Chapter 14

Songs:

King Of All Excuses, Staind
No Right to Love You, Rhys Lewis
Landslide, Fleetwood Mac
The Best Part of Me, Lee Brice
Alone, Pearl Jam
Careless Whisper, Seether

*Link to YouTube playlist in chapter one.

July 2012 through February 2013

Edward

"Yeah, I'll take a hoagie. Bag of chips, too."

"You got it, man," Mac says as he scribbles my order down on a slip of paper. He turns around and shouts across the shop floor, walking toward my brother. "Mase! You want anything? I'm making a run for lunch."

I get back to work, and by the time I'm done replacing the radiator, Mac is back with lunch. He hands out everyone's order, but my brother is nowhere to be seen.

"Mase not want anything?" I ask as I grab the paper bag with my name on it.

Mac looks back at me after handing Tank his bag. "He grabbed his as I walked in."

"Then where the fuck is he?" I look past Mac and see my brother across the lot, sitting at one of the picnic tables outside the clubhouse. "And who the fuck is with him? Is that ... is that Bella?"

I take a step in their direction, but Mac places a hand on my chest, holding me back. "Leave it."

"What the fuck is she doing here ... eating lunch with my brother?"

"He was out of cash. She came by to spot him and decided to stay."

I look past him and watch as Bella holds up her fork to Masen, feeding him a bite of whatever she's eating.

Confused as fuck about what I'm seeing, about what exactly my ex is doing here, I turn to Mac. "So, they're best friends now? Why the hell is she here, Mac?"

"I already told you, man. She brought him cash for lunch and decided to stay."

"I heard you, but I don't understand why he'd call her of all people to spot him some cash."

Mac looks at me like I'm a couple cans short of a six pack. "Because she's his roommate," he says slowly.

"What the fuck? Since when?"

He looks genuinely confused. "Since September. Do you not talk to your brother?"

I shake my head and look toward where my brother and his roommate are now laughing. "No. I haven't been to his place in months. Not since the day we helped him move in."

"That's like a year, man. If you'd talk to him outside of the shop, you'd know what's going on with him."

I turn back to Mac. "I've been a little preoccupied, Mac," I snap. "Having a kid kind of changes your priorities." My face contorts, the facts I thought I knew tumbling around in my head. "She's been living there the whole time? In that tiny ass apartment?"

He shrugs a shoulder. "She moved in on her birthday."

"Why wouldn't he tell me?"

"Probably because he knows you'd flip." He turns and walks away, leaving me standing there as confused as ever.

I can't dispute what he says, either. If I'd have known she moved in, I probably would have lost my shit. Just the thought of those two sharing that studio apartment, the small, open space with no walls to separate the bedroom from the rest of the room ... All sorts of scenarios go through my head, none of them any better than the rest.

But she's not yours anymore. You let her go, asshole, I think to myself.

I plop my ass on an overturned crate at the side of the building and tear into my lunch. The bread and cold cuts are practically tasteless as I stare at the two of them inching closer and closer. And when they stand, there's no doubt left about just how close they've become.

As she wraps her arms around his neck, he snakes his hands down and slips them into her back pockets, pulling her against him. Their foreheads are pressed together, Masen's mouth moves, and Bella's cheeks lift as she smiles. And just to add insult to injury, he kisses her, and I think I'm going to throw up.

The way they kiss, all lips and tongue and roaming hands, makes it clear they're intimately acquainted.

I toss what's left of my lunch into the paper bag, balling it all in my fists as I watch her pull away from him. The way she steps back, her finger hooked through his belt loop like she doesn't want to go ... I remember that look. And I remember feeling like I never wanted to let her go when she looked at me that way.

But I did.

She climbs into Masen's Honda, waving as she drives out of the lot, my brother staring after her like a lovesick fool. When she's finally gone, he turns and walks back toward the shop, a wide smile on his face.

"Would ya look at that smile?" Mac teases as my brother steps back inside. "You and B were looking pretty cozy out there, Mase."

"You a voyeur now, Mac?" Masen laughs and punches him in the shoulder as he walks past, going back to the brake job he's working on.

I stare at my brother, hoping he'll look my way, but he doesn't. And it pisses me the fuck off. I give up trying to be passive about the whole thing and walk over to him.

"Wanna tell me what the fuck you're doing?"

He sighs. "About what, E?"

"You wanna tell me why you've kept the fact that you're living with my ex from me?"

He shrugs a shoulder. "Didn't want to piss you off." He looks up at me then, and his eyes narrow. "It's not really any of your fucking business, anyway, is it?"

I laugh, even though this fucked up situation is completely devoid of any humor. "Oh, I'd say it's my business. My brother and my Bella are fucking living together," I seethe.

"Your Bella?" he scoffs. "She hasn't been yours for a long time, bro."

I ignore him calling me out on my Freudian slip and forge ahead. "And judging by the way you were pawing at her in the parking lot just a few minutes ago, you're a little more than just roommates."

He turns to fully face me with a challenge in his eyes. "And so what if we are?"

"It's not right, man." I shake my head as I step toward him. "And you know it. Otherwise, you would have told me ... owned up to it."

"Why? So you could talk me out of it? So you could trash talk her and treat her like shit? Nah, man. She needed a place to stay, and I offered her one."

"And you so conveniently had a spot in your bed?"

"Not that it matters, but I slept on the couch for fucking months." It's his turn to step toward me, getting in my face. "She needed a friend. I was there to pick up the pieces after you and her asshole father nearly destroyed her, so don't come at me and tell me it's not right. You can take that shit and shove it up your ass."

"You looked a little more than friendly out there."

"I guess you could say we've gotten to be a little more than friendly." His grin is mocking, and his voice lowers. "After all, I've taken back my spot in the bed."

It's just enough to set me off, and I take a swing at him. He's caught off guard and stumbles back through the bay door, holding his jaw.

"What the fuck, man?" Mac shouts from behind us.

"What happened to the bro code, Mase?" I yell as I charge toward him, swinging at him again before he can fully straighten to defend himself.

He spits onto the pavement before standing. "There's no bro code here, man. You fucking destroyed her."

Even though it's not his fault—even though the responsibility of what happened rests completely on my shoulders—I go on the offensive, my right hook catching him in the side. "And you were all too happy to help her, huh?"

"Somebody had to." He manages to get in a few hits of his own, and they only fuel my anger and confusion. I'm angry Masen is the one who had to fix Bella, be there for her, and it led them to being together. And I'm confused because it's what I told her to do ... to move on and forget about me.

I just didn't realize it would be with my brother.

If this is a fraction of what Bella felt—blindsided and betrayed—feelings I exacted on her, I'm the lowest kind of scum. And the only way I know how to soothe the sharp, self-inflicted pain is to lash out.

We pull away, our chests heaving as we stare at each other. Words I don't really mean, words meant to cut, tumble out of my mouth. "You like my sloppy seconds?"

He charges at me like a raging bull. And it's exactly what I want.

The punches and kicks feel like some kind of penance, and I end up just lying there and taking it. Before my brother can put me out of my misery, the guys pull Mase off of me, leaving me on the pavement, sprawled out and staring at the sky.

"You have no right, man. No right to say anything," Mase yells, wiping his forearm across his bleeding mouth. "You fucked her up and left her to fend for herself. So get the fuck outta here with your brooding, selfish bullshit. She's happy. I"—he stabs himself in the chest with his finger—"make her happy. And if you really gave two shits about her, you'd see that and get over yourself."

The sound of Mase's bike firing up comes moments later, and when he rides away, I'm still staring up at the clouds.

Mom runs up then and starts fussing over me, her hands ghosting over my bruised and battered face. "Oh my god, Edward! Are you okay? What did he do to my baby?"

I shoo her hands away and try to sit up. "Stop. I'm fine."

"And Mase wonders why I don't think he should prospect," Pop mumbles as he reaches a hand out to help me up. Once I'm on my feet, his eyes lock on mine. "Old lady drama will tear brothers apart every time."

I shake my head, looking toward the gates. "No, this one's on me, Pop." I turn back to him. "Don't hold my mistakes against him."

Like the nosey assholes they all are, the rest of the guys are all gathered outside, watching the end of the show.

"Back to work," Pop shouts. "I don't pay you all to stand around."

I head for the sink in the back to wash the sweat and blood from my face and hands. Then I get back to the job I was working on before lunch, before I let my temper get hold of me. By the time I'm done installing a new set of coolant lines, Mom pops her head out of the office.

"Uh ..."

"What is it?" Pop asks her.

Mom's eyes meet mine, and I know something is wrong.

"I just got a call from the hospital. It's Masen."

We're all crowded in the ER waiting room, anxious to hear what Masen's injuries are. The nurse said he's alert and talking, but he hasn't given permission for any of us to come back.

The only information Pop was able to get from the officer who responded to the call was that Mase was involved in a traffic accident. Someone pulled out in front of him, and he swerved to avoid crashing into them. But he must've over corrected, because he laid his bike down. We don't know how fast he was going or if he actually hit anything, but if he's awake, it's a good sign.

The automatic doors of the ER slide open, and a distraught Bella rushes through them. She goes directly for the desk, and I wait for them to tell her to take a seat, but they don't. I'm as surprised as the next guy that the woman at the desk doesn't direct her to the waiting room. Instead, she picks up the phone and speaks to whomever is on the other end before waving Bella through the doors separating the waiting room from the triage area.

"Well, ain't that some shit," Mac mumbles from beside me.

"Yeah." I rise from my seat and go in search of a vending machine. I walk past a different set of double doors that lead to the treatment area just as they're closing. I slip through them and seek out my brother.

I walk slowly with my head up, looking like I know where the fuck I'm going so no one questions me. I first walk through a room where every patient is curtained off, but I don't see Bella's sandal-covered feet peeking out anywhere. Turning a corner, I find a hallway, this time with doors that lead to patient rooms. Whiteboards are posted next to each door, and when I find the one with Masen's name scrawled on it, I hover just outside.

"I was so scared," Bella says, her voice breaking, like she's about to dissolve into tears at any moment.

"I'm okay, babe. It's nothing that won't heal," Mase reassures her. "They'll patch me up and send me home with some good drugs. Then I'll have you to play nursemaid to me for a few weeks."

"Oh, shut up." Bella sniffles and giggles, and I know she's doing her best not to cry. "I thought ... when they called, they couldn't tell me how bad you were hurt, so I thought the worst the whole drive over. They couldn't tell me ..." Her emotions get the better of her, and she bursts into tears.

"Shh. Come here." It's quiet for a moment, the sounds of her crying tearing me apart. "I'm okay," Masen says softly. "It's okay, baby."

"I just ... Nothing can happen to you, Mase. I love you so much, and ..."

Her words spoken to my brother slice through me, white hot, and as I stumble away from his hospital room, I'm wishing I could trade places with my brother so I could feel the pain he's feeling.

I'm sure it would hurt less.

Mase has been out of work for weeks, and I still haven't gone over to see him. I'm not sure how much of that is me not wanting to see him or not wanting to run into Bella. Mac keeps me updated. He and his old lady have gone by a couple times to drop off food or to hang out with him, and I'm not sure why it bothers me so much.

Even if I'm not ready to see him—them—I feel like it should be me helping Mase get through this.

My brother is still healing from a broken arm and broken leg, not to mention a concussion. But he still lucked out. Another second in either direction and it could have been so much worse. The fact that he rode off angry after our fight makes me feel responsible, though. Maybe if we hadn't fought, he wouldn't have left like that—angry and not paying attention.

When a beer run for the club has me driving past Masen's place one Saturday afternoon a few weeks later, I get the balls to knock on his door.

"Just a sec!" he calls out from inside. It's several minutes and a few muffled curses before he opens the door. "E?"

"Hey, man. How are you doing?"

He looks down at his casted arm and leg and chuckles before looking back up at me. "As good as can be expected." He hobbles around on his single crutch. "Come on in. I still can't stand for too long."

"Yeah, thanks." I walk past him and into his apartment. It's darkened, but I can still see remnants of Bella everywhere I look. The bed on the far side of the room is unmade, and her tiny shorts and tank are tossed on the sheets. The space even smells like her, but I push those thoughts away, focusing on why I'm here.

He closes the door behind me and slowly hobbles toward a well-worn armchair, unceremoniously plopping down into it. "So, what brings you by?" he asks. His tone is ... clipped. I'm sure he's leery of why I've decided to finally visit.

I did try to kick his ass the last time I saw him.

"I was in the neighborhood?" We both chuckle at my lame attempt to be nonchalant. "No, really. I was on a beer run for the club and thought I'd stop by. I haven't seen you since your accident. How have you been? Really?"

He shrugs. "Ya know ... sitting on my ass most of the day, feeling useless. How about you? Sounds like you're the club's errand boy if you're making a beer run."

"Things are good. Staying busy with work, Seth, the club." I shrug a shoulder. "I can't complain. Mac says he's stopped by a few times."

"He has. Him and Rose. She gets along with Bella pretty well, so it's nice for her to have someone to talk to."

"She doesn't do much with Alice anymore?"

He looks at me funny, and I realize how out of touch that sounded. "No, not really," he replies slowly. "Between Ali's classes and the time she spends with Jazz, she's pretty busy. And the rest of her free time, she's helping out with Seth. She's just got other things going on. Besides, Bella stays busy, too. She's working full time for Mrs. Clearwater, plus she went and got a paper route to make some extra cash, so she's up before the sun every day for that."

"She really needs two jobs?"

"While I'm out of work? Yeah, man. I could cover everything on my paycheck, but since I haven't been paid in a month, it's all on her right now, Which sucks ass. But it is what it is. We'll figure it out."

"You can't claim short term disability or anything?"

He shakes his head. "I opted out of it."

"What about your bike insurance?"

"They're fighting it. They might pay the medical shit, but they're fighting that, too. The ass who pulled out in front of me didn't stick around, so it's turning into an uninsured motorist claim. And I've still got a bike payment to make." He shakes his head and sighs. "It's a clusterfuck, man."

"Sounds like it. You, uh ... you need any help? I could loan you the—"

"Nah, I've got it handled."

"You mean Bella has it handled?"

"I mean we have it handled."

I nod, looking down at my lap. "I wanted to apologize for what happened that day." I look up at him. "I doubt you would've ridden off the way you did if I hadn't started that shit. I feel like this is all my fault."

"It's not. I was every bit as much to blame as you were, E. And honestly, I was expecting you to wail on me when you found out. Guess I just wasn't ready for it that day."

"Still, I had no right to ... yeah. I'm sorry."

We sit in silence for a while, neither of us sure of what to say. When Masen's phone chimes with a text, and he smiles down at the screen, I know my time is up.

"I should probably get going," I say as I rise from the couch.

"You sure? You can stick around and—"

"I'm sure. And I'm sure my face is the last one Bella wants to see after working all day. I'll try to stop by another night next week. Maybe I'll bring a pizza or something."

"Sure, man." He starts to try to get up, but I hold out my hand.

"Stay put. I can see myself out."

"Thanks. I'm still mastering the getting around part of this mess."

"See ya later, Mase."

With one last look toward the bed my brother shares with the woman I still love, I slip out of the apartment.

"Here's the infant Tylenol." Angela hands me the small dropper bottle. "I just gave him some before we left the house, so he won't be due for any more for at least four hours. And try the numbing stuff first."

I'm holding my cranky fifteen-month-old in my arms, bouncing him. "Anything else?"

Ang sighs. "No, I think that's it. I'll be back to get him tomorrow before lunch, if that's okay?"

I look down at my boy. "We'll be fine, won't we, buddy?"

"Dada, go!" he grunts out as he pounds a tiny fist against my chest.

"See? We'll be fine."

"Okay."

"So, you've been out with this guy a few times, right? Ben?"

"Yeah, Ben. We've been dating for almost six months."

"So, things are getting kind of serious, then?"

"You could say that."

"I'd uh ... I'd like to meet him."

Angela's brow furrows. "Why?"

I shrug a shoulder, reaching for the toy Seth's dropped. "If he's going to be around my kid, I think I should meet him. And it doesn't have to be a big deal. We could grab some dinner and chat. Or he could just be there when we trade off."

"I don't know ..."

"Look, I'm not expecting you to base your decision to continue seeing him on what I think, but if he's going to be part of Seth's life, at the very least I have a right to meet him."

She sighs and reluctantly nods. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll talk to him and see what he says."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She steps closer to us and kisses the top of Seth's head. "Mommy will see you tomorrow. Have fun with Daddy, baby boy."

"Mama, go!" It's his mother he pounds his tiny fists on this time.

"Okay, okay, Mama's gonna go. Bye, baby." She grabs her bag, and after giving the kid one more kiss, she's gone.

"So, what kind of trouble are we gonna get into tonight, huh?" I open the fridge to see what my dinner options are and settle into my typical, mundane Saturday night.

Most weeks, I get Seth at least one night over the weekend. I see him through the week, but it's rarely for an overnight. It just makes more sense for him to sleep at Angela's. My selfish need to have him with me when I'd just have to wake him up early to take him to his mother before work is just that ... selfish.

Angela's mom watches him during the day while we're working, and so far, our system works for us. We don't have an official custody agreement. Instead, we've agreed to work out the details of visitation and support without any outside influence.

In the beginning, Angela's parents tried to convince her to sue me for sole custody, but she was adamant she wouldn't keep me from my son. I know I dodged a bullet as far as baby mommas go, and I'm forever grateful.

Seth is the best part of my life.

The last time I spoke to Bella, had any kind of conversation with her, I told her I wanted to focus on my son, and I've done that. She allowed me to do that. The day I heard her voice through the baby monitor as she held and comforted Seth will forever be etched in my memory. It was the day I was reminded what a selfless, amazing woman she is. Hearing her tell him she wouldn't stand in the way of my being there for him singlehandedly broke me and knitted me back together.

It helped me realize my sacrifice—giving up Bella and a life with her—wasn't for nothing. And I won't squander Bella's sacrifice of giving up on us, either.

It's been a slow adjustment, getting used to the life I've chosen. But when this little boy looks up at me and smiles, I know I've made the right choice.

I'm in the main room of the clubhouse, sipping on a beer and waiting on Pop and the rest of the guys to come out of the chapel. There's a mouse on the other side of the bar, rambling on and on about some band she saw in concert over the weekend. As pretty as she is, she's like all the rest of the women who hang around here—overdone and overeager. But it hasn't stopped me from entertaining a few of them in recent months.

They say the first time is the hardest, and it was. I was gun shy after I knocked up Angela, afraid to go anywhere near a woman for months and months for fear I'd have another fuck up. But my fears didn't last forever, and eventually I caved to my baser needs. I'm not proud to say I closed my eyes and thought of Bella as I fucked that first girl. And it wasn't the last time that happened, either.

Even if there's no real connection, sometimes feeling something is better than feeling nothing.

The doors of the chapel swing open, and everyone walks out—some smiling, others not.

"Why do half of you look like somebody ran over your dog?" I ask Jazz as he steps behind the bar for a drink.

He raises a brow as he twists the top off the bottle. "Not sure I should tell you, Prospect," he says with a grin.

"Cut the shit. You know you're gonna tell me."

He laughs and nods his head, looking up at the mouse. "Why don't you go see if anybody needs a drink, hon?" After she hops off the stool and runs off, Jazz looks back to me. His voice low. "Carl got a tip about a business arrangement that could make us some extra cash."

"And not everyone is on board?"

"No. I'm not a hundred percent sure I am, either."

"What is it?"

"Seems good 'ol Chief Swan came to your dad with a proposition."

Anger pulses through my veins at the mention of Bella's dad. "And what did he propose?"

"He's got a connection across the border who's looking to buy some firepower for a friend of theirs. And your dad knows where we can get them some."

"So, he wants to be a middleman for a bunch of thugs?"

"No, not thugs." He leans in close. "More like an organization. And they're offering to make sure their business stays out of this town if we keep them supplied."

"So, we're talking cartel shit?"

He nods, sipping from his bottle and looking out over the room.

"And Pop wants to get mixed up with these people?"

Jazz shrugs. "It would mean a steady flow of cash. And we could all use some extra." He grins wide. "Your dad does have a wedding to pay for ... I've got a honeymoon to pay for."

Jazz asked Alice to marry him just last month, and they're planning a late February wedding. He also asked me to be his best man. I've tried really hard not to think about who Alice might have asked to be her maid of honor.

"Are we talking that much cash? Is it really worth it?" I ask.

"When we could all sock away a few grand every run ... yeah, it's worth it."

I groan as the light shining through the windows pulses through my eyelids. The pounding in my head is enough to make me keep them closed. The bed jostles as the space beside me is vacated, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm not in the mood to deal with a clinger this morning.

It's another few minutes before the door to my hotel room opens and closes. I roll onto my back and test out my equilibrium. When the room isn't spinning and I don't feel like I'm going to throw up, I figure I can open my eyes.

Jazz's Vegas bachelor party was memorable. It was the first time I really let loose since Seth was born, and it helped me blow off some steam. We hit up a few casinos before settling on a strip joint. Jazz got lap dance after lap dance as the guest of honor of our little group, but he was strictly hands-off, enjoying the show with his eyes.

My sister will be happy to know he was a good boy.

Most of the guys, the ones tied down to old ladies at home behave themselves when they're out. They might look, chat up the ladies who sniff around, but very few of them disappear with any of them.

But even after all these years and all his past sins, my father still indulges in what the locals have to offer.

The mid-week trip also doubled as a twenty-first birthday party for Mase. Even surrounded by debauchery at every turn, he kept a level head and his hands to himself. I caught him more than once texting or calling someone. I don't have to guess who was on the other end.

A knock on the door has me sitting up on the edge of my bed, holding the side of my head.

"E!" Jazz shouts. "We need to get down to breakfast so we can hit the road."

I grab my jeans and pull them on as I walk to the door, opening it to a far too chipper-looking Jasper Whitlock and my brother right beside him. "I'll be down in a few."

"Whoa, man." Jazz looks over my shoulder and into the room. "You alone in there?"

"I am now."

"Then hurry up." His eyes widen and he smiles. "I've got a date tonight."

The ride home is ... difficult. My head is still throbbing and my body aches. But the closer we get to home, the better I start to feel. Some of it is the ibuprofen working its magic on my headache, and the rest of it is knowing my baby sister is getting married tonight.

It isn't the whirlwind of activity I expect when we arrive at my parents' house. Alice is already at the venue with Mom and her bridesmaids, and all the shit that had to be taken over there is already gone. It's just Jazz, Pop, Mac, me, and the rest of the club hanging out and wasting time till we need to ride over.

"You sure you're ready for this?" I ask my soon to be brother-in-law.

"I am." He grins widely. "She's it for me, man. When you know, you know."

"Yeah," I reply, remembering when I knew. I tip back my glass, the two fingers I've poured myself burning on its way down.

"Hey," Jazz says quietly. "You gonna be okay tonight? I tried to tell Alice it wasn't a good idea to put you two together, but she's got it in her head how she wants the procession to go, and there was no changing her mind."

"It'll be fine, man. I have to face her some time, right? And besides, I wouldn't do anything to make a scene at your wedding. It'll be fine," I repeat, mostly to myself.

And it is.

With no more than polite greetings, Bella and I take our places outside the main room of the venue. When the call comes, I follow behind Jazz, and we all take our positions, lined up behind him at the altar.

One by one, Alice's bridesmaids walk down the aisle, all dressed in deep purple dresses. When Bella steps out and starts walking toward us, my breath catches. Wearing a light purple dress and with her hair pulled back to show off her heart-shaped face and graceful neck, she's ... fucking breathtaking. A vision of an impossibility—her walking down the aisle toward me—assaults my mind, but when her attention is drawn to my grinning brother as he sits in the crowd, those visions evaporate like light rain on hot pavement.

When she takes her spot on the other side of the minister, I can't take my eyes off her. As she watches the flower girl walk toward us, she smiles. Bella's face fucking lights up as the bride walks toward the groom, but I can't spare a glance for my sister. Bella's smile is blinding, and it nearly knocks me off my feet.

It's been so long since I saw her smile.

During the ceremony, she's focused on the happy couple, and I'm so distracted by her, I nearly miss my cue to hand Jazz the rings. When they're pronounced man and wife, they turn to the crowd, Jazz dipping my sister low for a kiss. Everyone laughs, even Bella, and I'm once again struck dumb by the happiness radiating from her. But when she makes eye contact with my brother seated in the audience, my heart sinks.

I'm instantly reminded that she's not mine anymore.

As we file in behind Alice and Jazz, I offer Bella my arm. Without so much as a word, she takes it, and we follow the happy couple to the lobby. Once we're out of the view of all the guests, Bella whispers an "Excuse me" and leaves my side, disappearing into the ladies' room until it's time to take pictures.

It's tense and slightly uncomfortable being so close to her while the photographer pairs us up in more than a few photos. But we do it ... for my sister. When we're all called to dance as a wedding party, I swallow my nerves. And the look on Bella's face as she approaches me makes me question my sister's sanity in choosing to pair us up.

"So, I guess we have one more obligation to fulfill," she says as falls in step at my side as we make our way to the dance floor.

"Yeah, one more."

"And then we don't have to pretend anymore?"

I open my arms, and her hand slides into mine as my other goes to her waist as the music begins. "Is it really that bad?" We sway side to side, not really moving.

"Depends on who you ask." She looks pointedly past me. "Your brother looks like he's about to mow people down to get to me."

"I promise to return you to him in the same condition in which I received you."

"That's better than the way you left him last summer." I wince, and she shakes her head. "I'm sorry," she says, "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, it's okay. I deserved it." The music continues to play, and the longer we stand like this, the easier it gets. "I'm sorry, Bella, for everything."

"As you've said. But I'm not so sure it makes a difference at this point."

"But you've moved on, right? Things are good?"

She nods, a small, secret smile lighting her face. "I have. And yes, things are good."

"He makes you happy?"

She looks up then, and the pain I saw in her eyes the last time I looked into them is nearly gone, replaced with a light I haven't seen in a very long time. "He does. He makes me very happy."

"Then that's all I wanted for you," I whisper, acceptance seeping into my bones. Now that I've seen her up close, seen in her eyes that she's happy, content, I feel like I can finally put the ugly past behind us.

I may still love the woman in my arms, but her happiness is more important than anything else. And knowing that she makes my brother equally happy ... well, I couldn't want anything more for him either.

When the song ends, she slips out of my arms and goes back to my brother. Watching him hold her, seeing the smile she has for only him, the one she'll never again give me, the pain of losing her feels fresh. The only thing that brings me peace is knowing that two of the people I most care for have each other.

A/N: Was that what you were expecting to hear from Edward? We'll be getting Bella's POV of this timeframe as well in the next two chapters, so you'll find out soon how she was feeling about everything. I'd love to know what you think!

The Facebook group, A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, is now accepting entries for our Halloween edition! Come check it out and enter!

The Golden Onion Awards are also being hosted by TwiFandomNews dot com, and they also have a FB group where you can find a link to vote for your favorites. I'm nominated in several categories, alongside some fabulous authors and creators. You can vote once daily through August 27th.

Remember, you can come chat with me in my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics, even if it's just to talk about your day or share a meme or joke. Anything to make each other smile. I also share teasers and chapter pics there. You can also follow me on Twitter at CSunshine1220.

Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.

Lots of love
~Sunshine