EPOV

I'm driving back home from dropping Liam off with our regular babysitter, Mrs. Cope, when I see Bella pull up outside of Marie Makes Cakes, and even though I have work to do at home, I pull over and park behind her.

"Hey there," I call out as Bella is opening the front door. "What's going on?"

"Oh, Edward, hi." Bella looks startled as she turns around and smiles. "I was just going to check out the bakery. Where's Liam?"

My heart swells a little at her question. "He's with his babysitter. I have some work to do at home, and he would have been more hindrance than help."

"Aw, I would have liked to have seen him again," she says softly, and I can't help but fall for her a little more. And I don't have to wonder when that started happening, I know. When she helped him at dinner the other night, when she got down on his level and spoke to him, and when she carried him out to my car. Those were just a few ways that I began to fall. Liam is the best part of me and my world, and anyone who cares about him has got to be worth it.

"So, what are you doing?" I ask as she pushes open the door and beckons me inside. The shop has seen better days, but it's the same as it was when Marie had the aneurysm and everyone was scrambling to help and call 911.

"I got the keys today; Grandma left me the shop and her house," Bella explains as she picks up an overturned chair. "I just thought I'd come by and see what, if anything, needs to be fixed up in here."

"We cleaned out the display cases and the fridges when she went into the hospital." I remember that day vividly. Marie looked so frail and old as she fell down to the linoleum.

"That was nice of you." Bella's quiet as she sits down in a bistro chair and sighs. "I have to decide what do with the place. Her house too, I guess."

"We're technically neighbors now," I say with a smile as I sit down across from her. "I live just two doors down."

"Hey, neighbor," Bella says, and her smile lights up the dingy room.

I was going to ask her out tomorrow for dinner, but I can't help myself. "When are you headed back to Seattle?"

"I was going to head back Monday, but I think I can let my employees run the shop for a week or two while I figure this out." She gestures around the old store.

"How about dinner tonight?"

"I thought you had work to do around your place?" she asks with a coy smile.

I do have work to do, but I can put it off indefinitely for her.

"It can wait. I just need to find a sitter for tonight," I say and pull out my phone to scroll through my contacts.

"Why not ask my dad and Sue?" She shrugs. "I'll head home and ask them myself. Let me have your number."

We exchange phones and numbers, and Bella and I walk out of the shop together. Saying goodbye on the sidewalk, I get a promise from her that she'll text me about Liam when she gets home.

Several hours later, I pull up in front of the Swans' house again and turn around in my seat to talk to Liam.

"Are you sure you're okay staying with Mister Charlie and Miss Sue for the night? You might be asleep by the time Bella and I get back from dinner," I tell him honestly. I try not to sugarcoat things with him. He might be three, but he's bright.

"I'm fine, Daddy," Liam says from his car seat. "Are you gonna kiss Bewa? 'Cause boys and girls are 'possed to kiss when they eat dinner." He's so serious and somber, as if he's passing me sage advice.

"What do you know about kissing girls?"

"Mister Charlie awways kisses Miss Sue after dinner. He did it on Fanksgiving!" Liam is getting excited, and it takes everything I have to suppress a laugh.

"Do you think I should kiss Bella? How do you feel about that?"

"She's nice and she's pretty." He taps a finger to his lip as if he's giving this some serious thought. "If you kiss her, will that make her my new mommy?"

Uh oh.

"Buddy, I know we've talked about this a little bit." I search for the right words. "Just because Daddy goes out with some nice ladies, it doesn't mean they're going to be your mommy. You understand that, right?"

"Yeah, but Bewa likes me, and she smells like cookies, Daddy!"

I can't argue with that. "That she does, but maybe we don't jump the gun, okay?"

"You got it, Daddy."

We climb the porch and I let Liam ring the bell, and after a moment, Sue answers the door. "If it isn't two of the most handsome men I know!"

"Hi, Miss Sue," Liam says as Sue lets us inside. "Daddy is gonna kiss Bewa tonight."

Sue stifles a laugh as she takes my son's coat. "Is he now? Well, I think the chief might want to talk to him about that."

"Am I in trouble?"

"That depends," Sue says with a gentle smile. "Liam, why don't we go put some chicken nuggets and Tater Tots in the air fryer and get dinner ready. Edward, Charlie's in the den."

I nod and head down the hall to the den and see Charlie sitting in his recliner, watching the news. "Hi, Chief."

"Don't you 'hi' me, Edward Cullen. Taking my daughter out to dinner and getting me to watch your rugrat? I thought more of you." He won't even look up at me from his chair, and for a moment, I believe his schtick. That is until I see his mustache twitch.

"You didn't ask me what my intentions with your daughter are," I tell him as I sit on the small love seat across the room. "That would have sold it."

"I couldn't be happier if I picked out a date for Bella, but the fact is she can take care of herself. She's a grown woman, and she can make her own decisions. I like you though, so don't do anything dumb," Charlie says and clears his throat as Bella walks into the room.

When I told her where we were going, she wondered if she had anything appropriate to wear. I don't know about appropriate, but she's gorgeous in black skinny jeans and a dark blue silk blouse.

"Did he clean his guns in front of you?" Bella asks as she leans down and kisses her dad on the cheek. "He used to do that when I was in high school."

"I did not. But I did warn him that you know how to handle yourself." Charlie stands up. "Have fun, you two. I think I smell chicken nuggets." He wanders up the hall and disappears into the kitchen.

"You make flannel look nice," Bella says with a laugh, and I nervously finger the black tie I threw on.

"You look beautiful. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure, can I say hi to Liam first?"

Tick off another reason to like Bella Swan, and I worry I might be completely head over heels by the time the date is over.