Happy Easter! I hope you enjoy this new chapter as much I enjoyed writing; thanks Ash for helping with the beta and the plot. I'll see you guys in the next chapter, coming sooner than expected lol

Paul didn't think he could be as happy as he was even though he was sitting in wet grass and screaming children were running past him.

"The screaming is going to be the death of me," Charlie grumbled from his side, holding a tiny basket. The funniest part was that the basket was tinier than his hand, and Paul almost couldn't look at his face without cackling. "Besides, I don't remember Bells searching for Easter eggs being as chaotic as this one."

Chuckling, Paul couldn't help but agree with Chief Swan. He didn't remember the search for Easter eggs being so loud, but maybe he was the loudest of the bunch; Paul would have to ask his mother.

His heart started beating faster when he caught sight of Bella helping Maya and Giovanna find eggs. It never ceased to amaze him how amazing she was with both girls. Maya was already falling in love with Bella—as was he.

"You have a great daughter, you know," Charlie said from his side, and Paul turned to look at him, realising he was watching Bella and the girls too.

"You too."

"Bells was always an independent woman. She always knew what she wanted to do with her life." Charlie smiled as he watched the three girls run around and laugh as they found one egg after the other. He went on, "Even when she was with that no-good boyfriend of hers, she was a powerhouse. I'm glad he gave us Gio, but I'm even more glad he isn't around anymore."

Discomfort prickled at Paul when Charlie reminded him of Bella's ex. She had already told him about Giovanna's father and how abusive the relationship had become in the last months before their breakup; she had also mentioned how he had left town when Bella told him about her pregnancy.

Paul could never explain for certain what he felt when Bella told him about her douchebag ex leaving her behind, but if he could, he would tear the man apart with his bare hands. The good thing about her ex leaving was Paul meeting Bella and Giovanna.

"Bella didn't tell me much about him, and I didn't want to ask too much, but was it really bad between them?" Paul knew he was probably intruding on what he knew was a delicate situation, but he also wanted to hear Charlie's view on it.

Charlie didn't reply immediately; he just stared at his face. It was most likely a difficult topic for Charlie to talk about too. But if Paul wanted to be with Bella for as long as he hoped for, he needed to know what Charlie thought about the situation.

"It was hard watching my baby girl going through such a bad relationship and there wasn't anything I could do to help her." Charlie sighed, and Paul could understand his feelings. "I'm glad she has met you, you're a far better match for her."

Paul tried not to preen with pride, but it took him considerable effort. It was good to know Charlie approved of his and Bella's relationship. And it wasn't a secret about how Charlie thought about Maya as another granddaughter.

"Don't tell her I approve of it," Charlie murmured, seeing Bella approaching them with the girls skipping ahead of her. "If you say anything, I'll deny it."

Paul chuckled but didn't say anything; he was busy watching Bella and their daughters laughing. It was a beautiful sight.

"Daddy! Look how many eggs I found!" Maya yelled, almost shoving the wicker basket in Paul's face, jostling the eggs in her excitement. "Miss Bella said I can get a lot of chocolate!"

"And I got a lot of them too, Mr Paul, look! So many chocolates! It's like Halloween again!" Giovanna yelled from Maya's side, pushing the basket in his face too. Their enthusiasm was sweet, but Paul didn't want a shiner because of it. He gently lowered the baskets down so he could see their faces.

"It looks like you girls had fun," Paul said, looking up at a grinning Bella. "You won't believe how much I'm looking forward to seeing you two high on sugar all day long."

"They may not have noticed your sarcasm, but I have." Bella sat next to him and lightly kissed his cheek. "And don't worry, there isn't that much chocolate in the baskets…I think."

Paul chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer. "As long as you help me control the beast, I'm fine with them binging on so much chocolate."

"You definitely aren't ready for when they hit puberty," Bella replied before kissing him quickly. Paul wasn't going to mention how Bella was already making plans about them being together in the long term. But the feeling of spending years and years with her warmed his insides.

"Grandpa, look how many eggs we got!" Maya decided to turn her attention to Charlie and Giovanna followed her lead.

"Can you help us with the chocolate?" Giovanna asked. "We want to build a castle with them."

"You don't mind Maya calling your father 'grandpa', do you?" Paul asked, watching the trio talking among themselves.

"I think it's really sweet, and if it doesn't feel weird to you, I don't mind it." Bella smirked at him. "Besides, I'm pretty sure my dad already thinks of Maya as his own, so you can't say anything otherwise."

Paul chuckled and watched Charlie and the girls, enjoying the feeling of belonging that washed over him as Bella curled up closer to his chest.

"I think I want to eat some popcorn while we watch the movie, but salty popcorn, please." Bella was already rambling and they hadn't even reached Charlie's house yet.

After the Easter egg hunt, they had decided to call it a day and go back to Charlie's house to watch a movie—and he was hoping it wasn't going to be Frozen. The girls were high on sugar, and even Charlie seemed to be smiling a lot more. Creepy.

"I don't think I want to see any chocolate in the near future," Charlie complained from where he was sitting in between the two kids' booster chairs. "And I want a lot of butter on my popcorn."

"Dad, you know you have to worry about your cholesterol." Bella chastised from the passenger seat. "Don't make me scold you in front of the girls."

Paul snickered at Bella's serious face but tried not to let her hear it. Finally reaching Charlie's house, Paul parked the car in front.

But before he could get out, he saw another car parked in front of the house, one that Paul didn't recognise.

"Were you expecting company, Dad?" Bella asked, looking at the unknown car.

"Not that I know of. Maybe someone is looking for you?" Charlie asked, trying to take a look.

"Wait in the car with the girls, and I'll walk with Bella to see who it is." Paul was unbuckling the seat belt and walking out of the car with Bella.

He took Bella's hand and walked towards the porch, intending on protecting her from whoever it was if they meant her any harm. When they reached the porch, Bella stopped dead in her tracks.

"Edward?" Bella whispered, almost as if she couldn't say the name out loud.

"Hello, love. It's good to see you," the man, Edward, stood up, walking towards Bella, but Paul moved in front of Bella.

"Can we help you?" Paul did not like another man calling Bella by a nickname. They weren't at a point where he could call her by a nickname, but he's been thinking about it for a while now, and hearing Edward calling her like that stung.

"I want to talk to Bella. Alone." Edward sneered at Paul.

"Not happening." Paul sneered back. He didn't like the look of this man. With his impeccable clothes, perfectly styled hair, and loafers that shone so bright the man's reflection was visible in it, Paul knew the man was a douchebag of the worst kind. "Are you going to tell me what you want?"

"Paul," Bella's whisper caught his attention. She seemed worried, and even maybe a little scared. "This is Edward… my ex-boyfriend."

And with that sentence, Paul knew he was face to face with Giovanna's dad.