AN: Still less than a month, guys. I'm not doing too bad. This chapter was hard to get through because I wasn't feeling too well for about a week. But it's done now and I'm pretty happy with it. There were some things I wanted to get into this chapter that didn't make it (more about Edward's plan, but that will be in the next chapter). Everyone who wants to see the engagement end right this second, hang in there. Please. It's happening soon, I promise.
I would like to once again thank my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, for getting this back to me the next day. Also, a huge thanks to everyone who has been reviewing. I got a record of 15 for the last chapter. Can we break that with this chapter? Maybe? Please?
And, finally, as much as I would love to have the kind of money she has, I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so I don't own Twilight. I do own this plotline, though.
Chapter 12 – The Princess and the Stable Boy
EPOV
I didn't sleep at all Sunday night. After I got off the phone with Bella, I was too worked up to do anything. The pole between my legs was making even sitting difficult, but I wouldn't have given up that phone call for anything.
Nothing could have prepared me for the feelings that crashed over me with Bella's teasing. I thought the way I reacted to her on a normal day was bad, but when she started insinuating things that led my mind straight to the gutter, all bets were off. I was hard as a rock in seconds flat from just her voice.
I pulled down the sketchbook I kept on my bureau and started drawing a new tattoo design. When I started drawing, I wasn't sure that I even knew what it was going to be. My hand seemed to be moving on its own. Soon enough, an angel started to form. She was weary and rundown, her robe in tatters and her wings drooping. Yet her face was full of hope because of what she held in her hands. A white rose, tipped with a hint of pink. The symbol for pure love and desire. The rose was the only thing in color.
I knew exactly where I wanted it, but I wanted to wait. I wanted to be able to share the design with Bella so she would know that she inspired it. She needed to know the impact she had on my life. This revelation needed to wait for the perfect time.
Satisfied with the design, I stuck it in one of the empty frames I had – one of the empty frames that was waiting to be filled with a picture of Bella. I smiled as I ran my fingers over the edge. I would have to remember to ask her about the mortifying pictures Alice was holding hostage. It would be nice to at least get a glimpse of them before Bella burned them.
Monday was a surprisingly hectic day at Twilight. A gaggle of coeds sauntered in wanting matching bellybutton rings. Thankfully Rose was handling the piercings that day. Subsequently, a group of frat boys from the same local college came in hoping for something to remember their crazy lives by before they left for the real world. None of them took too long, but there were a good number of them. At the very least, I knew we'd get a good tip from the quiet one because he kept giving me apologetic looks for how the rest of his brothers were acting.
The business kept me from coming up with good ideas for my date with Bella. It didn't slow down until after seven o'clock, and I was glad we'd called in both of the interns.
I threw a couple of Hot Pockets into the microwave we kept in the back room. The other guys could handle the front, so Rose sat with me, eating the second half to the sandwich she'd ordered for lunch. Neither of us really spoke for a while, but Rose was the first to break the silence.
"So, how was your time with the fair princess?" she teased.
I chuckled. "Better than any lowly stable boy deserves," I said. Then I sighed. "I didn't want to let her go."
Rose scoffed. "Of course you didn't. She finally told you she loved you. When Emmett and I finally told each other, we didn't leave the bed for the entire weekend except to eat."
"Thanks, Rose. Great pep talk."
"Hey, at least I didn't go into detail. I have a feeling that would get me hurt."
"Damn straight," I nodded.
"So, when are you seeing her again?" Rose asked as she continued eating.
The thought of seeing Bella again made me smile. "Her parents have standing obligations on Tuesday evenings, so she suggested spending time out tomorrow night," I said. The smile fell off my face when I realized that I had no plan for our outing. "I have no idea what to do with her though…"
Rose cocked an eyebrow at me. "Seriously? You can't think of anything?"
"I haven't had time," I protested. "There have been kids in and out of here all day-"
"I love how you call them kids when they're barely five years younger than you," she pointed out.
"-and I haven't had a chance to even think all day," I finished as if she hadn't said anything.
"Fine, fine," she conceded, lifting her hands in surrender. "Well, what time are you picking her up?"
"She said her mom is leaving at about four and she wants to leave before her dad gets home," I relayed. "So probably right after her mom leaves."
"Well, nothing date-worthy really starts until after six, so why don't you start by just hanging out at your place? That way she'll have a bit of an adjustment period before you go out," Rose suggested.
"That is a great idea, but it doesn't cover the actual date event."
Rose shrugged. "Check the paper or something. They post the schedule for town events in there. If there isn't anything interesting there, just take her to dinner and a movie. Hell, she probably wouldn't even care if you stayed at your place and got frickin' take out."
"No, it has to be something good," I groaned. "I mean, amazing. I made her believe I already had something planned."
"You have got to be kidding me," she laughed. "Oh, that's great. Now it needs to be ten times better at least. She'll have expectations now."
We spent the next few minutes throwing ideas off each other, but each idea seemed to be worse than the last. Finally Pete came in to ask us if he could take his break.
"Oh shit, Pete, I'm sorry," I said, looking at the clock. "I'm just trying to come up with a good place for a date."
"I didn't even know you were seeing anyone," Pete answered, surprised.
"It's fairly new, so don't worry about it," I said. "Although, if you have any ideas on where I can take her tomorrow night, I would very much appreciate it."
"Tomorrow? Well, there is that dinner theater on the other side of town that runs on Tuesday nights," he said. "I'm not really sure what's showing this week, but I've heard that it's a huge hit. You can check the site out later."
I nodded and chuckled. "Well, I'll definitely keep it in mind. Thanks, Pete."
"See? Dinner and a movie. Never fails," Rose gloated.
"Thanks, Rose," I hissed.
I pulled out my infrequently used laptop when I got back to my apartment. It was a few years old, so it took a few minutes to boot up and connect to the internet. No wonder I never used it…. It was definitely time to get a new laptop.
The website for the Eclipse Dinner Theatre was primitive and looked like the designer hadn't felt the need to change his design since the mid 90's. Despite that, it looked like it could be something Bella would really enjoy. It wasn't a big, corporate conglomerate-run chain. It was a small, family-run business that catered to locals and small parties. It was perfect.
I picked up the phone and quickly made a reservation for the next day. The hostess informed me that there was a fairly private table available when I asked. I requested that it be kept open for us and explained that I was trying incredibly hard to impress my date. She laughed and told me she understood completely.
It was nice to go to bed that night knowing that I'd made plans for a date. A date with Bella. It was the greatest feeling to know that I would get to see her for hours the next day without needing to lie to her parents.
The next day at work was horribly slow. I sent Pete and Drew home after an hour, not wanting them to be bored out of their minds. I took to flipping through the sketchbooks we had laid out to pass the time.
"Thinking about getting a new one?" Rose inquired.
"Yeah, but not one of these."
"You have a sketch already?"
I nodded and closed the book. "Yeah, I drew it the other night. But don't ask me to show it to you. It's a secret for now."
She raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. How many will that make, then?"
"Let's see, the tribal, the three Chinese symbols, the star, the phoenix, and the rings. So this would be the eighth," I counted.
"Not bad for a tattoo artist," Rose teased.
"Says the one who only has two," I teased right back.
She just shrugged. "Had no reason to get more."
By three o'clock, I had finished a whole two appointments and one walk-in, and I was getting increasingly impatient. I started pacing around the small waiting area while Rose perched herself on the counter. I continuously glanced at the clock on the wall.
It read 3:05… 3:10… 3:13….
"If I have to duct tape you to a chair to get you to stop pacing, I'll do it," she stated after a while.
"Well, what else am I supposed to do?"
"Calm the fuck down. It's not like she's going to just cancel all of a sudden," she said. "Just take a deep breath and remember that you get to see her. And you're not waiting, like, a month like usual."
"I know," I said with a sigh. "I guess I'm just… nervous. I haven't been on a real date in over five years. I've spent so much time trying to lock other people out that I'm not even sure how to act in a social situation."
"Edward," she said, stepping in front of me. She grabbed my face to make sure that I was looking at her while she spoke to me. "I'm only saying this once, so listen up. That girl loves you. I have a feeling she loved you before you started getting back into the world. She won't care if you stumble all over yourself trying to make the night perfect. She'll be glad for the effort and happy to be spending time with you."
I took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. Everything will be fine."
"Thank god you finally got that one through your thick skull," she grumbled.
While thinking about Bella, the time seemed to fly. I jumped when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
"Hey," I said cheerily. Rose just laughed from behind the counter. She knew exactly who was on the other line.
"Hi," Bella replied. "She just left."
I grabbed my keys from behind the counter, smiling as I said, "Okay, I'll be over in a few. Love you."
"Love you too," she said almost dreamily as we ended the call.
Rose was shaking her head, smiling softly, as she watched me rush around to make sure I was ready. "Just go," she said. "Remember what I said."
"Right. Everything will be fine," I said after a deep breath. Then I threw a grin in Rose's direction. "Thanks, Rosie. You're the best." I kissed her on the cheek before running out of the shop and going to pick up the love of my life for our first date.
We spent a lot of the time at my apartment just lying on my couch. We talked about everything. Bella asked about the people I'd marked in the past couple days. I asked her about the book she was reading and finally brought up the subject of the pictures she wanted to burn.
Bella sighed as she looked up at me. She was leaning against me, her back against my chest and her head on my shoulder. "Remember when I told you about the awkward years?" she asked. I nodded cautiously. "Alice managed to get a few that were the most awkward of the bunch. When we were still in school, I helped out on a lot of the theater productions. There was one rehearsal every year when the tech crew would do a dress rehearsal since we all knew the words. When we did Into the Woods our freshman year, Alice threw me into her Cinderella costume. She's supposed to be a beautiful, confident woman and I made her look like something from Scary Movie. I hate her for keeping those."
I couldn't help but chuckle in response. The glare Bella shot at me only proved to exacerbate my laughter. "Bella, love, I bet you were beautiful. Even with all the ashy smudges on your face."
"You've seen Into the Woods?" she inquired, amazed.
"No," I quickly stated. "But I don't think any kid growing up when we did missed the memo on the classic fairy tales. Even the guys."
I kept checking the time to make sure we wouldn't miss our reservation. Bella noticed and sat up.
"I'm assuming the surprise has a time stamp on it," she said.
"And you would be completely correct in that assumption," I replied.
"Do I get any hints?" She pouted a bit and ran her fingers gently up and down my chest. I had to take a few deep breaths to keep myself from lying her down and kissing her senseless. The facts that her sweater was loose enough to hang away from her body slightly and her tank top was low enough that the top of her breasts were visible did not help at all.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her fingers up to my lips. "Sweetheart, I asked you to let me do this for you," I said quietly.
She huffed and slumped a bit, no longer holding herself confidently. "I just hate surprises," she grumbled.
I chuckled and pulled her back against me again. "I really hope you like this one," I said as I kissed the side of her head.
She started to get antsy around six-thirty. Whenever my eyes glanced at the clock, she turned to look at me, silently asking if it was time to go. By six-fifty, she'd had enough.
"When the hell is this time stamp, Edward?"
"We need to be there for seven-thirty, but we can get there up to fifteen minutes before," I answered without giving too much away. "It doesn't take very long to get there, so we don't need to leave too soon."
"But we can get there early?" she asked.
"Yes, we can. But we'll be too early if we leave before seven."
"Well, it's six-fifty-five now. I say we leave at seven."
"Okay. Seven it is," I agreed begrudgingly.
Bella smiled up at me and kissed my cheek before getting up, stating that she needed to do something quickly before we left.
A few minutes later, we were back in my car, Bella's hand nestled in mine, as we drove across town. We timed it perfectly, barely hitting any traffic. Bella's grip tightened on my hand when I pulled into a space to the side of the building. I rubbed my thumb over her knuckles to calm her down.
"Come on, love," I coxed. "We're here." She nodded, but looked a little scared. She wouldn't let go of my hand. "Bella, what's wrong?"
"It looks like the alley," she whispered.
I looked around and I realized what she was talking about. The tiny stretch of road we would walk along to get to the front of the building allowed for little light to get through and the building was made similarly to the ones from the alley. I'd parked on the side of the building to make it more of a surprise. I hadn't thought of what it would remind her of.
I couldn't let her focus on that.
"Bella," I said.
She wouldn't look at me. It didn't look like she was even breathing. I cupped her cheek and she finally started to react. Her breathing was quick and shallow and her eyes were full of terror. Her free hand reached up and clutched the hand I had against her cheek.
"Bella," I repeated. She finally looked at me. "There is absolutely nothing to worry about here. I won't let anything happen to you. I love you, Bella, and I can't bear to see anything happen to you. I promise that nothing will happen. When we get to the front of that building, you will see other couples, smiling and having a grand old time. There is no reason to be scared."
"Edward," she whispered. A single tear fell from her eyes. The fear was still there, but she was also radiating her love for me. She needed that reassurance. "Thank you," she added in a whisper.
I leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips. I warned her that I was going to get out of the car. She nodded and took a deep breath before letting go of my hands.
For the entire twenty-yard walk to the front of the building, I kept my arms around Bella as she walked in front of me. I whispered in her ear, reminding her how much I loved her, and pressed my lips against her temple to emphasize my point. She laced her fingers with mine and was making a conscious effort to breathe evenly.
It didn't take very long for us to reach the front. As soon as the light reached Bella's eyes, she sagged into my arms. I led her to one of the benches in front and pulled her onto my lap, just holding her.
Bella looked up at me once her breathing was in check. She pressed her lips to the side of my neck and muttered her extreme gratitude in between professing her love. I kissed her forehead tilted her chin up so that I could look her in the eyes.
"Are you okay, Bella?" I asked.
"I'm wonderful now, Edward," she whispered, smiling.
"I'm glad. I'm sorry about that, love. I didn't realize that it would bring up those memories and I am so sorry."
Before I could say anything else, Bella put her hand over my mouth. "You make it worth the pain, Edward. I wouldn't have believed anyone else."
I kissed her palm before she lowered it from my face.
"I love you," I said. "Always."
"I love you forever," she answered.
"So, can I show you my surprise now?"
"Lead the way."
We walked to the front entrance of the building. I kept Bella close enough to the wall that she couldn't see the sign out front and give away my surprise. When we finally got inside, Bella turned to me.
"Okay, I give up. What is this place?" she asked.
"It's a restaurant and a theater," I explained. "Once a week, they have a dinner – specifically a romantic, candlelit dinner – that is immediately followed by a movie in the screening room on the far side of the building."
Bella's face lit up at my expression and I knew right then that I'd picked the perfect destination.
"Edward, this is perfect!" she squealed, throwing her arms around me.
I squeezed her back quickly and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'm glad you like it love, but we need to check in before they give our table away." I walked over to the hostess podium, keeping one arm around Bella's waist. "Reservation for two under Masen, please."
The hostess smiled at us, and double checked my name on the list. She paused – probably taking note of my request for the semi-private table – before leading us to our table. It was tucked away in a corner behind one of the trellises that hid the kitchen entrance. It was perfect.
"You totally asked for a private table, didn't you?" Bella whispered in a teasing lilt.
I kissed the side of her head, not even trying to hide the smile on my face. "Of course I did, love. No need to share this night with more people than I have to," I whispered in reply.
Dinner passed smoothly. I held Bella's hand through the whole thing and purposefully ordered something I could eat with one hand. She tried to pull back when our food arrived, but my grip tightened. She looked surprised for a moment but smiled when she recognized my intention. Our conversation continued with little hesitation.
"What do the Chinese symbols on your arm mean?" she asked about halfway through the meal.
I hadn't realized that she could see them, but, sure enough, I'd rolled my sleeves up enough that she could see the line of symbols on my forearm. It surprised me when she never asked about them over the three years we'd known each other. I wasn't about to keep the information from her, though.
"There are three. And please don't laugh. They mean love, remembrance, and hope," I said, pointing to each one in turn.
She didn't laugh. She looked at the symbols thoughtfully. "You got them for your parents, didn't you?" she inquired.
I smiled and gently squeezed her hand. "I started realizing what a fuck-up I was, but I couldn't stop it. I had hoped getting these would help. It only got worse as time went on, but the actual process of getting the tattoo was like a balm for the pain. It kept me from starting something worse."
"How many do you have?"
"If you count each of these as one, then there are seven."
Bella nodded. "Do they all refer somehow to your parents?"
"No," I answered. "The tribal on my shoulder was a desperate attempt to get through de-toxing from the marijuana. It was actually what helped the most."
"Then I'm glad you got it," she said. "It still means something even if it doesn't fit with the rest of them."
"I'm actually thinking of getting another one soon," I said casually.
Bella's grip tightened on my hand and her eyes flashed to mine. "Is that your way of telling me you've been thinking about doing drugs again?"
I was stupid for bringing it up like that. I'd just got done saying I did it as a form of catharsis to avoid getting dragged back into an addiction; of course she'd be worried.
"No, love. That's not what I meant. This one is inspired by something completely different than pain," I assured her.
She sighed in relief and a small smile graced her lips. "Good. Would you, um… will I get to see the design before you get it done?" she asked nervously.
I smiled and raised her hand. My lips lightly grazed her knuckles. "Of course, love," I said. "You'll be the first."
We kept to lighter subjects for the rest of the meal. Bella mentioned that Alice was talking about having another group outing. We brainstormed some ideas in an attempt to stay away from the club scene again. We also discussed the impending dinner with my relatives the next day. I was still nervous about it, but Bella assured me that everything would be fine.
"The movie will begin in ten minutes," one of the waiters announced once all the dessert orders had been handed out. "Please make your way into the back room at your leisure."
"Are you going to tell me what movie it is?" Bella asked hopefully.
I just smirked as I helped her up from the table. "Sorry, Bella, no can do."
We followed the other groups toward the back of the building. I knew what to expect in the theater, but Bella gasped when we went in.
"This is not a theater," she mumbled. "This is an over-sized living room."
"Personally, I think this is better than traditional stadium seating," I whispered to her.
The room was designed for a romantic viewing experience. There were loveseats set up with enough space between them to give privacy. Most had blankets draped over the back and I laughed to myself, knowing that they would be put to good use. Ours definitely would if Bella didn't object.
She apparently had plans of her own because she grabbed my hand and walked with purpose once she decided on the perfect seat.
"You look like you're on a mission, love," I laughed as she inspected the loveseat she'd picked.
"I am. You can't appreciate a movie without the perfect seating arrangement," she informed me. I called her name, but she kept going. "I mean, what if you're at a bad angle? Then everything looks wrong. Next to the wrong people? You can't hear a damn thing. Too close? Everything is distorted and you're craning your neck too much. You should know this, Edward."
I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her waist. "The perfect seat doesn't matter as long as you're with me," I crooned in her ear, my lips grazing her neck. She melted into my arms and I knew I'd won.
I sat down first before pulling her down to rest her back against my chest. She sighed contentedly while she got comfortable.
"You're right," she said, smiling up at me. "This is the perfect seat."
"I'm glad you agree. Now, do you think we'll need the blanket?"
The waiter came in again and announced the start of the movie. As the first frames graced the screen, Bella grabbed my hand in a death grip.
"Edward, is this what I think it is?"
"What do you think it is?" I chuckled.
She waited a few seconds before squealing as quietly as she could manage. "Oh my god, it is The Princess Bride. I haven't seen this in years." She turned and gave me a lingering kiss. "Thank you, Edward," she added, her lips still brushing mine.
We kissed for another few minutes until she heard the grandfather on screen start the story. She settled back against my chest and pulled my arms around her.
I'd seen the movie before thanks to Rosalie, so I was able to spend my time focusing on Bella. Her breathing would quicken as her favorite parts came on. She would sigh whenever something particularly romantic happened. She actually hid her face in my shoulder when Humperdinck threw the machine up to level fifty. I tightened my arm around her and pressed my lips to her temple.
As the movie came closer to the climax, Bella started to tense up. Her arms were hugging her chest tightly as I rubbed soothing circles into her sides. I smiled to myself as Buttercup entered the honeymoon suite and moved my hands up to her arms.
"There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours," I quoted, pulling her arms away.
I'd kept myself from complimenting specific parts of her body in the past, preferring to let her know that she was beyond beautiful overall. But the temptation of that line was too much to pass up.
She blushed and ducked her head. "You don't mean that," she whispered.
"Of course I do, sweetheart," I assured her. "Everything about you is perfect." Bella scoffed, obviously not believing me. "You're beautiful, my Bella," I added, trailing kisses down the side of her neck.
Neither of us was watching the movie any longer and I was once again glad for the blanket. Bella let out a soft sigh of contentment, turning her head to reveal more skin and brought her hand up to knot in my hair.
I took that as my cue to continue. My hands caressed her stomach, slowly circling higher and higher as I kissed her neck and jaw line. We both froze when my thumb hit the underwire of her bra, but Bella recovered first.
"Please," she whispered. "It feels… really good, Edward. Please… don't stop."
"As you wish," I answered with a chuckle.
Her breasts fit perfectly in my hands. She gasped in pleasure as I rubbed my thumb over her already hardened nipple over the fabric of her bra. She quickly pressed her lips to mine to mask her small moan as I continued.
All of a sudden she pulled back with a muttered curse.
I was about to protest when I noticed the grandfather on screen getting ready to leave the boy's room. The movie was over. The lights would be on in a second. I sighed and extracted my hand from under Bella's shirt, making the skin-to-skin contact last as long as I could.
Bella must have noticed my hesitation because she smiled before kissing me quickly.
"It's only because of the lights," she promised me. "Don't think I wanted you to stop."
I smiled back at her and caressed her cheek as the lights came on around us. "What time do you have to be home, love?"
"Whenever I get back, though it would be better if I got back before one," she said. "But Edward, please know I would rather fall asleep in your arms than in my own bed any night of the week."
"We'll get there again, I promise. I wouldn't give that up for the world," I said.
We both decided it was time to get her home for the night. If we went back to my place, she would have ended up spending another night and something would undoubtedly go wrong. It would be better to just get her home.
I stopped at the end of her block. Bella bit her lip as she looked over at me. Before I could open my mouth to say goodnight, her lips were on mine. My hands shot out to bring her closer, one knotting in her hair and one winding around her waist. Both her hands fisted in my shirt. She clearly had the same intentions and need to be closer.
We stayed like that for a while, trying to stay comfortable in the small space while we kissed. Even as we lost our breath, the kiss became more desperate with the impending separation.
"Edward," she moaned.
I sighed and left one last, lingering kiss on her lips. "I love you, Bella, but we can't do this now."
"You're right, you're right," she said. "I just don't want to leave you."
"I'm working on the plan, love. With any luck, we won't have to keep this up for very long. But for now, you need to stay with your parents," I said. "Just know that I can't wait until you can stay with me whenever you want."
She smiled and kissed me quickly before pulling back completely. "I love you, Edward. Call me when you get home, please."
"I will, I promise," I said as she started getting out of the car. "Hey, Bella?" She looked back at me. "I love you."
Bella smiled back at me one last time before heading off to her house. I watched her until she turned off the sidewalk to make sure she was alright.
I felt my phone buzz in my pocket just as I was about to turn the car back on.
Don't think I didn't see you still sitting there. Thanks for keeping me safe. ;) –B
I quickly typed out a response before I headed back to my own place to spend the night alone.
Glad to be your knight-in-shining-armor, m'lady. ;) –E
It was surprisingly easy to ease back into my usual schedule the next day after the excitement of the night before. The only differences were that I was a lot happier and that Bella and I made more of an effort to talk throughout the day, even if it was only through text messages.
It didn't take Rose very long to notice.
"Either stable boy got some action, or this is Alien Edward," she said, walking around me and trying to figure out if it was really me.
I just smiled and shook my head, refusing to tell her anything. One of my appointments came in then and I was saved from being forced to comment for a few more hours. Unfortunately, Emmett came in just as we were breaking for lunch and I no longer had an excuse to hide behind.
"Holy shit, Rosie, you weren't kidding about him," my cousin exclaimed when he saw me. "He really does look like he's fucking glowing or something."
"Oh, did I forget to mention that I've sold my body for science?" I deadpanned. "Yeah, they're researching how to rid the world of all artificial lighting by making human skin bioluminescent."
"Uh-huh, sure loser," Emmett replied. "Now, tell me, did you run home or only hit third?"
"Must you always assume that just because you might jump into bed with a girl on the first date, I will too?" I snapped.
"Whoa, didn't mean it like that, man," he said, holding his hands up in surrender.
Rosalie put a hand on Emmett's arm, warning me that she was taking his side. "Edward, he only meant that you look really happy, so he assumed things went well. However, his scale of 'going well' and your scale are a bit different," she said, trying to explain. "We're both really happy for you."
I sighed and nodded. I shouldn't bite Emmett's head off when I would be spending the majority of the day with him since I had finally agreed to family dinner. "Sorry, man. I just don't want to be that guy since I've been working to keep things going slow for Bella," I finally replied. "I need to know she's ready before we do anything."
"That makes sense," Rose agreed. "You're both feeling out new territory and you don't want to jump in too soon and ruin it. It's smart. Not exactly desirable, but smart."
"Okay, so you didn't do anything too drastic. What's with the perma-smile?" Emmett questioned.
"Well, for one thing, I got to spend time with Bella. Yes, I realize how whipped that makes me sound, but I don't care," I said. "Second of all, she loved it. I don't think it could have gone any better than it did."
"What did you even do? Rose wouldn't tell me," he pouted.
I smiled up at her and she mouthed, You owe me big. I just nodded, trying not to laugh. "I just took her to dinner and a movie," I told my cousin.
"That must have been one spectacular meal or you are very easily pleased."
"Well, it helped that it was one of her favorite movies and they had loveseats instead of regular seating," I smirked.
"Baby Bell would like that," Emmett agreed contemplatively.
"And how would you know? You've only met her twice," Rose asked.
"She just seems like one of those chicks that would like shit like that," he explained. "See, I've got this theory-"
"No, no theories, Emmett," I said quickly.
He frowned, but agreed. "Fine, fine, I won't tell you my theory, but only if you tell me more about what happened with your date."
I spent the rest of our lunch break regaling them with the happenings of my date. They didn't ask anything more using the base-metaphor and I made no effort to tell them about what happened at the end of the movie. They didn't need to know about that.
Emmett left, but not before reminding us that we needed to be at Carlisle and Esme's by six. I assured him that Rose and I would be there on time. He was going straight from work so we would meet him there.
"Think we should show up ten minutes late just to screw with him?" Rose asked, watching her boyfriend leave the shop.
I chuckled as I went back to the counter. "I would say yes if he wouldn't take it way out of proportion," I said. "And there is no way I will freak out Esme tonight."
Rose's expression softened as she looked back at me. "She is going to be so happy to see you tonight," she said.
"I've missed them," I admitted. "I just didn't think I deserved them when I was so fucked up."
"They won't care," she said. "They're just happy you're better."
I cocked an eyebrow at her. "You sound like a Hallmark card, Rose."
She rolled her eyes. "I try to be nice and it gets me absolutely nowhere."
I had another appointment for the afternoon, so most of my attention was focused on that. There was little time to think about my aunt and uncle and what they thought of me.
Bella kept my spirits up with cute and flirty text messages every once in a while. She knew not to expect an answer right away, but it never mattered. They ranged from completely innocent – I love you. –B – to remarkably suggestive – Did we ever get around to guessing what Old Gregg thought we were doing? It would be interesting to know… and maybe try out a few of the ideas. ;) –B.
After my appointment, I decided I needed to call her before Rose and I headed out. I went in the back office so I didn't have to see Rose's knowing smirk throughout the entire conversation.
"Did you miss me or was the Old Gregg comment too much?" Bella answered with a laugh.
"Both," I assured her. "But hopefully we can rectify those situations soon."
"Hmm, I hope so," she sighed. "Is it sad that I already miss you?"
"No, love. I've wanted to see you all day."
"You do need to go see your family, though."
"Yeah," I agreed, taking a deep breath. "I'm just scared of what they think of me. They won't say anything, but that doesn't mean anything. They're too nice to let it show, but I know they'll be judging me in their heads and-"
"Edward, stop," Bella said forcefully. It shocked me enough that I trailed off. "They're your family. It won't matter if you screw up a hundred times, they will still love you. I don't want to hear another word from you doubting that, okay?"
"Okay. You're right. Thank you, love," I sighed.
"You're welcome," she replied brightly. "Now, stop talking to me and go have fun with your family. They'll be so happy to see you. I just know it."
"Thanks, Bella. I'll call you later, okay?" I said.
"I'll be here," she answered.
"I love you," I whispered, smiling. It felt so good to be able to say that whenever I wanted to.
"I love you too, Edward. Now go! I don't want to be the reason you're late," she said. "Emmett would kill me."
I laughed and quickly ended the conversation, but not before telling her I loved her again. Some people might have thought that it was annoying for me to say it as often as I did, but I just needed her to know how much she meant to me. She didn't seem to mind it, either.
It didn't take us long to get to my aunt and uncle's house. We were actually a few minutes early. Rose smiled at me reassuringly and whispered, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine," as she got out of the car. I gave myself a minute to calm down before I joined Rose on the porch.
"You ready?" she asked. She had her hand poised in front of the door ready to knock.
"Yes, let's get this show on the road," I answered with a sigh.
Rose knocked three times, but didn't bother to wait for a response. She opened the door and walked in, hesitating only to wipe her shoes on the doormat. Emmett met her in the hallway and promptly stuck his tongue down her throat like he hadn't seen her for weeks. I rolled my eyes and looked toward the kitchen to see my uncle heading for me with a smile.
"It's great to see you, son," Carlisle greeted as he pulled me into a hug. "We've missed you."
I looked over his shoulder to see my aunt standing in the doorway to the kitchen with her hands over her mouth. She was trying not to cry, but it wasn't working. When my uncle let go, he looked back at her and smiled gently.
"She didn't want to get her hopes up," he said quietly. "But she's been cooking up a storm with all your favorites. She hasn't stopped moving all day."
I nodded, but kept eye contact with Esme. She didn't move.
"Aunt Esme?" I said. I took a few hesitant steps toward her.
"Edward," she whispered. She stumbled frantically forward, her arms wrapping around my neck. "I'm so happy you're here."
"Me too, Aunt Esme," I said as I hugged her back. "Me too. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."
She stepped back and took my face in her hands. "You look healthy," she said happily. "You're still a little too skinny, but you don't look like a skeleton. We'll just have to get some food in you. And you look so happy."
"Oh, that part is because of a girl," Emmett piped up proudly.
Esme's eyes widened and her smile grew. "You must tell me all about her over dinner," she said, pulling me into the dining room. "I made all your favorites…"
I let her lead me along as she continued talking. It was good to be back with family. Aunt Esme caught me up on the lives of the people I knew. Uncle Carlisle told me about the goings-on at the hospital. It was a simple, quiet family dinner. It was exactly what I needed.
Before long, Esme started badgering me with questions about "my girl." I smile and gave them the most basic, least-painful information I could. Even Carlisle wasn't satisfied with that, so I caved and gave them the full scoop.
The night was over faster than I had anticipated. Carlisle invited me over again for the next big game and I heartily agreed. Esme decided that she wanted to meet Bella. I was glad that she seemed to approve of the relationship – even if I was technically the "other man." I told her I'd ask Bella, but not to count on anything.
For once, I didn't feel lonely when I got back to my apartment. I knew my family still loved me. I knew I had Bella. There was nothing I needed beyond that.
With a smile, I pulled out my phone to send a text to Bella.
Everything was great. My aunt wants to meet you. –E
AN: So, what'd you think? I know the date setup was a little funky with the loveseats and all. I just wanted something a little more romantic than a regular theater, you know? I've never heard of a place actually having a setup like that, but this is fiction. Things like that can happen in fiction.
Next chapter: More fluff, more of the plan (getting closer to the end of the plan....), and James tries to act like a gentleman for once.
I start classes again on Tuesday, but I'm hoping to get the next chapter out in about two weeks. However, if you guys beat the review record (mentioned at the top), I will post a teaser for the next chapter on my profile. Please let me know what you think! It keeps me writing and tells me what I'm doing wrong.
-Kaylee :)