FINALLY! *I think I'm catching up…just in time for next week to slow down again – boo*
Chapter 12
Bella walks into a Starbucks and it is pretty much empty. Her ringing phone causes her to stop, she pulls it to her view and presses ignore sticking it back in her pocket.
"Asshole, yeah I would ignore that also"
She turns around to the voice behind her.
Blonde hair, nice face, blue eyes, little beard, good smile, tall and thin.
"Um, you saw that?" She says nervously.
"Yes I did, now you should just be glad I am not asshole"
Bella smiles. Edward's name was changed by her from Edward Cullen to Asshole, in her phone book. "That um…yeah" She is actually embarrassed.
"Let me give you a tip, deleting him from the phonebook all together is the way to go"
"No, you, um that's my boss"
The blonde hair man laughs. "Well then, that explains it, playing hookie?"
"No, no" Bella shakes her head. "Getting coffee"
"Well the lady is waiting" He looks to the counter.
"Right" She turns and heads up.
Edward frowns and calls again 5 minutes later.
She is sitting in Starbucks, with a man, how crazy. It at present almost feels empowering, like she should maybe thank Edward. She would never just be sitting with a man, it's just not her. And ignoring work calls. So she needs to thank hm for being overly annoying and just himself for this odd morning.
"Are you going to answer this time?"
She looks at her phone on the table, she is nervous, this out of her routine for a morning. She should be sitting at her desk working. After being taken in by Emmett. But routine and work for Bella are now different as she had sex with her boss. *thud* "No"
"Well to answer your question I am a fashion photographer"
"Really?"
"Yeah" He nods. "And you are a lawyer turned…"
"Yeah a lawyer turned personal laky"
"To the asshole"
"Yeah" She nods. Actually Edward is not so bad, like he is bad but she knows the good there. She doesn't know. "He is not so bad"
He looks at her and is a bit confused but that's okay its just coffee. "I have to get back, and so should you, can I give you my card?" He would like to see her again.
"Yes, I am actually planning a charity event, and I know you are a fashion photographer but" She says. "We will need a photographer"
"And by charity" He laughs. "This means no income?"
"Exactly"
"And I am in" He nods. She is a woman and he is a man, and she is very attractive, so yeah part of just accepting is due to that. He doesn't know her well enough to just do it based on personality. But maybe he will in time, if he gets a chance to know her more.
"I do need to go also, yes, um" Bella smiles standing along with him. "Nice meeting you"
"Yes, you also, here is my card, call me"
Taking it Bella nods. "Yes I will"
He smiles before tipping his coffee cup at her in cheers. "Good luck with the asshole"
Bella laughs and watches him leave first. She looks at the card. Alistair Andrews. Her phone rings again, debating answering it this time. She opts not for the third time this morning. To work. She sips her drink before walking out with her things.
"I called you" He says roughly when she comes into his office.
"Good morning to you"
"More than once"
"Good morning" Bella says again with a frown.
"Good morning" Edward finally says staring at her. He eyes her carefully and waits for her to explain herself. When she eyes him back he licks his lips. "I called you this morning"
"Yes, I was busy"
"Doing what?"
"Pardon?"
"I am asking you what you were doing, and why didn't you want Emmett to drive you today?"
"I wanted to walk, not that I have to explain myself to you" She makes a disgusted face at him.
"Sorry, I was just worried"
"Worried?"
"Yes, never mind you are safe and sound, we really need to go over things"
"I agree, I found a photographer for the charity event"
"What?"
"We will need one, I met him and we had coffee this morning"
"What?" Edward looks at her. "You were not answering my calls because you were having coffee with this photographer?"
"Yes"
Edward frowns. "Oh"
"He is actually a fashion photographer, but, he can work a camera" She shrugs. "And you know"
Edward looks at her brush her hair from her eyes and look through her phone.
"I got you a table for um 3 at The…"
"About that"
"You want another women to join?" Her voice dripping with a condescending tone.
Edward just looks at her. "Um no, just cancel that all together"
Nodding she clears her throat a bit. "I can do that"
"Nonna is arriving from Italy today"
"Oh?"
"She flies once a year"
"Why is that?"
"My birthday"
"I didn't know you had a birthday coming up" Bella says almost thoughtfully. She is sure she knew somewhere in the back of her mind to be honest.
"I am shocked, you know everything about me" Edward comments giving some papers a shake to straighten them up.
"Well I didn't know"
"It is nothing special, just another day"
"So you didn't want to celebrate with Candy and Bunny?" Bella says.
"Funny"
"I try" She gives him sort of a smug smile.
"Cancel it"
"Are you sure?"
"I am sure" Edward has trouble meeting her eyes.
Bella nods. "Do you want me to go with Emmett to get her?"
"If you could, I will be in a meeting when she lands, I can't get out of it" Edward tells her.
"Of course, I would be honored to" Bella says almost breathless.
"Thank you, Jenna gave some papers to Kelly for you to go over for me, see if there are any holes in the documents and sign off on some other things, you will see"
Bella nods. "Okay, when will she land?"
"3"
"And Emmett knows this?"
"Just go down and he will be there"
She nods. "Is that all?" She looks at him.
Edward lets his eyes run over her. She is wearing another skirt, deep navy, very straight and fitting. He runs his eyes up they land on her chest which is covered…thankfully, by a pastel pink sleeveless silk cami. It has buttons and the top one is undone, making his eyes go to her breasts.
"Is that all?" She questions him again; she waits when his eyes find her own.
'No it's not all, I want you, and I screwed up' Edward looks at her a few more seconds before speaking. "Yes, I will call you before you leave for the airport, if you could answer that would be great"
Bella nods before turning to leave the office.
"Isabella"
"Hello" Bella smiles stepping up to meet the old woman. The woman is very old, but she seems like when she was younger she was such a stunner. She is beautiful now but you can see her youthful beauty still.
"Si saluto" Nonna smiles and kisses Isabella's cheek.
"Oh" Bella smiles surprised. "You have me today"
"Where is mio Edward?"
"He couldn't get out of a meeting" Bella explains, she has Nonna's arm hooked over hers. Emmett is carrying her purse and bag. "I hope you don't mind me"
"No, no" Nonna smiles.
Bella crosses her legs in the car and smiles. "Are you alright?"
"Perfetto" Nonna smiles. "Mio Edward will be 36 anni"
"He did not tell me" Bella informs her.
"Mio Edward is how do you say…scared"
"He is not scared, um shy?"
"Si, timido, si"
"No, not Edward"
"Si, Egli è solo un ragazzo"
"Non capisco" She tells her she does not understand.
"He is um" Nonna thinks. "a boy"
Bella listens. "He is just a boy still?"
"Si"
"I don't think" She thinks. "Edward is hard work"
"Worth the hard work"
"Is he?"
"Oh si, si, need a good donna, a donna buona, tu"
"No, no not tu…me"
"Si" Nonna cuts her eyes a bit as she studies Isabella, like she is studying her.
Emmett helps Nonna up to Edward's place and Bella tells him she will call when she is ready to head back or be taken home. Emmett leaves with the tip of his head to both of Mr. Cullens' ladies.
Edward walks in. "Hello?"
Bella stands and looks at him, Nonna is napping. "She is sleeping"
"Hey" Edward shuts the door.
"I was just waiting until you got back" It is about 6:30 now. "Long meeting"
"Yes, it ran over" He eyes her up and down, and stops on her bare feet.
"She hasn't eaten anything" Bella tells him.
"Thank you, I will take care of everything, thank you for getting her"
"A pleasure" She nods with a small nod. "I should go" Bella looks around and spots her shoes.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow"
"Yup" She nods. Giving him an awkward smile.
"So you rise" Edward smiles when his Nonna comes out of the guest bedroom. He goes right over to take her hand and kiss her cheek lightly.
"Oh il mio Edward" Nonna smiles and pats his cheek as he is still bent down to her.
Edward smiles. "Come è stato il volo?"
"Rocky" She answers as she goes with him to sit on a chair.
"Dinner?" He sits her in front of a meal he got sent here.
"Si, grazie Edward"
He sits across from her and watches her start to eat.
"No dinner… hai bisogno di mangiare"
"I eat just fine" He tells her.
"Isabella" Nonna doesn't hold back on him, ever.
"Si?"
"Così bella, così bella"
"Si, she is" He can agree to that.
"Are you romantico ancora?"
"Do you really want me to answer that Nonna?"
"Si, Nonna sa Edward, very well"
"No" He lies.
"Edward" Nonna scolds him.
"Fine, si" Edward, confesses being romantic with Bella.
Nonna smiles, something is different about her boy. Something interesting. Nonna just gives him a second smile. "Isabella SA"
"Bella knows what?"
"Ella sa"
Edward is so confused. "What does she know?"
"Vi amino"
"No, I do not love her"
"Ah, sì, dovete fare"
Edward looks at his Nonna. He gets the woman is old, but love doesn't happen now days like it happened in her day. It happened instantly with her and her husband. And it was like a dream between them. That is not how it is now. It just isn't. So Nonna saying he loves Bella and that she knows, and pretty much they will flock to each other's arms very soon, and have little bambinos it is just a fairytale. It is not how it works. Not for anyone and certainly not him. Not him with a woman like her.
Nonna looks at him because he seems to be off in another place.
"When I tell her she will, odio me"
"That you il suo amore?"
"No that I um" Edward thinks. "ha mentito per lei" He licks his lips and waits for Nonna's reaction, she is such a true woman, very honest and open. He loves that about her, she tells him like it is, and things between them are easy. He can say things to her and it be really strange for an outsider to get, but it is not strange it is them. Nonna and Edward.
"What did you lay about Edward?"
"I did not lie so much as I broke my word"
"No no, no Edward, che è importante"
"Yes, I know my word is important, but it cannot be helped, and I can't tell her"
"Se non vuoi far male la sua" Nonna says.
"No, I don't want to hurt her" He agrees.
"You love her then"
"Nonna just because I don't want to hurt someone doesn't mean I love them" See the woman lives in this fairytale. It is not always so simple.
Nonna says nothing she just shrugs. Edward will get it one day she hopes. For his sake because he is so, just so lost sometimes. Giving him a smile she reaches out and claps his hand tightly. "Io vi amo Edward"
"I love you Nonna" He lifts her hand and presses a light kiss to it.
