Edward held the door open, and Bella crossed the threshold into his shop. The scent of aged wood mixed with the tantalizing aroma of snickerdoodles. It instantly calmed Bella.

Once they were in the store, Edward went to the fireplace; he held a box of matches he hadn't had moments before. Bella shuffled over to the nearest chair. She leaned against it and took the opportunity to further study Edward.

Did he know he was a gorgeous mortal?

He wore nice clothing and clearly took good care of himself, but, no, he didn't have an arrogant, self-important air about him. In that regard, he remained Bella of Jacob, and she relaxed even more. She may have her problems with the shifter, but, overall, he wasn't a bad individual.

With ease, Edward lit the fireplace. He put the matchbox on the mantel, then faced Bella. He beamed and gestured to the growing fire behind him.

"Better?"

Warmth hadn't seeped from the fireplace yet, but Bella could tell that soon it would. She nodded.

Edward's grin widened. "Good." He started for the other side of the room where a small refrigerator, stove, and sink sat behind a wood counter. "Would you like to sample my wares?"

"Depends on what kind of restaurant this is."

Bella had a good appetite due to being all over the world and was willing to try almost anything once. But there were certain types of food she just wouldn't tolerate. Like animal testicles or durian. She didn't think Edward would sell that sort of stuff, not in a town like Forks, but maybe she was more insane than he looked.

Edward reached the counter, stepped behind it, then looked at Bella. "I'm not a restaurant."

"But you do sell food."

"Yes, a particular kind, though." Edward studied her. "Have you never been in one before?"

"One what?"

Edward pointed at the tables and chairs and then the many cabinets that lined the walls. Some had expensive-looking china in them. Others contained jars and bags with cursive labels Bella couldn't make out at this distance.

"This is a tea shop."

"Oh."

Bella felt a little dense. It was apparent, but her brain hadn't been able to recognize it. She'd seen the outside of many, but she'd never visited one. For some reason, tea shops attracted a lot of creatures, many of whom wouldn't appreciate being in the presence of an Olympian and her charge. To avoid trouble, Demeter had always steered clear of tea shops.

The urge to leave gripped Bella. No one else was in the store, and the Black pack hadn't discovered any other creatures in Forks, but that didn't mean that wouldn't change, or that there weren't those in the area highly glamoured to seem mortal. What if Bella upset someone and they followed her home? Demeter was so vulnerable. The Black Pack was good, but mistakes happened.

"That's nice." Bella glanced at the front door. "I think I should—"

"You want to go already? You haven't even gotten warm yet."

"I know, but—"

Edward pouted. "Please stay for one cup of tea. I've been pretty lonely today. A little conversation will stave of insanity."

"Well..."

She hadn't seen anyone pass by yet. Plus, Bella didn't know when any of Forks tea-drinkers preferred to brew a pot, but it didn't seem to be in the morning. Or if they did, it was in the comfort of their own home. Maybe if she stayed for another half hour, it'd be all right.

"Sure, but just one, okay? I need to get home soon."

Unhappiness disappeared from Edward's face, and he bent down behind the counter. When he popped back up, he had an ornate jade-encrusted teapot and a cup and saucer to match. He placed the cup and saucer on the counter and took the pot to the sink. He filled it with tap water, then set it on the stove. Edward turned on the burner and looked over at Bella.

"Pick out any tea from the shelves you want."

Bella went to the first cabinet. "Wait. These are all packaged."

"Don't worry about paying for the whole thing. I'll give it to you for free."

"Is this a deal you give all first-time patrons? If so, how do you stay in business?"

A dazzling smile pulled at Edward's lips. "No, you're the only one."

A blush crept into Bella's cheeks. "Uh, why?"

"Think of it as a house-warming gift."

Bella spun around. "How do you know?"

Edward chuckled. "What? You think I've been watching you since you got here?"

"Have you?"

"No, Bella, I'm not a creepy stalker. I know you're new to town because people talk. You and your mom have been the topic of quite a lot of gossip."

"Ah."

Bella resumed looking at the dozens of tea flavors. It seemed he had every possible combination and types of teas she'd never heard of. One cabinet was dedicated to teas from other countries. Bella recognized a handful, probably more than any other patron from Forks.

Edward stayed behind the counter, quiet as he watched her decide. She almost wished he'd suggest a flavor; there were too many choices. Plus, though she didn't know why it mattered, she didn't want him to be displeased by her selection.

Finally, Bella settled on Labrador tea (Jacob had introduced it to her decades ago). She opened the cabinet and removed the pouch. With quick steps, she took it over to Edward.

He studied the contents. "Oh, this one's nice."

"Have you tried all of the teas?"

"Of course."

Bella's eyebrows rose. "You must only drink tea."

Edward laughed. "Pretty much."

Bella snickered with him; her insides buoyed. She couldn't believe how much fun she was having even though nothing much had happened. Edward was just so easy to get along with; one of the more pleasant mortals she'd engaged with in quite some time.

As a rule, Bella didn't spend a lot of time with mortals. They were too suspicious, too ready to assume the worst. For the most part, mortals were okay, but that one trait made them almost unbearable at times.

Edward walked Bella through the process of brewing the perfect cup of tea. She already knew the basics, but he offered tips she would have never thought of.

Done, he presented the tea with a flourish.

"Enjoy."

Bella giggled despite telling herself not to. She hated when she did. It always sounded like her brain had fallen out of her head.

To cover up her shame, she sipped her herbal drink. The heat scalded her tongue, but Bella didn't react; wouldn't risk spitting the tea on Edward or it dribbling down her chin. Second to dying by vampires, she hated the idea of embarrassment claiming her life.

From under the counter, Edward removed a plate of thick, fudgy brownies. He peeled back the plastic wrap from the dish and set the brownies between him and Bella. He nodded at them.

"They're not conventional with tea, I know, but I baked these this morning—a new recipe. I'm curious how they turned out. Want to give me a review?"

"Sure."

Bella picked the smallest brownie and nibbled off a corner. It clashed at first with the tea, but once the chocolate taste coated her tongue, she could thoroughly enjoy the intense, rich flavor. It was the perfect soft texture that made Bella want to consume the whole brownie as quickly as possible.

Somehow, she managed to control herself and finished the brownie in an appropriate amount of time.

"So?" Edward asked.

"You're an amazing baker."

"Thank you."

"How do you find time to run a tea shop and bake the perfect brownies?"

Edward sighed. "I'll admit, it's hard. Sometimes I don't know how I get any sleep."

"You don't have any help?"

"No, I haven't found the right person yet."

A light lit up Edward's eyes, and he smiled wide at her.

Bella set down her half-empty cup. "What?"

"Maybe I'm looking at who I need."

"Me? You don't even know me."

"I have a sixth sense about you." Edward nodded. "Yes, you're the perfect one for the job. What do you say? It'll be part-time at first, and I can only pay you minimum wage, but they'll be raises in the future if it all works out."

"I, um..."

The last thing Bella had expected happening today was getting offered a job, especially not presented by someone like Edward. Her initial response was to say yes, but she had to go over the proposition with Demeter and the Black Pack. The first few months after a move was always a delicate time.

"I'll think about it."

Edward winked. "Don't keep me hanging for too long."

Bella's heart rate increased, but she ignored it and returned her attention to her tea. "I, uh, I won't."