Thanks to my beta SimplyDazzling. Who should have had the chapter ready yesterday. Just saying.


"We have three minutes until the bus leaves and all your hopes and dreams of placing in state go down the toilet!" Carlisle called with pestering urgency from the bottom of the stairs.

Edward had just got here yesterday and now I had to go and play in the state golf tournament. I felt bad because for the next two days I wouldn't get to spend much time with him at all. Each day I would be out on the course for about eight hours in total and the rest of the time with my team.

Last night had been. . .great. Honestly, it was just a peaceful and happy night that I would never forget. In just a few hours from the time I had picked Edward up at the airport to when we went to bed, most of the awkwardness had completely evaporated. Edward and I ate the cake I made him and just talked for what seemed like hours. I couldn't wipe the stupid smile off of my face the entire time I had got ready for bed, and I had fallen asleep with sore cheeks.

"They can't leave without me!" I hollered back in exasperation. I was packing my toiletry bag and then I would be ready. And by packing I meant throwing a bunch of random shit into a small bag and hoping I didn't leave out the tampons.

"Two minutes!" was all Carlisle yelled. I sighed and shoved the bag into my larger overnight bag before throwing it over my shoulder and jogging down the stairs.

"We were supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago!" Esme sung as she adjusted her Callaway hat in the mirror. Carlisle and Esme both had an excellent fashion sense. Esme always looked like a pro when she went to watch my meets.

"I'm ready! Let's roll! Where's Edward?"

We would be staying at a hotel tonight because the starting time tomorrow was too early to go home and drive back. Esme and Carlisle took two days off of work so they had reservations along with Edward who would be coming with to watch me play. I was so glad that Emmett was going to watch Rosalie and the two would be sharing a room. I would feel really bad if I dragged Edward all the way from Iraq just to dismiss him for a dumb sport.

"Already outside," Carlisle said pointedly, narrowing his eyes. I dismissed him with a hand wave and hurried out the door with Esme.

Edward was leaning against the Escalade casually waiting for the rest of us. He was dressed properly for the occasion, fitting in perfectly. He looked like a golf pro himself wearing a black polo golf shirt and khaki pants. Instead of a hat like Esme was wearing, Edward had decided on some silver aviators. And they looked incredibly sexy.

. . .The shallow thoughts hadn't quite left yet my mind yet. . .

"What took you so long?" Edward asked, pushing himself off of the car. I was going around to place my bag in the trunk. Edward gently snatched it and opened the hatch, setting it in himself. I smiled in thanks before we split in opposite directions to get in the car.

Luckily the school where the coach bus was waiting was only a half a mile away from our house. Edward and I didn't have much of a chance to say anything to each other with that period. I was too excited and nervous for state to be freaked out at what was going to happen. Edward was going to meet Rosalie, Brenner, and Rosalie's mother. I was most worried about Rose's mom. She was quite a character.

I hadn't given him much warning about the three of them. Last night we had stayed up just long enough to eat some of his birthday cake before both of us crashed. And this morning we both overslept and I was too busy trying to get everything for golf set away that we didn't get a chance to exchange anything other than good mornings.

Carlisle pulled into a parking spot across from the bus shoot and turned off the car. Brenner was standing on the sidewalk talking to Camille, Rose's mom. Rosalie was over with Emmett a few yards away.

"Anything you'd like to tell me about those three?" Edward whispered to me, still irritated from last night. I laughed quietly.

"Nothing I say will prepare you for them," I answered with a warning glance while unbuckling my seatbelt. He followed suit but only after he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Here, Bella, grab your clubs," Carlisle requested as I stepped out of the vehicle. I grabbed the bag and started walking across the street.

"I got it," Edward muttered as he appeared at my side. I shrugged as he slung the bag strap on his shoulder effortlessly. I was in shape; I could carry the 50 pound bag for five hours, but I could not lift it that effortlessly.

I was in a very good mood this morning. Last night I had fallen asleep with a grin on my face, and woke up this morning feeling like P Diddy. Edward was here, the wait was finally over and he was everything I could have hoped for. And now I got to go kick some ass in a sport I loved and possibly show off for Edward. And it was sunny this morning. Sunshine just made me happier in general.

"A little late don't you think, Swan?" Brenner chided mockingly as we made it across the street. I stuck my tongue out but he didn't seem to notice. He was doing the same thing Carlisle had to Edward yesterday; sizing him up. I wanted to remind everyone that he was in the army and pretty strong, but hey, what did I know?

"Brenner, this is Sergeant Edward Masen. Edward, this is my coach, Shannon Brenner," I introduced the two. Then I looked around and wondered where Camille had drifted off to. I located her with Carlisle and Esme and was momentarily relieved that he didn't have to meet her yet.

"Sergeant," Brenner acknowledged with a nod. Edward held his hand out and the two of them shook. "I trust you're enjoying your leave?"

The guys dropped hands and Edward looked at me with a smile. "Yes Sir, I am." I smiled back at him before lowering my eyes and glancing cautiously at Brenner. He didn't seem to notice our silent exchange; he just looked really damn smug that Edward had addressed him as "sir."

"Well, Bella, you seem like you're in a much better mood then Tuesday's practice," Brenner commented, raising an eyebrow that had its own unspoken question. I chose to ignore it.

"Yeah, just a bit."

"Good, maybe you'll have a decent round," Brenner winked at me before nodding at Edward and walking to talk to the Santa Claus looking bus driver. His words from the conversation we had a few weeks ago were ringing in my head. I forgot about his little theory that I reflected Edward's feelings when I played golf.

"See, that wasn't so hard," I cooed to Edward. He chuckled and the smirked.

"What is with all the men in your life squeezing my hand until the blood flow stops?" Edward asked with genuine confusion as he flexed his hand and rolled his fingers. I grinned and was about to respond when Emmett had other plans.

"Masen, my man!" Emmett boomed with his arms open wide as he walked towards us. Edward gave a crooked grin and returned Emmett's man hug with just as much enthusiasm.

"I see you've met little Bella here," Emmett grinned, pulling me under his arm. I rolled my eyes and ducked out of his loose lock.

"Yeah, thanks for introducing us," Edward responded sarcastically as he put his aviators on the top of his head.

Rosalie and danced silently over to where we were standing and was taking a good look at Edward. Edward and Emmett started talking about the flights they took while I watched Rose's face. After she thoroughly examined Edward's features and assets she looked at me with wide eyes.

"Damn," she mouthed, impressed.

"I know," I mouthed back conspiratorially, still as equally impressed.

"Hi, I'm Rosalie," Rose interrupted their conversation and stuck her hand out to Edward. He smiled and shook it. "You must be the Edward I've heard so much about." I sighed. No Rose, this was a different Edward.

"Pleasure to meet you, Rosalie. I've heard a lot about you too," Edward's voice became even more honeyed. I watched his eyes dazzle and charm.

Rosalie blinked rapidly before smiling back at him hugely. Emmett crossed his eyes in mock disgust and looked at me brightly after I silently laughed. "All good I–"

"Hello darlings, Bella! My my my, who is this young man?" Camille barged in our little circle and gave me a hug with kisses on both cheeks. I laughed and made a face at Edward who was raising his eyebrows back at me.

Camille was a tall, thin, curvy woman. She had her daughter's shiny blond hair and brown eyes. Today she was dressed in her golfing attire. Camille didn't golf, she just liked to be stylish. She was wearing a short, black, golf skirt and a tight, light blue woman's polo with giant, Pairs Hilton sunglasses.

"I'm Camille, or Cam, whichever you prefer," she spun and introduced herself to Edward with a mock purr. Camille had a great energy to her, everywhere she went, people just took to her because of the way she walked, talked, and sang.

"Edward," he introduced himself after uncomfortably clearing his throat. Emmett and Rosalie were standing back, giving them room. Rosalie looked bored, seeing her mom do this every time she met someone. Emmett, on the other hand, looked amused and smug that he wasn't the one getting the attention at the moment.

"Have you met Emmett, Bella?" Cam spun back to me with an enthusiastic face. Edward looked momentarily relieved. I stifled a laugh.

"Yes I–"

"Isn't he fun? We love having him at our house! I feel so safe with him under the roof! Don't you, Rosie?" That was another thing. Camille wasn't one to stay on a topic for that long.

"Huh?" Rose looked up from own golf skirt that she was fixing, still bored with the conversation. "Yeah, sure I guess."

"Personally I think he's a bit of a hunk," Cam stage whispered to me. I pressed my lips together to stop the smirk. Her mother now had her attention. Rose's head whipped up, alarmed and embarrassed.

"Mom!"

"Oh, that was rude. Bella, you got a cutie pie too." I closed my eyes in mortification as I felt blush spread all over my cheeks. Cam also knew no bounds when she was on a roll talking. And I always forgot how quickly one could go from amusement to complete embarrassment.

"Mom!" Rosalie repeated, just as mortified as me.

"Dear, am I embarrassing you? I'm terribly sorry. I was just admiring what God gave you and Bella." Cam turned from her daughter over to Edward whose shoulders were rocking from his silent laughter. She paused before smiling at him, "so Edward, how do you feel about cougars?" Edward's eyes bulged out and suddenly his face that was red from laughing so hard paled to the shade of a polar bear. He stared at her, blinking twice before turning to me, his expression now frightened.

"Holy shit. Mom!"

"Rosalie Hale! Language," Camille scolded her daughter with actual seriousness.

Rosalie huffed, ignoring that comment and starting to lecture her free spirited mother. "Mom. You can't just go around hitting on every young man you meet! It's weird! And really creepy!"

"I was not hitting on him. If I was hitting on him I would say something more alone the lines of–" I would never know what Cam was about to say. That would probably be my biggest regret in life. She was interrupted by an oblivious Brenner.

"Everyone on the bus!"

"I fucking love you, Brenner!" Rosalie yelled to him in desperate appreciation and relief.

"Sorry Rose. . .my heart belongs to another." Brenner held out his left hand and pointed to his wedding band before disappearing back in the bus. Rosalie's face was so red, I almost felt bad. Camille departed and went back to Carlisle and Esme without another word. Emmett smirked sympathetically and put his arm around her shoulder and walked her to the bus with a very amused – yet still slightly frightened – smile as Edward trailed behind with me.

"Any more crazy people you want me to meet?" Edward asked seriously after my clubs were loaded and we were all on the bus.

"No, I think we got them all for now," I reassured him.

"For now? Awesome." I laughed as he went to sit with Emmett behind where Rosalie and I were sitting. All the parents/boyfriends were riding on the bus with us since it was a huge ass coach bus and there were a total of seven actual golfers.

Rosalie and I couldn't really say much with Emmett and Edward right behind us. So instead we just communicated with overly expressive faces and a lot of word mouthing. It was a good talk.

We arrived at the golf course a little later than a tense Brenner would have liked and everything after that was a blur. Edward told me not to worry about him and that he could take care of himself so I had no clue where he was for a good hour. Instead, I focused on practicing with the girls, trying to put my mind back in athletics. This was a big deal and if I did well, it would help me narrow down some choices of colleges. If any were interested in the first place, that was.

Brenner gave each of us our starting hole numbers and a small talking to before they dismissed us all to the holes. My little inspirational talk consisted of "You know that Shakespeare quote? The one about greatness? I can't remember it now, but let's pretend I did. Go get your medal, Swan."

I was nervous that I wasn't going to have good shots and that I would have an awful group of girls. I was nervous that a bunch of girls from other conferences would be better than me and the course we were playing was kind of freaking me out.

But that just flew right out the window on the first tee box.

I was the last one in my group to go, and I was playing with some of the best. They were all the number ones for their team but I wasn't that intimidated, I had played with two of them before and, to be frank, I was better than them. But that wasn't what relaxed me.

I hit my driver, clobbered really, over 250 yards, straight as an arrow, landing right in the middle of the fairway. I grinned triumphantly and turned back to the girls and crowd. Before I could take two steps towards my bag to put the club back, I jumped in surprise.

"Wooh!" Edward cheered loudly with his hands raised above his head. Edward and my adoptive parents were each clapping rapidly. Even some of the other parents of the girls were clapping for me.

I grinned at Edward and blushed at the attention. There was not a doubt in my mind that inviting Edward here for his leave was a bad choice. I was so glad that he was here, especially today because the support I was already receiving from him was something that I loved.

"It's going to be a good day," I muttered to myself as I slung my bag on my shoulders.

Damn.

I would never question Brenner ever again – though there was no way he would know that. I don't even know if he was right about his insane theory concerning Edward. I just knew that I shot my best of the entire season on the first day of state and on the second day I shot my best round ever.

Every good shot that I had during both rounds, Edward was there to cheer me on. Every bad shot I had, he was there to give me a silent, encouraging nod from where he stood with Carlisle and Esme. It was just awesome having someone so completely supportive. Edward was the sweetest guy I had ever met.

On the last hole of the second day, a nice, short par three, Brenner walked over to where I was watching the last girl tee off. I had already hit and landed on the green. I knew that I had an extremely good chance at placing, or even winning the tournament, but I didn't know what the other girls has shot.

Coaches were the only ones who were allowed to talk to us during our rounds. So even if Carlisle or Esme knew the scores they couldn't tell me without getting in trouble. But Brenner came and told me we were the last group to finish due to slow play and that the best in the conference had already beat me. By about two. But there was a girl after her who was two strokes ahead of my current score. That meant I had to make a fifteen foot putt to place second.

Well that sucked. But in the end, as all the crowd circled the green and watched us putt, I somehow got the ball in the hole. I stared at it for about eight seconds before I broke out into a gigantic beam and fist pumped. I turned and smiled hugely at the Bella Swan crowd.

"Thata girl!" Edward beamed back at me. I don't know why, I don't know if he knew why, but in that moment we were drawn to each other. I ran over to him and threw my arms around him, still holding a putter around his neck. He picked me up around my back and spun me around. After a few seconds of laughing and spinning he set me gently back onto my feet. We stared at each other for a millisecond, our arms still locked around each other. Nothing did happen. But something could have.

The smile on his face dissolved a fraction and he released me like I was on fire. I blinked. Then I dropped my arms from his neck just as quickly. I cleared my throat and straightened my shirt out. Edward cleared his throat as well, looking at me with amusement at both of our reactions. "Good job," he nodded. I grinned and nodded back. Carlisle and Esme hounded me about three seconds later.

"Second place isn't half bad, kiddo," Carlisle grinned with pride. I smiled and hugged him tightly. He hugged me back, and I could feel how proud he was it; it was radiating off of him.

"Told you," was all Brenner said as I hugged him too. I rolled my eyes and pushed lightly back from him.

It would have been an awesome day, regardless if Edward had been there or not. But he just made it all the better. He was definitely the loudest – though Emmett was closely behind – when they announced my name as second place. I went on stage to get a large second place trophy. I wasn't upset about missing first by two strokes. The girl who did win was a senior and hadn't won before, and she was really good and deserved it.

After everything was winding down, the golf course was starting to clear our, and Esme had taken every picture she could, we were ready to get back on the bus. I was adjusting all the bouquets of flowers I had in my hand when Carlisle and Esme appeared next to me.

"Now that I didn't suck, can we please go up to the cabin?" I asked with a pleading pout. It was never a sure thing if we could go up for the weekend or not because of what Carlisle and Esme did, but I always wanted to.

"Yeah, sure, we can still go today if you want," Carlisle shrugged. I broke into a huge grin and thanked them. Edward, who was on my other side, gave me an inquiring eyebrow, but I just smiled at him mischievously.

Edward, who had now willingly become my golf bag mule, went to put my clubs in the storage compartment of the bus. I boarded without him and found my seat next to Rose. I sat down, well more like fell into the seat, and placed the bundle of plastic wrapped flowers on the floor gently.

"I'm still speechless," Rosalie commented mildly as she looked out the window to the sidewalk where Edward was standing, politely talking to Mr. Santa Claus bus driver.

I let my head fall against the seat before turning to look at her. I made a face. "Tell me about it."

Emmett and Edward got on the bus and took the seats they had yesterday behind us. Edward was just as proud of me as Carlisle and Esme were. And Emmett seemed just as happy about Rosalie's 8th in state ranking.

I turned in my place so I could see Edward through the opening of the two seats. He looked up with eyebrows raised as soon as I turned. I grinned, my heart fluttering from just looking at him.

"So Edward, how do you feel about water skiing?"


If anyone could make me a better person, you could
All I gotta say is I must have done something good
You came along one day and you rearranged my life
All I gotta say is I must have done something right
I must have done something right

And maybe I'm just lucky 'cause it's hard to believe
Believe that somebody like you'd end up with someone like me
Must Have Done Something Right, Relient K


-Fluff? Told ya. Two more to go.
-As always thank you for your fantastic reviews! They were as great as the pillow pet I got. And trust me; that's saying a lot.

-Guess who hopped on the Twitter wagon? -sighs- I feel like sort've a loser at the moment. I have 1 follower. Follow me? I'll lead you to the Land of Oz. Twitter is 2carm2carm2 (surprised) or links on profile.