Chapter 08
When I walk into class on Monday morning, I can't help but glance over at the chair Edward had sat in over a week ago. Quickly diverting my eyes from the spot, I drop my bag onto my desk and begin the task of unloading everything. The excitement and anxiety that was buzzing through the halls and classrooms the last time students were in the building is replaced with a sleepy reluctance. The students trickle in, dropping down into their chairs and busying themselves with their cellphones.
Turning my back to them, I start to write on the board the key terms we're going to need for today's lecture. I've done my best since Saturday night to put everything that's happened with me and Edward behind me. He called me several times yesterday but I'm not ready to hear his apology, no matter if it's sincere or half-assed. He finally got the hint about halfway through the day and I'm actually surprised he didn't show up on my doorstep demanding to speak to me. Rolling my eyes, I remind myself that this is real life and not some Say Anything type fairytale. God, that reference really dates me. I bet these kids have never even heard of Say Anything let alone John Cusack.
The bell to start class radiates through the halls and I deposit my dry erase marker into a cup on my desk. Making my way to the front of my desk, I glance around the room at my students. As I lean against the desk, Edward's voice rings in my ears. So, this is what your students see. I push myself up, trying to push that thought out of my head.
"Welcome back!" I say as cheerily as I can after I catch my bearings. "I hope everyone had a great spring break," I add on, looking across my classroom at all the tired, many of them sunburnt or tanned, faces. "Now it's time to get back to business. We'll be finishing The Kite Runner this week and I want us to focus on some literary terms while we do so." Turning to the board I read off the terms I've written. "Metaphor, symbolism, and foreshadowing. These are the three big devices Hosseini has included in his writing and we're going to try to break the book apart and see what we can find."
At lunch, I sit in Rose's office with my legs folded to my side on her couch. Jasper had picked up some soup for us yesterday so I had the leftovers in a thermos for lunch.
"Bella," Rose says, breaking the looming silence between us. "What's going on?"
I haven't talked to anyone about how Saturday night ended. What's the point? It's not like Edward and I were serious. I'll just come off sounding like a dramatic teenager if I explain it. I know Jasper told her about the panic attack but when we saw Rose and Emmett yesterday after they came home, neither of them had mentioned knowing. The only reason I know he told her was because I could hear Jasper on the phone with her. He wouldn't typically call our parents over a panic attack because he knows Dad would just use that to try to get me to move home. He wouldn't call Emmett, either. Emmett doesn't really know how to react to my attacks, even though he tries if he's around. Rose could have been the only one Jasper called.
"I'm just having an off few days," I shrug before spooning some soup into my mouth. Rose gets out of her chair and comes to sit by me on the couch.
"I know you, Bella, and there's something you're not telling me," she pushes lightly. Biting my lip, I stare down at my lap, all of a sudden guilty for keeping this from her. We normally tell each other everything and keeping this from her seems wrong.
"You're going to think I'm stupid," I mumble.
"Bella Swan," she says in disbelief. "When have I ever thought you were stupid?"
"Well," I start and she swats at my arm. A sincere smile finally pulls at my lips for the first time since Saturday. "Okay, okay," I say with a slight giggle. "Edward and I spent literally all afternoon and evening in his bed Saturday," I admit as blush fills my cheeks. "We just talked and laughed and, I don't know, just enjoyed each other's company. But like, it felt romantic, like I was living an actual romance movie, just without sex." I breathe deep, holding the breath in my lungs for a moment before releasing it. Rose waits patiently for me to continue, propping her elbow on the back of the couch and leaning her head in her hand.
"Edward got a call from work and he excused himself but he was still in that joking, happy mood we had all day. When he came back everything was different. He almost looked sad," I shrug, thinking back to seeing him walk into the bedroom with that whole new demeanor I'd never seen on him before. "I asked him what was wrong and he just stood there while I looked at him. I held his face and he didn't even react. Then he said he should take me home and the way he said it, Rose," I trail off, having to stop because I can feel the emotions from Saturday night creeping back up into my throat. Rose rubs my back as I drop my head into my hands. "It's not even like we were that serious! Saturday was the most serious we had been in our relationship of whatever you want to call it. But this past week was the best week I've had in a long, long time, Rose, and I wasn't ready to stop."
Rose and I are silent for a few minutes. I try to figure out what I did wrong or what changed to make Edward close himself off from me. The thought passes through my mind that I'm overreacting and maybe he just needed time to process some bad news from work. Like maybe one of his patients died. Oh god, what kind of bitch am I to make this all about me if he has just lost a patient? Before I have time to voice this thought, Rose says something that makes me freeze.
"You love him, don't you?" she asks, although it sounds rhetorical. I drop my hands and look at her, my eyes, no doubt, wide as saucers.
"Why would you say that?" I ask, sounding like the wind has been knocked out of me.
"I can tell," she insists. "The way you're feeling and the happiness that was on your face when I FaceTimed you; I can tell. And judging by how he looked on the phone, I feel safe saying he feels the same way." I swallow thickly, staring down at her floor. Do I love him? I can't possibly; not already. It's too quick, it's too serious, it's too…real?
The bell for the end of lunch rings and I can't get past the feeling of being punched in the stomach. Is this what I felt with James? It was so long ago that I can't even remember what it feels like to first be in love with someone. Either way, what I had with Edward is over now so why dwell on the idea of being in love?
"Thanks for the chat," I mumble as I screw the top back onto my thermos, depositing both the spoon and container into my lunch box. "I'll see you after school." I slip my feet into my heels and make my way for my classroom.
The rest of the afternoon is a blur and I can hardly remember teaching. My voice is there, reciting what I've been saying in my previous classes, but my mind is elsewhere. I'm raking my brain, trying to remember what it felt like when I first fell in love with James. Or, hell, when I first fell in love with my boyfriend in senior year of high school. Although, I'm not so sure that truly was love.
Rose and I walk out to our cars together, my arms crossed over my chest in the chilly spring air. Thankfully, the temperature has been getting warmer by the day, but the late afternoon breeze is enough to give me goosebumps.
"I think you should talk to him," Rose says as we stand by my truck.
"I don't think that's a good idea," I frown, looking down at the loose pebbles my foot is rolling across the asphalt. "I mean, look at what happened Saturday night after I got home. I can't really afford to add to my anxiety," I grumble.
"How do you feel when you're with him?" she asks. "Are you anxious with him?"
"No, the opposite actually," I sigh, looking up at her. "I don't really feel much anxiety with him. And if I do, it's like an excited anxiety instead of my typical anxiety."
"Then I think it's a good idea to talk to him. Just think it over, okay?" I nod, situating my bag onto my shoulder more securely.
"Don't tell Emmett what I told you. I don't need him calling me and threatening for payment," I mumble, rolling my eyes.
"You wouldn't ever have to pay him a dime. I wouldn't let him make you," she frowns, shaking her head at her fiancé's antics. She closes the space between us and hugs me tightly. I hug her back with just as much force.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I smile before getting into my truck. Rose waves and makes her way over to her car.
Tuesday drags by even slower than Monday. I didn't get very much sleep Monday night and when I did fall asleep, I was tossing and turning with nightmares. Thankfully, none of them were bad enough to cause anxiety attacks, but they still stick with me through the whole day. I don't go to Rose's office for lunch, texting her an excuse about having to grade some papers. I know that if I go to her office, I'm just going to have to deal with her trying to convince me to talk to Edward. I'm still not sure it's the best idea. I'll be lying if I say I don't want to call him. I do; I really, really do, but I can't bring myself to do it. He called once yesterday and it took all my strength not to answer it.
Wednesday is the day I've been dreading all week. It's family dinner night and there's no avoiding seeing everyone. By now I'm sure Emmett knows about Edward and me and I'm not ready for the teasing. I sit on the couch drinking a beer with Jasper after work, my foot bouncing my leg around.
"Bella, take a breath," Jasper says, putting his hand on my knee to stop my leg bouncing. When I stop, he takes his hand away but continues to look at me. "Do you want to stay home tonight?" he offers.
"No," I grumble. "You know Mom would be on my ass about staying home." Jasper reaches over and rubs my back a bit.
"I'll field any questions," he assures me with a smile.
"Come on, we should get going," I say, returning his smile as best as I can. We get up and I drop my can into the recycling bin before making my way out to Jasper's truck. Jasper puts on some Creedence Clearwater Revival on the way there and I close my eyes, letting the song work its way through my mind.
When we get to Mom and Dad's, I follow Jasper inside where Rose and Emmett are already waiting. Rose walks over and hugs me tightly and I match her strength.
"Bella, Jasper, you're just in time!" Mom exclaims. "Dinner is just finishing up." She pulls a pot roast out of the oven, the smell wafting through the small house.
"Smells amazing, Mom," I smile at her. She beams back at me, proud of her work. She sets the roast on the table next to a bowl with salad in it. I grab a beer for Jasper and me before going to the table. Everyone gathers around, sitting in their usual spots. I glance up and notice Emmett looking at me with a quirked eyebrow. I give him the same expression back, feeling like we're teenagers again, waiting for one of us to give into the other. I used to always win our arguments. Being the youngest, I had the baby sister card that I could play. We would exchange this look and if he held it for too long without faltering, I would call out for Mom or Dad and he would instantaneously give in. It's not so easy now that we're adults. If I were to call out for one of my parents, they would just roll their eyes at me and tell me to grow up.
"Is Edward coming to his training session on Friday?" Emmett asks and while I can tell he's not seriously upset, his question doesn't help the knot that's been in my stomach for the last few days.
"Emmett!" Rose scolds as she lightly smacks the back of his head.
"Why don't you call him yourself?" Jasper asks Emmett, shooting him a glare.
"Shit, Rose, we're at the dinner table," Emmett whines. "Why are you two gaining up on me?" I look over at my parents to see my mom looking confused and my dad stone-faced. Looking back at Emmett, I give a sigh.
"Edward and I aren't talking right now."
"Oh, honey, why?" Mom asks, concern laced in her words.
"We just had a falling out, it happens," I shrug.
"You don't need to be hanging around with some random guy anyways," Dad mumbles as he takes a bite of pot roast.
"He's not some random guy," I frown at Dad. Dad looks at me, raising an eyebrow.
"Then what is he?" he asks and I'm left unsure how to answer.
"He's our friend," Jasper answers for me and I smile at him thankfully. I turn to my pot roast, picking at it with my fork, suddenly not all that hungry.
"So, Rose, when were you thinking of having the wedding?" Jasper asks, diverting the attention from me. I let out a small sigh of relief as everyone turns their attention to Rose, who's beaming with excitement.
"We kind of want a short engagement," Rose smiles. "I don't want to spend a year planning this because, honestly, I'm already part of the family. It's just a matter of making it legal," she explains. "So, we're thinking June."
"June?" Mom practically shrieks, her jaw dropping open. "That's so soon! How will we get the dresses in time? And the caterer? The music? What about a venue?" she rushes out.
"Mom, chill," Emmett frowns at her. "We'll get it figured out. We just want to be married already."
"I understand that, but a wedding takes time to plan."
"We can just go to Vegas if that will make it easier," Emmett quips, giving Mom a pointed look. She frowns but doesn't press the subject anymore.
"We've decided that we're only going to have one person each in our wedding party, too," she smiles, glancing over at me. "Bella, will you be my maid of honor?" she asks, hopefully. As if I would ever dream of saying no.
"Yes, of course," I agree, giving her a genuine grin, tears coming to my eyes.
"Jas, you're my best man," Emmett states.
"Aren't you supposed to ask, you idiot?" Jasper retorts.
"It's not like you'd turn the job down." Jasper rolls his eyes, shaking his head at Emmett.
"Looks like we need to go dress shopping," I smile at Rose.
"This weekend, please," she grins at me.
"This weekend it is."
XOXO
My heart constricts a bit the moment I hear Dr. Greene's door open. I have a feeling this is going to be an exhausting session. We talked the last session about James' call, or what I assume to be James' call. She also brought up Edward and we spent the majority of the session talking about how I feel about our budding relationship and what I think it means for my recovery.
"Bella," Dr. Greene smiles as I walk past her. I give a nervous greeting before making myself comfortable on the couch, thankful I'm wearing slacks today so I can crisscross my legs in front of me without putting my business on display. She sits in the chair across from me, her notepad at the ready, and I can practically feel the undivided attention she's giving me.
"How was this past week?" she asks. Breathing deep, I try to figure out how to answer.
"It's been hell," I say honestly, not looking up at her. "I had the absolute best day with Edward on Saturday. We went to Port Angeles to get a gift for his nephew's birthday and then spent the rest of the day at his house just talking and laughing. I can't remember the last time I felt that comfortable, especially around someone that isn't family." I pause, glancing out her office window as I try to gather my thoughts. "He made me feel really, truly wanted. Like I was the only person he was thinking of that whole day."
"What happened?" she asks.
"He got a phone call from work and everything changed. He became distant and told me he should take me home. He wouldn't even look at me properly. And I know that phone call is the reason he was acting like that but my anxiety—that voice in my head—keeps telling me that I did something wrong. I keep thinking about how maybe he really hated that I snatched some of his lo mein or that I made fun of him for drinking craft beer. Or maybe he doesn't like me because I don't like mustard and ketchup." At this confession, I blush, placing my head in my hands. "Saying it aloud, I know how stupid it sounds but the anxiety it's giving me is so real," I mumble.
"Have you spoken to him since Saturday?"
"No," I shake my head. "I keep ignoring his calls."
"Why do you think you're ignoring his calls?"
"Saturday night hurt," I admit. "I had an anxiety attack when I got home and I've had this pit in my stomach since. I just can't face him if he's going to make a half-assed apology. I've already been through enough; I don't need anymore pain in my life."
"I'm going to ask something and I want you to really consider it before answering me, okay?" she asks and I nod. "Do you think you're struggling to answer the phone because you're afraid he's going to turn out to be like James?" My eyes shoot up to Dr. Greene and I can feel my heart drop into my stomach from the initial shock of the question. Of course Edward isn't like James. James wasn't half as loving as Edward has been. But James was incredibly loving when we first started dating. He was loving for the first few years of our relationship.
I swallow thickly as I really try to process this question, trying to gather my thoughts and figure out exactly what to say.
"I never thought about that," I whisper. "I mean, I know he isn't James and he's nothing like James. But James was so caring those first few years we dated and then something just changed. To this day, I don't know what happened to change our relationship and it scares me. What if it was something I did? What if I made him that way? Is it possible that I could make Edward that way too?" I'm stunned by my answer, my words coming out quicker than I could think.
"Bella, we don't cause the people we love to hurt us. You did not cause James to hurt you. James has his own problems he needs to work through but that does not mean that you caused him to hurt you, physically or emotionally," Dr. Greene responds. This is something that we worked really hard for me to accept when I first started coming here. I spent multiple sessions just trying to convince myself that I didn't cause our healthy relationship to die and that it was James' fault. I thought I had fully come to terms with the fact that I'm not to blame for the abuse I faced but after this confession, I'm not sure I have.
"Edward wouldn't do what James did," I whisper, shaking my head. "He's different than James, I can feel it. I've never felt this deeply for anyone so quickly and I thought he felt the same. He showed me he felt the same. I'm just confused as to what changed that night and it scares me."
"I want you to consider calling him at some point before your next session. Would it help if you brought him in for a session?" she asks.
"No!" I respond quickly, barely letting her finish her question. "I mean, he doesn't know that I come to therapy. I'm not ready for him to know about this part of it."
"There is no shame in seeing a therapist, Bella," Dr. Greene smiles kindly. "More people see therapists than you may realize."
"I know, I know, I just," I start but stop, shaking my head, not even sure what to say. "I'll call him and talk to him," I nod.
We spend the rest of the session talking about my family and Rose's wedding. I used to wonder why Dr. Greene would let me talk about everything in my life instead of focusing on just what my problems are, but I've come to realize that she's showing me that I have good things in my life, too. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but I appreciate being able to end on a good note instead of leave here with puffy eyes like I have in the past.
This session is draining but it isn't as draining as several of my past sessions have been. As I walk out, though, I find myself wanting to get into pajamas and just watch movies in bed. The idea keeps bubbling in my head, sounding better and better the closer I get to home. I'm thinking Say Anything or The Wedding Date or What's Your Number? but any romantic comedy will be good for me. I'm an absolute sucker for romantic comedies. Just having a movie end happily gets me every time.
I park my truck in the empty driveway and grab my bag before getting out and heading to the front door. As I unlock the door, I can already hear Rufus pacing by the other side excitedly. I open the door to be greeted by him, bending to pet him.
"Hey, Ru," I greet with a smile before walking up the stairs. I set my bag down next to my bed, picking my pajama pants off the edge of my bed as I straighten up. I waste no time pulling my slacks off and replacing them with the pants before shedding my blouse, leaving my camisole in place. I head back downstairs and grab a bottle of water from the kitchen before heading to the couch.
Picking up the remote, I flip on the TV, pulling up the homepage of HBOMax. Scrolling through the romantic comedies, I come across The Wedding Date. I pick that title with a smile, satisfied that I found a movie I had thought of watching beforehand. I set the remote on the coffee table and snuggle up onto the couch, pulling the blanket that resides on the back of it down over my shoulders.
From the shifting I do on the couch to get comfortable, my phone slips off the arm rest onto my lap. I glance down at it, and sigh, thinking about what Dr. Greene said. I reach over and pause the movie before picking my phone up in a shaky hand. I pull up my call log where Edward's name and number are displayed in red letters several times. Gulping, my thumb hovers over one of the red lettered entries, willing myself to press it.
I press it after a short countdown in my head and pull the phone up to my ear. What if he doesn't want to talk to me anymore? Ring. What if I totally blew this because of my overdramatization of this whole situation? Ring. How do I even explain all of this to him? Ring. I should probably just hang up.
"Hello?" Edward's silky voice calls through the phone and my heart gives a little pull. I sit with my mouth agape, trying to get words to come out but I can't get past how good it is to hear his voice. After not hearing it for days, it's like the sun after a rainstorm. "Bella?" he asks.
"Hi," I breathe out, squeezing my eyes shut at how stupid I sound. "Can we talk?"
"Yeah, of course. Do you want me to come over?" he asks and I swallow. Do I want him to come over? I mean, my inner teenage girl is screaming yes! Yes! Let him come over! but is that a good idea? What if we end up fighting and I have an anxiety attack in front of him? That would be mortifying.
I shake that thought from my head, trying to beat back at the anxiety causing these thoughts.
"Yeah, that's a good idea," I say, nodding even though he can't see it.
"I'll be there in a few, alright?"
"Yeah, thanks Edward," I smile into the phone.
EPOV
These last several days have been pure hell. All I could think about was what Charlie and I talked about but after dropping Bella off Saturday night, I immediately regretted how I acted after I got off the phone. Seeing the hurt and rejection in her eyes after I told her I had to take her home practically broke me right then and there. I hated putting that look on her face but I knew that look was nothing compared to what I would see if we continued our relationship until she found out I am a police officer.
That didn't stop me from calling. I had to apologize, I had to talk to her one more time at least. Even if we don't go back to our budding relationship, being able to talk to her again would be enough for me.
By Thursday, I'm going crazy. I'm sitting in my car around the corner from Bella's house, still hating how much this makes me feel like a creep. At least when I was hanging out with her, I could pretend that I wasn't babysitting her.
"Don't forget that you promised to help set up on Saturday," Alice reminds me. I breathe in, slightly annoyed, because this is the fourth time she's told me in the last two days. Every time she tells me, I assure her that I haven't forgotten and that I will, in fact, be there to help her.
"Al, I know," I frown. "Just like I haven't forgotten that you two are coming over tomorrow night so I have to hide his present. I've got this covered, don't worry," I promise.
"I know, I'm just making sure. I want everything to be perfect." That's the thing with Alice; not that it's a bad thing. She wants everything to be perfect for Riley. She takes the single parent responsibility to the max, not wanting Riley to feel he's missing out on anything because his dad isn't around. I don't think Riley could feel that way even if Alice did half of what she does for Riley, but it makes her happy to see him happy, so she continues to bust her ass to make everything as perfect as it can be for him.
"It will be perfect," I assure her.
"Still no change with Bella?" Alice asks curiously, changing the subject. I close my eyes and rest my head back against the headrest.
"No," I grumble. "I haven't tried calling her in a few days. Maybe it's for the better."
"I'm sure you'll run into her at some point. It's a small town, you're bound to see each other eventually. You can talk it out then."
"I'm not going to corner her in a grocery store, Alice," I frown.
"I'm not telling you to corner her," she huffs and I can practically see her eyes rolling. "I'm just saying, she can't avoid you forever." A beeping in my ear signals that I have another call coming in. Pulling the phone away, I look at the screen to see Bella's name displayed.
"Hey, Al, Bella's actually calling me," I say, well aware at how shocked I sound, as I pull the phone back to my ear. "I'll call you later." As Alice calls her farewell, I switch the line over to answer Bella's call. "Hello?" I answer but get no response. I can hear her on the other line, her breath sounding as if she's willing herself to speak. "Bella?" I ask.
"Hi," she breaths out and I close my eyes, amazed at how much I have missed even just her voice. It takes her a moment before she speaks again and asks if we can talk. I'm sure she means over the phone but I'm not settling for that if I don't have to. I offer to come over and I'm again met with silence. The silence lingers on for several seconds before I start to debate whether or not I should take it back. As I'm about to speak, she agrees, saying it's a good idea for me to come there. Smiling to myself, I tell her I'll be there soon.
After we hang up, I wait a few minutes before turning my car on. I don't want to get over to her place too quickly and have to explain the lack of travel time. Once I feel it's been long enough, I make my way around the corner and down to the end of the dead-end street, parking in front of her house.
I head up to the front porch, knocking on the door when I come to a stop. Rufus barks behind the door and Bella's call for him to stop get louder as she makes her way to the door. After a brief moment, Bella opens the door, holding Rufus by the collar in one hand and the door in the other.
"Hey," she lets out breathily, her face already flushed that beautiful rosy pink.
"Hi," I smile back at her, walking inside. After closing the door, she turns to look at me, both of us just staring at each other for a moment. The air is tense with uncertainty, both of us unsure of what the other is thinking. Finally, I can't take it any longer and decide to risk it and I close the space between us, hugging her to me. Her arms secure around my neck as she presses her body hard against mine.
"Fuck, I've missed you," I mumble into her shoulder and I feel her head nod against my chest, her hands gripping the fabric on my shoulders.
"I'm sorry," she sighs. I pull back, my eyebrows furrowing. What does she have to be sorry for? I'm the one that fucked things up last weekend.
"What?" I ask, my hands cupping her face. "Why are you apologizing?"
"I've been ignoring your calls," she explains, the blush deepening on her face. She diverts her eyes to my chest, her fingers pulling at the fabric there nervously. "It wasn't fair to you."
"I'm the one that needs to be apologizing, Bella." She looks up at me and I give her a smile. "I'm sorry for Saturday night. I got some news that kind of rocked me and I didn't handle it well." Bella mumbles something under her breath and I can just barely make out "lo mein" at the end of it. Fighting back a smirk, I tilt her chin up so she'll look at me and ask, "What was that?" Sighing, she looks up at me.
"I was worried it was because I ate your lo mein," she admits, the blush becoming impossibly brighter. After a second, she giggles a bit and I can't help but bark out a laugh before pulling her closer to me, hugging her tight.
"You can eat as much of my lo mein as you want," I chuckle, rubbing her back. She laughs into my chest, her arms wrapped around my back. As corny as it sounds, having her this close, in my arms again, feels amazing. It feels like it's been years since Saturday and I'm not sure I ever want to go that long without her in my arms again.
Bella pulls away a bit and looks up at me as her hands move to grip my shoulders. She stands on her tiptoes and leans her head up and I meet her halfway, our lips pressing firmly together. My hands instantly move to her waist, pulling her as close to me as possible as hers make their way to my hair. I groan as she gently pulls the locks at my hairline, the sensation traveling down my body.
I move my hands down over her ass and grip her thighs directly underneath, lifting her off the ground. Her legs wrap around my waist and I carry her the several feet to the living room. I sit on the couch so she's straddling my lap and she pushes her body as close to mine as she can. I groan into her mouth and my hands cup her chin, holding her face to mine. We both pour our longing into this kiss, the few lost days we've had being shown.
After a few moments, I pull away, resting my forehead against hers. She breathes deep before opening her eyes, locking them with mine. I press one more kiss against her lips before leaning back against the couch. Bella grabs my hands in hers, interlocking our fingers. My thumbs rub along the side of hers absently.
"How have you been?" she asks, looking up from our hands to my eyes.
"Honestly?" I chuckle sheepishly and she starts to blush again. Letting go of her hands, I cup her face again. "Whatever you're feeling right now, don't," I say softly. "I don't want you feeling any sort of bad about this. It was my fault, completely."
"I didn't have to ignore your calls," she mumbles.
"Bella, anyone would have ignored my calls after Saturday night. I'm not surprised you did. But I'm here now and we're past that, okay?" she nods again as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. "I've been alright. I was bored and I missed you but I threw myself into my work," I say, answering her question. My hands return to hers, giving them a squeeze once our fingers are intwined again.
"I missed you too," she says softly. With a sigh, she leans forward and presses her forehead against my shoulder. Letting go of her hands again, my arms encircle her body, snuggling her close to me. She adjusts to sit next to me, snuggling into my side as she does so.
"What're you watching?" I ask, noticing the movie playing on the TV.
"The Wedding Date," she says as she finishes getting comfortable against my side. "You want to watch it with me?"
"Of course," I smile, rubbing my hand up and down her back. I've seen this movie a few times before thanks to Alice. She used to always watch it in high school and, at times, would make me sit and watch it, too. There were even times she'd make my friends sit and watch it with us. She's tiny, but damn that girl is convincing and, sometimes, on the brink of scary.
"Is this actually what girls want? They want to hire someone to pretend to be their boyfriend just so they can fall in love with them? In two days, too," I throw out and Bella giggles.
"Hey, what if I haven't seen this before and I didn't know they were going to fall in love?" she counters and I nearly panic thinking I've given away the ending before realizing she's joking.
"Then you deserved it because you're completely blind," I laugh. "This is a chick-flick romantic comedy, the guy and girl always end up together in the end. It's like the unwritten law of the genre."
"That's so not true," she argues and I grin, loving that we're back to our usual selves.
"It is true, though. Name me one movie that doesn't end with the two main characters being together in the end." She sits up a bit and looks at me, clearing racking through movie titles in her mind. I begin to smirk confidently as she takes a moment to think. I'm about to claim my victory when her face lights up and a grin forms on her lips.
"My Best Friend's Wedding!" she announces giddily. "They don't end up together in the end!"
"If you watched that movie wanting them to end up together, I'm not sure I can still find you a good person," I laugh jokingly.
"Oh please, no one wanted them to be together. Julia Roberts' character was such an awful person during those few days before the wedding. I'm actually shocked they were still friends in the end. I sure as hell wouldn't want my husband to stay friends with someone that tried to break us up a few days before our wedding," she rants, shaking her head. "Regardless, though. I win," she grins triumphantly.
"Boast all you want, Swan, but every other movie in this genre has a happily ever after ending," I chuckle.
"Still a victory, Cullen," she grins and I have to fight not to react to her calling me Cullen. Yeah, I know I brought it on when I called her Swan, but her calling me Cullen reminds me that she's the chief's daughter and I don't want to think about that right now.
Bella turns her attention to the movie for a bit until I can feel her head start to bob as she falls asleep. I slowly shift so that her head rests on my chest and continue watching the movie. I rub her back gently, letting her continue to sleep.
Jasper comes home about a half hour later. As he walks into the living room, I can see the shock on his face before he quickly masks it.
"I was hoping she would come around to the idea of talking to you," he says as he drops into his chair.
"You and me both," I chuckle lowly, trying not to wake Bella.
"How long has she been out?"
"About a half hour."
"She's normally tired after one of her sessions," Jasper nods and I have to stop myself from telling him that I know. Bella never told me about therapy so I can't let on that I know. Instead, I opt for playing dumb.
"Does she have training sessions with Emmett, too?" I ask and Jasper's face pales a bit.
"She hasn't told you," he realizes. "No, she doesn't but I can't get into what sessions she has. She'll tell you when she's ready." I nod, accepting that.
"I should get going. I'll take Bella up to her room." Carefully, I lift Bella off the couch, her arms wrapping around my neck as she lets out a sleepy sigh. I carry her up the stairs and down to her bedroom. I gently lay her on the bed, covering her with the blankets that are bunched at the bottom of the bed. Before walking away, I kiss her forehead.
"Hey," Bella mumbles as I get to the doorway. I turn and look at her smiling over at me, her eyelids still heavy with sleep. "That wasn't a real kiss." I chuckle and turn around, walking back over to her. With one knee bent on the bed, I lean over her and kiss her slowly. She sighs against my lips as her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me closer to her. Chuckling, I move fully onto the bed, pressing some of my weight onto her as I let her deepen the kiss. I run my tongue along her bottom lip and she opens her mouth, meeting my tongue with hers.
Kissing Bella is the most addicting thing I've ever encountered. Once I start, I never want to stop. And when I'm not kissing her, all I can think about is when I'll get to kiss her again. She has me completely addicted to her and I don't think she quite realizes it.
After a moment, I pull away, placing one more chaste kiss against her lips before looking down at her. I brush some hair away from her face and run my thumb along the apple of her cheek when I'm finished.
"I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" I smile at her.
"Tomorrow," she smiles back.
"How about you and Jasper come over for dinner tomorrow? I'll barbecue something. You can bring Rose and Emmett, too."
"Are you sure? That's a lot of people to cook for."
"I'm positive. And I'll invite Alice and Riley, too."
"Riley, shit," she groans. "I haven't gotten him a present yet."
"I told you that it's not necessary to get him a present," I laugh.
"No, I have to get him at least something."
"I'll take you Saturday morning to get him something, okay?" I offer and she nods with a smile. I grin at her before kissing her softly one more time. "Get some sleep, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow night." She nods and loosens her grip on me. I can't help it; I give her one more kiss before getting up and going to the door. "Goodnight, Bella," I smile at her before walking away, a soft "'night" coming from her.
BPOV
"What are you and Emmett doing tonight?" I ask Rose before taking a bite of my sandwich.
"Probably just trying to plan for the wedding," she shrugs. "Why?"
"Would you be able to shelve the planning for a few hours? Edward wants to have us over for a barbecue. He's inviting his sister and nephew and all of us are invited."
"So, you and Edward are good again?" she smirks before taking a sip of her iced coffee.
"Yeah, he came over yesterday and we talked," I shrug, blushing a little.
"I think a barbecue would be fun and I'm sure Emmett will be up for it considering it involves food."
"Good, I'll text you his address," I smile.
Rose picks at her salad, stabbing a tomato with her fork and popping it into her mouth. As she chews, she covers her mouth with her hand and says, "I think I have colors picked out for the wedding."
"Tell me," I grin before shoving the last bite of my sandwich into my mouth.
"I'm thinking burgundy and blush with a touch of rose gold," she nods. "Your dress will be burgundy and the bouquets will be a mixture of burgundy and blush flowers. I'm thinking rose gold accents with the decorations."
"That will look amazing," I nod, knowing I wouldn't have ever dreamt of any color combinations like that. Rose was always the one that planned her wedding from childhood. Sure, I planned aspects of mine, too, but nothing past the dress and ring. Rose has gone into great detail over and over as we grew up. The details always changed but the amount of thought she put into the details remained consistent.
"I think I almost gave Mom a heart attack last night with announcing that our wedding is in June," Rose laughs a bit. "But honestly, we don't want a large, extravagant wedding. The few people we want to invite won't care if they get an expensive wedding announcement or invitation. We just want it to be official."
"Trust me, I understand exactly what you mean. Planning my wedding was awful. There's just so much that goes into it and it's all drawn out. If I ever get married again, I just want it to be quick and painless. Order some pizzas, provide cans of beer, bottles of wine, and some champagne, and just have a simple cake."
"It kind of sucks that your dream wedding was wasted on a loser like James," Rose frowns, shaking her head. I take a sip of my water, not wanting to let on the pang of hurt that sentence made me feel. I never really thought about my dream wedding being wasted. I mean, my wedding was more than I had ever dreamed of—it was, for all intents and purposes, a perfect wedding—but I never would have said it was wasted. I loved my wedding, but I can see how Rose can see it as being wasted. My groom did turn out to be an awful person so it was wasted on him, but not wasted completely, at least I don't think. I like to think it still holds some good memories.
The bell signaling the end of lunch rings out and I quickly grab my belongings.
"I'll see you after school," I smile to Rose before leaving her office.
The rest of the day seems to fly by. I'm actually able to hold a decent conversation with my students about the ending of The Kite Runner so I end up leaving school in a great mood. I'm not sure what got through to them, whether it was my preaching to them before spring break or the fact that the book is over, but something changed their demeanor and I'm not about to question it. I'm just thankful that I'm able to have a good conversation about it. They don't even falter when I relate the book to current events.
As Rose and I walk down the hallway, I can't fend off the grin that's plastered on my face. My day has gone better than I ever expected it to and now I get to go help Edward prepare for tonight.
"You've got it bad," Rose smirks knowingly.
"I have no clue what you're talking about," I say, trying to sound convincing but the grin doesn't do anything to help my case.
"Right," Rose laughs. "You're just smiling like that because I'm here, then." I roll my eyes and bump my shoulder with hers playfully as we leave the building.
"Do you need me to bring anything tonight?" Rose asks as we walk towards our cars.
"No, just bring yourself and Emmett. Edward and I will take care of the rest," I shake my head.
"I think it's cute that you two are playing house together," she teases with a grin. I roll my eyes again, feeling the blush fill my cheeks.
"Oh, shut up," I laugh. "This is the last time we do anything nice for you guys." Rose laughs, stopping at her car.
"Honestly, though, it's nice to see you happy with someone," she says sincerely as she looks over the top of her car at me. "He seems like a great fit for you."
"I think he is," I smile. "I'll see you tonight," I call as I open my driver's side door. Rose waves, calling her goodbye as she gets into her car. Shoving the key into the ignition, I turn it towards me, starting up the engine. I spend a minute scrolling through my music library to find a song I want. Smiling as I find the song I'm looking for, I turn on My Life by Billy Joel, my head nodding along to the beat as I pull out of the parking lot.
The ride to Edward's house isn't long so I'm not able to finish the song before I get to the driveway so I sit in his driveway for the last minute of the song. Once the song is finished, I turn my truck off and grab the bag I packed with a change of clothes before going up to Edward's porch. I knock on the door as I sling the bag over my shoulder and look around his porch and yard as I wait. His property is modest but beautiful. The cobblestone walkway has shrubbery on either side up until the porch steps. His yard is a decent size, large enough for Riley to play outside but small enough to make maintenance seem like less of a chore.
Hearing the door open, I turn back to see Edward appear in the doorway, a huge smile on his face. I smile back at him as I walk inside.
"Hey," he greets as he leans down to kiss me chastely.
"Hey yourself," I mumble against his lips. He gives me one more quick kiss before pulling away and taking my bag.
"You plan on staying?" he asks, a teasing tone in his voice. I blush and roll my eyes.
"No, I was planning on changing," I say, opening the bag and pulling out a t-shirt. "I don't want to wear work clothes for a barbecue."
"You can change up in my room," he chuckles as he hands the bag back to me. "You want a beer?"
"Please," I smile before heading up the stairs.
"What kind?" he calls after me.
"Surprise me," I call back. I make my way down to Edward's room and close the door. Walking over to the bed, I set my bag down and strip out of my work clothes. I pull some shorts and my t-shirt out of my bag and put them on, the shorts hugging my hips and stopping about an inch or so below my ass. My grey shirt clings to my body and stops just below the midrise hemline of my shirt. Bending over, I pile my hair on top of my head, securing it haphazardly in a bun.
Once I'm finished, I head back downstairs, leaving my clothes and shoes in Edward's room. Hearing me walk into the kitchen Edward turns his head to look at me. I watch his eyes as they look me up and down but I'm not sure he realizes I notice. I walk over to him and pull myself up onto the counter.
Edward hands me a beer and I take it, studying the can. The yellow and green label shines bright in the light coming through the window and I tilt it to read the name better.
"Carlsbad Crush," I read aloud before popping the top open. "Are you trying to turn me into a beer snob?" I joke as a take a swig.
"I'm not a beer snob," he argues with a laugh. "If you turn into a beer snob, that's on you. How do you like it?" he asks as he pours some spices into a bowl of ground beef.
"It's good," I nod before taking another drink. I set the can down on the counter next to me and Edward picks it up to take a drink.
"Hey," I laugh as I reach for the beer.
"This is technically my beer, you know," he laughs and hands the beer back to me. "I hadn't tried that one yet and I wanted to try it. Plus, I do seem to remember you drinking some of my beer and taking some of my food last week," he points out with a quirked eyebrow.
"You told me I could have as much of your lo mein as I want," I laugh.
"Yeah, after the fact," he chuckles.
"What kind of beer do you have?" I ask as I watch him mix the hamburger mixture.
"Oberon," he says, nodding to the yellow and blue can next to him. "It's a Bell's Brewery beer."
"I've never heard of it," I say as I hop off the counter and over to the other side of him. I pick up his beer and take a swig. The flavor is quite a bit stronger than mine and I scrunch my nose, not overly fond of it.
"It's a wheat beer," he chuckles. "You've been drinking ales. It's a different flavor profile."
"Yeah, you can keep this one," I say, setting the can back down. I reach into the cupboard overhead and grab down a plate as Edward starts to form hamburger patties.
"Anything I can do?" I ask as I watch him.
"I have a bunch of vegetables in the fridge that need to be cut up, oiled and seasoned, and put in a pan for roasting. You want to start on that?"
"I'll get to it," I smile as I walk past him, lifting my hand so my fingers trail from the back of one of his shoulders to the other. I feel his body react, tensing and pressing against my hand and he glances over at me with a smirk on his face. I smile back at him before opening the fridge and to get out the veggies. Edward didn't hold back with his food choices. There's hot dogs and chicken in the fridge to go along with the hamburgers and he's bought several different kinds of veggies. I grab the summer squash, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, and onions, holding it all in a heap in my arms.
Making my way back over to the sink, I set the veggies onto the counter and get to work washing them. Once they're thoroughly washed, I search through cupboards and drawers for a cutting board.
"Skinny cupboard below the counter by the fridge," Edward instructs, knowing exactly what I'm searching for. I pull out a cutting board and grab a knife from his knife block.
"What pan do you want me to use for these?" I ask.
"There's a foil pan on top of the fridge you can put them in," he says, nodding towards the fridge. I walk over and climb onto his counter to grab the pan, Edward chuckling as he watches. I walk past him, running my fingers along the back of his neck and into his hairline and his chuckling is replaced by a groan. I grin, knowing exactly what I'm doing to him.
"We aren't going to get anything done if you keep doing that," he says.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about," I smile slyly at him.
"Sure you don't," he chuckles. I bring the vegetables and kitchen supplies over to the space next to him and start cutting them up.
"How was your training session this morning?" I ask and am met with a groan. "That bad?" I giggle.
"He kicked my ass," Edward laughs. "I think he's actually trying to kill me."
"You're the dumb one that signed up with him," I laugh.
"How was I supposed to know he'd be this brutal when I signed up?"
"You could have asked literally anyone at the gym," I laugh and he shakes his head. We work together in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Edward tells his Amazon Echo to play classic rock. My head bobs along to the smooth rhythm of House of the Rising Sun by the Animals playing in the background.
"Emmett can't stand classic rock. He says it all sounds the same."
"You've got to be kidding me," Edward laughs as he makes his way over to the sink to wash his hands. "What does he listen to then?"
"He likes rap and R&B but he also listens to a lot of pop and electronic music."
"How can he hate classic rock? He was born in the '80s."
"Your guess is as good as mine," I giggle. I set the broccoli onto the cutting board and start cutting the stem and breaking the head apart into pieces.
"Jasper's pretty into classic rock, though. He's the one that really got me into it."
"I tried to get Alice into it but she likes pop music more. She can tolerate classic rock but she definitely likes her Taylor Swift," Edward chuckles. "She did go through a pop punk phase though."
"You know, I could see that," I laugh. Once I'm finished cutting the vegetables, I pour some olive oil over them and then season them before mixing it up with my hands. I walk over to the sink when I'm finished and wash my hands, scrubbing them to get all the oil off.
I feel fingers at the small of my back and I stiffen for a moment before my mind shouts at me that it's only Edward and I relax. I can tell Edward noticed though and his hand is no longer there.
"Sorry," we both mumble at the same time. I turn the water off and quickly dry my hands, turning to face him.
"Don't apologize," I frown as I close the space between us. "It's just going to take me a bit to get used to that, okay?" Edward nods and I lean up for a kiss. He smiles before leaning down to close the space between our mouths. The kiss quickly heats up and Edward presses me back against the counter. My hands go to his hair and pull his as close to me as I can get him. He groans against my mouth before pulling away and trailing kisses down my jaw and neck.
His hands roam my body before settling at my waist, his thumbs dipping underneath my shirt to run along my bare hipbones. I reach down to take my shirt off when a knocking interrupts us. Edward groans against my neck before pulling away. He places one more kiss on my lips before straightening up.
"I'll be back," he winks before walking away to the door. I spend the time he's gone trying to catch my breath, busying myself with cleaning the dishes from cutting up the vegetables.
"Hey, Bella!" Alice's voice sings out from behind me. I turn the water off, drying my hands as I turn around.
"Hey," I grin back at her before I'm pulled into a tight hug. I hug her back just as tight before we pull away. Riley comes running into the kitchen with Edward close behind him. Riley runs between Alice and I, hugging Alice's legs and laughing uncontrollably.
"Mom's not going to save you," Edward chuckles as he dips down next to use and pulls Riley away and into his arms. Riley shrieks in excitement as Edward lifts him and throws him over his shoulder.
"You're already getting him going?" Alice asks, more amused than annoyed.
"He's the one that licked me," Edward argues.
"Riley Mason," Alice scolds, her hands on her hips. "That's gross and spreads germs." Riley mumbles out a sorry over Edward's shoulder before Edward pulls him down to cradle him on his hip. Riley's face is distorted into a pout after being scolded but it doesn't take him long to start grinning at Edward again.
Another knock sounds at the door and I excuse myself to go answer it. Jasper is standing in the doorway with a smile.
"Hey, Bells," he greets as he walks in past me.
"Hey, we're in the kitchen." I lead Jasper into the kitchen and he immediately greets Edward with a handshake.
"Jas, this is Alice and her son Riley. Alice, this is my brother, Jasper," I smile at Alice. Jasper holds his hand out to Alice and once she takes it, he brings her hand up to his lips, kissing it softly.
"It's nice to meet you, Alice," he smiles and she grins back at him.
"You want something to drink, Jasper?" Edward asks. Jasper straightens up and nods. Edward opens his fridge to show Jasper what he has and Jasper lets out a whistle of appreciation.
"You've got quite the selection," he says before grabbing a Bud Light.
"Edward's a beer snob," I tease.
"I am not a beer snob!" he groans and I laugh.
"You should see him with whiskey," Alice laughs.
"Is he a whiskey snob?" I ask eagerly.
"Jasper, do you want to help me take the food out to the grill while our sisters slander me?" Edward asks, frowning at me and Alice. I grin at him and he winks at me.
"Yeah, let's go," Jasper chuckles.
"Come on, Riley, I'm going to teach you the ways of the grill," Edward says as he sets Riley down and picks up the veggies and hamburgers. Jasper grabs the hot dogs and chicken and Edward gives me a quick kiss before leading the three of them out to the grill.
"He's got it bad for you," Alice grins giddily.
"You think so?" I grin.
"Oh, I know so," she laughs. "It's nice to see him happy with someone. He hasn't really dated much since he moved back from Alaska." I nod, unsure of what to say in response. Thankfully, the silence doesn't have time to hang there before another knock sounds at the door. I go over to answer it, letting Rose and Emmett inside.
"Em, Jasper and Edward are outside. Grab yourself a beer if you want and you can head out there," I instruct as I lead the pair into the kitchen. "Rose, Emmett, this is Alice. Alice, this is my brother and sister-in-law, Emmett and Rosalie."
"Nice to meet you," Emmett says, giving her a dimply grin, before opening the fridge and grabbing a Bud Light.
"It's nice to meet you, Alice," Rose says as she holds her hand out. Alice doesn't take it, instead closing the space between them and hugging her. Rose giggles and hugs her back.
"It's so nice to meet you!" she basically squeals. Emmett starts to head through the house to the back door, his voice booming as he greets Edward outside.
"Do you want something to drink, Rose?"
"Just some water, please. I'm not banking on Emmett knowing when to stop drinking," she smiles. I grab a water bottle from the fridge and hand it to Rose.
"So, Rose, what do you do for a living?" Alice asks curiously.
"I'm the counselor at Forks High School."
"Oh, so you and Bella work in the same building? That's so cool," Alice smiles.
"Yeah, she hides out in my office during lunch," Rose laughs. "What do you do?"
"I'm an event planner. I plan anything from work parties to weddings to charity events."
"Do you get a lot of business in Forks?"
"No, not really. A lot of my work is in the city. Edward's been amazing with my son, Riley. If I have to go to Seattle, Edward will watch him for me until I get back."
"That's awesome. I'm hoping that's what Bella will do once Emmett and I have kids," she smirks over at me and I grin.
"Don't be talking about babies while you have a wedding to plan," I laugh.
"Oh, when are you getting married?" Alice asks, her excitement coming through.
"In June," Rose smiles.
"What have you planned so far?" Rose smiles sheepishly at the question.
"Nothing. We're starting that tonight."
"Nothing?" Alice basically shrieks. "No, no there's so much to be done in so little time! Come on, let's go outside and discuss. I'll help you out because you're really going to need it." With that, Alice grabs Rose's hand and leads her outside, Rose glancing back at me as she does. I smile and shake my head as I follow the two outside.
"I can't believe you haven't planned anything yet!" Alice continues on.
"Al," Edward calls to her as the two women walk past him. "Don't scare off Bella's sister."
"You know what's going to scare her off? An under-planned wedding!" I walk over to Edward, placing a kiss on the back of his shoulder.
"Rose can handle Alice," I laugh. "Alice is just freaked out because Rose told her she has nothing planned for her June wedding."
"That'll do it," Edward laughs, turning to me. "You're really just going to leave Rose alone with Alice?" he laughs as he looks over at Alice and Rose sitting at the table. Alice has her phone out and is typing away while talking about a mile a minute about preparations. Rose looks overwhelmed but is nodding along to what Alice is saying.
"What am I going to do?" I laugh. "I know nothing about weddings."
"Says the woman who's had a wedding," Emmett booms. I roll my eyes and glance over at him.
"That was more Mom's wedding than mine. She did all the planning, I just went along with what she said."
"Bella was the unfortunate one to get married first so Mom turning into the bridezilla," Jasper informs Edward with a chuckle.
"My mom tried that with Alice's wedding but Alice was just as crazy about it. They both were devastated when the wedding didn't happen."
"I thought Mom was going to lose her shit when Rose told her we want to get married in June," Emmett adds in.
"June of this year?" Edward asks.
"Yeah," Emmett grins.
"No wonder Alice is freaking out," Edward chuckles.
"Bella, we need you! We're talking about dresses!" I groan slightly and the guys laugh as I make my way over. I take a seat next to Rose and lean my elbows onto the table.
"Rose said I'm wearing a burgundy dress," I say, looking at Alice.
"A dress has more than just a color, Bella," Alice says in a you-should-know-this tone. "So, this is a summer wedding so we need a summer style. So, you and Rose have a few options to choose from. I'm thinking we should all go dress shopping on Sunday. I've already booked Rose an appointment at a dress shop in Port Angeles for Sunday at ten. I'm sure we can squeeze you in to find a dress, too. As much as I don't want to take away from Rose's dress shopping, she didn't leave sufficient time for everything to be completed so we'll be finding both dresses on the same day."
"Port Angeles at ten on a Sunday?" I whine. "That's so early."
"Blame your sister-in-law. There's so much to be done."
"Alright, fine," I pout.
"Food's ready!" Edward calls as he finishes placing the burgers on a platter. Alice, Rose, and I get up and head over.
"How's wedding planning?" Emmett asks Rose as he drapes an arm over her shoulders.
"Slightly overwhelming," she laughs. "But I seem to have found myself a wedding planner." Rose reaches up and squeezes Alice's hand. Alice grins back at her.
We all grab our food, Alice making a plate for her and Riley, and go over to the table on Edward's deck. I take a seat next to Edward, my left thigh pressed against his right. He kisses my cheek and places his hand on my thigh.
"How're you feeling, Eddie?" Emmett asks as he sits across from us and Edward groans.
"Edward, Emmett, it's Edward," he sighs. "And my arms are beyond sore. You need to lay off during our sessions."
"Trying to make sure my sister gets the best-looking version of you," he says as he wiggles his eyebrows.
"Emmett!" I yell across to him and he laughs loudly. Rose smacks him across the back of the head and he whines in response.
"Apologize," she demands.
"Sorry," he mumbles. I shake my head and take a bite of my hamburger.
"What did you put on that?" Edward asks as he tries to inspect my burger.
"Lettuce, cheese, and pickles?" I answer, giving him a confused look before realizing what he's getting at. "No, there's no ketchup or mustard on it," I sigh, bumping his shoulder with mine.
"You're so weird," he shakes his head.
"We've been telling her that for years," Jasper laughs.
"Uncle Eddie, you can't say that!" Riley says, concern clear in his voice as he sits up on his knees and leans his whole upper body on the table.
"Can't say what?" Edward laughs. Riley gives an exaggerated sigh and looks at Edward.
"Weirdo!" he answers in an exasperated tone. "Mommy said it's not nice!"
"And Mommy was right but I didn't say weirdo," Edward laughs. "I said weird. Saying something is weird isn't bad."
"Saying someone is weird is, though," Alice pipes in, quirking an eyebrow at Edward.
"Looks like you have some apologizing to do," I laugh and Edward looks at me in fake annoyance.
"I'm very sorry," he says, placing a kiss on my lips. I smile as he pulls away. He rests his forehead against mine for a moment before pulling away completely. We both return to our food, Edward's thumb rubbing along my knee. I smile over at him before glancing around the table, enjoying the scene before me. Jasper and Alice are laughing together, clearly enjoying whatever conversation they're having. Emmett and Edward talk about their training and about the intensity of it, both of them in good spirits. When I get to Rose, I see she's looking at me. She gives me a knowing smile and I can't help but smile back. She can tell what I'm thinking, I'm sure of it. This, right here is the happiest I've been in a long time. If time stood still in this moment, I wouldn't complain.
This. This right here is perfect.
Hey everyone!
Wow, this chapter took a long time and I am so sorry! I've had quite a bit happen these last few weeks plus I had some things written that I decided to use in a future chapter so it took a bit longer than I planned on!
I hope you enjoyed it! Make sure you leave a review, please! I love to read what you think about the chapter!
Until next time
Twilight What?
