Hello loves!
Welcome back for another chapter. Two in two weeks, huh? Must be something in the air, haha.
This chapter is self-beta'd.
Chapter Five: Bella
I couldn't believe how many people had shown up for our party. Alice, who had been calling me all week to coordinate, had gone above and beyond. She'd invited people from all over the neighborhood and reached out to families with kids the boy's ages in hopes that my boys would make some friends before school started. I loved her immensely for that.
The fact that several groups of Cullens had been invited by different people had baffled me, but in the end, I was grateful they were all there. I hadn't met Rosalie Cullen yet, though the boys had checkups scheduled with her next week right before school started. She was kind and funny, and easily the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life.
Her husband had been a massive, intimidating wall of a man until he smiled and big dimples winked out at you from a childish grin. The boys had taken to him immediately, as I suspected most kids did. Their two daughters were stunning, just like their mother.
Soon, our house was filled with people, and honestly, it was such a relief. It felt like a real home once people were in it, laughing and shouting and enjoying themselves.
I had taken Clara and Luke into the pool to play, and both of them were cracking me up, trying to show me their swim moves. Luke was a little fish, but Clara was still a little hesitant in the water. She kept her floaties on, but more often than not, she paddled over to me, holding on around my neck as Luke showed us how he could dunk his head under the water.
Across the pool, Emmett had a game of Marco Polo going with a bunch of the older kids, and I was glad to see Simon mixed in with them. I was worried the crowd would be too much for him and he'd go and hide in his room, but he'd been out here, mixing it up with the rest of the kids. The teens, unsurprisingly, had found their own place to hang out that was away from everyone else. I'd checked on them a couple of times from a distance, just to make sure they were still doing alright and not getting into mischief.
"Mama, watch!" Luke said, pulling my attention to him. He face-planted into the water, and then dragged his head up, grinning at me as he held onto the side of the pool. I laughed and he gave me a wide grin.
Clara had her little arms around my neck, and I could feel her fingers playing with the ends of my ponytail. Luke smacked his face into the water again, giggling as he came up.
"Silly, boy, make sure you don't get too dizzy," I told him, reaching out to him. He giggled again.
There was a sharp whistle, and we all turned to look up at my dad. "Soup's on!" he called. Emmett hollered and made his way toward the stairs. The kids laughed, trying to beat him to it. I scooped up Luke and Clara, holding them to me as kids swam frantically past us to get out of the pool and get some food.
There was a soft chuckle behind me, and I looked up to see Edward crouching down. "Hanging in there?" he asked. Clara grinned at him.
"Daddy!" she said, holding her arms out to him. He reached down, taking her from my arms and out of the pool.
"Hey, baby. Did you have fun swimming?"
Clara nodded at him as he wrapped her in a towel. He set her down on a lounge chair and then looked at Luke. "Need help, buddy?"
Luke grinned at him and held his arms up. Edward pulled him out of the water, wrapping him in another towel and setting him down next to Clara. My heart squeezed as I watched him interact with the kids. He turned to me, holding up another towel in offering. I smiled and pulled myself out of the pool. Being a mom of boys had given me upper body strength I'd never thought possible.
I stepped out of the pool and Edward wrapped his arms around me, rubbing my shoulders and back through the towel. I smiled at him, my stomach feeling fluttery.
"Thanks," I whispered. He nodded, holding me in his arms a moment longer before stepping away. I took a shaky breath, trying to clear my head of him. He was intoxicating.
"You munchkins hungry?" I asked, looking down at the kiddos. They both nodded and I smiled. "Let's get some food then." I looked at Edward, offering him another small smile. He returned it and my heart squeezed again. I cleared my throat, turning and making my way over to a lounge chair where my sundress had been put aside. I dried myself off a bit more before dropping the towel and pulling the dress back on. I looked back to see Edward carrying both the kids still wrapped in their towels like little burritos. I laughed, shaking my head at him. He grinned.
"They were too cold to unwrap," he said, shaking his head. I smirked.
"Alright, well, why don't you find a seat and I'll get some food," I suggested. He nodded, carrying the kids over to the picnic bench on the patio. I smiled at them, shaking my head before I turned to the tables of food we had out. Alice and I had been cooking for almost two days to make sure we had enough sides to go with the food dad grilled up. There were at least four different kinds of salads, and I stepped into line, making two plates. I knew Luke would eat just about anything, but I didn't know about Clara, so I made her a plate with little scoops of different things so she could try things out. I grabbed two juice boxes and some napkins and made my way back to the kids. I set the plates in front of them, and immediately Luke dove into the food.
"Sweetheart, I didn't know what you liked, so I got you a couple of things to try," I said to Clara. She looked at me and frowned.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing to a salad.
"Potato salad," I told her.
"That?"
I looked it over. "Coleslaw."
Her nose wrinkled. "Is it spicy?"
I smiled. "No, sweetie, it's not. I promise."
It seemed to be enough for her because she picked up her fork and tried a nibble. I watched as her little face lit up and she took another bite. I smiled at them, setting up their juices for them before letting them be.
"Bella, sweetheart, this place is wonderful, and I can't believe how many friends you have already," mom said, coming over to me. I laughed and shook my head.
"Alice invited almost everyone here," I corrected her. Mom hummed.
"Right, well which one is Edward?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. Obviously, she and Alice had been gossiping. I rolled my eyes.
"Behave, okay?" I asked. Mom looked at me with wide eyes.
"Sweetheart, I don't know what you mean," she sounded so sincere, that I almost believed her. Mom notoriously had zero filter and would say whatever thought—quite often sexual—that popped into her mind. She'd gotten better around the boys, but she was still somewhat of a loose cannon.
I gave her a final look before pointing out Edward across the patio. Mom turned to look at him and let out a sappy little sigh. "Oh, my," she groaned. I frowned at her. Is that how I sounded when I looked at him? If it was, I needed to fix that, pronto. "He's gorgeous," she said, turning back to me. I smiled.
"Yeah, I know. So are his girls."
Mom looked around the patio. "I want to meet them. Where are they?"
I looked back at Clara and Luke. "That's Clara. Go sit with her and Luke while I check on the other kids, will you?"
Mom nodded and patted my shoulder before heading over to sit with the kids. I sighed, shaking my head. I loved my mom, truly, but she was so much sometimes.
I found Simon sitting on the stairs to the patio with a bunch of other kids around his age, all of them stuffing food down as fast as possible. I smiled at the sight of him easily talking to other kids his age.
I made my way around the house to the side yard where I'd last seen the teens. They were still sitting on the lawn chairs, looking bored. "Hey, the food's ready!" I called to them. Jason looked up at me when he heard my voice, but then shrugged and looked back at his phone. Emma glanced at me but didn't give me much attention either. Only Kara, Rose, and Emmett's oldest acknowledged me. "Thanks!" she called out with a wave. I nodded, leaving them be.
I made the rounds around the patio and inside to make sure everyone was eating before I went back out to make my own plate.
"Hey, have you seen Emma?"
I looked up at Edward and smiled at him. "She's around the corner with the other teens, being way too cool for this party," I snickered. Edward let out a breath and nodded, running a hand through his hair.
"Good, as long as she hasn't snuck off." He said with a sigh. I smiled sympathetically.
"Have you eaten?" I asked. He looked at me.
"Not yet. It smells good though."
I nodded, "It does, thanks for helping dad out."
Edward barked out a laugh. "I didn't end up doing anything."
I giggled. "No surprise there. But dad talked to you while he grilled, which is more than he'll do with a lot of people," I said glancing up at my father. He kept looking up at the grill like he wished he could still be standing in front of it. "He hates socialization," I said glancing back at Edward. He chuckled.
"He's a great guy, your dad. Got calm energy."
I smiled up at him. "He needs it to counteract my mom," I whispered. Edward looked at me. "She's great, but she's a bit, much," I said with a shrug. Edward smiled.
"Is she here?"
I nodded. "She's entertaining the kids right now. Come on, I'll introduce you if you like?" Edward nodded and we finished making plates before heading over to the picnic table where Luke and Clara were eating. Haley, my five-year-old niece had come and joined them, and mom was entertaining them all with some story I was sure was inappropriate.
"And then the prince kissed that sleeping princess, and she woke up, and you know what she said to him?"
I set my plate down on the table. "Mom, this is Edward," I said, rushing to interrupt her. I knew her feminist reimagined fairytales, and while I was all for them, they weren't really rants I wanted to throw at five-year-olds.
Mom looked up at Edward and grinned, standing. "It's so nice to meet you. I'm Renée Swan, and you are gorgeous."
Edward choked on a laugh, his cheeks blushing a light pink.
"Oh, uh, thank you. So are you," he sputtered.
"Mom," I groaned.
She looked at me. "Bella, I'm calling them as I see them, and what I see is a very handsome man." She winked at him and he blushed a little deeper. "Tell me, Edward, have you ever considered modeling?"
"Mom, that's enough," I said, shaking my head. Mom looked at me.
"How I managed to get such a coy daughter, I'll never know," she sighed. "Too much Charlie in you, that's what it is."
"Okay, enough. Have you had food yet?" I asked her. She shook her head.
"I get the hint, sweetheart. I'll leave you alone." She looked at Edward and grinned up at him. "Don't escape just yet. I'd like to get to know you more," she said reaching out and patting his chest. He stared at her as she turned and gave all the kids kisses on their cheeks. She even gave one to Clara, who screamed and giggled with the rest of them. Mom winked at me before heading off to make herself a plate. I looked at Edward, shaking my head.
"I'm sorry, she has no boundaries and no filter whatsoever."
Edward chuckled, shaking his head. "She took me by surprise, but it's fine," he said, setting his plate down. We sat across from the kids.
"Haley, sweetheart, have you met Edward?" I asked my niece. She stared at me with massive blue eyes and shook her head. She looked just like Jasper, with curly blond hair and blue eyes. She was quiet like he was, though I couldn't say my brother had ever been shy.
Edward looked at her and smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Haley," he said kindly. Clara leaned forward to look at her.
"That's my daddy," she said between bites of her hotdog. Haley smiled shyly at him, but then turned her focus on her food. I smiled. I was glad to see that she'd come over to sit with Luke and Clara. Haley usually preferred to be by herself, and at family events, almost always you could find her in a quiet room, her face in a picture book.
"So those are your parents?" Edward asked, looking at me. I huffed.
"Yeah. I tried to trade them in, but wouldn't you know, no refunds."
He laughed, shaking his head. "They seem great. I enjoyed talking to your dad," he said biting into his burger. I smiled.
"I'm still amazed dad talked that long. He's notoriously stoic."
Edward smirked. "I don't mind that so much. I grew up with Emmett, and well, I'm sure you can get a sense of him," he said looking out across the yard at his brother. Emmett was sitting at a table with his wife and Alice and Jasper. He was so loud; we could hear him clear across the patio. I smiled, shaking my head.
We ate our lunches, and when we were done, we had to keep strict tabs on the kids to make sure no one jumped in the pool without giving themselves at least twenty minutes for the food to digest. When the time had finally passed, the kids were back in the pool. This time, Edward took the little ones into the water, taking Haley with them while I tried to clean up some of the plates.
Alice appeared by my side, yanking plates out of my hands and spinning me around to look at the pool. "You need to get your ass in there with him." She growled. Edward was absolutely perfect with the kids, and yeah, I'd just about had a heart attack when he'd taken off his shirt. I wasn't sure I could be too close to him, especially in the water.
"I'm just gonna clean up a bit," I said, shaking my head.
"Go, now. Or seriously, Lauren Mathers is going to get in there and be all over him," she hissed. I looked up across the patio where a blond woman was watching Edward hungrily.
I glanced at Alice. "Isn't she married?"
Alice rolled her eyes. "Yes, but her husband is always out of town on 'business trips'," she said, actually forming the quotation marks with her fingers. "The marriage is a sham. They are both constantly sleeping with other people."
I frowned at her. "Then why invite them?" I demanded. Alice huffed.
"Because they have a son Simon's age that I thought Simon would get along really well with. It looks like they are too," she said nodding across the pool. I saw Simon laughing and swimming with a blond boy. I smiled.
"Alright, alright, I'm going in."
Alice grinned at me and winked, shoving me lightly. I glared at her as I pulled off my swimsuit cover and placed it on a lounge chair. I stepped into the pool and made my way over to Edward and the kids.
"Mama!" Luke said, spotting me. Edward turned to me and grinned. His smile combined with his bare chest was making me a little dizzy. I smiled weakly back.
"Good, I'm glad you've joined us," he said as I got nearer. I smiled at him.
"I couldn't resist," I told him. He smiled again, but this time his eyes were smoldering a little. Christ, my whole body just went jelly from a single look.
I looked at the kids, taking a deep breath and trying to calm myself down.
"Mama, watch!" Luke demanded. I looked at him as he pushed off from the wall and splashed his way to me. I reached out to catch him as soon as he was in arm's reach.
"You're becoming such a strong swimmer," I said kissing his cheek. He giggled and pushed off me, kicking back to the wall.
Haley was clinging to the wall, her eyes wide. She had little floaties on her arms too, but she looked much less certain of the water.
"Haley, honey, do you want to try swimming over to me? You don't have to put your head under," I told her. She swallowed anxiously, but then was kicking off from the wall, her eyes wide and scared as she paddled over to me. I reached out to her, pulling her into my arms as soon as I could. "Sweetie that was wonderful," I told her. She grinned at me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"I want to try!" Clara said, wiggling out of Edward's arms. I nodded and Clara pushed off from the wall, her little face slipping under the water a couple of times before she reached me. I scooped her up with the other arm and she wrapped her arms around my neck also, beaming at me.
"Amazing," I told her. She grinned.
"Did you see me, daddy?" she demanded.
"I sure did, princess. You'll be a professional swimmer in no time."
Clara giggled and looked at Haley. "Come on, let's swim back."
Haley's little arms tightened around me for a second before she nodded. Both girls pushed off me and swam back to the wall. Edward and I both clapped when they made it back.
We played in the pool until the little ones were shivering and too tired to keep paddling around. Jasper came over to help us pull them out and wrap them in towels while Edward and I grabbed our own towels. It was starting to get dark, and though it was still warm, the air was cooling enough that I wanted to make sure the kids got changed right away. I brought them inside, taking them upstairs. I got the kids dried off and changed into pajamas, and by the time we were done, they were all hyped up, ready for promised cups of hot chocolate.
I took them back downstairs and they scattered into the living room while I headed into the kitchen. Out in the yard, I could see more and more kids had gotten out of the pool, though a couple of die-hards were still splashing around. I set out little disposable cups and started portioning out hot chocolate mix into each of them while the water boiled.
"Need a hand?"
I looked up and smiled at Edward. He'd changed into jeans and a sweater and looked just as beautiful fully clothed. I nodded at him.
"Can you mind these while I change? I'm freezing," I said laughing. Edward smiled.
"Of course, I'll take care of it."
I nodded, dashing upstairs and pulling off my bathing suit. I pulled on some leggings and a long sleeve sweater that came down to my thighs and kept me surprisingly warm. When I was done, I headed back downstairs to find the kids swarming Edward. He was laughing as their little fingers reached up on the counter, trying to peek at what he was working on.
I smiled as he tried to move around the kids while they squirmed and wiggled under him. "Alright, everyone," I said laughing. "Let's let Edward have space to work," I said motioning for them to come to me. They left his side, running to me eagerly.
"Mama, can we have marshmallows?" Luke asked eagerly. I smiled and headed to the pantry. I pulled a bag from the top shelf and the kids cheered. I looked up at Edward who was smiling.
"Everyone take a seat on the sofa and we'll bring you hot chocolate," I instructed. They dashed out into the living room and Edward shook his head.
"Every time I turned around, it's like they've multiplied," he said chuckling. I snorted and nodded.
"I know, I keep trying to do a headcount, but honestly, I don't think I can." I set the marshmallows next to him. "Have you got this while I try to wrangle more kids out of the pool?" I asked, my hand coming up to touch his back gently. He looked at me and smiled.
"Sounds good."
I smiled and rubbed his back once before letting my hand drop and heading outside. I don't know what possessed me to touch him, but I couldn't help it. I'd needed to reach out to him.
I decided to start with the teenagers since there were fewer of them and I knew they'd likely be less intrusive in the kitchen. They were still sitting around on the side of the house, though I was glad to see there were plates with crumbs on the table between them. At least they'd eaten something. "Hey, we're making hot chocolate in the house if you guys want to come get some before everyone else finds out," I said chuckling. Kara nodded, turning to Emma and Jason.
"We'll be right there," Kara said looking at me. I smiled at her. At least one of them would talk to me.
I left them alone, and stepped back up to the patio, trying to get a head count. When I'd counted, and counted again, I headed back into the kitchen.
I turned the corner and stopped short when I saw Lauren cornering Edward in the kitchen. He looked alarmed by what she was saying or perhaps doing, and she was advancing on him like a wolf. Edward caught my eye past her, and the look on his face would have been almost comical if she'd not been so completely out of bounds. I stepped into the kitchen and cleared my throat. Lauren paused, turning to look at me.
"Hi, it was Lauren, right?" I asked her, holding my hand out to her. She frowned at me.
"Yes, what do you want?" she snapped. I rolled my shoulders and dropped my hand.
"Oh, I just wanted to talk to you about your son, Peter, was it?" I asked, glancing out the window at him. He and Simon were still in the pool. "I've not seen my son so happy to make a new friend in a long time, and well, since the boys are getting along so well, I figured I should come meet you. I'm sure we'll be spending lots of time together," I said, my smile tight. Lauren looked at me, looked back at Edward, and frowned. She stepped back from him, looking at me, confused.
"Why would we spend time together?" she demanded.
I frowned at her. "Oh, you know, playdates, outings, birthdays, I'm sure the boys will want sleepovers, and well, I'm new to the area so I could always use more friends."
Lauren looked baffled. She was staring at me as if I had sprouted a second head, and the longer I smiled at her, the more confused she looked.
Finally, she shook her head. "Okay, whatever." She said moving out of the kitchen. She swept past me and I nearly choked on her thick cloud of perfume. What had she just reapplied it? I turned and watched her go outside, shaking my head.
"How the hell did you just do that?"
I looked at Edward. He was staring at me, looking just as confused as Lauren had.
"I think most people like Lauren are used to getting negative attention. I've found it is usually more effective to confuse people with kindness. It sort of resets their behavior."
Edward laughed, shaking his head. "Well, it clearly worked. I," he shook his head, his hand rubbing across his face. "One minute I was making hot chocolates and the next she had me pinned against your cabinets. I didn't know how I'd be able to get her to back off without physically moving her away from me," he admitted. I smiled sadly.
"Well, she's a confident woman who knows what she wants, I suppose."
Edward shook his head. "She was pushy and inconsiderate of personal boundaries," he corrected.
I looked him over. I had been jealous, there was no denying that, but I knew I had no right to be. Right now, as far as I was concerned, Edward was a new friend, and he had free rein to pursue whomever he wanted. Though going out with a married woman would have lowered my opinion of him considerably.
"Should we get the kids their drinks?" I asked.
Edward frowned, stepping toward me. "Bella," he paused, seeming to debate with himself for a minute. I stared at him, anxious. The longer he was quiet, the more nervous I got, and finally I turned to the cups, gathering them to me before I reached for the marshmallows.
Edward's hand landed on mine on the bag, and I looked up at him. He was closer to me now, and his hand was warm and strong and sent butterflies racing through my veins.
"Tell me if I'm reading this wrong," he whispered. "But I feel like there is something, here," he motioned between us with his free hand. I licked my lips before biting on my lower lip. Did I have the courage to admit it?
I nodded and Edward's chest sagged a little in relief. "I don't," I paused, shaking my head. "Yes, there is," I said finally. "But my priority is my boys."
Edward nodded. "No one understands that better than me," he said gently. His thumb was moving softly against the back of my hand, and the touch was sending fire through me. It was making me dizzy, and I had a hard time focusing my thoughts.
"We need to be careful," I said softly. Edward nodded and I looked up at him, my eyes meeting his. "I don't want to get hurt again."
Edward let out a long breath, and his other hand came up, resting gently on my waist. "Me neither," he said softly. "I don't want to hurt you, Bella. I don't want to hurt your boys either. We can take things slow, we can be cautious, I just," he paused, his hand at my waist rubbing gently. "I just needed to know that I wasn't imagining things."
I smiled tentatively. "You definitely aren't," I said quietly. He smiled, and that lopsided grin just about stopped my heart. The hand around my waist came up and softly cupped the side of my face. I leaned into his touch, my heart pounding in my ears. His eyes were hypnotic, and the longer I stared into them, the more I felt myself falling. We were hardly touching, and yet this moment was more intimate than any other I'd ever shared with a man, possibly ever.
His thumb brushed over my cheek once, twice before he nodded and gently let me go. He stepped back and I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. The air around me smelled like him. Clean and a little spicy with a touch of chlorine. Edward stepped away from me and took his own breath. My eyes watched his chest rise and fall and I looked up at him, meeting his gaze again. His eyes were so soft, and warm and they called to me. I wanted to go to him again, wanted to be touching him in some way.
Giggles from the yard drew my attention back to where we were, and I blinked, looking down at the counter. I was flushed, I knew I was, and suddenly the chill that had been in my bones since we'd gotten out of the pool was gone.
I looked back at the cups and cleared my throat. "I'll get these to the little ones," I said shaking my head. I made sure the chocolate wasn't too warm before I dropped a marshmallow in each cup and took them out to the living room. Once I got the kids set up, drinking their hot chocolate on towels because I knew at least my son was going to spill, I made my way back to the kitchen. Edward was filling more cups with hot water and I pulled a tray out, putting the cups on it so I could carry them outside. I grabbed a bowl to put marshmallows in and when the cups were all situated, Edward took the tray for me. He offered me a small, shy smile as we made our way out of the kitchen and into the yard.
"There's hot chocolate!" I called. A few kids who were out of the pool jumped up, racing over to us. Edward set the tray down and let the kids have at it.
Below the deck, and across from the pool, someone had managed to get the gas firepit working. After making sure the kids were taken care of, Edward and I headed over there. It looked to be where most of the adults were congregating, and since I'd spent almost no time with anyone but Edward, I figured it was time to get to know everyone else.
"Bella, this has been an absolute blast, thank you so much for hosting!" Emmett said toasting his beer to me. I smiled and spotted the last two seats open. It was a double chair and I took a breath, sitting down. Edward sat next to me, and though we weren't touching, I was hyper-aware of his proximity.
"I'm so glad," I told Emmett. "I have to thank you all for coming. Knowing so many people helps the transition so much," I said honestly. I noticed Lauren wasn't around the fire, and I wondered where she might be.
"Bella, now that you are finally sitting and relaxing, I want to introduce you to everyone," Alice said from her perch on Jasper's lap. I looked at her and nodded. "Alright, so of course, you met Esme and Carlisle earlier. Carlisle works with Jas at the university, though in a totally different program," she said smirking. Jasper and Carlisle nodded. "And next to them is Angela and Ben Cheney. Angela teaches third grade at the school and Ben does IT work for one of the biggest finance companies downtown," she said, pointing at them. I offered the couple a smile. I'd noticed them around today, but I'd been unable to stop and chat. They seemed nice though. "Next to them of course, your parents," she paused and gave them sunny smiles. My parents adored Alice and had considered her family since the moment Jasper had brought her home from his first year of college. "And you met Emmett and Rose earlier," she said motioning to them. I smiled at them. Emmett was leaning back on his chair, and Rosalie leaned into his side while his arm rested over her shoulders. They were such a striking couple, and both seemed incredibly down to earth. "Then, there is Eric and Melissa Yorkie. Their older son was in my class last year and he's just a little sweetheart," Alice gushed. The couple smiled at her. "Obviously, you know Jas and me," she giggled and I smirked at her. "And finally, you have Jane and Bree Olivers. Jane is our vice principal and Bree actually works for a publisher downtown," Alice said, rounding out the circle. She looked at Edward. "And obviously, you know Edward," she said grinning. I glanced at him and smiled shyly. He shifted in the chair, his arm reaching up and resting on the seat behind me. He wasn't touching me, but I could smell him all around me. I took a deep breath. It made me a little dizzy.
"It's really great to meet all of you," I said looking around the circle, trying to get my bearings from my proximity to Edward. "I'm so grateful for you all coming over and helping my family to feel so welcome in the community. It means so much to us." I smiled at everyone and everyone smiled back at me.
I shifted my eyes around the circle, trying to decide who to talk to, but thankfully, people resumed their small conversation and weren't waiting on me to be the perfect charming hostess. I turned my attention to Bree who was on the other side of Edward.
"What sort of publishing are you in?" I asked her. She looked at me, sipping her beer.
"My house does it all, but I mostly go for fiction writers. A lot of interesting new voices have been popping up lately, and I've been trying to get diversity in front of my bosses."
I smiled, nodding. "I'd love some book recommendations," I told her. "I'd love to diversify my reading list."
Bree grinned. "I'll send you a list, for sure. What is it you do?"
I smiled and shifted in my chair. I was leaning against Edward a little, but if he minded, he didn't say anything or shift away. "I'm a writer. I'm actually in the middle of publishing my second book with Meyer Press," I said shyly. Bree's eyes widened.
"Wait, Bella Marie?" she asked. I blushed and nodded. She leaned toward me. "I just read your first book. I was blown away by the research," she said reaching out to me. I grinned.
"Wow, thank you! Most people really only want to talk to me about the sex," I said giggling. Bree laughed and I felt Edward shift next to me. I glanced up at him. Was he a little flushed?
"I was just raving to Jane about your research. I mean, you brought that war to life. I am throwing your book at anyone I can find," she said shaking her head. I smiled wider.
"I have to admit, I relied heavily on my brother for the research. He teaches history at UW and I was constantly nagging him for help," I said glancing at him. He looked over at me, smirking before he turned his attention back to the conversation he and Alice were having with Emmett and Rose.
Bree looked at me. "Seriously, Bella. If you or your agent ever feel like Meyer Press isn't meeting your needs, call me. I'd publish anything you wrote."
I blinked, surprised. "Wow, thank you. I'll let my agent know. Maybe that will be enough to get the editors to send me notes back," I said shaking my head. Bree snorted.
"Good luck," she said sipping her beer. I nodded in agreement.
Across the fire, someone got Jane's attention and Bree turned her focus on her wife. I leaned back in my seat, shifting a little when I realized I was leaning on Edward. He shifted his arm, holding me in place against his chest. I looked up at him, biting my lip and he offered me a small smile. I stayed put, leaning against him a little as I watched everyone around the fire chatting. I'd been alone for so long, with only my boys in my life, that I didn't actually know it was possible to have fun, engaging conversations with adults like this. This was a whole new form of socialization, and it warmed my heart to see all these new people in my life so at ease.
We sat around the fire and conversation revolved around us. Sometimes Edward or I would get pulled into a conversation, and other times we sat back, just content to listen.
Emmett was in the middle of telling a story about one a prank one of his students tried to pull and we were all mid-laugh when little hands landed on my knee. I looked up to see Luke looking bleary-eyed. "Hi baby," I said, pulling him up onto my lap. He snuggled against my chest, almost immediately falling asleep. "I bet it's past your bedtime," I murmured. Edward glanced at his watch and winced.
"It's almost nine," he confirmed. I rubbed Luke's back and felt his head conk out against my shoulder.
"I think that's our queue," dad said across the fire. I looked up at him as he and mom stood up. Others around the fire started to stand as well and I shifted away from Edward, making sure my arms were firmly around Luke before I stood. I grunted a little when I got on my feet and shifted him in my arms. He was getting so long and heavy that I wasn't going to be able to carry him much longer.
"Do you need help?" Edward asked, standing next to me. I shook my head.
"No, I'll be fine. I'm just going to carry him up to the bed," I said holding Luke's head against my shoulder so it wouldn't flop sideways. Edward nodded.
I made my way carefully up the deck and across to the house. In the living room, Clara and Haley were passed out on the sofa, little chocolate stains around their mouths. Jasper came into the house behind me and smiled at his youngest. "I'll get their drinks," he said moving to the sofa and carefully picking up their half-full cups. I headed toward the stairs, careful not to bump Luke on my way up. He was such a heavy sleeper that I doubted I'd be able to wake him.
I got up the stairs and carried him to his room, carefully laying him on his bed. I noticed he had his own chocolate stain around his mouth and I smiled at him. I went to the bathroom and wet a washcloth with warm water. I came back to his room and gently wiped his face before tucking him into bed. I placed a kiss on his forehead, before leaving his room, keeping the door cracked a little. I rinsed out the washcloth and hung it in the bathroom before heading back downstairs.
In the living room, parents were gathering their kids together, trying to make sure all items were accounted for.
"Bells, we're heading out," Dad said, coming over to me. I nodded, pulling him into a hug.
"Thanks for coming, and cooking," I said squeezing him. He grunted and shifted so his mouth was near my ear.
"It's a fine man you've found there. Make sure he keeps treating you well." Dad kissed the side of my head as he pulled away from me. I smiled at him, a little embarrassed but mostly pleased. I nodded to him and he gave me a quick smile. Mom moved in front of me, pulling me into a tight hug.
"I'm so glad you're nearby now," she sighed, squeezing me. I smiled and squeezed her back.
"Me too, mom."
She pulled back from me and captured my cheeks in her palms. "Take care and," she paused, her eyes finding Edward across the room. "You let us know if you need us to babysit the boys. We'll take them overnight any time," she whispered.
"Mom," I hissed, eyes wide. She giggled and kissed my cheeks.
"Just keep it in mind, sweetheart."
With that, she and my dad headed out, leaving me shaking my head.
"Bella, it was so lovely to meet you. Thank you for having us in your beautiful new home," Esme said, coming over to pull me into a hug. I smiled and hugged her back.
"Thank you for coming. It was lovely to meet you," I told her honestly. She smiled and pulled away from me.
"Oh, we'll see plenty more of each other," she said patting my cheek gently. I blushed and she smiled. "Take care, and good luck with the boys starting school."
I smiled at her as she let me go. Carlisle pulled me into his own hug, thanking me for the hospitality. I hadn't had much chance to talk to Carlisle yet, but I knew he and Jasper were friends so I was sure I'd get to know him at some point. They left after saying goodbye to their own kids and grandkids. I walked the Yorkies, the Cheney's, and the Olivers all to the door. There were so many kids between the groups that I couldn't tell who belonged to whom. Bree dug into her pocket and handed me a business card as her wife stepped out of the house, their son dragging his feet behind her. "Bella, I meant what I said earlier. If you want to make the switch, give me a call," she said sliding her card into my palm. I smiled at her.
"I'll definitely be in touch," I promised her. Bree smiled and followed her family out to their car. When I turned back around, it was only Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, and Edward left in the living room.
"The girls are passed out," Alice said, shaking her head. She had Haley in her arms while Jasper was carrying their older daughter, Cami.
"Do you guys need help?" I asked. Alice nodded.
"If you could just get the doors, we'll take it from there."
I opened the front door for them, following them down to their car. I pulled the backdoor open for Alice and she set Haley in the car while I ran around the other side to open the car for Jasper. "Thank you both, for this today," I said looking at them. "Seriously, I can't tell you how much it means to me to know so many people in the area already."
Alice smiled at me as she stood up, shutting the car door.
"Bella, seriously, it was our pleasure. I'm so glad you had a good time." She paused and glanced at Jasper then smiled. "I'll call you tomorrow and we can talk more."
I laughed as Jasper rolled his eyes. "I know what that means," he grumbled. Alice giggled and got in the car. I looked at my brother.
"You going to tell me to be careful?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow. Jasper had never been overly protective of me, at least, not until I'd gotten pregnant with Jason. But then, he'd had good reason to be protective after that. Still, Jasper had always trusted me to make smart choices, and I had always trusted him to do the same. We had probably an unusual relationship, but it had always worked for us.
Jasper let out a laugh and shook his head. "You're going to do what you're going to do," he said shaking his head. "But in case you are looking for some sort of approval," he stopped and shrugged. "Five minutes with him and I can tell you he's a better man than any other guy you've let in your life."
I bit my lip.
"I know. It scares me."
Jasper reached out to me, tucking me into a hug against his chest.
"Hey, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. You know that. And Ali and I are here for you, no matter what you decide you want," he said gently. I squeezed him tight. No matter how old we got and no matter how much our lives changed, Jasper would always be my big brother, and even if he wasn't overprotective, I knew he loved me fiercely and that brought me a level of comfort that nothing else could.
"I love you, Jas."
He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. "Love you too, Bells."
I pulled away from him, sighing. "Drive safe," I told him. He nodded, opening his car door.
"Call us, if there is anything you need," he reminded me. I nodded and watched as he got in the car. I stood on the driveway until they drove off. I bit my lip and headed back into the house.
