Oh my gosh, I cannot believe you guys! Over 400 of you have put this story on alert and I am so appreciative. I will be replying to your reviews but if I wanted to get this chapter posted before baseball practice was over, I had to finish it. A special thanks to Nic over at The Lemonade Stand who recommended this story. That is a first for me and I am truly, truly honored.

A lot of you are not happy with Edward right now. I understand and completely agree but I cannot promise and end to his idiocy just yet. Welcome to the fallout.

AN: I do not own Twilight and all errors are my own.

Chapter 9

The Day After

EPOV

I'm staring at my ceiling when my alarm clock goes off. Sleep had evaded me the entire night as I thought about the events that had transpired with Bella. The window of opportunity had presented itself to me but I had been the one to jump through it with my whole fucking body. I did that. And now a line had been crossed that could never be uncrossed and all I kept thinking was how much of a fucking douche I was to let it happen.

An epic douche.

If I was honest it wasn't the only thing I had been thinking off. Interspersed within my self berating were flashes of just how perfect the whole encounter had been. Bella had exceeded months of my wildest dreams. She was so soft and sensual. The way she went from all shy and cute to a fucking tigress who knew exactly what she wanted was a god damn turn on. As much as I knew it couldn't happen again, there was a very strong part of me that felt it would die if I couldn't have her. And no, it was not my cock. That part of me was so strong it would be the last thing to go.

But maybe it could happen again…

No. It couldn't. For lots of reasons. I don't think my initial promise to Emmett and Rose was still an issue. We had been working together for awhile now. We had gotten to know each and she was more than just the babysitter. But make no qualms about it, Emmett would fuck my shit up if I hurt the girl they had become so close to and considered family. And he'd be the one to go easy on me. I couldn't even bring myself to think about what Rosalie would do to me. Then there was the fact that I was just not a relationship kind of guy. Bella meant something to me too, I wasn't quite sure what, but enough to know that I didn't want to hurt her.

Too late, asshole, you probably already did.

I groaned as I rubbed my face. This was the first time in the history of Good Times that I did not want to go in. I didn't want to face Bella and what we did last night. I did not want to see the look on her face when I let her down gently. I didn't want the awkwardness. But knowing it was inevitable; I dragged my ass out of bed and headed for the shower. It was time to get ready to face the music.

~GTaM~

On my way over I came up with a plan. When Bella came in I was going to take her aside and explain to her that what we did last night, while incredible, could not happen again. I would tell her that it was not her, it was me which sounded so cliché but was really the God's to honest truth. I would also assure her that I would still like her to work at the bar and for us to be the friends that we had become since she started. She might be a little disappointed at first, but knowing Bella, she would appreciate my honesty and understand why we couldn't be together. Everything would eventually return back to normal.

It will work, it has to.

As soon as I stepped foot into my office, the faint aroma of Bella's perfume mixed in with the scent of, well, us hit me like a ton bricks. My rational plan was forgotten and the panic I felt the night before came rushing back to me. I had no idea how Bella would be after what we did last night. Would she be pissed? Felt taken advantage of? Regretful? Would she want to do it again? What did she expect from me?

Get a fucking grip, Masen!

But I couldn't. There were too many unknowns. It made me on edge and jumpy. Alice noticed it right away.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You're acting like a spaz!" She yelled, clearly irritated with my weird behavior.

"Nothing, nothing is wrong with me. I don't know what you are talking about?" I said without looking at her.

"Yeah, right. I'll let it go for now, but there is something definitely going on with you, big brother." I left for the store room to get out of my sister's inquisition before she figured anything out. She was freakishly intuitive and I didn't need her knowing what my deal was.

Time went by fast and before I knew it Bella was arriving for her shift. I needed a new plan, but before I could come up with one she was walking through the door looking adorable in a pair of black skinny jeans, the bar shirt, and a messy bun on the top of her head. She was looking down at something on her phone but when her she finished her eyes raised and met my own. I was greeted with the biggest smile I had ever seen from her.

Fuck.

"Hey, Edward. How are, uh, how's it going today?" She seemed nervous. Not as nervous as me but yeah, nervous.

"Good. It's going good." God, this was awkward.

"Okay, well I'm just going to put my stuff away and get to work."

"Okay, yeah, good."

Okay? Yeah? Good? I'm like a nonverbal mutant.

Once the customers started to come in things got a little better. Bella worked the bar as usual as I made it look like I was doing some paper work at the end of it. I couldn't have actually concentrated on it if I tried. One would never know that we were together in one of the most satisfying sexual encounters I had ever had less than twenty-four hours before. Yet, when she did catch my eye, her expression was soft and tender and held too much hope. It freaked me out a little and made me dread the end of the night when the customers, the bar staff, and Alice would be gone and it would just be us.

Aw fuck.

I had to get out of there. I looked around to see that it wasn't that busy for a Wednesday night. Nothing they couldn't handle with out me. Maybe I could leave a little early. Say I was sick.

"Edward. It's great to see you." My name being called pulled me from my internal muttering. When I looked up, that reporter from the Times was starting to invade my personal space. She was dressed in a tight red dress that left little to the imagination. Once upon a time I would have been all over that, but tonight I was just not in the mood.

"Tanya, it's good to see you too. Welcome to Good Times." I had to be nice. She did give me a glowing review in the paper…sort of.

"I remembered you said I would just have to experience it for myself so here I am. I'm ready for the full treatment." Her eyes told me what type of treatment she wanted and like I had said, I wasn't in the mood. I was just about to recommend a drink and politely decline all she had to offer, but when I looked up and saw Bella scowling a little at Tanya, another plan started to form.

"Well, let the night begin. What can I get you to drink, beautiful?" Her eyes lit up and she licked her fully lipstick coated lips.

"I'll have whatever you're giving. Surprise me." I winked as I entered the bar. She sat on a stool on the side of the bar and got as comfortable as someone could with a dress made for a child and four inch heels. I pulled out all the stops as I mixed, shook, and drained a girly drink. As I garnished it with a fresh strawberry and a lemon peel, she asked me what I was making for her.

"A sexy devil martini. Trust me, you'll love it." I placed it in front of her and watched as she picked it up and carefully brought it to her lips. I think she meant to look sexy as she sipped it just looked awkward and messy. The amount of lipstick left on the glass was gross.

"Umm, that's good." I glanced over to Bella and saw that she let out a silent huff. By the end of the night she would understand that last night was a mistake and that she should just move on to someone who would treat her better than I could.

I spent the next few hours doting on Tanya, flirting with her nonstop, touching her a little. Bella didn't talk to me at all. In fact unless she absolutely had to, she stayed clear away form my end of the bar. It was just about closing time and I was starting to regret paying Tanya so much attention. It was clear she thought we were going home together, but I wasn't planning on it. I was trying to figure out how I was getting out of this when Bella came up to me. I tried to play it cool by laughing at something Tanya said and pretending that I didn't know she was there.

"Um, Edward?" Her voice was small and not the strong tone I had gotten used to. I took my time giving her the attention she was asking for.

"Yeah, Bella?"

"Well, it's just about time to close and I was going to leave. Remember you said I could leave early tonight?" Oh, fuck, her test. I had forgot. If she left early then I would have to stay. But then she would know that I wasn't going home with Tanya and this whole ruse would be for nothing.

"Yeah, well, something has come up and I really do need you to stay. You don't really mind, do you?" I gave a smile to Tanya before turning back to Bella for her answer.

"But you said I could. I really need…" I cut her off.

"When you asked I did think it would be okay. But sometimes things change. Surely you can understand that, can't you?" I tried to convey through my expression that I wasn't just talking about her leaving. That some time between last night and tonight, things between us had changed. As in there was no us.

I could see right away when she figured out what I meant. At first she looked shocked and disappointed and I felt relief that we were finally on the same page. But then a minute passed and her expression changed. She looked…resolved.

"Yes, I do understand." She glanced at Tanya. "Perfectly." I smiled at her, relieved that she understood. We just couldn't be together. I would make this up to her. She took a deep breath as she turned and began untying her apron.

"Okay, you're taking your break before I go? That's a good idea." She whipped around and the glare she gave me let me know that we were no longer on the same page.

"Now you're the one who doesn't understand, Edward." She balled up the apron and set it on the bar. I was confused. But Bella didn't waste any time clearing it up for me.

"I quit."

Okay, let me have it. Thanks for reading!