So, how do we like FighterWard? Isn't he swoon-worthy? Anyway, I hope you're enjoying the story … What's up next?
Up next will be Labor Day BBQ at Charlie's place … Bella practically ignoring him, being coldly polite, Jasper and Emmett supporting Edward and Rose and Alice giving Bella shit for not giving Edward a proper chance. How long will she hold out?
What I own: The most comfortable couch on the planet …
What I don't: Twilight
Chapter Seventeen
In her father's kitchen, Bella was cutting up vegetables for the veggie tray. She needed to keep her mind occupied and off Edward Masen, his jade eyes, and soft lips.
Lips she dreamt about for the two weeks following the day she'd spent with him. In her dreams, they didn't stop when the thunder boomed. Instead, they went into his backseat and fucked each other until the storm ended.
"Damn it!" Bella barked, dropping the knife and carrot she was cutting. "Fuck!" She ran to the sink and stuck her bleeding fingers underneath the water.
"Little Bell, are you okay?" Charlie asked, strolling down from his bedroom, wearing a pair of shorts and an obnoxious Hawaiian shirt.
"What are you wearing, Dad?" Bella asked, looking at him. "You look like Tommy Bahama's trippy younger brother."
"I wanted to relish the last vestiges of summer," Charlie answered, walking over to the sink. "Yikes. You damn near took off the tip. You're supposed to curl your fingers, Little Bell."
"I was distracted," she whispered.
Charlie looked at Bella's finger. "Carlisle might have to stitch this, baby girl," he chided. "Let me call him." He gently wrapped her finger with a makeshift bandage. "Hold it above your heart and let me handle the rest of the veggies. Not everyone will want a side of O-negative with their cucumbers."
"You're funny, Dad. Hysterical," Bella deadpanned, sitting down at the kitchen table, and trying not to pass out. Blood made her queasy. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the room was spinning. "Can I get some water?"
"Don't pass out, Bella," Charlie chided, putting a glass in front of her. "Carlisle is on his way."
"What about Esme?" Bella asked, trying not to focus on the throbbing in her finger and the blood soaking the clean dishtowel.
"She's picking up her niece who just moved out here from Alaska to start working as one of the physical therapists for the gym," Charlie explained. The front door opened. "Carlisle?"
"Yeah, I'm here," Carlisle responded.
"Kitchen," Charlie barked, standing up to greet his best friend and personal physician. "My daughter decided to add her fingertip to the veggies."
Carlisle walked in, giving a Bella a look of concern. "What are we going to do with you, Bella?"
"Stitch me up?" Bella quipped with a pained expression.
"Let me see," Carlisle chuckled, sitting down, and opening up his bag of tricks. Slapping on a set of gloves, he inspected Bella's finger. The cut was bordering on needing stitches, but using some skin glue and gauze, he wrapped it up. "Don't get it wet. If it hurts, take some ibuprofen or another over the counter pain reliever. I'll check it later this week when I'm at the gym."
"Thanks, Carlisle," Bella smiled. "I'm going to splash my face since I … I hate blood." She kissed his cheek, darting out of the room.
"She's been spacing out a lot," Charlie said, worry lacing his tone. "Jacob absolutely shattered her, but she's either staring off into space or snarling at people."
"She's grieving the loss of that asshat, but she did seem friendly with Edward Masen when he came in for his physical assessment," Carlisle grinned. "Maybe, something's brewing there."
"I wouldn't mind it. Edward Masen is one of the most honorable men I've ever met. He's hardworking, dedicated and has more integrity in his pinky finger than Jacob had in his entire body," Charlie said, pulling out a beer. "Want one?"
"Not yet. But, thank you," Carlisle replied, shaking his head. "Give her time. And, if things are meant to be between her and Edward, then let them happen naturally. You don't want to foist them together and for there to be resentment."
"I want grandbabies," Charlie grumped.
"Does Bella even want children?" Carlisle snickered. "With how her mother left, she may not want babies."
"Renee, what a fucking bitch," Charlie hissed. "I'm grateful she never came back, trying to finagle her way back into our lives. The best thing that I got from her was my Little Bell. She can stay under that moldy rock for all eternity." Shaking his head, he got up and went to finish chopping the vegetables. "Could you take out the stuff from the fridge and put it on the table? People should be arriving soon."
"Got it," Carlisle said.
Within an hour, Charlie's home on Bainbridge Island was filled with everyone from Bull Dog MMA Fighting Club, along with their children and significant others. Music was playing, people were laughing, and food was being grilled. Bella wandered around, acting like a perfect hostess, asking if anyone needed food or drinks. However, she hovered close to Alice and Rose, not wanting to interact with any of the fighters, namely, Edward Masen. He'd come with Emmett, who had picked up the ginormous meat order for the party.
The order was legitimately an entire cow. With training fighters? They could easily eat an entire cow.
"A little birdy said that a new fighter is ready to start training full out," Alice said, sipping her White Claw. "Dad may have let it slip that Edward's scans came back clear."
Bella opened her mouth, curious as to who took him to the appointment. She quickly shut it. It wasn't her concern. He wasn't her concern. That ship had sailed.
"Emmett told me when he got back from driving Edward to see your dad," Rose said. She looked longingly at Alice's hard seltzer before taking a sip of her soda, wrinkling her nose. She placed her hand on her barely-there baby bump. "Edward's eager to get back in the ring and working with Charlie. Running and doing drills was becoming boring. I don't blame him, to be honest."
"So, he's coming to the gym?" Bella asked, arching a brow. Her stomach twisted with unease. She was fine when she didn't see him. Or, when she hid in her office. Maybe, she could work from home.
Permanently.
"Starting tomorrow. He's been working with Emmett on his own until he got the all clear," Rose smiled. "He's meeting with me first to assess his shoulder injury and then, he'll start working with your dad."
Crap, crap, crappity crap!
"I'm going to get another White Claw. Does anyone need anything?" Bella asked, needing to get away.
"When you get a chance," Alice said, holding up her can with a slightly drunk grin. "And some more of the pasta salad. It's so yummy. Who made that?"
"Edward," Rose answered as Bella scurried away.
Bella was almost to the door when she ran into a wall of muscle. She stumbled back, only to be caught by a set of strong arms. Arms that made her body tingle, like that day in the storm. "Sorry," Bella squeaked, trying to wriggle out of their hold. Blinking up, she was momentarily lost in Edward's jade-colored eyes. "Excuse me. Alice asked for another White Claw."
"I was actually looking for the bathroom," Edward said in his soft-spoken, honeyed voice.
"Um, it's this way," Bella replied, moving out of his arms, and stepping inside. A couple of the amateur fighters were playing pool inside. They shouted their hellos. Bella gave them a tight smile. Moving past the game room, she pointed, "Down the hall, just before the laundry room."
"Thank you," Edward said, giving her a grateful, crooked grin.
Gah, why does he have to be so …
Bella nodded curtly, darting into the garage to grab a couple of hard seltzers, and trying to calm her traitorous heart. She stayed in the garage for a few moments, cooling off. She walked back out to the party, making her way to the picnic table where Rose and Alice were sitting. She gave Alice her drink, sitting down heavily.
"You know, you could make life easier for yourself and just give into Edward Masen's charms," Rose quipped. "He's clearly gone for you."
"No fighters, Rose," Bella grumbled. "He could be exactly like Jacob."
"Or, he could be the love of your life, stupid," Alice said. "If I'd shut off my heart after being dumped by Riley, I would have never met Jasper."
"And, I would have never met Emmett," Rose agreed. "Hells Bells, I love you, but you're too fucking stubborn. Not all men are like Jacob Ephraim William Black. He's a loser who had to take steroids to make him strong, which made his dick shrivel up and he had to pay for sex. So, go for it."
"It's too late," Bella pouted, looking over to where Edward was talking to Esme and a pretty brunette with ice blue eyes. She had no right to be jealous. They weren't together. "I'm going down to the beach. I need a few moments."
"Bells, it's probably nothing," Rose called out to her retreating form. "I recognize her, but I don't remember her name. God, this kid is sucking the intelligence from my brain."
"I'll be back. I promise," Bella lied, knowing full well she was going to leave from the beach and lose herself in a bottle of wine. As much as she enjoyed these parties, her heart wasn't in it. Another thing that Jacob stole from her … her happiness.
Another reason to keep to her vow.
No. More. Fighters.
A/N: Shorter than the last chapter, but I got everything I needed to get in. Leave me your thoughts. Pictures from this chapter: Charlie's home, barbecue goodies and characters, are on my blog. Link for that is on my profile. I'm also on FB: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.
Will Edward push his way past Bella's resolve? Leave me your thoughts. The rest of the barbecue is in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!