Chapter 5

A few hours later, Edward awoke to the smell of bacon. He quickly jumped out of bed, took a shower, and grabbed his jeans and shirt from the night before. He didn't even bother looking outside at the snow. No matter how much had fallen, he was using it as an excuse to skip the drive to Port Angeles and spend another day at the inn.

Knowing Bella was right next door had made falling asleep all the more difficult. Still, he'd managed to doze, and when he did, his dreams had been filled with deep brown eyes.

He couldn't leave.

Not yet.

In an attempt to keep his promise to his sister, he quickly sent off a text to both Alice and Esme, apologizing for his absence. He didn't bother waiting for replies before heading downstairs.

As Edward made his way into the kitchen, he considered the possibility that guests probably weren't allowed in there. But, after last night, he didn't feel comfortable just settling himself down in the dining room and waiting to be served. He wanted to help.

And he wanted to see her.

Bella was standing at the stove, flipping bacon and humming softly. Edward watched as she grabbed a mitt and opened the oven, pulling out a tray of what smelled like buttermilk biscuits. She was a gorgeous, curvy girl, and he loved watching her move around the room. It was obvious she loved the kitchen, and if the delicious smells were any indication, she was probably a great cook.

"Are you going to stare at my ass all morning, or are you going to say hello?"

Busted.

"What if I stare at your ass all morning and say hello?"

Turning toward the island, Bella laughed and placed the biscuits on a platter. "You know, guests are usually served in the dining room."

"I figured, but it's just the two of us, and I'd like to help."

"Do you like fruit?"

"Sure."

Bella pointed toward a melon sitting on the cutting board. "You can slice it. Knifes are in the top drawer of the island and bowls are right under it."

Happy to help, Edward grabbed a knife and bowl and began to cut the fruit into squares.

"My mom loves melon," he said absent-mindedly.

Bella smiled and continued placing their food on plates. When everything was ready, they decided to eat at the island.

Over breakfast, Edward told Bella about his job with his father's insurance agency. Like the inn, Cullen Insurance was a family-owned business based in Seattle. It had belonged to his grandfather. Naturally, Carlisle had hoped to pass it down to his son one day.

"You don't sound too excited about that."

Edward shrugged. "I don't enjoy being a salesman. Not that it matters. I've shattered any faith my father has in me. The business will be given to my sister, and I'm okay with that."

"Part of your penance?"

"I don't see it that way, but yeah. She, her husband, and their daughter will be financially secure for the rest of their lives. She enjoys the insurance business. I don't. It should belong to her."

"If you don't enjoy it, why do you do it?"

"Because it's a stable job, and I'm good at it. I just don't enjoy it."

"Hmm. I've never been a big fan of doing things I don't enjoy," she said. "If you could do anything else, what would it be?"

"I would settle down with the pretty owner of a bed and breakfast, make babies, and live happily ever after."

Bella rolled her eyes and popped a square of melon into her mouth.

Edward laughed. "Honestly, I think I'd want to write. I started writing a lot when I joined AA. Journaling came very easily to me, and it's something I enjoy. But there's very little stability in writing."

"You mean financially?"

"Yeah."

"Money seems really important to you."

"Financial security is important to me," Edward explained. "I nearly lost everything. If I didn't drink it away, I lost it in the divorce. So, yes, financial stability is important to me."

She could understand that. The inn was just now beginning to make a profit. Her insurance company hadn't been sympathetic to the events surrounding the accidental fire, so rebuilding and remodeling had taken most of her savings.

"Well, you could write quite a bit today," Bella said. "We received a little more snow than they forecasted. The 101 will probably be clear in a few hours. Unfortunately for you, the road leading to the inn is one of the least travelled this time of year. Since we're about eight miles off the highway, we aren't a priority. Unless you have an SUV, getting out of here probably isn't going to happen today."

It was music to his ears.

"I don't own an SUV."

"I didn't think you did."

Edward exhaled a dramatic sigh. "Gee, I guess I'll need to stay another night."

"I guess so."

"Maybe even the weekend."

Bella shrugged. "It's very possible."

Their eyes met, and they shared a smile.