Chapter 13

I have to admit, talking to Edward last week seems to help my mood. While our talk didn't go as I planned and I left still feeling sad and hurt, the anger isn't as prevalent anymore. I don't really feel any anger towards him or Dad at this point, which is like a weight that's been lifted off my chest.

Leaning against my desk, I look out at my class. I've only been doing this for a few years, but it feels like every year is more difficult than the last with the final goodbyes of the school year. I've spent the last nine months getting to know every single one of these teenagers and what their work style is like and how to pull their best work out of them. The end of the year is always a bittersweet moment with the sadness of letting yet another group of students go and the excitement of summer and the next three months off.

"Well, here we are. The last day of school," I smile to my class and am met with excited grins and some movement in their seats as their bodies radiate their energy. "I want to thank every one of you guys for your hard work this year. You've definitely kept me on my toes with trying to get you to talk," I say with a teasingly pointed glance as they let out a collective soft laugh. "But I really am proud of the work you've achieved. Next year is the year for you all. Enjoy your summer and come back ready to take on your final year. If any of you need any references for college applications or job applications, you all know my email. Reach out to me, okay?" I get a few nods and a few verbal confirmations before giving them one last smile as the bell rings. In a flash, all of my students are up and out of their seats, rushing out the door and to the parking lot.

Once the last student is out, I give the classroom one last look before letting out a contented sigh. I don't bother taking down the posters and such I have on the walls because I know I'll be in this classroom come fall. I start to pack the essentials, though, that I know I'll be wanting or needing during the summer. It doesn't take me too long to do, but long enough for Rose to come looking for me.

"Another year in the books," she smirks as she walks into the room. I glance up at her from where I'm crouched by an open drawer of my desk.

"Yeah, I guess it is," I reply with a smile. "Are we still going to Alice's tonight?"

"As far as I know, yes. She told me she was going to text you to bring the dresses so she can alter them before everyone gets there." Yeah, apparently on top of being an event planner, she also knows how to alter and create clothing. I'm not sure when she had time to learn all of these trades she seems to know but it works in our favor. Pulling my phone out of my purse, I turn the screen on to see a message from Alice.

"Yeah, she texted me," I smile before showing the phone screen to Rose. "I'll make sure to bring them."

"You need any help in here?" she asks as she looks around the room. Shaking my head, I grab my bags and hoist them onto my shoulder.

"I'm actually done," I say as I give my classroom one last look. I follow her out of the classroom and down the deserted hallway.

"You still okay at home? I know Jasper isn't there as much as he used to be," she asks, doing her best to just sound curious. I know she means well so I refrain from rolling my eyes.

"I'm alright, I promise," I smile at her. "It's been nice. I've been able to watch Game of Thrones and chick flicks without him complaining."

"I'm still shocked he doesn't enjoy Game of Thrones," she shakes her head, sucking her teeth a bit as she does.

"Me too!" I groan. "And it's so difficult to watch it when he's around because he complains about it."

"Do you still gush over the Stark men when he watches with you?" she laughs.

"I can't help it if Rob Stark is gorgeous! And Jon Snow, too! I'm not one for fur but holy hell, him in that cape," I gush, making Rose laugh.

"Okay, maybe you and I need a girl's night after Alice's to watch together," she giggles.

"If you want to," I smile. "We haven't had a girl's night in ages." I open my driver's side door and grin back at her.

"Are you really okay with going tonight?" she asks. I've done a fairly good job at distracting myself from the fact that we're having dinner with everyone, including Edward, tonight at Alice's. As she calls it, it's a kick off the summer dinner and it's mandatory. Although, she did tell me if I'm going to be uncomfortable, I don't have to come.

"I mean, yeah I'm okay," I shrug, trying to sound convincing. "I'd be lying if I said I don't have any anxiety, but I mean, he's kind of a permanent part of the group at this point. There's really no avoiding him forever."

"I just don't want you giving yourself an anxiety attack," she muses motherly.

"I'll be okay, I swear. Plus, Alice is making sangria so I'll have that to help relax me," I joke and Rose smirks a bit. "I'll see you in a bit," I add on, hoping she gets the hint.

"Bye, Bells," she smiles back with a wave before getting in her car.

After making the short trek home, I'm not surprised by the empty driveway that awaits me. Jasper's probably still at work and I'm not going to be here long enough to worry about him not having a place to park so I leave my truck in the middle of the driveway.

Walking inside, I realize I'm not met with a wiggly, tail-wagging body. Jasper must have left Rufus with Alice. Riley has practically taken claim of the dog and Rufus has done the same, too. I have to admit, I miss having Rufus around all the time, though.

I take my shoes off at the door before heading up to my bedroom with my bags. I strip out of my work clothes before making my way to my closet, searching for something to wear. Wanting to look presentable, yet comfortable, I pull on a pair of skinny jeans and a black hoodie. I pile my hair on top of my head, securing it in a bun with a hair tie before pulling a chunky headband on to tame any fly-away hairs.

Grabbing Rose's wedding gown and my bridesmaid dress from the closet, I make my way back downstairs. I slip on my junky white Vans slip ons before making my way back out to the truck. The trip to Alice's doesn't take too long, even with the pouring rain slowing me down. I pull into the driveway, parking as close as I can to the house so I don't have to run too far while carrying the dresses. I grab the dresses and haul through the rain as quick as my legs will take me. Once I've made it up the porch steps, I let myself into Alice's house, calling out to her.

"Living room!" she sing-songs back to me. Kicking off my shoes, I make my way into the living room where she's lounging on the couch and Riley is lying on the floor playing with some of his Paw Patrol toys with Rufus laying close to him, watching him as he plays. Rufus' tail wags a bit as I walk into the room and his head pops up. I make my way over to him and scratch his head a bit.

"Bella," Riley grins as he looks up at me. Scrambling to his feet, he practically knocks me over with the force of his tackle against my legs. He secures his arms around me as he smashes his cheek into my thigh.

"Hey, Riley," I laugh as I drape the dresses over the back of Alice's recliner before pulling him away from my leg and into my arms. "How's my favorite three-year-old?" I ask.

"Good!" he grins. "Mommy said I can have ice cream!"

"Ice cream?" I ask in an overly surprised tone. "Will there be enough for me?" He laughs and grins as he practically bounces in my arms.

"Remember what I said the conditions were, though," Alice mothers in a soft, yet pointed, tone.

"Clean up my toys," he sighs, his excitement dwindling a bit. I set him down and he runs upstairs, presumably to fulfill that condition.

"How was the last day of school?" Alice asks as she stands and comes over to hug me.

"The last day always drags a bit," I smile as I hug her back. "It was bittersweet, as always, but I'm so ready for this summer break."

"I'm sure you are," she giggles. "Come on, let's get some drinks while we wait for Rose." I follow Alice into the kitchen, watching as she moves throughout the room, grabbing different ingredients to go into the drinks.

"If you need any help with Riley over the summer, Al, you know can always ask right?" I throw out. It'll be nice to not have to be home alone all day and I do love spending time with the little guy.

"Thank you, Bella," she grins as she cuts up some berries and drops them into a pitcher. "I'll have to take you up on that."

"What kind of sangria are you making?" I ask as I watch her.

"A berry rosé," she grins. "It's my favorite and it's summery."

"I bet it's delicious," I smile as I continue to watch her work.

Riley comes back down a few moments later, yelling happily about his clean room.

"Ice cream now, Mommy?" he asks as his little fingers grip the counter top, pulling him up to stand on his toes so he can watch what Alice is doing.

"Later, Ri," she smiles down at him. "After dinner, okay?" He pouts a bit but mutters his agreement. His disappointment doesn't last long, though, because once he hears the front door open and Emmett's voice announcing his arrival, he scrambles out of the kitchen.

"Little Man!" Emmett cries out happily, followed by Riley's little giggles. Emmett and Rose make their way into the kitchen with Riley upside down in Emmett's arms. Rufus trots along next to Riley and Emmett, shaking happily and panting away as he watches the two play around. Riley struggles against Emmett's grip until Emmett lifts him up so he's righted in his arms.

"Hey, Al," Rose smiles as she walks over to hug Alice. "Oh, this looks amazing," she gasps as she pulls away, looking at the pitcher of sangria.

"Thank you," Alice grins. "I'll pour us some and then we can start altering the dresses."

"The dresses!" I gasp, realizing I've left them in the living room where Emmett could easily see. "Em, stay in here until I tell you otherwise," I demand before rushing out of the kitchen. I grab the garment bags and carry them upstairs to Alice's home office before going back down to the kitchen. "Alright, you're good."

"I'm going to see the dress next weekend anyways, what's the harm in seeing it now?" Emmett pouts.

"It's bad luck!" Alice frowns as she hands me a wine glass filled with sangria. I smile my thanks to her before taking a sip.

"Did James see you in your wedding dress?" Emmett asks curiously.

"No, but I wouldn't compare this to James and me," I roll my eyes. "Our marriage was doomed from the start."

"So, things can go wrong even if I don't see," Emmett starts but Rose swats his shoulder.

"Will you stop?" she frowns. "You're not seeing the dress until next weekend and that's final."

"Em, will you watch Riley while we go take care of the alterations?" Alice asks, literally bending her neck backwards to look up at him.

"Baby duty, got it," he grins.

"I'm not a baby!" Riley protests, still giggling a bit.

"Sorry, big kid duty, got it," Emmett chuckles as he carries Riley out of the room with Rufus following close behind.

"Come on, ladies," Alice smiles as she grabs her glass of sangria. Rose and I follow her upstairs and down the hallway. Now, I've been to Alice's house several times now, but this is the first time I'm actually seeing the upstairs portion. Normally, we hang out downstairs or in the backyard. At the top of the stairs is another living area. This one is filled with child-sized furniture and toys. A mini tent with tunnels and different rooms is fixed at the far side of the room while a Paw Patrol cloth mini couch and chair sit in the center of the room with a small crayon-stained table in the middle of them. A toy chest rests at the wall by the staircase with a rug designed to look like a road spread out in front of it.

"This is Riley's play area," Alice supplies as we walk past.

"This is adorable," Rose muses with a smile as we follow. I nod in agreement as the two women in front of me turn into the first room on the right.

"And here's my office," Alice boasts proudly as we take in her delicate glass desk and floral decorated room. "Alright, Rose, we're going to do your dress first."

Rose sets her sangria on the desk as I shut the door. She takes off her pants and shirt before letting Alice help her into the gown. I sit in Alice's desk chair as I watch her zip and button the back of Rose's dress. She inspects Rose's dress, pushing and pulling at the fabric to see how to make it best fit around Rose's body.

"You're making this easy on me," Alice grins as she straightens up. "I don't even have to alter this. It fits you like a glove."

"Is it bad that I don't want to take this off?" Rose giggles as her hands splay out across the bodice of the dress. She glances down at the gown, twisting her hips a bit to see as much of the design as possible.

"Well, unless you want Emmett to see it," I trail off with a laugh. With a playful groan, Rose lets Alice help her out of the dress before pulling on her normal clothes again.

"Alright, Bells, you're up," she smiles at me as she motions for me to get out of the chair. Wasting no time once I'm up, she drops herself into the newly vacated chair, making me giggle and stumble forward a bit out of her way.

"Hey, watch it," I laugh as I poke her leg. She laughs and nudges me forward with her foot, shifting me closer to Alice.

I pull my jeans off, tossing them over to Rose before repeating with my sweatshirt and camisole. Alice hands me the dress and I step into it, pulling the single strap over my shoulder. She pulls the zipper up and I can feel her pulling the fabric around, adjusting it to my body.

"Have you lost weight since you bought this?" she wonders curiously as she continues to pull at the fabric and secures sections with pins. My glance shifts nervously to Rose as I consider this question. I know I haven't eaten as much as normal in the last few weeks, but I didn't think it was enough to actually create a difference. Her eyes meet mine for a moment before I shift my gaze down to look at the dress.

"Maybe a few pounds," I shrug as I turn my head to try to see what she's doing. "Is it really that loose?"

"No, it's not too loose but I didn't remember it being loose at all when you tried it on."

"I haven't had much of an appetite lately," I mumble and she, thankfully, doesn't question it. My eyes catch hers and we share a look, her eyes filled with understanding. Blush fills my cheeks as I look back at the material.

"Alright, let's get you," she starts but stops short when Riley bursts through the door, a grin on his face. Voices call after him as footsteps come up the stairs.

"Uncle Eddie said I can ride my motorcycle!" he boasts excitedly. Edward appears in the doorway seconds later, disapproval etching a frown on his face, and scoops Riley into one arm.

"I said if the rain stops and we all told you to stay downstairs," he scolds lightly before glancing towards us. His eyes stop of me, widening a bit, and I can feel the blush spread as he stares. The feeling is familiar and speeds up my heartbeat as I stare right back. I watch as his eyes rake over my body before stopping on my face. I can't find the strength to break the eye contact as my face heats up even more.

The tension between us is palpable and I hate that we've become this. It was just a few short weeks ago that I was living in blissful ignorance to his lies and, as much as I hate that I was in that situation, I find myself wishing I could go back for just a few more minutes. His emerald gaze reminds me of the way his arms felt wrapped around me and his breath in my hair as we sleep and even the way he smells. The memories bring up anxiety and a harsh gripping feeling fills my chest.

"Edward," Alice says sharply, finally pulling his attention from me. His gaze couldn't have lingered longer than several seconds but it feels like I've been released from an hour-long grasp.

"Right, sorry," he apologizes, shaking his head a bit. "Come on, Ri." He adjusts Riley on his hip before walking away, glancing back at me briefly as he does.

"He's not riding his motorcycle, Edward!" Alice calls after him. Riley's whines of protest make their way through the house at Alice's finality.

"Sorry, Bella," Alice mutters as she goes to close the door again.

"It's okay," I say, trying to sound indifferent as I will the anxiety away by rubbing my hand along my upper chest. She walks back over and unzips the dress for me before I step out of it and put my normal clothes back on. Rose hands me my sangria and I take a few long gulps.

"I'm going to need a refill," I say as I look at my glass before finishing off the last drink.

"Come on," Alice laughs before rubbing my back as she walks away. Rose follows her, grabbing my hand and squeezing it as she walks past. I take up the rear, following the two ladies down the hallway and downstairs. The guys are lounging in the living room. Edward's lounged in the recliner with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles in front of him. Emmett is sprawled on the floor with Riley as he watches the boy play with his Paw Patrol toys. I make my way over to Jasper, who's sitting on the couch watching the two on the floor.

"Hey, Stranger," I smile as I drop down next to him. He chuckles a bit, shifting to settle further into the couch as he turns his head towards me.

"It has been a few days, hasn't it?"

"I saw you at dinner Wednesday and that's it for the whole week," I laugh.

"Sorry. I can come home more if you want. Have you been okay at the house?"

"No, Jas, I'm just giving you shit. I've been okay, I promise." I don't let on that I triple check to make sure the doors and windows are locked at night and I've taken to sleeping with a bat next to my door, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. He gives me a half smile before turning back to watching Emmett and Riley.

Alice comes out of the kitchen with the pitcher of sangria and I raise my glass with an expectant smile. Shaking her head with a grin, she comes over and fills my glass up again.

"Thank you," I smile before taking a drink. She sets the pitcher on the coffee table and takes up the spot on the other side of Jasper. Rose settles onto the floor next to Emmett, running her fingers along his back.

"How does it feel to have another year done, Bells?" Emmett asks as he props himself up on his elbows and looks over at me.

"It was bittersweet," I shrug. "But every year is like that. I'm just glad I have a few months to myself."

"What are you going to do with all that free time?" he chuckles. I purse my lips as I try to think of an answer. Truth is, I've been worried about all this free time I'm going to have. It's too much time for me and my own thoughts and I'm sure it's not going to do wonders for my anxiety.

"I'm not sure," I answer honestly. "I haven't really planned that far ahead."

"You could get a gym membership and come train," he grins.

"Right, yeah, I'll do that," I reply sarcastically.

"Come on, I've even still got Edward coming four times a week," he laughs as he glances at Edward.

"And every time I question why I'm still doing it," he laughs. "You about killed me today."

"Oh, please, I wouldn't make you do anything you can't handle," he shrugs Edward's comment off with a wav of his hand. Edward just shakes his head at Emmett with a smirk.

"I think I'll be avoiding the gym," I say with a small smile towards Emmett. After I've said it, I realize it can sound like I meant I'm avoiding it because of Edward, which isn't my intention so I add on, "I like to be able to use my arms and legs. And I may just kill you if you try to train with me." Jasper chuckles next to me as he wraps an arm around Alice's shoulders.

"Maybe you can go to more painting classes with Mom," Jasper teases and I groan.

"God, no," I grumble. "We were painting sunflowers and mine somehow ended up not looking like a flower at all."

"And yet you still hung it up in my living room."

"Can you really claim that it's your living room when you haven't been in it in over a week?" I question. "I'm thinking it's my living room now."

"Mom said you guys had fun," Rose tosses out. "Then again, if Mom has fun, she assumes everyone else does too."

"It wasn't awful, but I needed a bit more time to paint between instructions. I think I skipped several steps."

"Where do you paint at?" Edward asks and I'm thrown off a bit by him entering the conversation. Glancing over at him I have to remind myself that I'm making an effort to be inclusive and act as our group normally would.

"A little shop in downtown Port Angeles. She goes a day or two a week. I think it's too far to drive to go religiously, but she doesn't seem to think so."

"You also avoid driving out to Port Angeles whenever you get the chance," he points out with a knowing smirk. He's not wrong. I always complain when I have to head out that way because it's just such a trek. The only things that would get me out there without much complaint are Edward and his motorcycle.

"It's just so far to go," I shrug. "I'd rather shop online."

"Maybe you and Mom can do an online painting class," Jasper chuckles.

"Oh my gosh, let's do it!" Alice gasps. "The four of us ladies can do it!" I glance over at Alice, a bit of disbelief present on my face.

"Really?" I wonder aloud.

"Yes! We can have a girl's day sometime and do it. It'll be fun!" I look over at Rose who shrugs in indifference.

"Throw some wine in and I'm down," she supplies.

"We can run it by Mom on Wednesday," I throw in. Alice grins over at me and reaches to squeeze my hand. I squeeze it back with a smile of my own. Glancing at Jasper, I see a content happiness on his face and I can tell he's thrilled that Alice is weaving her way into our family. I've never seen him so taken with anyone and it's nice knowing that something good came from the mess Edward and Dad created.

"How about we get dinner going?" Jasper suggests as he glances over at Alice.

"Alright, you get the grill going and I'll start on the sides," she smiles at him before giving him a quick kiss and standing. I finish off my second glass of sangria and fill it once more.

"Rose, can you help me in the kitchen? And Emmett, go help Jasper with the grill, please," Alice instructs, not so subtly leaving Edward and me out of the instructions.

"What can I do, Al?" I ask as I stand, intending on following her into the kitchen.

"Can you two entertain Riley while we get everything ready?" she asks innocently. I look over at Riley and he's grinning as he looks between Edward and me.

"Yeah, no problem," I say, trying to resist frowning at Alice. I take a large gulp from my glass and sit on the floor with Riley. Edward hesitates a beat before coming to join us.

"Because this wasn't intentional on her part or anything," he sighs a bit as he situates himself on the floor. I glance over at him and he gives me an apologetic smile before taking a swig of his beer.

"Uncle Eddie, you be Chase," Riley grins as he hands Edward the Chase toy I bought for his birthday. He takes it willingly and grabs the car that goes with him. I watch as Edward places the toy dog in the car and starts driving at around, making it follow Riley's toy dalmatian as it drives a fire truck.

"What's the emergency?" Edward asks as he continues to drive the toy behind Riley's.

"Bella is sick and needs help!" Riley says with urgency in his voice before grinning up at me. "You need to lay down, Bella!" he instructs.

"Why am I sick?" I ask as I lay down with my head by Riley's lap. He crawls around so he's sitting by my stomach on the opposite side of my body from Edward. I watch him as he situates himself on his hands and knees so he's looking down at me.

"Because you ate a gross apple," he informs. "You need to pretend to sleep." With a deep breath and a glance towards Edward, I can already tell where this is headed. Even though his eyes are glued to Riley, I can tell he's starting to piece together what is happening too.

"Do we need to give her medicine?" Edward asks, sounding hopeful.

"No, you have to kiss her," Riley says, furrowing his eyebrows.

"That's spreading germs. Won't I get sick, too?" he asks.

"No, it's like it Sleeping Beauty! And then we fight a dragon!" Riley explains, bouncing excitedly.

"How about we give her medicine instead?" he insists. "Or you give her a kiss on the cheek?" I look over at Riley and I can see the confusion written clearly on his face. He's seen Edward kiss me several times before so it's only natural for him to think it's odd that Edward won't kiss me now.

"I think a kiss on the cheek is exactly what I need, Ri," I say and he glances over at me, his eyebrows still furrowed together. I tap my cheek a few times before folding my hands on my stomach and closing my eyes. Thankfully, he doesn't question it any further and I he starts to drive his car around towards my face before giving me a rough kiss on my cheek, leaving some slobber behind. Scrunching my nose a bit, I open my eyes.

"Oh, my goodness, I'm feeling so much better," I say as I sit up. "Thank you so much, Riley." He grins over at me before looking over to Edward.

"We saved her!" he cheers. I reach for my sangria and take a few large gulps, wondering if Alice will notice if I drink the majority of the pitcher myself. At this rate, that's the way it's starting to work out.

"Let me go get my coloring books!" Riley says before bolting towards the stairs, abandoning the dalmatian and its firetruck.

"Sorry about that," Edward says, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't be," I shake my head. "He's seen you kiss me before. He's probably confused."

"I was thinking the same," he says as he reaches past me to grab his beer. I flinch back a bit, not because it scares me, but because his proximity makes me nervous. I can smell that familiar scent and it makes my throat constrict a bit with emotion.

"Sorry," he mumbles, pulling back with his beer.

"Stop apologizing, please," I frown. "You don't need to."

"Don't I, though?" he asks.

"Not for grabbing your beer," I say pointedly before taking another drink of sangria. The alcohol gives me a tingling feeling that comes before numbness in my cheeks and lips and it's a welcomed feeling. I'm starting to become more at ease with this whole dinner situation, which is a relief.

Riley comes bounding down the stairs and back into the living room with coloring books and crayons before Edward can say anything else.

"Mommy just got me this one!" he says excitedly as he lays down a Bluey coloring book. I've never heard of the cartoon before but Riley must love it if he has a coloring book dedicated to it.

As Riley passes out coloring books and crayons, I fill my wine glass before standing up.

"I'm going to take this pitcher to the kitchen," I say as I pick it up off the table. The affects of the alcohol really show themselves after standing. I take a moment to center myself and make sure I'm balanced before walking to the kitchen in what I hope looks like a sober gait.

"Hey, what's up, Bells?" Rose asks as I enter the kitchen. I set the pitcher on the counter and smile at Rose.

"I was just bringing this in here. The sangria is gone." Alice looks over at the pitcher in shock.

"Bella, I said if you're going to be uncomfortable, you didn't have to come," she frowns, worrying her lip a bit as she looks at me.

"I'm fine, Alice," I insist. "The sangria was just really good." I look between Alice and Rose and know that I've done a shit job at trying to convince them that I'm alright. "Honestly," I add on as if it's going to help.

"Just tell me if you want to leave, okay? I'll drive you home." I nod and make my way back out to the living room. Edward looks up at me, watching as I walk back towards the table.

"Here, Bella," Riley grins as he sets my coloring book next to Edward. Looking over at Riley on the other side of the table, I see he has two coloring books open in front of him and is going between two pictures. Hesitantly, I take a seat next to Edward, our knees touching briefly as I crisscross my legs in front of me.

"You use the blue crayon first," Riley instructs as he hands me a crayon. I smile at him as I open the Avengers coloring book. I find a page with Captain America and start coloring. We work in silence for a few minutes as Edward and I alternate between drinking and coloring and Riley alternates coloring books.

"Dinner is served!" Emmett boasts as he and Jasper come inside from the deck. I don't wait for Riley or Edward before I stand up, bumping the table as I do, my body swaying a bit from the alcohol. Cursing under my breath, I rub my knee, knowing there's going to be a nasty bruise there later.

"Are you okay?" Edward asks as he stands, his hand hovering closely to the fabric of my shirt at the small of my back as he makes sure I'm steady.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," I mumble as I walk away towards the kitchen. I hear Riley and Edward follow behind me but I keep my gaze focused ahead of me. The kitchen is a frenzy of movement as everyone grabs their food. On top of the burgers and chicken, Alice has roasted vegetables, potato salad, and tossed salad. As everyone gathers their food, they head over to Alice's table and choose seats. Grabbing some food, I join them at the table, noticing only two seats are left once Riley clambers up to his seat by Alice. The two seats are, conveniently, right next to each other. Breathing deep, I sit to the left of Rose, leaving the last empty chair to my left.

Edward fills the seat after a few moments once he's filled his plate with food. I glance over at him and smile smally before turning to my plate. I've definitely loaded it with more food than I'm going to be able to eat but I start by picking at some of the potato salad I grabbed.

"What are you and Emmett doing for your honeymoon?" Alice asks Rose after a few minutes.

"We're going to Key West," Rose grins. "There's a resort there that we've been dying to go to and it happened to work out."

"That's a long way away," Edward notes. "How long of a flight is it?"

"It's about nine hours total. We have a stop in Miami where we'll get on a different plane."

"That's quite the trip," he smiles.

"We'll make sure to send postcards," Emmett winks teasingly. I roll my eyes with a laugh before taking a bite of chicken.

"Don't be surprised if you come home and I've stolen your couch," I grin mischievously.

"That could won't fit through Jasper's front door," Emmett booms out in a laugh.

"I'll figure it out," I insist with a giggle.

"What about the couch I already have?" Jasper asks.

"It'll have to go out to the curb. Or maybe I'll turn your bedroom into a library and use the couches there."

"Where will I sleep?" he laughs.

"Well, you've been sleeping here," I smirk. He chuckles a bit and shakes his head but his glance towards Alice tells me all I need to know about just how ready he is to move in with her. He's probably waiting for her to make the call.

Dinner isn't as unbearable as I originally thought it would be. We talk and banter and it feels almost normal, aside from the noticeable tension between Edward and me. After dinner, Edward offers to do the dishes and I make a point to offer to help him, resigning to the fact that I'm going to have to get used to being near him and we're going to have to get along. I know it's me that's making this the most difficult so I'm giving my best effort into making things more normal.

"Here, you can dry this time," Edward smiles at me as he hands me a dish towel.

"Thanks," I smile back before hoisting myself up onto the counter.

"How's your knee?" he asks as he washes the first plate.

"It hurts," I laugh a bit as I straighten my leg out before bending it and relaxing it again. "I had a few too many glasses of sangria."

"A pitcher too many," he smirks as he hands me the plate. Breathing deep, I start to dry the plate off.

"I was nervous," I mumble, blush filling my cheeks. In my periphery, I can see his eyes shift over to look at me but I focus on the plate in my hand.

"Why?" he asks when he realizes I'm not going to elaborate.

"This is the first time we've actually spent time in the same place since," I trail off, frowning.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asks, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Not at the moment, no," I smile a bit, looking over at him. "You would have if you had listened to Riley earlier, though." He lets out a breathy, humorless laugh at my words, nodding a bit.

"I never know what to expect from him."

"Three-year-olds are pretty unpredictable," I agree. I set the plate aside as Edward hands me another. We wash and dry dishes in silence for a few moments before a thought nags at my mind.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask as I look over at him. He looks over at me with a smile.

"What's up?"

"Does my dad still have people watching me?" I ask as I take the last plate to me. He frowns as he grabs a fork, shaking his head.

"Bella, I can't," he starts but shake his head. "It's not my place," he frowns.

"So, that's a yes," I breathe out. "I deserve to know."

"I think you should talk to your dad about this." I take the fork from him and dry it as I think of what I can say to convince him to tell me. As we continue to wash and dry the silverware, I go over different things to say without sounding like I'm guilting him into telling me.

"I'm asking you, though," I say after a few moments.

"I understand that but," he starts but I cut him off.

"But you think it isn't your place. You were the first one on this stupid case so it kind of is. Who is still following me?" I don't mean it to sound as angry as it does and I sigh, trying to calm myself back down. "Sorry," I grumble. "I'm just frustrated."

He turns the water off and takes the towel from my hands gently, drying his hands with it.

"You have every right to be frustrated," he nods. "Hell, I'm frustrated and I have no right to be." I nod and get off the counter, resigning to the fact that I'm not getting anywhere. I give him a small smile before going to walk past him but he stops me with a hand on my arm. My breath catches in my throat as I feel that hum move between us but this is the first time that I know for a fact that he feels it too. His hand reacts to it, flinching a bit at the contact.

"Crowley is still patrolling your street at night," he supplies and I turn to look at him, his eyes capturing mine.

"Thank you," I whisper and he nods, letting go of my arm. I find that I can't look away from him and it's creating a sort of confliction in me. With as much as he hesitated to tell me this, the admission means a lot. I can't trust him still and I'm not sure when I'll ever be able to put my full trust in him, but this shows that he's working towards getting it back. He's trying and it makes my heart swell a bit. Before I can think about what I'm doing, I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him to me. He's caught off guard for a moment before his arms wrap tightly around me.

"Honestly; thank you," I mumble against his shoulder before pulling away.

"Like you said, you deserve to know."

XXX

I knock on my parents' door before walking in. I know Mom's not home because her car's missing out of the driveway but the cruiser is really the only car I was actually hoping to see. Ever since the other night when Edward told me about Tyler Crowley patrolling my streets, I've been more aware of the cars that linger or drive down my street. I've seen the same beat up, small truck every night and I can only assume it's Tyler's.

"Dad?" I call as I walk inside. I hear movement coming from the den before Dad's head pokes around the corner.

"Bells? I didn't know you were coming over today. Your mother just ran to the store," he explains, looking confused.

"I'm here to see you." Dad's confusion dissipates and relief takes over. Realization dawns on me as it clicks that he thinks I'm here because I'm forgiving him. "Tyler's still following me, isn't he?" I ask. It's clearly not what he expected because his features seem to harden a bit, emotion completely wiped from his expression.

"How did you," he questions before muttering, "Cullen," under his breath.

"You don't get to be mad at Edward," I shake my head. "I asked him and he said it wasn't his place and that I should talk to you. I pressed him a bit more until he told me. But, Dad? This ends now. No more patrolling my street. No more following me. I'm serious."

"I'm just trying," he starts but I stop him.

"To keep me safe, I know. But I haven't had anything happen involving James since the break in over a month ago. No calls, no notes, no run-ins. I'm okay. But you and I are not going to be okay if you don't stop."

He takes in what I say for a few moments before nodding, pressing his tongue between his teeth and lips in consideration.

"I'll call it off," he agrees and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," I say through the end of my sigh. "I'll see you Saturday."

"You're not coming to dinner Wednesday?" he asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Mom cancelled it. There's just a lot to do leading up to the wedding and Alice, Rose and Emmett are going to be busy." He nods and it's clear it slipped Mom's mind to tell him.

"Saturday, then," he nods and I smile my farewell before walking back outside.

Saturday comes quicker than any of us expected. Between the last-minute details that needed finishing and Rose's caterer having to cancel three days prior to the wedding, things have been a little hectic. Thankfully, Alice was able to figure out how to replace the caterer and things have been going smoothly from then on.

Currently, I'm sitting as patiently as I can in a chair while one woman works on my hair and another works on my makeup. I didn't realize Rose had hair and makeup people until this morning, but it makes sense because she never said anything about going to the local salon to get our hair done. The women work diligently to get my hair and makeup done. I've opted for a neutral makeup look, asking for earthy shadows and a nude lipstick. The woman doing my hair is giving me a curled style with side pieces braided and pulled back out of my face.

Once the makeup woman is finished, I watch Rose as she frets around, not quite knowing how to bide her time before the ceremony. We have a less than an hour before we have to walk down the aisle and she isn't handling it very well. Her hair and makeup are already done and she has nothing to preoccupy her time.

"Rose, take a breath. This wedding is going to be perfect, I promise," Alice smiles as she grabs Rose by the shoulders.

"We've been planning this since college, Alice. It's been about ten years in the making and it's finally here and it's, I don't know, nerve-wracking? What if I fall?"

"Rose, you've been wearing heels since high school. You're not going to fall," I reassure her. "It'll be perfect. And besides, Dad's walking you down the aisle. You can hold onto him for support."

"You're right," she sighs, trying to calm herself down as she rubs her hands down the front of her bridal robe. The woman that's doing my hair announces that she's finished and wishes Rose a happy marriage before packing up her supplies and leaving.

"Now for the dresses," Alice grins. "Bella, we'll get you into yours first because I want the photographer to get a reveal photo of you seeing Rose in her dress."

"I've already seen her in her dress," I frown, confused as I take off my bridesmaid robe. I step into my dress and Alice quickly comes around to zip it. The material hugs in all the right places and flows where it should, fitting just like it did the day I bought it.

"Yeah, but you haven't seen her in full bridal mode. That's the reveal. So, go into the hallway and I'll call you when she's ready." Reluctantly, I follow Alice's instructions and go into the hallway. Leaning against the wall, I cross my arms as I wait.

A few moments later, I hear footsteps coming down the hallway, catching my attention. I glance towards the sound to see Edward walking towards me. His suit fits as if it were made for him and I can't help but stare as he approaches. This is the first time I've seen him in more than a t-shirt and jeans and I can't deny how attractive he looks right now.

"Hey," he says as he approaches, pulling me back into reality.

"Hi," I smile. "What brings you down here?" Edward's not in the wedding but Emmett wanted him to be part of the experience so he's been with the guys as they get ready, which is at the other side of the venue.

"Emmett's kind of nervous," he chuckles a bit. "I was sent to make sure Rose is still coming down the aisle."

"Trust me, she's going down the aisle," I laugh. "Alice is getting her in her dress right now."

"And you're out here because?" he questions with a smirk.

"Apparently it's a thing to have a reveal to the bridal party. So, Alice kicked me out until Rose is dressed."

"I see," he nods, sounding as convinced in the trend as I feel. A silence stretches comfortably between us and it feels nice to not have to be on edge around him. Something changed last weekend at Alice's and, while we're not necessarily back to friends, we're becoming more comfortable around each other. I've even sent a few texts to him during the week. Mainly thanking him for telling me about Tyler, but it's progress, right?

I breathe deep as I look over at him only to find that his eyes are moving down my body. As if he can sense I've caught him ogling me, his eyes come up to mine and his cheeks fill with a bit of color.

"You look amazing," he smiles, looking a bit unsure of himself. His words create a fluttering in my chest and I can't help but look away as my own cheeks fill with blush.

"Thank you," I smile down at the floor. "You clean up pretty well yourself," I add on, looking back up at him.

"Bella, we're ready for you!" Alice calls as she peaks her head out the door. "Oh, Edward. What are you doing here? Don't tell me," she starts but Edward cuts her off.

"He's just nervous. Wanted to make sure his bride is still coming," he assures Alice.

"She'll be down the aisle soon. Now, go," she instructs with a smile. Edward gives me one last glance before walking away. "Alright, the photographer is ready," she grins as she opens the door further. I walk into the room and am immediately floored at how Rose looks. As skeptical as I was about this reveal thing, I'm now glad Alice did it. Rose looks beyond amazing in her dress. Her hair is pulled out of her face and flows down her back with her veil trailing past it. Her makeup is neutral and brings out a glow in her.

I try to fight back the tears that fill my eyes because I know Alice will yell at me if I mess up my makeup. Fanning my face with my hand, I take a few deep breaths to control myself.

"Rose, you look," I shake my head, my voice cracking a bit. She just grins with tears of her own in her eyes before walking over and hugging me. I squeeze her tight before pulling away.

"I want you to know that you've been my sister for years but I'm really excited it's going to be official," I tell her with a smile. She grabs both my hands, squeezing them in her own as she grins.

"I'm excited it's going to be official, too," she sniffles.

A knocking on the door pulls our attention from each other. Alice opens it to reveal Mom and Dad standing outside. They both beam at Rose, which only results in her tearing up again and fanning her face with her hand. The looks Mom and Dad hold remind me of how they looked at me on my wedding day. Their expressions scream with hope and happiness. This time, though, I'm sure they know those feelings are put in the right place.

"Rose, you look stunning," Mom says in awe as she walks over and hugs Rose.

"Thank you," she sniffles a bit before pulling away. "It's just so weird that this is really happening," she admits with a breathy giggle.

"You've made Emmett into a better person than either of us had ever thought possible. I'm not saying he wasn't always going to be a good person, but you've brought out the absolute best in him, Rose," Mom confesses through a teary-eyed smile before hugging Rose again. My eyes meet Rose's and she beams at me over Mom's shoulder and I can't help but grin back.

"Alright, we've got to get this show on the road," Alice calls, getting our attention. We follow Alice out of the bridal suite and down the hallway. The venue, being just outside the Forks town limits, is small, so we don't have to walk far before we're by the ceremony room. Jasper's waiting for us just outside the doors and he grins when he sees Rose.

"There's no running now," he teases as he hugs her.

"Oh, shut up," she laughs as she pulls away. "Trust me, if I ran, Emmett would have no problem catching up."

"I'm sure you're right," he chuckles. "You ready?"

"Extremely," she grins. Jasper looks over at me and offers his arm. Smiling, I take it and stand next to him. Alice gets us lined up as Mom goes to take her seat. Once the doors open and the music plays, Jasper and I step into the room and slowly make our way down the aisle. Rose never told me who was invited to the wedding or what the guest list looked like. I'm shocked at the amount of people here. It's by no means a big wedding, but there are people here I had never even realized would get an invite. There are several officers from the precinct, people Emmett met through the gym, a few people from high school, and even Jacob Black and his father.

My eyes, although I tried to will them not to, find Edward near the front of the room. He's already staring and he gives me a small smile when he realizes I'm looking his way. I can't help but smile back at him before looking away as Jasper and I make it to the altar. He smiles over at me before letting my arm go. We part ways, standing on opposite sides of the altar. Jasper gives Emmett a pat on the shoulder, mumbling something to him that I can't hear. Whatever it is makes him laugh and nod in agreement. The laughter dies out when the music changes and the doors at the end of the room open.

I can't help but watch Emmett as he sees Rose for the first time. His expression fills with a mix of awe and love and excitement as a grin fills his face. My gaze makes it over to Rose to see her expression matches his.

Time seems to stand still and yet speed up all at the same time as Rose makes it to the altar and Dad hands her off to Emmett. The ceremony is beautiful and perfect for Emmett and Rose. The officiate knows Emmett and Rose personally and it's easy to see that he is catering this to them. It's personal and well thought out with a bit of humor mixed into it.

Throughout the ceremony, I can't help but sneak glances over at Edward. I'm caught every time, though, because he's already looking at me when I do. I feel like I should feel uncomfortable with him staring at me but the feelings I've been trying to push down are still there and with the loving atmosphere, I can't help but relish in his attention. Once Rose and Emmett begin their vows, I stop looking towards Edward and place all my focus on the wedding unfolding in front of me. Their personally written vows are sweet and true to them. By the time they slip the rings onto each other's fingers and kiss for the first time as husband and wife, I'm unable to stop the tears from flowing.

Rose looks back at me after she and Emmett are announced husband and wife and we both whisper, "Sisters," before laughing a bit. I wipe the remaining tear from my cheek before Jasper and I come together to follow Rose and Emmett down the aisle.

The reception room is decorated beautifully, thanks to Alice and the team of people she brought in. The room is filled with burgundy and blush. Just like Rose wanted, there are rose gold accents throughout the room, also.

Everyone mingles together before dinner is served, dancing and laughing in their celebration. I can't help but keep looking over and Emmett and Rose as they make their rounds around the room, stopping every so often to dance together. I grab a glass of champagne from the bar as I make my way around, too. Angela and Jessica stop me to talk after a bit. Rose and I were on the cheer team with them in high school. I haven't kept in touch with them much, but Rose seems to have.

"How have you been?" Angela asks with a kind smile.

"I've been good, thanks," I smile. "How are you and Ben?" At the mention of her husband, Angela beams even brighter.

"We're amazing. We actually just found out a few weeks ago that we're expecting," she boasts, clearly happy to have someone to tell.

"Ang, that's great!" I grin before hugging her. "I'm so excited for you guys."

"Are you still with that one guy?" Jess asks and I know she knows his name and that we're not together. She was like this in high school, too. She's always looking for the best gossip wherever she can.

"James? No," I shake my head, trying to laugh it off.

"Jess, he went to jail, remember?" Angela says in a disapproving whisper, as if she thinks I can't hear it.

"Well, I know that, I just didn't know if she took him back after he got out," Jess whispers back. I breathe deep and look around, trying to find a reason to excuse myself. My eyes find Edward across the way as he's talking to Jasper and Tyler Crowley.

"Will you two excuse me?" I ask before walking away without letting them answer. I make my way towards the men and, as if he can sense I'm coming, Edward looks up at me. His smile widens a bit as I close the distance between us.

"Hey," I say to three men as I stop in front of them.

"Hey, Bells," Tyler greets with a grin. I smile over at him.

"What's up?" Jasper asks before taking a sip of his drink.

"Just making my way around the room," I shrug. "How have you been, Tyler?" I ask as I finish my champagne. I set it on the table next to us as he answers.

"I've been good. Busy," he nods. "You?"

"Good. Busy," I echo him, knowing he knows exactly how unbusy I've been.

"We were just talking about last night's game," Jasper says, as if he's catching me up on what I missed.

"Basketball?" I ask, only to be met with chuckles from Jasper and Edward.

"Baseball," Edward corrects with a smile.

"Oh, the Mariners," I nod, trying to show them I know at least something. "Good game?"

"Great game," he nods. "They got a touchdown." I shoot him a glare because I know he's teasing me about my lack of sports knowledge.

"Nice try but I know that's a football term," I smirk. "You should've used a term you knew I wouldn't know."

"I figured it would be worth it whether you knew it or not," he chuckles.

"I'm going to go make my way around," Jasper says as he squeezes my shoulder and walks off. I smile at him as he walks past.

"You want to dance?" Edward asks and I look up at him, considering it for a moment.

"Yeah, let's go," I answer before taking his beer from his hand and taking a large drink. He just chuckles and lets me do it, taking the beer and setting it on the table when I'm done. His hand finds mine and he excuses us as he leads me to the dance floor. I can't help but relish in the familiarity of having his hand wrapped around mine. Even though our fingers aren't linked like they normally would be, having his hand in mine again feels right and I can't help but miss it. I have to remain strong and not fall into him again but my mind wars with me as I think it. Why am I denying this when I'm still so in love with him? I can learn to trust him again, right?

Edward pulls me close before settling his hands on my hips. One of my arms wraps around his neck and I let my other hand rest at his shoulder. The closeness is just as addicting as it's always been and I struggle to not try to bring him even closer. My body is pressed against his as we move to the beat of the song. Before I can stop myself, I let my head rest against his shoulder. His grip on me tightens a bit in response and I breathe deep as I experience the calm that I always had around him. The lack of anxiety, lack of worry, lack of anything except peace and comfort. And at this point in time, I can't seem to remember why I ever wanted to deny myself of this.

I lose track of how many songs we dance together to. It feels like forever but it could have been maybe two or three songs. At some point, though, we're interrupted. I pull away from Edward to find Jacob Black standing by us.

"Jake," I grin as I hug him. "How are you? It's been forever."

"I'm good, I've been good," he says as he pulls away and gives Edward a sort of half hug. "Since when is this a thing?" he asks as he motions between us.

"Oh, uhm, no, we aren't," I stumble over my words, glancing over at Edward.

"We're friends," he answers more coherently than I could have ever dreamed of.

"So, you wouldn't mind if I stepped in?" Jake asks, although it doesn't seem like he's asking for permission as much as he is telling Edward what he's doing.

"I'll see you later, Bella," Edward smiles before squeezing my hand and walking off. I can't help but immediately miss the moment we had before Jake interrupted and I also can't stop the feeling of annoyance at his intrusion. Batting the feeling away as best as I can, I take Jake's hand and let him lead our dancing. It's different than with Edward. We aren't super close and Jake doesn't really have a sense of rhythm.

"What's going on with you and Cullen?" Jake asks, knowingly.

"There's nothing going on with us," I insist.

"Oh, please, it's obvious," he laughs. "You're sleeping with him."

"Jake!" I frown.

"What? How is this different than me having to listen to you tell Rose about how you made it to third base with," he starts but I cut him off.

"Jacob!" I groan, making him laugh.

"I'm sorry, I'm giving you shit," he chuckles. "Have to even things out. You guys gave me shit years ago."

"I know we did," I laugh. "That's what you get for being the youngest."

"I'm a year younger than you," he rolls his eyes.

"Still the youngest," I laugh. "But, no, we aren't sleeping together."

"Seriously? I'm never wrong about things like this."

"Seriously," I grin, purposefully not telling him about how he and I used to sleep together. "How about your romantic life? Have anyone special?"

"Yeah," he grins, blushing a bit. "Leah Clearwater."

"Aw, Jake, that's amazing," I grin. He shrugs a bit, a goofy smile still on his face. Once the song ends, I give him a tight hug before leaving him to finish talking to everyone. It's not even my wedding but I know if I don't greet everyone, Mom's going to scold me for being rude.

I eventually make my way to everyone and step outside for a few moments of peace. The sun is starting to set and the temperatures are beginning to cool off but the crisp air is a welcomed feeling compared to how hot it is inside the small venue. Even for a small wedding, the place is pretty packed with people. I lean against the porch railing as I look out towards the sunset. I'm not typically one for watching sunsets and sunrises; I feel like that's stuff that's only enjoyable in movies. I'd rather be doing something instead of just sitting and watching the sky—unless it's a clear night and I can see the stars. I'll lay there and look at the stars for hours. Sunsets just don't do it for me.

The door behind me creaks open and I straighten before turning to see who's opened it. I have to admit that I've become more relaxed in my surroundings since the break-in. The amount of time that's passed since then is encouraging me to think that the worst is over and my anxiety has dulled while I'm out in public. So, the door doesn't necessarily startle me, but I'm still in the habit of looking up when doors open.

"Hey," Edward says as he walks outside. I smile at him before leaning against the railing again.

"Hey," I say, looking over as he mimics my position, his forearms resting on the railing. His left arm is so close to my right that if I move, our arms will be touching. It's beyond tempting but I try to will myself not to think about it.

"Hiding out?" he asks and I let out a little laugh.

"Getting some air," I correct with a half-smile. "Events like this kind of take a lot out of me. I can only handle so many people at once for so long before I need to recharge."

"Anxiety?" he asks, but it sounds like he already knows the answer.

"Yes and no," I say, trying to figure out how to explain it. "I mean, I always have some level of anxiety. This is more the social aspect of it. Don't get me wrong, I love being here, but it's kind of draining, you know?"

"I can get that," he nods. "How's your anxiety right now?"

"It's not bad. It's actually taming a bit," I say as I look down at our arms again. "Then again, it always kind of dulls when you're around."

"Why is that? I mean, I'm not questioning it happening, I just don't get why."

"I haven't put too much thought into it," I shrug. We're both silent for a few moments, lost in our own thoughts and looking out at the sunset. At least, I think he's looking at the sunset. I'm looking out into the woods behind the venue, my eyes searching for any movement.

"You looked like you were having a good time with Jacob," he says after a few moments.

"Were you watching us?" I ask, a teasing tone taking over.

"Like I have nothing better to do than watch you dance with Jacob," he chuckles. "I was people watching with Alice and I just so happened to see you two laughing a lot."

"I see," I giggle. "He asked if you and I were sleeping together."

"What?" he barks out through a laugh. "He did not."

"I'm serious," I laugh.

"Why would he ask that? How is he even comfortable enough to ask that?"

"He said it's no different than him hearing me gush to Rose about how I made it to third base with my high school boyfriend," I laugh.

"The same boyfriend you told me about?" he chuckles, shaking his head at the memory.

"That very one," I laugh. "I think our dads were fishing the day after Rose and I had homecoming so Jacob was over when I was telling her."

"Does that boyfriend still live in Forks?" he asks.

"He does," I nod.

"I think I've been here long enough to know everyone. Who was it?"

"You really don't want to know," I laugh, shaking my head.

"Oh, no, now I really do." I look over at him and his eyes are filled with humor and a big smile pulls at his lips.

"You're not going to like it," I insist.

"Do I know this person?" he asks.

"You work with this person," I giggle and his eyes widen a bit. "He's also here." He laughs and shakes his head, straightening up.

"Who?" he asks before realization dawns on him. "Crowley?" he asks in disbelief and I laugh and nod. "Wait, hold on, so the whole time you and I were," he says, motioning between us, before continuing, "your ex-boyfriend was staking out your house at night?"

"It's not like I knew he was," I say, quirking an eyebrow. He just shakes his head and leans back against the railing.

"Tyler Crowley," he shakes his head before shuddering dramatically. "You're probably right. I don't think I wanted to know that," he laughs jokingly.

"You're underestimating exactly how often I am right," I tease.

A breeze blows around us and a shiver runs down my back, making my arms break out in goosebumps. I straighten up a bit to rub my arms in an attempt to make the bumps die down. Glancing over at me, Edward straightens and shrugs out of his suit jacket.

"Oh, that's not necessary," I protest as he hands over the jacket.

"Bella," he says with a look telling me he's insisting. With a brief eye roll, I take the jacket and slide my arms through it. Inhaling deep, my nose fills with the smell of him.

"Thank you," I smile at him.

"You're welcome," he smirks. "It looks better on you anyway," he chuckles.

"Oh, shut up," I giggle as I reach to fix his tie without thinking. He doesn't pull away, instead standing still as I adjust it. I look up at him when I'm finished and see the same expression I've seen countless times before; his eyes dark and lips slightly parted as he looks down at me. I don't give myself time to process what I do next. I'm not even sure I want to process it. Instead, I lean up and capture his lips with my own. My hands move up to his face, holding his jaw as my thumbs rest on his cheekbones. He hesitates for a moment before letting his lips move in sync with mine.

"Bella," he murmurs between kisses. I hum against his lips as I try to deepen the kiss, my tongue swiping against his lower lip. "Bella," he repeats as his hands find my face. He pulls away, holding my face close but far enough away to where my lips can't reach his. "What are you doing?" he asks, a tad breathless.

It's then that the processing catches up and that little voice inside my head is shrieking at me for being so stupid. My mouth drops open as I try to figure out how to use my voice and I try to pull away but he holds me in place. I can't believe I just did this. I mean, I know I'm still attracted to him but what was I thinking?

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I…I didn't," I stumble but he stops me before I can even try to finish the thought.

"I'm just confused. You're the one that ended things." His voice is gentle but there's a sort of edge in his voice giving away that he's not as calm as he's sounding. He finally lets me go and I back up a step, covering my mouth with the tips of my fingers.

"I know and I shouldn't have kissed you. That wasn't fair to you. I just got so caught up in the how the wedding feels and I miss you and I wasn't thinking. I am so sorry." My heart pounds in my chest as anxiety grips my throat. The last thing I want is to lose all the progress we made to even get to this point where we're talking and starting to become friends again but the kiss seems like it's about to ruin everything.

He looks at me for a moment that stretches on endlessly. His expression doesn't give away anything about what he's thinking or how he feels. He pulls in a deep breath before breaking the silence.

"I guess I just didn't realize you still felt like that about me. I wasn't expecting that."

"Edward, of course I still have feelings for you," I frown. "My feelings didn't just disappear."

"But you said," he frowns back, his eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"That I can't trust you. But I'm trying to and I know you're trying to earn it back. I really am trying."

"I know you are," he nods, breathing deep. "I miss you, too." I sigh and lean back onto the porch railing, covering my face with my hands. I'm convinced that the embarrassment I feel in this moment surpasses any embarrassment I've ever felt in the past. I should've stopped myself before I even touched his tie. Hell, I should have insisted on not taking his jacket. This whole wedding atmosphere has me missing being with him and I let myself get carried away with the feeling of being near him.

Edward leans against the railing next to me and take my hand in his, linking our fingers.

"Whatever you're feeling right now? Don't," he says and I nod. "I've been wanting to do that since the day things ended between us."

"I'm not ready to—"

"I know," he cuts in. "And that's okay. I'm just saying, I don't want you to beat yourself up over kissing me. We both know I'm irresistible," he ends in a teasing tone. I nudge him with my shoulder, smirking at his words.

"You're an idiot," I smile as I stare at our linked hands.

The door to the venue creaks open again and I straighten up, gently pulling my hand from Edward's. I look back to see my dad come through the doorway. His eyes shift between Edward and me a couple times before they settle on me.

"Rose and Emmett are getting ready to leave," he says and I nod. He gives Edward one final look before going back inside.

"You two still rocky?" he asks curiously and I shrug.

"Kind of. I'm not mad anymore; more annoyed than anything. But he has yet to apologize." Edward nods and I gesture towards the door by tilting my head. "Come on. Let's go see Em and Rose off." He follows me through the door an we head over to where everyone's gathering by the door. Rose sees me immediately and waves me over. Glancing behind me to make sure Edward's still following me, I make my way to the front of the crowd. Rose wraps her arms tightly around my neck as I wrap mine around her waist.

"Thank you for being there for me every step of this wedding process," she grins as she pulls away.

"It was, what? A two-month process?" I laugh.

"Two months of me complaining to you every day at lunch," she giggles.

"I'm glad you're finally officially a Swan." She grins again and gives me another tight hug before pulling away and turning her attention to Edward. I shift over to hug Emmett and he squeezes me around my mid-section.

"I see you've upgraded your dress," he notes as he pinches at Edward's suit coat.

"We went outside for a bit and it got a little cold," I explain with a small smile.

"You good?" he asks and I know he's not talking about the cold. My smile widens a bit and I nod.

"I will be," I promise. "Have a good honeymoon. And I want a souvenir!"

"We'll pick you up a t-shirt or something," he chuckles.

"No, definitely not a t-shirt," I laugh. "Something with meaning, Em!"

"I'll take care of the souvenir buying," Rose insists with a laugh. "We'll see you next week," she grins as she and Emmett start to leave. Everyone starts to cheer as they leave hand-in-hand, waving back at everyone.

After their departure, it's not long before the place clears out. The only lingering people include my family and Edward and Alice. We take our time making our way out to the parking lot but eventually we all say our goodbyes and head to our separate vehicles. Edward makes a point to walk me to mine, opening my door for me when we get there. I shrug the jacket off and hand it to him.

"Thank you," I smile at him.

"Anytime," he smiles as he takes it back. "I think this is the first article of clothing you've actually given back to me."

"Shut up, I always give you back your clothes," I laugh. It's not the truth, but it's not like I've stockpiled his clothes.

"I seem to remember a grey t-shirt that you said you'd give back and never did," he teases.

"I think you misplaced it," I laugh.

"Misplaced it in your closet?" he chuckles and I nod with a grin. He gives me a dramatic eye roll before shaking his head.

"I'll get it back eventually, you know," he insists.

"We'll see about that," I grin before getting into the truck. He waits until I'm fully inside before shutting the door. He taps his knuckle on the door twice before walking backwards a few steps and turning to walk towards his car.

Not even trying to fight the smile on my face, I start up my truck and drive home. For the first time in a few weeks, I actually find it in me to turn on some music as I drive. Settling on a Police song, I hum along as I drive. Once my truck is parked in the driveway, I make my way inside, unzipping my dress as I walk up the stairs. I make my way down the hall and let the dress fall to the floor as I walk into the room. Stepping out, I sit on my bed and pull my wedges off my feet. I crawl across my bed to the other side and make my way into the bathroom before pulling out the pins that are holding my hair in place.

After removing my makeup and going through my skincare routine, I go to my dresser in search of pajamas. Pulling open my bottom drawer, I find the grey shirt Edward mentioned earlier. Smirking as I pull it out, I hold it up to my face and breathe in. His smell no longer lingers in the fabric and I can't help the pull of disappointment I feel from it.

Dropping my hands into my lap, I drag my thumbs across the fabric as I let myself get lost in the memories of us. Yes, he lied to me and yes it hurt like hell when I found out, but that doesn't mean he wasn't being his authentic self when he was with me, right? I mean, he really did—and, I'm assuming, still does—have feelings for me. And he's made it clear that he is going to try to earn my trust back. Shouldn't that be enough right there? The fact that he wants to fight for my trust? Maybe I'm dragging this out unnecessarily.

There's no doubt in my mind that I'm still head-over-heels in love with him. I still feel like I want to shout it from the rooftops. Tonight made that glaringly clear, too. It's difficult to be friends with him and not want more. I know he feels it, too. I bring my hand up to my lips, willing them to remember how they felt pressed against his.

I don't want to fight this anymore. I'm making both of us miserable by carrying this out. I can trust him. If he can be open and honest with me then I can trust him. Grinning to myself, I pull his shirt on before closing the drawer and opening my jean drawer. I grab a pair and shimmy them on before slipping my feet into a pair of Vans lying on my floor.

He said he wants his shirt back so I'll give it to him. I'll even personally deliver it to him. If things go the way I'm expecting them to, my shirt won't be the only thing he'll be taking off me. That thought alone sends butterflies through my abdomen and makes my heart pound in my chest. I want this. I want him. Not even just physically. He's right, he's irresistible and I want him in every way he'll let me have him. I'm done fighting against my feelings and keeping us apart.

With the grin still plastered on my face, I take the stairs two at a time as I make my way to the main floor. I grab my keys off the table in the entryway and open the door. I'm stopped dead in my tracks at what, rather, who waits for me on the other side. With a grin on his face and his blue eyes alight, I stare at my soon-to-be ex-husband.

"Hey, Baby."

And that was a long time coming! Sorry about the wait, y'all! Life has been a tad crazy.

What did you guys think? I want to hear about it in the reviews! Hopefully y'all enjoyed it *fingers crossed*

Until next time,

Twilight What?