A/N - Twilight - not mine. Thank you for the continued reviews and story alerts! :)

I parked my BMW and dragged my tired ass upstairs. There was such thing as too much driving in one day. I was exhausted. Things went well with Billy, I was sure that things were going to end on a positive note.

"Bella!" I heard Alice shriek inside my apartment. I didn't even turn the knob yet.

I clenched my eyes shut and took a deep breath as I walked in. Regardless of my day or the headache that was starting to form, Alice wouldn't be reigned in. I braced myself for the avalanche of questions that was inevitable.

"So, where'd you go? You think we'll get Huron? What happened with Edwa...."

Alice was perched on the stool at the breakfast bar sitting next to a stunning bouquet of flowers - 'hydrangea's, roses, and ornithogalums.'

"Alice, one question at a time, please." I grabbed a couple of aspirin from the cabinet. "I went to La Push, I don't know about Huron and I don't want to talk about Edward."

"La Push?" Alice asked squishing her eyebrows together in confusion. "To visit Charlie?"

"To talk to Billy Black. He owns the Huron building."

"Really? That's excellent!" Alice clapped her hands together in delight. "He'll definitely let you buy it! You're practically his daughter, right?!"

"I don't know about that Alice." I said as I downed the aspirin. "He's going to let us know soon."

"And yes you're going to talk."

"Huh?"

"About Edward! What did he want?"

I let out a sigh, already regretting our meeting tomorrow night. I should cancel. You don't want to, my conscious smirked at me. Didn't I already tell you to fuck off?

"He wants to talk….again."

"Again? Huh, sounds like he's not giving up without a fight." Alice's smile wavered slightly. Her usually animated demeanor suddenly deflated like a popped balloon.

"What's wrong?"

"Please tell me you're not going back. I really, really, really want to do this nightclub thing." She started talking a mile a minute. "And….we do have the party on Saturday…for Mr. Johnson…..and I'm pretty sure that we're going to secure a few more parties…and Esme would be so disappointed."

"Relax, Alice." I chuckled. "Don't worry so much! Of course I'm not going back. Edward just doesn't like the fact that we walked out on him. His ego's wounded. You know how men are when their fragile character is injured. He's just trying to prove to himself that he's still king shit."

Alice's eyes lit up once again. "So, you're not meeting with him?" Mortification filled my face as I looked away from Alice's face to concentrate on a space above her head. I could feel the flush reaching my face.

"Ummmm…."

Alice's eyes widened at my hesitation. "So you are meeting with him?"

"Tomorrow night…just to let him know that I am definitely not going back."

"Sure, Bella." Alice smirked at me. "If that's what you're telling yourself. Do you really think it's a good idea for Edward to come back to your apartment?"

"We're not meeting here." I smiled proudly at her, remembering I had the same thought.

"Oh, well that's good. But do you really want to go back to Cullen Industries? I mean, people will be talking."

"Um, we're not meeting there either." I walked over to my couch and flopped down loudly.

"Where are you meeting then?" Alice asked sitting next to me. Why do I feel like I'm committing a crime? I shouldn't feel guilty about meeting with Edward, after all I need him off of my back and he promised he would stop once we met.

"We're meeting at Troiani….on Third Ave."

"A date?!" Alice yelped.

"No, not a date!" I quickly corrected her feeling the heat in my cheeks. I guess to an outsider it would look like a date, but no, it definitely wasn't…a date…right?

"Bella, I'm not stupid and I would appreciate it if you didn't treat me that way!" She said her eyes eyeing me suspiciously. "Look at the facts…..you had sex…..he sent you flowers…..and now you're going to dinner…at Troiani. What's going on between the two of you?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Nothing's going on."

"You got a thing for him."

"I do not have a thing for him."

"Whatever, Bella, just remember that's he's the competition. Oh, and by the way….you're a terrible liar, don't ever play poker, you'll lose."

Alice left and after a long shower I made my way over to bed. Sleep wouldn't find me. I was still wrestling with the idea of canceling my 'date' with Edward. I knew I should cancel; after all I didn't owe him anything, regardless of what he thought. Part of me was curious to see how far he would go to try and get me back. My thoughts ran over the other night when Edward said he was going to promote me to another position and had things in the works. My mind finally settled into a deep sleep, thoughts surrounding Edward and Troiani.

I didn't get an opportunity to worry or be nervous about meeting with Edward, Alice had scheduled the three of us into Lotus Salon and Spa for a day of primping. I've been waxed, buffed and polished and was now looking at my blood red toenails.

"Ow…that hurt!" I complained to the woman, who was now easing her comb through my wet hair a little gentler. My body was a little tense, even after the hour long massage Alice insisted I have. Rose and Alice were sitting along side me enjoying this 'day of pampering'.

"Ooohh, we are going to look so good in our costumes!" Alice said to both of us.

"I can't wait to see you serving, Bella." Rose said with a smirk. "Have you ever dropped anything?" It was no secret I had two left feet, but it was not fun being reminded of it.

"Very funny Rose, and no I haven't….not on a customer at least." I sighed heavily. I still can't believe that tomorrow night Alice, Rose and I will be strutting our stuff in those ridiculous bunny costumes. I cringed inside with the image.

The hairdryers turned on, making it nearly impossible for conversation. I savored the silence and thought about what my night was going to entail. Edward was expecting me at seven. That didn't really give me a lot of time to get home and get ready.

What am I going to wear? That hadn't even occurred to me. It wasn't exactly the type of establishment you could go in jeans and a tee. I looked down at my toes again and visually went through my closet.

Black dress?.....No, too extravagant. Red dress?.....Definitely not…that would give Edward the wrong idea…or the right idea, my conscious threw in. Shut up! Okay, where were we? Oh, right…what about the blue dress?....that could work. It was a mid-night blue shift dress that hit just above the knee. It was fitted, but not overly sexy. It complemented me well, just a hint of cleavage in the V neckline. Yes, the blue one, and I'll even throw on the matching suit jacket to ensure we maintain a professional conversation.

I was happy with my decision as we paid for the day of pampering and left the spa. Alice and Rose drove together in Rose's jeep, while I opted to drive alone in my BMW. Alice whispered good luck to me with a wink before stepping into the jeep.

I gave her a tight smile and made my way home. The weather was mild, for it being mid-January and I was grateful. My perfectly styled hair was set in loose waves down my back all sign of frizz gone. I entered my apartment and glanced at the clock. I had exactly half hour to get ready and be out the door. I rushed into my closet and pulled the dress out. I hung it on the back of the bathroom door as I started with my make-up. I didn't normally wear much, but being Alice's best friend has rubbed off on me. I applied with an almost expert touch, ensuring that I highlighted the inside corner of my eyes as Alice had previously instructed. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and was happy with what I saw. My eyes were darker than usual, lined with charcoal liner and shadow. My lashes were fanned out, curled and darkened with designer mascara. My lips just needed a touch of color. I had full lips to begin with and never felt comfortable with dark colors on them. I rubbed some nude gloss and smiled at myself. I never bothered with blush knowing my cheeks would be red enough with Edward.

I slipped the dress on and stepped my newly painted toes into silver strapped stilettos before spinning around, inspecting myself from every angle. I took a deep breath attempting to calm myself. Not bad at all Bella – I can clean up pretty well.

I grabbed my matching jacket and silver clutch from the top shelf in my closet and made my way out the door. My stomach was at least behaving itself right now.

I drove to the restaurant in a daze, my nerves starting to get the better of me. At least I'm early; I can get a drink before Edward gets here. I was starting to feel better, knowing I would have some liquid courage.

The door to Troiani opened as I approached. I stepped inside the warm building and felt my heart skip a beat. There stood Edward, holding the door with a crooked grin.

"Good evening Bella." He greeted his voice low. My heart started racing and I was quick to remind myself to breath. He was dressed in a crisp blue shirt and black slacks. His hair was in its normal state; disheveled and sexy as hell.

"Hello Edward."

He led me in and we were ushered to the back of the restaurant. Edward slipped off my jacket and pulled out my chair. I took a seat.

"You look beautiful Bella." Edward whispered as he pushed my seat in. I shuddered as his breath touched my ear. "That color does wonderful things for your skin." Cue the blush. I fumbled with my clutch as he took his seat. The waiter quickly approached.

"We'll start with a bottle of Masseto, Tenuta dell'Ornellaia." Edward said without glancing at the wine list.

"Edward, that isn't necess…"

"Shhh, Bella." Edward said still looking at the waiter. "And we'll also have the polpo alla griglia. That is all for now."

Did Edward speak Italian? The way it rolled off his tongue left me staring, flabbergasted.

"Are you Italian?"

"No."

"But you sounded….italian." This made him laugh.

"Bella, I'm not Italian, but I do speak the language…among others."

"Among others?"

"Italian, Portuguese, French, a touch of Japanese and of course…as you know, American."

Huh, so Edward spoke different languages. I'm not sure why this came as such a shock, but I found myself staring with my mouth slightly ajar. Edward seemed amused with my reaction. I looked down at my hands in my lap when the wine arrived. I knew that drinking should be out of the question, but my nerves were still too frenzied - I needed calming.

Edward gave a small nod to the waiter and he proceeded to fill both our glasses with a dark red wine. I grabbed mine and took a large sip. Yum, this stuff is good. I took another before setting it back on the table. My hand was slightly shaky – God, I hope he didn't notice.

"How do you like it?" Edward asked leaning across the small table. His face was draped in a warm glow from the candle and his green eyes sparkled under heavy lids. Why did he have to be so damn hot? Although my mind was turning to mush I still managed to get my words out.

"Uh, it's fine."

"I'm glad you like it. Hopefully you'll enjoy what's next."

"Huh?"

"The food I ordered for us….in italian?"

"Oh, what did you order?"

"You'll see. I want you to keep an open mind this evening." Uh-oh – that can't be good. I hope he ordered something somewhat normal – my stomach can't handle the 'strange' delicacies of some cultures. The waiter placed the anonymous dish in front of us and my mind immediately started replaying the 90210 re-run with Brenda and Donna in Paris eating cow brains. Edward must have noticed my fear.

"Bella it's good. Trust me."

"Cow brains?"

A light chuckle rose out of his chest. "No, Bella. It's not cow brains. Try it." He placed a piece on a fork and brought it up to my lips. I reluctantly parted my lips and closed my eyes. It was coated in a rosemary and lemon sauce - that much I could tell. I began to chew....and chew.....and chew. What the hell is this? It didn't taste bad, but I couldn't place the texture.

I raised one eyebrow at Edward, looking for an explanation of what I was still chewing.

"Octopus."

I stopped chewing. Octopus?! What the…! I didn't move - the 'octopus' still in my mouth, partially chewed. I panicked – should I spit it out? Should I swallow? Can I swallow it – without vomiting? My mind was frantically debating between the two options.

Option one won. I brought the napkin to my mouth and spit out the sea creature. I took a big swig of the wine and glared at Edward; who had a very amused smile on his face.

"What the hell?" I stammered at him. "Octopus?"

"Octopus is good." He stated simply. "You didn't seem to mind the flavor before I told you what it was."

"That was not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be funny Bella. I truly enjoy octopus, it is very good and one of their specialties." Edward couldn't contain his chuckle. "I've never seen anyone as animated as you Bella – all over a little octopus." He said smiling to himself.

I glared at him. He found this amusing. This man was so frustrating! I suddenly couldn't wait to be out of this restaurant and rid of this irritating man.

"Okay, Edward." I said switching into business mode. "Why don't we cut to the chase and discuss why were here?"

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, obviously feeling the mood switch. He opened his mouth to respond when the waiter arrived at the table.

"Enjoying the polpo alla griglia?"

"Yes." "No." Edward and I answered at the same time. The waiter looked confused. Edward and I were glaring at each other.

"Would you care to order another dish? Or would you prefer to move on to the main course?"

Edward answered first, not leaving my glare. "I think we shall order the main meal. Can you please give us a moment?"

"Certainly."

"I was prepared to order the main course for you Bella, but I'm sure you'd prefer to order yourself?" Edward's tone was chilly and I was well aware that he also switched to business mode.

"Yes. I would prefer that." I opened the menu and glanced down. I could feel my cheeks redden when I realized that it was all in Italian. I held my breath and hoped that I would find something that I would recognize. I could feel Edward's eyes on my face, but he kept his mouth closed. I knew he was waiting for me to ask for his help. I would eat octopus again, before that would happen.

I felt instant relief when I recognized an extremely popular dish that needed no translating. I closed my menu and set it on the table.

The waiter re-approached our table. "Have you decided?" He asked slightly hesitant.

I answered first. "I'll have the fettuccine alfredo." Ha Edward…I didn't need your stupid Italian speaking help!

"Very well signora. Would you like to include frutti di mare?" I stared at him, cursing silently.

"I don't think so." Edward interjected smiling. I ignored them both and took another sip of the wine. Edward ordered his meal and also took a sip of his wine. He didn't touch the octopus, which was still in the middle of the table. We sat in silence for a few moments, both of us waiting for the other to begin the conversation. This was ridiculous. Back to business mode.

"So, you begged me to come here – you plan on talking?"

His face fell slightly at my words. "Of course Isabella."

Oh, it's Isabella again, is it?

"I wanted to meet with you for a couple reasons. Firstly, I wanted you to know that what happened the other night…...with us, that wasn't planned. I had no intention of having sex with you that evening and I'm sorry."

My heart fell slightly. He was apologizing for having sex with me? He regretted it. I could feel the tears threaten, but quickly composed myself. I was in business mode, toughen up Bella!

"That's history Edward. Put no more thought to it." I gave myself a pat on the back for the coolness that radiated in my voice. Edward hesitated for another moment.

"And the other reason I wanted to meet with you was regarding Cullen Industries." I sat back against my chair. Here we go again, I thought. "I want you to come back." He continued. "You belong at Cullen, and I can't give you all the details right now, but we are planning an expansion."

I sat up straighter and paid closer attention. Expansion? What type of expansion?

Edward noticed my sudden interest. "I don't have many details to give you right now, as my original plans fell through." He face scrunched up slightly at that last comment. "but basically I want you to head the expansion."

I stared at Edward completely and utterly speechless. I knew he wanted to promote me, I had no clue it would be to head an expansion.

Thanks for reading. Should Bella continue with her original plans??