Here it is guys! The third chapter! I'm going to be putting a disclaimer on every few chapters or so, so here it is: I don't own anything to do with the Twilight Saga, though I sincerely wish I did. Hope you all like it!

"Jasper."

His name ghosted out of my lips before I could stop it. The way it felt to say his name confused me. It almost tasted good on my tongue. Maybe I'm beginning to imagine things.

He looked just as good as he sounded. The first place my eyes traveled to was his face. His features more that of a man than Edward's were. A square jaw and straight nose, a face framed by tousled blonde hair, and eyes so gold they reminded me of the way the sun glares off of wet sand during a sunset. Almost blindingly bright.

He smiled at me and I felt my knees weaken. I took a step to balance myself and heard glass crunch under my boot.

"Shit." I cursed under my breath and felt my cheeks get unbearably hot. Glancing another time at the last person I'd ever expect to see, I grabbed a rag from underneath the bar and squatted down, wiping up the whiskey and scattered pieces of glass into a pile to sweep up.

"Do you need any help, Bella?" Jasper was leaning over the bar looking down at me in worry.

"No, just give me a minute. It's okay." I struggled to calm myself. Hearing my name from his mouth made my heart race and it perplexed me as to why. He looked the same as the last time I had seen him, so why was I having this reaction now? Just hearing his damn voice made me feel warm in a way that I haven't felt in a very long time. It was unsettling.

I stood and walked around to the closet off of the side of the bar. I picked up the broom and a dustpan. Pausing, I leaned my face into the closet, pretending to look for something else while I took a minute to think straight.

How did he find me? It's not like you were hiding, Bella. Okay, no shit. If he's here, does that mean all of the Cullens are here as well? Yes, I miss them, but they left me. I fled my home to forget the reminders. To be honest with myself, I'm still a little pissed. At both myself and them - myself, for getting to close when I knew they would eventually leave and them, for allowing me to, all except for Jasper and Rosalie. Rosalie seemed to just flat out loathe me, and Jasper never encouraged nor discouraged my involvement. Guilty by association doesn't seem appropriate in this situation, where each person had their own views and opinions and openly acted on them.

But, in a way, I suppose I was grateful. I would have never discovered myself or met any of the wonderful people that I have if they hadn't of left. Most likely, I'd still be with Edward, unhappily, too meek to do a damn thing about it.

Now I just needed to figure out why in the Hell one look at Jasper Hale made my panties feel like they were melting... Oh no. God damn me. He knows. A fucking empath and he knows exactly how I'm feeling at the moment.

I need a drink. Or three.

Straightening up out of the closet, I made my way back to the mess and expertly swept it up, dumping it in the trash can I kept behind the bar and threw the rag away with it.

He was still there, patiently waiting on me, smiling contentedly. There definitely was something different about him now. His clothing style had majorly changed, for the better in my opinion. All I could see of him was his torso, covered by a dark black flannel button up. His head donned a ballcap featuring the Justin Boots logo. Maybe it was his demeanor? He seemed more relaxed, at peace with himself.

Happy, I realized suddenly. He seemed truly happy.

I heard someone clear their throat to my right. I had been ogling Jasper, and all of the patrons sitting at the bar were watching me. They were all regulars, but it was Terry who had broke my attention. He was middle-aged man, mid-forties, with brown hair, kind green eyes framed by bushy brows and a mustache that would make any teenage boy green with envy. He liked to pretend he was my father sometimes, and truthfully he did remind me of Charlie. I liked to banter back and forth with him, and most of the people always get a kick out of the insults we throw at each other.

"Bell, get your head out of your ass, quit checking out that young gentleman over there and grab me another beer will ya?" He smirked knowingly at me, and laughed quietly when he saw the blush fill my cheeks.

"Just for that comment, Terry, this is going to be your last one of the night." I smiled sweetly as I handed another bottle over to him. "You've had enough to make you start hallucinating, it seems."

Everyone else around us laughed, even Jasper, though I knew he could feel my embarrassment at getting caught staring at him. Making sure that everyone was set on their drinks beforehand, I walked over to Jasper.

"We're closing up at midnight tonight if you don't mind hanging around for a little bit, then maybe we could catch up?" I formed it like a question, allowing him to refuse or accept my offer. I wasn't going to beg him to stay, even though I wanted to beg for much, much more than that from him. Exactly what? I didn't know. I would have to get over the fact that he can feel my emotions. Maybe the lust would pass with an hour or so of being around him.

"Absolutley, Darlin'. I'll be waitin' on you outside." He looked me up and down before handing me a few dollar bills for the drink I had smashed, smiled at me, and walked out of the the bar. I got a good look at the rest of him as he left, wrangler pants and cowboy boots. Then it hit me. That fucker knew what he was doing to me! But, wait. He looked at me like I was a little more than just a friend, what about Alice? Yeah, Bella, what about his wife? Your previous best friend? What was happening to me?

The last two hours of my shift felt like the slowest of my life. I finished up with the bottle switching and conversed with the last couple of people who lingered at the bar 'til closing time. I expertly dodged questions about the 'Handsome young man' from Tipsy Linda. A regular whose favorite pastime was drinking tequila and gossiping about all the townspeople to me all night long.

I walked back into the office and found Lou hunched over, asleep on a stack of papers on his desk. He was snoring softly and I struggled not to laugh at him. I gently shook his shoulder, and he jarred awake, gasping "What? What happened? Did I lose the checkbook?" I couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed loudly as he glanced around taking in his surroundings.

"No, Lou, you didn't lose the checkbook." I giggled at him as he gave me a look that said 'Don't start.'

He huffed loudly and ran his hands over his face. "I'm sorry Bells, I must've drifted off. I should have went home when the numbers started blending together." He relaxed and let out a small chuckle. "Maren's been on my ass about a damn checkbook I lost last week and I haven't been able to find it."

"It wouldn't happen to be this one, would it?" I could see the edge of it sticking out from underneath of one of the stacks of sheets on his desk and pulled it out. He took it from me and shook his head. "Jesus Christ. Thanks, Bella."

"How long have you had those papers all over the place?" I was still laughing when I heard his reply, "Long enough to lose my shit under them, it seems."

As part of my regular routine, I wiped everything down, swept and mopped quickly, and shut everything off. After grabbing my purse, I was out the door. I dug for my keys as I was walking towards where I had parked, and when I looked up, Jasper was leaning against my truck and I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't like the sight of it. He smirked at me and I tried to clamp down on how I was feeling. Stomp it out. Stomp on it hard, like a damn spider.

Feeling slightly under control I spoke, "You can ride to my house with me if you want," once again giving him the option to refuse, to run, or drive, as I quickly realized he could have driven here. But, looking around, my truck was the only vehicle in the lot besides Lou's.

"Sounds good to me," he walked around to the passenger side as I unlocked the doors and got inside. When he hopped into the seat beside mine, we were only separated by the middle console, and I suddenly wished I had a bench seat. The smell of him was concentrated, being so close, in such a small space. I had to resist breathing deeply. It was wonderful. It reminded me fresh cut hay and warm summer days. Woodsey with and edge of sweetness. I felt like a horny teenager with the way my body reacted to him, to everything about him.

What was this?

"Damn it, Bella, you're killing me over here. Just relax." I felt him begin to calm me, and my nerves started to dull. "I will explain everything, I promise." He took my hand and the very moment our skin made contact, it was like every nerve ending in my body exploded and calmed in a nano second. Like I had been put on the most pleasurable pyre in the universe, then cooled back down instantly. Goosebumps broke out across my skin and I gasped loudly.

He leaned over and spoke very softly into my ear,

"I've waited five years for this very moment."

I hope it you all enjoyed it! I've started making myself take time to update so they should be pretty regular. Maybe every two weeks or so. Please review if you liked it!

-Samantha