Disclaimer: I own nothing it's all Stephanie Meyer
Chapter 12 Keychain
"You know each other" I said
"Yes" said Edward
"Unfortunately" Mike said
"Michael!" Jessica exclaimed
"Sorry sweetheart, yes Cullen and I do know each other"
"From where?" Me again.
"We went to high school together" Edward answered
"Ah. Did you know that I knew him?"
"No, love why don't you give me and Michael a chance to talk. Clear the air" Edward said kissing my temple.
"Newton can I speak to you"
"Yeah ok" Mike still looked mad
"Edward?"
"It's ok Love go on inside we'll be along in a minute"
"Ok" I said still full of doubt.
I handed Sara Lynn back to Jess and we walked in and sat at our usual booth we could see Edward and Mike talking. Edward looked calm but Mike was really going at it. "Did you know that they knew each other" I said
"No I told Mike that you were bringing a date. He asked me 'who'. When I told him Edward something or other he said something along the lines of interrogating this guy, but other than that he didn't react"
"Hmm…"
"I saw when you got here and said Bella's here he looked out and when he saw him get out Mike started to shake he said 'No way there is no way that she is dating him'"
"I went out there to warn you but you were so excited to see Sara Lynn that I did not have enough time"
We talked amongst ourselves keeping a close eye on the happenings outside Mike had calmed down and now they were just chatting every now and then they would nod in our direction.
"Hey Ange where's Eric?" I asked
She rolled her eyes and said "He's such an old man he said that he has an early class so he does not want to be out late"
Jessica giggled "you should by him a walker"
Angela glared at her, and then let out a laugh. Edward and Mike shook hands and started towards us.
"Pisst they're coming in" I said we all stuck our noses in the menus pretending our attention had not been on the two of them, we all busted out laughing.
"What's going on ladies" Mike asked as he and Edward slid in to either side of the booth, it was a corner booth so Angela was in the middle with Jess and me on both sides of her and the guys on our other side. Sara Lynn was sitting in a high chair at the end of the table.
"Nothing" we all said
The waitress showed up and we all ordered, we talked as we waited for the food to be brought out. Mike gave me the third degree about where I meet Edward I told him that we met at a coffee shop, which was true that had been the first time we meet, "and I don't know we just kind of connected" Edward grabbed my hand an action that did not go unnoticed by my friends.
(EPOV)
As we all talked I felt myself relax more and more I could hardly believe that one of Bella's best friend's was Mike Newton. Now that all the drama was over I saw the bonds that she had with them all. She teased Mike shamelessly and Jessica joined in "Yeah Edward, the boss here shows no mercy for us lowly employees and I'm his wife not to mention the mother of his children"
Bella who had been taking a drink of her water when Jessica said this, choked out "Children! Jess! What?" I patted her back.
"Yes I didn't know how to tell you guys so surprise!"
"How far along are you?" Angela asked
"Just a month and a half"
"Congratulations "
"Oh I'm so happy another baby for me to spoil rotten and then give back" Bella said
"Just watch out when you pop out baby Cullen I'll do the same" Mike said with a smirk in my direction, Bella went red, I kicked him
"Ow!" he mumbled
"What's wrong Michael?" Jessica asked
"Nothing sweetheart I just hit the table" he said kicking me back
I grunted
"And you Edward did you hit the table too" Angela said with a sly smile
"Yup" Angela was quieter than Jessica but she was much more observant.
"So what are we going to watch?" Bella asked taking out her cell phone, everyone else followed suit
"Well, here are the choices: Glee 3D, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Final Destination, Time to vote." Angela said putting her phone in the middle of the table. Soon after Bella, Jessica and Mike did the same.
"What's going on?" I whispered
"Oh I forgot, ok so we used to get into fights over what to see. So now the 'leader', who happens to be Angela this time, chooses three or four movies then tells us the choices, we type our choice in our phones and put them in the middle then the 'Leader', the only one to see who choose what, tallies up and that's what we go see no complaints. Go ahead and cast your vote"
I quickly typed in Planet of the Apes and also put my phone in the middle.
Angela picked up the phones looked at them then handed them back to us then said "Ok so there was One for Glee one saying anything but Glee and three for Planet of the Apes so Mikes Cousins win"
"Hey!"
Jessica and Bella busted out laughing Angela turned red.
Jessica's phone went off. "Oh my mom's here for Sara Lynn, Mike you mind taking her out there"
"Sure sweetheart" he said grabbing the diaper bag and lifting his baby from the seat she was in.
"So what did you and Mike talk about?" Bella asked me
"That is between Mike and me Love, don't worry everything is cool" I said grabbing her hand again.
"Hmm" Bella grunted. I chucked and brought her hand to my lips, I pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist she shivered. Once again our eyes caught and held us under a spell, until Jessica coughed because the waitress had shown up with our bills. Once they were taken care of we made our way out the door but instead of walking to the cars they all headed back behind the restaurant I was confused until I saw the theater hidden behind some trees.
Bella whispered "this is Phoenix's best kept secret they have the best popcorn, and very comfortable seats."
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After the movie Bella drove me home, once she parked she grabbed her purse and said "how much do I owe you."
"Nothing Bella, dinner was on me tonight"
"No way that, wasn't part of the deal"
"I know it wasn't, but thanks to you I was able to make peace with a good man today so look at dinner as a thank you"
"Well fine" she grumbled "Oh yeah are you going to tell me what was going on with Mike outside the restaurant?"
"Like I said we made peace with each other"
"Well it took you a long time to make peace"
I chucked "I know it was about time"
"That's not what I meant!"
"I know but it is what I meant, so I'll see you tomorrow?"
"As sure as there's sand in the desert"
"Oh wait one more thing" I said
"What"
I gently grabbed her chin and turned it to me I smiled at her "I want to try something" I said, "don't freak out Ok" she stiffened but I did not let that stop me. I moved closer to her and put my lips on hers. I slowly traced her lips with my tongue seeking entrance. She opened her lips slightly and I let myself in, the kiss was sweet as rain in the summer but as hot as the desert she hated so much. It did not last nearly as long as I wished, but it was a step in the right direction. I slowly pulled away dropping a kiss on her nose.
"What was that for?"
"More practice" I said wagging my eyebrows at her before opening the truck door and getting out of the car "thanks for tonight Irish" I said as I closed the door
I made my way to my door as she drove away. I let myself in. I was restless so I sat on my piano and let the music take me away. As I played I thought about my conversation with Mike.
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I helped Bella out of the truck and we started to make our way to the restaurant hand in hand when a women with curly blonde hair holding a baby came out calling out Bella's name followed by a dark haired women with a smile on her face. Bella got a huge smile on her face, and ran over to them; she plucked the baby out of her arms and began to coo at her. She gave her friends a one armed hug they whispered something about the blonde's husband Mike, then she introduced me to the baby and her friends Jessica and Angela. That's when the gates of Hades opened because Michael Newton walked out of the restaurant with a look that could have killed me, if looks could kill.
After Bella and the other two ladies had gone inside I turned to Mike.
"Hello Mike it's good to see you"
"Yeah Cullen wish I could say the same"
"You know I deserve that we, my family and I we weren't that nicest, but we weren't exactly mean either"
"Look frankly if we had seen each other in a different circumstance I would not have care but, your dating one of my best friends whom I happen to love dearly and well I know how you are."
"Mike that was high school like I said yes we were snobby, but I've grown up since then. If you're friends with Bella then I'm willing to be your friend too."
"I'm not talking about high school although yes you were a rich snobby jerk, I'm talking about what happened afterwards after Tanya died you left with that girl from that party at La Push and then when you were done with her you just dumped her."
"That's not what happened. Look I promised her that I would not tell anyone what happened; except that yes we left together I took her to my house so that my dad could look at her then he took her to the hospital. That is all I can tell you other than the fact that I got a lecture because I should have taken her to the hospital instead of bringing here to the house, from my dad the next morning
He assured me that she had fine and resting at home. The only reason I was at that party was because Emmett and Jasper dragged me there but I left as fast as possible. I left for school soon after that when I went back home for thanksgiving I heard rumors but that's all I thought it was, a rumor."
"So you didn't…" he said making his hand in to a claw
"No"
"Ah ok" he looked more relaxed "so Bella huh? Do you really like her?"
"I'm beginning to she's amazing"
"She is" he said glancing in her direction
"Do you like her?" I asked
"I'm crazy about her, but not the way your thinking I asked her out but she turned me down flat said she would only go out with me as friends. We got incredibility close and she became like a sister to me. When Jess and I started dating I asked her what she thought she said 'I like how you smile when you're with her' I love my wife, but Bells…is special so treat her right"
"I plan on it"
"I'm not too sure what but something happened to her something that has her running scared anytime any guy tries to get too close so go slow"
"Again I plan on it."
"But not to slow push her some get her out of her comfort zone you'll notice that while she's tease me and joke around with me she won't touch me I've gotten two hugs from her the first on my wedding day and the second when Sara Lynn was born."
"I'll take that under advisement thanks"
"I really hope I was wrong about you or I'll help Mr. Swan and Seth hide your body" he said but he said it with a smile that belittled his words.
End flash back
Soon afterwards I went to bed with Bella on my mind.