Two Chapters in one week. Am I forgiven yet? Enjoy.

I had a lot to learn. Fundraiser days apparently started early. At exactly seven in the morning, Rose and Alice were in my closet, which was odd. To my knowledge, there wasn't anything suitable for a fundraiser there.

"Rose, no. She absolutely has to wear the Gaultier. It's freaking Gaultier!"

"Alice, lower your voice before you wake her, She's not wearing the Gaultier. She strikes me as the type who would die before willingly showing that much skin."

I entered the closet quickly and quietly.

"The Gaultier is for the summer months I'm told. Not that you've asked me, but Angela and I have decided to put me in Galliano for this evening. Edward has already approved. If you came here to choose my gown, you're at least a day late and a dollar short."

Alice simply shrugged and rolled her eyes, while Rose beamed at me. Before I could respond, I heard Edward calling from the living room between our two wings. Of course Alice and Rose were right behind me.

"i didn't realize we had guests. Remind me why I gave the two of you keys again?"

"Because we're your sisters and you love us?"

"I do love you Alice. Doesn't make either of you any less of a pain. I called for Bella, not all of Charlie's Angels."

"Cute reference. But you know what fundraiser days are like. Show her what you called her for or all of us are leaving for more important things."

"Thanks Rose. I've always loved that direct approach of yours."

I felt myself blush as he looked at me. He just had to go and tell me I was beautiful. After leaving him, I showered, but couldn't resist the urge of putting his pullover back on. It was super soft and kind of smelled like him. I briefly wondered if he had actually worn it or if it was just the way his laundry smelled. I hadn't had the good sense to change before coming to the living room and I'm sure nobody missed that it was all I was wearing. I was feeling vulnerable, but I couldn't let anyone else know that.

"Edward? You called?"

Clearing his throat, he suddenly smiled.

"I did. I know that we picked up several pieces from Cartier and I do think the 'Isabella' will be exquisite on you. I figured you might like to have this for every day."

As he handed me the jewelry box, Alice and Rose crowded around me so that they could peer inside. The necklace was lovely. Nestled in the middle of the delicate gold chain was the symbol for chemical engineering: an erlenmeyer flask with a cog on the inside.

"Ant, I don't get it."

"Alice shut it. I don't either, but I think Swan does."

I understood in this moment that words may not have been Edward's thing, but gifts were. This may have possibly been the most personal gift I had ever received from someone, especially someone who only wanted to be my friend.

"Edward, I don't..."

"Please?"

He wanted my friendship. He wanted my companionship. He didn't want to fight anymore. He was unsure, but this gold was his olive branch. Mixed signals aside, maybe this was his way of saying that he wanted to take it slow, see where things ended up? Words wouldn't do here. If he wasn't using them, then perhaps I shouldn't either. Slowly, I nodded and stuck out my hand to shake. Shaking my hand, I saw that I'd earned a uniquely Edward smile.

"Well ladies, I should get out of your hair. Everyone should be ready for seven please."

With that, he had grabbed his coat and was gone.

I was learning that most exchanges with Edward ended with me feeling like I had gotten the wind knocked out of me.

"Well Swan, now that the moment is over, wanna tell me and Alice what that was about?"

I sighed deeply and began walking back to my room.

I could have had a seat in a sitting room or study, but I chose my bed. I wanted the comfort of it.

"Your brother is a chemical engineer. The first day we met, I recognized him for that, not for being in the society pages or for anything else really. I'm studying chemical engineering in school. I think he gave me that because he knows that."

"Bella, Edward is rarely sentimental. Masen worked hard to drive that out of us. If he gave that to you, I'd maybe wear it, but what do I know?"

With a shrug, Rose and Alice were gone and in my closet.

Staring at the necklace I realized something. It was a special gift and I had nowhere to put it. Suddenly, Alice was sitting next to me.

"Bella, this was left for you in the closet."

A a gray box, with a navy bow and a card with my name on it. I had a sneaking suspicion I knew what it was. Opening the card, I was dumbfounded:

Isabella,

Here's a a beautiful box to hold beautiful things. Things that are only a fraction as beautiful as you.

He'd gotten my name engraved on the box, and already there was a range of jewelry for a range of occasions. Placing the new necklace inside, I sighed. The man sure knew how to apologize. Placing the ornate jewelry box on the bedside table, I stood and stretched and made my way into the closet.

"Rose. Alice. The dress has already been chosen, but I'd really appreciate it if you could help me to the rest. I think we've come to terms with things, so I need to hold up my end of the deal. There can't be a hair out of place tonight."

*Engineering Love*

Later that day...

Thanks to Rose and Alice, I had been buffed and polished and painted within an inch of my life. Helping me to the living room, I couldn't help but catch my reflection in a hallway mirror. Luckily they'd honored my request to still be recognizable. They managed to apply the makeup lightly, and even though I was in more expensive underwear, to an extent, I still kind of looked like me. They'd both decided that due to the dramatic nature of the 'Isabella' necklace, I needed to wear my hair up in some uber sophisticated kind of bun so that people could really see the necklace. I was less than pleased. The necklace really was stunning, but my neck was so heavy.

"Ok. We're going to head out to change at Alice's we'll meet you at the venue."

"You're not going to stay here? What if he doesn't like what he sees? You know I don't know enough about any of this to fix it."

"Relax. You're perfect. Not a hair out of place, remember?"

With light hugs, Rose and Alice were gone, and I was left in the living room by myself. I figured that since I had safely made it down the stairs, I could put on my shoes by myself. The were silver, and shiny. Alice said they were Louboutin, whatever that meant. A heeled sandal with an ankle strap, I had a sneaking suspicion that Edward had somehow managed to have them bedazzled with something as they were my heaviest pair yet.

Fastening the first shoe proved to be easy, but I was quickly losing my balance. I just couldn't get the buckle and I just knew I was about to fall. Expecting my butt to hit the floor, I was surprised when I felt a pair of arms haul me up by the waist.

"We haven't danced yet. Something wrong with the shoes?"

My ever pleasant blush was back. I had my own opinions about how I looked, but Edward had been carved from marble. He wore a simple black tuxedo, but his bowtie and cummerbund matched the midnight blue of my gown. It felt vaguely prom like, but somehow more.

"Edward..."

"Yes?"

"You look..."

"Oh this old thing? Merely something I had in the back of my closet. You on the other hand..."

"I knew it. I told Rose and Alice that they should stick around just in case, but they left to dress themselves. Maybe I can fix what's wrong?"

"Isabella."

The man was a walking contradiction. One minute, he was telling me we'd only ever be friends at best, and the next he was wearing that tux and calling my name in that voice and it was-

"Isabella, you look stunning. Breathe."

I felt my eyes widen, and I let go of the breath that I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"You alright?"

I nodded. Suddenly, we both looked down and realized that he still held me by the waist. Setting me to rights and abruptly backing away, Edward gestured to a nearby sofa.

"How about I help out with that second shoe, and we go over some important information for tonight?"

Nodding, I sat and raised my gown slightly so that he could access my foot. I normally didn't want anyone even looking at my feet, but it helped that he was going to touch the shoe more than anything.

"So tonight you'll probably meet my mother and father."

"Esme and Carlisle, or Esme and Masen?"

He smiled at me then.

"Someone has been doing their homework. How on earth do you know anything about Masen?"

"Rose and Alice."

He laughed then. A genuine laugh that came from his soul.

"Of course. Leave it to my sisters to tell our life story over drinks."

"We were getting to know each other."

"Sure you were. For future reference, when I say 'father', I'm always referring to Carlisle. Masen is just... Masen."

"Noted."

"Anything else Rose and Alice tell you?"

"Well, now that you mention it 'Ant'..."