Firstly, I'd like to say a huge thank you to almost everybody for being so unfailingly kind in your reviews. I'm not one to shy away from constructive criticism and I enjoy those reviews just as much as the super sweet ones. That said, if you have an issue with me or anything I post to go along with my stories, please feel free to shoot me a message here or on Facebook. Nitpicking GRs will just get deleted from now on.

Heavy note dealt with...

Chapter Thirteen

Edward

In our eagerness to stumble into bed last night, neither of us remembered to close the drapes. The warmth of the sun shining through the windows wakes me. The next thing to register is shock.

I never sleep past sunrise.

Tightening my grip around Bella, I hum into her hair and make no effort to stifle the grin curling up against her shoulder. Every muscle aches, but it's a delicious agony as I shift at her back and feel myself stirring against her thigh.

"Mmm, good morning," Bella groans softly, arching her hips back into me.

Between lingering kisses against the soft skin joining her neck and shoulder, I wish I were still in my twenties. My mind is all for round...three? Maybe four. But my traitorous body is protesting. My shoulder cracks as I adjust my hold and stroke light circles over her stomach with my thumb.

"How did you sleep?" I murmur, clearing my throat.

"Like a log." Twisting in my arms, she flashes me a still-sleepy grin, presses a closed-mouthed kiss on my lips, and snuggles up against my chest. The feeling of rightness is as comforting as it is unexpected, her slight body a perfect fit to mine. More so when she throws a leg over my waist and wiggles even closer, like she can't get close enough. I'm not complainin'. I've never been a cuddler, but this…

It's perfect.

"How did you sleep, handsome?"

"Like a log," I echo, glancing toward the clock. I'm more than a little stunned to see that it's past eight. "I haven't slept this late in years.

"I'm so glad Mom believed my story," she admits after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Her nails lightly scratch up and down my back; from my shoulder blades to the spot where my back meets my ass, and back up.

"Me, too."

Just as I was passing out after the best blowjob of my life, the beep of Bella's phone on the floor reminded us that her parents were expecting her home. Having to worry about parental expectations isn't something I've had to deal with for over twenty years. She managed to shoot off a text to Renee, explaining that she was staying in the apartment above the restaurant as the clean up had taken longer than expected and she was too tired to walk home. Thankfully, Renee seemed to buy it.

Bella blows out a relieved sounding sigh, showing me the illuminated screen with Renee's message.

Okay, honey. Make sure Edward locks up behind himself when he leaves. Give me or Dad a call if you need a ride home in the morning xxx

"Does that mean I get to keep you here?"

The rosy flush that steals over Bella's cheeks makes me wish I were twenty years younger and had heaps more stamina than I actually do. "It sure does, if you want me to stay?"

Instead of answering her out loud, I gently take the phone and set it on the floor, pulling her down against my chest so I can get one last taste of her sweet lips before I crash.

My arms instinctively tighten as she makes to move away, pulling me from a memory I already know I'll never want to forget. Her light, lilting laugh brightens the room and my mood more than the morning sun already has.

"I need to pee, dammit. Let me up."

I hesitate for a beat before pressing a quick kiss against her forehead, breathing her in. She smells like sex and sin all rolled into one. A gentle smile and the caress of her fingers through my beard are my very welcome thanks. Not to mention the stunning view of her naked back as she escapes my hold and sashays toward the bathroom. Propping myself up on one arm, I can't help but adjust myself through the sheet. She's all tan skin, flowing pink-purple hair, and curves in all the right places. There's the barest hint of nerves in her eyes as she glances back over her shoulder before shaking her head with a soft giggle and ducking out of sight, the door clicking shut behind her.

While she takes care of business, I shuffle up the bed a little to recline against the headboard with a sigh. I used to think of myself as a strong man—someone more than capable of handling emotions and wants. It's been a long time since I caved to anything, but giving into Bella last night wasn't something I could have resisted. I've tried. God knows I've tried. With her steel eyes and the taste of Oreo and something that I now know is inherently Bella on her lips, there was no amount of self control on the planet strong enough to withstand the temptation she posed.

The guilt will come later, I'm sure. There's no ignoring the fact that Bella is the daughter of my best friends. She bulldozed right through my mantra and all the barriers I've spent years erecting, but I can't bring myself to regret a moment of the night we just spent together. At some point, I'll have to deal with the repercussions of caving to my desire, but not right now. Now, I can bask in the comfort Bella brings me.

The view out of the window isn't half as pretty as the one on the other side of the bathroom door, but it'll do. The sea rolls in calm undulations that make my eyes start to blur. I'm so hypnotized by the motion that I don't hear the door open.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Bella asks softly, leaning in the doorway without a stitch to cover her from my greedy gaze.

She makes my chest ache, she's so beautiful—inside and out. "They're not very interesting, trust me."

"I don't believe that for a second."

The heat in her eyes and flush spreading across her chest give me a very clear indication of where her thoughts have gone.

"You'll be the death of me," I laugh-groan. "I need to recuperate. I'm an old man."

Bella's laughter makes me grin ruefully. "You're not an old man, Edward." She crosses the room in a seductive saunter that makes a liar out of me. My body is very much up for the occasion. "And besides, haven't you heard?"

She's at the foot of the bed now, her body a scintillating distraction from her words as she kneels on the mattress at my feet.

"Heard what?" I mumble.

Her impish smile would be cute if it weren't for the sinful look in her steel gaze. "You're only as old as the woman you feel."

I hum a chuckle as she crawls up my body, her lips branding me everywhere they touch from just above my belly button, where the sheet ends, to my chest. It's a great view. Tucking my hands behind my head, my voice comes out in a low rumble. "Well, you better get up here so I can feel you up good and proper, then."

Smirking, she sings, "Sounds good to me. I'm all for helping the aged."

"Oh, you…"

There's no stifling the grin that takes over my face as I hoist Bella up to kneel over my stomach so I can tickle the snark right out of her. Everywhere my fingers roam, they find soft skin. My lips finally join in when she's breathlessly panting her surrender and trying to hide her face in my neck. Pressing a kiss to her temple, I slide one hand down to her ass. The other skims up her spine and buries itself in her hair.

"You're mean," she finally huffs, pulling back just enough to give me a cool stink-eye.

"You started it."

Eyes wide and mouth open, she shakes her head. "You did not just resort to kindergarten insults. I'd expect a man of your age to have better retorts than my four-year-old."

"A man of my age…"

Bella's lips curl up.

"I'll show you exactly what a man of my age has got."

She yelps as I quickly flip her over so she's pinned underneath me, the sheets tangled between us and her hair fanned out across the slate gray pillows. She's stunning. Beyond beautiful. I wish I knew more pretty words to describe her, because she's all of them.

And all mine? I can only dream.

The faintest touch of her fingertips trailing over my cheek pulls me from my wistful thoughts. Refocusing, I lower myself to press her into the mattress and delight in the shudder that tears through her when I whisper all the filthy things a man of my age can do before giving her the live action demonstration.

~ oOo ~

"So."

"So," Bella parrots before snorting and twisting in her seat to face me better, a silly smile on her lips. Now I know what they taste like, it's almost impossible not to lean over and steal a kiss. The fact that any of her family members could be looking out of the windows at us right now puts a stop to that, though.

My stomach knots, a headache already setting in. I can see the moment she realizes my good mood is starting to wane. My mind is taking off at a sprint.

Did we make a mistake?

Instead of looking frustrated, she flashes me an understanding smile and reaches over to squeeze my thigh. "Thank you for last night…" Her eyes spark with mischief. "And this morning."

Despite myself, I bark a laugh and rake a hand through my hair as my ears heat up. It's a curse my brother was lucky enough to escape, but surprise or embarrassment often turns my ears pink.

"Seriously, though. I appreciate you getting me out of going to the bar last night. I love spending time with my sisters, but bars just aren't my scene, you know?"

"I get it," I tell her, because I really do. The thought of sitting in a noisy bar with music blaring and voices battling for dominance does absolutely nothing for the me of today.

The me of twenty years ago would have been in his element in that sort of setting. A lot has changed since then.

"All right, well…" Bella blows out a breath and grabs her jacket from the back seat. "I'll let you get on with your day. Thanks for...everything."

I want to thank her for giving me the best night I've had in years. I want to thank her for making me feel something other than loneliness for a blissful twelve hours. I want to tell her that I don't want her to go, that I want to squirrel her away and keep her to myself to see how long I can bask in the warmth she emanates.

But I don't.

"You're welcome. See you later, short stuff."

Giggling and shaking her head, Bella leaves me with a parting whiff of my shampoo mixed with her natural scent as she climbs out of the car and strolls up the porch steps.

My lips curl up of their own accord when she pauses before stepping inside, glancing over her shoulder and offering a little, almost shy, wave.

Bye, Bella.

After dropping her off, I decide there's no use going home just yet. All I'll do is mope around. Instead, I turn the car back toward Burger Co., where I can throw myself into prep or hide in my office for a while.

In the time it took for me to drive Bella home, Jones has arrived for work. I can tell as soon as I walk through the front doors, because he has the Disney soundtrack blaring at full volume and I can hear him wailing along to one of the songs from the movie about the ice princess, whatever she's called. The little I do know about the movie is thanks to Garrett and Tanya's girls and the shopping list they hand me every Christmas so I know what to buy them.

"Holy fucking shit, EC! You scared the shit out of me!" Jones yells, temporarily muting the music when I announce my presence by 'accidentally' knocking the pans hanging on the drying rack. Honestly, I'm surprised he even heard it.

"Maybe you shouldn't have the volume up so loud then, huh?" Courtesy of Jones's Disney obsession, I know the tunes to most of the songs on this soundtrack. I hum along to the next one, although I couldn't name the movie it goes with.

Jones's eyes narrow as I copy the shopping list from the whiteboard onto my phone; from the corner of my eye, I watch him lower the potato he was peeling. "What's up with you? You're all…" he trails off, waving the potato in my direction. "Cheerful and shit."

My eyebrows lift. Silently, I wonder if it's a good idea, me being around him while my post-Bella good mood is apparently still obvious. He can be perceptive on a good day. When he thinks there's gossip to sniff out, he's downright dangerous, the nosy little shit.

"Am I not allowed to be in a good mood?"

"Sure, it just never happens. It's kind of creepy."

Snorting, I hang the whiteboard back on its hook and tuck my phone into my back pocket. "Do you want some help, or not?"

With such a busy day yesterday, not a lot got done around here. There's brisket to finish off, the pad thai sauce tub is almost empty, and if Jones is still working on the potatoes, those things aren't going to get done before we open for lunch in two hours. He could definitely do with the help.

Eyeing me with obvious suspicion, Jones concedes and tells me I can help but he's keeping his music on. I'm in too good a mood to let his choice of playlist bother me, so I shrug and grab my apron before getting stuck in as he cranks up the volume and belts out the opening words of the next song.

~ oOo ~

Surprisingly, I find myself enjoying the menial work with Jones and his ridiculous singing-dancing routines. It's been a while since I spent any real time working alongside him in the kitchen; it's fun. He's a good guy, a funny guy, and I'm reminded of why I keep him around.

When Lily and Kelly arrive in time to open up for lunch, we're more than caught up and taking a soda break in the yard.

"Hello?"

"Out here, Kell!"

Kell, I think with a smirk, hiding it behind my can. They're so obvious. I don't understand why they don't just admit they're together. It's blatantly clear to anyone who sees them together that they're not just friends.

My thoughts briefly turn to Bella. Will people see us and know something's happened?

"Oh, hey, you two." Kelly grins as she steps out into the sun with Lily on her heels. "Slacking on the job?"

"Hardly," Jones laughs. "We've smashed through the prep for lunch and dinner, so we're taking a well-earned break."

Lily looks between the two of us. "'We?' Since when do you come in for prep, EC?"

Frowning, I remind her that I always used to come in and help prep before retreating to my office. There's no use doing all the paperwork side of the business if people aren't able to come in and eat anything.

"Exactly. Used to." She grins. "It's nice to see you in the kitchen, is all. It makes a nice change."

With Kelly here now to help Jones in the kitchen, and Lily more than capable out front, I hang my apron on its hook and tell them to find me in my office if anything comes up. Their words play on my mind as I pay the outstanding bills and send an email to my accountant to arrange our quarterly meeting.

Am I really that bad at spending time in my own kitchen? I used to pride myself on being involved in the day to day running of my restaurant. It was one of my favorite things about owning Burger Co.—getting to see the customers enjoying the menu I designed, seeing my team working hard together.

Thinking about it, I can't remember the last time I spent the morning prepping with Jones. The night Bella helped out with the bachelor party was the first time in weeks that I spent more than a handful of minutes out front. It's disconcerting to acknowledge that my staff have noticed me pulling back.

The muffled beep of an incoming text distracts me from my increasingly self-flagellating thoughts. Pulling it out, I find myself grimacing.

1 new message - Mom

I can read the first line of the message at the top of the screen. Even just the handful of words I can see make my stomach knot.

Edward, we were so disappointed not to see you…

Deciding, in this case, that it's better to just rip the band aid off, I bypass the text and pull up my contacts instead. Before I can second-guess myself, I tap Mom's name and hit the 'call' button.

It only rings for a few moments. "Edward, honey, we were expecting you to come in for the holiday."

"Mom…" I can't help but sigh, tugging at my hair. "I told you, I can't just up and leave Burger Co. on one of our busiest days of the year. We cater the parade, you know that."

"Oh, I know, it would just be nice to have you home with us."

Utah hasn't been 'home' for a long time. She knows that, too. Apparently, knowledge and reason go out of the window when it gives her a chance to guilt me.

Awkward silence descends until I hear the faint sound of my dad's voice asking who she's talking to. "It's Edward. Here, why don't you speak to him." It's not a request, and it doesn't shock me.

She never knows what to say to me anymore.

"Son, this is a nice surprise."

"Hi, Dad."

"How are you? How was your Fourth?"

I've never been more grateful for my dad than I have been these last six years. Where my mom has become awkward and withdrawn, he still speaks to me the same way he always has. We shoot the shit for a few minutes, trading Fourth of July stories—my younger brother Jasper, his wife Alice, and their son Matty spent the holiday with Mom, Dad, and our grandparents.

I was missed, apparently.

Dad listens attentively as I tell him about the Burger Co. truck and how well it's doing, even with the added competition of the pizzeria right on the beach.

"That's great, son. I'm proud of you. Have you thought any more about expanding?"

It's a pleasant surprise that he remembers the conversation we had about my plans to expand Burger Co. and carry the brand over into sauces and spice mixes we could sell. It was a while ago and, honestly, I'd sort of forgotten about it myself.

"It's something I'm still thinking about, for sure."

"Good." The pride in his voice is more than a little disconcerting. I'm not used to hearing it.

Mom and Dad made no secret of the fact that they didn't want me to leave Utah to move here—much like Charlie and Renee didn't want Bella to travel to England. They spent my entire senior year trying to talk me out of it. They failed, of course, and in those first few years of living here, when I was setting up the house and getting Burger Co. up and running, they admitted that they were proud of what I was doing.

But that was before I wrecked everything.

I haven't done much to make them proud recently.

Dad clears his throat. "Have you, uh, heard from Sulivan?"

From his chagrined tone and the way he speaks a little quieter, I can pretty safely assume he Mom is still nearby and he hasn't heard from him, either. "No, not for a couple of months." Thinking back, I amend, "Actually he did send me a picture of himself wearing the tee I sent for his birthday."

"I sent a gift, but I didn't hear anything back," he admits.

That was June fifth, so a month ago. However, I'm not surprised that Sullivan hasn't contacted Dad in that time, to be honest. He's a good guy, my dad, but he puts Mom's emotions before everything—and everyone—else. That doesn't always make for the best decisions, especially where Sullivan is concerned

"All right, well, I'll pass you back to your mom. I'm just on my way out to pick up Matty for a sleepover. But, Edward…" He trails off. I hear his heavy sigh before he finishes with, "Don't be a stranger, okay? It's really great to hear your voice."

Guilt turns my stomach. "Sure thing, Dad. It's, uh, it's good to hear your voice, too."

"All right. Here's your mom."

"Thanks."

After some hushed murmuring that I can't quite make out, Mom comes back on the line. She has my back up immediately. "Did your dad tell you who came over yesterday?"

"Jas, Alice, Matty...Grandpa and Grandma…" I let my words fall away as my heart drops to my feet, because her faux-innocent tone can only mean one thing—one person.

"Kate popped in with her mom and dad," she says cheerfully, as if mentioning that woman isn't something I've expressly asked her not to do a hundred times or more.

"Mom…" I grit out, my fist clenching around my phone to the point that it hurts.

"She's got a new job. Apparently it brings her out to the east coast occasionally."

"I'm not doing this with you again. Kate and I, we're never going to happen."

"Oh, Edward, honey, I just—"

I don't know why I even tried cutting her off. We've had this discussion many times. It always ends in a headache at best, a debilitating hangover the following day at worst.

"I mean it. If you want to talk about Kate, I'm hanging up the phone right now. Your choice."

When her next sentence starts with 'But wouldn't it be nice to see her again?' I know exactly how today is going to end, so I tell her goodbye and hang up the phone, as promised.

She probably hasn't even put her phone down before I'm pouring myself a bourbon from the bottle I keep in my desk drawer.

~ oOo ~

It isn't until Saturday morning that I see Bella again.

After letting myself into Charlie and Renee's house, as ordered in the invite I was texted yesterday, I set my dish of French toast on the counter and find everybody out back. As usual at a Swan brunch, most people are in swimwear—including Bella, much to my combined delight and frustration.

Now I know what's under that bikini, it seems almost sacrilegious to keep it covered.

"Edward! Hi, sweetheart."

Renee appears out of nowhere, linking her arm through mine. "Hi, Rae. How are you?"

"Good, good. I have all my family around me and it's a beautiful day already. What's not to like?"

Catching Bella's gaze as she shoots me a wink over her mom's shoulder, I can't help but agree.

It doesn't take very long for the boys to talk me into refereeing their Noodle Races. Leaving my shirt on the back of a chair, I saunter over to where their current—apparently retiring—referee is sitting.

"Good morning, handsome," Little Grandma sings, giggling when my ears immediately heat up. "You're too cute, EC."

"Uh, thanks, Little Grandma." Her smile widens at my use of her favored moniker. I learned my lesson early on that calling her anything other than 'Little Grandma' would earn me the stink-eye and a clip around the ear if I was within her reach. "How are you? Is Freddie still looking after you?"

Her hazel eyes flash with mischief as she lets me help her to her feet. "He has his uses, my dear."

"Oh, God." Bella saves me with a theatrical groan, looping an arm around her grandma's middle. "Are you corrupting Edward, Little Grandma?"

"Of course not! Would I do such a thing?"

"Yes," Bella tells her with a laugh that makes my lips curl up of their own accord. "You would." Looking over her shoulder at the patio, where the rest of the adults are gathered, Bella tells her Grandpa Freddie to keep a leash on his wife.

"No use, Bella love. She'd enjoy it too much!" he calls back, much to the disgust of his family.

"Christ, Grandpa," Benjamin groans, shaking his head.

Little Grandma heads over to her husband, laying one on him before sitting herself in one of the free seats.

Bella pulls my attention back to her with a quiet hum. She heats my blood with just a look, her eyes shamelessly roaming over me. For the first time in years, I'm glad I stuck to my running regime and kept the weights in my garage. I may be a couple years shy of forty, but I know I'm in good shape.

"Cut it out, short stuff. There are kids present, and looking at me like that is a surefire way to make sure they all end up as corrupted as I am after watching your grandparents' little display."

Her light burst of laughter draws a little attention, not that she looks bothered in the slightest as she drops herself down on the edge of the pool, dangling her legs in the water. "Come on, Edward. It's your turn to referee. I should warn you, they all cheat."

"Do not!" Jaxson, Finley, Arlo, and Danny chorus as one; their cheeky as hell smirks say otherwise.

"All right, you little yahoos. Starting positions. And you should know, I'm a hardass and I'll be watching you all carefully. Cheaters don't win on my watch, got it?" I tease, trying to look stern even though I'm distracted as shit by the view Bella's seated position gives me. I can see right down her top.

Board shorts and boners don't mix well, so I definitely need to concentrate on something else.

Remembering Freddie's comments about Little Grandma should do it.

After three races, I see what Bella means about the boys. They're little cheaters. Danny is by far the worst, but Jaxson is a close second. As punishment, I make them take a two second penalty at the side of the pool every time I catch them tugging their opponent back or splashing them so they can't see. They still cheat, they just get sneakier about it. They have both me and Bella in stitches at their antics, and I can't help but marvel over how relaxed I feel.

By the time Renee and Angela call us to eat, the boys look like drowned rats and Bella and I aren't much better. With the amount of splashing the boys did, we might as well have been in the damn water with them.

"No running, boys!" Renee warns, smiling when they all slow to a brisk walk to fight for the chairs closest to the food.

There's no stifling my grin when they bypass everything on the table but the french toast I brought over.

"Thank EC for the French toast, boys," Angela says, shaking her head with a fond smile aimed at her son as he rolls his eyes at her reminder to eat some fruit, too.

"Thank you, EC!" he crows, tucking in.

Around the table, everybody seems to be enjoying the spread. My toast goes down a treat, as usual. It's one of my favorite breakfast foods to make. It's also Everly's, so I grin as she piles her plate high and flashes me two thumbs up and a beaming smile.

"This looks great, EC," she says, almost inhaling her food.

"I don't know how you don't sink every time you get in the water, the amount of food you eat," Benjamin teases, the boys fighting over something or other at the other end of the table as Renee fusses over her husband, and this feels like home in a way Utah never did.

Next chapter: Sunday

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