CHAPTER FIFTEEN
(BPOV)
Who would've thought that one stupid and severely misguided decision would plague my future and place those I cared about most in danger? If only I could go back, but that was surely wishful thinking.
Telling Charlie the truth seemed like the only way to keep him safe. I wasn't sure how this whole thing with Edward would pan out and didn't want to take any chances with his well being. I'd been selfish enough with him in the past, living as only half of myself for months and months. It had been true hell on Charlie and I never wanted to be that selfish again. I was never going to fall back into that dark pit.
I had made Charlie breakfast before he left for his shift at the station this morning, a way for me to say sorry that Alice's unexpected visit had interrupted his sleep. Something he needed to get more of as it was.
"You didn't need to cook me such a feast, you know." Charlie chuckled, as he sat down with me to eat.
"Come on, dad. It's no big secret that you should eat better. You know... lay off the steak and the ninety - nine cent supper from a sack heart attack?" I teased.
"Alright, Alright." He sighed. "Point made."
"All kidding aside, I just want you around a long time."
His gaze met mine and I hoped he could easily recognize the genuine concern in my eyes.
"You're right, I know I eat a lot of... well- crap... for lack of a better term."
"You work hard and I just wanna be sure you take care of yourself." I replied, piling his plate with scrambled eggs.
"I hear you, kiddo. Guess I'll be ordering the toss salad for dinner tonight?" He chuckled.
"That's a start!" I laughed with him as we began to eat our breakfast together.
"You don't expect anymore visitors today while I'm gone, do you?" He soon asked.
"No, I sure in hell hope not."
Charlie shook his head at my reply. "He should leave you alone and if he has a hard time with accepting that request from you... you remember that your old man would be happy to set him straight for you... Anytime!"
I nodded and adverted his gaze, knowing how very dangerous a situation like that could prove to be for Charlie. I didn't want him anywhere near Edward.
"I'll try to keep that in mind." I lied, moving my food around on my plate aimlessly.
"Good." Charlie sighed. "What's your plan for the day? Looks to be dreary again... typical weekend in Forks."
"I'll probably read for a while. Got some last minute assignments to complete for English class that are due on Monday."
"I see. You plan to drop by Jake's later?" He hedged with a raised eyebrow.
"Most likely." I admitted to him with a bashful grin.
Charlie saw my blush and cleared his throat. The obvious awkwardness of the moment settling over us as I stood to clear the table.
"I should be heading out now. Thank you for breakfast, Bella. It was great. We still on for dinner at our diner tonight, right?"
"Sure thing. What time should I meet you there?"
"Around six or so. That's when I'm out. I'll call you should I get held up, okay?"
"Sounds like a plan."
I kissed him on the cheek and waved goodbye as he left for work. I was truthfully dreading the English homework that I had to finish but knew it needed to be done. I had to make sure my grades didn't slip at any time if I wanted to get a scholarship for College. It was really important to me and I didn't want to place any financial burden on Charlie. He worked double shifts as it was and it barely covered the bills. Charlie had always been a hard worker. It was something I admired about him, among many other things.
I spent the remainder of the morning, and a good portion of the afternoon, working hard on my English essay, until my head began to pound with an eye strain headache from the concentration on the computer screen. I had finished it just in time to take a shower and head over to meet up with Charlie for dinner. I was in a rush and distracted when the phone rang in the kitchen. I ran to answer it, out of breath as I did.
"Hello?"
"Hey you."
I smiled widely as I heard Jacob's husky voice come through clearly on the other end.
"Hi..."
"I'm sorry I didn't call you earlier. Been out all day patrolling with Sam."
"It's okay, I figured you would be." I replied, feeling the butterflies invade my stomach from just the sound of his warm voice.
"I miss you." He sighed. The very words surrounding me and wrapping me up like a blanket.
"I miss you, too."
"You got plans tonight?"
"I do. I'm having dinner with Charlie in a little while. But um... I'm free after that..."
"Well, I was wondering if I could stop over later?"
"I'd love that." I smiled.
"Great." He chuckled to me in reply.
"Okay. I'll see you then." I softly replied as we hung up.
I was already grinning from ear to ear. What could I say? Jacob had that affect on me.
I soon rushed through town to meet Charlie at the diner, seeing his cruiser parked up front there waiting for me when I pulled in. He got out and met me at the entrance with a grin in place. I returned it as we settled into a corner booth. The waitress swift to take our orders and bring us our beverage of choice.
"Your shift go alright at the station?" I asked him, as he picked over his toss salad with a look of true distaste on his face.
"Yeah." He sighed. "I gotta tell you, Bella... There isn't enough here in this salad to keep a damn rabbit alive. I need something more hardy!"
I shook my head and waved the waitress over again so he could order his usual.
"One way or the other you're gonna have to start eating healthier."
"I know. I'm just not gonna start till tomorrow." He countered.
"Always the procrastinator." I teased, seeing the waitress soon return with his steak meal and a warm smile for him. The redheaded waitress wore practically no makeup and she was very pretty. Maybe five or six years younger than Charlie... If I had to guess. She had waited on us several times in the past. Her name was Charlene and I had always thought she was a bit sweet on dad. He, of course, knew nothing of it. Or he pretended not to. One or the other.
Dad had sadly never moved on after he and Renee had split all them years ago. He and Billy both remained single to this day, which I personally thought was a real shame, considering they were both too young to throw in the towel on love altogether. My dad could use someone new in his life. Someone to share his days with.
"Will you be needing anything else tonight, Chief Swan?" Charlene asked with a grin.
"No, I believe that will be all tonight, Charlene. Thanks." He replied with a nod to her.
I noticed her looking at him once more before she turned to attend to the needs of the rowdy table across the way. Al of the men there appearing to be about four beers in too many and equally all the more obnoxious for it.
"You know dad-" I sighed, choosing to tread real lightly upon this topic with him. "Charlene seems really nice. Sweet... pretty, too."
"Yeah, I suppose she is."
"I didn't notice a ring." I hedged on.
Charlie stopped cutting up his medium rare steak and met my inquisitive gaze.
"Playing match maker are we now?" He chuckled.
"No... not really. I was just making an observation..."
"Really? Just an observation, eh?"
"She seems sweet on you?"
"What?" He coughed, nearly choking on his half chewed mouthful of meat.
"She does!" I laughed.
"... She does not." He protested, taking a long haul from his newly opened beer.
"You know, I bet if you asked her out, she would be thrilled to go with you. Maybe to a movie or something here in town."
Charlie looked at me as if I had just sprouted wings. His shocked and wide eyed expression, honestly comical.
"Are you feeling alright?" Charlie laughed, touching my forehead.
"Look, I'm just saying that you're too young to quit dating. I mean... dad, have you even gone on one date since you and mom split?"
Charlie shook his head and glanced over toward Charlene who was taking another order at a different table.
"No, I haven't. I just- I don't know." He sighed with a shrug. "Never really came across anyone that captured my attention the way your mother had way back in the day."
"Mom moved on with Phil and I know you're happy for her. I think you should get that happiness too, dad. You deserve to share your life with someone."
I saw him steel another side glance at Charlene, his gaze lingering and more observant now.
"She is pretty."
"mmm-hmm." I replied with a grin.
"Alright, Alright. Maybe the next time I come in-"
"No way! Come on. Why put it off? Aren't you the one who always told me that there was no time like the present?"
"Hey now. I don't like it when you start using my few dad talks against me!" He chuckled.
"All I'm saying is, ask her out. Give it a try? What's the worst thing that could happen?"
"Um, well let's see. She could coldly reject my old ass!" Charlie chuckled.
"No way, dad. I don't see that happening at all."
"She could be ten years younger than I am for all you know."
"So what if she is?" I countered.
"Ten years is too much of an age gap for me!"
"If you like someone, than you like someone. Who cares what the years are between you!" I replied with a smirk.
"You're not gonna let this go are you?"
"Nope."
Charlie shook his head and finished his steak as I pushed aside the remainder of my half eaten salad and veggie burger. I watched him closely as he waved her over to pay the bill. I nudged him with my elbow when she approached, earning myself a stern look from him.
The bill was only $26.78, but Charlie handed Charlene a crisp fifty dollar bill with a genuine grin. Her own smile wide when she went to hand him the change.
"No, No. You keep that change for a tip."
"Chief Swan... I couldn't-"
"Sure you can. You always take good care of us when we come in here for our regulars and after seeing the rowdy crowd behind us... you certainly deserve a hell of a good tip for handling them, too." Charlie insisted.
"Well..." Charlene sighed with a crimson blush. "Thank you very much. I really appreciate it, Chief Swan."
"Charlene you can call me Charlie." Dad replied to her.
I couldn't help but grin at the sight of Charlene's blush and her bright smile to him in return.
"Okay, Charlie. Thank you."
She tucked the pen behind her ear and grinned at me before she turned to walk away.
I nudged dad again and earned myself another stern look of disapproval.
"Hey Charlene." Charlie called after her, getting to his feet. She stopped where she was and turned back to face him with an expectant expression on her pretty face.
"Yes Charlie."
"I ... uh- well... I... was just wandering if maybe you'd... like to get together sometime... have dinner or maybe get a hot cup of coffee? Somewhere?"
Charlene's whole face lit up with a radiant grin at his request and she eagerly responded.
"Yes! I mean- sure."
Charlie let out a sigh of relief and ran a nervous hand through his hair at her reply.
She took the pen out again and quickly jotted down her number, handing it to Charlie.
"Just give me a call?"
"I will." He replied, smiling to her as he headed back for me.
I grinned at him, seeing his own blush now rapidly settling into his cheeks.
"Well... she gave me her number."
"See!" I laughed. "I told you she wouldn't reject you. Truth is... I think she's been sweet on you for a while now, dad. Good for you. Don't lose that paper!"
"I won't." He replied, glancing down at the paper she gave him with her digits scribbled on it. "I haven't taken another woman's number since your mom gave me hers in high school."
"Never too late to start living, right?" I smiled.
"Right."
I was elated for Charlie and planned to keep my fingers crossed that he actually took the initiative to call Charlene and set up some sort of date. Even a coffee date would be better than nothing. It was a start for him... a small one... but it counted nonetheless.
"Do you think he'll come back... Edward? Again? Or send his sister here to do his dirty work?" Charlie asked me in a hushed tone, as we headed for the parking lot.
"I don't know, dad. But I think he got the picture. At least I hope so. I couldn't have made it any clearer to him that we were over. I mean he knows I'm with Jacob."
"Don't put it past him to show back up, Bella. I have a feeling this is far from over with him and his intrusive behavior. Maybe I need to-"
"No, don't!" I sharply cut in, placing a hand on his shoulder as we stopped by my truck. My sudden clipped tone, making his eyes narrow at me.
"Bella, why the hell are you defending him?"
"I'm not." I replied, knowing that he had no idea where my urgent tone was really coming from. He had no clue how ruthless and dangerous the Cullen's could be... Not to mention the Volturi.
"I don't understand. One minute you're done with him and the next you're-"
"I am done with him, dad. That future with him... with Edward... it's in the past and no longer what I want for my life. Okay? Jacob is."
"Look kiddo, I understand if you don't want your old man medaling around in your personal business, but your well being is always my concern."
"I know, dad."
"He'll show back up." Charlie fretted.
"If he does, I'll take care of it. I really don't want you worrying about it, alright?"
"We'll see."
"I'll follow you home." I replied, trying to quickly change the subject for now.
"Sure thing, kiddo."
The ride home was filled with the tunes of Muse from the local radio station. The loudness and lyrics of it proving to temporarily drown out my thoughts about Edward and Alice. I knew my father had a point. Edward would probably show back up and when he did, I could only hope my father was absent. I didn't know how far he was willing to push this and the last thing I wanted was for Charlie to be haphazardly thrown into the supernatural.
I soon pulled in to see Jacob waiting for me on the porch. His grin wide and infectious when I emerged from the truck.
Charlie greeted him, shaking his hand and giving us a courteous nod before heading inside and leaving us be for a moment alone, something I greatly appreciated, considering I was soon kissing Jacob and wrapping myself around him in a way that certainly would have my father less than comfortable if he'd been there to see it.
Jacob's response to me was immediate, his arms wrapping securely around me and pressing my body to his, leaving me helplessly melting into his warm embrace. The feel of his returning kiss had my heart racing like kerosene to flame. I couldn't help but pull him tighter to me when his tongue lightly brushed my bottom lip and his fingertips grazed the small bit of exposed flesh at the hem of my shirt. That touch... That small skin on skin contact had me floating and embracing the rush that was soon sweeping up the both of us.
I was abruptly ripped from my desire filled haze when I heard my father clear his throat with assertiveness. Jake released me with a sigh as we hesitantly met my father's crossed gaze.
" Bella, your mother is on the phone for you." He stated.
"Okay thanks, dad." I replied, taking Jakes hand in mine as I passed by him into the house.
I couldn't help but notice that Charlie's face was a crimson red shade of embarrassment as we passed by. He kept a close watch on us in the kitchen when I took moms call, seeing Jake sit down at the kitchen table, flipping aimlessly through the paper Charlie had left there.
I assured mom that I was doing much better and tried to help remove some of her immense worry for me from before. After all, Charlie had called her many times during my black hole of life sucking depression, and told her how bad things were getting. She was just as worried for me as he had been and I wanted her to know how much happier I was these days. She asked me how Charlie was and how his job was going. Then proceeded to ask me about school and tell me all about the new art program she had just joined and how excited she was to start something new. My mother was always looking for something new to do... Some new and captivating way to freely express her creativity. I told her I loved her very much, assuring her that I would call her again next week and we hung up soon after.
I had noticed Jacob fully engrossed in the sports section when I placed the phone back on the receiver. His eyes seemingly glued to the page. I snuck a glance toward the living room, seeing Charlie nearly asleep in his favorite recliner, with a beer still resting on his chest.
This feeling... This complete feeling... was something I could certainly get used to and I wasn't about to let Edward or anyone else for that matter... take it away from me.