CHAPTER 3- Friday, July 10th.

Shopping Cart Collisions

"Birthday cake ice cream?" I read out, going thru the frozen section of Wal-Mart super center. Yeah, I shop at Wal-Mart, don't hate!

Where else can you buy underwear, groceries, cash your check and get a bank account all in the same place? Oh wait, and get your 'nails did?' That's right…try trashing it now bitches!

I was currently walking around with a too full cart, getting all the birthday party supplies for Elijah's big bash in two days for Angela since she was taking a few extra shifts at work so she could afford new school uniforms for him when it started in a month.

She'd called me up last night while I was in the middle of my newest Janet Evanovich novel, freaking out about how she only had two days left to prepare for his party but, she had to work all weekend except for her requested day off that Sunday and that she couldn't disappoint little man.

After letting her vent about how she was the 'worlds worst mother,' I told her not to worry and that I'd go and pick up everything. All she had to do was leave a text saying what was needed and bring her pretty face to the park to setup on Sunday.

So here I was, trying to decide between birthday cake ice cream, and plain vanilla. Deciding that choice number one seemed more kid-ee-ish, I grabbed an armful and threw them in the cart where they landed next to the two piñatas.

Yeah, Elijah's a bit spoiled. So what?!

I'd already picked up the Transformers cake from the bakery, with matching plates, hats, and napkins, picked up a few one dollar toys, and a bag of mixed candy to make party bags, after getting the ice cream, all that was left was check the paint.

See, along with all my side jobs, I have been known to do a killer face paint.

After deciding on the obvious, red, white, blue, purple, and green, I headed for the checkout. Out of the corner of my eye I seen a bright yellow bra with little multi-colored dogs on it, after finding my size of 34c, I looked around to make sure no was looking and held it up 'should fit well enough.'

As I turned around throwing it in the cart, I didn't notice the foot that I ran over until it's owner groaned out a very loud "SON OF A BITCH!"

Wait! I knew that voice…looking up through my lashes, sure enough, there was McYummy himself, biting his lip; holding back other obscenities, I'm guessing.

"I'm…uhh, soo sorry…I wasn't looking, and…are you okay?" I stuttered out. Great…break the most gorgeous man in the worlds toe.

Angela would love that story. She always has lived for my comedic accident stories.

"Oh what were you doing Bella?"

"Well I'm too cheap to buy Victoria's Secret so I stocked up on my 'fabulous' lingerie collection…what's that? Oh, it's yellow, with dogs. What a way to give a man a boner right? I know, I gots it like that! But see, the man of my wet dreams was there and vroom right over his toe I went. Do you think he'll call?!"

Man-who-makes-panties drop, still looked in pain, that can't be a good thing right? But, shouldn't men who have muscles like that have like muscles in their toes too? I mean, it could happen...

He finally opened his eyes, letting his lip slide from in between his teeth with a slight sucking sound, god that was hot, and exhaled loudly thru his nose. Meeting my eyes, recognition hit him full-on. "Wow, well hi Not Mommy," he attempted to put weight on his injured foot.

"Hi Dr. Mc…Cullen, nice to see you again," yeah nice to see you right after I kill what are probably perfect toes.

"Edward, please, only my patients call me Dr. Cullen, and as I'm not at work, and you're not a patient…"

That's when I noticed what he was wearing. I swear denim should not be able to fit that well. He was sporting a pair of dark wash denim jeans, some black and white old school adidas, with a black v-neck undershirt. And in something that simple on anyone else wouldn't be a big deal but, on him. Ungh!

The pants cupped his perfect ass that I checked out as he was bent over inspecting his sneakers, the shirt hugged his chest and arms perfectly, I could faintly see the start of tattoo on his upper left arm, and just like that day with Elijah, I could smell his cologne. Now that I got a better whiff, it didn't really smell like cologne but, more like zest, and cinnamon…and rain. That's what it was. He smelled like a fresh shower, mama's homemade cookies, and beautiful raindrops. Amazing.

I don't know how long I was standing there, eye-raping him, because I was only pulled out of it by him bending over again, but this time to pick up my dropped, and long forgotten bra.

'Oh great'

"I think this is yours…dogs, nice. Different,. But, maybe next time pick the polka dots" he nodded towards the other bra hanging up to my right.

"Th-thanks"

"So how's Elijah?" He asked, throwing the bra in my cart.

"He's fine, just like you said, he healed right up. Some kisses and Neosporin. Would never know it happened now."

"That's great, I'm glad it was just a little scratch. All though he seemed like a tough one."

I nodded, "he is. The last time he was at the doctor, it was to get stitches. He thought if he put a towel around his neck and jumped off of the loveseat that he'd be able to fly…he ended up hitting his chin, splitting it open. I don't think he even felt the pain, because when I showed up at the emergency room all he was doing was smiling and saying how he 'flewed' just like superman" the look of love I felt for him must've showed on my face as I told the story because Edward was looking at me with this perfectly imperfect crooked smile.

"You know it's hard to believe you're not his mother. Just now, the way you talked about him, and the look you got in your eyes, that's the same look my mom gets till this day when she talks about me or my brother and sister" he had started to push his cart, I didn't know where he was going but I wasn't ready to leave yet so I followed.

Laughing, I replied, "I don't think I could love him anymore had he been my son. I've been there everyday of his life since he was born. His moms my best friend and there isn't anything he's done that I haven't been there to see. From first tooth, to first steps, to first day of school. I've been there."

"That's amazing. That's how I am with my nieces and nephews. I'm just the uncle but, damn do I adore those kids." he said with an affectionate smile on his face.

"You don't have kids of your own?" I asked, genuinely interested. Surely there was no way this man wasn't answered for!

"Yeah, I have kids, I lost count to how many I have," he answered looking at me, then bursting out into laughter at my face, "my patients…ha ha, I always say that when my patients are in my care, I take care of them as I would my own children. But as in my own, biological kids, nope. Don't have any."

So no baby mama drama. BONUS!

"That's hard to believe." I blurted out without thinking.

"Why's that?" Edward asked loading his items at the check out.

"Um, well…because you're a successful doctor…you're young….handsome," I said, looking anywhere but at him.

His response was laughter and a simple, "thank you, Bella."

How did he know my name…oh! I told him but, how could he have remembered that during all the rambling I did at our first meeting? Doctors memory, that's it.

"Well, it's the truth. I'm sure it's not like your girlfriend hasn't brought it up!"

"She doesn't," so he wasn't single…I knew it was too good to be true. "Because I don't have one," was that angels singing? Was I hearing a harp being played? Because the gates of heaven must've just opened up on me.

Single, doctor, gorgeous…my mother would have melted already.

"Oh, well, sorry, I just assumed…"

"Yeah, I know, I'm used to it…people see a doctor and automatically assume that they're married, and jewish. Believe it or not, I'm neither."

"That's SO true!" I laughed as he was given his total and of course, pulled out a little black card to pay with.

"Eh, if I wasn't a doctor, I'd think the same thing too. Pftt, I do think the same thing."

Our conversation continued like that as he helped me unload my cart not only once at the counter, but followed me to my car and helped me a second time at my trunk.

We ended up exchanging numbers when I'd invited him to Elijah's party. He said he'd call me later in the week for more information and with a wave he was gone, leaving in a beautiful silver Volvo.

While at home, trying out the birthday cake ice cream I'd bought earlier, I texted Angela letting her know I'd gotten everything. A few seconds later my phone vibrated back, and without looking at the screen I pressed view, an unfamiliar number popped up and the text simply said "It's the non-jewish, unmarried dr. Just thought I'd make sure u have my number now instead of later. In case ya need an opinion on dogs or polka dots, lol."

Blushing, I typed back, "Hey Dr. Eddie, thanks, I'll make sure to remember that."

Vibrate.

"Oh no! No Eddie, please! Only my big brother calls me that and the only reason I tell him not to is because he's bigger than me. J"

"Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf, the big, bad wolf?? EDDIE IS!"

Vibrate.

"LOL. Ur lucky ur cute not mommy, if not, I'd come huff and puff, and blow ur house down"

"Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin"

Vibrate.

"Hair? Alllriighhhttt"

He was definitely something to drool over, he had just quoted Quagmire from Family Guy…yup gates of heaven just opened and casted light into my life...and was that a baby angel I just seen flying around here?

We texted back a few more times, little jokes here and there but somewhere between discussing how the castle on The Little Mermaid looked like a penis, we had to say goodbye because he had a family gathering early in the day.

After our 'goodnights' I did indeed check The Little Mermaid cover….

"OH MY GAH! A PENIS!"