A/N: Hello again everyone! Wanted to take the time to update this story as well this week :) I will be updating as regularly as possible. As always, a HUGE thanks to all those who support and follow this story... Enjoy the Chapter!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Twilight Saga Series. They are all the sole property of the talented Stephanie Meyers. Any and all recognizable content/characters belong to her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
(BPOV)
I had hoped that my shift at Newton's would fly by, but as the hours ticked tediously along, my hope for that began to vanish. When the end of the day finally neared, I was eager to get home and start cooking dinner. Truth be told, normally, I dreaded the task each night, but tonight was different... a special occasion. Tonight would be no ordinary dinner with Charlie. Tonight was the night I planned to tell him that Jake and I were dating... officially. Billy already knew and I was eager to tell Charlie as well. Neither Jake nor I had to physically tell Billy the news, he already knew by just looking at us. He had sworn to keep it to himself until I got the chance to tell dad, and tonight would be my chance to do just that.
I rushed home and began putting together the many layers of lasagna. It was, after all, Charlie's favorite dish. I made two pans, knowing how much food Jacob could put away all on his own. I wanted to be sure I had more than enough.
When dinner was in the oven, I got busy setting the table and was placing silverware out when the chilling sound of solid footsteps hovered above me from upstairs. I paused where I was, stopping all movement, and feeling the panic begin to settle in as I glanced up and heard them again.
One step... Two steps... Three steps... Four.
I quietly crossed the kitchen and grabbed one of Charlie's steak knives in the wooden block by the stove. My hand shaking as I approached the foot of the stairwell, holding the knife in a death grip and waiting to hear more of them scuff across the hard wood floor.
I was fearfully now aware that I was not alone in the house.
Someone was in my room...
I took the stairs one at a time, carefully placing my weight, in an effort not to make a sound. I could feel the hair rise up on the back of my neck and my skin tingle with fear, as I crested the top of the stairs, holding my breath and seeing the shadow looming just under my closed bedroom door.
A small gasp left me when I saw the shadow draw near to the door. I had never been faced with an intruder before, but I knew enough from Charlie's incessant rants about woman's safety and all the self defense lectures he'd drilled into my brain from the time I was six, to know that I needed to keep my head about me. Whoever was behind my door had to be aware of my presence in the house with them.
The sound of my cell phone ringing loudly from down stairs had me frozen where I stood, my breath hitching as I debated on running for it, and telling whoever was on the other line that there was an intruder in the house, or choosing to remain where I was. I soon chose the first option and made a mad run for the bottom of the stairs. By saving grace, I didn't trip and had made it to the kitchen table before a cold arm caught me firmly by the waist and hauled me backwards. I screamed, the sound ear piercing as the knife was knocked out of my hand with great force, scattering across the kitchen floor.
I was abruptly spun around to face my intruder, expecting a monster to be staring back at me, only to be met with the hauntingly familiar golden gaze of Edward instead.
My prior scream died out the moment I saw his face, leaving us both silent and staring at each other.
"You-" I breathed, feeling his cold embrace chill me to the bone. I fought against him, my shock of the moment swiftly turning into hot anger. "Let go!"
He did so without any further request, holding his hands up in surrender when I grabbed my cell phone as it rang again. It was Charlie.
"Please don't answer it, Bella." He sighed, his look haunted and agonized.
I hit the ignore button and retrieved the steak knife that had clattered to the floor, placing it back in the wooden block and trying to stop from shaking like a damn leaf.
"What the hell were you thinking?' I yelled, turning around to face him. "Were you trying to scare the hell out of me. Cause if you were, mission accomplished. What are you doing here?"
"I came back for you, Bella." He whispered, his tone seeming weak to me when he spoke.
I shook my head profusely in disbelief. "No... no you left! Remember?"
My tone was bitter with him and I saw him flinch from it, not giving a damn if I had hurt him with my cold and harsh words. He had certainly dispensed his fair share of hurt to me. Why should I care for his feelings now when he never thought of mine before?
"It's true, Bella." He affirmed, seeing my denial. "I made a horrible mistake before-"
"No... Get out." I spat coldly, giving him a useless shove and feeling his concrete weight under my palms.
"Bella- please-"
"NO!" I yelled. Angry tears now clouding my vision as the pain of what he'd done came lashing over me. "I said GET OUT!"
He looked truly shocked at my words. His eyes hollow and unreadable as they met mine again.
"I know you're angry. I know I hurt you when I left, but you have to believe me. I never meant to, Bella. Leaving you was the hardest-"
"What part of get out don't you understand, Edward." I yelled again.
He suddenly approached me then, his hands reaching for mine and his ice cold touch, nerve shattering for me. I pulled harshly away from his grasp, rejecting his touch and backing up into the kitchen.
"Bella, I need you. Please, I have to have you with me." He groaned.
"I want you to get the hell out of my house and don't come back." I coldly replied, seeing his gaze grow tortured at my unforgiving words.
"You don't mean that-" He countered.
"Yes... Yes, I do." I snapped, swiftly walking to the front door and throwing it open for him to leave. "Get out."
He followed me over and hesitated in the doorway. His defeated stance evident.
"I know about Jacob. About the two of you." He stated once on the porch. "...and you're making a mistake, Bella. I understand your affection toward him because of what he did for you in my absence. He held you together, and for that I'm grateful to him. But he's not the one for you."
I didn't give him the satisfaction of my reply, instead I simply slammed the door in his face and locked it behind me. The adrenaline now coursing through my veins and making me dizzy from the aftermath of it.
I hadn't had more than a minute to recover from his intrusion before Charlie's police cruiser pulled in the yard. I took a deep, steadying breath and tended to the lasagna cooking in the oven.
"Something smells damn good!" Charlie yelled in from the living room.
"I hope you're hungry!" I replied over my shoulder.
"When's Billy and Jacob due to arrive?"
"Soon... shouldn't be too much longer."
"I need a quick shower and a change of clothes. Be down in a minute, honey." Charlie tiredly sighed, placing a soft kiss on my cheek and soon heading for the stairs.
When I was once again alone in the kitchen, I let out a shaky breath, still feeling rattled from Edward's sudden and unwelcomed presence.
Who the hell did he think he was? Barging into my room like that. Was he delusional enough to think that I would simply take him back without a second thought after all he'd put me through? No... not a chance in hell. If that's what he thought, he was sadly mistaken.
Charlie came back down after his shower in a few short minutes, and grabbed a cold beer from the fridge. His gaze growing worried when he glanced my way.
"You look... pale honey? Feel alright?" He asked, placing a hand on my forehead with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm fine, dad. Long day at work is all."
"You sure?" He questioned, not seeming fully convinced.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
The knock and the sound of Billy's greeting from the front door, had proved as a distraction and I was thankful Charlie had simply left it at that, needing no further convincing from me.
"Hey there old timer." Billy laughed, as Jake wheeled him in. His eyes on mine with a warm grin highlighting his face.
"Who you callin' old timer?" Charlie teased back, flipping on the sports channel and offering him a cold beer from the fridge.
"Hey- You know I call it like I see it!" Billy joked.
I smiled at their friendly banter and took shelter in Jake's offered embrace.
"Dinner smells great, Bells." He whispered in my ear, causing a shiver to spill down my spine. "But not nearly as good as you."
I felt the rapid warmth of my crimson blush spread over my cheeks as his hand took mine, earning us both a curious look from an all too observant Charlie.
Billy erupted into a robust fit of laughter, shaking his head and patting a dumbfounded Charlie on the back.
"Ugh..." I sighed, tightening my hold on Jake's hand. "Dad, there's something we want to tell you." I began, glancing up to see a wide grin on Jake's face. "Jake and I... we're- together... dating... officially."
My fathers look went from perplexed to reserved and from reserved to uncertain. I felt the unease of the silence creep in over us. The many seconds passing by without Charlie uttering a single solitary word, was rapidly growing to be more than I could stand.
Thankfully, Billy soon cleared his throat, breaking some of the ice and raising his beer to Charlie. "Well, I for one couldn't be happier."
My father slowly raised his half empty beer can to tap Billy's and relief washed over me when I saw a sincere grin suddenly grace his face.
"You know what, Bella. I'm happy for you. For both of you. It'll take me a while to get used to it... but uh- I guess we both saw this coming for some time now, eh Billy?"
Billy laughed and nodded in agreement, silently offering us a wink as I felt Jake pull me in front of him, his arms wrapping around my waist and my whole body warming to his.
"So, you're okay with this?" I asked.
"I am." Charlie sighed. "Jake,you know I love you like a son and I trust you, but don't break my baby girl's heart. Got it?"
"I won't... I promise, Charlie." Jake replied, his hold on me tightening with his response.
"It aint like we didn't have a hunch where this was headed with you two." Billy chuckled. "Jake here has been smiling like he won the lottery the last few days."
Jake's lips were soon at my ear. His whispered words low, husky and sincere. "I did."
We all enjoyed dinner together. Everyone complimentary of the lasagna and my father giving Jake grief for the three plates he scarfed down without a breath in between.
"Jeez Jake, No wonder you're growing like a weed lately. Hell, I think you've shot up a whole damn foot or close to it."
Billy laughed at his comment, all of us well knowing where his growth spurt had come from... everyone except my father, of course.
There was good times to be had all around and I genuinely enjoyed dinner with them and listening to the friendly banter they all shared over the upcoming game.
As simplistic of an evening as it seemed and as ordinary as some may think it was... having Jake's hand in mine made this evening anything but simplistic for me, and having my father's blessing made this evening far from ordinary.