AN: Merry Christmas to all my readers.
Now we have a glimpse of Edward!
Thank you to my small but beautiful team, MeteorOnAMoonlessNight, and Midnight Cougar. Both of you are always there, always helpful and I love you both to the moon and back
Disclaimer: SM owns it all, especially Edward Cullen
Boyfriends of Christmas Past Chapter 3
Summary
A trip back home for the holidays shows Bella everything she didn't know had been missing from her life.
Chapter 3
The following morning, I woke not long after dawn and to a very different day. The sky was already bright, and the sun, although never warm at this time of year, was peeking through the gap in the curtains, lifting the mood from last night. It was still early, and I stretched before burrowing into the warmth provided by my night's sleep. I drifted for a while, listening to the faint birdsong, not wanting to get up, but the need to use the toilet and brush my teeth eventually forced me to move.
I showered and washed my hair, drying it and putting it up in a ponytail reminiscent of my school days. Dressed in jeans, a camisole, and a warm sweater, I opened the bedroom door and made my way down to the kitchen. Somehow, I felt as if I was still seventeen.
Dad had already gone to work, leaving a note, a wad of cash, and a full pot of coffee. Pouring a cup and doctoring it with cream and sugar, I stood at the window and watched the neighborhood come to life.
Alec had to have been waiting for me because a few minutes later, I heard the couch creak, then he stepped into the kitchen and up behind me. He pulled my body sharply against his, and I could feel his erection between us, and couldn't suppress a slight shudder
I stepped away from him, shaking off my reaction for now. I hoped I'd have the time to think about what I wanted over the next few days; although, there was an inkling in the back of my mind that we might be reaching the end of our relationship.
"Why don't you get a quick shower, and I'll make a fresh pot of coffee and some toast," I suggested brightly.
If he was surprised at my offer, he didn't show it. I breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't suggest I join him, and set to making the coffee. By the time the food was ready, Alec was already back downstairs.
Seated opposite each other, there was silence while Alec made short work of the toast. "What's on the agenda today then, Bella?" His voice broke the silence.
"Umm, well, as I said to Dad, I'm off to the supermarket this morning, then I thought we could fetch a Christmas tree, and put up the decorations."
Alec was already looking at his phone before I stopped speaking. "No. I'm gonna stay here and check in with my agent. There are a couple of roles I'm interested in, and I need to go over my script. I'll see you later."
He rose from the table and walked through the living room and out onto the back porch to make his call. I rolled my eyes and shook my head—so much for us spending the vacation together. I stood and cleared off the table, washing the few dishes we'd used. Dad had already done his and left them on the drainer, so I put them all away before heading upstairs for my purse and boots. It looked as if I would need them now the sun was melting the snow that had fallen overnight.
"See you later, Alec," I called as I stepped outside the front door. I didn't expect him to rely and I wasn't disappointed.
I looked at the Escalade parked at the curbside and grimaced at its pretentiousness. Instead, I headed for the garage beside the house, wondering if my old truck was still there. Dad had never parked the cruiser inside, using it for storage. Being careful not to slip on the icy, melting snow, I hauled the garage door open to find, yep, there it was, as old and as ugly as I remembered, but still beautiful to me.
Rounding the front, I opened the driver door, which creaked the same way it had always done, and inhaled the scent of old leather, the pine air freshener I'd always used, and the faint indefinable smell of cologne. It could have been from Dad or even that of Billy Black, who'd owned it before it had been passed to me on my sixteenth birthday.
Dad had been taking care of it despite my not having been back for a long time, and had even fitted snow chains. I checked behind the sun visor to find the keys where they'd always been along with a note from Dad; he knew I wouldn't be able to resist looking.
Serviced and gassed up ready to go, Bells.
He'd even added a kiss at the bottom, making me grin. I brushed away the few small tears his generosity brought to my eyes, climbed in, and fitted the key into the slot, turning it and pumping the gas pedal. The truck started immediately, making me ridiculously happy.
Carefully, I backed out of the garage and onto the street, and within five minutes, it felt as if I'd never been away from it. The supermarket was on the edge of town, and as I drove down Main Street, I caught a glimpse of Jessica, Lauren, and Angela in the coffee shop. On impulse, I decided to stop for coffee, even though I'd not long finished one; it would be a good time to start on that catching up I wanted to do.
I pulled up behind a large midnight blue truck, making sure I gave it a wide berth. Looking at it admiringly, I drooled a little at how beautiful it was. There was a part of me that would love to buy one, but there wasn't much reason for me to have one in L.A. since I lived, for the moment, close to everything including the studio.
Inside the coffee shop, I caught Jess's eye and got a wide smile in return for the small wave I gave her.
"Bella!" Her squeal could've been heard miles away by wolves, it was so high-pitched.
She leaped to her feet, practically skidded across the intervening space between us, and threw her arms around me. I'd forgotten how bubbly and overexcitable she was as she squeezed me hard and rocked me from side to side. All eyes turned to us, and I could feel my face heat. I'd gotten used to being the center of attention, but somehow this felt as if I was back in high school where I'd been much more retiring.
Jess drew back, holding me at arm's length. "It's been ages, Bella. You look good. Where have you been? How are you? Are you back? Do you have time for coffee? Lauren and Angela are here, too!"
That was another thing I'd forgotten about Jess—her propensity for running questions together too fast for anyone to answer.
"Hi, Jess. I'd love a coffee, thanks."
Jess held up her hand to the girl behind the counter and ordered, even remembering how I took my coffee, before dragging me to the table. Both Lauren and Angela stood and hugged me, chattering excitedly and urging me to sit.
"Oh, Bella, we've missed you. It's L.A. you moved to, isn't it? Your dad, bless him, talks about you, but I'm not sure he knows exactly what you do." Angela gave me a wide smile.
"Yep, L.A. I'm a scriptwriter now."
"Wow, have you worked on anything famous?" Lauren said.
"Mostly smaller movies, although the latest one might make it to the big-time. We'll have to see."
"Have you met any movie stars? It must be a great place to live. Are you in Hollywood?" Jess asked excitedly. "It sounds like a fantastic job."
I shrugged. "It's okay, though it's hard work. My boyfriend is an actor, so I do get to meet a few movie stars, and we do have an apartment in downtown Hollywood."
"Would we have seen him in anything? What's his name? Is he here with you?" Lauren looked at me, her eyes shining.
"Alec Reynolds, and yes he's here with me. I left him at Dad's because he had a few calls to make to his agent. He hasn't been in anything big yet. He has done a couple of rom-coms, but he didn't play the lead, and one with Robert Pattinson, though that was before we got together."
That was met with squeals and looks of envy as if I'd met the man himself. I wished! He was ridiculously good-looking and sexy as hell.
"Enough about me. What's everyone been up to for the last five years?"
"Mike and I got married a year ago—a romantic Christmas wedding," Jess said.
"Congratulations, Jess; I knew you'd end up together."
"Shelly Cope and I own this place together," Angela announced. "When she retired from the school, and the coffee shop came up for sale, she jumped at the chance to be her own boss. I've always wanted to run a bookstore—you know me; the everlasting bookworm—so we agreed to go in as partners. And here we are." She turned her hands up and looked around.
"That's absolutely fantastic, Ang. It's so you. I'm jealous."
"How can you be jealous, Bella?" Lauren broke in. "You're going out with a movie star, you're writing movie scripts, and you get to meet famous actors. What's not to like?"
"It's not as glamorous as it sounds, Lauren. Sometimes, I have to work very long hours, and yes, I get to go to parties, but it's not really my scene, you know?"
"I'd love it, but I guess Jake wouldn't go for it."
"Jake?" I questioned.
"Oh, you don't know? Your dad didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what, Lauren?"
"Jake and I are engaged, Bella."
"What? How did that happen? I thought Jake had to be with someone from the tribe? It's why we broke up."
"He tried that. After the two of you parted company, he went out with Leah Clearwater. It was a complete disaster, and he was so unhappy." She looked down shyly. "He's happy now, and so am I."
I put my hand over hers. "I'm so glad, Lauren. You deserve it, especially after what Tyler put you through."
Tyler and Lauren had hooked up together after he and I had parted company. She'd fallen for him, but he'd played her and the field, promising he loved her, then cheating with Tanya, Kate, and Irina Denali. The rumors about the three girls and Tyler had raged very publicly through the town making Lauren's life a misery for a while since no one believed she couldn't have known about them. Eventually, it died down, but Lauren had been shy of relationships for a while after that disaster.
Picking up my coffee and taking a sip, I wondered what was missing from my life that both Jess and Lauren had found in theirs. Was it something lacking in me, or was it being with Alec? I mentally shrugged and tuned back into the conversation going on around me.
"What about you, Angela? Are you still with Eric?" I raised my eyebrows as the tip of Angela's ears turned pink. "Angela?" I repeated.
She took a deep breath, looking embarrassed.
"Umm, I met someone else, and I'm not proud of myself, but I cheated on Eric." She looked down, sucking her lip into her mouth. "I hope you're not too disappointed in me, Bella. I fell head over heels for Ben when we were both at UW. The long-distance thing just wasn't working for me with Eric, and we had already drifted apart."
"Of course not, Ang. We're all human, and though it wasn't ideal, I'm sure you did your best. The main question is—are you happy with Ben?"
If her slightly breathless, "Yes," hadn't clued me in, then the huge smile on her face certainly told me she was deliriously happy. She held out her hand proudly to show me the engagement ring that adorned her finger.
"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Ang, and jealous," I exclaimed. I took her hand to take a closer look at the ring. "It's so gorgeous."
"I hope you'll come to the wedding, Bella. You and Alec, of course."
"I'll be there, Ang, without a doubt. Do you have a date, yet?"
"We've discussed sometime in the autumn, but when we have a date, I'll let you know."
"What about you, Bella? Is there the sound of wedding bells?"
"Ah, we're not at that stage yet, Jess, but as soon as I know anything, you'll be the first to know."
We coordinated email addresses and phone numbers between the three of us before I insisted I had to get a move on to the supermarket. Angela and Lauren both had to get back to work, so Jess walked out with me.
Stepping outside into the cold winter air, I looked up to find the boy—now a man—I'd dreamed of only last night leaning against the very truck I'd drooled over less than an hour ago. Holy crow! In the nine years since I'd last laid eyes on him, he'd grown taller and filled out in all the right places.
Jess leaned into my side and whispered in my ear, "Oh, I forgot to tell you about him."
~ oOo ~
