…'Meyer' made the mold…but we are all here to break it…lol…

Chapter 13

"BELLA…HAVE you walked by table 9 yet 'cause I think Mr. Sex-Hair left something for you?" Ginger smiled so wide as she spoke to Bella that there was no way she was innocent. It really was kind of amusing to watch Ginger carry so many plates laid out across her arms as she ran food to her section. She was pretty tiny. She had the all-time best waitress hands ever, no doubt.

Bella stopped wiping down the glass refrigerator door and looked up at the older waitress, and blew her stray strands out of her eyes. "Ginger, you know you are supposed to use a tray. You are so bad." She gave a little smirk to her long-time work companion. "And to answer your question, no I have not been by that table for obvious reason. But if he has left now then I will. It probably needs to be bused too."

She stood up and grabbed a large serving tray and followed Ginger out the swing door just as River called, "Pick up table 29, girls. Get it while it's hot…"

Moving toward her section, she saw Mr. and Mrs. Marcum paying out at the register with Kelly, and gave them a friendly wave as they departed. Then she turned back towards her tables to clear away the empties and make ready for her next diners. Placing the tray on the Marcum's table, she quickly cleared away the trash and plates and wiped down the table top until it shined. Then, turning behind her to do the same to the booth, she stopped dead in her tracks again.

"He is so so handsome, Bella." Kelly was suddenly right beside her, practically swooning over what was left on top of Edward's paid bill. "If I had 'walking-sex-man' leave something like that for me I think I would, you know…need to freshen up a bit in the ladies room..." Kelly walked away then, fanning her face as she went back to her post.

Bella set the partially filled tray on the empty side of the booth's table top and quickly grabbed the item up.

Why would he leave that?

Oh, fuck, it's kinda…sweet…adorable even…

Depositing it quickly into her apron along with the paid bill, she quickly cleared the table top off and headed back to the kitchen and towards the dish area. She unloaded her tray as she spoke to Stewy-G, the dinner's 18 year old dishwasher. "Hey, Stew. I'm gonna take five and go sit out back at the picnic table, okay?" She smiled as silverware accidentally splashed his arm a bit when it landed in the bus-tub water, "Oops, so sorry amigo. Hey, if you have a second, can you please go wipe down table 9 while I am outside? There's a hand-shake in it for you…"

Stew smiled big at Bella. "Sure sexy-mama. Anything for those baby browns."

Bella had designed his most awesome tattoo on his forearm. It was a beautiful Phoenix burning in flames. He always told people that she had designed it just for him special. Bella was certain he was crushing a little on her.

Moving around the dish area, she headed back through the prep area and out the back screen door and plopped down on the bench. She took a deep breath and stared up at the clear blue sky and tried to relax her muscles after such a crazy morning. Busy, too.

Her hand went into her front apron pocket and pulled out the small item currently taking up all of her thoughts at the moment.

One cherry sour.

She eyed the little red treasure and thought about Edward. He must have had this on his person when he came here this morning. Very cute…and a little endearing if she didn't let herself deny it at the same time.

Recalling the events of last night, Bella still felt very bad after hurting him…down south. And after all of that, he came in for breakfast and purposefully sat in her section, and he still chose to leave her one piece of her all-time favorite treat after she gave him another ear full.

Her heart began to beat faster at the thought. So he obviously has forgiven her if he chose to make this gesture. Was her knee-the-his-groin so much different from what he had done by telling Lauren that they were engaged?

It's not like he had physically hurt her, which, now that she thought about it, seemed so much worse than seeing Laurens face pucker with acute distaste the way it had at the time.

Ha.

I will never forget that face for as long as I live…among other memories of one partially naked and wet Edward Cullen…ugh!

Taking the sweet candy between her forefinger and thumb, she held it up to the sun to kind of see if it would glow red. Then she plopped it in her mouth and let the delicious flavor flow…and smiled…

xxCSxx

REMBRANDT'S WAS chaos inside when Edward arrived there after seeing Bella and having a most awesome breakfast at Sam's. He needed to think about opening up a dinner and made a mental note to talk about it with Jackson and Nikki up in New York soon.

And he could not help but smile to himself wondering about Bella's reaction to his little peace offering. He reached into his pack pocket and pulled out the little bag of red candy he had swiped from Bella's house that night he had delivered her supplies…and then he remembered what else he had delivered, too.

Do NOT think about that now Cullen…your mom is in the vicinity…

Doing a mental shake, he got one candy piece out and tossed it up into the air to catch it inside his waiting mouth. He made his way towards the back of the store where he could see the top of his dad's still blonde hair as he currently manned the cash register. Slapping his old man on the back, he spoke with a little concern to his father, "Hey dad. It's really busy here already. You doin' okay?"

Carlisle turned to his son with a warning in his sharp blue eyes. "Don't even start with that. I am certainly well enough to stand in one place to keep business flowing, Edward. I am as healthy as a horse…" He trailed off as a college student came up to the counter to pay for supplies for university.

Edward backed up with his hands raised in feigned innocence. "Okay, tiger. It's all yours." He stopped briefly and glanced around for Esme but didn't see her. "Where's mom? In the back?"

"Yes she is…and you tell her that she is not allowed within 10 feet of where I currently stand if she doesn't want me to start acting up at her mothering again. She's my wife and she needs to stay that way…"

Edward could see his father trying hard to hide his smile.

Yeah…now there's true love…

He wondered if Bella would be like his mother when her loved ones needed her. He was sure she would be, after all, she had cried after 'the incident' last night on the dinner's floor. Ouch. His balls hurt just thinking about it again.

"Oh, and Edward? I am pretty sure she has something she's been waiting since last night to discuss with you." His father's eyes gave him a quick pointed look with a nod. "Could involve a certain Ms. Swan…"

Oh fuck.

And I am ten years old all over again, like when I broke my mom's cookie jar when I wasn't supposed to be eating cookies, and then tried to hot glue it back together so she wouldn't know. So stupid, because mother's always know, but a 10 year old boy can hope like nothing else that he won't ever be found out.

"Uh, I uh…yeah, about that…look, Dad…" Edward took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, and stared at his dad as his hand went involuntarily to tug at his messy hair. "Yeah, I really have nothing to say except I am surprised it took her this long…"

Carlisle barked out a quick laugh as he kept working, bagging up the student's supplies into a Rembrandt's labeled paper bag. "Just don't come asking me for help when she lets you have it, alright? Bella is very special to Esme."

Edward sighed heavily and turned around to go into the back storeroom area. He saw his mom then, talking on the phone and making some orders for the store. He walked up behind her and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. Her face turned to look at him and she held up her finger telling him to wait right where he was.

Universal sign for you're not getting away now, son...

She continued talking as she watched him, "Yes that will be just fine. But when you deliver would you please remember to drive around to the back entrance this time. Thanks. See you tomorrow. And tell your lovely wife hello for me, okay?"

Esme hung the phone back up on its wall mount and gave her son an obvious and not subtle at all look like he had better start talking now or else.

Edward sighed again, and pleaded with his mother. "It's not like it could have been helped, mom. The girl makes my brain stupid in like 5 seconds flat." His eyes shifted around nervously.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, if you think that is any real excuse you had better think again, buster. That girl has worked her ass off for the past decade trying to get over the mess her ex left her with. Debt, his drug abuse, owing his dealer money and when that guy showed up at her house demanding payment…well the whole town practically accused her of using too, and as a newly single parent just trying to figure things out for herself, that closed a lot of doors to her…and then, then…" she noticed that her voice was getting a little louder as she went on, and she tried to tone herself down, continuing in a whisper-like yell, "…well, just suffice it to say I have never admired someone as much as I do Bella Swan. And her girls, too."

She took in a deep breath after that and put her hands to her hips and waited for Edward to say something to redeem himself.

"I didn't think it would affect her so negatively, mom. I am a self-centered idiot."

"You didn't think at all. Edward, it's time to grow up. This isn't high school and we are certainly not in New York, sweety. Almost every one already knows by now what was going on last night…fake engagement and the kitchen scene. It's like a game of Clue except Bella hasn't murdered you off yet. It's good for you that this is a small town so the rumors of your fake engagement will travel fast along with everything that occurred last night. But what about Bella now? Your actions no doubt can only have made her feel like all her hard work just got flushed down the tubes…all with the actions of one cock-sure player."

"Jesus, Mom!" Edward's eyes just about bugged out if their sockets at her vocabulary. "Could you please never say…that word…to me ever, ever again?"

Esme smirked a little at him. "What, co-"

"Stopstopstop…" He covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut tight for a second before staring at his foul-mouthed parent. "For the love of…okay…please mom…no more."

"Fine, fine. I'll stop but I love it that I can still make you squirm." She patted his cheek. "So tell me how this all started now so we can get to the part where I tell you how to make it better…"

Gotta love one Esme Rene Cullen. He pretty much knew his plan, but with his mother's help it would definitely get that much better much better.

a/n…my apologies readers…the beginning of this fall's school year has officially kicked my butt…hope you like this little chapter…i didn't want anyone to think i had forgotten about it…leave me some love…please please please…review review review…

xxx jess