Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. I own some empty Reece's Cups wrappers (thanks Autumn!) and Yorkie Bar remnants (thanks Mel!).
CHAPTER 16
To: Bella Swan
From: Edward Cullen
Subject: Hey gorgeous
Good morning
I wish I was there waking up with you. I wanted to call you but figured it was too early and I didn't want to disturb your sleep – I know I've had some pretty good dreams that I haven't wanted to surface from lately.
Family doesn't get the same consideration, so I phoned Emmett for a catch-up instead. He and Rose sound like they're having a great time, and they told me how much they like Angela and Ben. I knew those guys would get along! Wish I'd been there to join in the fun, but it looks like I'll be making up for lost time when I get back.
When's a good time to call you? Let me know … I want to hear your voice.
Miss you.
Edward
o * o * o * o
" … 'lo?"
"Hey Emmett, did I wake you up?"
"Hell no, I've been up for a while, which had Rose pretty happy I can tell you."
"Too much information!" Edward had squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to block his senses, as he heard a muffled laugh from Rosalie in the background.
"Sorry bro, but you walked right into that one."
"Yeah yeah yeah, so how are you?"
"Doin' good here, how's Prague?"
"Old, cold and too far away," retorted Edward.
"Ahhh don't worry man, we're keeping your girl warm for you, it's all good."
"How is she?"
"She's busy with work but I'm not sure what she's working on, she seems happy though, but it took her a while to get used to you being gone."
"Tell me about it," sighed Edward.
"Must be tougher for you over there. At least Bella has us, along with Angela and Ben. Those guys are great, we should've met them sooner."
"I was thinking that before I left, but we were otherwise occupied," mused Edward. It certainly sounded like life was ticking along just fine without him.
"Yeah well, anytime you're in a new relationship you live in the fuck bubble for a while."
"We were in a what?"
"Fuck bubble. Think bio-dome but a shitload more fun."
"Noted."
"Anyway, not to worry, Bella is okay, and we're seeing plenty of her."
"Glad someone in the family is," Edward commented.
"Yeah chew on that. She still practically lights up like a Christmas tree when your name is mentioned, and Rose busted her watching one of your films the other week."
"Really?" Edward felt cheered by the news. The combination of their work commitments and the time difference had made their phone calls sparse over the last week, although their emails were still going strong. No matter what time he stumbled into his room, he always checked his computer, and there was usually a message from her waiting for him. All the same, not hearing her voice as much as he wanted to added to the distance he felt between them. He was going to have to do something about that, and soon.
"Yeah, she was really cute. Rose didn't know a person could blush so hard, she thought Bella's head was going to explode."
"She didn't say a thing about that in her last email," Edward laughed.
"Can you blame her?" Emmett retorted, then sobered. "So how are things going with you two? You guys don't like to make things easy for yourselves."
"It's hard," Edward sighed, then continued before Emmett could interject, "as in difficult. Seems like we'd just started dating and then I was off."
"That was a pretty big call to put on her you know."
"Huh?"
Well, you've got a hottie like Bella and you're expecting her to wait for three months while you're away working. What's the next project you've got lined up after this one?"
"Not sure yet, Eric and I have been discussing a couple of scripts that look promising though."
"Are they going to be local?"
"That's what I'm gunning for. I want to stay at home for a while, slow things down a bit."
"And does Bella know this?"
"Not yet," he admitted.
"Well shit Edward, have you considered talking to her about it? I've heard that talking is a very effective means of communication."
"I know, but it's not easy when I'm here and she's …"
"Bullshit," Emmet snorted.
"What?"
"Edward," Emmett sighed. "I'm going to have to speak slowly, because it's obvious that you're struggling with the basics here. Let me talk you through it."
"Fine," Edward rolled his eyes. He was going to get a lecture, and there was no getting out of it.
"You like Bella, yeah?"
"I would've thought that was obvious." Now it was Edward's turn to snort.
"Well I wouldn't be so certain."
"Hey c'mon," he objected.
"No hear me out. You two have obviously got a connection, but have you had a chance to really talk about what the hell is going on with you two?"
"I told you, there hasn't been enough time."
"Oh fuck off. When will there be time Edward? You're both busy, but shit, so is everyone else in case you hadn't noticed. If you want this woman, you're going to have to make time for her. I'm telling you now, if you don't, then someone else will."
"What makes you say that?" Edward felt a twinge of unease. What did his brother know that he didn't?
"Relax man, you're the one she wants, but you've got to make a move before someone else does."
"I thought I had."
"Yeah right, and do you really think that Rosalie would have hung around waiting for me if I took off overseas for three months?"
"Uh," Edward wasn't sure how to respond to that. He had the sudden impression that he and Bella were on shaky ground. They were going to have to talk, and soon, but what was he going to say?
o * o * o * o
"This'd better be good," Bella groaned into the phone.
"Oh shit, sorry Bella!"
"Dave?"
"Yeah … you've just woken up?"
"No shit Sherlock, what's the emergency?"
"No emergency, I was phoning to see if you wanted to catch up for breakfast. I've got a few things I want to talk to you about ahead of the meeting today."
Bella yawned and rolled over to look at the time.
"Dave, it's not even 7 o'clock. Is it really that important?"
"Uh, well I guess it can wait," he conceded sheepishly.
Bella paused. The bastard had woken her up, and she did have to eat after all.
"Fine," she said at last. "Tell me where."
Dave named a café that wasn't too far out of her way.
"Okay, give me 40 minutes and I'll meet you there. Get us a table."
"Will do, and thanks Bella."
"Shut up, Dave. And you're paying."
Bella hung up and then rolled out of bed. She'd worked late, and then had spent some timing emailing Edward. She needed an early morning like a hole in the head, and it wasn't going to put her in a good frame of mind for when she met Jasper. She shuffled towards the bathroom, yawning and peeling off her t-shirt.
Twenty minutes later, she wriggled into her jeans and squinted at her wardrobe. No need for anything too business like as it was only a breakfast catch up after all. She ended up grabbing Edward's t-shirt from where she'd tossed it on the bed, and put it back on. It was a bit loose, which she fixed by knotting it on one hip. She sat on the bed to pull on her socks and sneakers, then paused and sniffed at her shoulder. She could still smell a slight trace of Edward's aftershave, but it was fading.
o * o * o * o
Dave looked up with a smile as Bella sat down with a thump.
"Morning gorgeous," he offered.
"Bite me," she muttered by way of reply, catching a waitress's eye and looking pleadingly at her until the woman laughed and came over. "Linda," Bella began, quickly reading the woman's nametag. "I know we've just met, but if you bring me coffee as soon as possible I'm prepared to shout my love for you from the rooftops."
The waitress laughed and shook her head.
"I think that's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard," she smiled. "What sort of coffee?"
"Hot, creamy, and in a cup. Other than that, just go crazy."
"Okay hon, you just sit tight and I'll be right back." She patted Bella's shoulder and went behind the counter to tell the Barista, who looked over and gave her an amused shake of the head.
Dave had sat silent throughout the exchange.
"How do you do that?" he said in an admiring tone.
"Do what?" Bella was shoving her keys into her tote bag and pushing her hair off her face.
"You've only just walked in here, and you've totally disarmed the staff."
Bella shrugged.
"I don't know, but I worked out a long time ago that if you can give people a laugh, they'll happily do whatever you want."
"I'll have to remember that. So, how was your weekend?"
"Pretty quiet," said Bella, then immediately wanted to bite her tongue.
"Oh really? I thought you had plans, which was why you couldn't join me for dinner," Dave said in a mild tone.
"Well, uh," she floundered, "I caught up with a few friends but it was a quiet kind of weekend. We didn't go out as such," her voice trailed off as Dave waved her to silence.
"Bella, it's okay. I'm a big boy. I can't say that I'm not disappointed though," he smiled as he spoke, which helped take the sting out of his words.
Bella pulled a face.
"Busted, huh?"
"Totally," he agreed.
To Bella's vast relief, her coffee arrived, which had the effect of breaking up that particular conversation.
"So," she said a moment later as she stirred in some sugar, "What was the big emergency this morning?"
"Not an emergency as such, but I was wondering how you'd feel about some of the details regarding the meeting changing."
"What sort of details?" she asked warily. "This meeting has been getting juggled and changed for the last couple of weeks and it's doing my head in. Are things looking hopeful or not?"
Dave looked at her and grinned, and for a moment, Bella felt a twinge of regret. Dave was the classic Californian guy: blonde and bronzed, with a whiter than white smile, and an easy-going nature that belied his ability to smell blood in the water when it came time for business. She had noticed that women seemed to sigh in his presence, and he seemed to be a really nice guy. Nothing wrong with him at all, other than the fact he wasn't Edward.
"I think you could say they're better than hopeful," Dave said, as he looked past her shoulder and waved.
Bella twisted in her chair to see a man wave back at Dave and head towards them. He had a lean, muscular build, with fair scruffy hair, and compared to Dave was surprisingly pale. He jammed his keys into his jeans pocket as he neared the table, and shook hands with Dave as he pulled out a chair.
"You must be Bella," he said as he shook her hand. "I'm Jasper Hale. Dave has been telling me all about you."
"Has he?" Bella shot Dave a look, as he shrugged his shoulders at her with an unrepentant grin.
"I know this meeting has been getting bumped around a bit, but Dave and I got to talking yesterday and I just decided sooner was better than later."
Bella glanced down at her purloined t-shirt and faded jeans, and sighed. So much for any chance of power dressing.
"It's good to meet you too Jasper, but I should warn you that this," she pointed at the cup, "is my very first coffee of the day. I'm running the risk of talking complete bullshit until the caffeine hits my bloodstream."
Jasper laughed and raised an eyebrow at Dave. "You're right," he observed, "she's a straight shooter. I like it."
Bella gave Dave a beady look over the rim of her coffee cup. She couldn't believe he'd sprung the meeting on her like this, but the element of surprise was certainly one way of avoiding any pre-meeting jitters on her part.
Jasper clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "So, how about we get some more coffee and breakfast and get down to business?"
"I could do with a top-up," Bella commented. She drained her cup and put it down on the table.
Jasper was craning his head, looking around the breakfast crowd for a waitress. "It looks like we could be in for a wait."
"Allow me," Bella said, and got up from the table. She wandered over to the counter and grinned at the barista.
Jasper and Dave watched the two of them banter. After a moment the barista threw his head back and laughed, then shooed her away, chuckling as he got back to work. Bella grabbed some menus and headed back, giving them a thumbs-up to signify that coffee at least, was taken care of.
"Now I can see why you were raving about her so much."
"Yep," said Dave, "She's really something."
o * o * o * o
Bella sat back down at the table, and breakfast menus soon followed. She had a quick skim of what was on offer, and then glanced up at Linda with an impish grin.
"Okay Linda, I think I'm going to put myself in your hands. I don't know what to go with, but I don't want to eat a whole cow, and given this is apparently a meeting," she paused to shoot Dave a mock scowl, "I don't want anything that's going to dribble down my shirt. Anything you recommend?"
"Got it, scrambled eggs and bacon," Linda replied, scribbling on her pad, shaking her head and smiling.
"Come here often?" Jasper asked.
"Oh Linda and I go way back," Bella replied.
"Absolutely, whole minutes," Linda confirmed.
Jasper looked nonplussed but laughed at their easy banter. Dave placed his order, followed by Jasper. Their coffees arrived, and the three of them settled down to business.
"So Bella, like I said, Dave has been telling me all about you, and he's shown me some of your recent work. I have to say I like what I've seen so far." He leaned back in his chair and considered her for a moment. "We'd like you to join the team if you're interested, and we've got a project that's about to get the green light and I think you've got what it takes to get us over the line."
"Serious?"
"Absolutely," said Jasper. "If you think this is something you're interested in,"
"It's a direction I've been working towards for a while now, but Dave hasn't actually told me much about what you've got in development. What can you tell me?"
"How much time have you got?"
"Just start talking and I'll tell you when to stop," she suggested.
"Okay, but this could take a while. It's probably a good idea for you to stop by my office later this afternoon and we can give you some of our project work. That'll give you an idea of our creative direction, and I'll be able to introduce you to the rest of the team," suggested Jasper.
Bella leaned back in her chair and looked from Jasper to Dave and back again.
"So this is really happening? It's not a delusion from low caffeine levels or anything?"
"It's real," Dave replied with a broad grin. "So do you think getting here early was worth your while?"
"I'm starting to realise that," she replied, then looked back at Jasper. "So what happens next?"
"Well I guess once we've walked you through everything, and if you still like what you see we'll talk about when you want to start, and which project you want to work on."
"That easy?" Bella asked.
"If you want," replied Jasper.
Bella was desperately trying to play it cool, but was struggling to stop her grin from splitting her head in two. She couldn't believe how her tentative first steps had suddenly expanded beyond her wildest dreams. Of course, that didn't mean that things were going completely her way, because she emerged from her reverie to realize that Jasper had just asked her a question that was decidedly unexpected.
"Sorry, what was that?"
"I was asking how long you've been seeing Dave," Jasper repeated.
o * o * o * o
To: Edward Cullen
From: Bella Swan
Subject: RE: Hey gorgeous
Shouldn't I be the one calling you gorgeous? You're the Sexiest Man Alive after all. Gorgeous women don't wake up with crop circle hair, and I know for a fact that you wake up looking delicious.
… sorry, what was I saying? My mind wandered for a moment …
This is a very quick email as I'm on my way out the door to an early meeting. I don't know how long I'll be out today, but give me a call this evening. I miss talking to you, and there are some things that need to be said.
Missing you more
Bella
o * o * o * o
Edward frowned as his iPhone as he re-read the email. What did she mean, things that needed to be said? He thought back to his conversation with Emmett. Did his brother know something that he didn't? He looked up as he heard his name being called, and saw one of the Production Assistants heading towards him.
"Are they ready?" he asked as she drew near.
"Yep, they want you on the set in five minutes," she replied.
"Okay, I'll come with you now then," he answered, standing up and crossing over to her. They began to walk back to the set, and Edward re-read the email twice before sighing and stuffing the phone in his pocket. If they were about to start shooting then he wasn't going to have time to reply just yet, and given it was late at night he wasn't going to be able to call her for a while either.
o * o * o * o
Bella gave Dave a wild look, and then picked up her coffee for a slow sip while her mind raced. What the hell had Dave told Jasper?
"Um, Dave and I have been writing partners a few times in the past, but that's as far as our involvement goes if that's what you're asking."
"Oh?" Jasper raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Dave. "Sorry if I've dropped you in it there buddy, but I thought …"
Dave glanced at Bella, and then shrugged, "Yeah, we were dealing with that just before you arrived."
Bella tried to stop the tide of colour filling her face, but it was no use. She put her hands to her cheeks to cover the warmth, and groaned. There was nothing for it but to brazen it out and hope for the best.
"Hey sorry, I didn't mean to put you guys on the spot," said Jasper. He reached out and put his hand on Bella's arm, giving her a reassuring squeeze. His hand was warm, and she felt better as she looked at his understanding smile. She gave him a nod, and took another sip of her coffee to cover her lingering embarrassment. Bad enough that Dave had nursed some expectations about her, but the fact that he had obviously talked about her to Jasper to give him that impression made her feel infinitely worse. She cleared her throat.
"So Jasper, this is an ungraceful way to change the subject, but I'm really keen to hear more about this project you're getting lined up. What's it about?"
Dave got the message, and shifted his chair ever so slightly away from Bella's to give her a bit more space.
Jasper began talking, and within moments Bella was completely enthralled. Jasper's enthusiasm for the project was obvious, his eyes sparkled, and he waved his hands around as he spoke to illustrate his point here and there. Bella nodded in agreement, urging him to continue, and peppering him with questions throughout. Their mutual interest and enthusiasm fed off one another.
More coffees were ordered and consumed, and still Bella and Jasper kept talking.
Dave leaned forward in his chair, obviously interested in what Jasper had to say, although his eyes darted to Bella's rapt expression. He couldn't help but notice that she had never looked at him like that. He knew in that moment he hadn't just lost her. She had never been his to begin with.
o * o * o * o
What I wouldn't give to call you mine, thought the make-up artist to herself as Edward slumped into one of her chairs. She went to work in silence, swabbing and dabbing his face to remove all traces of makeup from the evening's shoot. He sat there in silence throughout her ministrations, occasionally putting a hand to his mouth to cover his yawns.
"Long day?" she asked quietly.
"You know it," he agreed, opening his eyes to give her a tired smile before closing them again.
And he's got those damn bedroom eyes. God help us all.
"I won't be much longer here, and then you're free," she said soothingly. For a moment she entertained the notion of inviting him for a drink, and decided better of it once she removed the concealer around his eyes and saw the faint smudges of fatigue. He made no response, then she realized his breathing had become slow and even.
Typical, a sexy man in my clutches and he falls asleep. She observed him wistfully for a moment, and then gently shook him by the shoulder.
"Edward?"
He blinked owlishly at her for a moment, as if not realizing where he was, and then sat up in his chair, yawning and scrubbing at his face with his hands.
"God, sorry about that," he apologized, and then paused to yawn again.
"These filming days seem to be taking it out of you," she commented as she began to clean 0up her work area in preparation for the morning.
"They're not so bad, it's the staying up late to email and talk to my girl back home that's making me tired. The time difference is killing me."
"You're seeing someone?" she looked up in surprise and Edward mentally cursed himself at his slip.
"uh, kinda," he temporized.
"Long distance relationships are hell," she commented with a shrug. "Been there, done that," she added with a wry smile as he raised his eyebrows at her. "Good luck with yours."
"Thanks," he muttered, and offered her a faint smile. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"I'll be here," she agreed.
The good ones are always taken.
o * o * o * o
Finally Jasper had to leave, citing another meeting he had to attend. He and Bella had made excited plans to meet again at his office later that week. Bella could hardly speak. Her mind was racing with possibilities and she was itching to get to work.
"So I guess I'll see you at Jasper's office later this week," Dave offered.
"Sure …" Bella said in a distracted tone. There were so many possibilities she hardly knew where to start.
"I'll email you and let you know what time to be there, unless you want to call Jasper direct?"
"Okay .."
"Bella?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, what did you say?" Bella came back to the present with a mental thud and looked at Dave.
"Oh you've got it bad. I was saying I'll be in touch to let you know what time's good for Jasper."
"Great, thanks Dave. I really appreciate it."
"And uh," he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. For once, his usual confidence seemed to bleed away. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry that Jasper thought …"
"Dave it's fine, don't worry about a thing," Bella assured him.
"So long as you're okay with it all," he said.
"Perfectly fine," she flashed him a quick smile. "Look I hate to eat and run, but my brain is running at full throttle and I really want to get home and write some of it down. Do you mind if I run?"
"Go ahead. I'll see you later," Dave waved her off with a small smile.
Bella hesitated for a moment, and then darted forward to brush a quick kiss against his cheek.
"Thanks Dave, I'll see you."
And with that she was gone.
Dave watched her departing figure and sighed. He'd heard she was seeing someone, but no-one seemed to know how serious it was. Damn. He should've made his move sooner. His lips pulled into a half-smile, half grimace. Coulda woulda shoulda.
o * o * o * o
Bella left the café and walked back to where she had parked her car in a happy daze. She couldn't quite believe it was happening. She had been surprised when Dave had gotten in touch, given they hadn't collaborated on any writing projects for a few years, and now this. This kind of career opportunity was like a dream come true, and she was going to have to wait and see if it was all going to come off the way she hoped it would. Her heart thumped in stealthy excitement. She sat in the car for a moment, and then reached for her phone.
"Hey Angela, what time do you get off work?"
o * o * o * o
Edward crossed the lobby of the hotel, giving the concierge a tired smile on his way to the elevator. He felt punch drunk with fatigue, and his head ached. He was longing to have a hot shower and then crawl into bed, but there was something he wanted to do even more first.
He slumped into a chair by the bed and dialed the number he knew by heart. It was answered after only two rings.
"Hello?"
She sounded breathless and happy, and tired though he was, he felt his face splitting into a broad smile.
"Hey baby, how are you?"
"If I were any better they'd be sedating me, how're you?"
"Wow, that's quite a response, would I be right in thinking that you've had a good day?" he closed his eyes for a moment, and then snapped them open and sat up straighter. He didn't want to run the risk of falling asleep during the conversation, which was a very real possibility.
"I've had a wonderful day. I had a meeting that totally exceeded my expectations, so I'm pretty buzzed right now," she enthused.
"I can hear it in your voice, what was it all about?"
"I'm about to sign on for a job that's going to keep me in town for a few more months at least, and if it all goes well I think it's going to be a fantastic opportunity!"
"Oh babe, that's brilliant, I'm really happy for you! But wait, you said it'll keep you in town for a while. What's going on? Were you thinking of leaving?"
"Well no, not really, but I've always tended to go where the work is," she hedged.
"Hmm, you know now that I've found you I won't be giving you up without a fight, Miss Swan," he teased.
"I hope not," she replied, and he could hear the smile in her voice, "but I've got a monkey grip on you too, Cullen."
"Touche." He paused. "So tell me more about the job, if it's keeping you in my clutches I need to know all about it."
"I'll tell you everything you want to know and quite a lot more besides … when you get back," she answered.
"And when will that be?" he teased.
"Three weeks and two days," she replied promptly.
"Not that we're counting or anything," he commented.
"Oh hell no."
"So, you're not even going to give me a clue about the job?"
"Nope."
"Not even if I beg?" he dropped his voice to a husky whisper, "not even if I promise to do all sorts of things to you when I get back home and have you in my bed? Not even if I make you writhe and beg for more?"
"N-no," she said slowly, "and that's not playing fair."
"Who said anything about fair? I'm out for results," he said, shifting slightly in his seat. The silky voiced threats he'd made had been intended to make her squirm, but now his mind was swirling with images of Bella that were having a visible effect on him. Not for the first time he cursed the physical distance between them.
"And you'll get them I'm sure," she answered in a soft voice. "I miss you so much."
"I miss you too," he replied. "I just want to be able to hold you, smell you, taste you …" he broke off with a groan. "This goddamn shoot is killing me. Quick, tell me something, anything to take my mind off it."
"Angela wants to go out for a couple of drinks tomorrow night," she offered, "she wants to celebrate what I can't tell you about just yet."
"What? So Angela knows and I don't?"
"Well," she said in an exasperated tone, "I had to tell someone about it or I was going to explode!"
"We can't have that. I'm glad you've managed to contain yourself on the issue then. But why can't you tell me?" he was surprised at the wheedling tone in his voice.
"Because I'm really excited about this, and I want to tell it to you face to face so we can, you know," she broke off with a flustered laugh and then continued, "uh … celebrate."
"Ahhh, now I get you," he answered.
"Not yet, but you will in three weeks and two days," she laughed.
Edward drew in a sharp breath as desire shot straight through him.
"So," he said in a slightly strangled tone, "what sort of celebrating do you and Angela have in mind?"
"Well, Angela found out that Wolf Pack is playing in town, and she's wanted to check them out after reading the articles I wrote. I got in touch with Jacob the other day and he's just called to say he got us free tickets."
I just bet he did, thought Edward. "So when are you going to that?"
"Tomorrow night. Ben's going to be working so it's just Angela and I having a girls' night out."
"Do you need me to phone the venue and warn them to brace for impact?"
"Funny man," she laughed, "It'll be good to see all the guys again though, and Jacob says he wants to catch up after the set so I think we'll have a great night out."
"Sounds like it," Edward said gloomily. Dammit. He needed to be there.
"Edward you're sounding absolutely exhausted, I should let you get to sleep," Bella said.
"Well," Edward knew she was right, but he didn't want to let her go just yet. "Yeah, I guess, but I'm not happy about it."
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I'd go to sleep a lot happier if you were here," he admitted.
"And I'd sleep a lot better if you were here," Bella replied. "You left a shirt at my place, and I've been sleeping in it. Hell, I wore it out to what turned out to be my meeting this morning."
"You did?"
"Yeah, how's that for sounding like pathetic? The shirt smelled like you, and it just made me feel better when I was wearing it."
"Well I'm glad I was able to make you feel better, although I'd much rather wrap myself around you in person."
"Now you're talking," Bella agreed, "and speaking of feeling better, you ought to get some sleep."
"If," Edward yawned, making them both laugh, "you insist."
"And when you wake up, it'll be three weeks and one day," Bella added.
"That's a good way of looking at it," he paused. "Have a great time with Angela … I wish I could be there."
"Me too. I'll see you in my dreams though."
"And I'll see you in mine."
o * o * o * o
Edward's dreams were filled with crowds of people. He had been searching for Bella, and every time he drew near hands had reached out to pull him away, or she had been drawn further away into the crowd. His frustration had grown as he had shaken off the hands and struck out to find her, determined to find her at all costs. Finally he had glimpsed her hair through a gap in the crowd, and there had been a taller man, his head bent attentively to hers as she laughed.
Edward surfaced at the insistent shrilling of the telephone. He fumbled at the bedside table for the phone, and mumbled his acknowledgement before hanging up, and had rolled over onto his back with a groan. It had not been a good night's sleep. He hauled himself out of bed and fumbled through a stack of papers to find the day's schedule, glancing at his watch. Bella would be going out with Angela soon.
He sighed at the thought of Bella going out celebrating whatever it was that she wouldn't tell him about yet.
His Bella out partying somewhere in LA.
Without him.
In a bar that was probably run by someone sleazy.
Where there would no doubt be a lot of guys checking her out.
Guys like Jacob.
o * o * o * o
"Oh my god, that's Jacob?" asked Angela, her gaze firmly on the stage. "He's so hot!"
"I guess," Bella sipped her drink and cocked her head as she gazed at the band on stage. "I hadn't really noticed."
Angela shot her an amused glance.
"I guess it's hard to notice other men once you've been seeing Edward Cullen."
"Well there is that, plus of course once you've been on tour with them for a while it's like having a pack of five brothers."
"Maybe," Angela conceded, "but I don't know anyone that has a brother that looks as hot as Jacob."
The two women sipped their drinks and looked at the stage. Jacob had spotted them in the crowd, and he pointed at Bella and gave her a broad smile as he kept singing. When the song concluded, Bella and Angela cheered and whooped along with the rest of at audience. Jacob dedicated the next song to Bella, who bushed scarlet and focused on emptying her glass as the band shifted into high gear.
"Just friends, huh?" Angela observed. Jacob's gaze rarely shifted from where they stood.
"Uh-huh."
"And does Jacob know this?"
"We had a talk about it before I left the tour, I thought things were pretty clear."
"Yeah well, knowing it and accepting it are sometimes two different things."
o * o * o * o
"Do you think he knows?" Rosalie asked Emmett as she got back into the car.
"He's getting there," Emmett replied, accepting the doughnut box from her and inspecting the contents.
"Hey," she slapped his hand as he reached inside the box. "Not until we get home!"
"Aw babe," he pouted and licked the frosting off his fingers.
Rosalie ignored him.
"So what did he say?"
Emmett grimaced. "Well, he said they hadn't had time to talk it out properly …"
"Oh for f.." Rosalie started, but Emmett waved her off.
"Hang on, let me finish. He said they haven't had a chance to talk it out, but he keeps waiting for the right time."
"And I hope you set him straight on that one," Rosalie snorted.
"Comprehensively. I think he's got the message."
They gazed at each other for a moment then Emmett sighed and started the car.
"So what's he going to do?" Rosalie asked.
"He's got a plan," Emmett replied.
"Well I hope he does something about it soon, the suspense is killing me," muttered Rosalie.
o * o * o * o
"Back already? Didn't you just leave?" the makeup woman teased with a light smile.
"Feels like it," Edward tried to smile, but his heart wasn't in it. His knee jigged up and down, a silent metronome to his impatience.
Someone's not happy, the woman thought to herself.
"Have you had any breakfast?" she asked in a quiet tone as she brushed colour over his cheekbones.
"Not yet," he replied, his lips barely moving.
"I'll get someone to bring over a coffee. This is going to take a while so you might as well eat something."
Edward glanced at her for a moment, and she was startled to see him looking so tired.
"Thanks," was all he said before leaning back into the chair and closing his eyes.
The woman considered him for a moment, and then looked at the filming schedule for the day. Edward was going to be filming some small but pivotal scenes for his character's development. Perhaps he was just getting into character.
o * o * o * o
Bella whooped and cheered along with the audience as the band finished another song, and turned to take her drink from Angela who had been holding it for her.
"Thanks," she smiled, taking a long draught and then holding her hair off the back of her neck, trying to fan herself.
"Having fun?" Angela asked with a grin.
"Yeah, more than I thought I would," Bella admitted.
"Aw c'mon," Angela put her arm around Bella's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Your career is about to take a big leap, life is good, and I think we need to get another drink. How does that sound?"
"Pretty good," Bella replied, and she was pleased when her smile only dipped a little. "I just wish Edward was here."
"He'll be back soon," Angela said, and then looked at her with a mischievous grin. "how soon exactly?"
Bella looked at her watch.
"Three weeks and one day."
"Not that you're counting or anything," Angela grinned. "C'mon, let's get you a drink," and with that she took Bella's hand and began to lead her through the crowd.
Bella allowed herself to be drawn through the push and pull of people, keeping her gaze on Angela's back. Soon they stopped, and she saw Angela had managed to find them a spot at the bar. She sighed, and Angela turned to her with a questioning look.
"I wonder what he's doing now?" Bella said.
"I wonder what he'd do if he knew Jacob was dedicating songs your way," replied Angela with a raised eyebrow.
o * o * o * o
With a growl Edward launched himself at the man standing opposite him, his momentum propelling them both against the wall with a loud thud. He locked his hands around the man's throat, snarling as the man gasped and choked for breath.
"What did you do to her? Tell me!"
"Wouldn't you .. like to know …" the man sneered with bravado, which began to crumble as his face purpled with the need for air.
Edward snarled and shoved the man again, making his head thump against the wall.
"You'll tell me," he repeated, then lessened his grip slightly. The man's eyes bulged as he coughed and gagged. "Tell me," he whispered again, his voice turning sly soft.
"Cut!"
For a moment Edward stood glaring into the man's eyes, and then he relaxed his grip. The man fell to his knees in a fit of coughing. Edward blinked a few times, and then seemed to come back to himself.
"Shit! Sorry Marcus, are you okay?"
"S-sure," he coughed. "Fuck, you didn't tell me you were going to be method acting," he continued.
"I didn't know I would be either," Edward apologized, helping Marcus to stand. "I'm sorry, I guess I just got a bit lost in the moment."
"Yeah, I kinda gathered that," Marcus said, wiping his eyes.
"Edward!" both men looked up to see the Director looking at them, "I need to talk to you."
"Fuck," Edward muttered under his breath. He patted Marcus's shoulder, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Marcus assured him. "Good scene man, just do me a favour and ratchet it down a notch for the next take."
"You're on," Edward gave him a tight smile and then headed over towards the director.
"Aro," he said by way of greeting. "What's up?"
"Edward, that was a great scene, but you want to tell me what's going on?"
"Uh," Edward temporized.
"I'm only saying that because I'd like to try and get a few more takes without you killing your co-star by the end of the day."
Edward sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
"Sorry Aro, I guess I'm getting pretty tired. Not much of an excuse I know, but I'm just having a hard time of it lately." He pulled a wry face, "but like they say, when in doubt, try acting."
Aro put an understanding hand on Edward's shoulder.
"Listen, I know this shoot is hard. I'm pushing everyone because the budget is tight and we're on a very tight schedule. I don't have time to massage egos and make sure everyone's feel warm and fuzzy, so if you've got something to tell me then say it, don't pout and hope that I'll notice you're a bit off."
Edward bristled.
"Is that what you think I'm doing? Aro, I thought you knew me better than that."
"Yeah well I didn't think you were the type of guy that'd strangle a co-star, so I guess that means we're even."
Edward clenched his jaw and looked down at his feet. He was being treated like a sulky teenager, but he had to accept that he had been acting like one. Sighing, he shook his head and looked up to see Aro was still looking at him with a steady gaze. Jesus. The man had enough to worry about without his leading actor having a hissy fit.
"Listen, I'm sorry. Marcus is okay, and I'll watch how I go for the rest of the scene."
"Good to know," Aro said with a slight smile. "And how about you do yourself a favour and take a break, check with Jane," he indicated his assistant with a jerk of his head, "and see when you can get yourself some down time."
"Will do," Edward said with a slight smile.
"Okay, now go get your hair fixed, you're a continuity nightmare."
Aro gave Edward's a shoulder a light cuff then turned to walk back to his chair, shouting instructions for the next camera setup.
Edward stood thinking for a moment, and then set off towards makeup. He passed Marcus, who looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"All good," he replied to the unspoken question.
"Cool," Marcus replied.
Maybe Aro had a point about giving himself a break. God he missed Bella. He missed seeing her face.
o * o * o * o
"Bells!" Jacob swooped her up in a hug. "Damn you're a sight for sore eyes!"
Bella laughed and managed to extricate herself without spilling her drink. "Jacob, this is my friend Angela. She's been a fan for a while so I thought I'd bring her along to see what all the fuss is about."
"Hey Angela," Jacob turned to Angela, and laughingly brushed off the hand she extended for a handshake and wrapped her up in a hug as well. "Any friend of Bella's is a friend of mine."
"Hey Jacob, nice to meet you too," Angela stepped away with a flustered laugh and straightened her shirt that had gotten mussed in Jacob's exuberance. "It's good to put a face to the name I've read in all the articles that Bella wrote about you."
"Yeah?" Jacob turned a proud gaze towards Bella who shrugged with a smile and sipped her drink, "Our girl here did a pretty good job and we've gotten a lot of interest since those articles came out."
"Oh yeah, I'm sure it was all down to my writing," Bella teased, shaking her head at him, "the fact you guys are a really tight band with a fantastic sound had nothing to do with it."
"Hey c'mon, don't sell yourself short!" Jacob protested then he turned to Angela, "does she always do this?"
"Pretty much," Angela replied, laughing as Bella poked her tongue at her, "and she's really mature about it too."
"Well that's something we have to fix," he said, draping a proprietary arm around Bella's shoulders.
"Oh I'm working on it," said Bella, "it's just a work in progress is all."
"And beautiful work it is too," Jacob replied, running an appreciative gaze over here. Angela bit her straw and raised her eyebrows at Bella, who groaned.
"Oh god Jacob, tell me you've worked out some better pickup lines than that!"
He laughed.
"Well, you can't blame a guy for trying," he replied, then added in a more serious tone, "I'm going to put it out there though, you seeing anyone?"
"Uh, that's a work in progress too," Bella hedged.
Angela gave a very unladylike snort, and Jacob turned to her in surprise.
"Oh come on," Angela said, then looked up at Jacob. "If you saw her and Edward together you'd know it was a done deal – the two of them just have to get their heads around it."
o * o * o * o
"I don't know what you expect me to tell you, it's not finalized."
"C'mon Jane, you must be able to give me something to work with."
"I'm sorry Edward, but even I don't know what's going on until a couple of days in advance."
He sighed. So much for Jane being able to help him out.
"Jane, I'll take whatever I can get."
Jane looked at him in exasperation for a moment, and then seemed to relent.
"Fine. I'll see what I can do, but," she held up a finger to hold off his thanks, "I'm not promising anything."
o * o * o * o
To: Edward Cullen
From: Bella Swan
Subject: miss you
Hey you
22 days to go! It sounds quicker than three weeks and one day …
Just got in from my night out with Angela and can hardly keep my eyes open, just as well I can touch type … you know I'm always good with my hands …
Miss you
Bella
To: Bella Swan
From: Edward Cullen
Subject: RE: miss you
21 days to go! And after your email I miss you more. How did your night out with Angela go?
Filming is getting really intense – we're trying to finish on time. If I have to go any more than 21 days without seeing you, I won't be held responsible for my actions.
Miss you most
Edward
To: Edward Cullen
From: Bella Swan
Subject: RE: RE: miss you
I had a great time with Angela, and it was so much fun catching up with Jacob and the guys. Jacob is still a shameless flirt, but Angela put him in his place! We stayed out until after midnight but by the time we were ready to come home Angela had started making me drink lots of water so I woke up feeling human!
I'm running errands today, and going by how pathetic Emmett sounded on my answering machine, I'd better bake them some more cupcakes soon. I might make something different, but will add some to your secret stash …
Missing you everywhere
Bella
o * o * o * o
A piercing whistle sounded.
"I'm at the computer babe!" Emmett hollered.
Moments later, Rosalie's face appeared around the doorway.
"Whachadoin?" she said as she sauntered towards him.
Emmett looked up at her with a wicked grin.
"I think I've worked out how to get under Edward's skin a bit more," he said.
"Oh?"
"Check this out," he said, pointing to the screen.
Rosalie leaned past him to read the email, and he made the most of the opportunity to nuzzle her neck.
"Oh Honey, you're good," she laughed.
"Hey, you said I was better than that this morning," he argued.
Rosalie turned and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a leisurely kiss.
"I just love the way your mind works, and the rest of you for that matter."
"I have my uses," he agreed in a modest tone.
Rosalie looked back at the screen and laughed.
"I'd love to see the look on his face when he gets that."
o * o * o * o
Edward finished typing and clicked 'send', sighing as he re-read some of Bella's earlier emails. His computer chimed as a message came in, and he checked to see who it was from.
"Emmett?" he murmured in surprise. They had kept in regular contact by phone, but it wasn't often that Emmett wrote any emails to him. The subject header had him curious though.
To: Edward Cullen
From: Emmett Cullen
Subject: GAME ON
Edward
Nice try, but the words EPIC FAIL spring to mind.
Emmett
Edward frowned at the screen for a moment, what the hell was Emmett talking about? Then he saw there was a file attached. He clicked on it, and let out a whoop of surprised laughter.
It was a photo of Emmett about to bite into a cupcake, holding up the lid of the plastic container that had been labeled 'Broccoli'. Edward sat looking at the photo for a while, chuckling to himself, then clicked on 'reply' and began to type.
To: Emmett Cullen
From: Edward Cullen
Subject: RE: GAME ON
Emmett
Not. Cool. Bro.
Those cupcakes were from my girl.
This time it's war.
Edward
o * o * o * o
"Game on," Bella whispered to herself, and then took a deep breath and opened the door.
The office was an absolute riot of colours and patterns. Framed vintage and contemporary movie posters competed for wall space amongst what looked to be original artworks and prints. There were some comfortable couches and armchairs covered with multi-coloured throws and cushions, and a profusion of books, magazines and comics lining every available shelf. The combination should have been enough to make the onlooker's eyes start to bleed, but strangely enough it all seemed to work.
Bella tried to stop herself from stopping short and gaping, but an amused giggle told her she had been unsuccessful. She glanced towards the sound and saw a petite woman get up from her set behind a desk and walk towards her with her hand outstretched.
"You must be Bella, I'm Alice, Jasper's wife," she said with a smile as they shook hands. "And don't worry, everyone's reactions when they walk in here for the first time is pretty much the same!"
"Well you have to admit it's pretty unexpected," Bella said with a laugh. "The outside is so unassuming and then you get in here and it looks like a chameleon has reached critical mass and exploded."
Alice gave a hoot of laughter.
"I love it! Jasper told me what you were like, and I know we're going to get along just fine. Come on, let's get a coffee and I'll bring you up to speed on what's going on. Jasper will join us later, he's out at another meeting at the moment."
"Is Dave going to be here as well? He's the one that told me to show up here this morning."
"No, I gather he's working on something else these days," Alice said over her shoulder as she led Bella down a posted lined corridor towards a light and airy lunchroom. Bella offered up silent thanks as she saw the state of the art coffee machine.
"Oh? I thought he was going to be coming on board as well."
Alice shrugged. "He made some comment about things not quite working out how he planned," she paused and winked so quickly that Bella almost missed it, "So he's moving onto other things.
Bella felt nonplussed. "He didn't say a word to me about it," she began.
"Don't worry about a thing," Alice patted her shoulder, "Dave's a power player in this town, I think it's safe to say he already has at least half a dozen options lined up already."
"Now," she continued in a brisk tone, "Jasper told me that you're a fiend for coffee so I've just had this machine installed to keep you on an even keel, and we've got a barista coming in next week to give us lessons on how to drive the damn thing. In the meantime, I'm pretty sure we can muddle our way through to get you caffeinated."
Bella looked at the mass of chrome and stainless steel sitting on the bench.
"Alice, are you seriously telling me that you bought a coffee machine that looks like it could handle a moon launch because I'm joining the team? But it must have - "
"No buts! Jasper and I had a long talk about you after his meeting with you the other day, and I know you're going to be with us for quite a while," she turned and patted the machine affectionately, "so this is a very worthwhile investment as far as I'm concerned."
"Right," Bella said faintly, "so no pressure then."
"None at all, now you get the milk and I'll see what happens when we push this button."
o * o * o * o
"Looks like someone's flicked your switch," commented the makeup woman as Edward entered her trailer.
"It's that obvious?"
"Well you're smiling for a start, but you look like a different man compared to yesterday," she replied as she pointed him to a chair and waited for him to settle himself before getting to work.
"Guess I shouldn't try my hand at poker then," Edward joked.
"Nope," she said with a small smile. "So what happened? Did you get some good news?"
"Something like that," Edward acknowledged. He settled back into his chair with a sigh then sat up as a runner appeared at the trailer door.
"Edward, Jane said you left this behind," the young man said, proffering a large takeaway coffee and a paper bag.
"Ah thanks, guess I left in a bit of a hurry, I was pretty distracted," Edward accepted the coffee with a broad grin.
"You forgot your coffee and muffin? Wow, it must have been good news."
"Yup," he replied. He took a sip of his coffee and then fished in his jeans pocket for his cell phone, where he started to tap out a quick message.
The makeup woman set to work for the next scene. They were going to be filming late into the night again, but at least she had a happy man to work on this time around. He still looked tired, but had managed to lose the weight of the world from his shoulders. She wondered what the news had been. Whatever it was, he was very happy, and very silent on the matter.
o * o * o * o