Edward be upset that I went to you for information?"

"You didn't come to me, I'm volunteering the information because he refused your offer to come clean. If he is mad, which, with Edward you never know, I'm Rosalie McCarty. He won't stay mad for long."

With a flip of her hair, she was off and to the counter ordering and I was sitting there, hoping that whatever she had to say was worth hearing.