Few questions I'll answer—Yes, Bella still works at Vaughn's. Everything about Edward's story will be revealed. Same with Bella's past. It's coming, I promise, but slowly slowly, as is my usual M.O. As for any new characters who've been mentioned...they'll all be explained in good time. Thank you all for sticking with me! Also, I'm still LOVING all your theories.
Chapter Fourteen
Bella
"Arlo Maxwell Swan, so help me...stand still."
"Sorry, Momma."
Blowing out a long breath, I quickly finish brushing his hair into some semblance of order before giving up and twisting it into a bun on top of his head. He's only going to mess it up again in five minutes, anyway.
"All right, you can go." He gets halfway down the stairs before I remember to yell that he's still got twenty minutes to wait before he can go in the pool. His groan makes me grin, but I know he won't push his luck. He's already been told off by me and Mom this week for sneaking into the pool earlier than we said he could.
Turning back to the bathroom mirror, I find myself reaching for the hairbrush again to sort out my own mane. Larking around in the pool with the boys is fun, but it sure makes for untidy, waterlogged hair. Like a loon, I'm smiling at myself in the mirror and remembering the beautiful sound of Edward's laughter mixed with the giggles of my boys when there's a light tap on the door frame.
Edward's lips curl up into his signature crooked smile as I meet his gaze in the mirror. "Hey."
"Hey," I breathe, frozen in place by the look in his eyes.
I know that look.
The me of ten years ago is doing a squee and dancing around with an 'I've seen Edward Cullen's O face' sign.
The me of today is just wondering if, and when, I'll get to see it again.
"Umm...are you...is everything okay?"
"Mmhm," he hums, crossing his thick arms and leaning against the doorframe with one ankle over the other, emerald eyes shining.
It's only then that I realize I'm giving him quite the show. My arms stretched up to manhandle my hair into submission mean my tits are being pushed together, which of course he can see perfectly in the mirror. Instead of lowering my arms, which is my first thought, I decide to have a little fun. I've had to resist drooling over his shirtless chest all morning—turnabout is fair play, after all.
His husky groan a few seconds later as I make a show of tipping my head back and arching my chest to gather my hair in a ponytail is just as much a taunt for me as my little show is for him.
Peering up at him as I suck him all the way to the back of my throat, I'm rewarded with a delicious groan and a slight, instinctive buck of his hips. The ball of need drops lower, heat spreading through my veins.
"Where did your mind just go, Bella?"
With a gasp, I realize my distraction gave him the chance to step into the room. He closes the door behind him with a soft click, locking the door that leads into Everly's room before advancing on me like a predator might stalk its prey. He doesn't have to work very hard. I'm his willing captive.
Lightly grazing his fingers over my hip, he reaches up with the other hand to push my ponytail over my shoulder. Making use of his new access, Edward plants a hot, open-mouthed kiss to the juncture between my neck and shoulder. Sighing breathily, I lean into his chest, closing the gap and tipping my head back against his solid chest as my eyes slide shut.
"Perfection. You're perfect, Bella." His mumbled words vibrate through my skin and all the way down to my core.
After so long without, I never would have expected one night of passion to ignite my hormones like my night with Edward has.
My skin hums with electricity, his hands roaming everywhere except the places I really want them. It's obvious by the way he's holding me that he doesn't plan to take this any further than a little teasing.
I have other ideas.
Just when he sighs and pulls away, I spin in his arms and loop my hands behind his neck to tug him down to me. His lips meet mine with a surprised huff of laughter which quickly turns into a moan as all the air rushes from the room. My heart takes off at a sprint, my breaths choppy. I don't want to stop kissing him to breathe, but I finally have to when lightheadedness threatens my ability to remain standing.
Brushing featherlight kisses down his neck to his chest, I smile against his skin and suck in a lungful of his lingering aftershave and swimming-pool scent, every groan and mumbled curse lighting a fire in me.
A girl could get addicted to the insanely hot sounds he makes when he forgets to be stoic.
The warmth of his sun-soaked skin against my lips is nothing compared to the heat of his hands as he lifts me at the waist, walking me backward until my butt hits the counter. The hairbrush clatters to the floor, the soap bottle not far behind it.
In this position, our hips are level. There isn't an ounce of bashfulness in my body as I loop my thighs around his waist, tugging him closer so the very visible bulge in his board shorts rubs against the impossible-to-ignore ache between my legs.
"Fuck, yes, Edward."
Rumbling a growl against my neck, he gives me a slow, deliberate thrust, his lips parted, breath hot over my skin. "I swore I wouldn't maul you."
"Maul away," I laugh breathlessly, pulling him closer, wanting him even more so. "Kiss me."
There's no need to ask the man twice. His mouth comes down hard over mine, his sweet Coke breath and desperation-tinged kisses almost making me completely forget that we're in my parents' house, with my entire family roaming around on the other side of the flimsy bathroom door.
Footsteps on the stairs break through my Edward haze.
"Shit."
He hears them, too. We're both panting as we listen to them approach the door before continuing down the hall. So it's Everly or Rosalie, then. The boys sound like elephants, so it definitely wasn't them, and Mom and Dad have their bedroom downstairs.
Sending up a fervent prayer that it was Rosalie, because if Everly has come to the bathroom, this is hers and she'll question the door being locked, I run my fingers through the soft, baby fine hairs at the back of Edward's head. A laugh almost bubbles out of my chest when he lightly bumps his forehead against mine and lets out a sound reminiscent of a purr.
"Did you just purr?" I whisper incredulously, doing my best not to get us caught. I don't even want to think about what my sisters would say if they walked in now and found us like this.
"Maybe," he grumbles lightly, sighing long and low as we listen to the footsteps return before heading down the stairs. Pulling back, he rubs his beard and eyes me with obvious trepidation. "I really didn't come up here to maul you. I wasn't kidding."
"Did it seem like I was complaining?"
"Not even a little bit," he concedes, trying not to smirk. "Bella, this is…"
"Complicated."
"That's an understatement."
As much as I want to disagree with him, he's right. Nothing about this situation is simple or easy. To be honest, I don't even know what this situation is, but I've never been one for holding my tongue if I don't have to.
"What are we doing?"
The flash of surprise in Edward's eyes makes me smile a little ruefully, but it drops as he shakes his head, putting some space between us. I can actually see the moment he catches himself and closes himself off to me. His single step backward might as well be the Grand Canyon right now, he feels so far away.
"I don't know."
I don't know why it hurts so much to hear that; it's exactly what I expected him to say.
Clearing my throat and righting my crooked bikini top, I quickly blink back a sudden onslaught of tears. Stupid girl. Pull up your big girl panties and stop this becoming awkward as hell. "I think...I think we need some space."
Confusion knots my stomach, because I'm sure the frown on Edward's face is made up of disappointment, but it's gone before I can get a proper read. Raking a hand through his messy hair, he manages a shaky smile. Again, I can see the effort it takes to muster, and I can't help but wish he'd just open up and let someone in—preferably me. I wish he'd let me help, but if not me, somebody. He has support, I just don't think he realizes it or is willing to accept it. Until he can get past some of his demons and let me in, I can't give myself over to the feelings hovering on the horizon whenever he's near.
I want him; I think he knows that. I just refuse to throw myself head-first into whatever this is if he isn't going to make the same effort. That said...it frightens me to admit, even just to myself, that I'm willing to wait. This isn't a sprint; we're in no rush. Some time and space might be exactly what we need to cool off and figure out what's going on.
He's not perfect, neither of us are, but he's all I want.
"Space. I think...yeah, okay." Clearing his throat, Edward refuses to meet my eyes as he turns to leave, holding the door open for me to go ahead.
"I'll be down soon. I just need a minute."
He nods silently and leaves me to catch my breath alone.
True to our word, we give each other space.
As I play with the boys on the grass by the pool, Edward chats with Dad, Benjamin, and Grandpa on the patio.
When Jaxson asks Edward to referee Noodle Races, we switch places. I let Mom and Angela suck me into conversation about her fast-approaching wedding to my brother.
A couple of hours later, when I run to the bathroom after drinking one-too-many glasses of freshly squeezed OJ, Edward takes the opportunity to slip away without saying 'goodbye' to me.
Mom says he was in a hurry and told her he'd catch me on the way out.
I know different. I know he was just giving me the space I asked for.
The space I'm not totally sure I want, even though I'm pretty sure we both need it.
~ oOo ~
Thoughts of Edward are pushed to the wayside the following day when I leave my shift at Vaughn's a few minutes early to meet Sue Black beside the newest 'For Sale' sign in Jackson Bay. I briefly think of him when my eyes roam to the yellow home six houses down on the same side of the street.
If we move in here, he'll be our sort-of neighbor.
"It's perfect," I tell her before I even step through the slate gray front door.
Her bright smile mirrors mine, but she still tells me to hold off on making any decisions until I've seen the inside. It's all moot, though, because just as I suspected the second I climbed out of my car and set eyes on the yellow shuttered windows and cosy little porch, I love everything about the house.
It's all on one floor with three bedrooms, the perfect size kitchen complete with a breakfast bar with room for three, a living room that will easily fit the couch I've been eyeing online, and two bathrooms—one of which is an en-suite attached to the master.
My ridiculous grin only widens when Sue leads me out into the backyard. It doesn't have a view of the beach thanks to palm trees and bushes, but Sue seals the deal by informing me that the house has access to the beach via a little gate at the end of the yard. We'll be just feet away from the dunes I used to play on as a child.
Turning to her with a relieved sigh, I feel the prickle of tears threatening. "This is it, Sue. This is our house."
Four days and two offers later, it's official.
"I'm so proud of you, love!" Jude crows down the phone when I call her to share the good news.
I'm a homeowner. How weird is that?
"Thanks, Jude." Courtesy of Facetime, I can see when she dabs at her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan—it's the purple and orange one the boys got her for Christmas last year. "You'll have to come out and stay with us once we've got furniture. There's plenty of room."
Scoffing, Jude shakes her head. "I don't fly, Bella. Those tin cans aren't meant to be launched in the air like they are."
"The boys miss you…" It's a low blow, I know, but it's true. They do miss her, which she knows. They tell her every time they Facetime, which is usually once or twice a week.
"Don't you start with that, missy. It wasn't me who decided you should up and abandon me."
Familiar guilt stabs me right in the chest. "Jude, I—"
"I'm just pulling your leg, love. Don't mind me. Forgive an old woman her occasional guilt trips, hmm? Now, you said something about a yard, didn't you? Does that mean our boys will be getting the four-legged friend they've been begging for?"
"Oh, Lord…" Running a hand through my hair, I tap on the window to put an end to the boys wrestling on the grass. They're about four seconds from hurting each other; a mother's intuition rarely lies about these things. "I haven't even thought that far yet. I still need to see about furniture, setting up all the utilities, making sure the boys get settled quickly before they start kindergarten and second grade…Who ever thought moving right now was a good idea?"
Jude laughs, assuring me that we can handle it and the boys will just be happy to be where I am, dog or no dog—although she also adds that Arlo in particular would be especially happy if a dog were involved.
It's something I'm considering, so I tell her just that, quickly hushing when the whirling dervish himself skids into the kitchen.
"Momma, can we have some juice? Umm, please!"
"Of course, baby. Here, say 'hi' to Nanny Jude while I pour some." To Jude, I say 'bye' and promise to keep her updated before passing the phone to Arlo. He takes off into the garden, presumably to let his brothers in on the call.
Watching them sit in a circle on the grass as I pour some fresh juice, it isn't the first time I feel sad that my time with them is running short. Now into the second week of July, I only have a month of days left with my boys before they're off to school and we've barely done any of the things I wanted to do with them.
Making up my mind to arrange a couple of the playdates I've been putting off, I put the cups of juice on a tray and carry it outside, vowing that I'll make the most of the summer we have left. It's about to get a whole lot harder with a move on the horizon, but I think we're up to the challenge.
~ oOo ~
Moving day arrives two weeks later, and of-freaking-course it would be the hottest day of the year so far.
Before doing anything else, while the boys are still sleeping soundly in their sleeping bags on Mom and Dad's bedroom floor—they demanded a campout with them on their last night living here—I head out to to Vaughn's to fill my cart with crates of beer, soda, and water. On a whim, I also grab a selection of chips and candy, studiously ignoring Jane's barbs about me taking last-minute leave to move.
The boys are just waking up when I arrive back at home with it my haul, so I put them to work.
"Just the bottom shelf, Momma?" Arlo asks, taking his spot in the little assembly line he and his brothers have going. He's the first in line. He takes the supplies from the bags and hands them to Finley, who hands them to Jaxson so he can put them in the fridge.
"Just the bottom shelf," I confirm, flashing Mom a grin as she joins us, tying the belt of her lilac kimono gown. "Good morning. Are you ready to get your house back?"
Mom sighs, but she's smiling. It's a small one, but it's there. "I'm going to miss you all far more than I'm going to enjoy having less laundry."
"We'll miss you, too, Nana."
Beaming at Jaxson, Mom blows him a kiss. "Thank you, sweetheart."
Abandoning their task for a moment, the boys share a look before dumping everything in their hands and running to Mom. She laughs tearfully, her eyes wet, as they wrap themselves around her legs in a three-way bear-hug.
"Can we still come stay with you sometimes, Nana?" Finley asks softly, looking up at her before flashing me a hopeful frown.
"Of course you can," she tells him emphatically before I can say a word, slipping down onto her knees so she can hug them all. "I'll be stealing you away so often, it'll be like you never even moved."
The boys giggle and love on her for a bit before resuming their job filling the bottom section of the refrigerator. In the meantime, I take the opportunity to give Mom a hug of my own. "I love you, Momma. Thank you for everything you've done for us. I can't...I don't have words for how grateful I am."
Wiping tears from my cheeks as her own tumble over her face, Mom smiles. "You don't need to thank me, sweetheart. Your dad and I have loved having you here—you and the boys. We're so grateful that you came home, but it's been an absolute joy having you back under our roof, even just for a little while."
"I'm going to miss being here," I admit easily, because it's true.
As excited as I am to finally have a house of my own with my boys, buying a house, my first house, is nerve-wracking.
Thanks to my inheritance, savings, and Jude insisting I pay peanuts for rent for the last nine years, I was able to buy our cosy new home outright. Mom and Dad have loaned me money for a few things, but anything that isn't urgent can wait. I made sure to have the boys' beds ordered as soon as I got confirmation the house would be ours. I also ordered my own bed, a couch for the family room, and a dining table with matching chairs. The house comes with the main appliances like a fridge, washer and dryer, and a dishwasher. The rest of the big stuff can be added over time..
By the time the boys have finished putting away half of the supplies I bought, I take some time to sit out on the patio with them while we eat breakfast. Mom, Dad, Everly, and Rosalie join us—they've all taken the day off work to help us move. It's touching and very much appreciated. Benjamin will be over at some point, too.
Over eggs, bacon, and freshly squeezed OJ, we make a plan. Everly and Mom are going to watch all the boys and supervise the loading of our belongings, which arrived just a couple of days ago fresh from England, while Benjamin, Dad, Rosalie, and I get things set up at the new house. Angela is planning to try and stop by later on once she's done working. With the boys out of the way, things are bound to go much smoother. Besides, much to the disgust of my sons, our new house is missing a key feature that their grandparents' house isn't—a built-in pool.
Apparently, promising to order an above-ground replacement isn't what they were hoping for. Their scowls last right up until Mom points out that they can use the pool when she watches them on Wednesdays and Thursdays while I work.
"All right, you bunch of crazies," I finally laugh when the boys are itching to leave the table and, quite frankly, I'm itching to get started with the move. "Let's get you all washed up and dressed, and then we can get this show on the road."
As is the norm these days, the boys head off as a noisy pack of four. Danny has been adopted into my boys' little trio as if he's always been a part of their gang. It's freaking adorable. He's not the only one they've adopted into their pack, though.
Last Monday, I finally got around to arranging a playdate for my boys, Danny, Carlie's daughter Bailee, and Lakely Samuels. They're all between the ages of four and six and got on like a house on fire while us moms put the world to rights at a bench on the edge of the playground. My boys ran riot for a few hours and slept like the dead when I put them to bed later that night. They've been asking when they can see their new friends ever since—Lakely and Bailee have, too—so we've set up another playdate for next Friday afternoon.
Honestly, I'm just as relieved that I'm making new friends as I am proud of my boys for the same thing. Being a single mom is tough. Being a single mom returning to a town that hasn't changed a bit in the years I've been away is even more so. It's a massive relief to be building friendships again—new and old.
In fact, Jane and her husband, Charlie, will be our next door neighbors after today. They live to the left of the new house with Lakely and their two pugs, Eddie and Peggy.
~ oOo ~
"I'm sweating my fucking bollocks off," Benjamin groans, wiping his sweaty forehead on his shirt before sighing and pulling it off. "Why did you have to move today, of all days?"
Blowing out a breath before murmuring my thanks to Dad as he hands me a bottle of water on his way out to the truck, I grumble, "If I'd known it'd be this hot, I'd have put it off, trust me."
Four hours after setting off from Mom and Dad's, we're finally making some real, visible progress. The couch is in its new spot, the dining table is set up and awaiting the chairs which are yet to have their legs attached, and all the beds are up and ready for linens.
The boxes of stuff I shipped from England are stacked in the dining room for now, along with the cases we brought with us when we flew out. Until the new dressers arrive next week, we'll be living out of our bags. Not ideal, but not the end of the world, either.
"Where do you want this, Bella?" Dad grunts, awkwardly hefting an armchair in by himself.
Benjamin laughs, rushing to help him. "Jeez, old man. Don't put your back out. Mom will kill us if we send you home broken."
"Old man," Dad scoffs, but his red face and bashful smirk say it all.
"Hey Dad, could you do me a favor? I think I messed up Jaxson's bed. The headboard seems kind of wonky and I can't figure out why."
I'm sure he's suspicious of my request, but to his credit, Dad doesn't argue. "Sure, I'll take a look, sweetheart. Are the tools still in his and Finn's room?"
"Yep, by the window. Thanks, Dad."
My brother shoots me a grin and steals my water, guzzling half the bottle before handing it back with barely a mouthful in the bottom. "Nice. I can't believe he bought that."
"He probably didn't," I shrug, spinning slowly so I can figure out what else I need to do in the kitchen. "But if it gets him to chill for a bit, it's a win."
"True," Benjamin mumbled. "All right, I'm goin' to grab the other chair. Where do you want them?"
Mom and Dad very kindly gifted us their old armchairs—the spinning cuddle chairs Dad had in his office until he upgraded a few months ago. One will fit perfectly in the family room, but the other will need to go somewhere else.
Thinking, I decide, "One in the family room and the other can go in my room. It's got the most space."
Saluting me, Benjamin heads out to the truck, leaving me at a loss. Everything I can do, I've done.
Checking things off my mental to-do list, I figure it can't hurt to have a walk through the house and make sure everything is where it needs to be for now. I'm sure things will move around in the coming weeks as we get used to our new surroundings.
Starting in the kitchen, I run my hands over the quartz countertops and grin at the view I'll have as I cook for my boys, their smiling faces peering back at me from the breakfast bar or the round dining table on the other side. The big bay window behind it overlooks the backyard, so I'll be able to see Jaxson, Finley, and Arlo playing from the stove.
This area is kind of sparse right now, but decor can come later, and I'll stock the fridge and cupboards tomorrow. Tonight, I'm treating everyone to pizza as a thanks for their help.
Moving through to the family room, I see that Benjamin has already moved the chair Dad carried in. Just as I thought it would, it fits nicely in the nook between the white brick fireplace and the window overlooking the street. Opposite, we have an overstuffed L-shaped couch complete with a matching footrest. It might be my favorite purchase for the house so far.
I already can't wait to snuggle up on there with the boys in the evenings.
The walls everywhere in the house are white. The family room is no different. I plan to fill them with pictures and artwork, but again, all in due course.
Moving down the hall, I come to three doors. Jaxson and Finley's room is on the left next to mine, and Arlo's is opposite. He killed with his bedroom, actually. It's slightly smaller than the one Jaxson and Finley will share, but he has the matching bay window to the one in the dining room. Stepping through the door, I smile at his cushions already sitting on the seat looking out over the yard. He's going through a Coco phase at the moment; Mom saw a cushion in Target and he's been obsessed with it since she brought it home.
Right now, his room—like the rest of the house—is pretty sparsely decorated. He at least has his red bedding and black throw blanket to add a splash of color; I just need to unfold it from the foot of his bed and put it all on.
Deciding to quickly get it done before the boys get here, I get the bed made up and head across the hall to do the same with Jaxson's and Finley's. My own room ends up being left until later, because no sooner than I've stepped back to admire the neatly made beds do I hear the distinctive thumping footsteps of my sons.
"Momma? Where are youuuuu?" Jaxson sings from...somewhere.
Moving out into the hall, I grin at my boys loitering near the front door. "Here, baby. Do you want to come see your room?"
All three of them do, of course, so I give them the tour with Mom following close behind, giving me the odd suggestion on what I could put in certain places to make this house feel more homey.
"We've actually got some stuff in the garage from when we renovated last year," she says as we stand in Jaxson and Finley's room, the boys deserting us to go see Arlo's room again. "I think it's mostly just knick-knacks, but you're welcome to take a look through it and see if there's anything you want."
"Thanks, Mom. That would be great." A knock from the front of the house catches our attention. Stepping out into the hall, I pause to bask in the warmth of seeing the boys bundled together on the window seat in Arlo's room, Mom abandoning me to join Benjamin as he calls out to her from my room, before heading for the front door.
My feet freeze, my breath catching in my throat.
Edward stands awkwardly in the open door, one hand in his hair, the other in his pocket. Offering me a sheepish, hesitant smile, he blows out a breath. "I, uh, I brought you something. A little housewarming gift. I hope that's okay…"
"Of course, but you didn't have to get us anything."
Just seeing you is gift enough.
We've managed to avoid each other since that disastrous brunch at Mom and Dad's two weeks ago. Rosalie got her car back from the mechanic so I've been using Mom's again, which means I haven't needed to get rides home from Edward. It looks like our little game of avoidance has finally come to an end now. We've had our space and I can only assume his arrival means he's made his mind up about what he wants from me. Now isn't the right time to talk, with Mom, Benjamin, and the boys down the hall, but I can't deny that I'm nervous to get that particularly conversation started.
"It's more for the boys than you, really. I just thought they'd like it, and I figured it would be good. New house, new things, you know?"
Looking around, I find myself fighting a wry smile. "So, what is it?"
"Oh, right." Edward rubs the back of his neck, the tips of his ears tinting pink. "Are the boys here? I think they should probably get to see it first."
"They're down the hall. First door on your right."
A small frown pulls his brows inward. As he passes me, sucking in a shaky breath, I impulsively reach out to touch his arm. Electricity rushes through my veins from the spot where our skin touches.
Peering down at me, I can feel the turmoil leaching from him into me. He's nervous, but I don't know why. His eyes are tinged with something like sadness and regret, but I don't know why that's there, either. So I give his forearm a light squeeze and reassure him the only way I can right now.
"They'll be really pleased to see you. They've asked after you a million times."
Edward closes his eyes for a moment, and when they open, his lips curl up just a touch on one side. "Thank you."
Nodding, I let him go, tucking my hands into my pockets as I watch him walk down the hall and listen to my boys' over-the-moon excited squeals when he steps into Arlo's room.
"Edward! What are you doing here?"
I hear a muffled oomph and presume it's the boys hitting Edward. I can't resist taking a peek, and the view from the doorway when I rush down the hall doesn't disappoint. All three boys are wrapped around Edward's legs, their smiles miles wide as they look up at him.
"I've actually brought you a gift. D'you want to come see it? It's out front."
"Duh," Arlo crows, grabbing the pocket of Edward's shorts to pull him toward me—and the gift, by default.
We all follow Arlo and Edward through the house, the boys running ahead as Edward laughs and tells them not to get their hopes up too high. Having put the chairs in their new homes and done everything else he can do, Benjamin tells me he's going to run the truck back to Mom and Dad's to grab the last few things, clapping Edward on the shoulder and giving out hugs on his way out.
"Actually, I think I'll come with you," Mom murmurs, pulling me in for a quick hug. "I'll grab a couple of things that I think you might like and put them in with the rest of your bits and pieces. Is there anything you can think of that we might have forgotten to pack?"
"I don't think so, Mom, thank you."
"All right. We'll see you in a little while. Bye, EC." She stretches up to kiss his cheek just as Arlo loses his last shred of patience and tugs Edward out into the front yard, Mom, Benjamin, and I following.
My feet skid to a stop on the porch as soon as my eyes land on the 'little' gift Edward brought.
Next chapter: Wednesday
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