A/N: Chapter 2- Right on Time! Hope you enjoy it :)

Thanks to my beta girlies- Ninmesarra and Prettyflour! Thanks for putting my commas where they and telling me when a sentence is a run-on! ;) And my friend and pre-reader samrosey- thanks so much pinkie!

~*C2C*~

The pampering at the spa was awesome, once you get past feeling a little weirded out by having strangers rub my body. The massage was inevitably amazing and I had an appointment for another one next month. It was totally relaxing. I had really needed it.

The week had been horrible. Anything that could go wrong had. My supervisor hit on me and threatened to fire me if I turned him in. Thankfully my friend Aggie was just around the corner and overheard. I didn't have to turn him in, she did. That led to all of his work being dumped on me. He had deadlines for the next day and no work done. Thank God they'd given me an extension to get his transcripts finished. As much as I'd love the money that a promotion would bring in, I really hope they don't offer that to me. It would cut way too far into my time that I have to write. If that wasn't enough, I fell down the stairs in my townhouse and sprained my ankle. My car died and the mechanic had informed me it would be over a grand to replace the transmission, not to mention, the brakes went out too, so I couldn't get the dang car to stop and hit a parked vehicle. Thankfully, I wasn't going very fast, but yeah, that led to a ticket and a new paint job for the car I hit. Did I mention I had the worst luck ever? I was pretty much a magnet for anything dangerous.

I was really enjoying the pedicure that I was getting when an annoying voice interrupted my near sleeping state, "So Bella, are you excited for your date with Eric tomorrow night?"

I cracked an eye open at her, "Sure, Alice. You know I totally live for blind dates." I couldn't help the sarcasm that invaded my voice.

"Why would she be excited over a blind date with a dog?" Rose queried.

Angie's sigh sounded like it was pulled from her toes, it was so heavy. "Rose, he is not a dog. He's actually quite adorable. And he's really funny."

"Adorable and funny? I still say that's code for fat and ugly. It's like a guy saying that a girl has a great personality. Oh wait, you did describe him that way," Rose finished with a giggle.

"Rose, you really need to be nice. I may decide I'm sick when I have to go out with Emory."

"Embry. Not Emory. He's not a nail file," Rose clarified. "And besides, Bells, he's a total hottie with a majorly hunky body. You are going to die when you see him. He is totally ripped. Well, not as good as my Emmett, but still drool-worthy."

"Fantastic. As long as he doesn't chew with his mouth open and acts like a gentleman, we'll be fine. But Rose, answer me this. Are we really going to have anything in common?"

She huffed in exasperation, "Bella, isn't that what these dates are for? So you and he can decide if you have anything in common and want to have a relationship? I'm not a psychic."

"Nope, that's me!" piped in Alice, "After all, I did know Jazzy was the one for me when I first laid eyes on him. And didn't I introduce Emmett to Rose and Angie to Ben? And Em and Rose are married now, and Ben and Ang are making wedding plans. I swear to God, Bella, you are going to LOVE Mikey. He is just perfect for you!"

"Alright Alice, if you say so," I mumbled in response, standing up as the tech instructed so she could lead me to the manicure table. We all sat down at our stations and I tried to tune them out as I focused on the woman doing my nails. She was short, and Asian. Her hair cut in a flattering chin-length bob and her eyes flashed in sympathy for me.

"You want polish?" she asked in a voice with a thick accent. At my nod, she continued, "You pick your color there," she motioned to a shelf full of polish.

I was getting ready to grab a neutral shade, when it disappeared from my fingers. It was replaced with a vivid red color. When I tilted the bottle to see the name of the polish, I almost rolled my eyes; vivid rockin' red was emblazoned on the tiny sticker. "Alice, this isn't really me," I informed my friend.

"Bella, would you please just trust me. It will go great with the halter dress that you're getting tomorrow."

I looked at her apprehensively. "You really think I'm going wear a red dress? That's not me, Alice. I'm more of a blue or gray kind of girl."

"So think of it as expanding your horizons. You are going to look totally hot. Need I say it again? Trust me," she practically growled.

Gripping the bottle tightly, I carried it back to the nail technician. Depositing it on the table, I slumped into the seat and motioned her to get on with it. Her eyes were wide as she slid the bottle closer to her side of the table. "You sure?" she questioned.

"Yeah, just do it," I grumped at her. She made quick work of it and I was free to get dressed in my own clothes again. I stepped over to the mirror in the locker room to smooth my hair down. Pulling my Rolling Stones tee over it had mussed it a little bit.

My new hair was totally kick ass. I loved it. It had long face framing layers that curled softly at the ends. The red highlights totally brought out my natural blush. It looked really great if I do say so myself. I did not take the girls' advice on that- Alice wanted to chop it into a pixie cut, Rose wanted to perm it and Angie just wanted to trim it and dye it blonde. Yeah, none of that was going to happen. They'd have to kill me first.

The facial had included a lesson in applying make-up. I was thrilled with the light colors that made up my natural-looking daytime palette. But I was really impressed with how easy it was to add some darker colors and more eyeliner to "smoke-out" my eyes for night time. It really made my eyes pop, according to my girls.

After the spa treatments were all finished, we loaded up into Angie's Land Rover. We were headed back to Alice's to get ready for a night at the club. Hoo-ray! Even my thoughts on that idea were sarcastic. The girls were determined to teach me how to flirt. I really didn't think I was that bad. But they swore I had no idea of how to pick up on social cues.

I was forced to let them dress me. Thankfully I could handle skinny jeans and a black baby doll tank. Alice tried to get me to strap on a pair of six inch heels but luckily Rose had pity on me and handed me my black chucks. They looked really cute with my outfit. Especially with my fedora and bangles. The smoky eye make-up completed my look and I was ready to rock… or roll, as was more my fate.

Once at the club, the music drowned out almost all pretenses of conversation. The girls led the way to a corner booth and slid around it. The high backs allowed for a small amount of conversation to be shared without being overheard. They were ready to commence Operation Get Bella a Man lessons. Yeah, if you guessed that title was Alice's doing, you were totally right. That girl had issues, but I love her! She's like the sister I never had. Rose was like my bitchy older sister and Angie was like my long lost twin, although, since she'd found Ben, she had totally hatched from the shell she'd hidden in during school and emerged as a confident and secure woman.

I watched Alice demonstrate how to "drink out of a straw sexily" and rolled my eyes. How was licking the straw as you rolled it in your mouth sexy? Rose tried to show me how to run my tongue over my lip to show I wanted a kiss, or more, but personally, it just looked like she was eating lipstick to me. Angie tried to show me how to check a guy out without being obvious but still being obvious. Yes, that's how she said it. I was more than a little confused. Why wouldn't I want the guy to know I was checking him out if I thought he was cute? Oh, that's right, because I was supposed to be playing hard to get. I needed an aspirin and I wasn't drinking yet- not that that would matter.

I tried to absorb all they were telling me, but truly, I think it was pointless. It was almost a relief when they declared it time to show me how to dance again. At least this time I was in my high tops. The heavy bass line was pulsing through my bones. I was shaking it to the beat when Alice told me to loosen up a little bit. Rose told me to "drop it like it's hot" and Angie rolled her eyes at my idea of dancing. Did it really matter if I could dance?

Eric was taking me to a museum and dinner. I wasn't sure about that. I was hoping the museum had art I could appreciate. It just seemed so boring to me. I hated history as a subject in school and barely squeaked by with an average grade. I was more of a concert kind of girl than the museum enthusiast. I loved music; all music, from Beethoven and Mozart, to Bon Jovi and Oasis. Well, I wasn't big on metal, but I could handle it in small doses.

Finally after another hour at the club, the girls declared the night at the club over. I was never so glad to leave a place in my life. The drive to Alice's only took about fifteen minutes. It was another twenty to my house. She offered me her guest room, but knowing how drunk she was, there was no way. Last time I heard her screaming Jasper's name until three in the morning. There was no rest in that. The next morning, I'd looked feverishly for brain bleach, only to be thwarted when the salesman at the local Wal-Mart told me they didn't sell it, darn my luck. A girl can always hope, right?

After bidding the girls good-bye at Alice's, I jumped in my recently-repaired vehicle. Thank God for savings. After fifteen hundred dollars were dropped, Rose's shop finally had it fixed for me. The only person I'd had to talk to for it to get done had been Rose. She'd even brought my car to me so I wouldn't have to bum a ride.

I drove by the Starbucks and bookstore, the jewelry store whose jingle always flitted through my head- every kiss begins with Kay- and a few restaurants and cafes. The neon sign declaring the piano bar on the street was open had me pulling in quickly. It was my favorite in the city.

The bartender was a total fox and he was polite and gentlemanly as well. He was tall and did I mention drop-dead sexy? His bronze hair was always styled just so- resembling sex hair. He had piercing green eyes that were so expressive. And he had a voice that resonated in my soul. And oh my god could he ever play the piano. When he took breaks from bartending, he would kick the pianist from the bench and play. His fingers danced over the keys and I swear I could feel the emotions he experienced emanating from every note.

I walked in quietly and found my favorite barstool vacant. Perching on the edge of it, I caught his eye and he brought me my usual, a cherry sour. I threw it back and laughed at his surprised expression. Normally, I nursed it for a while. "Did I surprise you, Eddie?"

"Yeah, you did. Rough day?"

"You could say that. It was supposed to be a relaxing day at the spa with my girlfriends, but they decided while we were there that a trip to the club over on eighty-second was in order. Remember when I came by last Sunday night? And I told you they'd dared me to allow them to set me up on blind dates?" I waited for him to nod, "Well, tonight they declared I needed flirting and dancing lessons. They apparently forgot the last time they tried to teach me how to dance ended." He quirked his eyebrow indicating I should continue as he filled a mug with beer from the tap. "I broke my wrist after I tripped over Angie's foot, which was after I stomped Rose's foot and squished Alice."

He tried not to laugh, but the mirth was still there, dancing in eyes. "That really sucks, Bella. So how did tonight's lesson go?"

"Well, besides the fact that I apparently didn't know how to drink out of a straw or lick my lips appropriately, I am beyond confused. Angie told me how to check out a guy without being obvious but still being obvious. Does that even make sense?"

"Hmm, I think she means that you want them to know you're interested and feel your eyes, but then you want to turn away so they think that you aren't begging. Like this," he declared, showing me. His eyes traveled over my face and down my neck, over my chest and slender waist, then making the same path back up, settling a moment longer at the curve of my bust and again on my lips before again looking me in the eye. Eddie turned away and pretended to ignore me for a moment while he mixed me another cherry sour. I swear my body was on fire where his eyes had roved over me.

When he placed my drink in front of me again, he told me to try it. So, I started at his hair and slid down to the beautiful emerald green gems that were his eyes, over his patrician nose with a slight bump indicating it had been broken once, and to the plump set of lips that he maneuvered into his classic smirk. Sliding my eyes over his neck, I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. I had to fight back a moan. I let my eyes trail over the breadth of his shoulders and down his muscled chest. His clingy t-shirt showed how his waist tapered into his hips which flared into a butt that you could sink your teeth into. His long legs were encased in a pair of jeans that had a rip in the knee. I lifted my eyes to meet his and was surprised at how dark his eyes were. His breath hitched when I glanced down at his lips again. I leaned closer to him over the bar and he leaned on his elbows in response. I thought he might kiss me. There was just a breath of space between us. The minty flavor of his toothpaste mingled with my alcohol spiced breath. My eyes closed and he moved a teeny bit closer.

Clink. "Dammit, Peter, I was busy," Eddie muttered to the customer that had slammed his glass to the bar for a refill.

"I need a refill," Pete slurred.

Looking ready to throttle the interrupter, Eddie filled his shot glass with another shot of Jim Beam. I smiled behind my glass as Eddie filled his shot glass two more times. I stood slowly and threw some money down on the bar. I waved good-bye to Eddie and rushed back to my car.

It was quick trip home and I fell asleep with the scent of mint in my nose and the sight of glimmering emeralds haunting my dreams.

~*C2C*~

A/N: Okay people! Show me some love! I hope you are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it! Love it/Hate it, I wanna know! xoxo