Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, songs, etc. are the property of the respective authors (Stephenie Meyer for Twilight, and John Rox for I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas) . No copyright infringement is intended. The original plot and storyline of Never Enough, however, belong to me. Please be nice and don't copy or translate without permission. Thank you.

Okay, I have to admit relieved shock at the response to the last chapter. The general consensus is that Sarah's a brat, but that her actions (while not excusable) are understandable. Thanks for the support and understanding.

Loads and loads of thanks to my pre-readers, Cullen_Crazy01 and iadorepugs, who so graciously assist with my grammar, dash addiction, and all around freak outs while writing. Thank you so much for your support...and for not killing me when I spam your in boxes!

Chapter 11

"Mom, make Uncle Seth stop messing with the paintbrush!" Sarah squealed at me, her footsteps echoing as she ran to dodge Seth's playful antics. I could see that the ends of her dark hair looked as if they had been brushed with the Restful Blue color that was supposed to be going on the back wall of the store, not on my daughter.

"Seth Clearwater!" I shouted, and he stopped his pursuit of Sarah, skidding to a stop in the middle of the floor. Will, who had been right behind him, slid into him, and they both fell to the hardwood floor in a heap, laughing hysterically.

Sarah and I looked at each other, and we each rolled our eyes at the antics of the boys. I was sure that I would seriously regret asking Seth for his painting assistance by the time the day was through. Maybe I needed to banish him to the unseen areas of the bookstore where it wouldn't matter if he messed around and screwed up. I wondered if the inside of the utility closet needed painting…

Things had progressed steadily in the bookstore through the month of December. Once the major construction and renovation had been completed it was inspections time. I was relieved that we passed with only minor things needing to be changed. Angela continued to work with the state agencies to get the café permits in place and ready for the mid-January opening we were hoping for. The contractors and sub-contractors that CWC had employed were very hard working and fast, and Emmett had a knack for knowing exactly how long any given job would take. With his scheduling acumen, there was rarely a delay from one project to the next, which meant that the painting we had anticipated doing after the New Year was actually ready to be done before the holidays.

The situation at home was cautiously better, as well. Our short conversation the night Sarah confronted me at the bookstore had spawned several more conversations between myself, Sarah and Jacob regarding Sarah's feelings about the divorce, the business, and all the changes that were happening in her life. She had confessed a feeling of helplessness, of all things in her life being out of control, including her own volatile reactions. She agreed to see a counselor to help her deal with her anger, and our relationship was getting a little more back to the way it had been before Jacob and I had split.

"All right, all volunteers front and center!" A voice called from just behind me, rising above the ruckus. Alice stood there, looking adorable in painter's coveralls and a cap covering her short, spiky hair. She had a clipboard in her hands and a look on her face I had quickly learned to respect. "Mr. Clearwater, unless you want to paint the inside of the utility closet, please get up off the floor and pay attention." I laughed as Seth blushed and stood, his head hanging down comically.

"All right, let's get down to business. I'd like to thank everyone for coming down here this afternoon to help paint A New Page. We've got a lot of work to do and not much time, but thankfully a lot of hands will help us move things along." Alice consulted her clipboard. "I've got a grid mapped out here with the areas that need to be painted, including trim and wall color. When I call your name, please step forward and get your assignment."

I watched as friends and family alike stepped forward to help out, my heart swelling with gratitude once again that these people were in my life. Sarah and Will, out of school and on Christmas break, were assigned to the storage area, Sarah working on trim and cut work while Will would roll the walls and ceiling. Seth and Embry were given the women's restroom, resulting in several off-color remarks until Holly smacked the back of Embry's head. Ben and Sam were assigned to the men's restroom. Holly and Emily were going to work in the office, and be available to help or supervise the storage area, if Sarah and Will needed them.

Emmett and Jasper were going to tackle the two largest walls in the store's interior, the back walls that stretched the entire length and width of the building. Alice and Edward were painting the children's alcove, where Alice was working on a large mural with Edward's assistance. Rosalie, Angela and I were picking up the detail work, painting the pillars, the stretches of space between the windows, and the smaller elements in the café that needed to be finished off. Even Peter and Charlotte had stopped by to help, and Alice assigned them to do trim work on the walls Jasper and Emmett were painting.

Once everyone had their orders, Alice docked her iPod into the store's sound system, wired only three days ago, and selected a playlist called "Painting." She accepted the good-natured teasing with a shrug as the lively mix of music filled the space, creating the exact mood necessary. It was almost like she could see how things would work before they ever happened…

For the next several hours, the sound of music, conversation and laughter filled the bookstore. With Christmas only a week away, Alice had interspersed holiday tunes with popular music, and from time to time you could hear different people singing along. I was working near the front door when a particularly favorite song of mine came on, and I heard the footfalls of both Will and Sarah as they ran out of the back room to find me, wide grins on their faces.

"Mom! The hippo song!" Will yelled, grabbing me and swinging me in a circle.

Sarah plucked the wet paintbrush from my hand, setting it down carefully on the paper before turning back to me with a smile. "C'mon, Mom. You know what you've gotta do," she said slyly.

I hadn't seen my children so carefree in some time, and I couldn't resist the twin pull of their earnest expressions. I turned to Will and started singing the song as we had done since he was a baby.

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy

Sarah's eyes were sparkling as she took over the next verse. She danced in a circle and did the hand and arm movements we had created years ago when I taught them this song.

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue
Just bring him through the front door,
that's the easy thing to do

Will's loud, slightly off-key voice joined in as he started the third verse, his gestures wild and exaggerated.

I can see me now on Christmas morning,
creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise
when I open up my eyes
to see a hippo hero standing there

By the time the chorus started, and the three of us sang together, nearly everyone in the store had stopped to watch. I felt a blush color my cheeks as I spotted Edward, his arms folded on the half wall between the children's alcove and the store, watching me with a huge grin. I smiled, refusing to be embarrassed when my teenaged children were acting just as silly as I was, and loving every minute of it.

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too

The three of us continued to sing for the rest of the song, dancing around and basically acting as silly as a song about hippopotamuses allows. By the time we finished the final chorus, we had been joined by family and friends, old and new, and everyone was singing along. When the last note died in the air, there was a loud round of raucous applause that rivaled anything I had ever heard at Maria's for the band. I pulled Sarah and Will in for a hug, my heart light and happy. My children hammed it up, bowing and blowing kisses to the crowd, and I laughed harder than I had in quite some time.

When the impromptu concert broke up, Alice waved me over to the children's alcove. I was in awe of the mural she had stenciled on the back wall, incorporating scenes from fantasy and fairy tales. Edward was working on a huge castle standing in the middle of a forest. "Bella, I think it's probably time to feed the animals," Alice whispered conspiratorially. Our painters were there on a strictly volunteer basis, plied with promises of pizza, beer and wine. "I called in the order, but they're swamped and can't deliver. Do you think you could find someone to go pick up the food? I'd go, but I'm working on the cupcake mountain right now, and don't want to leave while the creativity is strong."

"Actually, I could use a break from the paint fumes, I'll go pick it up," I told her.

"Care for some company?" Edward asked, wiping his hands on a paint rag and sending a crooked smile my way. It hadn't escaped my notice that he was wearing my favorite pair of worn blue jeans, ripped knees and all, paired with an inside-out, faded gray tee shirt that had obviously been worn as much as the jeans, with small tears and mends around the logo. He had covered his hair with the same disreputable Yankees cap I had first seen at 'just coffee' a couple of months ago, and I giggled when I noticed the streak of paint just below his cheekbone. He chuckled in response, and my heart raced.

"Sure, just let me grab my coat and purse," I told him. "I hope you've got a jacket – it felt like snow earlier."

He grabbed a black hoodie sweatshirt from a nearby chair and raised his arms to put it on. I felt my mouth go dry as his tee shirt rose, revealing a tantalizing strip of bare skin above his low-slung jeans and the band of what appeared to be dark gray boxer briefs. I couldn't tear my gaze away from the lean muscles of his abdomen, the enticing 'V' of his hipbones, or the narrow trail of hair that dipped below his waistband to…

I heard someone clearing their throat, and I looked away guiltily to find Alice watching me, one eyebrow raised. I flushed scarlet. Busted! My inner voice giggled, and I was thankful that it was Alice that had caught me staring and not Edward himself. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, and Alice laughed. Edward's head emerged from his hoodie and he looked at Alice quizzically. She shrugged her shoulders as well, and winked at me when Edward turned away.

"Mind if I drive?" he asked, pulling his car keys from the pocket of his hoodie.

"You just want me to have to hold onto the pizzas," I teased as we snuck out the back door.

"The pizzas would probably be safer that way. I'm starving!" he told me, rubbing his stomach when it rumbled, as if on cue. My eyes were drawn once again to his abdomen, and I felt my blush rise when I remembered my earlier glimpse of taut skin, smooth muscle and silky hair. He led the way to a shiny silver Volvo parked next to my Jeep, the engine already running. "Remote start – I was hoping you'd let me drive," he explained when I raised my eyebrow quizzically.

I was excited and a little nervous to have this time alone with Edward. Things had been so busy over the last several weeks that I had only seen him for a few minutes here and there since the night that I used his shoulder as a shamwow for my tears. I was making a concerted effort to spend more time with the kids after Will's illness and Sarah's outburst, which significantly cut into my Facebook chat time. Edward and I continued to have short, somewhat flirtatious (in my opinion) IM sessions, and tended to exchange texts every couple of days. Our messages always started out about the bookstore, and somehow ended with subtle entendres which left my inner voice squealing even as I warned myself not to read too much into it. Between my obligations at home and at the bookstore, and his other clients, including a project in Portland that had him on the road frequently, this was to be the first significant amount of time we would spend together in approximately a month.

Edward opened the door for me and then quickly climbed in the driver's side once I was situated, shivering slightly against the winter chill. We sat for a minute, warming our hands against the vents. Edward played with the radio, finding a station that was playing Christmas music and stopping there

He turned to me with that irresistible crooked grin. "So, hippopotamuses? Or is the correct term hippopotami?"

"Hippopotamuses, the song says so," I said definitively, fighting the smile that made the corner of my lips twitch. "But you need to emphasize the 'muses' or you're not pronouncing it correctly. Yes, it was completely goofy, and I probably made an ass of myself, but…"

He cut me off. "Hardly. It was adorable, and everyone thought so. I particularly enjoyed your hippo ears and walk," he teased, fisting his hands near the top of his head as we had done.

The sight of Edward making hippo ears had my grin breaking out in full force. "You do that so well, next time the song comes on we'll expect you to join in," I teased him, enjoying the carefree sound of his laughter.

He pulled out into traffic carefully, and the number of cars on the road surprised me, until I saw the time. "Wow, no wonder everyone is so hungry, we've been painting for hours," I commented. "I didn't realize it was getting so late. Maybe we should pick up the beer and wine for later, so we don't need to run out again."

"It's already covered," Edward said, gesturing toward the back seat. I twisted in the seat to look, and saw two coolers, and some paper bags. "I've got several kinds of wine, a couple cases of beer, and soda for the kids and those who choose not to partake." I must have looked incredulous, because he grinned sheepishly. "Alice strikes again. She had me pick the stuff up this morning."

"Thank goodness, I was beginning to fear that you could read my mind," I confessed, feeling my stupid blush flare again as I considered the kind of things that he'd know if he could hear what was going on in my head.

"Would I learn anything interesting if I could read your mind?" he asked, casting a sidelong glance at me and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "What kind of deep, dark secrets does Bella keep hidden?"

"Deep, dark secrets?" I scoffed derisively. "What you see is what you get. I'm an open book, Edward."

He was quiet for a moment. "Actually, I find you very hard to read," he said softly, and it sounded like there was a note of frustration in his voice.

"Really? What do you find so difficult to read?" I asked curiously. Jacob had always told me that my eyes gave away everything I was thinking and feeling, the good and the bad.

He hesitated, seeming to use the excuse of navigating the parking lot of the crowded restaurant as a delay tactic. He parked the car and turned off the ignition, turning toward me. "I don't know," he finally said, sounding annoyed. I didn't know if it was with me or with himself. "Just when I think I know what you're thinking, or how you're feeling, something changes and I realize I truly don't have a clue." He took off his ball cap and ran his fingers through his hair in that frustrated gesture I was coming to know so well.

I was truly surprised. "Well, I'm not really one for subterfuge. If you want to know something, just ask me. I don't generally hide what I'm thinking or feeling."

You lie, you lying liar you! my inner voice taunted me. If you're so brave, tell Edward what you think and feel about him!

Like I know how I think or feel about him, I replied to…myself? These damn internal monologues needed to stop!

Edward smiled, and my pulse raced. "All right, I'll have to remember that," he murmured. We got out of the car and headed into the restaurant, and the heavenly smell of garlic and pepperoni made my stomach growl loudly.

We had to wait a few minutes for our order to be completed, and I was stunned by the huge pile of pizza boxes already set aside for us. "So, what are your holiday plans?" Edward asked me as we sat down to wait.

I explained that I always hosted Christmas, so I would have a full house. This year, kids were with me until Christmas evening, then going to spend the remainder of the school break with Jacob and Renesmee. I learned that Edward would spend Christmas at his parents' house in Seattle, and they would be joined later in the day by Emmett, Rose and the girls.

"Are you going to Alice and Jasper's New Year's thing?" Edward inquired, carefully placing a small stack of pizza boxes in my arms and hoisting the larger pile himself. He smiled and thanked the waitress who held the door for him. I found it difficult to do the same when she all but let the door slam in my face, her attention completely devoted to Edward. How he managed to juggle the pizza boxes in his arms and still catch the door before it closed on me I'd never know. I did smile inwardly when he shot the waitress an annoyed look as we walked toward the Volvo.

I groaned, remembering my promise to Alice to attend her New Year's Eve party. "Yes, Alice told me I 'have' to be there. What's it like?"

Edward shrugged his shoulders as much as he could beneath his burden of boxes. "It's always very nice, very...Alice. It's definitely not a pizza and beer event. She hosts this for friends, colleagues and clients as well. Champagne, finger foods, light classical music…"

"So I should expect to be asleep long before midnight?" I teased, placing my burden in the back of the car and holding the trunk lid up as Edward did the same with his larger stack. "Good God, are we really going to eat this much pizza tonight?" I asked.

Edward smiled. "Remember our conversation about Emmett's eating habits? They haven't changed since high school. He'll eat at least one of these himself."

"So will Seth and Will," I agreed. "And Sam, and Embry. Thank God Jake isn't here, or we really wouldn't have enough," I laughed, and Edward suddenly looked uncomfortable. Mental note – mentioning the ex-husband is a conversation killer!

The pizza was a huge hit, and Emmett did indeed eat as much as two people, although Seth matched him slice-for-slice on the first pizza. Alice had inspected the painting while we were gone and announced that we were done for the night, except for the mural in the children's area/ That wouldn't be finished entirely today anyway. It would be finalized with the touchups in the café that remained. Seth, Embry and Holly, Sam and Emily, and Peter and Charlotte all ate and left, citing other plans for the evening. Emmett and Jasper each opened a second beer and declared themselves done with painting for the day. Rosalie agreed, and poured herself a second glass of wine. They tried to talk Edward into relaxing and sharing another beer with them, but he declined, saying he wanted to finish the section of mural he had been working on before we left on the pizza run.

I checked with Sarah and Will, who both said they wanted to stay and work. Alice pulled out her grid and list of colors and put both of them to work in the café. After doing a walkthrough of the areas I had not yet seen, I joined Edward in the children's alcove so that I could study Alice's mural in greater detail. It was much quieter back here, tucked into the corner and out of sight of the front area of the store.

"This is just amazing," I commented, studying the dragon modeled after Saphira in the Eragon series, her metallic blue scales shimmering in the low light. There were illustrations from both classic and contemporary children's books. Edward was painstakingly filling in some trees for a woodland scene.

"Hey lazy, pull up a paintbrush and get to work," he teased, pointing to a nearby shelf which held several paint pots.

"Where should I start?" I asked, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the drawing.

"Anywhere you want. What looks interesting to you?" he asked.

I studied an unpainted portion near Edward. "Oooh, I like unicorns!" I said, grabbing Alice's detailed instructions. "Can you help me find the right colors?" I asked.

Edward reviewed Alice's notes, then handed me a couple of jars of paint and an assortment of brushes. "These should work for you," he said, his fingertips brushing mine as I accepted the painting materials.

We worked side-by-side in companionable silence. I loved hearing Edward hum along with the music from time to time. Occasionally my arm would bump his as we painted adjacent areas of the mural. The contact started out as accidental, but I couldn't stop myself from deliberately brushing against his strong forearm or muscled bicep. Before long, Edward took a step closer to where I was, starting on a new portion of the mural, and we found our elbows tapping and forearms nudging with increasing frequency.

I studied my efforts on the mural, deciding it really didn't look that bad. I grabbed a pot of pink paint and dipped my brush, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I heard Edward chuckle, and turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Bella, you've got some paint right…here," Edward said, reaching out with his forefinger and brushing my cheekbone. I felt my pulse race as the blood rushed to the spot he touched, my skin tingling with awareness. He lifted his finger, showing me the dot of bright pink paint that now colored his fingertip. "Oops, didn't get it all," he said huskily, reaching out to cup my cheek, using his thumb to rub gently at the spot between my cheekbone and nose.

My cheeks burned with the heat of my blush as his fingers lingered on my skin. Edward's thumb caressed the contour of my cheekbone, his fingers slowly sliding across my jaw, back toward my ear, tracing the curve of my earlobe. His fingertips gently stroked the soft patch of skin behind my ear, making me quiver, and the corner of his lips twitched with a grin at my reaction. His green eyes glowed with warmth, and I could read the unspoken question there as his head slowly descended towards mine. I angled my face towards his in silent invitation, the butterflies in my stomach fluttering wildly in anticipation as his nose slowly brushed my cheekbone. He inclined his head to the side as his head moved slowly closer, the tip of his nose now gently rubbing against mine.

"Bella," Edward whispered, and I could feel his warm breath on my lips, his fingers trembling slightly as they slipped gently into my hair. He closed his eyes briefly, his jaw flexing as he swallowed nervously, his quiet sigh bathing my skin with his tantalizing scent. He hesitated for a moment, our lips only a hair's breadth apart, then groaned quietly in surrender and softly feathered his lips across mine.

My eyes closed involuntarily at the contact, and I couldn't hold back my shallow gasp as the taste of him flooded my senses, making me weak with wanting. His fingers tightened convulsively in my hair, another groan slipping from his lips as he angled his mouth across mine more firmly. His soft lips plucked at my bottom one, nibbling and sucking lightly, the sensation rocketing through my body. My knees trembled, and other areas due North quaked and tingled with awareness.

My hands rose of their own volition, sweeping along the broad muscles of his chest and over his collarbones, fingertips gently grazing along the tendons of his neck before curving around to bury themselves in the gloriously silky hair at the base of his skull. He shivered violently at my touch, and another soft sound, somewhere between a moan and growl, was forced from his throat at the contact. His free hand rose to my other cheek, both hands now framing my face, his long fingers dancing over my sensitive skin as he changed his angle of attack. His mouth opened over mine, his tongue gently tracing the seam of my lips. With a soft whimper, I opened my lips to his, drowning in his scent and flavor as his tongue tentatively swept between my lips and grazed my own.

"Hey Edward, I was wondering if you could please… oh crap! I'm so sorry!" Alice's voice trailed off into an embarrassed squeak as she rounded the corner and saw the two of us. I pulled away from Edward quickly, stumbling back against the bookshelf, my elbow connecting painfully with the corner.

If I hadn't been so mortified, I would have giggled at the look on Edward's face as he registered the interruption. He stood in nearly the same position he had been standing when we were interrupted, his hands suspended in mid-air. He opened his eyes very slowly, and the disappointment there made me want to groan in sympathy. And frustration! my inner voice seethed. That was the best kiss we've had in...well, EVER!

"Hey, Mom, this mural is great!" I heard Sarah exclaim, coming around the corner after Alice, her eyes on the half-completed wall. I was immediately grateful and relieved that Alice had interrupted us first. The idea of Sarah finding me kissing someone, and her possible reaction to such a scenario, was absolutely terrifying. Sarah turned to look at me, her eyebrows pulling together in a puzzled frown when she took in my flushed cheeks. "Oh, you've got some pink paint on your cheek," she told me.

The mention of the pink paint made me look toward Edward again, a half smile on my face that froze when I saw the look on his. He looked absolutely stricken as he gazed at Sarah with wide eyes. He raised his hand to his hair, whipping off his ball cap and running his fingers through the flattened hair, which was standing on end by the second pass through. His cheeks, which I had seen tinted a pale pink in the past, were bright red. I watched, dumbfounded, as he turned and walked out of the children's alcove, disappearing through the door to the back room without a word to any of us. My heart sank as I immediately started to fear Edward regretted kissing me.

I was stunned into immobility by Edward's departure. I could hear Sarah and Alice chattering about the mural, but wasn't able to distinguish the actual spoken words over the dull roar in my ears. A well-placed nudge from Alice brought me out of my daze, and she tilted her head minutely in my daughter's direction. Sarah was studying me with an expectant look, and I mentally shook my head to clear my thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, what did you say?" I apologized.

"I just said Will and I are getting kinda tired. When are we going to head home?" she asked.

Alice immediately jumped in. "Well, Bella, the café is pretty much done except for a few details, and the rest of the store is finished aside from touchups, which can't be done tonight anyway. The mural still needs work, but I'll be coming in at various times this week to work on it, so there's no rush to get it taken care of tonight. You're good to go, and I can lock up for you."

Alice then turned to Sarah. "Hey, could you and your brother go check the pizza boxes and consolidate them a little bit?" Alice watched Sarah's retreat, making sure she was out of earshot before rounding on me. "I'm so sorry, Bella! I had no idea that I was interrupting…"

I waved her off, the blush climbing my cheeks again, even as I battled the sick feeling in my stomach at the expression that had been on Edward's face when he walked way. "Don't worry about it, Alice, it's okay."

"So…you and Edward?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows and giggling.

"Uh…I don't know," I answered honestly. I would have answered differently before I had seen the look on Edward's face, and the way he left the room without a word or a backward glance. It was reminiscent of his reaction to the phone call he had received at Maria's. "Look, Alice, he's Rosalie's brother-in-law, and I don't want…if you could just keep this to yourself, please?"

"On one condition," Alice bargained. "When you figure it out, will you talk to me?"

"Absolutely," I agreed, relieved.

"He looked just as confused as you sound right now. I'll keep the kids occupied for a couple of minutes. Go find him," she suggested, pointing toward the back room. I smiled gratefully, then casually walked through the store and opened the door to the back.

Edward was standing near the back entrance, his back to me, and even from this distance I could tell that his shoulders were tense. The door was open, the night air cold and biting as it filled the storage area. He must have heard my footsteps because he turned, allowing the door to close behind him. The silence in the room after the door slamming was deafening. I stood on one side of the room, Edward on the other, and it seemed to me that the chill in the air wasn't just from the winter temperatures outside.

"Hey," he said, his voice husky, warming me despite the cold. He took a couple of steps forward, stopping slightly more than arm's length away from me, his hands jammed in his pockets, his eyes guarded. "Look, Bella…about, well, about what happened earlier?" his voice was questioning.

"Yes, Edward?" I asked, that sick feeling intensifying as I studied his body language. No longer friendly or flirting, but embarrassed and uncomfortable.

"I'm really sorry," he blurted. "I didn't mean for things to get so out of hand back there, and I wish I didn't…that we hadn't…I shouldn't have kissed you like that, Bella." He looked like Will did when he knew he'd been caught doing something wrong, right down to the downcast eyes and scuffing of his toe on the floor.

That kinda...hurts. I felt like someone had punched a hole in my chest. What I had counted as one of the best kisses of my life was something he wished hadn't happened. I didn't know whether to be pissed or offended as Edward confirmed my fears. I aimed for indifferent instead. "Yeah, it was a bad idea," I agreed, ignoring the shouting of my inner voice at the obvious untruth.

Edward's head snapped up at my tone, his eyes searching mine. I kept my expression carefully blank. "Bella, I didn't mean…"

I cut him off. "Forget it, Edward, okay? Let's not do anything to jeopardize our working relationship, or our friendship, okay?" I knew my tone was unwelcome, unfriendly, but I was simply trying to hold on to my dignity and not break down in front of him. The walls that had been relaxing from around my heart shot back up automatically. I wasn't going to let Edward see exactly how deep his words had wounded me. It was my own damn fault for hoping for something that was clearly unattainable.

He reached out to touch my arm, then dropped his hand immediately when Sarah and Will came into the back room, donning their coats and hats for the trip home.

I was glad for the whirlwind of activity that leaving created, so I couldn't dwell on the sadness in Edward's eyes and the tears that threatened my own. We departed quickly, and I was grateful for the chatter of the kids to keep my mind occupied on the drive home.

As I got ready for bed, my phone vibrated with a text message from Edward. Heart heavy, I shut my phone off without reading the message. As I climbed into bed my mind recalled in perfect detail every moment of our kiss, and imagined how it would have progressed without the interruption…or the apology.

Ahhh, Shakespeare had it right when he said the course of true love never did run smooth... I fear kissus-interruptus may get more flames than the bratty teenager :)

Your reviews and comments mean so much to me - please consider letting me know your thoughts on what has transpired in this chapter. If anything made you smile, laugh, sigh, or even growl in frustration, I'd like to hear about it.

Also, there were little tributes to three of my favorite fanfics and one of my favorite fanfic authors - teasers to anyone who can spot at least one of them!