My Best Friends Father

Bella's been in love with Alice's father for years. Alice's father just might return those feelings. Will Alice's plan to bring them together work? Watch as they find each other and discover that there are no limits in love. All human, AU, AR

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

Chapter 7

JPOV

I beat Alice to the café this time. I ordered our drinks and looked over the menu. Alice swept into the café in a whirlwind of motion; drawing the eyes of everyone around us, many in appreciation of her beauty. She broke into a smile when she saw me and hurried over to our table. Without looking at her menu she told the waitress we'd both be having grilled chicken salad.

"I'm having chic food for lunch, Alice? Don't you realize that if anyone sees me eating this I'll be a laughing stock? I'll never be able to walk onto a work-site again!" She merely laughed at me.

"Since you own the company, I doubt they'd do too much too you. Besides, real men eat chicken salad, dad."

"No. No they don't." I laughed at her glare. "What are you doing today besides meeting me for lunch?" I knew Isabella had made plans with her for this afternoon, but when I asked her what they were going to be doing, she had blushed ten shades of red and hurried out the door; which of course got my attention.

"Bella and I are going to the mall." She shot me a mischievous grin.

"How in the world did you talk Isabella into going to the mall with you? Did you have to blackmail her?" Isabella's loathing of all things shopping had been a running joke between them for years.

"Actually dad, she asked me to go with her." She gives me this tiny detail then says nothing else.

"Then I know there has to be more than you're telling." I looked at her for a few seconds, giving her the 'Dad's eye'. She could never hold out against that, she was putty in my hands.

She sighed heavily, "That's not fair you know." I just grinned at her. "She wants me to help her choose some new…ummm…things." Alice looked away from me blushing. There were only a few things that would make Alice blush and not want to talk to me about. Together with my conversation with Isabella this morning, I came up with one thing.

Isabella was going shopping for new panties. Today. The restaurant became stifling as I imagined Isabella as she climbed into our bed. My jeans became uncomfortably tight. I had to get my mind off of the luscious curves of the woman I loved or I'd be in trouble when it came time to stand up and leave.

Changing the subject quickly, we continued our light banter. I really enjoyed this comfortable relationship with my daughter. Well except when discussing Isabella's lingerie. No! No thinking of her pale legs in stockings and heels or a bra that cut low across her perfect…no, no, no. Basketball! Football! The Superbowl! My new grill! That grill is awesome; I can grill 20 steaks at once!

I focused back on Alice. There was never any pressure to make conversation. She was great when I was working up to something, like today. She just kept chattering until I was ready to broach the topic.

When I finally took a deep breath, (which Alice knows is my signal that I'm ready to start a difficult talk,) she patiently waited for me to begin.

"Why does Isabella thinks she's not beautiful? Was it something I did or said?" I don't think it was. "If I did I will do anything to show her the truth."

"No, her parents, as you know, were never that caring. Evidently they weren't too kind either. She told me her mother had told her that she was sorry that Bella was so plain. I can't imagine anyone telling a child that, much less their own daughter." The pain on Alice's face tore me up. Isabella had lived with the knowledge that her parents thought she was plain. It astonished me.

"Does she really believe I'll find someone else and leave?" My heart pounded, I do want to know the answer to this question, but I'm also using this to lead the conversation.

"Maybe, but I'm not sure why. Everyone can see that you adore her. I do think she needs your reassurance that she's stuck with you." She grinned at me, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Well, that's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about." I reached over and took her hand, watching her face as I went on. "You are the best daughter a dad could ever ask for. When you met the Major I thought he was a good match for you. But at the same time, part of me wanted to beat the crap out of him and throw away the clothes." Her laugh brought looks from the people around us. "I dreaded the day you'd tell me you were engaged. I thought I would lose you…I should've known better." I laughingly mumbled the last.

"What I need to ask you though, is for your approval, as my daughter and Isabella's best friend…" No matter how I phrased it in my head, it sounded wrong. I love Isabella more than I ever thought possible, but I love my daughter enough that if she were against Isabella and I being together permanently, I would wait until we'd had more time to discuss it, and Alice accepted it. I'm not altruistic enough to say I would wait indefinitely, but I would at least wait to propose to Isabella until Alice had had time to adjust to the idea.

Alice was still watching me, waiting for me to continue. "Just say it dad. 'As your daughter and Bella's best friend you want'…?"

"I want to ask Isabella to marry me." I watched her, waiting for her response. When she pulled her hand away, my heart sank, until she stretched it and shook it out while she laughed. I guess I'd been squeezing her hand too tightly in my nervousness.

"I assume you are looking afraid of me because you're worried I won't approve of you wanting to marry Bella." She smiled gently at me. "I won't lie and tell you that in the beginning, before either of you knew how the other felt, I wasn't a little concerned. But as I've watched you both, and seen how much you love each other, I think it's wonderful that you found one another. I love you daddy, so, so much. If marrying Bella will make you happy then I want that for you."

"Thank you God!" She laughed with me when I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Now, tell me more, have you got a plan for how you're going to ask her, when, where, how? Do you have a ring?!!" She just about came out of her chair.

"I've got a plan, and no I'm not going to tell you what it is. As for a ring, I'm looking for something that's perfect for her, something unique, beautiful, but simple." I knew Alice would agree with me on this. "You'll get to see it after I ask her, if she agrees." That thought brought on a whole new set of worries.

"I doubt that's something you really need to worry about." Alice's smile told me she definitely knew something I didn't.

"Has Isabella said anything?" When she just grinned at me, I teased her, "Come on, for the past 23 years I couldn't get you to shut up, now you won't talk to me! The trials of being a father." I shook my head dejectedly.

"I'm not telling you a thing. And to change the subject so you'll quit pestering me, the Major and I will be going with you and Bella to the Cullens tomorrow for dinner. Does Esme know that you and Bella are a couple now?"

"Yeah, I mentioned to her that Isabella would be moving in with me for a little while. A few days later she asked how things were going. She said that she'd noticed that for several years now, we've seemed very aware of one another and wondered if we'd figured out that we were in love with each other yet. I must have looked like an idiot; standing there staring at her with my mouth hanging open. Esme seemed pleased about it though, so I'm not complaining."

"I'm glad she knows; now you won't have to feel as if it's a secret before you get there tomorrow. Bella always loved Esme, looking back; she probably saw Esme as a surrogate mother, since her own was so indifferent."

We finished our meals, and headed in different directions. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying not to picture what Isabella would be bringing home tonight. I knew we were both enjoying building the emotional relationship before we made love, but I really looked forward to bedtime every night. When I could watch as Isabella slid her shorts down her legs and climbed into bed, giving me just a peek of her panties before she covered up. Trying to keep my focus was proving to be difficult. I couldn't wait until bedtime tonight; I spent all afternoon wondering what color I would see covering her soft curves at bedtime.

BPOV

I'd gone back and forth between dread and excitement all day, not sure if I was excited about getting silk panties to wear for Jasper; or dread that Alice would be shopping with me, probably dragging my quick trip into the store into a twelve hour shopping spree. Knowing her, I'd end up with several hundred dollars worth of lingerie before we store.

Alice had said to meet her in the food court, so I sat drinking a hot chocolate when she came in through the doors. When she reached my table I stood and tossed my empty cup in the recycle bin. She'd been talking before she was even close enough for me to hear her.

"What are you sitting there for? We only have six hours before the mall closes."

"I hate to burst your bubble Alice, but we only have four hours, I'm meeting Jasper for dinner. He said he'd help me recuperate from shopping with you." I grinned when she snorted.

"If we only have four hours we'll only be able to hit one store! Come on, Victoria's Secret is the place to start." With that she dragged me though the mall, only slowing when we could see the window displays. "Look here, this would look great with your skin tone, and body shape."

Seeing what she was pointing at my jaw dropped. "Alice, I'm only getting panties and bra's today." I tried to sound authoritative.

"Oh, great! We can come back this weekend and get the rest! Or I could just pick some things out for you, and give then too you next week." Oh, there was no way I was letting Alice drag me shopping again, and even less of a chance that I'd let her bring things home too me. The things she picked were usually made of tiny bits of fabric. That was just plain not happening.

"Okay, we'll get everything I need now, but I have final say."

She smiled and headed into the store.

I stood looking at the display she'd pointed out. Could I wear something like that? I'd never even thought to get actual lingerie; panties and bra's were the extent of my knowledge. Being the planner I am, I decided to work in stages. Bra's first, to get them out of the way, there's no worse torture in the world than trying on bras. Then I'll move on to panties, I'll get to pick out as many different colors and fabrics as I want. Since I don't know what else to even look for I'll have to browse and see what catches my eye after that. I'm sure Alice will have several opinions as well.

I found the bras and picked up several in my size, they weren't much different from the ones I'd been wearing, but they had lace and satin and were beautiful. I jumped when I turned to find Alice standing next to me.

"What did you find?" I showed her three different bras.

"They are pretty, but still very teacher, proper, school marmish, Bella."

"Alice, we're in Victoria's Secret, they don't do school marmish here." I told her with a smirk.

Laughing, she walked me over to another wall full of bras much sexier then I'd been looking at. "I get that for school you really do need to be comfortable. Running after 22 kids, you don't want to worry about popping out of your bra. So we'll compromise, you choose two of the school marm bras and at least six of these. And they all have to be different styles."

"Umm, Alice, I don't know about you, but I wear a different bra every day. I'll need more than two work bras." Her eyes lit up and I knew I was in trouble. I should have just kept my mouth shut.

"You love me right?" Oh yeah, I'm definitely in trouble now. I nodded slowly at her.

"This is what we're going to do then. You choose five school marm bras, one for each day of school, and while you do that, I'll pick at least seven bras for you to change into when you get home. You can't wear the school marm's when you're at home." She sounded like a general, giving orders.

"Why can't I just wear my school bra all day, it doesn't matter if I'm at home or school."

"Bella, Bella, Bella. Let me explain something about men. They spend all of their time thinking of the last time they saw you in a sexy bra or panties. If you wear a school marm bra once, that's fine, but too keep him on his toes and hoping to catch a glimpse of what you're wearing today, you need to change it up, and keep it sexy. Make sense?"

I definitely wanted Jasper thinking of me in a sexy bra rather than a school marm bra, and if he tried to catch a peek of me and I'm wearing a bra that's cut low across my breast, my nipple just barely hidden, I can only imagine what he'd be thinking. Yep, it made sense.

"Okay, you pick some, but I want to look also." I decided I'd only get three school bras, since the ones I have at home are still in good condition. I found Alice perusing the plethora of other choices. I saw a black bra that looked almost exactly like the one I'd been imagining Jasper seeing me in. I picked it up and saw that there were panties that matched them, so I grabbed a pair of those also.

I tried on lots of different styles of bras, finally deciding on the ones I would buy. I'd been right; this was going to cost me a fortune, just in bras alone. I'd ended up with my three school marm bras and ten sexy bras. I was hoping I wouldn't have to repeat this shopping experience for several years, and honestly, I ended up with so many because I couldn't decide which ones I liked best. I kept imagining what Jasper would do or say, and I'd have to put that bra into the 'must have' pile.

Panties weren't much easier. We finally had to have an associate put my things at the cashier's counter, while we continued shopping. I'd lost count of the panties after the 21st pair. What in the world would I do with all those panties…okay, I know exactly what I want to do with them, but really there were probably closer to 30 pair there. One for each day of the month? I dreaded checking out. At least I had the rent money Jasper just plain refused to take set aside in my rainy day fund.

Of course Alice had pointed out that some of them were really just to wear on a date, when they'd be taken off shortly thereafter. I could think of a couple of pair that if he saw on me, we wouldn't make it out of the house.

The lingerie was a little more embarrassing. It's a good thing Alice is my best friend, or I would never have had the courage to ask what some of the items were. She laughed a few times, but always steered me toward things that complemented my body type; telling me that they would stop a man in his tracks.

There was one set that even looked a little more bridal than I would have liked, but she really seemed to love it so I'd ended up with it as well. Almost everything she picked out looked really good on me. The color complemented my complexion, and the styles were often geared more toward sexy and elegant, although I have to admit I did sneak several things in that were more risqué then I ever thought I'd be wearing.

I'd chosen several nighties and panty sets as well. I wanted to wear one to bed tonight, I just hoped my courage held. Alice said she'd call me to make sure, threatening to tell Jasper exactly what all we'd bought today if I didn't.

When we had all of our purchases paid for and bagged I felt like a kid at Christmas; with my bags and pretty things wrapped in tissue paper. I couldn't wait to get home and unpack it all. We'd put a babydoll nightie set on top so I could find it easily when I changed for bed tonight.

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