A|N: I guess my update days will be Monday :). Here it is, y'all, chapter four!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR THE SERIES!

Chapter 4: First Sight

*Three Days Later*

"Isabella! Get down here," Charlie yelled.

I sighed in annoyance and hopped out of my bed and rushed down the stairs. Charlie was standing at the foot of the stairs when I made it down and turned on his heel wordlessly and walked toward the kitchen. I knew by the grim expression that he wore that something major had happened.

I followed behind him slowly, my arms crossed over my chest, dreading the worst. I knew what this was about. I could tell the minute I sat down across from Dad and saw the smirk on his face. It was his "I just won something big!" smirk.

"I always told you that you were something special, Bella," he said, grinning full-on now. "She said it would take him a week, but he responded in three days and he said yes!"

I grimace. "He wants me?"

Charlie nodded his head enthusiastically. "Bella, yes, yes, he wants you! He had five other girls to pick and he chose you! Twenty thousand dollars, Bella, twenty fucking thousand!" he cheered.

"Dad, what all do you know about this man?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know much about him, Bella, just enough to know he's paying me good money and that you should be taken care of," he told me.

"I 'should' be taken care of?" I asked with a snort of disbelief. "How can you sit there and say that with that stupid, smug smile on your face? I've been with you for eighteen years, dad! How can you just give me up like that?"

"Bella, do you love us?" he asked me seriously. "Do you love your mother and me?"

I glared at him and said, "Yes! Of course I love the two of you. You two are my parents and without you two I would be lost."

"Then you realize why you have to do this," he replied.

"No, I don't realize why I have to do this!" I yelled. "Care to explain?"

"If we don't get that money, Bella," he paused for obvious dramatic effect. I rolled my eyes. "Then your mother and I will lose the house and then we'll be homeless. Are you prepared to live with that guilt?"

~MOB~

"So, how the hell are you a lawyer at twenty-two?"

I jumped onto the counter and crossed my right leg over my left and watched Edward with a raised eyebrow. After dinner the night before Edward went out and I went to bed. We were currently in the kitchen: he was making his coffee and I was just sitting around doing nothing.

Edward laughed and replied, "I was just a really smart kid. I graduated high school early and went to college; skipped a few grades."

"I'd do the math for that but I don't feel like it," I said. "That's cool, though, you being all smart and all."

"I was in high school when I was seven. I went to Seattle University when I was eleven, and I graduated from Seattle School of Law in January. I've been working at my dad's law firm for seven months now," he explained. "I'll be twenty-three this upcoming January."

"Um, wow, you freakin' boy genius," I said in disbelief. "You're incredible."

He shrugged. "Not really. I just liked school and always achieved to be ahead of everybody. My dad believed in perfection, so I gave it to him," Edward said.

"Wow," I said again. "What's that?"

My eyes zeroed in on the ring he was slipping onto his ring finger on his left hand and then on the diamond ring that he pulled out of his pocket. He grabbed my left hand and put it on my ring finger. "These," he began, "are our wedding rings. I'm pretty important around Seattle, Bella, and in order for this to work everyone is going to have to know."

I nodded. "Okay," I said. I frowned. "Why are you so important, Edward?"

"Fuck me if I know," he said with a shrug. "I'm a really young lawyer and my dad is a pretty well-known lawyer and he's helped a lot of people-celebrities, first class rich people and the like-win their cases and now the same is expected of me. People love to see you fall, Bella, so I get followed around. They're all waiting for me to screw up fall flat on my ass."

"That's a lot of pressure to put on a twenty-two year old man. How the hell do you deal with it?" I asked him.

"I told you my dad always wanted perfection, so I gave it to him – all the things he told me and all the things I did to give him that perfection helps me now. Negativity isn't my friend, Bella, and neither is failure. I will not be falling on my ass anytime soon – pressured or not."

"Well, with that kind of attitude…"

"Do you think I'm too cocky?" he asked me in amusement.

I shrugged. "A little but I guess a lot of confidence is good and if you're good at your job why not flaunt it, yeah?"

"Exactly," he said, nodding at me appreciatively. "My mother absolutely hates my attitude when I'm in my "work only" mode."

"I think we need to talk more about this 'what's mine is yours' business," I said, recalling his last words to me last night before he went to bed.

Edward raised an eyebrow at me in surprise and confusion and said, "What more is there to talk about? Do you not understand the meaning of those words?"

I glared at him. "Are being serious about the question or are you just trying to be an asshole?"

"Um, possibly both?" he said questionably, a smirk gracing his lips.

I rolled my eyes. "I understand the meaning behind the words, Edward, but I still need you to explain since I'm not really your wife. You said what's yours is mine which means I have the right to go around and say, "My refrigerator" or "My house" or "These are my cars," right?"

"Sure," Edward said with a shrug. "It's as much yours as it is mines since you're living here, too, and you are, technically, my wife."

"That's true," I agreed. "I was thinking maybe I'd get a job and…"

"Get a job for what?"

I rolled my eyes and answered, "Why else do people get jobs, Edward? I need the money."

"What part of 'what's mine is yours,' are you not understanding?" he asked, frustrated.

"Excuse me for not wanting to feel like a gold-digger," I snapped. "I'm not here for your money, Edward!"

"Technically you are," he snapped back. "Or was I just imagining putting money into your dad's account?"

My eyes widened at his words and filled with tears because that pissed me off and hurt. "Gee, thanks, Edward! Way to make me feel like a fuckin' prostitute! That's the real reason I'm here, isn't it? You just wanted a slut on hand 24/7."

"I told you my reasons last night," he growled out. "And if I wanted a 'slut on hand 24/7' or a prostitute I wouldn't have to pay for her and she definitely would not be you!"

We stood there glaring at each other for the longest – as if that was going to solve something. It apparently was as neither one of us moved or stopped glaring until Edward huffed and rolled my eyes. I bit my lip to keep myself from smiling in victory.

"How do you feel about the paparazzi?"

"I think their annoying, bothersome assholes that need to find a different day job because no one likes them."

"Good. I hope you don't mind having your picture taken," he said.

"I can deal with it, why?"

"Because when I get home we're going out. I have a dinner with a business partner and client and I told him that I would be bringing my wife," he told me.

"Where will we be eating?" I asked him.

"La Italiana," he said.

"I don't have anything to wear to that place!" I cried.

"Alice and Rosalie are coming over. They will take you shopping," he said. He put his jacket on and grabbed his cup of coffee and headed for the garage. "I'll be off work at eight-thirty. We'll need to leave by nine for nine-thirty reservations. Here's my credit card – five thousand dollars is your limit."

"Okay," I said, nodding my head furiously and took the card from his hand. I wondered if he could tell that I was nervous. This would be my first task as his wife.

"Calm down, Bella, you have nothing to be nervous about." He knew. He sat in the car but came back up as the garage door began to open. "One last thing: If a woman named Esme, or a man named Carlisle, calls, answer the phone and tell them I am not home and then hang up."

"That's kind of rude," I said.

"Yea." He nodded his head and got back in the car. The window rolled down. "But if you stay on the phone they'll just yell and I rather be the one to tell them."

He pulled out of the garage and I followed. "Tell them what?" I yelled out to him.

"Bella," he called back to me with a laugh, "my parents have no idea I'm seeing someone, let alone married."

He sped down the driveway then while I stayed frozen where I was.

~MOB~

The front door rang an hour after Edward's departure and I took a big sip of my water to calm my nerves before I walked slowly toward the door. I had already met Rosalie, I wasn't nervous about her, but I had never met his sister, Alice, before.

I opened the door and was greeted by Rosalie's bright white smile. Her long, blonde locks were in curls and she was wearing a purple summer dress with black sandals. Next to her was a shorter girl, maybe 4'11, her hair was black and spiky and she wore a pink dress with black wedge heels.

"Hi…" I trailed off and my smile faltered as the short girl, who I assumed to be Alice, scowled at me and walked past me without so much as a glance or a word. "…What did I do?" I asked Rosalie in surprise.

Rosalie shrugged. "Alice just doesn't like new people all that much and she doesn't want to see her older brother get hurt. She'll come around, though, so don't worry about it," she replied.

"Okay," I said with a nod. "Wait, how is this going to work? All my things are in a separate room and Edward said she doesn't know…"

"We'll just tell her your things are in a different room until you and Edward both decide on what you will and won't keep," Rosalie said.

I nodded and moved up against the door so she could come inside. Locking the door behind me I followed her nervously to the kitchen. I couldn't, not for the life of me, understand why Alice disliked me so much already, when I had never even met her until now, and according to Edward she doesn't even know of our arrangement so there was no way she could be upset over that.

"Edward said you don't have nice things," Alice said as soon as we walked into the kitchen.

"Alice!" Rosalie yelled in surprise. "He did not say that!" She turned to look at me. "Bella, he didn't say that."

I shrugged and looked down. "I mean, compared to what he's used to I know I don't have anything 'nice,'" I said.

"Well, he didn't exactly say your things weren't nice, just that you needed something more for La Italiana," Alice amended. "He said you looked nice last night and he wants to see you wearing something like that tonight. So, what did you wear?"

"A dark blue dress with a black belt and some black heels," I answered. "I curled my hair too."

"She looked gorgeous," Rosalie told her.

I smiled gratefully at her and sighed heavily when the scowl still hadn't left Alice's face. "Can you take me to see it?" she asked.

I nodded and we headed up the stairs and into my room, where her scowl deepened and I stepped behind Rosalie slightly. "Um, my outfit is over there and the rest of my clothes are in that closet," I told her.

"You two have separate rooms," she said casually. "Who asked for that?"

"It's just until we figure out how much of our own stuff we'll be keeping," I explained, surprising myself at how easily the lie fell from my lips. I was usually such a bad liar.

"Mmmhmm," she said as she walked over to my closet door and opened it. "Are those your only heels?"

"They are," I confirmed.

"So, we're going to have to get a lot of new things for you," she began, "if you're going to be going on business dates and events with Edward. Do you have money for that?"

I pulled out the credit card Edward had given me. "Edward gave me a credit card for that," I told her.

"Of course he did," she muttered. Alice closed my closet door back and turned to face Rosalie and me. "We should get going then. It could possibly take us all day to get finished."

"Okay," I said. "Just let me lock up the house and I'll meet you two at the car."

They both nodded and the three of us made our way downstairs. They walked slowly to the front door and I moved just as slowly into the living. There I found the house phone and Edward's cell phone number that he left for me.

"She hates me," I said in way of greeting as soon as he answered the phone.

"Who hates you?"

"Alice, Edward! Your sister hates me!" I screeched. "I don't know why but she hates me."

"Why would she hate you?" he asked. "You two have never even met before."

I rolled my eyes. "Thank you, Captain Obvious!"

He chuckled. "Look, Alice doesn't like new people, Bella. You just have to let her warm up to you and after that, if she's still a bitch, I'll talk to her for you. How does that sound?" he asked.

I sighed and said, "I'm sorry for bothering you at work. I'm supposed to be handling my problems on my way, yet I'm calling you and asking for help. Thanks for listening, though."

"Hello, Edward, are you busy?" a female voice, with what I assumed to be a Russian accent, asked.

"No, I'm about to end this call right now," Edward said, though it sounded like he moved the phone away from his mouth for a minute. "I'll see later tonight, Bella, all right? Just give Alice a chance to warm up to you and she'll come around."

I hung the phone up a few seconds after he hung up on me and headed for the front door. After locking it I made my way to Rosalie's Escalade.

"What took you so long?" Alice asked when I hopped into the back.

"Edward called," I answered with far more venom than I meant to. "He just wanted to see if you girls had arrived yet and I told him yes and that we were leaving now."

"Oh, how nice of him to check in," she said snarkishly.

I rolled my eyes and caught Rosalie doing the same thing. "And we're off to the races," Rosalie muttered.

~MOB~

"Those are really cute shoes!" I exclaimed as we walked past the third shoe store. "I want those!"

We decided to go to a mall that was about thirty minutes away called Perimeter, and inside Perimeter were stores that I was never even able to dream about because they were so expensive. We stopped at three different stores so far and I bought myself three dresses from each. The last two shoe stores we walked past hadn't caught my eye.

"Finally," Rosalie said with a playful smile. "Let's go get them!"

The shoes were a cute pair of black, 5-inch ankle boots with a grosgrain bow. "They're one hundred dollars," Alice said casually; however, it was a little too casual for my liking.

"I know, but I figured since Edward gave me a five thousand dollar limit and we're nowhere near reaching that that I could get these. I'll just make sure the other shoes I get aren't as expensive." I shrugged and began looking for the shoes in my size.

"What size are you?" Rosalie asked as she squatted down next to me.

"I wear a 9," I told her.

"You've already bought nine dresses that were a hundred dollars each and now you're going to buy a hundred dollars shoes. You still plan on getting more shoes even after all of that?" Alice asked me in disbelief.

"Alice, I'm not sure why you're complaining. Bella hardly spent anything if we compare it to the way you shop," Rosalie snapped.

"I was only going to get two more pairs, Alice, and I was going to make sure they weren't super expensive," I assured her. "And I have a five thousand dollar limit. I can still buy a lot of things before I have to worry about the prices."

"Here they are!" Rosalie announced, handing me the shoes I wanted in my size.

"Awesome," I said excitedly. "I've had so much fun today! You girls were so much help, too. I never would have gotten anything if you two hadn't of come."

"You can thank me by making sure you put everything you got to good use," Rosalie said seriously.

I nodded and told her very seriously, "Of course. I'll knock everyone dead with my little black dress while taking their eyes out wearing my five inch heels."

Rosalie threw her head back, laughed, and said, "That's the spirit!"

I grinned at her before we both walked away to do some shopping on our own while Alice sat in a chair at the front of the store sulking. I sighed and wondered why she hated me so much already, but I didn't dwell on it. I was here to have fun and shop and that's what I did.

"Did you ladies find everything you were looking for?" the pretty cashier asked when Rosalie and I made our way to the counter.

"I did, thanks," Rosalie said.

I nodded. "I did, too. I had trouble picking between blue and red so I got them both," I told Rosalie.

They were five inch Michael Antonio heels and they were so cute that I had to get them both! And they were only fifty dollars, so I figured that was fine, but Alice didn't look too happy with the price tags on those, either. It probably didn't help that I found another pair of one hundred and seventy-nine dollars nude heels and a thirty-nine dollar pair of black wedges.

I shrugged at her half-heartedly as I handed over Edward's card. I had never been able to spend money on myself like this on any pair of shoes I wanted, so now that I had the chance I wasn't going to hold back, but I also wasn't going to spend all of Edward's money. I was still well in my shopping range and had a while to go before I reached it or surpassed it.

"Nice," Rosalie said, nodding her head approvingly at my selections.

"Thanks," I said.

"Do you know what you're going to wear?"

"Nope, but I do know how I'm going to do my hair," I said.

"I love the fact that you hair stops at your butt," Rosalie said with a wistful sigh. "You can do so much with it."

I rolled my eyes. "Your hair stops at your lower back, Rosalie, you can do a lot with yours, too," I said.

"We're friends now, Bella, you can call me Rose," she said. "And that's true. What are you doing with your hair?"

"Have a good day," the cashier said as we began to walk away with our purchases.

"Thanks, you too!" I called back to her before we walked out the store. "I was thinking big curls."

"Edward likes curls," Alice said randomly.

I looked over at her in surprise, as it was her first non spiteful comment she'd said all day. "Really? That's great," I said. "That'll work perfectly, then."

"My friend Zafrina works at the salon that's at the end of the mall. We can go to her if you want," Rosalie offered.

I nodded. "Does she take walk-ins?" I asked.

Rosalie nodded her head and began walking toward the end of the mall. "She does. She just texted me back and said she's open and she's now holding the spot for us."

"Thank goodness. It would have taken me forever to do my own hair the way I'm seeing it in my head," I said.

"So, what exactly do you want me to do to your hair today?" Zafrina asked me after I sat down in her chair. She placed a cover-up on me and as I stared at the pictures in the book she handed me.

"I want the really big, curly hair without looking like I walked straight out of the eighties," I said and she nodded her head in understanding. "Also, a wash, conditioner, and a trim would be nice. I haven't had a trim in a while and I don't want my ends to start splitting."

Zafrina nodded. "I can do that for you, Sugar. You're in luck, too. We just got some new strawberry scented shampoo and conditioner. Your hair already smells like that's what you use," she said.

"It is," I said with a smile.

"All right, let's get started then. Rosalie, Maggie and Siobhan are open over there if you two lovely ladies would like something done, too," Zafrina said to Rosalie.

"We'll do that, thanks." Rosalie smiled at the both of us before walking away, Alice behind her.

"After this we should get our nails and toes done," I heard Alice say.

I smiled at the thought and closed my eyes when Zafrina cut on the water.

~MOB~

Our hands were full with shopping bags, our hair was done nice and neat, and our nails and toes had been manicured and looked beautiful if I did say so myself, and it was a nice warm day outside: not too hot, but just hot enough to let us now that summer was not over just yet.

Alice had even stopped being snarky by the time we decided to go and get ice cream. We stopped at Starbucks on our way back home and I felt truly happy for the first time since being here.

"Isabella Cullen," the lady called, announcing that my White Chocolate Mocha was ready.

"Are we going back to the house after this or are doing something else?" Rose asked before I walked away.

I shrugged and looked toward Alice who did the same. "I'm actually pretty tired," she said. "So, let's just call it a day."

Rosalie and I nodded before I walked away to get my coffee, only to have someone step in front of me. The guy was taller than me, maybe 5'7, and he was well-built and under his baseball cap I could see he was a dirty blonde with green eyes and a cute baby face. A name tag on his shirt read "Mike".

"Cullen as in Esme and Carlisle Cullen, as in Edward Cullen, right?" he asked me.

I frowned at him and said, "Yes. Are you two friends? Do you know the family well?"

Mike laughed. "Something like that, toots. I saw you with your friends, you girls look gorgeous today."

"Um, thanks, Mike," I said, smiling awkwardly.

"You know my name, it's only fair that I know yours, toots." He grinned at me. I was under the impression that this guy thought he was cuter than he actually was and that he was "cool" or something with the whole calling me toots thing.

"Isabel Curly Fry," I said.

He frowned at me for a moment before a nervous chuckle escape his mouth. A smile of embarrassment graced his lips and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Right, sorry, you're Isabella Cullen."

"I am," I confirmed, side stepping him and walked up to the counter to grab my coffee. When I turned back around he was there in front of me again, closer than I liked. I jumped slightly in surprise before taking a step back. "Is there something that you wanted, Mike?"

"You said that your last name was Cullen like the well-known Cullen family. Are you by any chance related to them?" he asked me.

"Something like that," I said and tried to step around him again but he moved with me. This went on for a good minute of two before I huffed in annoyance and glared at him. "What do you want from me?"

"How are you related to them?" he asked me.

"Does that really matter?" I asked him.

"Yes."

"We're married."

His eyes widened in surprise. "M – Married? You're married to Edward Cullen?"

"I am," I told him. I rolled my eyes when he immediately looked down at my ring finger. "Is that all you wanted?"

Before he could answer Rosalie and Alice suddenly appeared by his side, both glaring menacingly, and he shrienked back in fear. He obviously realized these were two girls that he didn't want to mess with. "Yes, Mrs. Cullen, that was all. Rosalie, Alice," he said and tipped his hat them before scurrying away.

"He said he didn't know any of you," I said, confused.

"Not personally," Alice replied. "He works for Ok! Magazine. What all did you tell him?"

I frowned. "Why would Ok! Magazine be trying to get information out of me about my husband? I told him that Edward and I are married. He wanted to know how I was related to the Cullen's."

"That was all you told him? No other personal things were said after that?" Rosalie asked me, concerned.

"No, I promise," I said. "Why are two so concerned?"

"Edward's got a big reputation to protect as I'm sure you know," Alice said. I nodded. "Since he's constantly helping the rich and famous and all these big companies, they're forever trying to get dirt on him. They're trying to prove that he doesn't deserve all the praise he gets as a lawyer."

"I can't believe he has to live with that," I said in disbelief. "That's the worst thing ever."

"Apparently, you get used to it," Alice said. She laughed at the look on my face. "I remember I felt the same way when he told me that but it is true. You do get used to it eventually, though, from what I can see. Edward seems to be doing better since when it first started happening."

"He has been," I confirmed, though I had no idea if what I was saying was actually true or not.

The rest of the ride home was silent save for the music playing on the radio and I was happy to see that this silence wasn't awkward this time.

~MOB~

"I'm not sure about this dress," I said for what felt like the millionth time. "My boobs are way too big for this. Edward and I are going somewhere fancy; I do not want to look like a whore!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "You look gorgeous, Bella, now deal with it! So, your boobs are bigger than the skinny bimbo that was promoting that dress and you have more curves than she sees while driving, who cares! You look amazing; fancy enough to go to a fancy restaurant."

"My parents couldn't afford the pay at my school anymore and look at what happened! I got fat," I said with a sigh. "My dad loved me, I know, but he started saying I needed to work on my weight and maybe I do…"

"Bella, you stopped dancing and doing gymnastics and dropped your diet. Do you know what that did to you?" she asked me. I shook my head. "It gave you the body of a woman instead of a teenage boy. You have a Christina Hendricks' body, Bella, and that's wonderful. You should embrace it."

I sighed and looked at myself in the full-length mirror again. The light blue bondage dress stopped just a few inches above my knees and hugged my curves nicely. I did like the way I looked, but my insecurities were messing with my head and made me doubtful of my appearance. I abruptly stood up taller and squared my shoulders and held my head up high.

I looked beautiful and I was going to be the perfect wife today.

Rosalie grinned from behind me at my sudden mind change. "That's my girl. Now, put on your shoes. Edward just texted me and said he's downstairs waiting," she informed me.

I nodded and slipped on my ankle boots that I bought earlier and looked at myself in the mirror one more time. My hair was in big curls, my make up was done by Rosalie, and my shoes and my dress looked good. I looked good.

"You'll knock 'em dead," Rosalie said.

I grabbed my black clutch and stuck the little bit of money I had with me inside along with my lip gloss and mascara and a few other things before nodding my head. "I'm ready to go," I announced.

"Good."

We had gotten to the third step at the bottom when I stopped suddenly and turned to Rosalie, grabbing onto the banister to stop myself from falling. "I can't do this. I already know I can't. I'm going to fuck this up for him and…"

"I haven't been that mean to you to the point you have to make excuses to back out," Edward said from behind me.

I froze and then narrowed my eyes at Rosalie when she smirked at me. Rolling my eyes I turned to face Edward and everything I was going to say left me. I'd seen him in dress clothes on his way to work, but I'd never actually seen him in a suit. I know it's only been two days since I've been here, but still… I've no idea what kind of suit it was, but it was black and it fit him perfectly and with his hand in his right pocket he looked like a model from a GQ Magazine.

I looked back up and blushed when I met Edward's eyes as his smirk let on that I was caught ogling. Clearing my throat, I said, "No! I didn't mean for it to sound like that, I just meant… Never mind, we have nine-thirty reservations, are you ready to go?"

Edward nodded his head and walked up the two steps under me and put his hand out for me to take. "I am. Are you ready to go?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and nodded and took his hand and he helped me down the few remaining stairs. We stood there for a moment and after things became awkward I looked up at him to see him glaring and I turned my head to see Rosalie glaring back. "Are you two all right?" I asked them, staring between the two of them in confusion.

"Of course," Rosalie said. "Edward and I were just having a silent conversation. You'll get used to it."

"Bella, you look beautiful," Edward murmured in my ear.

I looked back over at him in surprise and self-consciously folded my arms lightly across my waist. "Um, thanks. We should go if we don't want to be late," I said. He nodded and began walked toward the front door. I frowned in confusion. "We're not taking the garage?"

He shook his head and turned to look back at me. "We're taking my Ashton Martin which is always parked in the front, and the paparazzi are out back waiting for us to leave, so we'd never get out of here if we went that way," he explained.

"Oh, okay," I said and followed. "Bye, Rosalie, thanks for today!"

"You're welcome, Bella," she said with a laugh. "I want to hear all about it tomorrow, though! I hear you're eating dinner with the snobbish people."

I groaned playfully. "No, save me Rose, save me…!" I yelled but Edward shut the door before she could respond. I laughed at his annoyed face. "I'm sorry…"

"You're not," he said seriously. "But that is okay. I'm glad you feel comfortable enough here to be yourself."

I smiled shyly at him, but my response that I had ready for him was cut off when we walked down to the end of the drive way and I saw the Ashton Martin he said we were taking. "My, God, Edward, I've only seen these in magazines! You actually have one," I said in awed surprised. "She's a beauty."

"What makes you think she's a girl?" Edward asked as he opened the passenger side door for me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed. If you like to ride guys, Edward, then that's…"

"Not even funny," he snapped before shutting the door for me.

I laughed the entire time he walked around the car and somehow managed to stop when the driver side door opened. "I'm sorry, but you know that was funny, Edward," I said as way of an apology.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So, how'd your day go?" He pulled out of the driveway and began to take off down the road.

"Your driving is scaring me," I said seriously. The needle move down to seventy and I calmed slightly. "My day went good. Alice likes me now and apparently we're going to be in Ok! Magazine tomorrow. Some guy named Mike heard my name get called at Starbucks and he wouldn't leave me alone until I told him we were married and … Why the hell don't your parents know?"

He shrugged and said, "I was going to tell them before anyone was able to get to you, but I was never able to get around to it so I didn't. You told them that we were married and…?"

"Are they going to be pissed?" I asked him. "And I got some dresses and shoes and got my hair done and my nails and my toes, but I didn't spend all of your money. I didn't even reach the budget you gave me, not that Alice would have let me get that far."

"Probably, but if I tell her about it first that'll calm her down somewhat," he answered. "Why wouldn't she have let you reach your budget?"

"Because she had a problem with me spending your money, that's why."

Edward didn't say anything after that and I turned to look out the window when it became obvious our talk was over.

"I'm not sure this is the right dress," I said to Edward when we pulled up to the restaurant, just a few cars behind from having to get out to get the car parked. There were paparazzi everywhere and I was confused as to why but I didn't question it. "Do I look like a bimbo to you?"

"If you look like a bimbo then all the other women here look like bimbos, too."

I scowled at him and said, "That doesn't make me feel better."

"You don't look like a bimbo, Bella," he assured me. "You look nice and fitting for the restaurant."

"So when we go in there you're not going to be ashamed of me? You're not going to regret buying me as your full-time prostitute?" Edward glared at me for the word I used and I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry; do you not like that word? Edward, when we go in there you're not going to regret buying me as your full-time escort, are you?"

"With your smart ass mouth I might," he snapped. "Get out the car and pretend to love me."

I laughed. "You're asking a lot of me," I hissed. My door opened and I was all smiles. "Thank you, sir," I said to the gentleman who opened the door for me.

"You're welcome, Mrs. Cullen," he replied with a soft smile.

I stared at him in surprise but before I could ask him how he knew who I was, Edward was hooking his arm with mine and lacing his fingers through mine. He squeezed my fingers softly when I froze at the bright flashes and yelling for a minute before loosening his grip and we headed inside, following behind everyone else.

"How'd he know who I was?" I asked Edward quietly.

"I told him I was bringing my wife for dinner. That was Sam; my personal valet," Edward told me.

"I didn't know people had personal valets."

He shrugged and said, "Usually not, but I've known him for a while – he's the only one I trust with my car and with my things that I leave inside my car."

"Well, I'm glad you can trust somebody here. I'd hate to leave my car with just anybody and feel like I can't trust them," I said.

"Edward! Edward, who's the lady?" someone yelled out.

"Are you two married? I don't think anyone missed the rock on her hand!" some lady called out.

"What's your name, girl?" some guy asked me.

"Isabella Cullen!" a familiar voice called out.

"That Mike?" Edward asked me, annoyance clear in his voice, when he looked over to my right and saw Mike standing there.

"That Mike," I confirmed.

"They're married! She told me so today at Starbucks!" he yelled, immediately getting the attention of all the people around him.

Edward and I quickly made our way inside with the other people I didn't recognize but knew they were being bothered just like us.

"La Italiana is a play house, too?" I asked in surprise as we made our way up some stairs and into a booth overlooking multiple tables and a large stage.

Edward nodded his head. "It is. This is the reason I chose it actually. My potential clients that we're meeting with today love the theater and opera. I figured I'd use that to my advantage," he explained.

"That makes sense," I said. A waiter that was already waiting for us inside smiled at me and pulled out a chair for me at the right end of the table, closer to the stage. I took my seat and smiled up at him and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Cullen," he said. "Good evening, Mr. Cullen, how are you tonight?"

"I'm fine, Embry, thanks," Edward answered.

"Are you ready to order your drinks or will you be waiting for the rest of the party?" Embry asked.

"We can order now," Edward answered. "I'll take a glass of Chardonnay and Bella here will take a Coke."

Embry nodded at Edward's words and wrote them down on his notepad but he looked to me for confirmation. I smiled. "A Coke sounds good, thank you."

He smiled back at me and giggled when he walked out as I did not miss the red hue his dark cheeks took on.

"I want what you're drinking," I told Edward.

"I don't condone underage drinking."

"We're in an Italian restaurant, Edward. The legal drinking age here is 16," I said. "I just want one glass! Please?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Are you really trying to use puppy dog eyes on me, Bella?"

"Depends on if it is working," I said casually with a shrug.

"It isn't."

"Well, then, I'll beg you for it! I just want a glass," I told him.

"This is the sign of a future alcoholic," Edward told me.

I rolled my eyes. "I like it, Edward, but I am not going to become an alcoholic. I can't become an alcoholic because you won't let me drink any alcohol."

"You can have some of mine."

"I can only have some?" I asked teasingly.

Edward rolled his eyes at me again but didn't respond as the door to the room was opened again and in came Embry with our drinks and four more people. The two gentlemen that entered the room looked to be in their forties and they were both wearing blue suits. One of the men had a beautiful brunette with blue streaks on his arm that looked to be about my age. She wore a short black dress that left little to the imagination with blue flats that matched the streaks in her hair.

The other gentleman had a baby-faced blonde on his arm. She wore a floor-length red dress with a slit on the right side alone with a pair of to die for red pumps. If I had to guess I would she was the same age as him and the matching rings on their fingers were any indication.

Edward stood up and gave a firm handshake to each of the men. "Mr. Lahote, Mr. Rivera, it's nice to see you," he said.

The older man with the young woman rolled his eyes and patted Edward on the back with a grin. "Please, Edward, we've known each other for the longest and we're all adults here. There's no need for titles. I prefer Paul, you know that," he said. He looked over at me and grinned. "This must be the wife we've heard so much about? You sure didn't do her justice, son. I'm Paul Lahote, you must be Mrs. Cullen."

I grinned back, feeling comfortable with this man already, and shook his hand. "Isabella Cullen, it's nice to meet you Mr.…"

"The same thing I said to Edward goes to you, young lady," he said sternly but playfully.

"It's nice to meet you Paul," I said.

He grinned at me and took a seat at the left end of the table.

"Might as well call me Sam," Mr. Rivera said. "Mrs. Cullen, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Sam," I said. "And, it's Bella to the both of you." Paul and Sam grinned at me.

Sam sat down a seat away from Edward and his wife sat next to him. "This is my wife Emily," he introduced.

"And this is Rachel," Paul said.

"Hello," everyone said at the same time.

"Your Coke, Mrs. Cullen," Embry said as he finally got around to giving Edward and me our drinks.

"Oh, thank you Embry," I said.

He nodded his head and gave Edward his wine before taking everyone else's drink orders and leaving. When the food arrived along with another couple by the name of James Hunter, Edward's partner, and Victoria Jones the meeting went on smoothly: the food was delicious, I got a glass of wine, and the play was amazing. While the men talked business we girls sat on a couch that was placed against the wall and talked.

I found myself not liking Victoria because she was too stuck-up and seemed to think she was better than the rest of us and I wondered if the other two girls felt the same way.

"So, I have to use the ladies room," I said quietly as I stood up.

"Oh! I'm glad you said something. I wasn't sure if we were allowed to leave or something," Rachel said and jumped up as well.

Emily rolled her eyes. "You'll get used to these things and learn the ropes," she explained. "I've been doing this for about fifteen years now."

"Wow, that's a long time. Have you two been married long?" I asked her.

"Nine of those fifteen years," she said, smiling proudly. You could see the love and adoration she had for her husband in her eyes and in that smile.

"That's great. I'm very happy for you, but I really have to go to the ladies room," I said, earning a laugh from her and Rachel.

Walking past the men I put a hand on Edward's shoulder and squeezed it lightly to silently let him know I'd be back and walked out the booth with Rachel. "So, do you know where the bathroom is?"

Rachel laughed. "I have no idea! I was hoping you knew!" she said.

I chuckled and we began wondering around. "I don't mean to be rude, but how did you and Paul meet?" I asked her.

Rachel rolled her eyes and then shook her head. "That isn't rude at all! At first it bothered me when people asked me that question because I knew they were talking about our age difference, but I got used to it. Paul is the CEO of Mason Enterprise. I don't really know what he does, but my dad works for his company and he took me alone with him to their Christmas party two years ago and we met and we've been together ever since," she told me.

"Two years ago?" I said in surprise. "You must be older than I assumed."

She laughed and nodded her head. "I get that a lot. I'm twenty-four," she told me.

"Wow. I was thinking that you were eighteen like me," I said.

"You're eighteen?" she looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"It was one glass!"

"I wasn't going to tell!" she said, laughing at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll be nineteen next month on the thirteenth," I said.

"Well, then, we'll definitely have to get together for your birthday," she said just as we found the restroom.

I nodded my head and readily agreed. I actually liked Rachel and Emily. They both reminded me of my best friend Leah from back in Forks in their own ways. After doing what we had to do in the restrooms Rachel and I made our way back to our booth where we ate desert and then sat around for another thirty minutes before Paul declared loudly:

"Well, I think you just found yourself two new clients, Edward!"

"That is great, Paul. I'm glad you're choosing to work with us instead of someone else," he said, shaking Paul's hand.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Hush, boy, you knew I was coming here all along."

Edward laughed and them two of them talked quietly together while James and Sam talked.

"Well, Emily and I should go relieve the babysitter of babysitting duties. Lord knows the poor girl is probably drowning in their badness," Sam said.

Emily stood up from the couch and gave Rachel and I each a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Now, girls, remember what I said: just because I'm older than the both of you doesn't mean I'm not young enough to party. I better get an invite, Isabella," she said sternly with a hint of playfulness in her smirk.

I laughed. "I promise you'll be the first to get the invitation," I told her.

"Tell Mattie and Amelia I said hello," Rachel said.

She nodded her head and walked out the room, hand-in-hand, with her husband. I laughed softly as I caught site of her swinging their hands wildly back and forth before the door closed. "Victoria, it was nice meeting you," I said and smiled awkwardly at her.

"Right," she said with an eye roll. "Edward, it was nice seeing you again but I'm afraid we must be going now."

Edward nodded his head. "Of course, thanks for joining us, Victoria."

"Edward," James said, sticking his arm out.

They shook his hands and promised to see each other tomorrow but I didn't miss the tension or the coolness between the two of them. "Isabella," he said. He took my hand and kissed it before smirking at me. "It was nice to meet you. I never thought I'd actually see the day Edward would settle down and get married – and to such a beautiful girl!" He clapped his hands together before putting an arm around Victoria's waist. "Well, we must be going. I'll see you all sometime soon."

They walked out of the room and as soon as the door was closed Paul said, "I can't stand him! Or his girlfriend, either."

Edward shook his head. "I get that bad feeling about him, too, but Dad liked him and there isn't much I can do about him."

"Like hell you can't," Paul muttered, helping Rachel put on her coat. "It's your firm now, Edward. You can do whatever in the hell you please as long as it isn't illegal." Everyone laughed but I couldn't help but again notice the tension in Edward's laugh. "Goodbye now, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen.

"Bye," I said softly just before the door clicked behind them.

Edward and I were the last two remaining in the room. No longer having to keep up the pretense of the perfect wife, I took my heels off and sat down on the table that had been cleared long ago. "I think tonight was successful, don't you?"

He pushed himself off against the wall he was leaning against and came over and sat by me on the table. "It did go well. Paul said he was going to pick me anyways, but I don't think that's true. The other company was offering a lot more than what I was offering him. I think he liked you – maybe a little too much – and that's what made him say yes," he explained.

I rolled my eyes and snorted in disbelief, and said, "Right. Edward, I heard you over there. You were doing really well. You were great. I'm thinking you dazzled Sam just a little bit, too."

"Nope, it was all you, so thanks for coming. I may have to take you with me just to compliment the deal each time," he said.

I grinned and wagged my eyebrows at him. "So, you get to be Jay-Z and I get to be your super hot, super curvy Beyonce? I'm upgrading you already, Edward?" I asked him playfully. He glared at me and I laughed and backtracked with, "Okay, so maybe not Jay-Z because he isn't the sexiest looking guy ever but you get what I mean. Do you know what my mother always told me to do if I and someone else do something good with or for each other?"

"What?"

I jumped up from the table and stood in front of him, spreading my arms wide, and smirking at him as I replied, "Give hugs."

"I don't hug."

"Sure you do, Edward, because you're going to hug me right now. Live a little, man; we're celebrating our first accomplishment and our first day without any kind of arguing," I said and walked closer to him to pull him into a hug.

"Bella, I don't like to hug, dammit!" he said and moved out of the way before jumping down from the table. I snorted as he walked around the table. "If you want to touch me all you have to do is ask."

I rolled my eyes and let out a huff of annoyance. "First you're convinced I want to see you naked and now you think I just want to touch you for the hell of it? Edward, puh-leaz, get over yourself; I'm a hugger and I just happen to have to hug you right now for what we did tonight."

"How about we do an air hug?" he asked me. "I can do those."

"Fear of commitment so much so that you have to buy a wife and fear of hugging where you'd rather do an air hug," I said, tapping two of my fingers as I named off the things I knew about Edward so far. "Is there anything else you would like me to add to my 'Things that make Edward ridiculous' list while I'm thinking about it?"

"I am not ridiculous!" he hissed. "Nor am I afraid of hugs!"

"Well, you sure could have fooled me," I said with a huff.

Edward glared at me before rolling his eyes in annoyance and growled out, "Fine, come over here and I'll give you a hug."

"Why do I have to come to you?"

"Do you want the hug or not?"

I snickered and walked over to him. It was a tight squeeze as he was on the side closest to the wall so I couldn't figure out how this would work but I didn't have to. Edward grabbed both of my wrists in his left hand and held them above my head and pushed on my hip with his left, sending me into the wall.

"Edward! I just wanted a hug," I said, laughing at the glare on his face.

"I'm not hugging you," he hissed out.

"Do you hug your mother?" I asked.

"Of course, but she's my mother," he said.

"Well, I'm your new best friend. You should be able to hug me," I said, "especially if we're going to be together all the time now."

Edward didn't say anything for a minute. He just looked down and backed away. The moment he did go to open his mouth, though, nothing came out. I looked down to follow his line of sight and saw that my breasts were directly in his view.

I blushed and felt the heat stretch on from my cheeks to my chest and that was when Edward's eyes came back up to meet mine, albeit slowly. My breath hitched when he bent over slightly and leaned in toward me. He paused just mere inches from my face, his questioning eyes burning into mine - he wanted permission to kiss me. I nodded my head.

"Say it," he demanded. "Out loud."

"Yes," I whispered.

His lips were on mine suddenly and my eyes closed automatically. Edward's right arm circled around me and his fingers dug into my hip as he pulled me closer to him. I arched my back on reflex, pushing my breast further into his chest.

"Huh," I gasped, arching my back even further when Edward's lips left mine only to find the left side of my neck. He kissed the flesh located just below my ear before kissing downward until he met shoulder, only to repeat the circuit again. "Kiss me again, please," I begged between heavy breathing and gasps.

His lips were on mine again instantly and I moaned as his tongue entered my mouth and marveled at how they seemed to dance; they were so familiar with each other already it was almost ridiculous. It also surprised me that Edward seemed to be enjoying himself, because I'd never kissed a man in my life. I mean, there was Jacob but that was only a chaste kiss and I never even thought about French kissing him. We were also only fourteen, for heaven sakes! He wasn't a man yet.

Edward moved away from my mouth and went for my neck again when it became too much for me and I needed to breath. I gasped heavily and repeatedly, trying to catch my breath, but Edward wasn't helping me catch it as his lips went from my neck, to my shoulder, and on my left breast, moving my strap down my shoulder slowly.

"I'm just going to – Oh, my God! I am so sorry!"

Edward and I froze momentarily before he straightened up and moved enough to the side for me to catch a glimpse of Embry before he slammed the door shut.

I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor and refused to look at Edward until my breathing was back to normal. I would have waited until my lips weren't as red and swollen as I was sure they were, but I knew that would have taken a while.

Edward had is forehead pressed against the wall and his hands on the back of his neck when I looked over at him a few minutes after my breathing calmed. His eyes were closed and he was still breathing heavy and I noted, with confusion, that he was suddenly very, very angry.

"Edward, what's wrong…"

"I'll meet you out front," he snapped at me before storming out of the room, slamming the door shut roughly behind me.

I sat there for a moment in shock before bursting out in tears. I rolled my eyes at myself and tried to stop the tears from falling but nothing I did would work. "Stop crying, you big baby!" I chastised myself. "You don't even know why you're crying, so stop it!"

The tears came faster and harder then as I lied to myself. Of course I knew what was wrong with me! I was embarrassingly aroused and had just been seen dry humping in a booth at a restaurant and then shot down, too! I was mortified, but there was no way I was going to admit this out loud.

It took me five minutes to stop crying and another two to fix my makeup and when I looked at the clock I realized it was eleven forty-two and figured Edward would probably want to get home now so he could do whatever he had to do before work tomorrow.

I stood up from the table and began putting my things in my clutch when the door opened.

"Mrs. Cullen, may I come in?"

I looked over at the door to see a very nervous Embry sticking his head through the door. I nodded my head and said, "Sure, come on in, Embry."

I sat back down in one of the chairs when I realized I hadn't put my shoes on and looked at him expectantly.

"I'm really sorry about…"

"Oh! Embry, that's okay! It was an accident," I said, waving him off.

"It was, but I am still sorry about it," he said softly. "Are you okay?"

I sniffled and nodded my head before standing up after zipping up my boots. "I'm fine, Embry, thanks," I said. "Did anyone leave you a tip?"

Embry nodded and a huge grin took over his face. "Each of you tipped me one hundred dollars," he said.

I laughed in surprise. "Wow. That's an amazing tip," I said. "Thanks for tonight, Embry; you were literally the best server I've ever had." I slipped him an extra twenty because it was the highest I could afford to give him.

"Thanks, Mrs. Cullen," he said excitingly.

"You're welcome, Embry, and it's Bella," I said before leaving him to put the chairs on top of the table.

When I got outside I was expecting to have to go wandering around the parking lot to find Edward, but I was surprised to see him standing a little ways away from the door on my left, a beer in his hand.

"Took you long enough," he hissed when I walked over to him.

"I – I'm sorry," I stuttered out, surprised by his sudden hostility when the night had been going so well. "I got sidetracked and then I started talking to Embry. He's a really sweet guy. If I ever come back here I'll have to request him personally. Emily wants to take me to dinner for my birthday so maybe I'll invite him there…"

"I want you to stay away from him," Edward snapped and began walking away.

"You want me to stay away from Embry? Why?" I asked him and ran to keep up with him.

"Because Embry isn't that nice of a guy, and I fucking said so!" he yelled

I bit my tongue to keep from telling him that he couldn't tell me what to do and that he wasn't my father because he was already in a bad mood and I did not want to make it worse. Instead I rolled my eyes and got into the car, ignoring his trying to be a gentleman.

I rested my arm on the windows arm rest and put my head on my hand and closed my eyes. I could feel Edward staring at me through my window and when he got in the car but I refused to look at him. If I did he would see that he was successful in making me cry. Again.

Get yourself together! I snapped at myself in my head.

The ride home was silent, save for the soft classical music coming from his radio, and tense and very awkward. I hated it. I didn't want to be in a marriage, fake or not, with someone I didn't like and who didn't like me back. There would be no point in being married!

"Bella, wake up," a voice whispered in my ear. I groaned and shook my head. I didn't want to wake up. "If you don't wake up I'm going to have to carry you and carrying you involves touching you and sometime during the trip you threatened to hurt me if I touched you."

"Shh," I mumbled.

"Picking you up it is, then," it mumbled.

I shot up when I was pulled out of the car in a panic and looked around for a moment before looking down and seeing that I wasn't on the ground but it was moving, and then looking up to see Edward. He was looking down at me.

"Are you awake?" he asked me.

I nodded and he sat down and that was when I realized we'd made it back to the house and we standing on his front porch. He opened the house door and after glaring at the inside of it for a moment I walked in.

"So, Um…" Edward rubbed the back of his neck nervously and cleared his throat, "… I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. If you need me…"

"I probably won't," I cut him off. "Goodnight, Edward."

I took my shoes off and headed to the kitchen where I screamed immediately. There, sitting on one of the stools at the island, was a beautiful red-head with a bronze-ish tent to it, glaring at me.

"Isabella," she said hotly. "Edward. Hello."

I turned around to at the mentioning of Edward's name and saw him coming up behind me. He looked panicked for a moment but the minute his eyes landed on the woman he relaxed, and the minute he was behind me, his hand on the small of my back, I relaxed.

I turned back to look at the woman that had been sitting in our kitchen when I walked in and finally put two-and-two together. They looked so much alike it wasn't even funny.

"Mom."