A Chapter Eleven Outtake
(The Lost Fifteen Minutes)
Edward helps his Sweets step up into the cab of the truck. She smiles as he tucks in the hem of her dress and pulls her wrap snugly around her.
Turning, she places her handon his cheek, "Thank you, Moondoggie."
He leans in for a sweet kiss before closing the door. He waves at the two couples in the four-door Mercedes as he walks around the front of his truck and climbs into the driver's side.
Bella waves as the silver Mercedes passes them in the driveway and grips her clutch in her lap as Edward starts their engine.
He smiles over at his beauty, taking her hand and bringing it to his mouth. He is so proud of her. If he weren't so hyper aware of her, he would have missed her withdrawn quiet and her shallow breathing. Or the tight hold she had on her little clutch, and how often her hands smoothed over her hair or skirt; small gestures that add up to a very nervous Sweets.
He is such a dumb fuck.
He accepted dinner out with family as the typicalfamily tradition, but he had made a huge mistake in not seeing what this might mean to Bella.
He first noticed how hard tonight was on her as he watched her dressing. After she showered, she carefully laid out her clothes and accessories they had purchased in Seattle, and brought his IPad to the vanity in the bathroom. He showered quietly and watched her follow a YouTube tutorial on fashioning her hair in an up-do. She switched to another tutorial to do her makeup, working quietly with a studious crease between her brows.
It was then he realized how far removed a dinner at Normandes was to his Sweets. She had a problem letting go of leftovers from Mc Donald's. How did he not register this would be hard for her?
Dumb fuck
When she slipped a layout of a formal place setting into her little clutch, he knew he had to talk with her. He had unwittingly set her up to fail, and in doing so, he had failed in anticipating her needs most miserably.
"I love you, Sweets," he whispers against her hand.
She smiles sweetly at him, "I love you too, Moondoggie," cocking her head, trying to read his mood.
"Forgive me?" he asks.
"Forgive you, for what?" she frowns as he drops her hand.
He pulls the truck into a passing pull-off along Lake Michigan and unbuckles. He reaches over to unbuckle her.
"Moondoggie, you're scaring me. Did I do something wrong?"
The panic rising in her voice spurs him to move quickly, pulling her toward him mindful of her beautiful gown.
"Shhh, Baby, we're fine. Come here," He brings her in for a hug, careful not to disturb the hair she worked so hard on styling. "I adore you and I'm so proud of you, but I'm thoroughly disgusted with myself," he kisses her neck. "Do you have lipstick in your purse?" he asks as he runs a knuckle softly down her cheek.
She nods.
"Good," he nods as he lifts her chin and gives her a tender and reverent kiss, relishing the glossy taste.
She sits back and waits for him to explain himself.
"I'm so sorry, Baby. I didn't think," he says dropping his gaze.
He runs his fingers through his hair and heaves a heavy sigh.
"I didn't think when I agreed to dinner tonight. I knew Mom would want a night like tonight and I didn't even consider you," he smiles sadly and takes her hand.
He watches as her back straightens and she stills, "You think I don't fit in …That I'll embarrass you."
He looks into her hardened eyes and knows he has messed this up royally once again.
"No, goddamn it, I don't think that at all," he tries to pull her closer but she stays put. The distance between them makes his gut twist.
Make this better.
He lets out a rough breath and begins, "Bella, I—I messed up. You are so good and capable in every situation we've come up against, I didn't think about tonight for you. I should have been helping you," he shakes his head at how lame he sounds in his head.
"I—I tried, but I don't have to go tonight. Just drop me off at the hotel and go have a nice evening with you family."
Although her chin is raised in a defiant pose the hurt in her voice registers with him.
"No, no, I want you with me, need you with me," he takes a breath and decides to stop trying to spare her feelings. "Your dress is beautiful. Your hair and makeup—perfection." He pauses, "how long have you been practicing with the YouTube tutorials?"
Her shocked look shoots through him, but he forces himself to hold her gaze.
She looks down ather hands and reaches over to claim her clutch, placing it in her lap before answering.
"I realized after we bought the formal clothes that I would need to teach myself how to do everything the clothes would require. I found the two tutorials while you stepped out for a smoke in Spokane. I've practiced in the bathroom twice while you were sleeping," she touches her hair as she finishes her confession.
He brings her hand from her hair and kisses it before placing it on his thigh. "And you've done a beautiful job. Your hair is art and fits you and the dress perfectly. Your makeup is just right for the evening's candlelight. You make me so proud to be escorting you."
"But," she squeezes his hand to continue.
"But I should have thought to help you prepare for tonight. I did not, for one moment think that you would be out of your element or that I needed to explain what you should expect. But I should have; instead, I left you to feel like less and I'm so sorry, Sweets." He shakes his head, "I left you to ferret it out for yourself, but as always, you amazed me.
She softens and relaxes back into the bench seat, "Moondoggie, you haven't failed me. I'm sorry if I can't be what you need tonight. I tried to learn as much as I could." She frowns and traces a finger along the vein on his hand.
It reminds him of her puppet mastery of the morning and he swallows thickly.
"Baby, you have done everything right, I'm so proud of you."
He leans in waiting for a kiss. She smiles and rewards him with a sweet peck.
"How about you get that place setting diagram out of your purse and we look at it," He wants to laugh as she blushes but opens her purse, pulling out the folded paper.
He scoots her closer and spreads out the paper, bridging their laps.
"Okay, it's really not that difficult. You just remember to work from the outside in."
He starts withthe outer fork, including the seafood fork, bringing her to the dessert fork. He feels her relax as he talks her through the meal and begins to forgive himself for dropping the ball.
"What about the wine flutes and glasses?" she asks looking at the hand-copied diagram from the internet.
"Are you going to drink wine tonight?" he asks kissing her cheek as he refolds her diagram.
'No."
"Well, then that is a non-starter. Put that back in your purse, you won't need it."
She quickly obeys and looks to him for his next instructions.
He nods, "Okay, it's all about portraying confidence. If you move with a purpose, no onewill questionyou. When we enter, the maître d will greet us and offer to take our coats. I will help you with yours and hand it to him. He will offer to lead us to our group. You will follow him and I will guide you with my hand on your back." With that, he wiggles his eyebrows, thrilling when he gets a little giggle from her.
"At the table, I will pull outyour chair and help you be seated. From then on I want you to trust me. I will take care of you all night. You'll feel confident and in control. I promise." He squeezes her hand.
"I trust you, Moondoggie. You always take care of me." She whispers.
"And you care for me right back, Sweets." He smiles and feels relief when she mirrors his smile. "I'm so goddamn proud to be the lucky bastard who has you on his arm."
"I'm the lucky girl who is privileged to be on your arm." She kisses him sweetly, "and don't take the Lord's name in vain."
He smiles at how he can drop the F-bomb but not say goddamn, "yes, ma'am."
She laughs softly, and then adds, "I pulled up the menu and I think I know what I want in each course; so much food," she looks to him wrinkling her nose.
So cute
She continues with a frown, "I'm not sure I'll pronounce everything correctly."
"How about you let me know what you would like and I order for both of us?" he says softly as he runs his fingertip over the shell of her ear.
"I'd like that, thank you," she whispers.
He smiles as a blush floods herneckline.
"Come here, Baby," he says cupping her neck, pulling her to him. His mouth claims hers and she sinks into him as his tongue slides along hers tasting her glossy sweetness. He sucks gently on her tongue only to groan when her hand runs up his thigh.
"Okay, Sweets, we've gotta stop here. I'm going to ruin all of your hard work," he whispers as he pushes a loose strand of hair away from her cheek.
She sighs heavily and nods.
She leans in with a tender, lingering kiss before moving back to her side of the truck and flipping down the visor to touch up her hair and makeup and reapply her lipstick to her thoroughly kissed lips.
He watches her in the visor's light. She is so beautiful without even trying. She has such a quiet strength. He's learning so much from her. The desire to surround her and lay her down is overwelming and he adjusts his grip on the steering wheel as his eyes roam over her.
When she is satisfied she snaps the visor up, "Ready," she smiles at him.
He turns to throw the truck into drive when her hand stills his arm. "Thank you, Moondoggie. I feel so much better about tonight. Thank you again for the beautiful dress. I feel like Cinderella," she laughs softly.
"You are definitely the most beautiful girl at the ball. Now let's get this pumpkin coach moving."
She leans over, giving him one more glossy kiss before settling back and buckling her seatbelt.
Damn, she tastes good.
As he pulls back on the road, he sees her set her clutch next to her with a contented sigh and the dashboard illuminates his satisfied smile.
~o0o~
"Good evening, Mr. Cullen. It's so lovely to have your family with us this evening," the maître d gushes in greeting.
"Thank you, it nice to be here. It's been quite a while since I've had your excellent cuisine," Edward responds with his arm around his Sweets.
"Oh, you flatter us, sir. May we take your coats?"
Edward helps Bella out of her wrap, handing it, along with his coat, to the girl waiting next to the maître d.
"Right this way, sir," he motions with his hand before leading the way.
Bella follows with Edward's hand comforting her on the small of her back.
Together
She tries not to fidget as they approach the table full of family.
"Formal dining, not for the faint of heart, Sweets," he whispers in her ear.
She smiles softly, leaning back against him as his hand slips from the small of her back to her hip.
"Hello all," Edward says in greeting as he pulls out Bella's chair.
"Do we want to know what took you fifteen minutes longer than everyone else?" Jasper smirks with his eye locked on the lip gloss gracing the corner of Edward's mouth.
Edward's mind flashes to their conversation and glossy kisses.
"No, no you don't," he says emphatically.
The group laughs quietly as Edward self-consciously wipes the corner of his mouth and takes his seat between Bella and his mom.
Alice and Jasper bump shoulders, and laugh quietly as Bella blushes as she touches her lips. She can't help but smile along with them as Alice grins knowingly and Jasper gives her a wink.
"Aunt Bewuh," Maddie calls as she holds her arms up for a hug.
Bella is so grateful for a kindred spirit in this storm of family dynamics.
"Maddie girl, oh, you look so pretty!" she can't help but smile as little arms pull her into a hug.
When she feels Moondoggie pull her back into his side, she feels as if she can breathe again. Looking at his profile as he teases Jasper about his wiggle-shot, she is so thankful for Edward and how much he has brought to her humble life;
An all-consuming love,
A sense of belonging,
A future,
And family.