As I was going over my story document today, I realized that chapter 2 was pretty much finished. So y'all are getting an update sooner than I thought you would.

To all who are reading this, thank you for clicking on my story.

To those who left reviews on chapter 1 (Goldielover, Currently Elsewhere, and magicbustrip), thank you so much! Your reviews have brightened an otherwise stressful week, and meant the world to me.

CHAPTER 2

AN ANNOYING DINNER

While the bride and groom went to take pictures, the guests were directed toward an adjacent banquet hall.

As Bella and the other guests filed in, she noted the lovely table arrangements, and the intricate patterns of light that were projected on the empty dance floor. As elegant as the wedding had been, the dinner and reception were clearly meant to wow the guests. It had everything from smooth lighting, to candles and flower arrangements, even a few ice sculptures. Good thing the bride was a doctor, and good thing her family supposedly came from money, because this wedding was clearly costing a small fortune.

"Arranged seating," Charlie stated flatly. "Great."

"I'm sure we'll all be sitting together," Sue replied, hand motioning to include Bella. "Come on. We should find our seats."

Turns out, Sue had assumed wrong. While she and Charlie were seated next to one another, Bella's place card was nowhere near theirs. In fact, it was three tables away, next to people she didn't even know.

Fantastic…

"Bella!" Alice's voice echoed over the drone of conversation. Turning, Bella saw that her friend was making her way over. "Apparently, the bride is a fan of mixing things up. Except for couples, she decided it'd be fun to scatter the guests around. Her way of getting people to mingle and get to know each other."

"You've got to be kidding me." Annoyed yet resigned to her fate, Bella was pulling out her chair when Alice stopped her.

"You can't sit there."

Bella frowned. "Why not?"

"You're going to have a horrible time if you sit at this table. Trust me."

"Okay," was her drawn-out reply. "So then where am I supposed to sit?"

"Don't tell the bride, but we're going to cheat a little. You and I are going to trade places tonight." The expression on her face suggested she was quite pleased with herself. "You see that table over there? The one by the potted plant?"

Bella craned her neck to see.

"You'll find my place card there," Alice said and rounded Bella's shoulder.

"And you're sure this switch is for the best?"

"Hey, no doubting, remember?" The pixie's slender hands came to rest on Bella's upper arms. With a gentle nudge, Alice steered her in the right direction. "Now go enjoy your evening."

Throwing a final glance at Alice, Bella warned, "Alright, but you better come see me as soon as dinner is over. Or vice versa. I'm not spending the entire evening dodging small talk with strangers."

Her friend's answering laughter was like windchimes. "You won't. I promise. Now hurry along."

It was decided; Bella was going to kill Alice.

The guy sitting next to her—a lanky tuxedo-clad redhead named Drew—had been talking her ear off for the past half hour. Swirling his wine around his glass, he had started by pointing to her place card. "So, your name's Alice. Where are you from, Alice?"

Choosing not to correct him, Bella had faked a small smile and replied, "Forks."

"Forks," he had echoed like he didn't quite know where it was. But then, as he had scratched his ear, the name had clicked. "Forks! A small town, yeah? A few hours from here, off the 101?"

"That's the one." Bella had never been a snob, but there was just something about the guy. It wasn't his average looks—average she didn't mind. And it wasn't his awkwardness—awkward she could deal with, and relate to. But his stare was a tad too intense for her liking, and he kept leaning toward her, invading her personal space in a slimy way.

"So what do you do?" he had asked.

"I graduated from university two months ago. English major."

Hoping he would catch the hint and chat with someone else, Bella had looked to the other diners in hopes of joining another conversation. But then, out of the blue, Drew had blurted that his father owned a staple company. "Do you like staples?"

No joke. He had actually asked her that.

"Um… staples are cool," had been her answer. But then, what else was she going to say?

Now the guy was going on and on about how he was going to inherit the company in a few years. Nodding behind her wine glass, Bella listened with half an ear, scanning those seated around the table. Much to her dismay, they were all absorbed in other conversations.

When her dining companion started bragging about the new car he drove, Bella downed the rest of her wine, and debated escaping to the bathroom. With my luck, he'll just follow me there. Desperate for another solution, she searched the room with her eyes. Please, someone rescue me. But the dinner portion wasn't quite over, and the Cullens were scattered throughout the room. At present, the closest one was Carlisle, but he was seated two tables away, with his back to her.

At long last, most of the guests had finished eating, but because the newlyweds were now sharing their first dance as husband and wife, people weren't leaving their tables just yet.

Resigned to wait a little longer, Bella watched the wedded pair for a time, but then, without realizing, her gaze drifted over to Carlisle. At present, the good doctor was talking with an older gentleman, while the ladies across his table sipped at their drinks and devoured him with their eyes.

Their attention might have bothered her a little, but Carlisle never seemed interested in the women who crossed his path. Not even the ones who threw themselves at him. Oh, Bella had heard the stories, how the nurses at the hospital constantly drooled over him. According to Charlie, some of them couldn't even concentrate on their work when Carlisle was around.

In a way, she couldn't blame them. Bella, herself, wasn't immune to his charms—though she would never ogle him like those women were doing now. At least not so openly. She might have a teeny tiny crush on her doctor friend, but Bella wasn't some doe-eyed ninny. She had more sense than that.

Besides, this was Carlisle. He wasn't an object, and he wasn't a happy meal. A kind and decent man, he wasn't the type to use women. His patients were a priority, and his chosen family meant everything to him. Maybe there wasn't enough room for anything else.

A few weeks ago, when she and Alice had been alone at the house, the two of them lounging on the veranda out back, her curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she had asked if Carlisle had always been alone.

"Alone? In what sense?" Alice had asked in turn.

"Well, you and Jasper… you're together. So are Emmett and Rosalie. But Carlisle doesn't seem to have anyone. Was it always that way? Did he have someone in his human life? A wife he lost when he was changed, or…"

"Carlisle never married. As for whether or not he has ever been in love, I couldn't really say. He has never told me. But as long as I have known him, he's never dated. So, to answer your question, I suppose that, yes, he's always been alone."

For three hundred and seventy years…

"He must be lonely, no?"

Eyes on the surrounding forest, Alice had given it some thought. "Living with two happily married couples, I'm sure he must be at times. I know I was before I met Jasper." In the ensuing silence, the wind had ruffled her short hair. "The world is a strange place, Bella. You never know what's around the corner, who you'll meet and how they'll change your life. Some might call me an optimist, or a hopeless romantic, but I have hope for Carlisle. One day, he'll see her. He'll see and recognize the love of his life." Smiling a private smile, she had nodded in conviction, and breathed a hopeful sigh.

Gifted with the ability to see possible outcomes for the future, maybe she knew something everyone else didn't. Maybe Alice had seen the lucky woman who might capture Carlisle's heart one day.

A clicking sound encroached upon Bella's thoughts, and she realized that Drew was chuckling and snapping his fingers in front of her face. It made her flinch. "Alice? Earth to Alice."

Oh wait, right. That's supposed to be me.

Annoyed by his rudeness, Bella blinked and frowned at him. "I'm sorry what?"

"I was asking if you dance."

Her mouth fell open, but no sound came out. Oh, hell no, she wanted to say.

Indeed, guests were now flocking toward the dance floor.

When Bella failed to answer, Drew narrowed his eyes and tapped his chin. "I take it you're not a dancer. That's too bad. I am told I have quite the moves."

Someone kill me now. And where the fuck was Alice?

Needing to get away, Bella was about to rise and excuse herself, but the cornball leaned in to the point that she could smell his breath. Cheese. Eww. His arm coming to rest on the back of her chair, he lowered his voice, and wagged his eyebrows. "You know, I live not too far from here. If you want, we can just hop in my convertible and head on over there. I'll give you the grand tour. What do you say?"

That's it. Enough.

Bella leaned far away from him. Eyebrows shooting toward her hairline, she opened her mouth to send him packing, but someone said her name first. Her real name, in a honeyed voice.

Relief washed over her, and her eyes fell closed. Thank God.

"Isabella?" Drew looked downright confused. "Who's Isabella?"

Desperate to get away from the dorky weirdo creep, Bella pushed away from the table, and gained her feet. "Carlisle." Now that she was facing away from Mister heir-to-a-staple-fortune, Bella mouthed a silent thank you, and came to stand beside her rescuer.

"Isabella is Alice's middle name," Carlisle supplied before meeting her gaze. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend?"

Trying not to shudder at the word friend, Bella discerned the knowing glimmer in Carlisle's expression. Playing along, she said, "Yes, how rude of me. This is Drew. Drew, meet Dr. Carlisle Cullen."

"Her significant other," Carlisle kindly broke in, knocking the proverbial wind out of her.

Clearly aware of Drew's unwanted advances, Carlisle smiled warmly at Bella and offered her his arm. More than glad to join in the ruse, she slipped her arm through his, and looked at the blanching redhead.

At first, Drew merely stared at them, his rounded eyes reminding her of a deer caught in headlights. "So he's your..." he stammered and seemed to shrink by an inch or two.

"Boyfriend. Going on two years now," Bella lied with grateful ease. Exchanging a blissful glance with Carlisle, she even leaned her head on his hard shoulder. He smelled sinfully good.

"Well, it was nice to meet you," Carlisle said to Drew before patting Bella's hand. "Sweetheart, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

"I would love to, honey."

With that, Carlisle led her across the dancefloor, where couples were slow dancing to Natalie Cole's Unforgettable.

"Oh my god. Thank you," Bella exclaimed without letting go of his hand. As she trailed slightly behind him, her palm was a sweaty mess against his cool skin. Normally, she would have been embarrassed, but Bella couldn't bring herself to care at the moment, so glad was she to be rid of her creepy dinner companion.

Having reached a sparsely occupied section of the dance floor, Carlisle faced her. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern etched on his forehead.

"Yeah. I'm okay. That guy was just a bit much." A shiver went through her, and she chanced a look across the room.

Much to her relief, Drew was no longer staring at her. Instead, he was weaving his way between the tables, winking at a woman who—by the roll of her eyes—was clearly not interested.

Realizing where she was and who she was with, Bella looked to Carlisle once again. His eyes were still on her but, regrettably, he had let go of her hand.

"What is it?" she asked upon noting his hesitation.

His features lit by moving patterns of light, Carlisle lowered his chin for a moment. He seemed almost bashful. "Generally speaking, I know you're not a fan of dancing, so if you would rather sit with Alice…" His smile was muted but kind.

"No. No, it's fine," she assured him, and saw something kindle in his golden eyes.

"I'd be happy to dance with you," she reiterated and meant it. "Although I should warn you, I'm not a very good dancer."

"I beg to differ. I've seen you dancing once."

A look of shock settled on her features. He did not just bring that up.

"That wasn't the same, and you know it. I was alone, and being silly. It wasn't actual dancing." Mortified laughter rose in her throat. "I promise you, I am a horrible dancer."

Carlisle seemed undeterred. "I doubt that."

"You say that now. Wait until I step on your toes ten or fifteen times."

"I'm quite certain my stone feet can handle it."

And so he clasped her fingers with one hand, while the other slid around her ribcage, landing in the correct position on her shoulder blade. Locked in a semi-formal dance pose, he looked into her eyes, and started leading, following the jazzy tune as the overhead lights cast slow-moving patterns over their hair.

Evil cliffhanger, I know. But fear not, folks. Chapter 3 will pick up exactly where this one left off.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated and desperately hoped for. ;-)

Until next time, take care!

CygnusRift xox