Chap 7;

Jasper POV

I sat watching the sisters and felt my heart break at the sight of Bella crying. I knew then and there that I would make sure that she would never cry like that ever again. I smiled at Rosalie and my gaze met Alice's. She nodded at me and my eyes widened. I shook my head slightly and felt my ears turn red.

"Alright. Enough. Let's get hammered." Emmett bellowed breaking the silence and causing the girls to jump. Edward and I laughed, used to his antics by now.

"Not too hammered…" This came from Bella and my heart broke even more at the sadness in her voice. "I have work tomorrow. I can't be hungover when I open shop." She glanced down at her hands before looking up. Her eyes met mine and I smiled at her.

She blushed and her face cracked into a very small smile as well before settling back into a fragile state. Alice piped up then and began to bounce around the room.

"We need to get drinks if we plan on being hammered and then we're gonna play a game!" Her face broke into a wide smile. "Edward, Emmett, Rose and I will go get the drinks! Jasper, you and Bella stay here and set the couches up in a circle." I raised my eyebrows at her bossy tone and Rosalie shook her head.

"You'll get used to her bossiness. It's an acquired taste of nuts." She laughed as Alice pouted. They both turned to Bella. "What do you want honey? Another 'Kiss? Or something heavier?" Rosalie's voice lowered and softened as she and Alice stood by Bella. They must have been satisfied with her answer because they both turned and grabbed Emmett and Edward, dragging them through the door to the rest of the club.

Bella glanced up at me before she stood to begin moving the couches.

"Here, let me help." I walked over, the Texan drawl sounding heavier because I was nervous. She smiled a genuinely and giggled.

"You're from Texas too?" Her voice was lilting and I blushed at the question.

"Yes ma'am." I answered quietly, my accent still heavy. "What do you mean 'too'?"

She smiled again and answered with a natural drawl of her own. "Born and raised in Grey Forest, cowboy." She laughed at my expression before explaining with the same twang. "Mama and Papa both grew up there and divorced when I was 5. We stayed on with Mama and her new husband while Papa moved up here. We all grew up there but Ally and Rosie both work real hard to hide it." She rolled her eyes. "Mines more out there and I usually don't talk a lot so most don't notice it." I smiled widely and laughed.

"My brothers both try to keep theirs in check too. It's a damn shame too. Makes me sad and Ma's glad I'm too lazy to work on keeping it all quiet. We're from Houston and we moved up here about five years ago when our Pa remarried to a woman visiting from here. He moved here with her and we stayed with our Ma for a while. Thank god she and Esme get along, that's our Pa's new wife. Otherwise things would be… awkward."

She threw her head back and laughed before sitting down on one of the couches. I sat next to her but still a good distance away. She glanced at her phone before cursing.

"Fuck. It's 10 and I forgot to call Charlotte." She stood and smiled at me. "I'll only be a few minutes. I have to call someone." She walked through the adjoining door and it swung shut just before my brothers and her sisters came back into the room with a shit ton of drinks.

"Where'd Bella go?" Rosalie was the one who voiced this and I nodded at the door Bella had left through. Rosalie and Alice glanced at each other before sticking their heads in to say 'hi' to their sister.

Bella POV

"Hello? This is Charlotte." The voice on the other end of the phone is calm and very sweet.

"Charlotte, it's Bella. How is she? Is she asleep? Did she eat? Is she-" I'm cut off mid-question by a light laugh coming through the phone.

"Bella, Bella. She's fine. She went to bed about an hour ago and ate all the food you left for her. Peter's here and he's keeping me company until you get home." I can hear her smile and I sigh in relief.

"Sorry Char'. I just get anxious. I miss her. Did you remember to give her a kiss from me? And make sure you keep Peter in line. I don't want to come home to a broken kitchen and window again." She laughs again and agrees before we say our goodbyes. I glance up as Alice and Rosalie walk in. They both laugh and shake their heads at me.

"Oh little sister. Always the worrier. You need to relax and call dibs on that hunk of man out there whose name is Jasper." Rosalie's voice is quiet and soothing as she hugs me tightly. Alice joins her and begins to bounce. Before long she's dancing around the room.

"I think I'm in love." She sighs and Rose and I look at each other before falling into giggles. "He's so tall, and dreamy, and handsome, and sweet and such gentleman." She collapses on a couch before she bounces up again and twirls around us. "I'm going to marry the man whose name is Edward. I just know it." We laugh at her again but only because we trust her 'notions'.

Rosalie sighs before fanning herself. "Well. I'm not going to say I'll marry him, but Emmett is definitely some nice eye candy." Alice giggles and I roll my eyes at them both.

"Alright. Enough dreaming. I have to work tomorrow and I'm still waiting to get only slightly hammered." I tease my sisters before pushing through the door to see the boys lounging very… strangely. Jasper is attempting to hide his laughs while Emmett and Edward are slightly pink. "Don't worry boys. I won't tell them you were listening. It can be our secret."