Hi Everyone, I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! I really like this prompt, more than I thought I would. I didn't get a chance to read it over again for mistakes so forgive me if I totally fudged something up. Thanks for reading.

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Penname: Jburdick

Original or Derivative (fanfiction): Derivative

Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): M

Disclaimer: All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: Word Prompt: Varnish

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"Hey Ro." I said, cradling the phone on my shoulder.

"Hiya Babe, how's it going?" Rose asked. I could hear her baby Henry cooing in the background.

"Oh…it's going." I sighed. Ever since my Nana had passed away three weeks it felt like I had been up to my eyeballs in stuff to do. From the viewing and the funeral and the reading of the will and the dividing of the assets. I felt like I hadn't even had time to grieve. And damn if I didn't miss that woman.

"Can I do anything?" Rose asked softly.

I sat down in the middle of my couch an hung my head between my knees, feeling the tears burn behind my eyes for the millionth time since she passed. I took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Just that…asking helps."

Rose and I have been best friends since we met the freshman year of high school. We were completely inseparable, never did anything without the other. Until her parents took her away to New York the summer before our Senior year of high school. That was when I became even closer to my Nana, and when Rose met her husband, Emmett.

She came back after college dragging Emmett along with her. They were married just after my twenty fourth birthday in a small ceremony at the courthouse. It was perfect and intimate and all they needed or wanted. Two years later baby Henry was born.

I stood up and walked across the room toward my newly acquired desk. It was the only thing I really wanted when we were going through her belongings. "I got the desk." I smiled and ran my hand over the chipping white paint. It had definitely seen better days, but it was perfect to me.

"Congrats sweetie, I know how much that means to you!" Rose said.

"Yea," I giggled. "I really wish I could get it refinished though. The paint is chipping pretty badly. I'm just really weary of trusting anyone with it. You know how the French Provincial stuff is? I don't want all the detail ruined by some hack with a hand sander."

"Yea...hmm…" Rose hummed quietly.

"What?" I asked, heading to the kitchen for some water.

"Oh, I was just thinking I might know someone who could help you with that desk. Emmett's brother Edward is a carpenter…designer type. He specializes in antiques. He's refinished a lot of Esme's old stuff." I could hear her flipping pages to what I'm sure was her address book.

"Oh yea? I thought he lived in New York."

"He just moved here actually, he got here last week. He's got plans to open his own place in about a month." Rose said.

"I wouldn't want to bother him Rose, I mean he just got here…" I took a drink of my ice water and eyeballed my new desk.

"I promise he wouldn't mind." She assured me.

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Two days later I was just finishing throwing in a load of laundry when there was a knock at the door. I was expecting Edward today after Rose had set it up with him to check out my desk and see what he could do.

I wiped my hands on the thighs of my jeans and opened the door. Wow. To say he was handsome was a gross understatement. The man was gorgeous. Beautiful even. Tall, strong features, striking green eyes and a mess of light brownish red hair. His face looked a little scruffy like he hadn't shaved in a day or so.

"Hi, I'm Edward. You must be Bella." He said, reaching his hand to me. "I am." I smiled. His hand was warm and soft around mine.

I cleared my throat and took my hand back from his slowly. "I really appreciate you taking the time to check me out." I smiled…processed what I said and tripped over my words to correct myself. "NO! The desk…to check out the desk…not me…it's the desk that needs….checking out." I mumbled and turned quickly. God I have to get out of here. "Follow me." I said leading him to the living room.

I could hear Edward laughing behind me. Fantastic. "Here it is." I pointed to it and leaned against the wall. He crouched down and ran his hands over nearly every inch of the desk. You could tell he truly did have a great appreciation for antique furniture.

"This is a beautiful piece." Edward said. "It's your Grandmother's?"

"Um, was my Grandmother's…my Nana's." I said softly. Edward stood to his full height and stepped toward me. He reached out and squeezed my hand gently, a small smile on his lips. "I'm sorry for your loss."

I swallowed down a lump of emotion and smiled back, nodding. "Thank you, Edward."

We chatted a bit longer about what I wanted to do with the desk and how I envisioned it turning out. He had brought everything he would need for transport and started wrapping it up in moving blankets to take out to his truck.

"So, I'm thinking a nice dark Mahogany stain with a coat or two of varnish and we should be all set…I can deliver it to you when it's all finished. Probably about a week." He said, scratching the back of his neck. I was standing outside by his truck, my hand held up shielding the sun from my eyes.

I nodded and licked my dry lips. "That sounds great, take your time though. I mean if you need more than a week, I'm in no rush. And you really are being too nice about doing this for me. Oh, I almost forgot…how much do I owe you? I want to make sure I get that to you as soon as possible."

He held his hands out and smiled. "No charge. Any friend of Rose's is a friend of mine."

"What? No!" I protested. He laughed and climbed into his truck, winking as he started the engine. "Bye Bella." He was gone before I could say anything else.

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True to his word, not even a week later I received a call from Edward letting me know my desk was ready for me. I could feel the tears before I could stop them as I took it in. It looked incredible. Different yet the same. And even more perfect than before. I held my hands over my mouth and looked at Edward. He was standing awkwardly with his hands shoved into his pockets, looking slightly uncomfortable-at my tears, no doubt.

"Is it okay?" He asked.

"Oh my god, Edward…it's perfect!" I squealed and leaped at him, hugging him tightly in appreciation. "I love it. Thank you so much!" I whispered into his chest. I felt him chuckle and stepped back, feeling slightly embarrassed at my outburst. He touched my cheek and grinned.

"It was my pleasure." He cleared his throat a few times and chewed his lip nervously. "Bella?"

"Yes?"

He picked at an imaginary piece of lint on his shirt before glancing up at me. "Would you consider having dinner with me sometime?" He asked.

I felt my stomach flip and my heart do a weird squeazy thing as well. I smiled widely and touched his hand.

"Absolutely."

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