EPOV
"The whole set ups amazing," I said as I ran my hand over yet another acre of stainless steel bench top. "I had no idea there was a market for portable kitchen gear."
"Looking to branch out, bro?" Em chuckled beside me.
"Maybe," I laughed, half joking and half thinking seriously about the stockpile of steel I had just sitting in a holding yard in Perth. "But I wouldn't want to be accused of trying to take over the world."
"Just a little corner of it," he whispered, our little personal joke.
"Yeah," I mumbled, still stuck on the idea that there could be good money in food grade steel appliances.
"I don't own a lot of it, and its always tricky to source this kind of gear to hire because everyone wants it on weekends, but I do alright with what I've got," Jasper told me as he came back to the bench with an enormous tray of steaming hot pies.
My mouth began to water instantly and I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten.
"Oh those look delicious," my mother crowed as she left the cupcake station to come and sniff at the pies. "Are they all handmade?"
"Right down to the Cullen logos on their tops," Jasper chuckled as he slid one onto a plate and offered it to my mother. "You're paying for all this so take what you want," he said before going back to the oven again.
Just as I was taking the first bite my sister joined us in the kitchen and began gabbling about the fair.
"There are so many people out there," she smiled. "And they all look happy," she winked at me. "I've had cotton candy and two toffee apples and I even considered having my face painted."
"Just remember that a devil design might not wash off," I teased.
"Asshole," she quipped, reaching for a pie for herself.
"Bitch," I added, completing the ritual.
"Children," my mother scolded, "I did ask you both to play nicely."
"I play nicely with others, mom," I said as seriously as I could muster.
"Me too," Rosie added, "Just not with him," she laughed, pointing at me.
"That joke is getting old," my father laughed as he too joined us and pulled a pie apart in his hands. "Will we be seeing Isabella at any point?" he asked before stuffing his pie hole with, well, pie.
"She's using this space as a home base so she'll be in and out all afternoon," Jasper shouted over the clanging of pots and pans. "Call her, she'll have her phone glued to her ear somewhere," he suggested.
"I'll do it," Em offered, already tugging his own phone from his pocket. "I wanna thank her first," he warned, pointing his meaty finger at the rest of us.
As soon as he'd found her number and pressed dial I heard the chiming of a phone nearby and readied myself to 'play nicely' with moms friend.
BPOV
I'd been standing out of sight for a few minutes listening to the groups banter and knew that I'd be sprung the instant Jasper suggested calling me, so I made it look as though I was just entering the kitchen as my phone rang. I answered it anyway with a laugh and did my best to appear surprised to find the Cullen, and McCarty clan, all in residence at one of the benches.
"Looks like the party's in here," I smiled as I joined them. "Hello everyone," I said as steadily as I could, my eyes looking directly at Emmett.
"Bells!" he cried as he spotted me. The nickname was one Jasper had always called me.
"Hey Em," I replied. "Hello Esme, Doctor Cullen, " I added.
"Carlisle, please. We've talked about that."
"Carlisle then," I nodded.
"Emmett called dibs on thanking you first," Esme laughed daintily.
"Yeah, so watch it mom," Emmett ribbed. "The whole things brilliant," he told me, dimples on show once again. "I've never seen anything like it. Everyone's whopping it up and it's all just perfect. Thank you so much."
"You're most welcome," I tell him honestly.
"Yes, thank you Isabella," Carlisle added, offering me his hand. I shook it eagerly and did my best to accept his praise without blushing.
"I'm Rose, the meat heads wife," a striking blonde told me as she too reached for my hand. "Thank you for pulling all this together, it's wonderful."
"My pleasure," I told her.
"And this," Emmett said, stepping closer and motioning to my side, where I'd avoided looking, "Is the guy this is all in aid of. Bell's, this is my brother in law, Edward Cullen. Ed, this is Isabella Swan."
I turned and didn't quite keep my reaction in check. "Oh," I say stupidly. "Um, I mean, hi, I'm Bella."
"You," he said slowly, the recognition clear on his face too as he reached to shake my hand.
I jerked back a little as our skin contacted, the small jolt of electricity stinging for half a second before disappearing altogether.
"It's nice to meet you," I managed to squeak out before pulling my hand away.
"I've heard so much about you," he said evenly as he stared. Whatever inflection he'd been aiming for on the 'you' came off sounding like I was something he'd rather wipe off the sole of his shoe. He was an asshole and I had the distinct desire to tell him so. But my father had told me to say nothing if I had nothing nice to say.
So I stayed silent, desperate for one of the others to butt in and steer the conversation for me.
I was rescued by Alice who skipped over to where we were all standing. She dragged everyone to the cold room to check out the celebration cake and I was off the hook and left standing, panting, right where they'd left me.
Within seconds my brother was at my side, his arm draped around my shoulders.
"You okay sis?" he asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Not a ghost," I whisper, "Maybe a clone of one though," I whispered vaguely.
"Your grills smoking, dude," Mike shouted from across the way and whatever my brother was about to say was forgotten as he ran off to rescue his burgers.
I just stood there, thanking whatever god would listen, that this was my last job in this industry and the likelihood of ever needing to come into contact with Edward Cullen was next to nil.
EPOV
While the others oohed and aahed over the cake I hung back and cursed myself silently.
I'd been an asshole to Isabella twice in less than fifteen minutes.
It was a new record. A new personal best. And it made me feel awful.
I hadn't meant to do it but I'd managed it without effort.
I'd been frustrated and embarrassed that I couldn't hit a single one of those fucking ducks while all around me teenagers were knocking them down left, right and centre. And easily too. It had pissed me off when she'd laughed. And it had pissed me off even more when she'd laughed again when I did finally hit one. She'd been mocking me and I'd seen red.
And then, when we were introduced, I'd been less than gracious towards her. I was sure she'd felt the jolt when our hands met and was just as sure that the cause of that jolt was my anger and frustration manifesting itself as electricity.
The look on my face probably made me look like an asshole but I couldn't help it. I'd made a bad first impression on someone my mother, and brother in law, really liked and respected. A few short hours earlier I'd respected her too, without ever having met her, because she'd done such a wonderful job on my behalf.
I'd spent hours admiring the clever things she'd thought of and then, when presented with the chance to thank her and tell her so I treated her like shit.
And to top it off she was fucking gorgeous!
"Hey, bro, we're heading over to the stage for the speeches," Emmett shouted over his shoulder.
I hadn't even seen or heard anyone I was so lost in my thoughts. I shouted back, telling him I'd be there in a minute and went back into the kitchen area to find Isabella.
I had to make things right. I had to apologise. I had to thank her. I had to.
But she wasn't there. Jasper told me she'd headed down to the stage area already.
I'd do it as soon as I could find her.
My public image was a bad one but that was because I never gave anyone a chance to know who I really was, what I was really like. But now that I'd met someone new I'd given her the exact same impression.
Why it bothered me what she thought of me I couldn't say, but I didn't like the feeling.
I wanted the chance to set that right but for now I had to put my game face back on, smile nicely and thank all my new employees for having a great time on my dollar.
Duty called.
BPOV
Game face on Bella I thought to myself as I made my way to the back of the property. I stopped at every stall and concession stand on the way and asked them all to shut down. This part was all prearranged.
Emmett wanted as many people as possible to be at the stage while he introduced their new boss so I'd set the time and coached each of my staff to close up shop, if they could, when the time came.
I checked my watch and then smiled when the announcement came over loud and clear from the tannoy system for everyone to make their way to the stage. Everything was going along nicely.
The short interruption to the fun would give the operators and the staff a few minutes break to recharge their batteries and to grab something to eat and drink before the second half of the fun went full throttle.
I followed the crowd as they went. Almost everyone had taken notice of the announcement, I was pleased to see. When I reached the designated area quite a crowd had formed at the foot of the stage, stretching backwards in groups and clumps. The noise was deafening as groups greeted other groups and speculated about their new boss.
The comments I heard had already started to shift. Edward Cullen wasn't thought of as quite the monster now. Little did they know what an asshole he could be!
Even worse, for me, than his haughty attitude was the fact that he was so fucking gorgeous he took my breath away. Typical. Handsome and a dick. You usually got one or the other.
His tone had transported me to another time and place and another voice that could turn my insides into a seething hash of dread and fear. Jake had been a control freak too. He'd also been a giant asshole who'd turned me upside down and had knocked out any self esteem I had ever had.
Jake's ego knew no bounds. Anyone who looked his way was either judging or admiring him. Anyone who approached him wanted to steal something from him. If someone dared speak to me in his presence he'd flip and become possessive and even more controlling. In the end it was impossible for me to exist anywhere near him. Nothing I did pleased him, nothing I said was right and everything I wore was designed to attract someone that wasn't him.
It didn't take long for his bad moods to shift towards violence and like the idiot I was I stuck around too long. I should've fled when he started threatening to hit me. I should've run and never looked back after the first slap. I should've done a lot of things. Instead I'd done nothing.
And by the time he really injured me I'd started to believe what he was telling me. I was a tease. I was a flirt. I was a useless, well, everything. My opinions were wrong, my ideas ridiculous. I was ugly. I was fat. I was too short. My hair too straight and boring. My eyes dull and lifeless. I believed everything he said to me because he said them so often.
But that last night, the last time he struck me, that was the end.
I never wanted to be anywhere near another Jacob Black again as long as I lived. I'd made sure that anyone who even exhibited even the slightest sign of being aggressive was avoided and I never, ever let myself be in the position to hear what others thought of me if I could help it.
I knew the signs. I knew what to avoid and Edward Cullen was another Jacob Black. Arrogant, self involved, a fake and probably a liar like Jake was too. I didn't want to be near him long enough to find out if he was aggressive.
Watching him now at the side of the stage I could see other similarities too.
He was a fake.
His jeans were too new. They were an even, uninterrupted denim colour. No worn patches and the colour was a deep, dark blue still. His shirt was too crisp to be anything other than freshly pulled from its packaging. His shoes were too new too. Too white. Too expensive to fit here.
The watch on his wrist was probably worth more than my apartment too. He'd swapped his usual suit and tie image for this one and I could tell by his stance that this wasn't normal for Edward Cullen.
Actually, now that I could study him without impunity, he actually looked scared. He was twitching from foot to foot, his hand rubbing through his hair over and over and his eyes were darting this way and that. He looked like a little boy about to take to the stage for his first school play. And that image didn't fit.
I'd seen him on the television a number of times and he came across as anything but unsure of himself. In fact, he came across as arrogant and gave the impression that the journalist asking him questions was a gnat that required squashing and was hardly worth the effort to acknowledge.
Where was the asshole? Where was the guy who so easily berated me in public without blinking? Where was the cocky son of a bitch who had let the whole world think him a self centred workaholic and had never done a damn thing to dispute that image?
And why now? Why was he allowing Emmett, and by extension me, to throw this massive party in an attempt to change that public image? What was so different about this company? I'd asked Emmett that at our first meeting but hadn't gotten a reply.
What I was seeing now didn't gel with the image I had of him after the incident at the shooting gallery.
It looked as though his mother was attempting to calm him while Emmett sang his praises into the microphone.
Rose stood by his side, her hand rubbing his back rhythmically. Was she trying to soothe him?
And Carlisle looked less than comfortable too. He was quite close to his son but from where I was standing I couldn't see if he too was comforting him.
And then it was time. Emmett had done his job and had introduced his brother in law and now it was all up to Edward to turn the tide of public thought.
He stuttered first few lines and again I was struck by the two images I had of him.
Something didn't fit.
EPOV
"Just be yourself," were my mother's hurried, whispered words as I forced myself to take the three small steps up onto the stage.
I could be anything but I thought as I shook Emmett's hand and stood in front of the microphone.
A sea of faces stared back at me and I felt the first bead of sweat trickle its way down my back as I opened my mouth.
"I'm...I'm...ah," I stuttered and inwardly cursed. Good start moron. "I'm Edward Cullen and I want to begin by thanking you all for coming today," I managed to croak before I put everything else out of my mind and put my public face back firmly in its place. "I want to begin by reassuring you all that your jobs are secure." I waited for what I hoped would be clapping and instead was treated to a rousing cheer that echoed through the large crowd.
"The reason I bought out Equity Steel was because I could see that you had a first class operation already running here." Again a cheer rang out. "But you needed more capital to really be able to take good advantage of the good work already being produced here and my team and I have decided that that's exactly what we're going to do here in Gladstone. Inject capital and expand the operation until you are one of the biggest steel smelting works on the Eastern seaboard."
The cheers went on and on at that and I began to relax a little. They didn't hate me, they just didn't know me. Emmett had been right all along. This had been a great idea.
"We'll start Monday morning. All of us. The parent company will work side by side with all of you to make this place as great as I think it can be. It won't be easy, so don't think that throwing cash at the problems at the factory here will make them all disappear because it won't. But I'm dedicated to working by your side to fix those problems and to introduce new practises to streamline and better make use of the talents of the workforce here.
"Gladstone has shown me that you're all good, community minded people and I want to expand on that as we transform the old Equity Steel into a valuable Cullen Enterprises company.
"By the end of this coming financial year I'd like to be able to double your output which, in turn, will double the opportunities for you all to advance as well as doubling the number of employees we have on site."
A roar went around the field then. I had them. The promise of more work, and possible promotions and I had them.
"But, like any good organisation, I can't do all this on my own so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my Marketing Director Emmett McCarty who you also know as my Public Relations Manager. Thank you Emmett for all your hard work and for putting the idea of today out there."
I waited while the crowd whooped and cheered again and then continued.
"Today would not have happened without another very special group of people. Swan Catering and Events. Could you come up here please Miss Swan?" I asked as nicely as I could and then scanned the edges of the crowd for where she might be.
When I located her I smiled but she had her head down, watching her feet as though she expected herself to fall. She didn't, thankfully, and once she'd joined me – quite reluctantly I noticed – I presented her to the crowd.
"This is Isabella Swan and she is directly responsible for everything you've been able to enjoy here today. Please join me in showing her our thanks."
Another great cheer and then Emmett was coming up onto the stage with the enormous bouquet of flowers he'd hidden in the cold room earlier. I watched as he kissed her on both cheeks and then watched a lovely blush blossom on her cheeks.
She stood to my side, reluctant to accept anything from me, and probably rightly so right then, so I wrapped up my speech.
"I invite you all to continue enjoying yourselves this afternoon and this evening. There is a very beautiful and in no way sugar free cake for you all to share with me and I'll be heading up to the food hall momentarily so I invite you all to join me, introduce yourself to me and let me meet you." I paused when Isabella tapped me on the arm and handed me a small piece of paper. I read it and then returned to the crowd. "Miss Swan has asked me to remind you that there are party bags for all the children in a tent in sideshow alley and that there will be a fireworks display at around 7 pm, right before the screening of the last movie. Is there somewhere that all this information is available?" I asked her.
"On the flyers and the back of the map," she told me quietly.
"On the back of your maps, and printed on the flyers you've been handed, you'll find all the times and I'm guessing all the locations of the rest of the planned activities for today. You see? Without the expert help of those around us nothing would get done and days like today wouldn't be possible. Thank you again, Miss Swan," I said and turned to offer her a smile. But she was gone, back down the stairs and talking with my mother. "Thank you all again for coming out today and I hope you enjoy the rest."
I accepted the applause and went back down the stairs as the band came back on.
"Get down there, man," Emmett said in a rush, pointing to where my employees were still gathered. "Play nice, shake a few hands."
I didn't want to but I knew I had to. I wanted to corner Isabella and set right what I'd messed up but she was in an animated discussion with my mother and sister and wouldn't meet my eyes. So I left her to it and went to meet some people.
For the next half hour I smiled and chatted and met dozens of men who promised to work hard for me. I cuffed the ears of dozens of children and allowed them to put their sticky hands on me all in the name of being a genial host.
I was introduced to a hundred people whose names I instantly forgot. It wasn't on purpose, or because I didn't want to know their names, there were just so many.
I accepted the thanks of so many people in that short time and as the last of them melted away back into the crowd who'd settled in to enjoy the band I took a deep breath and made my way up to the food hall to do it all again.
BPOV
Mortified wasn't a strong enough word to describe how I felt standing up on that stage and having Emmett hand me a bunch of flowers!
And how awkward was it to be kissed by Emmett McCarty and then not be kissed by Edward Cullen? What? Did I have cooties or something? The Public Relations manager can kiss me on my cheeks but the stuffy, arrogant CEO is too good to do the same? Not that I wanted Edward Cullen to kiss me, but I'm sure the crowd thought it was odd that I was on good enough familiar terms with the middle man to be thanked that way but I wasn't seen as lofty enough up the food chain for the really big boss to bother.
For a start Emmett really wasn't the one who'd hired me, Edward had, sort of. So it felt like a snub of the highest order to have one of his minions present the flowers to me, not that I thought of Emmett as a minion. But still. He should've done it himself. Or better yet not done it at all.
Mail me a bonus check for having gone over and above the call of duty. Send me a gift voucher for a meal or a spa day. Hell, having his secretary type me out a thank you note and use a rubber stamp to put his signature on it would've been better than having to haul my wobbly ass up onto a stage in front of hundreds of people.
Esme had assured me that I'd been just fine. I'd smiled even though I couldn't remember doing anything other than grimacing at the time. Carlisle told me I had looked as steady as a rock and Rose said I'd looked confident, though I doubted it. I never looked confident so I knew they were all full of shit.
Thankfully Jasper and Alice had had to stay behind in the kitchen and missed the whole stupid ordeal. I caught up with them both back at home base and after a brief time of mutual admiration for my flowers we all got back to work.
I intended to do another set of checks on all the vendors and the stands but I went back through the food hall itself on the way. Big mistake. It was full to the brim. Adults and children alike had taken up residence in every available space. Every seat was full and as big as the tent was there wasn't a lot of standing room either.
And right in the middle of it all was Edward Cullen himself. His family stood off to the side watching, just as I was, as he shook every hand offered and smiled at anyone who approached him.
He still didn't look comfortable and I got the distinct impression that after the day was done he was going to go back to his hotel and scrub himself clean of the working classes.
On my way out of the tent I checked my watch and then I called the inflatable movie theatre operator to get him to postpone the next screening by half an hour or so. There was no way all those people were going to be done adoring their new hero any time soon. Then I called down to the stage area where the speeches had been made and asked the emcee to make an announcement ten minutes before the new screening time.
I made my way through the rows of concession stands and in amongst where the rides were and then checked in at the front gate. The protestors were still there though they weren't marching or chanting at the moment. In fact they were all sitting on folding garden chairs looking rather grim.
I dialed Sam in the beer hall and checked over the employee list while I waited for him to pick up. The lists were almost all covered in highlighter marks now. At a guess I'd say that only twenty or thirty Equity employees hadn't shown. That was a great result.
"Hi Sam, its Bella. Can you get one of your guys to collect ten portions of hot food from Jasper and bring it to the front gate for me?" I asked when he answered my call.
"Sure thing," he replied. "You want drinks too?"
"Sure. Just nothing alcoholic. And throw in some snack stuff as well as some napkins and some wet wipes will you please?"
"Done. Give me five minutes and it'll be there, boss."
I could always count on Sam. No matter what I asked him to do it always happened on time, in good order and I never, ever had to ask twice. I left instructions with the girls at the gate to hand out the food and drink to the protestors and then I headed back to the food hall.
EPOV
'All good, boss,' Seth mouthed at me and I nodded back to show him I'd received his message.
Seth Clearwater had been my head of security for the past eight years, ever since some nutjob had taken a pot shot at me while I was stepping from my car and heading in to my office in Sydney.
I hadn't wanted security, even after that because the whacko had missed me, but I'd been out voted. By everyone. My mother, father, sister, Emmett and even the doorman at the office building said it was a good idea. I'd only given in after meeting the guy Em brought in to head up the team. That had been a fresh faced Seth and even though he'd been young back then I'd liked him instantly and more importantly I trusted him right from the off.
So for the last eight years I was discreetly tailed by unseen men that Seth vetted and hired from a budget that only he controlled. I provided the cash, of course, but whatever Seth needed Seth usually got. And that included a small army of guys for today.
I didn't go anywhere without him knowing. I rarely went anywhere without him having first checked out all the contingencies as a matter of fact.
There had been a number of close calls in the past few years but he'd never once let me down. In fact, two years ago he'd been injured himself while he protected me. Seth recovered and insisted that that's what I paid him for, to be injured on my behalf and after a year or so I let it go. But it was a long year.
Seth lived in my house, ate at my kitchen counter and was pretty much my shadow most of the time. If I was indoors Seth was indoors. If I went outside Seth went ahead of me and gave me the all clear before I could set foot on the grass of my yard. If I went out to dinner Seth was at a nearby table and had spent hours checking it out before I arrived.
When it's possible he drives me where I need to be driven even though I'm perfectly capable of doing so myself. His reasoning is that I'm a target in a car that I'm in control of and I've never done a defensive driving course. I countered that I could do one. He countered that I paid him to keep me safe and that included when in vehicles. The compromise was that I drive myself on weekends when I'm going somewhere that isn't for work, if it's possible and he deems it safe.
Even today he'd driven right behind me to the Equity facility.
When I fly somewhere, which is often as Cullen Enterprises is nationwide now, and I've even got an office in Malaysia and one in New Zealand now, Seth makes the bookings. Seth meets with the security of the airline and the airport and terminus staff. Seth sits in front me in the plane. Seth walks in front of me as we disembark.
Seth is everywhere I am. And with his team behind him I know that I'm never, ever truly alone. I might not see him, or them, but they are there. I might not hear him, or them, but they are there.
He says I don't need to know just how many threats are made against me personally every week and I agree. I don't need to know. I'd never leave my bedroom again if I did. I only know about certain ones when Seth deems it necessary for me to know. And those freak me the fuck out so I'm glad he doesn't tell me all of it. I like not knowing. I like that Seth knows and I like that Seth is always, always on it.
He was such a part of my life now that everyone treated him as part of the family. He rarely joined in but he was always there. Watching. Listening. Waiting.
He'd just about given birth to a litter of kittens when Emmett told us both that I'd be in public and exposed for the better part of twelve hours today, at a fun fair no less. I'd listened to everything he'd had to say on it but in the end I'd agreed to let Em try to sort out my public image and I'd agreed to the fun fair itself. I left it up to Seth to sort out the details of my personal security. So far there hadn't been a problem even if I was covered in a thin film of muck from so many children wanting to thank me for all the fun they were having.
I saw Isabella come out of the kitchen area and I wished I could get her attention, or call her over, but I couldn't do so without seeming rude to the people who were introducing themselves to me.
I saw her come back in again a little while later but the situation remained the same.
I wanted to follow her to the kitchen and apologise. I wanted to get her on her own and explain myself. If I was honest I wanted to fall to my knees and beg her to forgive me. And that was an odd feeling for me. I didn't know why I felt so strongly that I right the wrongs between us, but I did.
She was lovely. She was good and kind and selfless and she'd worked tirelessly on my behalf and I'd been a prick. Twice.
And if this line of endless faces ever ended I wanted to find a quite spot, sit her down over a coffee and just talk to her.
BPOV
"He's not enjoying this very much I'm afraid," Esme told me as I sidled up to where she and the rest of the family were watching Edward from.
"Does he enjoy anything?" I wondered out loud and immediately regretted it. I hoped she hadn't heard me.
I swear Esme's eyes began to water so I quickly looked away, back to where her son was holding court.
I heard the emcee announce that the movie was about to start and watched as quite a few tables packed up their belongings and made their way out of the tent. At least there would be some bums on bean bags for the second movie I thought.
My phone began ringing in my pocket and I excused myself to answer it. It was Sam letting me know that the protestors had been fed and watered and also letting me know that there were four more journalists at the gate wanting entry.
I was about to tell him to deny them access when he told me he already had. Sam was great to have around.
While walking back towards the kitchen I noticed a dark skinned man whisper into Edward's ear and wondered who he was. He was dressed from head to toe in black and had his phone glued to his ear. In between whispering to Edward he was speaking into his phone as though it was a three way conversation. Perhaps it was? Edward had other businesses to mange after all.
I doubted he was the kind of guy who would delegate much or leave things unfinished. Control freaks never did that. So he was probably still working on the next takeover while this one was in progress.
As I was about to turn to go into the kitchen Edward looked up and he spotted me. For a split second he seemed to smile and as the dark skinned guy continued to speak I watched the smile turn into something else altogether. Another split second later and his face was thunderous and it seemed to be aimed directly at me for some reason.
He broke eye contact and turned to the other guy; he spoke briefly, nodded just once and then returned to the group of people in front of him. He didn't look back up at me and I didn't want him to. His stare had been frightening.
"Everything alright?" Alice asked as she whizzed by with the empty trays from her cupcakes.
"All going to plan," I told her as I picked up another stack of trays and followed her to the wash up area.
She was already elbow deep in suds by the time I got there and I had to marvel, again, at the boundless energy she had. She was tiny, just five feet five inches tall, but she packed a lot of energy into that little frame.
"What do you think of him?" she asked, tossing her head towards the hall.
"Edward?" I asked but I knew who she meant. "I don't know him."
"Nobody does they say," she shrugged and took another pair of trays from my hands to wash. "Jasper says it's that Emmett guys job to make him seem friendly. Do you think it's worked?"
"Well nobody shoved cake into his face," I laughed as cheerily as I could.
"True," she agreed as she swished the hot water over the trays. "If anyone was going to make a scene they'd have made it already I guess."
"I guess," I agreed, because I did.
"His sister invited us all to their hotel after we're finished tonight. Do you think you'll go?"
"I'm on a ten o'clock flight back," I reminded her and thanked my lucky stars I had a legitimate reason to bunk off the invitation.
"Oh bugger, I forgot," she cursed. Alice wasn't one for foul language so the odd bugger or cripes was all you'd get no matter how big the disaster. "I think we're going to go. We've got a late morning flight tomorrow so why not, right?" she laughed.
"Why not," I agreed. "Are you sure you'll be okay if I head off before everyone's gone?" I asked, still unsure that leaving the clean up and take down process to be overseen by my brother was a good idea. He was obsessed with his kitchen equipment but about everything else he had an 'it'll be right' attitude.
"I promised I'd make sure your whole list got done and I meant it, sis," Alice told me sternly.
"And sisters don't break promises," I replied, finishing our ritual.
"Four more months!" Alice squealed as I made to leave.
"Four more months, Allie," I called over my shoulder.
In four months time she really would be my sister when Jasper married her. The wedding preparations would go into full swing in the next few weeks and inwardly I cringed at the thought. Alice was brilliant at a lot of things. Patience, subtlety and conservatism weren't her forte.
As I was slipping out the side of the food hall tent I inadvertently stumbled across the dark skinned guy shouting into his phone. Whoever was on the other end of that call wasn't a popular boy I chuckled as I sidestepped him and made my way to the theatre.
EPOV
I shook the last hand in the line and looked around to see if I could still see her. I couldn't. She'd slipped out again. Again! The bloody woman was like a ninja!
I spoke briefly with my family, all of whom said they were proud of me for being so patient for so long with the long line, and then I went to find Seth.
Emmett called to me, reminding me that I was required in the beer hall in a half hour to meet the current management team, and I assured him I'd be there on time.
Seth was outside the tent still hissing into his phone so I mouthed that I was going to find a bathroom and that I'd meet him back there, in the same spot, in fifteen minutes. He gave me a thumbs up and I took off. If he wasn't following it meant that someone else would be.
It wasn't easy going this time, traversing the property. Before the speech at the band stage I'd been just another guy in the crowd. But now everyone knew who I was and I was stopped over and over again, despite having just spent the last hour pressing the flesh in the food hall.
I eventually made it to the bathrooms, made quick work of my business there, and then jogged back up the hill to the administration block. Jared, one of Seth's boys, was reading a magazine under the parking area and greeted me with a wave but no words. Seth's boys weren't very talkative and I liked it that way. Seth himself said very little. It made what he did say more important, or I thought so anyway.
I retrieved my cigarettes and went around the corner out of sight to enjoy it. It calmed me like nothing else could. I knew it was bad for me. I knew it undid a lot of the good I tried to achieve by eating right and exercising when I found the time. But I needed it. Not a lot of it. In fact I still only allowed myself just the one after dinner at night, but right now I needed it.
I needed five quiet minutes in my own head. I needed to process all that had happened so far and to wrap my head around what I still had to do.
But if I was truly honest with myself I needed just a few quiet minutes to pull myself together.
If there was a doctor around I would wager that my blood pressure was sky high. I'd staved off several anxiety episodes already today and I'd used up a fair amount of adrenalin in the process.
I was feeling low. Low on energy. Low on enthusiasm and low on the mental strength to do much more.
This wasn't me. I wasn't a social guy anymore. I wasn't good in public places. I wasn't good in new situations and today was all of those things. Very public, very exposing and very new.
I'd felt nervous and anxious all day. In fact I'd been afraid all damn day. Afraid that it would all be a flop, or be for nothing. Afraid that those protestors would ruin it if it did turn out okay. Afraid to stammer when speaking to people I didn't know. Afraid that someone would take affront to me and attempt to hurt me while I was so exposed. Afraid that even Seth, as good as he was, wouldn't be near enough to save me. But most of all I was afraid to fail.
The thought of doing all this and failing either in my promises to the Equity employees or Emmett by not being able to help him revive my public image made me feel afraid and ill.
My eyes were dry and my contacts were giving me hell because of it. I hadn't drunk nearly enough water and I would've killed a man and stolen his cup of coffee if he walked by me right then.
But the sweet nicotine of that one illicit cigarette calmed me.
I smoked it slowly, drawing in deeply on each inhale and letting the smoke out slowly over my lips to prolong the experience. I appreciated these things all the more for the infrequency with which I indulged in them and as such I really enjoyed that few short minutes of pleasure.
How crap was my life that I only drew pleasure from something that could kill me?
I stamped out the cigarette butt and went back into the fray. The parking lot was still full, so nobody was in a hurry to leave and I was both thankful and disappointed at that.
Half of me was pleased that people were having a good time and wanted to continue doing so. The other half of me wanted them all to go home now that they'd eyeballed me and shaken my hand.
Seth was right where I'd left him though he'd finished his call so we were free to talk for a few moments.
"Who took the food out there?" I asked him as soon as we were alone behind the tent.
"One of the Swan Catering hired guns," he told me.
"Who gave the go ahead?"
"I talked to Sam, her head of security, and he told me she asked him to take care of it on her behalf."
"And the press guys that were out there? Did they get shots of it being delivered or anything?" I asked, raking a hand through my hair.
"Afraid so," he cringed. "And there's nothing legally we can do about it either. They were on public land, boss."
"I know," I sighed. "Alright. Keep trying to find out who they work for and keep an ear open for any whispers about which side of the fence they belong to regarding me."
"What can they write? Honestly, she did a nice thing. They were probably bored shitless and just sitting around. She sent them some food and some drink. That'll be the story. The benevolent host, you not her, orders his minions to take his enemies sustenance. They've got nothing other than that," he assured me.
"I hope that's what they write," I sighed. "They can just as easily turn it all around and you know it. I'm needed at the beer tent," I told him, looking down at my watch and seeing my time was up. "Stay near, please."
"I'll be within reaching distance, boss, as always," he grinned and clapped me on the back as I left.
In public, or anywhere we could be overheard he called me boss. In private he called me kid even though I was only nine months younger than him. No matter what he called me it always felt fond and I felt better just hearing him say he'd be close.
BPOV
The first groups started leaving as the sun began to set. The girls at the gate were keeping a vague head count and reported to me that a hundred or so had made their way back to their cars. Thankfully the protestors were long gone and those leaving weren't accosted by them as they went.
As I made my way around I could see the lines for rides and concessions starting to thin too. Another half hour and they could begin to shut up shop.
I let the last pair go that had manned the cotton candy machine when they told me they hadn't needed to make any for half an hour. I sent them off to Sam to collect their wages and thanked them both for all their hard work.
The face painting girls were next and they too were told to clean up, pack up and head on up to see Sam. They were grateful, totally knackered, and covered from head to toe in face paint but they'd earned every cent of what I was paying them and I told them so.
Every single party bag had been handed out and if anyone had missed out there was nothing I could do about it so I went ahead and told those girls to close up as well.
The operator of the giant slide said it was getting close to the time he should shut down as once it was dark the ride was too dangerous without it being floodlit. That was good enough for me and he too began to pack up.
Malcolm was already packing up his animals when I got there to tell him he was free to do so. They were getting cranky and needed bedding down for the night he told me – not at all briefly – and I shook his hand and got away from him as fast as I could after that.
I checked in by phone with the roadie for the rock band on the stage near the front paddock and was told that the crowd had thinned to just two local groupies who had had quite enough to drink for the day so I told him to go ahead and pack up too.
Of course the beer garden would go until the very last minute, as would the kitchen. My brother and his crew were busy getting supper together and once it was served they too could begin to clean up and pack up, but not before.
The classical ensemble that were playing on the stage where the speeches had been held would play on a little longer, probably until stumps considering the size of the crowd who were now spread out across the field listening to them play.
I wandered around through the groups and asked who was staying for the fireworks and or the last movie. A few were staying for both but most, as I'd predicted and hoped, would stay for the display then take their children home.
I told everyone that supper would be served in the food hall between the end of the fireworks and the beginning of the movie and then left them to it.
I was beginning to wane myself so the idea of just plonking myself down in the soft grass sounded like a good one. Of course I couldn't do that. But what I could do was hide myself away for a few minutes peace and quiet behind the stage while I had a much needed caffeine injection.
EPOV
I'd met Graham, Tony, Mal and Kevin. Andrew, Shane and Liam introduced themselves. There was a Steven and a Greg in there somewhere too. Or was it Gary? I had no clue anymore.
The six who were sitting at the table with Emmett and I were the main six that ran Equity Steel and were now going to be my 'men on the ground' while we restructured and turned the place around. I wanted to know their names and I wanted to be able to remember which face went with which name but I'd met so many men today that nothing was going to stick.
Emmett had reminded me over and over today that all these people had only one name to remember, mine. I had hundreds to remember and nobody was going to be pissed off that I couldn't. I hoped he was right.
These six seemed like good guys. Whether they turned out to be guys who knew their shit from clay when it came to the business remained to be seen. But for now I thought they were nice guys.
They told me stories about the factory and about the workers. I heard all about the previous owner and the way they saw his mistakes. I learned about how these six thought the restructuring should go and why and I learned about which secretaries I should avoid being alone with in the office.
After an hour and a half I was ready to go and gave Seth the signal. It was a simple one. I tapped my empty glass, or in this case plastic-looking glass, on the tabletop three times. He heard or saw me do it and he was on his feet and interrupting the conversation expertly within seconds.
"Mr Cullen, I'm so sorry to interrupt but your conference call will be connecting in five minutes," he said with a straight face, giving me the out I needed without it seeming as though I was bored or being rude.
All six men seemed okay with me leaving the table and when they made no move to leave I bid them a pleasant evening and followed Seth out of the beer hall gratefully.
"Where do I need to be right now?" I asked as we walked swiftly away from the tent.
"If Emmett hasn't said then you don't need to be anywhere in particular," he told me.
"Where are the others?" I asked, knowing he'd know I meant the family.
"The ladies are by the bandstand and your father and Emmett are speaking with the men who are putting on the fireworks display."
"Christ," I muttered and headed in the direction of the empty field that was the furthest away from any of the other activities. "If Emmett gets a chance to play with fireworks we'll all fucking go up in smoke," I told him as I began to jog.
Running beside me Seth laughed heartily but I didn't think it was funny. I was serious. Emmett loved explosives.
Luckily my father had him in check when we got there and all was well. Emmett was far enough away from the boxes of pyrotechnics to stop me from freaking out. Just. Sort of.
"You'll need to be at least fifty feet away when we start," said a man, who I assumed was the one who was going to actually be putting on the display.
"Where's the best place to watch from?" Emmett asked as Seth and I joined the small group.
"Anywhere really," the guy shrugged. "It's pretty open around here so you'll see pretty much everything from everywhere."
"Cool," Emmett said as he began to bounce from foot to foot like a little kid. His actual children, my niece and nephew, didn't stand any chance of being normal. Not with a dad like Emmett. I could only hope that a few days spent staying with their grandparents, Emmett's mom and dad, would cover over a few of their more 'daddy-like' traits while we were away.
"Why don't we go and find the ladies and pick a spot to watch from?" I suggested, hoping Emmett would come away. Thankfully he did and we made our way to the other side of the area where the classical music was still going strong.
We found them at the edge of the crowd, lounging on their elbows and staring up at the early evening sky, nattering away about god only knew what. I was desperate to join them. I so wanted to just sit down and stretch out if only for a few moments but I wasn't sure I should.
Dad and Emmett had no such misgivings. They just sat right down, legs stretched out in front of themselves, resting on their palms and sighing in relief at being idle.
"Sit down for Christ's sakes, Ed," Emmett said, tilting his head backwards and squinting through the last of the sun at me. "Even CEO's sit down," he chuckled.
I was about to do just that when I spotted her. Her long, dark hair swaying back and forth to the beat of the music playing.
I was instantly transported back to the hospital benefit all those months ago and the sight of that girl, out in the moonlight, swaying without a care in the world.
Could it be? Was it possible that it had been Isabella Swan that night?
"Mom," I said as calmly as I could so as to not arouse suspicion. "Did you use Swan Catering for the hospital benefit back in March?"
"Of course dear," came her instant reply. "I've been using them for the last five years. Aren't they wonderful?" she asked.
"They are," I agreed, on autopilot now. "Will you excuse me a moment please? I just need to clarify something with Miss Swan."
"But they're starting in a minute," Emmett protested, referring to the fireworks.
"I'll be back in time," I assured him and headed in the direction of those lovely swaying hips.
I hoped she wouldn't turn around before I got there and for once my luck held. She didn't and I was able to watch her for a few minutes more as she gently shifted her weight from foot to foot, her hair swishing back and forth as her hips moved.
It had been in a tight ponytail all day long and she must have let it down while she took her break. The only one I'd seen her take all day I noted.
Like me she must be exhausted and whilst I'd considered just lying down on the grass for a rest here she was, empty coffee cup in one hand down by her side, dancing alone. Again.
"May I join you?" I asked, the words forming and coming out of my mouth before I had a chance to censor them.
She startled. Of course she startled. She'd thought she was alone. As she turned to face me I could see the annoyance on her face at having been interrupted.
"I'm sorry," I told her honestly. "I saw you back here dancing and I couldn't help myself."
"From what?" she asked, blinking rapidly now.
"From watching you," I whispered, though I wasn't sure why I felt the need. We were alone back there. There were probably two hundred people on the other side of the stage, but back here we were totally alone.
"So you've watched me, now go away," she said tersely and it was my turn to blink.
She didn't like me. That was evident. And I didn't blame her. My chance to set that right was upon me.
Without thinking, again, I did that a lot around her, I reached forward and took the empty cup from her hand and set it on the ground by my feet and then I took her left hand into my right.
That same spark of electricity crackled as our skin met but this time I had no clue why. I wasn't angry this time. I was enthralled. Captivated.
She didn't pull away, thankfully, allowed me to bring our now clasped hands up between us. I wanted to apologise. I wanted to explain my behaviour earlier in the day. I wanted her to listen and I wanted her to like me.
But most of all I wanted to dance with her so I kept my mouth firmly shut lest I fuck it all up again. Three times was so not going to be the charm.
I slid my left hand to her waist and pulled her gently towards me, adopting a dancing pose as best I could with such a reluctant partner.
I waited two beats for the music to begin its cycle again and then I began to move, tugging her until she followed.
She was fighting my hold and fighting me and I didn't blame her one little bit. I'd be crushed if she shook me off and fled so I opened my mouth only long enough to try to smooth her ruffled feathers.
"Give me this one dance and I promise to leave you alone if you wish it," I whispered into her ear and felt her relax just a little.
She didn't reply but she didn't need to. She'd softened her posture, taken a deep breath inwards and began to move with me rather than against me.
I could feel the ends of her hair brushing my fingertips where I held her about her waist.
She felt so tiny in my arms. Her head resting just under my chin, her hand in mine and her free hand resting on the point of my shoulder softly.
She felt like a new kind of normal. A settled kind of comfort.
BPOV
He smelled of peppermint and nicotine and I liked it.
He felt rigid against my chest but soft too, it was a strange feeling, to be held by him. And I didn't know why I'd allowed it.
"You frighten me," I heard myself whisper but at the same time I said it I relaxed just a little bit more, and that was just as frightening as he was.
"I'm not frightening," he whispered.
I didn't know what to say so I said nothing in reply and let the music be my sole focus. It was quite loud back there as we were very close to the stage still. But the type of music was soothing rather than brash and it leant the whole experience, dancing with Edward Cullen, a softer more intimate edge.
I found myself liking it.
And that was more frightening than I found the man himself.
He was a chameleon to me. Never the same twice. Rude and intolerant at our first meeting in sideshow alley. Charming and professional when he was dealing with employees. Gentler and a little self conscious when with his family and then confident and controlling again with a microphone in his hand and the public at his feet.
But this version of him I didn't have an accurate description for. He was quiet, gentle and nothing like what I'd witnessed so far.
I knew that at some point another version would make itself known to me and I hoped that it wouldn't be anything to wipe away the way I saw him right then. I wanted him this way.
I wanted him?
The music slowed to its conclusion and as I tried to step backwards and extricate myself from his embrace I felt his arms and fingers go rigid. He refused to break the embrace.
"Don't go," he whispered, pleadingly.
I nodded beneath his chin but voiced no opinion verbally. Right then, for that moment in time, I was content to stay while he was this version of himself. I didn't want to let that image go. Not just then.
Not when he smelled so good. Not when he was calm and quiet and his arms held me tenderly. Not when the whole world was on the other side of the stage ready to turn him back into the businessman. Not when at any moment he could switch back to being the monster I'd met who could so easily snarl at a woman he'd never met before over a silly game he couldn't conquer.
The music was finished and the only sound now was the low hum of the crowd.
Soon we'd be disturbed by the band coming backstage to rest while the fireworks were set off and I found myself already regretting the interruption.
I wanted to be held by him. I wanted to listen to the rumble in his chest when he spoke. I wanted to know him.
It wasn't the band members that broke the silence between us in the end; it was the blinding flash of the fireworks that broke the spell.
EPOV
I saw the guy come around the back of the stage but assumed he was a member of the band or someone associated with them.
I discovered that he wasn't when he raised a camera and snapped off several shots in quick succession.
I tried to hide her. I did. I pulled her hard up against my chest, my hand at the back of her head, but it was too late.
We were side on when the shot was taken and he'd have gotten a good, clear view of our faces.
Motherfucker!
I shoved her away without realising I'd been so rough and as she stumbled the flash of his camera went off again.
I didn't mean to push her, I just wanted to break the embrace so she could flee and save herself the ignominy of being seen with me like that. But I'd panicked and been too rough and she stumbled backwards and went to the ground in a heap.
Another flash.
I let go of another curse.
I reached for her but she crawled backwards, panic and fear on her face as my hands neared her and I cursed again.
Another flash.
She continued to scramble away from me and I continued to advance. I wanted her off the ground so the journalist would retreat, having gotten all he was going to get. But she threw her head back and screamed. Really screamed as I reached for her again.
"Don't hit me," she cried, tears streaming down her face.
I was horrified.
I'd never strike her. I'd never strike a woman. Never. Not ever.
I held my hands up in surrender.
Another flash.
I stepped back, away from her to give her the space she needed to get to her feet herself.
Another flash.
A bright white flash of the fireworks hit the night sky and she cringed away in fear again.
Another flash from the camera.
I shouted for Seth.
Another flash from the fireworks.
She got to her feet, turned her eyes to mine for just a split second and then she ran.
Another flash from the camera and the journalist ran too.
Seth was at my side in another half a second but it was too late. The damage was done.
I sent him after the journalist and I followed, racing behind Isabella, desperate to reassure her that I'd never hurt her and frantic to make her understand that I had unwittingly just put her in a very precarious position.
I had to apologise.
I had to make it right. Again.
But she was gone.
The crowd was thick and the fireworks continued to explode above us and I lost sight of her as she streaked through the mass of people and away from me.
Seth lost his man in the crowd too and we met up at the edge of the field, the first open expanse of ground where there was only a trickle of stragglers making their way to towards the stage.
"Where is he?" I hissed as Seth joined me, his head swivelling from side to side like mine as I searched for Isabella.
"I lost the fucker," he hissed back. "Who the fuck is he and why am I chasing him?"
"Journo," I spat simply. "He's got a camera around his neck full of photos of me I don't want to see the light of day. Find him. Destroy that camera. I'll be in the kitchen tent."
And with that I ran as fast as I could to where I hoped she'd be. With her brother.
A/N: Thank you for reading.
Please review.