Thanks to my team, and you, for everything.
I learn rather quickly that a change of season in Forks, Washington, brings more than just a change in temperature.
The morning after my lunch with Edward, the day Edward and I had agreed on setting time aside for my first shooting lesson, the skies opened, and now, almost a week later, have finally shown signs of finally stopping. It hadn't been a hard rain, but it was cold and steady and not the conditions Edward had wanted me to learn in.
I had moped for a few days, even though my fear of having little protection had subsided just enough to not overwhelm me while I waited for the storm to pass.
Literally.
I went food shopping. Cooked a bunch of meals and gave Edward all my leftovers, which he, of course, devoured. I dipped into the money Rose gave me and bought a few things for the cabin, and began slowly turning it into my own.
Small curtains, a spattering of warm indoor fall decorations here and there, a pair of warm and sturdy boots to wear in the cold, wet weather.
"Tomorrow should be good," Edward says a week later after we've finished eating dinner. We don't eat together every night, but it's always welcomed and good-natured when we do. "The earlier, the better."
"You'll have to wake me up," I say to him. "I don't believe in alarm clocks anymore."
I'm only half-serious. I still typically wake up early, but with the sun's disappearance and the rain pattering against my windows all week, I've been sleeping way past the time I normally like to start my day.
He nods and rolls his eyes at me, chuckling under his breath. "I'll be here around ten. Wear your boots but bring your sneakers."
I let out an exaggerated groan. "How far do you plan on taking me?"
"Not that far, but the weather has been bad, and I don't want you to slip. And I want you to wear sneakers for your lesson."
He begins to make his way to the door.
"Yes, Sir." I offer him a mock salute but stop when I see the expression on his face. "Okay, sorry."
He always pretends to be serious, but I can see the edges of his lips twitch. "Am I going to regret this before we even start?"
"Probably."
Luckily for Edward, I'm up long before our scheduled time. I've showered, changed, and eaten breakfast with plenty of time to spare, my adrenaline ready and doing a better job than the caffeine in my coffee. As predicted, the rain has stopped, and while the sun isn't out, it's a nice reprieve from the wetness we've had over the last week.
It feels like early October when I step onto the porch at ten o'clock on the dot, and I'm happy I decided to wear my thicker exercise leggings and a fleece hoodie. My hair is still too short to pull all the way up, but I did clip half of it off my face so nothing would be in my way. I don't know how far Edward plans on taking me, so I fill my backpack with as little as necessary. My gun and all accompanying pieces, phone, water, a granola bar, and my sneakers like Edward wanted are all I need as I lock the door behind me and head over to Edward's cabin.
Like me, he's ready as I turn the corner into his backyard. He smiles at my appearance, his usual wild array of bronze hair hidden beneath a hat. He, too, is dressed in a warm, black hoodie and a pair of gray sweatpants, and for a second, our comfy clothes make me want to abandon ship and stay in the house and binge Netflix all day.
Apparently, I'm the only one who wants to do that.
"Let's go," Edward says and begins heading on the wooded path.
See you tomorrow!