Chapter 2

"Where is my pink bag?"

"I don't know."

"Tessa! I need my pink bag!" He yelled from upstairs, I was sure that everyone could literally hear him on our block. We lived in a large white Victorian house near a large park that we will sometimes go to too just sit and talk. As if we don't enough at home. His flight for New York City landed in thirty minutes and I needed to get him there by the time the passengers were leaving. He wasn't even ready to get in the taxi yet that would never come to pick him up. Luke and I were scrambling around the house trying to find everything he needed for his presentation for the big cats in NYC and so far we collected ninety percent of his things. The pencils alone are just two percent so that helps a little bit. Luke sprinted downstairs.

"Luke." I yelled before he could yell at me. "Sit down and count to ten," I pointed to the couch. We heard a car pull up to the curb. A couple of them. "Please answer the door."

"We don't have time for this Tessa, I need to leave. Like now!" he checked his green polka dot and yellow watch for the Packers.

If you face inside of the house from the front door, you'd see a flight of stairs directing in front of you; a living room to your right and also a kitchen and mud room ahead of you on the right of the stairs going to the second floor. To the left is my room, guarded by French style doors and both are closed. The living room has a long white couch and a love seat with a wooden rocking chair that Luke made forty years ago or so; I did the carvings and everything. We used it everyday for reading in or sewing- simple stuff like that. Under a window Luke surprised me with a television; every time we go out, we get at least two movies but that ceased about three years ago now. We had no carpet in our house, that was something we easily agreed on; we have beautifully polished hard wood flooring in every room except the bathrooms and kitchen where we had tile in the bathroom and linoleum in the kitchen. Did I mention that I am in love with this house?

Luke sighed and got up as I went upstairs to try the small room Luke used as his drawing studio. I heard him downstairs, "Hello. I'll be honest, I expected you much sooner; it's been a few days."

"I apologize. I think," a man stumbled. Perplexed, I assumed.

Luke smiled, "Oh. It's nothing. We've been busy actually anyway; come on in and make yourselves comfortable."

"Luke!" I yelled. "I found it!"

I heard him cheer, "Yes! Tessa you are the greatest ever!"

"I know," I mumbled to myself and I giggled.

"Did we interrupt you?"

Luke shook his head as I went downstairs.

The upstairs, however has a bathroom and three bedrooms. The biggest is Luke's, the smallest is his studio and the final room is our library and computer room. We each have a laptop- I went back to grab that as well, but I find he already had it so I returned downstairs. In total, Luke and I probably have over five hundred books on mainly everything we've been interested in. I turned into the living room to find several of them there. Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie. With a small vampire and she looked like a pixie with a cute haircut of her black spiky hair; a tall slime but muscular blond male vampire who had a fatherly touch to him. Beside him was a woman with a slim face and brunette hair and a lovely smile. Then a blond vampire male who stood beside the pixie girl.

Luke came over to me, "Good bless you and everything that means greatness." Luke kissed my cheek and he went into the kitchen as he spoke, "I'm running out of time."

"You won't be late. You haven't been yet and you start today Luke."

"My performance is tomorrow night." He came back into the room we were in, "Excuse me m'lady." He said and I leaned against the wall, he opened a large wooden table that opened on both sides and pulled out all his drawings that he liked and put them in his pink bag.

"Told you he was gay," I heard Emmett whisper to the male who was beside the pixie.

I saw Luke smile, "Tessa, calla Derek and tell him I can't go out with him tonight."

"Sure."

"Remind him that I love him," he bashed his eyelashes. Something that I didn't even do.

I made a face at him, "Uh, no." the fatherly vampire chuckled.

"How long have you been together?"

"A while," I answered as Luke brushed past me to go upstairs. "He's never this rushed, he'll calm down in a minute."

"Try like ten," the pixie said and she smiled at me. I smiled back and I nodded.

"Sounds more reasonable. Ready to go yet Luke?"

"No." he snapped and I only had to wait the ten minutes as we were silent.

He came downstairs and he handed me his pink bag and a yellow canvas bag filled with folder after folder of his drawings and letters and telegrams- yes we get those sometimes. He won't leave without them, his good luck charms.

"Okay, I think- wait." He checked his pockets and he felt his wallet, cell phone, and house garage and car keys. "Kay, ready. We'll be back in a minute."

"Right on time," I told him and we disappeared. After dropping him off, he kissed my cheek and I wished him luck with a hug and a gold charm necklace not many men would wear. He kissed my forehead and I left again. A minute after I got back the phone in the kitchen rang and I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Luke?"

"Nah-uh, Tessa. Kristi?"

"Yep."

"Oh, good. His plane just landed."

"Thank god!" she sighed happily, "We've missed that man. Tessa!" her voice held something weird in it. I know she hates me; maybe that's it.

You've told me this before. Forget it, I thought. Kristi is Luke's 'girlfriend' when away from home. Kristi has a crush on him and we both know it but Luke hides his gay-streak as best as he can when around them. He even acts normal. Kristi thinks that Luke and I are dating to help Luke stay 'taken' and so he doesn't have to break her heart when she tells him he's gay and it'd be impossible for them to be together anyway….

"You'll be please with what he's created this time Kristi."

"Already am Tessa."

Duh. "Oh, right, he sent in the drawings like forever ago. Duh, sorry. Um, I have company. I have to go Kristi."

"Who?"

"Who what?"

"The company?"

"Friends of ours."

"More then one?"

"I made the friend word plural Kristi."

"Just making sure you'll being fair to Luke." I hung up, tired of her voice.

I walked into the living room; Emmett and the pixie were looking at our movie. The blond man looked at me, "Vampire movies, werewolves?"

I shrugged, "Luke likes to know what humans think of us. We don't agree on Underworld number two though. I've never seen a vampire with wings."

"Who was that?" Edward asked me.

"A woman who works with Luke, Kristi Void. She's alright," I lied. I hated her. "Luke was right though, we did expect you a lot sooner. It's been a week."

"We had a hard time finding you. You don't go out much."

"We do, just not as in hunting. I have my job too to tend too everyday and most weekends."

The man smiled at me, "What do you Tessa?"

"Daycare center," I shrugged and pointed to a photo beside him on the table by the love seat. "Those are my kids; Luke took the picture."

"Wow, there's a lot."

"We're popular because we also do pre-pre-school teachings like the ABC's, 123's and we began reading too. Field trips are common as well."

He smiled, obviously pleased and I was pleased he was pleased. "Tessa, that's incredible. Oh, I'm Carlisle, my wife Esme. You already know Emmett, Rosalie, and Edward. Meet Alice and Jasper," I greeted them and shook Carlisle's hand. "Emmett mentioned a Rudy."

"He's our pet bear. He's not upset with you anymore by the way. The cubs are fine, just shaken."

"Sorry," Emmett grumbled and I saw his eyes roll. I smiled at him.

"It's really nothing to worry about. Luke is just over protective of Rudy and the cubs. The mother was killed a while back. So, what brings you by?"

"Just to know who you and Luke are, I suppose. What does Luke do?"

"He's a fashion designer. He creates clothes for children, women, men, even pets- but mainly for the pets that live in states where they get below zero temperatures. We lived in Wisconsin and ever we were cold. Kristi is also kind of like his partner, I guess you'd call her. When did you move here?"

"Eight days ago," Esme said and she got up and came over to me. "Your house has a unique smell to it."

"Candles. We read by candle light at night on the deck outside and inside if it's raining."

"It was last night," Esme looked at the framed photos on the wall, going upstairs and into the kitchen. "Alice, come here," the pixie girl got up and skipped to Esme. Along the way, she grabbed my hand. "Is that Mel Gibson?" Esme asked.

I nodded, "We got to meet him. Luke designed an outfit for him for a movie he was in. I don't remember what it was; I think we have it actually. It's the one where he gets that telekinesis thing or something."

"What Woman Want," Esme and Alice both chorused it and Carlisle came to join us. "Does Luke design clothes for celebrities often?"

"He does actually. Men mainly but he loved doing dresses for the award shows. He went to one," Esme stared at me. I couldn't help but smile, "Luke went in a white suit and pink shoes. The woman I was speaking too, Kristi, she saw that and called and asked if he was gay."

"Does she just know?"

I shook my head, "Luke is a very private man. Kristi has this theory he is but Luke is very good at hiding it from even her." I admitted.

Edward stepped up behind me and I felt his chest touching my shoulder and I smiled to myself, Wow, I thought. "This is interesting. When did you to Paris?" I answered last summer. The photo was of Luke and me; another tourist took the picture for us. We were standing on our balcony and behind was the Eiffel Tower, I was dressed in a pink top and pale blue skirt; my hair was kept back with a butterfly hair band. Luke was in his blue shirt that I loved on him and his white pants that he bought in Germany. His arms were wrapped around me lovingly. I will admit to you that I did think I loved Luke, but then I reminded myself that I wasn't allowed too love Luke Von D'onne. Perhaps that's why I talk about him so much… I thought I was once in love with him?

"You sure you're just friends?"

I laughed, "Of course Edward, don't be silly." I smiled and I touched his arm, he looked down at me and I looked away. Glad I didn't blush anymore. My fingers trailed down his arm and he caught my hand suddenly, I didn't try to take it back, I just let his cold fingers hold it and run his thumb over my knuckles.

Only Alice seemed to notice.

Sorry if it's too long, I forgot I had to keep them short ~~KG