*Hides* I know it's been so long since my last update, and this one isn't very long at that, and I'm sorry! This past week has been craziness. I'm just wrapping up my summer classes and the workload caught me off guard. I'm going to try and get you guys a nice beefy post by Friday to make up for it. I will give you a sneak peek though, since I've been gone so long. We're getting close to Rosalie and Emmett's first kiss. It's taking them some time, but when they get there, it will be worth the wait. I love reading your reviews of the chapters, so anything you want to comment on (or suggest) is appreciated! Thank's for your patience and support! Enjoy :)
As always these character's belong to the lovely SM and I'm just the girl behind the laptop dreaming about cowboys!
They reached the ranch and between the four of them settled their horses into their stalls for the rest of the evening. As soon as they reached the big house Rosalie's mouth started to water at the smells coming from the kitchen. It was no surprise when she found Melanie settled in the kitchen stirring a large pot of chili on the stovetop. Rosalie was thrilled to see the woman who had been the closest thing to a mother Rosalie had ever had. She was a small woman, barely touching five foot one, and thin as a whip. At the sound of Rosalie's footsteps Melanie turned around and her wrinkled face split into a wide grin full of pearly white teeth.
"Why is that my Rosie Posie?" Melanie cried wiping her tiny hands on her flowered apron as she walked toward Rosalie her arms spread wide for a hug. Rosalie moved into them with a practiced ease and soon the familiar arms were gripping her tight.
"Hey Melanie, I've missed you." Melanie's grip was surprisingly tight for her small stature and Rosalie loved the feel of her arms. She still smelled like a mixture of lemons and hand cream. Her hair, once a light brown was now a silvery grey and hung in a tight braid down her back. Her eyes met Rosalie when she pulled away and they were still the same misty grey wide and honest. She was a truly remarkable woman.
"I've missed you too child. It's been much too long, although I did so love that card you sent me on my birthday. It's still hanging on my refrigerator." Rosalie blushed. She'd sent that card two years ago, and it was the only time she'd contacted Melanie after she'd left.
"I'm sorry I haven't talked to you recently Melanie."
"What's done is done child. There's no since living in the past. You're here now and I'm enjoying this time while I have it."
Rosalie smiled and squeezed Melanie's elbow gently. "Full of knowledge as always Mel. I'd like you to meet my best friends, this is Alice, and this is Edward." She gestured to them and they Melanie took both of their hands in hers.
"I'm so glad to meet the people who my Rosalie holds dear. She doesn't make friends easily you know."
Alice giggled. "Oh we know, she didn't exactly make it easy for us." Edward smiled at her comment and Melanie joined into the laughter.
"Well I'm so glad to meet you. If ya'll take a seat I'll have you up some tea, chili, and cornbread before you can say Supper."
Rosalie laughed but Edward shook his head. "No tea for me please, it's a little too sweet. Do you have any milk?"
"Oh sugar bless your heart. Clearly you yanks don't have many women like me if you think that's sweet, I'll get you some milk." Melanie teased with a grin, which caused Alice and Rosalie to dissolve into laughter and Edward's neck to redden. "Jasper love, can you call in everyone for supper?"
Jasper nodded and took a few steps before simply opening up the door and shouting out a call of "Supper, get it while it's hot!" Then he came back into the kitchen to grab the tray that Melanie held out to him to bring to their father. While Jasper was walking up the stairs Rosalie took that as her chance to ask who else would be joining them for dinner.
"Why Emmet and his sister, Bella. Such nice family those two, so close, he was traveling with Bella when we asked Emmett on, and since she's all on her own, she usually joins us for supper." Rosalie fought the urge to scowl at the news. Apparently her displeasure was obvious on her face because Melanie pursed her lips.
"Rosalie Lillian Hale, you can just wipe that prissy look right off you're pretty little mouth. You don't want it to stick that way do you child?
Rosalie flushed across the back of her neck. "Melanie, I absolutely cannot stand that man. He's absolutely awful. You should hear the things he-"
"Oh Rosalie, you hush now. I know how to judge a person and that man is good through and through. Give him a chance baby doll."
Rosalie sighed heavily and picked up the plates and bowls Melanie had set out and began to set the table. Alice followed with the silverware and Edward the drinks. Melanie carried the cornbread and the salad to the table, knowing that everyone would serve themselves the chili because it was too big to rest on the table.
"All righty, why don't y'all go wash up for supper it'll be a few minutes 'fore everybody makes their way in." Melanie smiled at Rosalie as she spoke and the threesome made their way back to the bathroom to wash up. It didn't take them long, but when they were back the table was full. Rosalie's first thought was that her father's seat at the head of the table was painfully empty. Her second was to notice that her old chair was empty seating her right across from Jasper, and next to a woman who she assumed was Emmett's sister Bella. She was short, but pretty, with a round face and a warm smile lit across her face when she saw Rosalie enter. She rose and took a step toward Rosalie. Her eyes were a warm chocolate brown and her dark hair was pulled back into a loose braid down her back. She extended a hand to Rosalie in greating.
"Hey, I'm Bella, Emmett's kid sister and the new local veterinarian. It's great to finally meet you Rosalie, I've heard so much about you."
She was sweet, Rosalie would give her that. Rosalie took her hand and smiled fleetingly. "It's nice to meet you too Bella, what happened to Reese?" She asked referring to the former vet, and a close family friend.
"He's essentially retired now," Jasper answered for her his eyes telling Rosalie to play nice. It was unnecessary of course, Bella seemed likeable enough, Rose didn't see them having any problems.
"Yeah, after Emmett decided to stay on I decided I might as well settle down her too, at least for a while and after a few months of me working under him Reese decided to let me do most of the work. He's still making house calls for some people but for the most part everyone just calls me."
Rosalie nodded and began to fill her plate with salad and cornbread. She stood and made her way toward the kitchen to fill up her own bowl of chili. She wasn't alone in the kitchen for long. Everyone was in a rush to fill their belly after a long day outside. The dinner was long, and Rosalie spent most of her time simply observing. It was nice to see Jasper happy, and while Emmett wasn't even close to her favorite person, it was nice to see how well he and Jasper got along.
After dinner Rosalie and Alice retired to their room. Edward opted to retire with the other guys for some drinks and chatter while Alice and Rosalie were looking for some girl time. Alice, being the wonderful person that she was, invited Bella to join them. She accepted and before Rosalie knew it the three of them were settled on the basement couch with a huge bowl of popcorn and three large glasses of tea sweet enough to rot your teeth. Rosalie was in heaven. She loved the attention that modeling gave her, and she loved that her job kept her busy enough to keep her mind off her problems, but she hated the food.
She was naturally slender, but her agent insisted that she be in charge of Rosalie's diet and exercise plans. She was outrageous. But right now Rosalie didn't care about her weight, or her image, or even Tanya's wrath when she found out what Rose had been eating while she was gone. This trip right now was about Rosalie, and she was going to get as much out of it as she could. The trio enjoyed a healthy two hours of romance before the girl talk came into play.
Bella was the first to delve into the usual girl chatter with a blushed question, "so you're friend Edward, what does he do for a living?"
Alice's eyes lit up. "Edward is technically Rose's 'body guard' but really he's a musician, a really talented one too. He isn't very fond of performing, but he's written music for a lot of well known bands. You'd probably even be able to sing along if they came up on the radio!" Rosalie laughed.
"It's true, half the time I have to watch my own back, because his head is so wrapped up in whatever he's working on." Rosalie teased.
"He's single too you know, never really too fond of New York girls." Alice added unabashed.
"It's true, and he's such a romantic" Rosalie added in her frank fashion. The duo laughed at Bella's violent blush.
"Well… that's good to know…" She stumbled biting her lip.
"Oh Bella, don't be embarrassed. We're sorry if we upset you, it's just that we don't really have anyone outside of each other to have chats like this with, and neither of us are in any position to have an actual romance ourselves." Alice soothed a grin wide on her face.
"Is that why you are Emmett are having such troubles Rosalie? Because you aren't interested in anything to do with the opposite sex?" Bella was crimson at this point, and her hand clapped over her mouth quickly, almost as if she wanted to push the words back inside.
Rosalie looked at her for a moment, choosing her words carefully before she spoke. "No, that isn't why. You're brother and I have very different personalities, and we've gotten off on the wrong foot. It's not that I'm not interested in the opposite sex, it's just…" Every time I see him I want to jump his bones, she thought to herself. "We're no good for each other. I'm no good for anyone really." She smiled sadly and rose.
"Oh, Rosalie." Alice murmured, so softly that it escaped Bella's ears.
"It's getting late," Bella said hastily, "I'd better be heading back home. But it was nice spending time with y'all. I haven't really gotten a chance to make many girl friends here yet." Alice wrapped her arms around Bella in a tight hug after she rose from the sofa and Bella returned the gesture warmly. Rosalie offered a genuine smile and nodded her head.
"And Rosalie?" Bella added as she made her way to the door, continuing when Rosalie's eyes met hers. "It's true, you might not be good for Emmett, but he's a strong man. And I think he deserves to decide whether it's a risk he wants to take himself."
She left then, closing the door with a soft click without waiting for a response. Who, Rosalie mused grumpily, had taught these siblings that move? Alice shot her a meaningful look, which she promptly ignored and made her way silently back to the room they were sharing. They climbed into bed and settled down for the night. After a few moments of silence in the dark Alice finally spoke. "He seems like someone who's worth the risk, Rose." Rosalie pretended to ignore the whispered remark, but it kept her awake for most of the night.