Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted and fav'd the last chapter! You all continue to put a smile on my face.
As always, huge hugs to my pre-readers MrsK1981 and SparklyMeg and my beta's Marly 580 and Mauigirl60. All of them help make this story. Thank you all so much for your help ladies!
Pattinlethr continues to be my rock.
EPOV
My heart plummets when she answers her phone, his name echoing around the room. It's like that douche knows exactly when to call and ruin our plans.
Thinking Bella will appreciate some privacy I turn to leave the room, only to be stopped by Bella clicking her fingers at me and pointing to the bed.
"Yeah, Alec. I'm still here, what's up?" She fidgets with her dress as she listens to whatever her boss is saying.
She looks up with a frown on her face. "What happened?"
I resist the urge to roll my eyes as Alec no doubts gives her some sob story about work.
"Today?" Her voice wavers and she looks over to me.
I keep my face blank, just praying she makes the right decision. She's chosen her work—and her boss—once before.
Will she do it again?
"No. I can't, Alec."
My eyes snap to hers and I can't help but match the beaming smile on her face.
It's only seconds before it falters slightly.
"Because, Alec. It's Sunday and I already have plans." She cradles her cell between her ear and shoulder and she picks up her purse and starts putting her things into it.
"No, I'm not making it up. I do actually have a life outside of work." She rolls her eyes. "What? Yes, all day plans." She huffs, "No, I cannot come in later."
This guy is seriously starting to piss me off. Since when is it okay to demand that she comes in on her day off? I hold out my hand for the cell.
She shakes her head and I have to trust that she has this.
"Well, if it's that urgent can't you just tell me now over the phone?" She mouths an apology as she listens to whatever he's saying again.
I glance at my watch. Unless we leave soon, we'll be late. Like I don't need another reason to hate this asshole.
"Well, it's either over the phone now, or tomorrow morning," she says, as she grabs her jacket.
"Before work?" she questions, looking at me.
Reluctantly, I nod my head. The main thing is that she stood up to him, and she's not going in today.
Definitely progress.
She smiles at me. "Fine, but I'm not coming in before eight." She nods. "'Bye, Alec."
Throwing her cell into her purse, she links her fingers through mine. "Ready?"
.
.
.
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There isn't a lot of traffic, so our drive passes quickly. The music on the radio plays quietly in the background as Bella explains her call with Alec. He was on his way to the office when a tire blew and he wanted her to pick him up and bring him there. Not his girlfriend. Not a cab. Bella. Apparently, it has to be her because he needed to discuss something that's happening next week. Since she refuses to go in today, she'll be there nice and early tomorrow morning.
A short while later, I turn into my parent's driveway. Bella mutters a soft "wow" as we approach my parents' house, but I pay her no attention. To strangers, it's always been an extravagant place but, to me, it's just home: the place where Emmett and I got to help Dad build our first tree house; where, on most Sundays, I would attempt to steal some freshly-baked cookies as Mom did her weekly experiments in the kitchen, and where I would spend hours on end out on the balcony that linked with my bedroom. Whenever things got to be too much, the balcony was my safe haven.
I pull up in front of the house and turn off the engine. Instead of getting out of the car, I turn to face her again.
She's still looking up at the house, pulling at the ends of her dress.
"You okay?"
"Hmm…" She turns to look at me. "Yeah, I mean, I still get a little nervous, you know?"
I lean over the console and take one of her hands in mine. "You have no reason to be. They love you."
She huffs and points at the house. "Look, Edward. We come from completely different backgrounds, and—"
"Hey." She turns to look at me. "Don't start with that. None of that matters to any of us."
"But—"
I brush my fingers against her lips, effectively shutting her up.
"But, nothing."
She smiles. "Okay. I know something that might calm me down."
"Oh yeah?"
She leans closer to me. "Yeah. A kiss."
"Hmm…that's an awful big thing to ask you know." I smirk as I close the distance between us.
"I'm sure you'll manage," she whispers.
Our lips touch, tasting, before I pull her top lip between mine. She moves her hands to my neck and her fingers play with the hair at my neckline.
My tongue pushes between her soft lips and slides against hers. Her mouth opens more to mine, eliciting a groan from me.
All too soon, her hands move down to my chest and she pushes me away.
Her eyes are dark as her fingers graze my lips. "Later," she murmurs.
My voice is raspy. "Later."
I wait a few moments to calm down from the kiss before I get out of the car. Bella giggles when she realizes my predicament and I make a promise to pay her back later.
Once out of the car, her hand finds mine once again and we make our way into my parents' house.
I knock on the door and enter my childhood home. "Hello?"
"Through here!" my mom yells from the kitchen.
As we enter the kitchen, Bella drops my hand and goes over to where my mom and Rose are putting the finishing touches on dinner.
"Hey, Mom," I say, before going off to find Emmett and my dad.
"They're in the dining room, finishing setting the table. You can go help them."
Damn it!
Emmett and my dad aren't in the dining room, and the table is most definitely not set.
Instead, I find them both in the front living room, with their feet up and a beer in their hands.
"Mom is gonna kill you both," I state, leaning against the doorframe.
My dad takes a drink of his beer before answering. "You worry too much, Son. We've got plenty of time."
"Yeah, Eddie. Grab a beer and come join us." Emmett added.
Not wanting to feel the wrath of my mom and the girls, I decline and head back to the dining room to finish setting the table. It looks as though they made a start, but just got bored really quickly.
"Where are Emmett and Carlisle? I thought you were supposed to be helping them," Rose says as she enters the dining room.
I gesture toward the front of the house. "They're in there. I think there was something more important on TV."
She rolls her eyes. "Of course there is! Here, let me help you." She takes some of the cutlery and helps me finish.
"Thank you."
Unsure of how to fill the silence between us, I focus on the task at hand. It's not that I don't like Rose, but I haven't spent much time with her without Bella or Emmett around.
Rose decides to speak first.
"So, Bella told me about her boss calling her in today."
I stop what I'm doing and look up at her.
"You thought she would go in," she says.
I focus back on the cutlery in my hand but nod at her. "Yeah. Her work's been coming between us recently."
"Try not to be too hard on her."
"What exactly has she told you, Rose?"
"That he wanted her to go in today."
"That's it?"
"She's upset. She doesn't like arguing with you." She walks over to stand next to me. "Give me the forks."
I pass her the forks and we both continue.
"You know this isn't the first time work is interfering," I tell her.
"Yes, she mentioned she cancelled on you last week."
"And you think that's okay?"
"No, but I believe you worked past that," she says.
I look up to see her smiling at me, and my mind drifts back to that weekend.
I catch her eyes and smile back. "We did, yes."
"But you're still mad at her."
I sigh and sit in one of the seats. She hesitates but sits next to me. I shouldn't really vent to one of Bella's best friends, but I find that it's what I want to do. I need advice from someone other than my brother. Who knows, maybe a woman's opinion will help.
"I'm not mad," I huff. "I just don't like the guy. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm a jealous person and I can't help that. I know she loves her work, but things keep coming up and that idiot boss of hers just keeps getting in the way, and it's pissing me off."
"It sucks that it keeps butting into your time together." She holds her hands up to me as I go to interrupt. "But, you have to see it from her point of view."
"Which is?" I question.
"I don't think you understand how unhappy Bella was before this job. She went from job to job and settled at the library. Settled. She didn't enjoy it, she didn't make friends with any of the people there, and there were absolutely no prospects for her."
"So, why'd she stay?"
"Her confidence took a hell of a hit." Rose sighs. "She had been rejected numerous times by then—all journalism jobs—so she just stopped trying."
That sounds like Bella. For such a young, smart and beautiful woman, she thinks so little of herself. She has so much to offer; yet she finds it so easy to believe all the negative things over the positive. Like the article at work that Alec hated—she has proven herself several times and has been praised for it. Yet, she still feels the need to work even harder so she can prove herself to him.
"What made her apply for this one, then?" I ask.
"Well, to be honest I think it's what happened with Mike—"
I cut her off. "Mike? What's he got to do with it?"
"He doesn't have much to do with it—well, not directly anyway. I just think him cheating on her was the thing that pushed her over. She had a shitty job and a shitty boyfriend, and she wanted to change things."
"So, what? You think she has to prove something with the job?"
Because that's a shit excuse.
"No," she argues. "I just think she's scared of going back to that old life. She enjoys her job; she doesn't want to have to go elsewhere."
I sit back in my seat and think about what Rose has said. It makes sense, if Bella was that unhappy before; she's going to want to hold onto this job.
"I didn't realize she was so unhappy before," I murmur.
I knew she wasn't overly sad that Mike had cheated on her—more pissed off— otherwise, she wouldn't have slept with me on the first night. But it didn't occur to me that she needed an overhaul of her life.
"I don't think she did, either. But I think that has more to do with how happy she is now, Edward."
I smile at that.
"What I'm trying to say is: she's very happy with you, Edward. To her, her boss is just her boss. Nothing more. Whatever your issue with her boss is, remember she loves you."
I look up at her.
"It's not just a job to her," I whisper, nodding my understanding.
She sighs and stands up. "I suppose I better go and find your brother and dad." She gestures to the table. "And I'll be telling Esme they didn't help with this."
I chuckle as she leaves.
"Hey, Rose?"
She turns. "Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Sure."
I remain seated and focus on everything that Rose just told me. It certainly puts things into perspective.
Having Emmett to talk to has always been great—he constantly backs me up and has always seen things from my point of view. But it helped having Rose to talk to. Otherwise, I would never have known how unhappy Bella was before.
Or how happy she is now.
BPOV
"Would you like wine with your dinner, Bella?"
I'm not sure who's driving home, but I figure at least one wine can't hurt. "Sure. Thanks, Esme."
"Perfect. Excuse me a sec." She picks up the wine. "I need to just go put these on the table."
"I can take those for you," I offer, needing something to do.
"Thanks, Bella. It would be great if you just put them on the table so everyone can help themselves."
"Sure."
She hands me the wine and points in the direction of where we'll be eating dinner. "We'll be eating in the dining room. It's just straight over there."
I thank her and make my way over to the dining room.
I find Edward sitting in one of the chairs, with his arms on the table and his forehead resting on his arms.
"Hey," I say softly.
He startles and turns in his chair to face me. "Hi."
I take a deep breath. "Your mom asked me to bring the wine in for dinner." I lift the bottles of wine in my hands.
He smirks. "I can see that."
"Here, let me help." He stands and comes to take the wine and sets it on the table.
Before I can comprehend what's happening, I find myself in his arms, cocooned in my favorite position. He rests his chin on my head and I inhale deeply, smiling to myself as his smell floods my senses.
I slowly wrap my arms around his waist and hold him to me.
"Think we have a few minutes before lunch?" he asks.
I pull back and look up at him. "What for?"
He cups my face in his hands and gently strokes my cheek with his fingers. I sigh and lean into his touch.
His lips brush against mine again and I lose myself in the feeling. His kisses are soft, gentle, as if he's savoring the feeling.
Forgetting that we're standing in his parents' dining room—on a surprisingly sunny Sunday afternoon—I grasp his shirt in my hands and pull him close to me. He answers with a moan, tightening his arms around me.
Eager for more, I part my lips, asking to deepen the kiss. He grunts and responds with a flick of his tongue against mine.
"Whoa!"
We jump apart—like kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar—as Emmett bounds into the dining room.
"I see you two have made up, then," he says, a knowing grin on his face.
I hide my face against Edward's chest, mortified but thankful it's Emmett who's caught us, and not his parents.
"So, Emmett, something we can help you with?" Edward asks.
"What? No, I just wanted to see if dinner was ready."
I look up to see Emmett rubbing his stomach.
"I'm starving!"
I can almost hear Edward rolling his eyes as he answers. "You're always starving."
"I'm a growing boy, that's why." He hits his chest a few times to emphasize his point.
Rose enters the dining room, wearing a knowing smirk as she glances at me and Edward. I shyly smile back at her, making a mental note to thank her soon. Whatever she said to Edward earlier today certainly helped.
"C'mon." She grabs Emmett's sleeve. "You can help bringing in the food since you've sat on your ass most of the afternoon."
Emmett pouts but follows her, leaving Edward and me alone again.
"So, we're okay?" I ask.
He smiles. "Yeah, we're okay."
EPOV
I've never been one to fully enjoy lunches at my parents'. In the past, Sunday was my day of rest and I was always guilt-tripped into attending. I would sit and pout, and be a general ass just so I could get home quicker.
I cringe when I think back to it, as I used to resent my parents for making me come and visit. I saw it as them using the opportunity to purposely take me away from Lauren. Of course, now I see they were, but it was for my own benefit. Everything is so much clearer with the beauty of hindsight. It's only now—after breaking it off with Lauren—that they've told me the reason that she was never invited back after her first visit. Unbeknownst to me she had asked how much our house was worth, and then insulted my parents by asking if I would be left everything in their will.
Today is a completely different story.
The lunch is in full swing; our now-empty plates have been pushed to the side, and laughter and talk are drowning out the music my parents selected to play in the background.
Bella sits on my left, and Emmett and Rose are seated opposite us. My dad—currently in deep conversation with Bella— sits at one end of the table, with my mother at the opposite end.
"Edward, what do you think?" my dad asks.
"About what?"
Bella leans back in her seat and places her hand on my thigh. She begins tracing patterns on my jeans, making it hard to concentrate.
"Where were you?" Bella murmurs.
"Just thinking. What did I miss?"
My mom cuts in. "Your father was just suggesting we should try to make this a weekly occasion. Or, at least, every couple of weeks."
Years ago, I would have moaned at the thought and made up any excuse to get out of it. Today, I find myself agreeing with them.
I glance down at Bella, who has a nervous smile on her face but nods her head in agreement.
I smile and take her hand in mine underneath the table. "It sounds like a great idea."
My mom beams at me. "Perfect," she gushes, looking at Bella and then back to me again. I refrain from rolling my eyes at her. I know she's just thrilled to see her two boys both happy.
My mom stands and tops everyone's glasses of wine up. "Girls." She looks at Bella and Rose. "You can take your drinks into the living room. Emmett, Carlisle." She passes the dirty dishes to my brother and dad. "Since you missed out on setting the table, you have the joy of doing the dishes."
I grin at them both as they begin to moan and argue about it.
"Now."
The tone of her voice says it all and they know better than to argue.
I make a move to follow Rose and Bella, but my Mom pats the seat next to her. "Here, come sit for a minute."
I do as she says and she takes one of my hands, holding it between both of hers.
"So, things seem to be going well with Bella."
I smile at her. "They are; things are great with her."
"I'm glad, she's a great girl."
"She is," I agree.
Knowing that my mom must have asked me to sit with her for a reason, I wait for her to speak up. We sit for a few moments before I break the silence. "Mom, did you want to talk about something? Or, did you just want to sit here and tell me how awesome my girlfriend is?"
She laughs and squeezes my hand. "I was just wondering if you wanted the ring yet?"
I don't know how to answer her, because I can't deny that I haven't given it some thought. I love Bella with my whole life and, for me, she's it. There will never be anyone else. Whether she knows it or not, she has my heart.
"Edward?"
I turn to face her. "Mom, how did you know Dad was it for you?"
She chuckles softly and leans back, releasing my hands. "Is that what you're worried about?"
"I just…I mean, I love Bella. So much. But, I thought I loved Lauren, and look how that turned out. What do I do if that happens again?"
She just looks at me for a moment, not saying anything. Then her gaze softens as understanding crosses her face. "You're scared."
I huff, annoyed that I'm that transparent.
"It's okay to be scared, Edward, but let me ask you something." She gestures to the empty door Bella just went through. "Is Bella—the girl who just sat through lunch, listening to your father drone on about golf and his work—in any way similar to Lauren?"
I smile as I remember watching Bella with my father earlier today. She didn't even look bored.
"No. No, she's not."
"Exactly. That girl is not going to do anything to purposely hurt you."
I sigh. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"
"Not at all." She wraps her arm around my shoulder comfortingly. Feeling like a young boy again, I rest my head against her shoulder. "I'm just not sure you need to be so worried with her."
We continue to sit as I process my mom's words. Once again, I'm letting the doubt I felt with Lauren creep into my relationship with Bella. Inwardly, I curse myself for letting Lauren still affect me like this. I feel nothing except a severe dislike for the girl, yet she's still impacting my current relationship.
"Can I just give you a little piece of advice?"
I pull back to look up at her. "Of course."
"If you ever doubt her, or your relationship, then you need to talk to her. It's not fair to either of you if you lock yourself away."
I can't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?" she asks, confused.
"Nothing, really. It's just, that's our one rule: communication."
She smiles as she stands up. "I'm glad to hear that. You might want to have this conversation with her, then."
.
.
.
.
The afternoon passes quickly, and it's early evening when we call it a day. Rose heads home alone—after her and Emmett subject us to an awkward public display of affection—meaning Emmett has to share a lift home with us.
We say goodbye to our parents, promising we'll call to confirm the lunch plans for next week, before making our way back home.
Emmett's snores fill the back of the car as Bella and I discuss what her early morning meeting could be about. She knows it's about an upcoming article, but apart from that she has no idea. I can see the panic and nerves on her face and tell her she has nothing to worry about. After all, if it was something bad, then Alec would have demanded she went in today.
"You up for some Xbox?" Emmett asks as we enter the house. He turns on the light, and an excited Jake comes bounding down the hallway at us. He begins to circle me—the telltale sign he needs to be let out.
"Sure. I gotta take him out first, though."
Bella takes his leash from my hands. "Go play. I'll take Jake out."
I glance outside remembering the last time she took Jake out alone.
She follows my gaze and shakes her head as if sensing where my thoughts have gone. "I'll be fine, Edward. We've not heard or seen anything from the stalker in ages."
"Take your cell."
She holds up her left hand with her cell in it. "Check. Now go, play. I'll be back soon."
Emmett shoves me jokingly and pushes me away from the front door.
"Sweet. I'll grab the beers and meet you in the living room."
He's back within minutes and throws himself in the seat next to me.
"Prepare to be schooled."
I just nod in agreement. He does nothing but play this in his spare time, so I have no doubt that I'm about to get severely beaten.
The second I hear Bella leave the apartment, my mind isn't on the game. I put my cell on the table in front of me in case she needs to call me and my eyes keep flashing to the clock on the wall. At this time of night, she shouldn't be long.
Ten minutes later, we hear a noise at the door and I relax back into the sofa assuming it's Bella returning with Jake.
Emmett glances at me when we don't hear them in the hall.
"Bella?" I yell.
Silence.
"Ed, I definitely heard something at the door."
He stops the game as we get up to investigate.
Sure enough, the hall is empty, but there on the floor next to the front door is an 8-1/2 x 11 manila envelope. There's no address or stamps on it, just my named scrawled in someone's messy handwriting.
I look up to see Emmett standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.
"What is it?"
"I dunno. I can't see though envelopes, Em."
"Well, open it, then."
Intrigued, I tear it open and peer inside.
"Well?"
"It…it looks like photos," I mumble.
Photos?
"Huh?" Emmett looks at me, confused. "Who would send you photos? Do you think they're of the club?" A look of excitement crosses his face. "Do you think it's more press for us?"
"Maybe," I mutter. "But it doesn't make sense!"
"What doesn't?"
"Well, it was just addressed to me. If it were for the club, it would be for both of us."
"What? Oh, yeah." He gestures to the envelope in my hands. "Well, take them out and let's see, then."
I have a really bad feeling about this. The fact that the envelope was hand-delivered and addressed directly to me makes me nervous. Anything to do with the club is addressed to us both and then delivered to the club. So, whatever this is, it's personal.
My heart beats furiously in my chest, and I'm positive Emmett can hear it. In what feels like slow motion, I tip the envelope upside down and let the pictures fall into my hand.
The envelope falls to the floor and in the background, I can hear Emmett mutter a string of expletives. It all fades into the background, though.
All I care about is the one photo that has landed face-up.
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Thoughts?