Author Note: This will be a short one, I promise! Thanks to my amazing beta, Tamaleine, and to Stephenie Meyer for providing me with great inspiration! Did anyone see and/or read this week's Entertainment Weekly? I think I am going to frame the cover and hang it on my wall lol. There didn't seem to be many takers for my trivia contest. . .I promise it would have been interesting! I am still considering doing it anyway. I'll let it simmer for another chapter before I make a decision. As for the POV question I asked, it seems that most people trust me as an author to make the best decisions regarding the POVs. We may still see Emmett/Edward/Jasper POV--I have not made a final decision and if a chapter calls for it, I may have to go down that path.

This chapter, chapter six (wow, are we that far along already?), is dedicated to every Bella x Edward lover! May we be satisfied at the end of Breaking Dawn and may Bella strive to deserve every woman's dream vampire. . .

BPOV

I couldn't sleep that night. I tossed and turned, thinking of what I'd learned that I hadn't known about my two best friends. I'd always thought they'd gone through life so far happy and unconcerned with the heart sickness that seemed to preoccupy the rest of the universe. I'd been more than wrong.

They'd both been struck, and both had clearly spent the years in-between unsuccessfully trying to recover from the Cullen brothers' interference in their lives.

Of course, I wanted to know more. I wanted to know why Emmett and Rosalie had broken up and why his reappearance in her life, even as a mere business acquaintance, was enough to make her sob hysterically. I wanted to know where they went the night Rosalie snuck out. I didn't think Alice even knew, still. And poor Alice. . .doomed to love and wait for a man who hadn't cared at all. What had transpired between Alice and Jasper that had forced her to lock her heart away?

As I watched the sun break through the morning gloom, I knew that I couldn't resist using my newfound knowledge to try to bring some semblance of happiness to their lives. Alice, I knew, had been convinced that I'd been up to something last night. I honestly hadn't been. I'd simply known that Rosalie couldn't allow Emmett to walk out of her life again, and Alice needed another shot with Jasper. As their best friend, it was my duty to try to do what I could to give them both the impetus and the opportunity to finally make things right.

I was up early, showered and out of the door before I even heard Alice or Rosalie stirring in their bedrooms. I had a lot to think about and a lot to do, once I could finally decide the best way about going about this.

Finally, on the way into work, as I was gazing mindlessly at the car in front of me, I had an idea. Edward appeared to be the neutral party in this situation. Also, he seemed to be the participant most interested in seeing a reunion occur. He had, after all, picked Rosalie out of a listing. I would have Lucy, the office assistant, do some digging, get his phone number, and I'd give him a call this morning. Before my nerves got the better of me.

Neither Alice or Rosalie had mentioned what Edward was like, but I knew, deep down in an instinctual way, that he would be handsome. Charming. Intelligent. Perfect. But not for me.

Satisfied that I at least had a place to start, I felt my spirits lift as I pulled into the parking garage. I worked in downtown Portland, in one of a few dozen tall buildings that dotted the skyline. I liked working downtown; there was always something going on, or something to see. I especially liked the walks I took when I needed a break, and I would often meet Alice and Rosalie for lunch, as they both worked near me.

It was mid-June, and already the sun was shining hotly this morning. While fall through spring in the Pacific Northwest tended to be unpleasant and filled with rain, summers were glorious. Not too hot, with very little rain, and a gorgeously sunny blue sky that wasn't covered with pollution like much of California. For nine months a year, I waited for these magnificent three months of pure enjoyment.

The sun drenched my office and I took a deep breath of relief and happiness as I opened the door. I loved the opportunity to look out over Portland, but sometimes the seemingly never-ending parade of dull, cloudy and drizzly days began to grate. The sun was a commodity I had begun not to take for granted.

Flopping down on my leather chair, I slipped my headset on and was ready to press the blinking voicemail light when I remembered that I'd need Edward Cullen's phone number. Damn it. I couldn't understand the frisson of . . .something. . .that went through me every time I simply thought his name. I'd never even met the man. I'd never seen a picture of him. I'd never even heard him described. Why was it that I felt like I already knew him? If I wasn't determined to help Rosalie and Alice, I would have gone 180 degrees the opposite direction and avoided Edward Cullen like the plague.

I sighed. There was simply nothing else to be done. I had just had to bite the bullet and handle it professionally and quickly, with no complications or involvements. Rosalie and Alice were the ones who were going to get involved. I was going to do what I could, then duck out gracefully.

I hit the intercom button on the complicated phone in front of me. "Lucy, do you have a sec?"

About thirty seconds later, my door opened and Lucy walked in, balancing two cups of coffee in one hand as she closed the door behind her.

Often when I was at work, I felt in over my head. There was no denying I was a quick study and had a natural knack for sales, but sometimes I questioned the intelligence of promoting me so quickly. Whenever I felt especially unworthy, Lucy was a great shoulder to cry on. Metaphorically, of course. I wasn't like Rosalie, who (almost) never cried, but I certainly liked to keep my tears to myself and away from the workplace.

"Morning Bella, what's up?" Lucy chirped as she handed over the mug brimming with the magic liquid that would get me through my morning.

"You're a saint, by the way," I replied, "but I do have a favor. More of a personal favor than a professional one. . ."

I knew Lucy wouldn't blink an eye at this. She was used to unusual requests, dealing with six quirky and difficult sales staff.

"Yes?" she prompted, clearly ready for whatever I could throw at her. There was no point in delaying this any longer.

"There are three brothers, last name Cullen, who are looking into opening a business in the Portland area. A mechanical sort of garage. Customizations to make cars faster, that sort of thing. I need Edward Cullen's contact information."

Lucy, after fixing her chunky-framed glasses and tucking a strand of golden streaked brown hair behind an ear, had put her coffee down and was taking quick and succinct notes as I spoke. "Go on," she said, barely taking her eyes off her pad.

"There's not much else to tell," I stammered.

Lucy looked up and threw an exasperated stare my direction. "Of course there is. Like . . .why you want this guy's phone number."

I gaped at Lucy's grinning face. "Uh. . .for a personal project?" I knew it was a terrible excuse, but I couldn't exactly tell her the truth.

She sent me a single, telling look. Lucy was like the mother hen of the office. She could steer all six of us, even Sabrina, the lead sales associate, into line, with only her patented glares as ammunition.

"Fine. It's for Rosalie."

"Better," Lucy said, snapping the lid on her pad and gathering her coffee from my desk. "Though I would rather it was for you. Besides Alice and Rosalie, all you ever do is work. You need a boyfriend."

"There's a lot to do," I defended, "I need to earn this new promotion."

"You already earned it. Everyone knows it. Some people just find it harder to accept." Lucy knew how hard a select few in the office had made it for me during my rapid ascent. If it hadn't been for Lucy and my mentor, Sabrina, I knew I wouldn't be where I was today. In my corner office. Making way too much money for a girl of 24. Money that only Alice seemed interested in spending.

"So that's it then?" Lucy added, a little too nonchalantly for my taste.

I nodded, and Lucy moved toward the door. "I'll let you know when I have the info."

"I appreciate it, Luce. Really."

"And again, it's not a problem. That's why I'm here." Sending me one more reassuring smile, she quietly clicked the door behind her.

I was left to the silence and the sunshine. Sighing, I again turned to the phone and its taunting red light. There was work to be done and calls to return.

Mid-morning, I was taking busy doing quotations and typing emails, when the intercom chirped next to me.

"Bel, I've got your info. Check your email," Lucy's disembodied voice announced.

"Great. Thanks," I replied, only to hear silence from her end. She'd probably already moved onto the next thing. Her work made our entire office run, and it had probably been rude and selfish of me to steal her to do this favor, but Lucy knew how to uncover information that I couldn't even begin to find.

Sure enough, when I looked back at my computer screen, there was an email in my inbox from Lucy, with Edward Cullen's contact info. All of it. His home phone number, cell phone, address, fax number, all of it. I didn't even want to think if Lucy had broken any rules to get this. Breathing hard, I quickly closed the email and turned to the wall of glass behind me in an attempt to calm myself down.

My deep breathing exercises were interrupted by the phone ringing. I turned back to the desk and grabbed it.

"Lucy, I got it! Now stop your meddling." As soon as the exasperated words were out of my mouth, I remembered that the ring hadn't been the incessant beep of the intercom. My stomach dropped to the stiletto heels Alice had persuaded me to buy on our last shopping trip.

"Now that isn't very nice," a male voice replied. It was smooth and sure, almost suave, but with just enough self-deprecating humor that let me know he didn't take himself all that seriously. I'd spent most of the last two years on the phone and had really begun to read people just by their voice. My mentor, Sabrina, thought it was a natural gift. I continually insisted it was a survival skill honed through desperation.

"Uh. . .I'm sorry?" I was frantically trying to remember if I'd talked to the customer before, and at the same time, scrolling through every conversation I'd ever had with Sabrina in an attempt to find any advice at how to placate a customer that you'd just yelled at.

"You must be Bella."

"That's me," I said, rather lamely. For all my two years of experience on the phone, I knew that my efforts in the last thirty seconds were dismal at best. Man up, I ordered myself, and take control of this call.

I wrapped and re-wrapped the phone cord around my fingers, nearly cutting off the circulation and I wondered if I could break concentration for long enough to find my stress ball. Nope, I decided, there was no time to lose here. I could afford to lose a finger or two.

"Isabella Swan," I added, as gracefully as possible, "what can I do for you today?"

"A consummate salesman," the male voice chuckled, "isn't it my lucky day?"

"Saleswoman," I corrected, before I could even stop myself.

"Is this the way you talk to all your customers?"

"No," I said, hoping he didn't hear me banging my head against the desk in futility. What I wouldn't do to go back in time and change the direction of this phone call.

His next words interrupted my self-mutilation. "I'm Edward Cullen. I believe you've heard of me."

I gaped, completely speechless, as I pulled my head off the desk, only to have my jaw drop back down in shock.

"Yes." At this point, it was stupid to venture beyond one word answers.

"I have a proposition for you. Would you like to meet for coffee? Lunch?" As soon as the word, "proposition," left his mouth, I was back in control, reminding that no matter how drop dead sexy his voice was, I was a professional businesswoman and there was a deal to close.

"Coffee," I replied firmly, knowing that lunch could have dangerous connotations.

"An hour in the Starbucks in Pioneer Courthouse Square," Edward clarified, naming the expansive stone courtyard that was a few blocks from my office building.

"Perfect," I said, and before I could continue, I heard the click of his phone hanging up.

I turned again toward the incredible view my windows afforded, but I knew instinctively that nothing could have calmed my racing heart just then.

He was brash and bold, confident and charming. He was everything his brothers were, but I refused to become the latest Cullen brother conquest. After all, I reasoned, he was just trying to get my cooperation—not me.

Fifty minutes later, as I walked down the sun-dappled Portland streets, I had to keep reminding myself of that fact. I'd spend nearly half of the intervening time primping in the mirror, only to have to chastise myself in the strongest language possible that I was just average looking and it didn't matter one way or the other. The bright red button up and simple black slacks, paired with the outrageously expensive stilettos that I still hadn't gotten used to walking in, were perfectly fine. There was no need to wish that somehow I had the time to find something else to wear. This was an outfit that even Alice could have approved. She'd picked it out for me, after all.

A blast of cool air hit me when I opened the glass door to the Starbucks. The store was a standalone building of glass and metal that had sat on the corner of Pioneer Courthouse Square for a long time, or so Alice and Rosalie had told me. In the near past, it had, naturally, been converted to a Starbucks, but it still held a unique appeal that set it apart from the rest of the chains' stores.

Once inside, I surveyed the interior, wondering how I was going to be able to pick Edward Cullen out of the patrons scattered through the coffee shop. True, there weren't many, during this weekday mid-morning, but I still felt more than a slight twinge of embarrassment at the thought of having to approach every single young man in the entire room.

"Bella." His voice was exactly the same as on the phone: deep, dark and filled with amusement, like there was a joke he couldn't wait to share with me.

I turned toward the voice, and felt what little breath I had left catch in my chest. Oh, it was ridiculously unfair that he was so ridiculously good-looking. Except that I'd known he must be. Nobody had a voice like that and was ugly.

"You must be Edward." I managed that sentence only because I was careful to not look directly at him. I knew that if I did, his gloriousness would render me speechless and awkward, and I wanted to try to make up for my earlier and extremely gauche phone manner. I had a feeling that if I told him that I made my living selling over the phone, he wouldn't believe me. Hell, after living through that phone call I could barely believe it.

"Yes," he said and extended his hand. I swore inwardly. Of course, he would want to shake hands, and that would mean I'd have to look directly at him.

As soon as I did, I knew it was a horrible mistake. Because, god, he was gorgeous. Even more gorgeous than I'd expected.

His face looked like it had been sculpted by Michelangelo, with the most incredible planes and curves, all surrounding a pair of jewel bright green eyes that fairly brimmed with humor, intelligence and interest. His bronze hair fell carelessly over his forehead, and his smile could probably tempt a whole roster of angels.

Edward took my hand and shook it slowly, those incredible green eyes never leaving my face.

"I shouldn't be surprised," he nearly purred at me, "but I find that I am. Of course Rosalie and Alice's best friend is beautiful."

Beautiful? Me? He needed his eyes checked. My mouth opened and closed a few times, but with those same eyes mesmerizing me, it didn't seem like I could put two words together.

"There's something I'd like to discuss with you," he continued smoothly, "and I've taken the liberty of getting you a latte. Would you like to sit down?"

Would I like to sit down? With someone who looked like a Greek god who'd also gotten me some free legal addictive stimulants?

Yes please, my mind shrieked, with a cherry on top.

Edward suavely led me to a table in the corner of the coffee shop and we sat down. He didn't immediately broach what was on his mind. In fact, he let the silence sit for a good minute, apparently preferring staring at me to speaking. I was fine with us not talking for awhile. I had yet to recover my entire faculties, but I was done humiliating myself for the day.

"Obviously you know who I am," Edward confided, leaning closer to me. God, he smelled even better than he looked. What did he wear? Bottled sin?

I nodded, immensely grateful that he couldn't read my thoughts.

"I have a favor to ask of you. I'm not sure how much you know about my past, but I haven't always been as nice as you probably think. I have a lot to . . ." he paused, obviously trying to pick his words carefully.

I gave him an encouraging nod. It was nice to know that Mr. Self-Assured had some occasional moments of doubt, and I finally felt at least a little bit at ease.

"I have a lot to make up for, you could say," Edward finished, his voice rueful.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I couldn't imagine what he'd done that he needed my help to erase.

"Rosalie. And Emmett." He shot me a look that positively shrieked of shame and embarrassment and I couldn't deny I was confused. Then it hit me.

"You're the reason they broke up in high school?"

He nodded and his facial expression was epitome of regret. "I was young and immature. I didn't understand what had happened to the older brother I worshipped. He even brought Rosalie to our garage. I felt . . .betrayed. Confused. And I can't deny that I had a pretty hefty bit of adoration for Rose myself. So I did the only thing I knew to do. I bet Emmett that he could get this other girl. . .god, I can't even remember her name now. . .to kiss him."

He stopped and sighed. I knew my eyes were huge and shocked and probably more than a little jealous. He'd had a crush on Rosalie. Probably still yearned for her. Any man that had once fallen for Rose would never be interested in me.

"Go on," I encouraged him, seeing that he needed to get this off his chest.

"Emmett didn't want to do it. He was crazy about Rosalie, couldn't even see other girls. But Emmett has his pride too, and I knew exactly how to push the right buttons. Finally, he agreed. I reassured him that it meant nothing and Rose would never find out about it. I told him it would stay between us." Edward's voice rang with disgust and I knew it was at himself.

"And you made sure she found out," I finished, feeling almost sorry for him, even though I knew Rosalie would have me drawn and quartered if she ever found out I sympathized with the man who'd made sure her heart broke.

"Worse," Edward sighed, "I contrived it so that she caught them. In the act itself."

"That's terrible," I exclaimed, unable to help myself.

"I know, I know. Believe me, I've spent years trying to make it up to him, but it's never helped. When I saw Rosalie's name in that realty directory I knew the reason why it's never worked is because I'd been neglecting the one thing that would really exonerate me: Rosalie herself."

"You want to get them back together," I guessed, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Rosalie hates Emmett. The very thought of him makes her miserable."

Edward leaned forward, his green eyes mesmerizing me with their intensity. "That's exactly it. They're still in love. Deep down, they still want each other. Emmett casually dates a long list of airheads. I bet you Rosalie's done the same. Anything but get emotionally involved again, because they already are emotionally-involved. Except it's with each other." Edward smiled conspiratorially at me and I felt my reluctance beginning to melt, but I still had a few question marks.

"I don't know how you possibly expect me to help you. Rosalie's my best friend, but she's incredibly independent and self-reliant. She'll help you find a building but she'll be cold as ice and resistant to any ploy of yours to even bring Emmett into the equation."

"Ah, but that's where my plan comes in," Edward grinned, his smile hopelessly cocky and confident. In the darkest reaches of the night, I could only wish that I was this self-assured. He had no idea how jealous I was of him.

"It better be one heck of a plan."

"Oh, it is," Edward boasted. I rolled my eyes and questioningly raised my eyebrow.

"Alice and Jasper."

I had to admit, out of every missile he could have thrown my direction, this was so out of left field that I could only gape at him.

"What do Alice and Jasper have to do with this?"

Edward only laughed at the incredulity in my tone. "Two birds with one stone, my dear Bella. Two birds with one stone."

"I still don't see what getting Alice and Jasper has to do with Emmett and Rosalie." I knew I was probably being thick but obviously my mind didn't work in the same Machiavellian way that Edward's did.

He sighed and his voice as he explained was patient, but there was definitely a tinge of impatience in it. "Alice and Jasper will be in on it. We'll tell them that we're trying to push Rosalie and Emmett into closer quarters, so they'll have to pretend to be dating. Falling in love. And we'll tell Emmett and Rosalie the opposite. That Alice and Jasper are reluctant, and we need their help to facilitate their relationship."

It was then I realized that Edward Cullen wasn't just Machiavellian, he was Machiavelli reincarnate.

Yet, I couldn't deny that I was still skeptical. It seemed a very complex plan that had very little chance of actually succeeding. Rosalie was very smart and naturally suspicious.

My brow furrowed and Edward laughed. "Silly Bella. When is the one time that both Rosalie and Alice let go of their own cautionary reluctance?"

I didn't even have to say it was when they were trying to help someone they loved. Alice and Rosalie would go to the ends of the earth to help one other. They would fall for this hook, line and sinker. Maybe Edward's plan wasn't as far-fetched as I thought it was. Despite that, he did need someone in on it. His reasons for coming to me were becoming clearer and clearer and in that moment I knew I would do anything Edward wanted if only he could somehow bring Jasper and Emmett Cullen back into my best friends' lives. Alice and Rosalie deserved the happiness they'd been denied. For such a reward, I decided, they wouldn't mind a little bit of manipulation.