For those who missed my tweet or post, the interview is available on my blog. Jasper, Riley and others answer the questions posed by the readers. Check it out: ironictwistisntitironic. blogspot. com.

Thanks to everyone who voted in the Hidden Star awards. I won the "You Cliffy Bitch" award. Not sure that's a compliment, but I'll take it!

I read all my reviews and PMs, and answer quite a few as well. However, don't PM me asking a question and then have your PMs turned off, so I can't answer you back. *sigh*

As always, thanks to my beta team: Kristi, LisaC, Melissa and LisaJ who I had the incredible pleasure of meeting IRL since the last update.

Chapter 41 - Recommence

BPOV

Dragging myself down the hallway after a study session in the library, I stopped to consider if all this was really worth it. I'd never gotten a grade lower than a B in my college career. I had easily carried a 4.0 in my major. But this-hours of studying material that held no interest for me-was killing me slowly. I'd honestly be lucky to eke out the B in both my classes.

I'd spent the last ten hours on campus. Ninety minutes in class and three hours with a study group, a study group that further convinced me I was making a mistake. They were all brimming with ideas and interest, while I battled to stay awake. The rest of the time was spent alternately daydreaming and trying to come up with a cohesive argument against the adaptation of national educational standards.

Ugh!

I jammed my key into the lock and swung the door wide. It was pitch black except for the TV. Angela was sprawled on the floor, leaning against one of our club chairs staring unseeing at the screen.

"Ang?"

She popped up as if startled, which was impossible, since she must have heard me come in.

"Bella!" she shouted, as if she hadn't seen me in a year instead of a day.

"Hey, Ang, what's with the darkness?" I flipped on the lights.

Angela hissed and covered her eyes.

"Turn them off!"

I quickly turned the lights off as a feeling of dread settled in my stomach.

"Ang?" I dropped my bag at the door and made my way blindly to where she was sitting and squatted down next to her. "Ang? Is everything alright? Did something happen with Ben?"

From this close I could make out her face. She blinked at me owlishly.

"Ben? Ben's fine." She exhaled deeply and I was overwhelmed with the smell of wine.

"Are you drunk?" I asked her hesitantly.

"I certainly hope so. That was my goal."

"I need light for this," I announced. I stood up and strode to the dining room, flipping on those lights so the living room wouldn't be too bright. I turned around in time to see Angela stagger to her feet, only to collapse onto the couch. I walked over and sat down next to her.

"Ang, honey, what's going on?"

"Another assistant quit today."

"Oh no," I said, grabbing the wine bottle from the coffee table and pouring myself a glass. "What did he do this time?" Angela's assistants had been quitting with depressing regularity since Mrs. Cope retired.

"Does it really matter? This one came from Accounts Receivable. Bella, she'd rather spend the day harassing debtors than work directly for Edward Cullen."

I reached out a hand and patted her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"Meh," she said, shaking off her melancholy. "Actually, this might have worked in my favor."

"How's that?"

"When Rachel left, I lost it. I couldn't fathom training yet another assistant. Especially since she'd probably up and leave in a few days anyway. I quit."

"What? No! Angela, you can't quit. I know things are hard right now, but Edward…"

"Relax, Bella," she interrupted, "I still work for Cullen."

"What happened?"

"Pour me another glass of wine and I'll tell you."

I wasn't sure that was the best idea, but I humored her, hoping to get all the details of what had happened.

"So," I said, as I settled down on the floor by Angela's feet, a glass of wine in each hand, "what happened?"

"He came out of his office yelling and complaining. He got it in his head that Rachel's error caused him to look foolish during a conference call and laid into her good."

"Was it her error?"

Angela looked at me like I'd grown another head. I took a quick gulp of my wine.

"It doesn't matter. There are ways to speak to a subordinate that don't result in her running screaming from the office."

"But if she made the error and it affected a business deal then…"

"Why are you defending him?" she asked incredulously.

"I…I'm not." I refilled my glass.

"Yes, you are." Angela gave me a dirty look.

"I'm not. I'm sorry, continue with the story."

She glared at me once more before continuing.

"Anyway," she said, gesturing wildly with her free hand, "after Rachel left I knew I couldn't do it alone anymore. I marched straight into his office…" Angela stood up and mimed her actions.

"I marched straight into his office," she repeated, "and dumped all of Rachel's work on his desk," she peered at me to make sure I wasn't going to come to Edward's defense again, "and told him that he better get started."

I inhaled sharply. "You didn't!"

"I did. Then I told him I quit and marched my fine ass right out of there."

I had polished off my second glass and started on my third. My empty stomach growled discontentedly.

"Then what happened?" I asked, enthralled.

"He chased me."

"He didn't." I was shocked. That sounded so unEdward-like!

"He did."

"Did he catch you?"

"Yeah, but I didn't budge."

"Good for you." I was so proud of her.

"Yeah." We clinked our glasses together before draining and refilling them. We were quiet for a moment before something occurred to me.

"Wait…"

"What?"

"I thought you said you still worked for Cullen."

"I do."

"But you quit."

"Yeah, but I told him that I wanted to pick my own assistant and that he couldn't talk to her…like ever. I told him that if he yelled at her or me I was outta there."

"What did he say?"

"He said okay."

"Okay?"

"Yep. Okay. And I told him to call Mrs. Cope and say he was sorry for being a douche."

"Did he?"

"I dunno. I left and came home."

"Wow."

Angela smiled a self-satisfied smirk.

"Who you gonna hire?"

"I dunno. Someone. Why don't you come work for me?"

"I have school."

"You hate school."

"Yeah, but I still hafta go so I can get a job."

"You have a job. You work for Esme."

"Only part time. 'Snot enough to live on."

"So you come work for me and then you'll have enough to live on."

"I can't work for you and for Esme."

"Why not?"

Why not? There was a very good reason why I couldn't work for Angela. I just couldn't remember it.

Then I remembered. "I work from eight to twelve for Esme, how can I be at the Literacy Project and in your office at the same time?"

"Hmm…." A look of concentration came over Angela's face.

"Yeah…," I sighed discontentedly. It would have been nice to work with Angela again.

"I got it!" she yelled suddenly.

"What?" I asked.

"You only work two days a week for Esme, right? On those days you can work for me from one to nine."

"But I have classes two mornings a week."

"So, work one to nine every day! I don't care. And, when you are doing your fundraising lunches you can come in even later. It doesn't matter. Having someone who knows what she's doing will be worth it. And, you only have another few weeks of school, right?"

"Three weeks."

"See? It'll work!"

"Do you think Edward will mind?"

"I don't care. As long as the work gets done he won't say anything." Angela's smile was brilliant. "Why didn't I think of this earlier?"

"I dunno." We both broke out into giggles.

"It'll be great working together again."

"Yeah."

Suddenly, I remembered something. "Angela, if I'm there til nine then I'll be there when the cleaning service is there. I don't want to be in the office with Victoria."

"Nomad doesn't clean our offices anymore, so there won't be any problems."

"No problems?"

"Nope."

"Okay, when do I start?"

"How 'bout Monday? I'll get all the paperwork printed off tomorrow and you can sign it over the weekend. Then you come in Monday afternoon and get started."

"Okay." I heaved a deep sigh.

"I'm tired," Angela murmured.

"Me, too."

EPOV

I stepped off the elevator cautiously. Ms. Weber had given me a sound verbal drubbing the previous day and I didn't want to upset her again. The office was quiet and I panicked until I realized she was at her desk with her head down on her folded arms.

I approached slowly; she gave no indication that she was aware of my presence. Stopping before her desk I spoke quietly, "Ms. Weber?"

She didn't answer. Was she sleeping?

I cleared my throat. "Ms. Weber?" I said a little more loudly.

Again there was no answer. Suddenly, I was worried. Reaching out, I nudged her arm lightly, "Angela?"

Angela sat bolt upright and yelled, "What?" very loudly.

"Um, is everything alright?" I asked, cautiously.

She looked at me through squinted eyes. "Oh, it's you, Edward."

I cleared my throat, "Ms. Weber…"

"Stop," she held up her hand like a cop directing traffic. "Call me Angela."

"Uh, okay. Is everything alright, Angela? Are you sick?"

"I'm hungover."

"Oh!" I exclaimed, surprised. "I see."

Angela got to her feet and trudged to the coffee service. "You want a cup?" she asked.

"I can get it."

Angela sighed noisily. "I'll get it. I offered."

"Thank you."

After preparing the coffee, Angela walked to the couch in the middle of the room and placed the cups on the coffee table. I walked over and sat down gingerly beside her.

"Perhaps you should have taken the day off," I said, not sure if the offer was welcome.

"I had too much to do today."

"I see. Maybe I can get Emmett to loan us Leah for the day…"

"That's not necessary. Besides, Leah would quit if Emmett sent her up here. I drew up the paperwork for the new assistant already. I just need your signature."

"Of course." I watched as Angela made her way over to her desk again. She picked up a small stack of papers and approached me with a pen. I glanced at the papers quickly.

"These aren't filled out."

"I know, I'll take care of it, I just need you to sign before you go to your meeting. I'll probably be gone before you get back this evening."

"Can I ask who…?"

"No. Your signature on these papers is just a formality, Edward. The new assistant works for me, not you, remember? You agreed to leave her alone." The tone of Angela's voice got hard as she spoke.

"Yes, I remember." I signed the papers hastily. I'd be lost without Angela, so dealing with a stranger in my office would most likely be worth keeping her. I handed her back the paperwork.

"You'll need this stuff for your meeting today," Angela said, picking up another folder from her desk and handing it to me.

"Thank you, Ms…" she shot me a dirty look, "…Angela. I'll be gone all day, so I hope you have a nice weekend."

"Thank you, Edward. You, too."

Realizing I'd been dismissed, I went into my office and closed the door. Sitting at my desk I thought for a moment and realized that I probably shouldn't be so afraid of my assistant. Surprisingly, I wasn't bothered by her forceful manner. Instead, I found it reassuring, as if I knew that if Angela could handle me then she could handle anything that might come up with her new assistant, or anything else for that matter.

BPOV

I shifted, uncomfortable. One of my favorite things about living with Angela was my warm, soft bed. But this morning it was like sleeping on a slab. I rolled over, trying to get comfortable and was startled completely awake as I fell a short distance to the hard floor of our living room.

Ouch.

It took a second for me to process the fact that I'd fallen asleep on the couch. I tried to remember why I'd slept there, fully dressed. Suddenly, my stomach lurched and a blinding pain lanced through my head. Oh yeah.

Ang and I had drunk our weight in vino last night. I had been bummed about school, she was pissed about work. We were quite the pair, weren't we?

I struggled to my feet and lurched towards my bathroom. I eyed myself speculatively in the mirror. Lovely. My hair was a fright and the little make up I'd worn the day before was smeared around my eyes. I opened the medicine chest and grabbed the aspirin. Downing two with a gulp of water I scooped up with my hands, I turned to the shower. Stripping, I set the water as hot as I could stand it and stepped in.

I marinated in the pounding water. Hot, satisfying showers were never something I'd take for granted again. I sighed deeply, inhaling the steam while remembering the pathetic shower in my other apartment. I giggled a bit as I remembered stealing a shower the night I was assigned to lead the cleaning team at CE. That was the night I met Edward.

Edward. Edward's amazing shower in his office. Edward's office. Working in Edward's office…

Wait…working in Edward's office?

"Holy crow!"

I paced the floor in the living room waiting for Angela to get home. I didn't want to bother her at work, especially if I was confused or had dreamed our conversation last night. What was I thinking? Agreeing to be Angela's assistant and working in Edward's office?

I stewed most of the day thinking about the disaster that would occur should I show up for work at Edward's office on Monday morning. The longer I stewed, the more pensive I got. Pensive lead to introspective, and now I was wallowing.

It couldn't be the wine still talking. I'd gone out of my way to keep myself busy these past few months and rarely had time to dwell on my past with Edward, or my present without him. Now, here I was, hungover and alone, and I couldn't stop the thoughts from coming.

I quit working for Edward and had enough time and space now to realize the real reason why. I was afraid. In retrospect it was easy to see how far I'd fallen for him. We'd even talked, circumspectly, about trying to have a real relationship once I no longer had to work for him.

I had been in a bad place when those pictures showed up on my phone. I'd seen him with Kathleen at the art show. My confidence was shaken. Sure, I played it cool and was able to capture his attention with a few come-hither looks and well-placed touches, but he'd spent time with Kathleen while out with me once before.

Then I was angry that Edward wasn't supportive of my schooling. When he had suggested that I didn't need to go to school, that he could get me any job I wanted in the city, even a corner office in his company, I'd been insulted. Hell, I'd been offended.

I'd overreacted.

Then, I'd discovered he was right. I was so afraid for my future, I'd jumped at the most convenient solution: get a teaching degree so I'd always been employable. The fact that I hated the courses from the first minute hit me hard. The thought of admitting to him that the course of study wasn't for me made me squirm.

I sighed.

Then the pictures showed up. They were the straw that broke the camel's back. I was feeling so down about the classes and disappointed that Edward wasn't supporting my decision to go back to school that seeing him with Kathleen just reminded me of our differences. At that very moment, Kathleen seemed to be all Edward was entitled to. Educated, successful, affluent, beautiful and freely available to be with him in ways I couldn't.

I thought that letting him go was noble self-sacrifice. Now I realized it was just stupid.

However, what was done was done. He honored my wishes and didn't pursue me when I left. Perhaps he was looking for more. When pictures of Edward and Kathleen started showing up online and in the local papers, I only looked at enough to convince myself I'd made the right choice.

I spent time with Edward's family. Not to be a parasite, but because I truly enjoyed their company. Esme I saw at work, and I considered Alice my friend before a member of Edward's family, but Rose…Rose sought me out.

I truly enjoyed Rose's company and EJ was adorable. When Rose had invited me to his first birthday I spent hours agonizing over the decision. I wasn't sure I'd be able to spend time with Edward while he was with Kathleen. It wasn't until I arrived that I learned Kathleen hadn't been invited. I'd be lying if I said seeing him was easy, but finding out that Kathleen wasn't there was a relief. We skirted around each other most of the day. It wasn't until I was rocking EJ to sleep that we were alone together. Our conversation was polite…safe.

But I doubted that would be the case if we were exposed to each other on a daily basis. Edward had moved on, but me….

If I were to be completely honest, I still had feelings for the man. It was probably grossly unfair of me to continue to see Jake when I didn't care for him that way, but he was fine with going slow. We'd talked about it one night.

By all standards, that particular night had been stellar. We'd been together for a few weeks when we went out alone together and ran into a few of his friends. They were a fun and interesting group. I'd enjoyed getting to know them. We shared appetizers, drinks and conversation in equal doses, and stayed out until last call. Jake walked me up when he brought me home. I was in a good place because of the great night and when Jake kissed me, I didn't end it as fast as I usually did.

"I had fun tonight, Jake."

"Me, too."

I stuck my key in the door but before I could open it, I felt Jake's hand slide down my back. When he ran it back up he brushed my hair away from my neck and kissed me lightly on the skin he exposed. I turned to face him with a shy smile.

He bent his head down and kissed me sweetly. I smiled as he kissed me again. And again. I sighed and he took advantage of my parted lips. The kiss grew more heated and I found myself pressed gently against the door. Jake took my face in his hands and I laid my hands on his chest. I could feel his heart pick up speed. Then his hands were on the move. He slid them down my sides, his thumbs grazing the sides of my breasts before moving lower. He rested them at my waist while we continued to kiss.

Suddenly, he made a noise I could only characterize as a growl, like a wolf. His hands moved to my hips and he pulled me against him hard. I could now feel how this kiss was affecting body parts other than his heart. Unconsciously, I froze. Jake felt the change in my response and eased off, releasing me and toning down the kiss.

"I'm sorry, Jake."

"Sure, sure," he replied. "It's okay."

"I'm just not…."

"You're not ready. I get it. No big deal. We can take it slow."

"Thank you."

Although we continued to see one another, our kisses never got that heated again. I knew that I was being unfair to him. What I really felt was friendship, nothing more.

Angela's keys jingling in the lock brought me out of my reverie. I froze in my tracks and waited for her to come in. She saw me as soon as she opened the door and a huge smile appeared on her face.

"Hey, officemate!" she greeted me enthusiastically.

I cringed. Angela didn't see as she was busy divesting herself of her coat and bag.

"I have the paperwork right here. I can't wait for Monday. Edward's going to be…"

It was at this point she turned around and saw me. I'm sure my face said it all.

"What?" she asked flatly.

"Ang…" I began, "I can't work with you. This is a really bad idea fueled by the consumption of too much wine on an empty stomach."

She didn't answer.

"Ang?"

Angela's lips twisted in that uncontrollable way right before you cry. She didn't look at me, instead she turned her head.

"Oh, Ang." I approached my friend and tried to put my arms around her in a hug. She pushed me back slightly and walked over to the couch.

"Why not?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"Edward and I…"

"You wouldn't work for Edward. He already agreed to let me be your main contact."

"He's okay with me working in his office?"

Angela dropped her eyes.

"He doesn't know, does he?"

Angela mashed her lips into a thin line and shook her head minutely.

I sighed. "Angela. This is such a bad idea. What makes you think…?"

"I need you!" she exploded. "I need you and you need this job. How much longer can you afford to live here, Bella? I know you are saving every penny, but it's hard for you. You're an adult. He's an adult. You're both in new relationships. There's no reason why you can't work in the same office. Besides, you'll be working an off shift and barely have to spend any time with him. Please, Bella! Please! I can't afford to quit, either, but I can't keep working the way I have been."

I shook my head and rose to my feet. "It's just not a good idea."

Angela gasped loudly and I looked at her quickly.

"What?"

"You still have feelings for him."

I shook my head. "Don't be ridiculous, Ang. Our relationship was never more than a front, you know that."

Angela snorted, a highly indelicate sound. "Don't give me that crap, Bella. You're not that good an actress. And the way he acts at work makes me think that he's not over you, either."

I froze. My eyes moved quickly to her face and I tried to judge the truth of her words from her expression. I could tell that she believed what she was saying, but whether or not she was right was another story.

I could tell that nothing would be solved tonight. Neither of us was willing to give. I made a simple dinner and ate alone in the kitchen. I could hear Angela on her phone in her room, probably talking to Ben.

I went to bed early and when I woke the next day Angela was already gone. I ate a quick breakfast and pulled out my books, ready to spend the day torturing myself. Three hours later, I was still reading and taking notes, trying to find enough evidence to support my theories when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella."

"Mom…?"

My mom and I had a decent enough relationship, but being on different coasts while we both struggled to make ends meet had drastically cut down on our means of contact. We usually limited ourselves to monthly phone calls. We'd spoken twice since I stopped seeing Edward.

"How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes, things are fine. I called to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Angela called me."

I was dumbstruck. Of course, Angela had my mother's number. I'd given it to her as my next of kin should something happen to me while we were living together. I never thought that she'd use the number for something other than a dire emergency.

"She did? Why?" I knew exactly why.

"Honestly, hon, she wanted me to talk some sense into you."

"My senses are just fine, Mom," I replied sarcastically.

She sighed deeply. The sound was full of import. "Really?" she asked, "because it sounds like you are making a big mistake here."

"I'm not making a mistake…"

"So you're not turning down a good paying job just because of a man?"

"No, it's not like that."

"So tell me what it is like, then."

I bit my lip and tried to organize my thoughts so that I could explain myself clearly. The problem was, once my mom presented the situation like that, all I could see was myself turning down the job because of Edward.

"There's history."

"I know. I watched it play out on the internet."

"It would be uncomfortable."

"More uncomfortable than living in a crappy apartment while you spend your nights cleaning up after others?"

"Mom…"

"Bella, you do what you want, but honestly, your father and I didn't raise you to be afraid of a little discomfort. You're cutting off your nose to spite your face here. You have an opportunity, an opportunity hundreds would kill for, and you're turning your back because the atmosphere might be tense? You're made of sterner stuff, Bella."

"I don't know..."

"Of course you do. Now, I don't know Edward, but if he's truly a capable businessman then he has worked with people in tense situations before. Do you respect him?"

"Yes. Edward is a great CEO. It's not his business skills that are turning me away."

"Well then, Bella, it is time to grow up. Most people have some problem with their boss."

"Yeah, but most people haven't woken up cuddled up in bed with their boss."

Renee chuckled. "A fair number have," she giggled, making me grin. "You know, Bella, we never talk boys anymore."

I had no interest in going there with my mother. "And we're not going to start now."

My mom laughed and I joined her.

"Honey, please. Reconsider Angela's offer."

"I…I will, Mom."

"Good. I know you'll do the right thing. I've got to run, Phil's team is starting weekend warm-ups and I have to go down and bring the boys drinks and snacks."

"Have fun."

"I will. Love you, Bella."

"Love you, too, Mom."

I hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. Looking at the situation through the eyes of my mother, I saw it very differently. My refusal was almost petulant, childlike. Was I cheating myself out of an opportunity? Edward and I had no future together; I'd already accepted that. Did that mean I had to avoid him for all eternity? No.

I resolved to sign the paperwork Angela had brought home when she returned today. Picking up my phone once more, I dialed Riley's number. He answered on the second ring.

"Beautiful?"

"Good morning, Riley. I'm starting a new job on Monday; I need your advice on what to wear."

EPOV

I would have laughed, had the situation not had me so concerned. Here I was, riding the elevator to my office, and I was nervous. I had no idea who would greet me on the other side of the door. Angela's new assistant was starting today and I had no idea who she was.

As the door slid open I took a hesitant step and glanced around quickly. I relaxed a little when I saw only Angela at her desk, eyes moving between her computer monitor and a reference book open on her desk.

"Good morning, Edward," she said, not looking up at me.

"Good morning, Angela," I replied, the familiarity feeling strange in my mouth. She didn't offer any more and I was hesitant to ask, but I had to know…

"Um, what time does the new assistant start? Eight? Nine?"

"One," she replied, still not looking up at me.

"One? O'clock? In the afternoon? I'm not sure…" She cut me off with a glance.

"Don't worry. She's thoroughly experienced and perfectly capable of working without constant supervision. I wanted her and this is what fits into her schedule."

"And you don't need her here to help during the morning hours?"

"I can handle the morning. Besides, her availability will change in a few weeks and then she'll be here earlier in the day most of the time."

"If you're sure…?"

"I am."

"Alright then, I'll be in my office."

"Your teleconference got moved back to eleven."

"Thank you. Is Conference Room B all set?"

"I stopped there on my way up this morning. Everything is ready. The final draft of your notes is in your email."

"Thank you. I probably don't say that enough."

"You're welcome. And no, you don't." She finally looked up at me, a small smile on her face. I chuckled at her audacity and she grinned in return.

I rode down to the conference suite a little before eleven. My brother met me in the hallway and Emmett and I walked into the room, chatting about the upcoming teleconference. Rumor had it that a competitor was dropping the ball on several of its major accounts. There was nothing concrete, but it appeared that they were struggling and CE was in the position to take full advantage. This call with a respected industry analyst would give us a better idea of the potential.

I stepped off the elevator with my head buried in the notes I'd taken over the last hour and a half. The upshot seemed to be that while our competitor was too diversified for us to drive out of business, several of their larger accounts were likely to be ripe for the taking. All in all it was a promising avenue for exploration. Right now I just needed to drop these notes on Angela's desk.

My concentration was broken when a familiar scent assailed me. I looked up and realized that Angela wasn't at her desk. Instead, she was sitting on the couch eating her lunch and talking with…

Bella Swan?

I froze like an 8th grader as my fight or flight instinct was triggered. What the hell was she doing here? Shaking myself I approached the twosome, forcing my features into an approximation of a smile.

"Hey," I interrupted them, forcing myself not to look at Bella, sitting on my couch in a conservative, pale green suit. The jacket was belted around her slim waist and the top two buttons on the coat were undone. Not that I noticed her or anything. She paused with her sandwich halfway to her mouth as I addressed Angela.

"Lunch break?" I asked, my tone loaded.

"Yes, I didn't want to leave the office unstaffed and Bella got here a little early so we decided to just eat real quick. I wasn't sure when you'd get free from the meeting."

Her reasoning made sense. As did her assumption, I'm sure, that Bella and I could spend time in the same room without…. Wait? Bella got here a little early? A little early for what?

I turned to Bella. Now that Angela had said her name, I was forced to acknowledge her. I smiled and nodded at her and took note of her nervous expression. An expression that led to a sinking feeling in my stomach.

"Bella, it's nice to see you."

"You too, Edward," she replied softly.

"When you finish your lunch, Angela, can you come into my office? I want to review the notes from my conference before the new assistant gets here so that you can have some uninterrupted time with her."

I was hoping that the niggling fear gnawing at my stomach was wrong, but the expression on Angela and Bella's faces right now confirmed my worst fears.

Angela had hired Bella.

"Um, Edward," Angela started with a false note of brightness in her voice, "great news. Bella's agreed to come back and help out. She's perfect for the job, already used to the routines and programs we use. She's familiar with the people here in the office and can certainly work unsupervised."

"Ah…." Great response, Cullen. Very CEOish.

"Welcome back, Bella," I said in a voice I forced to be calm. I extended my hand for Bella to shake. Her usually soft, warm hand was cold and clammy. She was just as nervous as I was.

"Thank you, Edward. I appreciate how flexible you're being with my schedule."

Her voice was nervous, too. Shaky and higher pitched than usual. Her obvious discomfort gave me a little confidence boost. Neither of us was sure how we'd do this. I cleared my throat.

"Yes, well, you have Angela to thank for that. It was her idea. Um, I'm just going to go to my office. If you wouldn't mind ordering me some lunch…"

Angela interrupted me with a loud, "Ahem."

"Remember our agreement, Edward?" Ah yes, I agreed to not divvy up my assistants' workload anymore. Angela would decide who'd do what.

"Of course. If I could just get some lunch in my office."

"I'll take care of it."

"I still need to see you, when you're done eating."

"Certainly. I'll be right there."

"Thank you, Angela. Bella," I said, nodding by way of parting. I turned on my heel and walked carefully to my office. Every instinct in me wanted me to run and slam the door behind me.

Once inside, I paused and took the first deep breath I could since seeing Bella in the office. I took stock and was surprised to discover that I was actually…okay. Seeing Bella in my office was as big a shock as seeing her at my brother's house, but I was surprisingly at ease about having her here.

Perhaps I was over her.

Through the door I could hear the women. They were laughing; Angela's loud chuckle not quite drowning out Bella's more sedate and musical laugh.

Perhaps I wasn't.

If you're not reading Let's Get Physical by lalina2005 you're missing a treat. I'm also thoroughly enjoying No Holds Barred by jayhawkbb. If you read either one, leave a review and let them know that Ironic Twist sent you!