Chapter 5
EPOV
I took off my shoes and snuggled under the covers, marveling at the warmth emanating from the blanket. It was a lot like being in a sauna or a hot tub, but could thankfully be done comfortably while wearing a decent amount of clothing. I pulled the covers all the way over my head, wanting my face and lips to be warm too. I wondered how long it would take for my body to absorb enough heat energy to feel like a human would to Bella. I was thrilled with the idea that she could snuggle comfortably with me without getting too cold. My body reacted at the thought that we would no longer need to keep a barrier between us when I held her at night. The down side is that, without the barrier, she might actually feel my reaction. I definitely had no desire for her to understand just how hard it was for me to hold her in my arms all night long.
I heard Charlie ask Bella if she had seen me today. I realized suddenly that I couldn't hear his thoughts either! How odd. It must be genetic, if she inherited it from her father. Carlisle would be very interested to know this. I could get general impressions of his thoughts though. He wasn't completely silent to me like she was. I could sense his approval as he mentioned me. That was good news. Now I just had to be careful not to do anything to change his impression of me. I smiled as I heard Bella extolling my virtues. She mentioned me helping to carry bags. I felt guilty for not helping the girls carry the bags into the house. Not that the bags were heavy, and my sisters wouldn't have felt it even if they were. It still would have been the gentlemanly thing to do. Unfortunately, I was too busy trying to take the mental equivalent of a cold shower, trying to diminish any evidence of my state of arousal before joining the family. I was fairly certain Emmett would feel the need to call attention to it if he witnessed such a loss of control on my part. Not only would that be extremely embarrassing for both me and Bella, but he would harass me endlessly about it over the next few years.
Charlie's mind projected concern and nostalgia as he encouraged Bella not to rush into anything. This was followed by relief as she reassured him and deftly changed the subject to other friends. I had a feeling he was still adjusting to the idea that his little girl was now a teenager rapidly approaching adulthood.
His thoughts became filled with frustration as he discussed Billy's prejudice against my family, followed by sadness at the reminder of decades of friendship, and ending with resolve as he agreed to call him up after dinner. He enjoyed the rest of his dinner in a state of happy contentment. After dinner, I heard him pick up the phone in the living room and start dialing as Bella cleaned off the table. I concentrated on the conversation, extremely interested in the outcome and knowing Bella would expect a recap when she joined me upstairs.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Billy, this is Charlie."
Pause. "Hey, Charlie."
"Listen, we've been friends for so long, I don't want to throw away our friendship over one issue. I've missed spending time with you. I know we don't see eye to eye about the Cullen's and was wondering if you would agree to disagree about them. I won't try to convince you they're good, and you won't try to convince me they're evil. We just won't talk about them at all. Our time together will be a Cullen-free zone. What do you think?"
"I've missed you too, Charlie. I think I can agree to disagree. I've hated that they've come between us and ruined our friendship too. We won't talk about them at all to each other. Sounds good."
"Thanks, Billy! Hey, I don't know if you heard, but Bella is here now. She has grown up to be quite an excellent cook, and she remembers you and Jacob. She has volunteered to cook dinner for all of us tomorrow night, if you two would like to come over here. We can watch a game afterwards, while Jacob and Bella get caught up and get to know one another. What do you say?"
"That sounds great, Charlie! We'd love to come. What time?"
"How about six? I'm usually home by then."
"Should I bring anything?"
"Nah, I think Bells has it covered."
"Thanks for calling, Charlie. I really have missed you. We'll see you tomorrow."
"Sure thing, Billy. Bye."
Charlie was very happy. I could tell he felt like he'd had a weight lifted off of his shoulders. It was weird to be getting impressions instead of fully formed thoughts, almost like I had Jasper's ability and was reading his emotions instead.
I heard my love's beautiful voice informing Charlie she was coming up to her room. I smiled in anticipation. He teased her about not staying up too late. I would make sure she got enough sleep, though I was certain she would still be awake for a while after he had gone to bed. I heard Bella's measured tread up the stairs and lowered the blanket down from my face. She opened the door, her eyes searching out mine right away. I knew I had a big smile on my face. Our eyes met, and she smirked at me. I raised an eyebrow, as she continued into the room, shutting the door behind her.
"You look comfortable," she taunted, sauntering over to the bed and crawling up next to me. She reached out and caressed my cheek. Her hand still felt a bit warm to me, but nowhere near as warm as usual. She grinned. "While you look and smell delicious enough to eat, I think we still need to roast you a bit longer."
I pouted playfully.
"You're still not quite up to human temperature, Edward. Why don't you go ahead and cook yourself a bit longer, while I finish my homework?" she suggested with a wink.
"Only if you give me a kiss," I bargained.
"Gladly." She leaned forward, pressing her lips to mine. We kissed enthusiastically, until she needed to draw back and catch her breath. I smirked, listening to her heart racing and watching her chest heaving. I loved the effect I had on her.
"Okay, I really need to concentrate on homework now," she confessed, pulling the blanket back over my head. She kissed my forehead through the blanket. "I'm sure by the time I'm finished, you'll be nice and toasty warm."
I chuckled, listening to her pull her books and supplies out of her backpack. She sat at her desk. I could hear the scratching of her pencil on the paper as she began her assignments. I started thinking about our time at the mall. Specifically, the time at the lingerie store. It was obvious my sisters had deliberately set me up to witness a scantily clad Bella. The question of the day was whether Bella was in on it, or merely an innocent victim to my sisters' twisted prank. I sincerely hoped it was the former, for all of our sakes. My perfect recall conjured up a picture of Bella in the black lace teddy. I studied it in great detail, in a way I hadn't allowed myself to at the time. My body responded again, just as quickly as it did the first time. Of course, Bella chose that moment to finish her homework. I couldn't let her catch me like this. I quickly turned onto my side and moved my hands in front of my crotch. I waited as she put away her school stuff and approached the bed. The seconds ticked by like hours. I heard her chuckle softly.
"I'm going to go get ready for bed now," she whispered. "You just stay where you are, and I'll be right back."
"Okay," I responded quietly. I heard her rustling in some plastic before escaping from the room. She went into the bathroom to change. I started thinking unsexy thoughts to bring myself back under control. Okay, kittens, Jessica, Mike. Yep, that did it. Thinking about Mike was a foolproof way to kill the mood. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I heard the bedroom door open and close again. I was ready for her now. I sensed her come up to stand next to the bed.
"Close your eyes," she mumbled hesitantly.
"Okay," I murmured back.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, just as I had done a minute before.
"I think it's time to check and see if you're 'done,'" she suggested seductively. I felt her join me in the bed, slipping under the covers and scooting close to me. She gently ran her hand over my forearm. I was surprised to note that her skin didn't feel warm. It felt the same as mine, or rather mine felt the same as hers. I reached out to pull her into my embrace and encountered something satiny. My eyes flew open to behold my love dressed in the blue satin baby doll pajamas I had picked out of Alice's head earlier today. I froze in shock. So much for calming down. I swiftly rose to the occasion. I heard a sweet giggle and looked up to meet Bella's eyes. I was even more shocked to see the direction of her gaze. She was looking at the front of my pants.
"I was going to ask if you liked it," she snickered. "But I can already tell that you do. I guess these were a good choice after all."
I stared at her, speechless. She finally moved her gaze up to meet mine, and she blushed. Then, with a mischievous grin, she started unbuttoning my shirt. By the third button, I had managed to summon enough energy to move my hand to catch hers.
"What are you doing?" I demanded.
"Unbuttoning your shirt," she answered with wide eyed innocence.
"Why?"
She smiled at me. "I just want to feel your chest while it's so warm. I promise not to rape you or anything."
I rolled my eyes. Like that was even a possibility. I did let go of her hand and allow her to keep unbuttoning my shirt. The gentleman in me was protesting vehemently that this was a bad idea, but the man in me wanted her to touch me at least as much, if not more so, than she did. I reminded myself that she had agreed to become my wife and spend eternity with me. That helped silence the gentleman, who was somewhat appeased at the idea that she was my fiancée and by my resolve not to remove any more of my clothing, nor to allow her to remove any of hers. So I made no protest when she slipped the sleeves of my shirt down my arms and over my hands, before tossing the shirt onto the floor.
She moaned a bit as her eyes eagerly devoured my chest and arms. Then, she put her hands on my chest and began exploring. My skin tingled wherever she touched it, and I couldn't help moaning myself. She traced the contours of the muscles in my chest, abdomen, and biceps. Then she scooted closer, pressing her chest against mine, as she allowed her hands to explore my back. She took her time with all of her explorations, as if she were trying to memorize the feel of my skin. I loved that she could be so close to me without shivering. When she began kissing my chest, I pulled away, groaning, needing to put a stop to this before I got carried away. She immediately started pouting, trying to pull me closer again.
"I think that's enough exploring for tonight, love," I gasped. "I just can't take anymore right now. It feels absolutely fabulous, and I'm in definite danger of forgetting everything but the need to make you mine in every sense of the word. Since that isn't possible right now, I'm going to calm down a bit."
"Ah, okay," she smirked. "I guess you're not the only one who seems to have a natural talent for this."
I grinned at her. "Perhaps. Or perhaps we're just meant for each other."
She nodded, grinning back. I removed her arms from around me and shifted to lie on my back. I reached over and dialed back the setting on the blanket, not wanting Bella to overheat. Then I pulled her over to me and kissed her gently.
"I think maybe you should get some sleep. I don't know if you heard, but your dad came up to bed about half an hour ago."
"I was a bit distracted."
I snickered this time. "Is that so? I never would have guessed."
She growled at me, a cute little kitten growl. I barely restrained my laughter, knowing she wouldn't appreciate it. As if she could intimidate me. Well, actually she could, but not by threats of violence. The thought of losing her now that I had found her was worse than intimidating. It was terrifying. I had to admit to myself that her anger actually did intimidate me, despite the fact that she couldn't cause me any physical pain. She could definitely cause me emotional pain, if she decided she didn't want to be around me. So I preferred not to make her truly angry.
She curled up next to me, resting her head on my chest and draping her arm over my stomach. I loved the sensation. It felt like she belonged there. I rubbed her back lightly with my hand, enjoying the texture of the satin sliding beneath my fingers. Watching her sleep last night had inspired a lullaby, just as the book had suggested. I began humming it for her, the portion I had composed thus far, and she quickly fell asleep. I tucked the blanket around us, thrilled to be able to have skin to skin contact without fear of giving her hypothermia.
As I snuggled with my beautiful Bella, I allowed myself to picture each of the different outfits she had modeled in the dressing room earlier. She was absolutely gorgeous. My breathing increased slightly, the longer I thought about her. I adjusted myself to be as comfortable as possible while wearing pants. Bella began dreaming. To my surprise, she threw her leg over my hips. She began moaning my name and rocking against me. It was obviously a very good dream and raised my own level of arousal to heights I had never known before. Her movement created the most delicious friction against me. The gentleman in me was screaming at me for my incredibly inappropriate behavior in allowing this to continue, but the man in me drowned him out. She continued moaning my name, moving her lips on my chest, rocking against my side. I was on sensual overload—the sound of her moaning for me, the smell of her arousal, the feel of her in my arms and against my skin, the sight of her in my mind dressed in sexy lingerie, the taste of her kiss lingering on my lips, and the feelings building up inside of me. The music in my body came to a full crescendo, and I clapped my free hand over my mouth to keep from shouting. I lay limply underneath of her as she stiffened, crying out into my chest. Then she became just as boneless as I felt. She was wearing a satisfied smile in her sleep. I decided it was a good time for me to go home, get cleaned up, and change my clothes. I gently slid her off of me and got out of bed. I tucked the covers around her and kissed her temple.
"I'll be back soon, love," I whispered to my sleeping angel. I grabbed my shirt and jumped out the window. As I ran home, I realized I was wearing a goofy grin. Try as I might, I couldn't wipe it off my face. I hoped my family members would all be too busy using their own electric blankets to notice me. Otherwise, I'd be faced with questions I really wasn't prepared to answer. I had a good idea they would all know what would cause that kind of goofy grin, considering some of the ones I've seen on my brothers and father, and I didn't want them thinking of me and Bella that way.
Luckily, they were all rather occupied when I arrived home. I doubted they even knew I was there. Certainly none of them directed their thoughts my way, and I did my absolute best to block the thoughts they were having. I removed my jeans, hiding them instead of placing them in the hamper. I didn't want Esme to see anything unusual while doing the laundry. I decided I'd better start doing my own laundry now. I took a much needed shower, changed my clothes, and rushed back to my Bella.
BPOV
I puttered anxiously around the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on everything. The table was set and had a vase of wildflowers in the center. The kitchen was sparkling clean; all the dishes were washed and put away. I peeked in the oven needlessly once again. I wanted everything to be perfect for tonight. The delicious aroma of lasagna permeated the air throughout the entire house. I was serving garlic bread and salad along with it. I had the glasses already filled with ice, and I had made iced tea.
I heard the front door open.
"Bella?" Charlie called out, shutting the front door. "It smells wonderful!"
I meandered out of the kitchen to watch him hang up his jacket and gun belt. I smiled at him.
"How was your day?" I asked pleasantly.
"Not bad. A few minor issues, no major ones. I do like living in a small town," he returned easily. "Looks like we have about ten minutes until Billy and Jacob get here, so I'm going to go get freshened up, okay?"
"Sounds good, Dad. I've got everything under control down here."
He dashed upstairs to his room, and I resumed my nervous pacing around the living room this time. I had already been through here twice making sure everything was cleaned and dusted. I tweaked the pillows on the couch, though of course they didn't really need it. I spent a few minutes gazing at all my old pictures Charlie had displayed prominently around the room. I wondered if I shouldn't hide a few of them when he wasn't looking. I wasn't sure I wanted Edward seeing those unflattering pictures of me.
Just when I thought I would go insane, I heard a knock on the front door. I actually jumped a bit at the noise, my heart rate accelerating. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and answered the door. I saw Billy in his wheelchair and, as I expected, the sight of his kind old face immediately brought back childhood memories. I didn't really recognize Jacob as well as I did Billy. I could only see a hint of the boy he used to be. I wasn't sure I would have known him under different circumstances. I stood back so they could enter, Jacob pushing Billy's chair.
Once they were inside, I shut the door and gave Billy a hug.
"It's so good to see you again, Billy," I enthused gently. "How are your daughters?"
"They've upped and moved away. It's just Jacob and me at home now," he chuckled. "But they're happy, and they come back to visit now and again."
"Hi, Jacob. I'm glad your dad has you, at least for a few more years. It can't be easy for either of you though."
He ducked his head shyly. "We manage. Dinner smells really good though. Neither of us are particularly talented in the kitchen."
"Well, I made plenty, so no one will go hungry tonight," I teased. "I'm pretty sure there's enough even for a growing teenage boy."
Charlie had made his way downstairs, and all three males laughed appreciatively at my attempt to break the ice. Just then, the oven timer buzzed, so I excused myself and rushed to take the food out of the oven. Jacob strolled in behind me.
"Anything I can do to help?" he offered, leaning against the counter.
"Umm, sure. Do you want to get the drinks ready, at least for you and Billy? There's tea, beer, and water."
"Does Charlie know you're offering me beer?" he joked easily. I rolled my eyes.
"Have you ever tasted beer?"
"No," he admitted sheepishly.
"Well, I have. Believe me; you're not missing out on anything."
He grinned. "So did you get rip-roaring drunk?"
I shook my head and gave him a disgusted look. "Of course not. My stepfather, Phil, let me taste his one time. I haven't desired a repeat of the experience."
Jacob laughed. "Right, so stick with the tea then, that's your recommendation?"
I grinned. "Absolutely."
We worked together quickly and had everything set up and ready in record time. I peeked into the living room to see how Billy and Charlie were getting along. I didn't want to interrupt if they were in the middle of something serious. Jacob came to peer over my shoulder. Billy and Charlie were sitting comfortably in the living room getting caught up on all the news about each other's lives since the last time they had spoken.
"They gossip as bad as little old ladies," Jacob whispered in my ear. I chuckled.
"Maybe it's because neither of them has a wife to do it for them," I suggested. Jacob grinned at me with a sense of camaraderie.
"Dinner's ready, guys!" I announced. Charlie sprang up from his seat and pushed Billy into the kitchen. I had removed a chair to make room for the wheelchair so Billy could join us comfortably at the table.
Conversation at the dinner table was limited, as the guys couldn't seem to shovel the lasagna into their mouths fast enough. I ate mine at a reasonable pace, but even I had to admit it was one of the best ones I had made thus far. The males all had seconds, and Jake even helped himself to thirds. They had all grimaced at the salad, but they all took a little to appease me. The garlic bread was a big hit as well. There was hardly any left. Finally, all three of them sat back satisfied.
"Wow, Bells!" Charlie exclaimed proudly. "You really outdid yourself tonight. That was better than any restaurant food I've ever eaten."
"Yeah!" Jacob agreed. "I'd like to get the recipe, if you don't mind. Not that I could make it as good as you did, but even if it was half as good, it'd be better than what we usually eat."
"I think we're going to have to come visit you regularly, Charlie. But, uh, only when Bella's cooking," Billy joked. "Seriously, this was absolutely delectable, Bella."
I blushed, letting my hair fall like a curtain around my face.
"Thanks," I mumbled self-consciously. I looked up with a smile. "Isn't your game about to start?"
Charlie grinned. "I think that's our cue, Billy. How about we go and enjoy a little TV while the young'uns clean off the table."
"Sound good to me," Billy approved. "Make yourself useful, Jake."
Jacob scoffed. "Don't I always?"
Billy chuckled and shrugged. The men settled down in front of the TV, their attention focused on the game. Jacob cheerfully started gathering the plates and taking them to the sink, while I focused on wrapping up the leftovers.
"How about you wash and I dry?" Jacob suggested. I smiled and nodded, pulling a fresh dish towel out of the drawer and handing it to him. We worked together in companionable silence, not trying to talk over the sound of the running water combined with the noise of the TV in the background. It didn't take long for us to finish.
"Thanks, Jake, for helping."
"No problem. I've got the same chore at home, so I'm used to it."
I smiled. "Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to take a little walk while we talk?"
"Yeah, that sounds good."
"Okay, we'll just let our dads know, so they won't worry."
I stuck my head into the living room. "Dad? Jake and I are going to take a little walk. We won't go far."
"Okay, Bells, but stay out of the woods."
I laughed. "Trust me, Dad, I have no desire to get lost in the woods tonight. Knowing me, I'd be lost before we even got twenty feet past the tree line, and you'd have to call out a search party."
They all chuckled. I headed out the back door, wanting to get out of hearing range. With the TV on, I knew I wouldn't have to go far. Jake followed me passively, waiting for me to speak.
"Hey, Jake, what is your dad's problem with the Cullen's, anyway?"
He ducked his head and looked away. I had a feeling he was blushing.
"It's just some silly superstitions based on our tribal legends. They're pretty ridiculous if you ask me."
"Well, I hate that my dad and yours have allowed it to come between them and a friendship that has lasted so many years. That's why I tried to get them back together, and so far it seems to be working."
"This was your idea?" he asked, looking impressed.
"Yeah."
"Thanks! Dad's been really depressed about losing Charlie's friendship. This is the happiest I've seen him for quite some time."
I smiled. "My pleasure. Anyway, I was thinking maybe we should take things one step further."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know grudges and feuds can last generations, hundreds of years even. They never stop until finally one generation chooses to ignore the grievances of the past and become friends with their enemies. Only then is the cycle of hatred and fear broken."
"Um, okay. So what does that mean in plain English?"
"Well, Alice Cullen is my best friend. I thought maybe you and your friends could hang out with me and my friends. Maybe if we of the younger generation can learn to live together peacefully, then we could put an end to the animosity between the Quileutes and the Cullen's. What do you think?"
"Hmmm, that sounds like a good idea, but my dad would be really mad if he found out I was hanging out with the Cullen's."
"Well, I wasn't planning on telling him, of course. You certainly don't have to—I'm not trying to push you into anything. I was just thinking about Billy and Charlie. Charlie's mad because your dad has been convincing people not to go to the hospital now that Dr. Cullen works there. Charlie's afraid someone is going to get hurt or die because of this. I just thought it was time to maybe show everyone that we can all live together in peace."
"Wow! I didn't realize my dad had gone so far off the deep end. Yeah, I think you're right. What did you have in mind?"
"Well, people tend to fear what they don't understand. If you and your friends take the time to get to know the Cullen's, then they won't be 'other' anymore. They'll be people, just like you and me. You guys can show that there's no reason to go to such extremes to avoid the whole family. Even if we never convince the older generation, we can stop the cycle from progressing to the next generation."
He nodded, understandingly. "Okay, I'm with you so far."
"So we'll all hang out on weekends. We'll talk, play games, go places. All the things normal friends do together. We'll just have to do it all off the reservation. I'll pick you and your friends up and we'll all meet at the designated locations. How does that sound?"
"Sounds like a plan, but I'll have to check it out with Quil and Embry, my pals. I'm willing, but I can't speak for them."
"Great, just call me tomorrow and let me know. That'll give me plenty of time to work out the details."
He grinned conspiratorially at me. "So you think your friends are willing to hang out with a bunch of sophomores?"
I scoffed. "Why not?"
He looked me over seriously. "I've heard they keep to themselves. They don't really seem to like anybody. Except you, apparently."
"Well, they are all rich, smart, and gorgeous. Other people tend to be intimidated by that, so they make rude and hurtful remarks. The Cullen's also get a lot of kids trying to be friends with them for all the wrong reasons, interested more in what they have instead of who they are. Plus, they're all adopted. Most of them had hard lives before they were adopted by Carlisle and Esme, so they have difficulty trusting others. They have good reasons to keep to themselves, Jacob."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that makes sense."
I smiled again. "Thanks, Jake. We'd better get back inside before our dads come looking for us."
We headed back, just as Charlie opened the back door.
"Oh, there you are, kids. Jake, Billy's ready to go. We haven't forgotten it's a school night."
I walked them to the door, waving goodbye from the front porch as they drove away. My heart was singing with hope. I couldn't wait for Edward to get there so I could tell him all about my conversation with Jacob.
Charlie looked more lighthearted than he had since I arrived. He gave me a hug and a kiss on my forehead. "Thanks for your encouragement, Bells. I'm really happy to have my friend back. Who knows how long it would have taken for us to get back together without your help?"
I grinned as I hugged him back. It was nice to be appreciated.
BPOV
This had been the craziest week of my life. Only last Friday I had been on a plane to Forks with no idea that the fictional series I was reading was actually real. I hadn't even known my precious Edward for a whole week, yet it felt like a lifetime. In a mere ninety minutes, I would introduce him to my father as we went out for our "first" date. We had decided to go to the Italian restaurant in Port Angeles for sentimental reasons. It had been the location of our first date in the book, and I wanted to create the memory for real. I had every intention of ordering the mushroom ravioli and a coke. This time, however, things would go slightly differently. At least Edward wouldn't be desperately trying to restrain himself from killing the attempted rapists, or worrying about me going into shock. We wouldn't have the anxiety of first knowledge dangling between us either. Nor would we have to be concerned about Jessica and Angela. All in all, this was going to be a much better date than the original.
I went upstairs and gasped with surprise when I entered my room. Alice and Rosalie were sitting on my bed, waiting for me. Alice wasn't that surprising. I should have known I couldn't do anything as important as a first date without her "helping" me with my makeup, clothes, and hair. I was rather startled to find Rosalie with her though. I tried to mask my shock, but knew I was way too late. By the time my human brain could even register my own emotions, they would have already processed the expression on my face. Rosalie looked at me curiously.
"Why are you so much more surprised to see me here than Alice?"
"Umm, because Alice likes me and you don't?" Made perfect sense to me.
She rolled her eyes. "What makes you so sure I don't like you?" My jaw dropped in shock. Hadn't I just read a four book series during the majority of which Rose couldn't stand me?
"What?" she exclaimed indignantly. "I'm starting to get insulted by your attitude."
"Forgive me, please, Rose," I hurriedly explained. "I just had the impression from Stephenie Meyer that it would take more than a year to earn your trust and even longer to earn your friendship. Almost two years in fact."
She huffed, irritated. "Well, you shouldn't believe everything you read."
I gave her my best winning smile. "Believe me, Rose; I'm glad she was wrong. I'd love nothing more than for us to be good friends and eventually loving sisters."
She smiled back, somewhat shyly, which seemed a bit out of place on her perfect face. "Me too."
"Me three!" Alice shrieked excitedly, bouncing on the bed. "Now, enough jabbering. We have work to do. So much to do, so little time."
I groaned and simply turned myself over to her. I knew there would be no use resisting. My days as Bella Barbie had begun. I decided to go to my "happy place" in my thoughts, trying to picture Edward's meadow. I desperately wanted him to take me there, and he had promised to do so on Sunday. I tried to imagine what Edward would look like sparkling in the sun. I knew that no matter how hard I tried to picture it, the reality was bound to be so much better. My thoughts slipped to the Twilight book. I remembered the description of my Port Angeles trip and considered it in relation to Rosalie's story. I was glad I wouldn't be suffering from those men, but at the same time, I hated that they were free to wander the streets at night looking for other victims.
"Hey, Rosalie, I've got a suggestion for you and Emmett if you get bored sometime within the next few weeks."
She met my eyes curiously in the mirror as she worked on my hair.
"Well, according to the book I read, my first trip to Port Angeles was nearly a disaster. I went with Jessica and Angela, but wandered off on my own. I got disoriented and found myself in the warehouse district. It would have been a few weeks from now. Anyway, there were four men who cornered me on a deserted street. Edward arrived just in time and barely restrained himself from destroying the men for what they had planned to do to me."
I had Rose's full attention, and she had started a very low growling in her chest at my words. I continued to maintain eye contact.
"I really hate the idea of men like that roaming the streets looking for victims. While I'm glad they won't ever get me, I hate the idea that some other girl may suffer at their hands."
She nodded, her growling increasing slightly.
"So I figured if you and Emmett were bored some time, you might feel like taking a walk through the warehouse district, with Emmett conveniently out of sight. If you were accosted, I have no doubt you could make the men think twice of ever approaching a lone young woman again. I'm sure you could teach them some manners, so that no girls ever need fear them again, and Emmett could help hold them still until you're ready for them. That way you won't have to bother chasing after them or worry about giving away your superhuman skills."
She stopped growling, and an evil grin crossed her face.
"I have been rather bored lately. I think I could definitely do with a peaceful night-time stroll in Port Angeles."
"Originally, my incident was on a Tuesday more than a month from now, shortly before the Girl's Choice dance. So, I don't know how often those scum prowl the streets, skulking in the shadows. I don't want you to be disappointed if they don't show up to provide you with your desired entertainment," I warned.
She smirked. "Don't worry; I wouldn't miss this for the world. Thanks, Bella."
"Just remember, Carlisle won't appreciate it if you actually kill any of them, Rose," Alice reminded her. "Justice is one thing, but murder is another."
"Yeah, if you kill them, it'll stir up all kinds of trouble, with manhunts and investigations. But somehow, I doubt any of them would want to admit they'd been beaten up by a mere girl," I agreed, laughing condescendingly. "What a blow to their manhood. And they couldn't exactly explain why to the police either. What would they say? We wanted to rape this girl, but instead of screaming in fear and cowering while we took turns violating her, she beat the royal crap out of us. We want to press charges. Yeah, right. They'd get tossed behind bars faster than they could blink, and you'd probably get a medal from the mayor." All three of us chuckled darkly at the mental images my words evoked.
Rapists were all about control. They didn't really care about the sex. They enjoyed the idea of forcing their will on another, of taking what didn't belong to them. They delighted in being the cause of other people's pain and fear. They were the worst kind of bully.
Rosalie squared her shoulders determinedly. "Justice it shall be."
I decided to lighten the mood. I smirked at her until she raised her eyebrow, silently demanding to know the source of my amusement. I grinned.
"Just picturing you in a Wonder Woman costume, fighting for truth and justice. You could even pull off the whole 'spin around really fast clothing change' thing with your vampire speed. Maybe you should dye your hair black."
She just looked at me without commenting as Alice and I burst into laughter. As she continued to stare unsmilingly at me, I felt bad, wondering if I had hurt her feelings. I quickly calmed down and started to apologize. As soon as I did, her face cracked into a smirk of her own.
"As a matter of fact, I already have a Wonder Woman costume, complete with lasso and bullet repelling bracelets. It's one of Emmett's favorite outfits."
Now all three of us started laughing.
"Can you just imagine the men's faces if you pulled that stunt? All I can say is if you're going to do that, I'm coming along to videotape it. That's definitely going to be a 'Kodak moment'. It would be wrong not to share it with the whole family," Alice suggested.
"I'd pay to see that," I encouraged.
"It's a date," Rosalie agreed. "Do you think Jasper would want to join in the fun? It would be amusing to thoroughly mess with their emotions too."
Alice quickly checked the future, her eyes glazing over as she went into a vision.
"Yes, yes! This is going to be so much fun!" she squealed.
I shook my head in amusement. Both of them turned to me, gazes inquiring.
"Just typical vampire fun for a Friday night, right? I love you guys. I really feel blessed to be allowed to be part of your family."
Both of their gazes softened, and they each gave me a hug. "We love you too, little sister," they both whispered.
"Now back to business!" Alice demanded sternly. "We only have forty-five more minutes to get you ready. Time's a wasting."
I quickly turned my mind back to my happy place. How it could possibly take them this long to get me ready when they only spent about ten minutes on themselves was beyond me. Couldn't they do this stuff to me at vampire speed too? Did Alice deliberately draw out the torture? Or was I just so much less perfect looking than they are that it takes so much longer to artistically enhance my features than it does theirs? One of these days, I was going to get up the courage to ask, but I was afraid I might not like the answer. So today I would suffer in blissful ignorance, since I didn't want anything to interfere with my enjoyment of tonight.
They finished with fifteen minutes to spare. I heard Charlie come home and get settled.
"Come on down and see my dad," I begged. "He's going to love you, Rose, and he already loves Alice.
You all are my main excuse for spending so much time at your house. He needs to get to know you, so he'll be less suspicious. Besides, he'll probably be so dazzled by the sight of you two, that he'll forget to be gruff and overprotective when he meets Edward."
They both laughed at me and nodded. They cleaned up all of their makeup supplies at vampire speed, so they were ready before I even stepped out into the hallway.
"Hey, Dad!" I called downstairs. "I made dinner for you, but I'm going to go out tonight. Edward asked me out on a date and I accepted. He'll be here in about ten minutes."
He came to the bottom of the stairs and watched me descend. He had a look of surprised awe on his face. "Wow, Bells! You look beautiful! I mean, even more so than usual." His face started to look a bit suspicious. "You didn't tell me you had a date tonight."
"I'm telling you now," I informed him, rolling my eyes. "He asked me at school today, and this is the first chance I've had to speak to you since then."
He still looked concerned and a bit sad, as if just realizing I was all grown up now. "Where is he taking you?"
"We're going to Bella Italia in Port Angeles and then coming home. We'll be gone for a few hours, but I won't be back too late. By the way, Dad, Rose and Alice helped me get ready. They're going to leave now, but I wanted Rose to meet you before they go."
He glanced at the stairway to see them descending regally. "I've already met Rosalie," he admitted. She ducked her head and looked away in a shy maneuver. I would get the story out of her later, I decided.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Rosalie. I hope your family is all well."
She smiled sweetly at him. "Yes, thank you, Chief Swan. I haven't had any other trouble since the one time, sir, either at school or elsewhere."
He nodded, understandingly. "Don't worry, Rosalie. I know you're a sweet girl. Everyone makes mistakes when they are going through a difficult time. I won't hold it against you. I'm glad you and Bella decided to be friends." Now I was really curious.
He turned to Alice, who beamed up at him in delight. He was immediately dazzled. He blushed crimson, which caused Rosalie to smirk. She quickly moved behind him, so he wouldn't be able to read her facial expressions. Alice completely disconcerted him by giving him a brief hug.
"So good to see you again, Chief Swan!" she cried. He blinked at her sheer energy and excitement.
"Alice!" he choked out finally. He gave her a bemused smile. "It's good to see you too, sweetheart. And you can call me, Charlie."
"Thanks, Charlie, but we've got to be going now. Rose and I have to get ready too, since we're all going to Port Angeles tonight."
She and Rose danced out the door to Rose's car.
"Drive safely!" Charlie yelled cheerfully as they buckled their seatbelts.
"Don't worry, Chief Swan, I won't forget," Rosalie responded in a pleasant tone. I could tell she was irritated, but I doubted Charlie could. Alice looked like she was barely holding in her laughter, and I was sure she would let loose as soon as they were out of hearing range.
I waved goodbye and turned to see Charlie looking much more relaxed. I tilted my head inquiringly. He smiled at me.
"I'm glad you're all going to Port Angeles together. There's safety in numbers."
"Well, I certainly won't be alone," I quipped. No, I'd be with Edward. The rest of them would be in the same city, but wouldn't set foot in the restaurant with us. But I wouldn't take away Charlie's peace of mind if it made him feel better to think we'd all be together the whole time.
Just then, I heard a knock at the door. I fairly flew to it, flinging it open with a little too much force. It banged into the wall. It wasn't the first time it had happened though, so I didn't feel too bad about the little handle shaped dent in the drywall. It had already been there, though it might be a little deeper than it was before. My angel, my knight in shining armor, was there, smiling his crooked grin. I just stood there, breathless at the sight of him all dressed up in a tailored suit, until he cleared his throat in amusement.
"May I enter?" he asked formally, his eyes twinkling.
"Oh! Yes. Of course. Sorry," I stuttered incoherently, my face turning bright red. I finally managed to take a step back and to the side to allow him into the house. Once in the hallway, he produced a single red rose and bowed gallantly to me.
"A beautiful rose for a beautiful lady," he purred. I blushed even harder as I reached to take the rose.
"Thank you!" I gasped, touched. My stomach was doing somersaults inside of me. I realized my fingers were trembling slightly. "Let me just find a vase."
I dashed into the kitchen, then stopped as I remembered I had left the two men alone in the foyer. I quickly changed direction and joined them. "Before I get the vase, let me just introduce you two. Edward, this is Charlie, my dad. Dad, this is Edward Cullen, my date for tonight."
Edward smiled charmingly and held out his hand. I noticed he was wearing driving gloves, no doubt to mask the coldness of his fingers. "It's an honor to meet you, Chief Swan. My father speaks highly of you. You have a very special daughter, sir, and I promise to treat her with all the courtesy and respect she deserves."
"See that you do," Charlie growled. I could see that he was impressed in spite of himself. Wow. Edward was really pulling out the old-fashioned charm. That's probably the kind of thing he would have said back in his day before paying court to a young lady. Even I was impressed. I quickly hurried into the kitchen to get the vase, not wanting to leave the two of them alone together any longer than absolutely necessary. I wasn't worried about what Edward might do or say. I was worried about Charlie. I hoped he didn't say or do anything too embarrassing. I quickly pulled Charlie's dinner out of the oven where I had kept it warm and set it on the table for him.
"So what are your plans for the future, Edward?" Charlie asked gruffly.
"Well, I intend to go to college after I graduate high school. I'd like to follow in my father's footsteps. He's my personal hero and inspiration. So I'm considering the medical field. I would love to work alongside of him someday. I know it will involve a great deal of hard work and diligence on my part, but I think I would enjoy the challenge."
I hurried back in time to see Charlie nod thoughtfully in response. I jumped into the conversation before Charlie could continue his interrogation.
"I think we should probably get on the road now if we want to get home at a decent hour," I mentioned, going to stand beside Edward. He smiled and offered me his arm. I took it, smiling at the old-fashioned gesture. The only place I saw people walk like this was in church and at weddings when the ushers escort people down the aisles to their seats. Well, except for people old enough to be my great-grandparents. Like Edward. I stifled a giggle. I didn't think he'd appreciate that comment.
Charlie followed us to the door. "Be careful with my baby, Edward. Bring her home safe and sound," he warned seriously.
"I will, sir. I promise," Edward replied just as seriously, meeting Charlie's eyes. Whatever Charlie saw there in Edward's gaze seemed to pacify him, because he nodded and stepped away.
"See you later, Dad. Dinner's on the table. Don't let it get cold."
He smiled softly at me. "Have fun, Bells. I'll see you later."
I smiled happily and kissed him on the cheek, before heading out to Edward's car. Edward walked me around to the passenger side and opened the door for me. Once I slid in and buckled up, he closed the door and walked over to his side. He gave Charlie a brief wave before getting into the car and starting the engine. As we backed out of the drive, I watched Charlie retreat into the house and close the door behind him.
Edward grinned at me. "Well, that went well, don't you think?"
I grinned back. "Of course! You were absolutely perfect. I wouldn't be surprised to find he's half in love with you himself."
"I wouldn't go that far. Hopefully, you won't need to make a break for Phoenix tonight, like you did the first time I met him in that Twilight book. That was a disaster. If everything goes well tonight, I'll already be way ahead in my relationship with him than I was in Meyer's world. It's kind of hard to trust a boy, when at the end of your daughter's first official date with him, on the night you meet him, your daughter comes home, says horrible things to you, and then drives off into the night for Phoenix, only to end up broken and battered in a hospital bed. Not a good way to start a relationship with your future in-laws."
I shuddered. "Don't remind me. Enough of that previous future. We're here in the present, making a new future for ourselves. I don't want to ruin our official first date worrying about things that are never going to happen."
"You're right. Now keep your eyes off the speedometer and we'll do just fine."
I closed my eyes and whimpered, causing him to laugh. I opened my eyes to focus on his face and spent the entire trip lost in admiring his features. If I had to be blissfully unaware of my surroundings for a period of time, this is how I wanted to spend it.
EPOV
I pulled the car up to the curb, parking right in front of Bella Italia. I hopped out, hurrying around the car at human speed to get Bella's door. She waited patiently for me this time, knowing how important these small gestures of courtesy meant to me. She was a lady and deserved to be treated accordingly. I opened her door and offered my hand to help her out of the car. She accepted it and tried to gracefully join me on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, since this was Bella we were talking about, she promptly stumbled as her foot somehow tangled and didn't clear the edge of the doorway. She would have fallen flat on her face onto the sidewalk, but I had a hold of her and saved the day as usual. She blushed as I caught her once again. I chuckled lightly.
"Don't worry, love," I teased. "I love it when you throw yourself into my arms."
She smirked. "You caught me. I'm not really this clumsy—I'm just trying to get my hands on your body any time I can."
I laughed. "I knew it! But don't worry. I'll never let you fall."
She looked up into my eyes, her amusement fading. "I already have."
"Sweetheart, I've fallen for you too. Your heart is safe with me, just as mine is safe with you."
She smiled, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "You're so sweet," she whispered. She stood up on tiptoe to brush her lips tenderly against mine. I squeezed her gently. Just then, her stomach growled, bringing us both crashing back to reality. She blushed again, and we both laughed. I stepped back, pulling her further away from the car so I could shut the door. I took her by the hand and walked up to the restaurant. I held the door for her, allowing her to precede me into the room. I put my arm around her as we approached the hostess.
Holy moly! He is divine! I would sell my soul for one night with this guy! He is that hot! Maybe I should give him my number.
She hadn't even noticed Bella. She only had eyes for me. How disgusting. If she wanted to sell her soul, she'd have to find someone else willing to take it, because I wasn't the least bit interested. Couldn't she just do her job?
"How can I help you this evening?" she purred. Anything for you, baby! Anything at all! Don't hesitate to ask. Please. PLEASE.
I could feel Bella stiffen in my embrace, no doubt offended by the hostess's behavior. I looked down at her, allowing the full extent of my adoration and devotion to be displayed prominently on my face. Bella looked up when she felt me staring down at her and gave a startled intake of breath when she intercepted my gaze. Her own face mirrored the depth of eternal love and admiration she felt for me. I watched the hostess out of the corner of my eye, watching her absorb the meaning of our loving exchange.
Of all the rotten luck! He's already taken. And he's head over heels for the girl. Stupid bitch. How did she get so lucky? Why are all the good ones either taken or gay? This is so unfair. Though she obviously loves him just as much. It is rather sweet and romantic seeing them looking at each other that way. Kind of makes me believe true love is more than just a fairy-tale. Wonder if this guy has a brother.
My lips quirked slightly in amusement. Too bad. My brothers are already taken too. Bella registered my amusement and knew it had something to do with the hostess's thoughts. Her eyes became amused as well. I turned to face the hostess again.
"My fiancé and I would like a private table in the non-smoking section please. I wanted to discuss our honeymoon with her."
I felt Bella shudder with repressed amusement. She lifted her hand to her mouth for a polite cough. She surprised me when she decided to join in the game. She gave the hostess a wink, then leaned against me with a dreamy smile, putting both arms around my waist possessively.
"Private would good, very good," Bella murmured suggestively, just loud enough for the hostess to hear. The hostess's eyes widened and she was practically drooling with envy. Her thoughts were jumbled and incoherent, which was good, because I didn't really want to hear them anyway.
"Right this way," the hostess stuttered, leading us to a secluded corner booth. An image of Bella and me on the bench with my hand up her skirt and her writhing against it flashed through the girl's mind. I rolled my eyes. I was a gentleman. I would never do something like that with Bella in a public place. I wasn't Emmett, for Pete's sake. At least not until we're married, the hot-blooded man in me urged as a compromise with the highly moral gentleman in me. Great. Not only do I hear other people's voices inside my head, but now I'm having arguments with myself.
I handed Bella into her seat before discreetly sitting across from her.
"Your waitress should be with you in a few minutes," she stated, trying to catch my eye. I waved her away indifferently, never taking my eyes off of Bella. The hostess gave up trying to get my attention and returned to her post. Finally. Bella let out a sigh of relief as well. I chuckled.
"I see you didn't like her any more than I did," I commented dryly.
"I'm going to tattoo 'Property of Bella' across your forehead," she muttered grumpily, glaring in the hostess's direction. I laughed.
"The needles would all break," I reminded her. She was so cute when she was jealous. Like a little hissing kitten, arching its back, trying to look intimidating. She narrowed her eyes at me.
"So I'll use werewolf claws to scratch the skin." She folded her arms across her chest in challenge. Hmm, what do I say to that?
"Um, wouldn't a wedding ring suffice?" I offered hopefully. Her lips twitched as she shook her head.
"I don't think so. It's too subtle. How about I just make you a big sign to wear around your neck?" she taunted. "Or I could get a few t-shirts made. That could work too."
I grinned. "Anything for you, love. But I'd like to get a few t-shirts made for you too. Ones you could wear around the school. How about: 'My Boyfriend Reads Minds, So Stop Thinking What You're
Thinking Before He Kills You.' Does that sound promising?"
She started laughing hysterically. The waitress chose that moment to arrive.
"What can I get for you?" she asked, looking solely at me. Her mind was focused on all the ways she wanted to provide 'good service' for me. I quickly blocked her thoughts.
"The lady will order for us," I growled menacingly. She startled and took a step backwards. Her heart rate picked up slightly, and she quickly focused her attention on Bella, where it belonged. I was very glad that Bella knew exactly what I am, so I didn't have to spend so much energy pretending to be human or worry about scaring her when I deliberately intimidated others. The waitress wouldn't be wasting any more time fantasizing about me. In fact, she was actually starting to pity Bella. Maybe I had overdone it a bit.
"I'll have the mushroom ravioli and a coke," Bella ordered sweetly, pleased that I had put the waitress in her place.
"Make that two cokes," I added dismissively. "I'm not hungry."
The waitress nodded and didn't attempt to linger. Bella squeezed my hands.
"You naughty boy," she snickered. "You probably scared that waitress half to death. She's going to have to work up her courage to bring me my food now. It'll probably be cold by the time she's brave enough to bring it to the table."
I shrugged. She was teasing, but there was an element of truth. The waitress really didn't want to come back to our table. She was actually considering asking one of the other waitresses to switch with her. So the next time she glanced at nervously at our table, I smiled at her. She relaxed and decided she had overestimated my hostility. Bella saw the smile and raised an eyebrow in inquiry.
"She was ready to run screaming into the night, so I had to calm her down a bit. Now she's willing to bring us our drinks and breadsticks, but has no desire to linger a second longer than necessary. The perfect balance."
Bella swatted my hand playfully, before tangling her fingers with mine. "So what should we talk about this time, since I already know you read minds?"
"Well, the Twilight book only gave answers to a few of the questions I have about you, so now I want to know your entire life history in detail, plus all your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. How does that sound?"
"That could take a while."
"I've got a while."
"Yeah, well, when the food gets here, I'm going to eat, and I can't talk and eat at the same time."
I nodded. "Yes, you'd probably choke."
She growled at me, her cute little kitten growl. I stared into her eyes, capturing her gaze with mine and pulled out my crooked grin. Sure enough, she froze, dazed and blinking. I had dazzled her, of course. I reached out and ran one finger over her jaw line, brushing my thumb across her bottom lip. Her heart rate sped up, and she stopped breathing.
"Breathe, Bella," I whispered. She sucked in a breath and let it out with a small moan. I felt myself stirring. I dropped my hand and broke her gaze, just before the waitress brought the cokes and breadsticks to the table. Bella blushed beet red, but the waitress just put down the food and drinks and scurried off without even looking at us. Bella began fumbling with her straw, trying to regain control of her heart and lungs. She took a few sips of her coke before looking at me again.
"How about we talk of t-shirt ideas instead. I've got one for you, other than the 'Property of Bella Swan' shirt. 'I'll Never Grow Up, Never Grow Up, Never Grow Up, Not Me!' would be appropriate."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not Peter Pan. Besides, that one would be more appropriate for Emmett."
She laughed and nodded eagerly. "Alice's could say 'World Champion of Extreme Shopping.' Actually, we should get one of those shirts that say 'World's Best Mom' for Esme for Mother's Day. We could get the kind where all the kids leave their handprints. Alice would consider it tacky, but I bet Esme would wear it with pride.
I nodded. She was right. Esme would be absolutely thrilled. I wouldn't be surprised if Alice already had it on her shopping list now that we had thought of it.
"Well, but then Carlisle would feel left out. I suppose we could make a 'World's Best Dad' t-shirt for him for Father's Day and then make him wear it to work," I suggested.
She giggled. "Even better! I think we should decorate one of his white coats and then each get him a really ugly tie. Then we'll tell him whichever one he wears first means he likes that person best, but if he doesn't wear them, he doesn't love us. So he'll have to wear all six ties at the same time that day, along with his 'no longer white' coat. He'd protest strongly, but I bet he'd do it. I can just imagine him trying to explain himself at work."
I shook my head in amazement at her devious plan. "That's just cruel and unusual punishment."
She laughed. "As if you wouldn't enjoy watching it."
"And videotaping it," I added cheerfully. She laughed again. The waitress brought her ravioli and carefully placed it in front of her. She saw our drinks were about half full and left quickly. I had added to Bella's glass from my own as she drank.
"How about for Jasper? 'Worry! I DO Bite!' Or Rosalie-'Proud to Be a Bitch'," I offered.
"Aww, don't pick on Jasper," she pouted. "His could say 'Feelings…Nothing More Than…Feelings' and Rose's could say 'Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful'. Emmett's would be 'I'm Too Sexy For This Shirt'. Oooohh! And Alice's could say 'I know what you'll do next summer…'. Jake's could be 'Who Let the Dogs Out?'."
"Nah, Jacob's should be 'Warning: Beware of Dog'."
She burst out laughing. Unfortunately, she had been swallowing just then, so she ended up coughing and hacking a lot, like I'd predicted. Thankfully, she was able to clear her airway herself, and I wasn't forced to use the Heimlich maneuver.
"I think we'd better stick to tamer topics," I recommended. "At least until you're finished eating."
She blushed and nodded guiltily. I grinned and began my interrogation, building up my mental Bella file. Pretty soon I'd have a whole Bella database.
BPOV
I felt myself slowly becoming conscious, but I played possum. I was too comfortable to want to move or even open my eyes. Instead I thought about last night. It had been the perfect first date. When Edward brought me home last night, we had known Charlie was spying on us from the window. Edward very courteously opened my car door for me, offering me his hand to help me out of the car. I didn't trip this time, thankfully, and he shut the door gently behind me. He escorted me to the front door to say goodnight. I rehashed our conversation in my memory.
"Thank you for a wonderful night, Edward. It was perfect," I gushed, knowing Charlie was listening.
Edward smiled crookedly.
"I truly enjoyed learning more about you, your likes and dislikes, your childhood memories. I feel so comfortable in your company, like I've known you for years," he replied solemnly. I grinned at him and saw the answering twinkle in his eyes.
"I feel the same way," I agreed. "I'm usually really shy, but I feel more confident and competent when I'm with you. Like I'm not afraid of anyone. Like I can take on the world, or whatever life throws at me and still come out okay in the end."
"Exactly," he responded. "You make me want to be a better man, to be the kind of man you deserve."
"Oh, Edward," I reacted, forgetting my audience. "You're a wonderful man. You've got to stop being so hard on yourself. Nobody's perfect. You just have to learn to accept who and what you are and just be the best you can be. Nobody can ask for more than that. You made mistakes in the past, but you learned from them, and you haven't done them again. Yes, you rebelled against Carlisle, rejecting his way of life, but you were young and confused and grieving over your parents and the loss of your former life. But you realized the error of your ways and came back to Carlisle and Esme, ready to accept them as parents and return their love. You've been a good son for so many years now. Carlisle and Esme both love you like you were their own, and I know you love them too. You have to stop blaming yourself for your rebellious time and let it go. Focus on all the happiness you've brought to your family since then. Stop punishing yourself. You deserve love and happiness too. You complain about me putting myself down, but you're just as guilty, and I don't like it any more than you do, so stop it! I'll make a deal with you, Edward. I'll stop thinking and saying negative things about myself, if you'll stop thinking and saying negative things about yourself. Neither of us is unworthy."
I peered up into his eyes to see if I was making an impression. He grinned down at me.
"It's a deal, Isabella Marie Swan. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help you see yourself the way others see you, the way you truly are. I know you have a hard time believing it, but you truly are very beautiful and special. I promise you I am not the only one who thinks so. Since we have our new deal, you can't just dismiss what I said either. You have to learn to accept compliments with grace. When I say you are beautiful and special, you should simply thank me, not toss the words aside as if you don't believe them."
"Fine," I huffed. "But the same is true for you. Thank you, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. You are beautiful too, and not just on the outside. You have a beautiful heart, Edward, a beautiful soul. I can see and hear it in the amazing music you've composed. It's almost magical to hear you play your songs on the piano, the way each song tells a story. I can feel it in the love and loyalty you have for your family, the way you try to protect them. You are special."
I could see the struggle on his face as he tried to accept my words. I had deliberately mentioned his soul, knowing how he felt about it. If he wanted to keep the deal, he would have to simply thank me and not toss my words aside. I could tell I had hit a nerve and found myself wishing I could read his mind. He took my hands in his.
"Thank you, Bella," he answered gruffly, seemingly overcome with emotion. I smiled encouragingly at him. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."
He took a step backwards, putting a little more space between us, and dropped my left hand. He bowed to me, bending over my hand and placing a chaste kiss on the back of it. He stood up straight again, dropping my right hand as well.
"May I see you tomorrow?" he asked courteously. I suddenly remembered our audience again.
"Oh, uh, yeah, sure," I sputtered, embarrassed that Charlie had heard me bare my feelings like that. "A bunch of us are going to do lunch and a movie in Port Angeles. You're welcome to come with us if you'd like."
"Ah, yes. I do believe Alice mentioned it to me. I wasn't sure at the time, but if you're going, then I will definitely come too."
I blushed, and he grinned. So much for subtlety. I guess after the little heart to heart we just had, there would be no point in pretending to Charlie that we weren't getting serious quickly. He waited for me to open the door and step inside.
"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams."
"You, too," I teased with a smirk. He nodded, acknowledging that he would be back in my arms once Charlie was asleep. He got into his car and took it home. I shut the door and turned around, grinning like a crazy person, only to see Charlie standing there watching me. I jumped slightly and schooled my expression into a more socially acceptable smile.
"Oh, hello, Dad. You didn't have to wait for me," I mumbled nervously.
"Come on into the living room and chat with me, Bella," he invited, not taking his eyes off my face. I realized it was more of a summons than an invitation, so I reluctantly swept past him and settled onto the couch. I knew it was serious when he actually turned off the TV before settling into his favorite recliner. I waited nervously for him to say whatever was on his mind.
"So, Edward Cullen, huh?" he began, just as nervous and uncomfortable as I was. I nodded. "You two really seemed to hit it off tonight."
I took a deep breath. I needed to be as honest as possible. "Dad, I feel like he's my soul mate. I know all teenagers start gushing about love and forever when they're dating, believing nobody else has ever felt the way they do, and nobody could possibly understand what they are going through."