Chapter 16

Songs:

Take On Me, a-ha (2017 acoustic version)
I'll Be Ok, Nothing More
All I Wanted, Paramore
Already Gone, Sleeping At Last

*Link to YouTube playlist in chapter one.

***PLEASE see A/N below about posting schedule change!***

October 2012 through February 2013

Bella

I swallow past the tightness in my throat. "It's how much?"

Alice waves a hand, completely missing my bugged-out eyes as she holds up a beautiful lavender dress. "It's only a hundred twenty. They're giving us a discount since they're from the spring collection." She spins on her heel and smiles, holding the hanger just under my chin. "Isn't it absolutely adorable? And it's so pretty. I'm sure you'll be able to wear it again."

"It is a pretty color."

"You should try it on." She looks around the dress shop. "Let me see if I can find someone to get this in your size." She disappears through the racks and I exhale.

Alice hasn't been quite the bridezilla I expected her to be, but she's focused. She knows exactly what she wants for her wedding, and I really can't blame her. I don't want to be the one to object or get in her way, especially when she so clearly knows what she wants me to wear.

Even I have to admit the dress is beautiful. When I step out of the dressing room, the way Alice's face lights up, I know she's already decided.

"It's perfect," she says, her hands clasped under her chin.

When the dress shop owner rings up my purchase, I reluctantly hand over my bank card. Between the dress, alterations, shoes, and accessories I have to buy, my wallet is taking a major hit. I could use their payment program, but they won't begin the alterations until it's paid in full. And according to Alice, buying the dress four months before the big day is already cutting it close.

Masen has been back to work for a couple of weeks, so things are starting to look up. But I'm still nervous about spending so much on something I know I'll only wear once, regardless of what Alice says.

"So, the guys are thinking of taking Jazz to Vegas for his bachelor party."

"Oh yeah?" I ask, absentmindedly playing with the chain around his neck. We're on the sofa, watching a movie. I'm resting my head on his chest as I lie between his spread legs, completely content.

"Yeah. They're going up a couple days before the wedding, and they'll be back the day of. And, uh, I'm invited."

That grabs my attention. I turn away from the television to look up at him. "Are you going?"

"Do you have a problem with it?"

I shrug a shoulder. "That's literally like days after your birthday. I thought we'd try to do something before the wedding that week."

"If you don't want me to go, I won't."

"Can you ..." My voice lowers. "I mean, Vegas is expensive, isn't it?"

"Not if I'm careful. The gas is nothing since we're riding up. Maybe I can room with one of the guys to save on the hotel. I'll ask Mac if he'll bunk with me." He sits up a little, pulling me with him. "But if you don't want me to go, I won't."

I tilt my head to kiss him lightly. "You've had a rough few months, Mase, and you deserve to go have some fun. Just don't go wild."

Masen's recovery was difficult ... on both of us. He wore the casts for nearly eight weeks, followed by physical therapy for another four. He got easily frustrated when he couldn't immediately do the things he could before, and it tested our relationship in new ways.

He's also sporting a limp that the doctors and physical therapist say will likely be permanent. He could use a few days away with the guys.

"I'll be on my best behavior," he murmurs, his breath fanning against my lips.

I grin as he moves in for a kiss. "You better be."

"Thanks for meeting me today." Alice kisses my cheek and slides into the booth, across from me.

"It sounded important when you called. What's up?"

Barely giving Alice a moment to look at the menu, the waitress interrupts to take her order before scurrying away.

"Good thing I knew what I wanted, huh?" Alice reaches for the straw on the table and rips the wrapper off, sticking the plastic in her glass and playing with the scrap of paper.

I raise a brow. "What was so important you needed to meet for lunch?"

She sighs and pulls harder on the paper, doing a great job of shredding it. "So, Jazz finally got around to talking to all of his groomsmen."

"And?"

She takes a deep breath and blows it out. "I'm worried you're going to be upset with me."

"Why would I be upset with you?"

Her answer is so quiet, I can hardly hear it over the commotion of the deli. "Because he asked E to be his best man."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Chatter and the sounds of a busy kitchen surround us, filling the silence and allowing me to absorb this new information. I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind, but I didn't want to dwell on the possibility.

"Does he know ..."

"That you're my maid of honor? Yes, he knows, which is why it took him so long to agree. And I totally understand if you want to back out, even though I'd rather run off and elope if you aren't going to be there."

I give her a terse smile. "That's a little dramatic, don't you think?"

She ditches the destroyed bits of her straw wrapper and reaches across the table for my hand. "Maybe, but it doesn't make it any less true. I really want you to be there."

I think about all the conversations I've had with Masen in the last few months, all the times I've insisted I want him to have Edward in his life so things can get to a new normal for all of us. And I know if I deny my friend this one thing, it will damage the bit of progress I've made in convincing my boyfriend what we need to do to get there.

I look up into her hopeful eyes and smile. "I'll be there."

This Christmas and New Year is much like the last; Masen and I decorate a small tree and exchange even smaller gifts, but it's perfect. And it's also a welcome respite from all things wedding-related. As the weeks fly by, Alice and Jazz's big day grows closer; the list of things to do also grows. There are registries and showers and things I didn't know I'd be responsible for when I agreed to be her maid of honor.

But the most difficult part, by far, is meeting Angela Weber at Alice's bridal shower.

"Oh, Angela!" Alice's greeting is overly enthusiastic as she opens the Cullens' door.

From the other room, my ears perk and my heart races at the mention of Seth's mother. I step lightly toward the doorway leading to the foyer to watch.

"Hi, Alice." The woman's voice is soft and not at all grating, which is irritating in itself for some reason. "Here," she says, handing Alice a wrapped present. "It's something from your registry."

She pushes her hair behind her ear, and I can see how pretty she is. Her dark hair and dark eyes are so much more rich than mine, exotic almost, and her unassuming smile is warm and inviting. It's a stab to my heart to know she caught Edward's eye that night. It makes me wonder if I was just never enough to hold him. The thought sends a pang of anguish through me.

"I wasn't sure what to get you," Angela continues.

"I'm sure it's great." Alice smiles, wrapping an arm around Angela's shoulders and guiding her toward the family room where the rest of the guests are. "If you want, grab something to drink. We'll be getting started soon."

"Thanks." Angela smiles and walks away, leaving Alice behind.

When her eyes find mine, she takes a deep breath and walks straight for me. "I didn't invite her," she quietly insists as she pulls me into the bathroom and locks the door. "Mom must've sent her an invitation."

"It's okay. I was just caught off guard when she walked in."

"Do you want me to ask her to leave?"

I shake my head. "No. It'll only make a scene. I don't need to give your mother another reason to hate me."

"Oh, Bella, Mom doesn't hate you. She ..."

I reach for her hand and squeeze it, ignoring her dismissal of Esme's feelings about me. "It's okay. I'm not here for her today. I'm here for you. And I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The rest of the afternoon is awkward, but I manage to get through it, dutifully writing down the names of who gifted what to Alice and making the cursory hat with the bows and ribbons from the discarded wrapping. Through the course of the day, I start to relax.

Angela isn't the malicious, horrible person I'd imagined she was. She's soft-spoken and polite, and some of the misplaced anger I've been carrying for her slips away. As Angela's getting ready to leave, Alice makes some off-hand remark about me almost being part of the Cullen family, and she finally realizes who I am.

Angela's reaction confirms my suspicions about her.

"Oh, god." Her hand covers her mouth and her eyes widen. "You're the Bella?"

My eyes snap to Alice and back to Angela. "Um, I guess so?"

"Can we ... can we talk before I go?"

I briefly consider telling her to shove it up her ass, but she's given me no reason to be unkind to her. And that niggling voice in the back of my mind reminds me that I'm trying to make an effort to move beyond all that. "Yeah," I finally say, leading her outside.

I walk far from the door and away from any prying ears, just in case Esme or Alice decide to try and be nosy.

She squares her shoulders, looking like she's readying herself for a fight. "I know you must hate me—"

"Angela, I don't hate you."

"You don't?"

I shake my head. "No. Not anymore, anyway."

"How can you not?"

My smile is small, rueful. "I guess I'm just doing my best to move past it all. What would hating you change?"

She's silent for a moment, likely stunned I don't want to claw her eyes out. "I just want you to know," she says, "if I had known he was—"

"But he wasn't. We weren't." I huff out a breath. "Look, everything was an absolute disaster back then, and you had nothing to do with any of it. You just happened to be there. If it wasn't you, it probably would have been someone else. I can't blame you for being in the wrong place at the wrong time ... well, from my perspective, anyway." I give her a small smile. "I guess you'd think differently, though."

She nods slowly, a smile of her own lighting her face. "If it hadn't happened, I wouldn't have Seth."

"He's ..." Tears sting my eyes, but I swallow them down, forcing a smile. "He's beautiful, Angela."

"You've seen him?"

I pause, deciding against telling her I sneaked into his nursery last year. But I still manage to tell her the truth. "Alice has shown me pictures. He's so precious."

"Thank you."

We stand in silence for a while, neither of us knowing what else to say.

"I should probably get back inside to help clean up," I say, thumbing over my shoulder.

"And I need to get back. I need to pick up Seth from his da— Yeah, I need to get back."

I nod and start to step away, but she stops me.

"I know we'll never be friends, but I hope we can be ... I don't know, friendly?"

I give her the most sincere smile I can manage. "Maybe someday."

"Are you back in your room already?"

"Yeah," Masen grunts. "I had 'nuff to drink." He hums, and the sound travels up my spine, warming me as I lie in our otherwise empty bed.

I've seen Masen when he's had too much to drink, and my imagination is running away from me. He's usually all hands and lips and wants to get naked. So, in my mind's eye, he's kicked back in bed, shirtless because he's overheated, his eyes closed, and I'm wishing I was there with him.

"Miss you," he whispers.

"You'll be home tomorrow."

"But you're not here now."

His whiny plea makes me giggle. "What would you do with me if I were?"

"Oh, you know 'xactly what I'd do to you, B." I can hear the rustle of fabric over the phone, and I wonder if he's going to jack it right there in his bed or if he's turning over so his roommate can't hear him. "I'd fuck you so good you'd be walking funny down that aisle tomorrow."

It's my turn to hum as my hand slides under the sheets and splays out over the warm skin of my belly, my fingertips tracing the edge of my panties. "Is that so? Maybe I'll dream about it." I bite my lower lip and grin as my eyes fall closed. "Or maybe I'll be dreaming about the show I watched tonight."

"What fuckin' show?"

"The one that came to Alice's bachelorette party."

"Who? Strippers?" His growl at the end makes my blood pump faster. Hearing him get upset with me for watching a show similar to what I'm a hundred percent sure he's seen tonight, hearing that territorial bullshit in his tone only makes me wetter.

"Maybe. But can you honestly tell me you haven't gotten an eyeful of tits and ass the last couple of days?"

He huffs, obviously called out on his hypocrisy. "But they weren't your tits and ass. I can actually touch yours."

I giggle and burrow deeper into the blankets. "Go to sleep, Mase. I'll see you tomorrow."

Thinking Alice Cullen wasn't a bridezilla quickly falls by the wayside as each passing hour brings us closer to the ceremony. She micromanages every detail, but we all do her bidding to keep her happy. I even endure speaking to Esme about the flowers just to keep the peace. Thankfully, she uses the fewest possible words to answer me, and we don't have to suffer through one another's presence a moment longer than necessary.

One of the hardest moments is waiting for things to begin. The wedding party, minus Alice, is behind the closed double doors, listening for our cue to line up. Edward lingers on the periphery, never getting too close, and it's almost a relief when the guys are called to take their places.

When the ceremony finally gets underway, everything falls perfectly into place. I watch from my spot in the lobby as a Cullen cousin walks down the aisle, followed by a couple of Alice's friends she made at the community college. Then it's my turn.

Before I step toward the doors, I turn to Alice and give her a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

She squeezes me tighter, and I can feel the happiness rolling off of her. "Thank you. I'm so happy you're part of today. It wouldn't be the same without you."

I pull back and smile at the blushing bride. "I wouldn't miss it."

Taking a deep breath, I turn toward the open double doors and step onto the aisle, my bouquet of deep purple flowers gripped tightly in my hand. As I look down the aisle, I see Jazz and Mac and a few of the other guys dressed in their cuts and their best jeans. But eventually my eyes zero in on Edward as he stands next to his soon-to-be brother-in-law.

My stomach ties in knots and my palms feel sweaty as I get farther down the aisle. But when I see Masen's beaming smile as he looks up at me from his seat, my focus changes, and a smile of my own spreads across my face. I take my place in front of the other bridesmaids and take another cleansing breath. I can feel Edward's eyes on me, but I don't dare look at him. Instead, I keep my eyes on the doors and watch as the flower girl, a distant relative of Jazz's, steps out and sprinkles rose petals on the white runner.

When Alice steps out, her arm in the crook of her father's, her happiness is contagious, and I smile right along with her. When she finally reaches Jazz, Carl kisses her cheek and takes his seat beside Esme. And as the happy couple say their vows and exchange rings, I can't help but wonder if I'll ever have this experience.

I turn then, looking out into the crowd and finding Masen. His eyes are only for me, and for the first time, I think that maybe I will have it ... someday.

After the happy couple's kiss, Edward escorts me back up the aisle. I haven't been this close to him in so long. The heat of his body as my arm loops through his and the masculine scent of him—so familiar yet not—cause confusing feelings to rush through me. I feel the simultaneous urge to both pull away and get closer to him. When we reach the lobby, I can't get away from him fast enough.

I wet a paper towel under the tap and press the cool, damp paper to the back of my neck. If I wasn't worried Alice would screech at me for messing up my makeup, I'd splash some water on my face. But it's enough to help me cool down.

When I finally leave the ladies room, Masen is waiting for me.

"You okay?" he asks, reaching for my hand.

"I'm fine."

I allow him to pull me into his arms. "Have I had a chance to tell you how beautiful you look today?"

I smile as I shyly avoid his gaze. "No. I haven't really talked to you since you got back from Vegas."

He tilts my chin up and places a gentle kiss on my lips. "Well, you do. And I might be biased, but you're the prettiest girl in the room."

"Don't let your sister hear you."

He smiles. "She can't argue with the truth."

I shake my head and smile up at him. "You sure are being smooth today."

His grin is cocky and confident, and it's one of the things I love about him. "How's that different from any other day?"

I peck his lips and smile. "It's not. Thank you, Mase."

He hovers nearby, protectively watching over me while the photographer orchestrates the wedding party to take the photographs. And whenever it feels like it's too much, I find Masen, and his smile makes everything better.

It isn't until the reception when we're all called to dance that I realize I'm going to have to be face to face with Edward for the duration of a song.

"So, I guess we have one more obligation to fulfill," I say as we make our way to the dance floor.

He grins, and I get a glimpse of the boy I fell in love with. "Yeah, one more."

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

He opens his arms to me, and I step into them. When the music begins, we sway side to side, and I don't dare look up at him. I keep my eyes on an anxious-looking Masen as he watches from a nearby table.

"Is it really that bad?" he asks.

"Depends on who you ask. 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."

Irritation runs through me, and I can't stop the retort from slipping from my mouth. "That's better than the way you left him last summer." He winces, and I close my eyes and shake my head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"No, it's okay. I deserved it." The music continues to play, and we're both silent, unsure what else is left to say. "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?"

I nod and look back at Masen, smiling. "I have. And yes, things are good."

"He makes you happy?"

I meet Edward's eyes then, and what I see—resignation and acceptance—brings me some kind of peace. It also helps me realize I'm ready to put the ugly past behind us so Masen can have his brother back in his life. Letting go of the hurt Edward caused me is a big part of that. "He does. He makes me very happy."

"Then that's all I wanted for you," he whispers.

I nod, and neither of us say anything else. When the music finally ends, we part ways and I make my way back to Masen.

"You good?" he asks me, his eyes full of concern as he cups my cheek.

"Yeah." I look over my shoulder, past the now-crowded dance floor, to watch as Edward finds Angela seated next to her date amongst the guests and takes Seth from her arms. The sight of him holding his son and the wide smile on his face brings me a strange sense of peace. I turn back to Masen and smile. "How about a dance?"

A/N: How are we feeling? I know some bits of this overlapped with the EPOV, but I think it was important to hear what they were both feeling and thinking during the same period of time. Bella's thoughts were pretty telling, I think. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

***POSTING SCHEDULE CHANGE*** School starts Monday for my kiddos, and I'll have one doing virtual classes and one with a hybrid schedule ... and I'll be playing taxi three days a week to avoid the bus. So, since we'll be adjusting to a new and slightly more hectic schedule, I'll be skipping posting next week. Chapter 17 of Shift will post on Friday, September 4, and next time we'll hear from Masen. I'm still debating if I'll be keeping a weekly posting schedule or posting every two weeks. My banked chapters are down to a few, so I'll see how it goes. But I'll definitely keep you all in the loop. As I said last chapter, be sure to read the fine print in the A/Ns. ;)

Remember, you can come chat with me in my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics. It's the very best way of keeping in touch with me. 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