Chapter 13

BPOV

—DC—

The knowledge that Seth was okay and that Harry's prognosis was a good one made the walk with Edward down the hallway toward the lobby easier.

But my stomach still flipped from the nerves of seeing Edward again, and now I was about to face Rose as well.

"Is the coast clear?" Edward asked the giant of a man who was waiting for him at the end of the hallway.

He smirked at Edward. "Aside from a few starry-eyed teenage girls, we're good."

Edward snorted, glancing around the open space. "Come on, Bella." He tilted his head toward the elevators. As we started walking, there were a few quiet shrieks from across the lobby. Edward turned, giving them a wink and a wave before pressing the call button for the elevator. My heart fluttered in my chest at how sweet he was to them.

It made me happy to know he treated his fans well—he just hated the attention from the paparazzi.

The group of girls pointed, pulling their heads together and giggling. I discreetly glanced at Edward, and this time, my stomach dropped with a feeling I hadn't felt in a long while—insecurity.

If we were seen together, what would they write about us?

Guilt wrapped around me as I realized I wasn't worried about what Seth would think. I knew he'd believe me when I explained that I went to high school with Edward and that I had been friends with his sister. It might hurt him that I hadn't told him sooner, but trusting one another wasn't an issue in our relationship.

What really bothered me was if Edward and I were spotted in public together—which could easily happen if he got the part—what would other people think? Edward was beautiful, tall with a well-sculpted body. And then there was me—short, plain looking, and now a little over two-hundred pounds.

Edward startled me as he leaned down, whispering. "Ignore them, they're just silly girls, excited to see a huge celebrity like myself."

I wondered for a moment if he could read my mind before he grinned, puffing out his chest comically. I couldn't help but laugh.

His eyes darkened for a moment as his gaze traveled the length of me. "There, that's better. I forgot to mention it earlier, but you look absolutely beautiful, Bella," he murmured as he stepped into the waiting elevator.

I followed him, staring at his back, and guilt once again ate at me. His eyes had been warm, but there was so much more than friendship in them. It wasn't as though I had a lot of experience with men; I'd only ever been with Seth. But I knew that look.

It'd been years. He couldn't still have feelings for me, could he? And what was I doing, worrying about how we would look together? I was happily taken by Seth. Edward and I were friends—or had been, at least. That was all they'd see.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he slipped his keycard into a slot in the elevator for the penthouse.

I nodded, fidgeting with the tie of my dress. "Just a little nervous. Rose was always a little..."

"Bitchy? Sarcastic?" he filled in for me, a smirk on his lips.

Laughing, I rolled my eyes at him. "You're her brother, you can call her all of those if you want. I was going to say she's blunt and to the point. Which is great, but not always when you're on the receiving end of it. And she has every reason to be mad at me."

The elevator doors opened into what looked like an apartment more than a hotel room. "It's going to be fine." He put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "Rose?" he called out.

Moments later, she appeared in front of us. "How did it go? Did you see—Bella?" Her eyes widened, filling with tears. She rushed toward me, wrapping her arms around me. "Oh, my God, Bella. I'm so fucking angry at you," she cried.

I couldn't stop my own tears from falling as I hugged her back. "I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry."

After a couple of minutes, she pulled away. Her eyes were red and puffy, and I figured mine must have looked similar. "I was worried about you for years, Bella. Years! How could you...how could you just leave and never look back? I thought we were friends! I loved you like a sister and you just…"

I wiped at my eyes, letting out a ragged breath. "I didn't—I didn't do it to hurt you, or anyone else. I just...I wasn't sure how to hold on to you and how to let go of all the hurt at the same time. And then years passed and I didn't feel like I could suddenly just show up as if nothing happened. Or if you'd even want me to after all the time that had passed."

She dropped into one of the chairs in the living room, sighing heavily, wiping at her own eyes. "I wish you would have realized that no matter how long it had been, I'd always want you in my life. Then again, maybe I wasn't the best friend to you. Alice and I just watched you be torn down daily by kids at school, by your family...and we did nothing."

I sat beside her, smiling sadly. "What were you supposed to do? You were both great friends."

"There could have been something—"

I glanced over to where Edward stood, his hands shoved in his pockets. He looked as though he was ready to cry himself. I took a deep breath before turning my attention back to Rose. "At the time, you all probably saved me, but it got to be too much. I just...I needed to run. I needed to not look back. I'm sorry, Rose. Do you think we can ever be friends again?"

She blew out a rough breath. "I've been angry for a long time, but I know it's not only your fault. No matter how much time has passed, even without hearing from you, I've always considered you my friend. There's nothing I want more than to have you back in my life. But there's one more thing I need to know, are you happy?"

I nodded. "I am, more so than I ever imagined I could be. Are you?"

"So happy. If he's doing his job right, you probably saw my fiancé, Emmett, downstairs. He's Edward's bodyguard on trips like these."

My eyes widened. "That huge hulk of a man?"

"Mhm"—she pointed a finger at me— "and I've seen pictures from your book signings. It doesn't look like you're doing so bad in the man department, either. That long hair, and those cheekbones? Hot damn."

I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks as I giggled. "Yeah, Seth is pretty cute, isn't he?"

Edward cleared his throat. "Um, I'm just gonna...I need to make a few phone calls." He slipped out of the room and into the adjoining bedroom.

Rose stared at the closed door for a moment, an unreadable expression written on her face. She turned toward me, seemingly unfazed. "Can you stay? I was thinking we could order dinner and catch up."

"I don't have anywhere to be. I think that sounds great." My gaze drifted over to the door where Edward disappeared. I had to wonder if he really had a call to make or if there was another reason he'd left the room.

Shaking off the feeling that he was now avoiding me, I turned my attention back to Rose.

While Edward was important, right now, healing my relationship with his sister was my main focus.