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Chapter Six

"I can't believe your dad shot someone!" Seth exclaimed, ignoring the glob of ketchup on his face.

"It wasn't a real gun, just a taser," Bella explained with a smirk.

Seth wasn't deterred. "Still, that's awesome!"

"Pretty much," Bella agreed and took a small sip from her drink. "I must say, that truly was the best hamburger I've ever had. Thanks for letting me come."

Our eyes stayed locked as she gave me a shy smile.

"Bella should come eat with us every time!" Seth all but squealed. Bella laughed, or maybe giggled, and handed him a napkin for his face.

"Jeez, Seth. Moving on so quickly? What happened to Bree?" I questioned.

"Bree? She doesn't even know I exist," Seth pouted. "At least Bella will talk to me!"

"Who wouldn't want to talk to you?" Bella asked, fighting a smile.

"Can we go see a movie?" Seth asked innocently.

"Not today, kid. I'm supposed to take you home, maybe another time."

"Aw, man. I bet Bella wants to see a movie," Seth said, seeking an accomplice.

"I'm sure Bella has to get home."

"Hey, are you forgetting I ditched my friend for you guys? I'm gonna need a ride home," Bella pointed out. "Do you have any games at your house, Seth?"

"Yeah, I have all these cool videos games for the Xbox that Edward bought me for Christmas!"

"Well, maybe if you ask him nicely, he'll let us stay and play a few games."

"Oh, please! Please, Edward, can we do that?"

"Yeah, fine, whatever. Go clean your face, dude, then we can head out."

Seth beamed and jumped up from the table, practically tripping over his chair. Okay, so he was a cool kid; my wingman, in a way. That didn't mean I was going to let him get his way with everything.

"Was your friend pissed at you?" I asked, turning my attention back to Bella.

"Alice? No. Lately, she's been bugging me to be more... spontaneous."

This made me laugh. "Ah. I wasn't aware that eating a hamburger could be spontaneous."

"Well, I hadn't planned on coming here today, with you no less. So yes, that's spontaneous for me."

"Watch out. You're getting a little too crazy."

Bella stared down at the table, slowly meeting my eyes. "Thanks for the warning."

I liked this Alice chick because whatever she said to Bella apparently worked. After our lunch date with Seth, the few times that I asked Bella to hang out, she accepted without hesitation.

The only problem was that every time we went out, it ended up in disaster. Everywhere we went, someone threw up. Not me or Bella, but the people who were around us. It was the oddest fucking thing I had ever witnessed.

She wasn't really disturbed by it though. You'd think she'd go all girl crazy and take it as some sort of sign from the universe that we shouldn't be hanging out. I thought girls were into signs and all that shit?

Well, I, for one, took it as a sign that I should take her out to places that don't serve beer in a plastic cup. That might solve all of our problems with regurgitation.

"I know I said we'd go somewhere decent, but I completely forgot that Esme is hosting dinner tonight," I said as Bella buckled her seat belt.

She blinked. "Okay?"

"So, we're going over there instead, if that's okay?"

"That depends. Is Esme your wife?"

"Would that make you more inclined to come with me?"

"Not exactly."

With a smirk I said, "She's my aunt."

"Oh."

"You look disappointed. Were you wishing I had said wife?"

"No. That's fine. I just wasn't expecting to... I don't know, meet your family? That's kind of-"

"Yeah, I fucking know. We can stop by, say hi and leave. This is going to be more painful for me anyway. Trust me."

The drive to Carlisle and Esme's house was silent. I couldn't figure out if it was because she was nervous or just didn't care.

The most awkward moments of the night:

Esme: "Tell me, dear, what are your thoughts on children?"

Carlisle: "You're the first girl Edward has ever brought home who didn't try to steal our silverware."

Emmett (four glasses of wine later):"That's not entirely true. Remember the time Edward brought Chelsea over and Esme found them in the laundry room, naked? She couldn't have stolen any silverware. Where would she have put it?"

Rosalie: "Which foundation do you use, Bella? I'm thinking you're using the wrong shade."

It was fucking painful, yet every time I dared to glance at Bella, she was laughing right along with them.

After dinner, we were all subjected to listening to Rosalie drone on about how hard it is to work the Clinique counter at Nordstrom.

After that riveting, one-sided conversation, we were all subjected to watch Rosalie force Esme into taking pictures of her and Emmett. I didn't get it. Why do girls need to take pictures of everything they do? Who gives a fuck if you're eating dessert at PF Changs?

Bella was talking to me about Seth when Esme walked over, camera in hand. "Let me take a picture of the two of you," Esme said kindly enough.

"Uh, why?"

"Be a sport, Edward," Esme chided.

"It's okay," Bella said playfully. "Edward doesn't want to take a picture with me. Maybe he'd rather take a picture with Chelsea?"

"Get over here," I said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into my lap.

Esme looked like she was about to have a coronary. I was just glad Carlisle was nearby. "Say cheese!"

Bella had an arm wrapped around my neck and I had an arm wrapped around her waist. It was the closest I had ever come to feeling like I was in a relationship.

Yet, it was all fake.

The hard part is over, I thought.

It was done. My family had finally met Bella and now everything else would fall into place. Clockwork.

If only it were that simple.

"You know what?" Bella asked, eyes lighting up the same way they did when she found an unopened bag of Goldfish under the seat in my car last week.

"Nope, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me," I snickered, waiting for her to slap my arm or pout, but she just smiled even wider.

"I know that we haven't been seeing each other for very long, but I can't stop thinking about you," she declared and stared at me expectantly.

"Is that so?" It was all I could manage to spit out. My eyes traveled to her chest, her cleavage subtly peeking out to say hello.

"Yes." She giggled causing her chest to shake. "I was thinking we should move in together. I know this is fast, but this just feels right. You know? Right?"

"Right," I whispered, reached out for the waiter and ordered tequila.

She couldn't be serious. It had been, what, three weeks? She hadn't even let me kiss her yet and she wanted to move in together?

Bella glared at me while I pretended to be occupied with my phone until the waiter brought us our shots.

"What's wrong, Edward? I thought you'd be happy. Aren't you looking for 'something serious'? That's what you told Carlisle that night at dinner, right?"

The way she said my name and the last part of her sentence made me stop, beer mid-gulp. Her tiny arms were crossed, nostrils were flaring and she was staring at me like she knew something.

Shit. She definitely knew something.

"So it's true?" Bella asked with wide eyes. She took my silence as confirmation. "You mother fucker!"

"Wait. What's true?"

"Emmett wasn't lying."

I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down into her seat. "Will you just calm down? What are you freaking out about?"

"You're only dating me so you can get your sticky little hands on your trust fund? Really?" Bella stared at me with so much disappointment that I almost laughed. Almost.

Mother fucking Emmett.

I set my beer on the table, dropped her wrist and held my hands up in defeat. "Well, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound great."

Bella laughed and rolled her eyes. "There's no other way to put it. Admit it, you were using me!"

"Admit it, you like me."

"Nope, not going to admit any such thing." She laughed with disbelief. "So, like, you were just going to grab the money and run? Kick me to the curb? Fake your death?" Bella grabbed both of our shots and downed them, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Oh, or were you just going to tell me you had a wife and kids, hoping I'd bail?"

She was enjoying this a little too much. "I hadn't really planned it out that far but faking my death might have been the route to take."

Looking thoughtful for a moment, she held her beer in the air as if she was making a toast and said, "To Edward. May he rest in peace."

"Wait, Bella. I didn't think you'd be mad," I muttered, watching her throw cash down on the table, standing to leave.

In all honesty, I really didn't think she'd be mad. I didn't think about her feelings at all cause, shit, I just really needed the money. Having Bella find out about this wasn't part of the plan.

"Didn't think I'd be mad? God, you're more self-centered than I thought. Look, I left enough money to cover our drinks. That should help until you get your money."

"That's not what...okay, I was an ass."

"A huge ass," she said, without missing a beat.

"The biggest ass in the world. But, would you just... will you help me out? Please?"

"Unbelievable! Fuck you." Bella erupted and stormed out of the bar.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit!" I kicked the chair at the table next to me, ignored stares and promptly called Emmett.

That fucker had some serious explaining to do.

A/N: Would you help the guy out or what? Leave some love! Thanks for reading :)