Chapter Two

Goldfinger

That Friday night in late October, Edward Cullen crawled into bed with a big smile on his face. He was content, why shouldn't he be? He had it all, or was about to have it all. He was on the precipice, the cusp, of attaining every goal that he'd set his sights on. The state championship, the scholarship to Dartmouth, even the brown eyed girl were all his for the taking. Yeah, he was the golden boy; the man with the Midas touch.

His father loved him, his coach was proud of him, his teachers all adored him; his teammates all looked up to him. The girls in his hometown of Port Angeles, the ones that would put out, that is, made it clear that they wanted him. They wanted to do things to him, with him and for him, and he often let them. Even the "good girls" smiled their special smile for him, coyly gazing at him from under their lashes, calling out a soft, "Hi Edward", often followed by giggles.

Crikey, he should feel like a demi-god; one of Zeus' half – mortal sons, instead he felt like a pretender, an ingrate. He could have anything he wanted, anyone he wanted. The trouble was- he'd never really and truly wanted anything at all. He didn't set a lot of store in things, not things that could be bought, anyway. And he didn't care over much for the accolades. He performed on the field because it was expected of him. He was the son of Edward Cullen Sr., graduate of NYU and Wharton, one time world class athlete and successful businessman. It was Edward's duty to shine.

And sure he had the occasional desire for a girl, but once he'd done the deed, that spark of desire would soon pass. Maybe because things came so easily to him, or maybe because he didn't want any of it; but whatever the reason, he didn't truly appreciate all the gifts he had been given.

Things came almost too easily to him. One day, a few weeks before the summer, Edward had simply mentioned to his uncle Carlisle that he really liked the cherry red T-Bird convertible and hoped to be able to buy one just like it eventually. Two months later he woke up on the morning of his seventeenth birthday to see the car parked on the circular drive in front of the house. Carlisle held the keys out and gave him a big smile.

"Happy birthday, Edward, I hope you enjoy it just as much as I have for the last ten years." Edward was stunned. He'd never expected his uncle to part with his beloved T-bird. He thanked his uncle profusely, genuinely awed by the generosity of the gift. But, at the back of his mind, he was just a tad bit disappointed that he wouldn't get to spend his two-thousand dollar savings on the sweet little Pontiac GTO that Gus Banner had agreed to sell him. He'd driven over to Gus' in the T-Bird to him that he wouldn't be buying the GTO after all. Gus was disappointed but Edward had told him that Ben Cheney was interested. Since then, every time he saw Ben in the little GTO, Edward felt a twinge of envy.

Edward continued to lay in the darkened bedroom, his mind drifting from one memory to another. Lighting on each snippet and moving on with the swiftness of a firefly. He thought about Isabella. Isabella and that piece of shit James. Why the fuck did she let that asshole hold her hand? She said she wasn't his girl, so what was she to him? Fuck she was cute, and he wanted her so badly. The memory of her ass in that little pleated skirt was tempting him to choke the chicken, but why do that when he'd be seeing her tomorrow?

For some reason, thinking about Isabella led him to thinking about Lauren, his first girl. She had long brown hair too, but not so fine an ass. Truthfully Lauren had no ass. She'd moved to San Diego shortly before the beginning of their sophomore year. She cried in his arms, promising to love him forever, but he'd kept silent. Her letters to him were still in his top dresser drawer. He had intended to write her back, but life got in the way. Her last letter was a little sad, she told him that she hoped he'd always remember her and that she would never forget him. It felt good to read that he was loved that way.

His thoughts then bounced from Lauren to her best friend Tanya; after Lauren had left, he and Tanya dated for a few months. She was sweet but then he moved on to Kate and then Angela. After he and Angela broke up she started dating Ben. He'd been the first boyfriend for all these girls except for Jess.

How the fuck did he ever let himself get involved with Jess? She knew more about sex than he did. She taught him about oral and anal and doggy style. She knew it all. While he loved fucking her, part of him was ashamed of her. She was just plain trash.

For pete's sake when she was in seventh grade, she let her cousin Bud fuck her for an ice cream cone. Then he laughed as he told everyone in school that once she got a taste of his dick, she was moaning and begging for more of it instead of the cone. Ever since then all the boys wanted Jess, but not him. He thought of her as used goods, dirty.

Then he started to recollect the events of that one afternoon about a month ago when he'd happened to stop by the Sea View Diner for a burger and fries. He'd slid into the booth with Jasper and Jess just to say hello while he waited for his take-out. Jess smiled and moved over for him but Jasper pursed his lips and made it clear he didn't want Edward sitting in the booth with them.

A little annoyed that Jasper would pick Jess over him, he decided to mess with Jasper a little. He picked up one of Jess's fries and fed it to her, casually mentioning that he's always wondered whether her lips were as soft as they looked. Next thing he knew Jess was leaving the diner with him instead of staying with Jasper. He'd only meant to drop her off at home, but she asked him come in and he did. They had sex on the sofa in her mother's sewing room. Jess told him that sofa was nice for sex because it had the most bounce. He remembered wondering just how many boys she'd had on that nice, bouncy sofa.

Afterwards, she lay in his arms running her hands over the hair on his chest, while he wondered how he'd get himself out of the mess. He could have sworn Jess and Jasper were going steady. How and why the fuck could she give her pussy up so easily? She and Jasper went everywhere together, where you saw one, you saw the other. Coach had even threatened Jasper to kick him off the team if he kept bringing his own cheerleader. Coach didn't like her being around; he said that she was a distraction. And she was, as she bounced up and down cheering him on. Her braless tits jiggling even after she was still.

He cleared his throat, but his voice still came out in a raspy growl. "So, you and Jasper broke up?" Jeez, he did not want to be a part of some bullshit, melodramatic, three ring circus he felt sure Jess was cooking up to make Jasper jealous.

"We were never dating. Jasper's just a friend. He laughs at my jokes and thinks I'm funny. Sometimes I help him with calculus homework. That's all. I'm friends with his cousin Rosie, and so I kind of became his friend too."

"Oh." That was a little bit of a relief. For sure, he didn't want a girl affecting how he and Jasper got along. It would interfere with the football team, and coach would be livid.

Jess sat up and looked into his green eyes, her blue eyes warm and sincere. "I've always liked you, Edward." She said softly. "I just never thought you liked me in that way."

He didn't. She was okay, but honestly, he had just been flattering her when he told her he wondered if her lips were as soft as they looked. "Jess, I don't want a girlfriend, you know. Girls distract from the game. And I've got to work hard if I want to win the championship."

Her eyes became shuttered and she stiffened and he thought she was going to start yelling at him and throwing things, but then she relaxed in his arms and smiled. "It's okay, Edward. I don't want a boyfriend either. They distract me from...other boys." And she laughed as she skidded down his body, kissing her way along until she reached her goal. Then she did wonderful things to his dick. That's when he decided to keep seeing her as long as she promised to keep it a secret. She did.

Jess was true to her word, she didn't hang on to him. She barely acknowledged him at school. They saw each other almost every day after school though, whenever they could. But as the weeks went by, he made up his mind. He told her he wouldn't be able to see her anymore. He just didn't want to be tied to her.

He lay there thinking in the dark. Glad that he'd managed to let Jess go without her crying all over him and making a scene. He didn't want her for a girlfriend. He didn't want a girlfriend at all. He wanted to be free to do what he wanted. And right at this moment he wanted to pursue Isabella; Isabella, with the beautiful brown eyes, and soft pink lips. Isabella with the ass he just wanted to get his hands on.

His thoughts continued to swirl. Isabella. What kind of name was that anyway? It sounded Italian or Spanish. He remembered Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand from history class. She didn't look Italian or Spanish, but it wasn't an American name though. Or was it? He wondered what Isabella's last name was and realized he'd have to ask around Forks for her. It was a small enough town that everybody knew everybody else, so he knew he'd find her eventually. He made up his mind to ask Aunt Esme.

#

Esme knew everyone in town. She made it her business. As the daughter of Thomas and Georgina Platte, Esme knew the fine art of making connections and socializing before she was even in kindergarten.

As the young wife of Forks Hospital's new chief of surgery, Esme held positions on most boards in that small town. In fact, the Forks Library owed her a debt of gratitude. Without her they may never have raised the money to reopen the main branch after the fire two years ago destroyed the children's section. It was suspected but never proved that the head librarian, Shelley Cope, had been smoking a reefer in the library after hours. Many reported the strange smell mere minutes before they saw the main library ablaze and Shelley Cope stumbling out with a giant sub running down the street to her house.

Esme solicited donations and within weeks the Library had the needed funds. She and her husband then footed the bill for a Carnival to celebrate the reopening. After that she was wooed for positions on the Forks school board and the city council. But her priority has always been the arts. For such a small town, Fork's boasted a world class Art Deco Ballet and Symphony Hall, even though they only had Madame Angelique's Ballet School for Girls and the only musicians to play in the symphony hall was the Forks High School orchestra and guest musicians lured to town from Portland or Seattle by Esme's persuasive flattery.

Edward smiled as he thought about his Aunt Esme, who was much more a friend than an aunt. After all, she was only twenty-two to Carlisle's thirty-seven; having fallen in love with the handsome young doctor when she was just a junior in high school. Carlisle was her father's hand-picked protégée, and was often invited to her parents' dinner parties. Esme schemed to spend as much time alone with him as possible. Carlisle Cullen could not resist the young woman's sweet charms and with the blessing of her father they became engaged as soon as she graduated from high school.

Edward loved Esme the moment they were introduced; he thought she was as lovely inside as she was on the outside. They had so much in common; they shared a love of music and most especially a love of the piano. Edward played his grand piano every single day; never once in his life did his father ever have to remind him. His mother had taught him since the age of three and when she passed away it was his one link to her. His favorite memory of Elizabeth Cullen, was her seated at the piano, lost in the strains of Tchaikovsky.

Yes, he was going to ask Esme about Isabella. Then he would find her and take her out on a date. Forks was a pretty boring town, and he had no idea what they could do on a Saturday afternoon other than go to the library. The one other thing he could think of doing with Isabella was to take her to Esme and Carlisle's home. They owned a very nice house. Actually, to most people in Forks it was "the mansion", the most desirable residence in town. Even more desirable than the modest two story neo- classic that was constructed in the heart of the city's town square to serve as the Mayor's Residence. And the best part was that "the mansion" was in the forest just outside the town, it was a fairy-tale setting. He hoped to take Isabella on a little adventure there and get some play time in. He fell asleep to that happy thought.

#

EPOV

"My goodness, to what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?" My uncle Carlisle greeted me and shouted into the house. "Esme, you won't believe this, Edward is here."

"Can't I just visit my favorite aunt and uncle?" I laughed as I walked into the house. The checkered marble tiles, gleamed under the sunlight streaming in through the beveled glass of the front door. I followed Carlisle past the elegant curving staircase, down the hallway and into the kitchen. Esme was at the wooden table munching on toast and drinking a cup of tea.

I kissed her flushed cheek and asked, "Any breakfast? I'm in the mood for your pancakes and bacon."

Esme smiled. "In a minute sweetheart, I'll be right back." And she got up and left Carlisle and me alone.

"Wow. You and Esme seemed shocked to see me. Am I that bad at keeping in touch?"

"Yep. Normally we only see you when we come to Port Angeles. Didn't you mention that Fork's was a "hick town" more than once?" He teased.

"Well, just goes to show you what a great guy I am. I'm willing to overlook the town you live in just to come and see you."

"I know you, Edward. You're always too busy to come our way. You must have gotten wind of the fact that Esme's parents are coming to visit this weekend, huh? I bet you want to make an impression on her father."

"No, not at all, I had no idea they'd be here."

"Well, I have tried calling you, but no one ever answers the telephone. You and your father are never home. Neither is your housekeeper."

"Charlotte only comes twice a week now. She says she and Pete are getting older. They want more time with the grandkids. And Dad said we really don't need them. Like you said, we're almost never home. The home doesn't need a full time housekeeper and gardener."

"I guess you're right. In a few months you'll be off to college. Your dad will need even less help."

"Yeah, Dad's thinking of selling the place and moving to Seattle. He's been offered a position down there. Matter of fact, the bank's wanted him in Seattle for quite a while. He only stayed in PA for me, so I could finish school there. Plus I didn't think he was quite ready to sell Ma's house, back then."

"Yeah, Lizzie loved that house. I was with them when they first moved in, and she was pregnant with you, you know?

"Really?" I'd never heard that, I was actually eager to hear a little more about that time.

"Yeah. It was the summer break after my second year at Dartmouth. I helped them move in. She had such great plans. Your mom knew exactly how she wanted the rooms to look. Your room was going to be green, she was sure you would get her eyes, you see. And she loved the garden, she and your dad planned the tree house and the swing set. Mostly she wanted plenty of babies, she wanted to fill each room up with kids."

"Yeah, well that didn't happen." I said sadly. I would have wanted brothers and sisters. But mostly I would have wanted my mother, not just for me, but for my Dad. I knew he missed her greatly and blamed himself a little when she died in childbirth with my little sister. They had agreed on naming her Ellie. My mother was buried with Ellie in her arms. I had just turned six years old the last time I ever saw my mother.

"Yeah, I'm sorry to bring it up. But she knew after you that any pregnancy was high risk, she almost died bringing you into the world. She wanted babies, Edward. That's all she wanted. She wanted a big family, it just wasn't meant to be. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, I hardly remember her. Other than playing the piano, I mostly just remember her being in bed a lot. And that she smelled so sweet, like flowers. And I remember her telling me that she loved me and to be a good boy and listen to Dad." He choked on his memories. "Dad's been great. I couldn't have asked for a better father."

"He's a good man. A good father, and a fine example for me to follow."

"Are you saying that you're going to…"

"Yes." He practically shouted before I could finish my query. "Esme is pregnant. She's probably puking her guts out in the bathroom as we speak. Just the mention of bacon can do that, let alone the smell."

"I guess no breakfast for me, then." I laughed, thrilled to hear the excitement in my uncle's voice.

"Just toast and maybe boiled eggs for you, I'm afraid. Esme's stomach is sensitive. Anyway, her parents are flying out here. Once they found out, we couldn't keep them away."

"When? When is the baby due?" I asked.

"The baby should be here in the beginning of April. She's almost four months along."

I clapped him on the back, thrilled for Carlisle and his young wife, who was practically a sister to me. "Congratulations old man. I thought it'd never happen."

"Well, gosh, I worked as quickly as I could. It's only been three years since Es and I got married, you know."

Just then Esme returned to the kitchen and I hugged her. "I guess you heard our good news. Carlisle spilled the beans." She smiled.

"Yes, he did. How are you doing, Es?"

"Mostly nauseous, and more than a little tired. Luckily we hired someone to help me in the garden. I barely had energy to harvest all my fruit for preserves and canned compote."

"Are you still canning? I thought you'd grow bored with that by now."

"Oh no, I love doing it. Old man Eleazar helped me pick the apples, pears and quince. And Chief Swan's daughter helped me with the preserves and canning. So I have more than enough to kick off the annual Ladies Guild food drive this Christmas."

"I didn't know Chief Swan was even married let alone had a daughter. He seems like a loner. Kind a crabby."

"Well he does. Believe me I was surprised too. Apparently she's lived all over the country with her mother and only came back to Forks this past summer because her mother had been arrested."

"Arrested? How do you like that? Chief Swan's wife is a criminal!"

"Ex-wife. Yes, she was involved in some anti-Viet Nam protest on the Yale campus. Isabella had to come home because her mother refused to be bailed out until all the students were released."

"Isabella?"