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

Chapter 30

CHECKING HER evening dress for lint, Bella picked a small piece off the hem of her black and white belted print dress. She had excused herself from Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, needing a moment to calm her nerves before the masses arrived at the gallery. Turning around, she moved to stand in front of the mirror at the sink and smoothed down the material, taking several deep breaths. Her palms were a little sweaty, so she turned on the faucet and began to wash them clean.

The door opened behind her.

"You know, I've got the perfect concealer for that bruise on your neck."

Bella froze as she dried her hands at the bathroom sink, her eyes flashing to Angela's amused face grinning back at her through the mirror. Her hand flew to cover the hickey Edward 'Mouth-like-a-Hoover' Cullen had given her earlier during her break. Her face flamed.

"I mean, if you want all of those patrons of the arts that are beginning to gather out there to see how you have been spending your free time with Mr. Sex," she shrugged, "then by all mean, go for it…" Angela's knowing smirk couldn't get much bigger.

"Oh my God! I told him to st-stop…" she sputtered, "…he just kept on…" Angela laughed. Bella groaned, "If Mr. and Mrs. Henderson noticed I will just die."

"Oh, they noticed, all right. But, I think they didn't mind seeing the evidence of just how far you and your man have come…you know…since the event-that-shall-not-be-named happened at that diner you are always talking about." She waggled her eyebrows at Bella.

Bella rolled her brown eys, still embarrassed, and said, "Shut it, four-eyes, and hand over the goop."

Angela laughed and reached into her small handbag to retrieve her makeup pouch, producing the small tube of concealer into Bella's waiting hand. She moved to lean against the vanity, watching as Bella began to cover up the evidence from sight, and asked, "Where is Sex anyway? The way he looks at you I would be surprised if he isn't waiting for you right outside this door." She raised her eyebrow in challenge.

Replacing the lid back on the small tube of magic, Bella rolled her eyes again, saying, "Sex? Really, Ang? That is sooo immature."

Angela swatted at Bella's arm. "Look who's talking, you Hobag. At least I'm not the one with a hickey the size of a small island glaring from her neck. And the nickname stays…forever."

"You are awful. Now, let's get out there." Grabbing Angela's arm, they headed out into the gallery to mingle. Just as they exited through the door they stopped in their tracks, then looked at each other and giggled, because Edward was indeed waiting for Bella just outside the door, leaning his shoulder against the wall.

Jesus, he is so sexy.

He looked fantastic in an all-black tailored suit with a classic white button up and shiny black shoes. No tie and the top two buttons were not buttoned. Sin. Bella eyed him up and down. She couldn't help herself. It didn't matter that she had seen him just an hour ago when he dropped her off at the gallery before heading to Brazil to check in before the dinner rush began. Nikki and Jackson would be flying solo again and he'd just wanted to make a short appearance since they'd hired a fill-in bartender for the evening due to the arrival of Leo and Tia's new baby girl.

Affected by their good mood, Edward smiled as he stood from the wall and reached for Bella's waist, saying, "What's so funny, ladies?" He leaned in and kissed Bella's neck, right where her hickey was hidden, and Bella squealed and tried to cringe away, pushing at his chest, and maybe her hands accidentally slid across his pecks to rub his nipples discretely.

Edward hissed and growled. His nipples were sensitive. Bella liked them…a lot.

Angela snorted at that, "It's like free porn, only PG-rated."

Edward removed his lips from Bella's neck, looking at Angela. "Hi, Ms. Cho. Good to see you again."

Pretending to be all business, she straightened and pushed her retro glasses up, acting serious now. "Hi Sex. Need some concealer, too?" Her face stayed straight as she held her smile back.

He furrowed his eyebrows, 'Um, what?"

"You know…concealer…the miracle of the makeup world. Let me check your neck." Bella laughed as she watched Angela make a show of inspecting Sex's…erm…Edward's neck. "You're in the clear. No marks on your neck, but our Guest of Honor here," she waved her hand at Bella like a game show host, "well, that's a horse of a different color, my friend. Purple and blue."

A smug grin appeared on Edward's face as he spoke, acting cocky and sexy as hell. "What can I say…I like bruises." One hand moved to slip down her hip to her delectable ass, giving it a little pat. "Especially giving them."

Mortified, Bella narrowed her eyes and warned the pair of them, "Okay, you two. That's enough." Bella grabbed Edward's hand and turned to head into the main area of Gallery Nine. "I need a drink…like five minutes ago."

The three of them entered the main floor and crossed over to the open bar for drinks. Bella noticed Mr. and Mrs. Henderson smiling widely at them across the way and her face turned red yet again. She was barely able to keep her free hand from rising to cover her neck. Mr. Henderson laughed as he watched Bella's reaction, and he leaned over to whisper into his wife's ear, which in turn caused her to glance at Bella and smile. She held her cocktail up in toast and winked at Bella.

Fantastic.

Stopping at the bar, she let Edward order three glasses of Champagne for each of them as her eyes scanned the room. It was already a good turn out and it was only 30 minutes into the event.

Her eyes stopped roaming when she spied something that made her curious.

She turned to Angela and asked, "Hey, Ang. Why is there a cop over there? I don't think I am quit the Picasso type artist here."

Angela sputtered her drink a little at Bella's unexpected question, her eyes glancing quickly to Edward's own wide green ones. "Oh…um…uh…"

Edward interrupted. "That's Officer Charlie Burke. He is just keeping an eye on things. Just a precaution, really." He cleared his throat and sipped his Champagne.

Bella's eyebrows rose, still curious. "A precaution…for what, exactly?" She looked around the room for would-be troublemakers, then she gave a small scoff, "I mean, this group of people are harmless. And, the Hendersons know each and every one of them in one form or another. They don't seem like the cat-burglar type." Her eyes went back to Officer Burke. He was giving a little nod to Edward so she glanced back at her man. "Do you know him? He seems to know you."

Edward swallowed thickly, and hedged a bit. "Oh…um…I did speak with him once…about the vandalism at the restaurants. It's must just be a coincidence that he was hired for tonight as security."

She stared at Edward and he could see the doubt in her beautiful doe eyes. Leaning in, he gave her a quick kiss at her temple, and reassured her, "It's nothing. Really, baby. I promise."

She really was putty in his hands. It only took one word…baby…and everything else went out the window. "Okay, but it's weird. And he totally looks like that actor from that new T.V. show, Revelation…except with a really uncool 'stash."

They all laughed at that and moved away from the bar to circulate the growing crowd of art lovers. For the next hour, Bella talked her ass off promoting herself and her work. She kept it simple, too. She was not the type to speak in images and fancy words to make herself look a certain way. She was just Bella from Georgetown. Single mother, waitress extraordinaire, and she was damn good at paining.

"Bella, my dear. You are a hit!" Mr. Henderson stole her away from her current conversation with a man who owned a small theatre off Broadway.

She excused herself politely and turned to beam back at him. "This has been way better than I ever expected, Mr. Henderson. Really, thank you so, so much. And Mrs. Henderson, too. I don't know how I will ever repay your kindness."

Mr. Henderson scoffed at that. "Ms. Swan, it is I that needs to repay you, I think. People are making offers left and right. But if you are serious, I know how you can repay us…repay Gallery Nine, that is."

Bella blinked, not really knowing what he meant. "What do you mean?"

He put his arm over her shoulder, turning them both to face the other direction and said two things. One: "You can donate that lovely piece hanging at the end over there to Gallery Nine's private collection." And, two: "You can grab on to that young man of yours and never let him go." Her eyes, which just about popped out of her head at the prospect of his first request, moved to where Edward stood on the other side of the gallery, talking on his cell near Officer Burke. Neither one of them looked happy. "It is obvious how much he loves you, my dear."

Still looking at Edward, who was now pacing a little, she replied back distractedly, "Mr. Henderson…I…um…don't know what to say…again." She glanced quickly at the elder man and smiled, despite the niggle forming in her thoughts, "You overwhelm me…and…um…of course, the piece is yours."

Just then, her own cell vibrated inside her clutch. "Please, excuse me."

"No problem, my dear. Come find me at the end." With that, Mr. Henderson moved off to find his wife.

Bella glanced at Edward again and noticed him speaking privately with Officer Burke now. When he was done, he glanced around and stopped when his eyes met Bella's, then quickly turned back to listen as Officer Burke reached for his receiver attached at his should and spoke into it as his cop-eyes scanned the room repeatedly.

Her phone vibrated again. Pulling it out, she saw that it was a missed call from Tanya's phone. She hit send and called her back, stepping off to the side for a quick visit.

"Hey, girlfriend! We won't keep you too long, but I've got two little birdies here wanting to hear your voice."

Bella, now distracted from whatever was going on with Edward and Officer Burke, smiled widely and replied, "Tanya, god I miss you guys! How has everything been going?"

Tanya mocked her in a lowered voice, "Missed us my ass. Girrrl, if you think for one moment that I don't know that you have been getting busy with Mr. Sex-Me-Up you are crazy. But if you say so, then know we miss you too. Everything has been peachy. And, we will have to have a girl's night as soon as you get back. I will do the cooking and you will do the talking…and the mixing."

Bella laughed. "It's a deal."

"Good, now here is Junebug."

Bella smiled. She could hear Rosie pouting that June was going to get to talk with her first and that was obviously not fair since she was the one that wanted to call in the first place.

Shushing her sister, June spoke through the receiver, "Hi, Mama. Did you get the candy yet?"

She laughed at her oldest daughter and replied sarcastically, "I missed you too, Junebug."

She could feel the eye roll through the receiver on the cell phone. "Mom, you know I miss you. And Tanya has let us sleep in your bed every night so far. It has been awesome, except for Rosie hogging all the space."

"Where has Tanya been sleeping?"

"She's been sleeping in my bed because Rosie's room is so messy."

"Good, and make sure you thank her, baby. She loves you guys lots. And, no I have not had a chance to get to that candy store yet. But I promise I will. Don't worry. Now, let me talk with Rosie."

"Okay, Mom. I love you. Bye."

"Bye baby." She listened as the phone was changing hands. Apparently it was a funny idea for Junebuge to hold it out of reach, making her sister jump for it. She could here Tanya taking it away and handing it over.

Her youngest daughter's exasperated voice spoke through the line. "Mama, please tell June when you come home that it's not nice to kick me awake while we are sleeping in your bed."

There was no doubt in Bella's mind that that was June's solution to solving the issue of bed-hogging. "Baby girl. Just try to stay on your own side. Put one of my king size pillows down middle. That should help."

"Okay, Mama." Her voice got quiet. "I miss you. When are you gonna be home?"

"I miss you too, lots. More than you miss me. I still have about a week here, then I will be home."

"Okay, but Tanya doesn't cook as well as you do, Mama." She whispered that last part. "Can you make us fried chicken when you get back, please?"

"Sure I will, baby. I need to go now though. I will talk with you soon. Okay?"

"Okay, Mama. I love you. And say hello to Edward for me."

"I will, baby. I love you, too. Bye now."

"Bye. Mwaaaaa!"

"Mwamwamwa!"

Just as she ended the call the hairs rose on Bella's arms. She tilted her head to its side trying to make out the sudden commotion. Then, an all too familiar shrill voice sounded. Dread washed over her as she quickly moved toward the noise; then stopped dead in her tracks in front of the bar at the scene that greeted her there.

It was Edward…arms flailing at his sides, eyes wide…

…being kissed, or more accurately, molested, by some stunning red headed hussy…

…while Lauren Stanley stood glaring as she literally screeched at the top of her lungs, "You take your claws off him, you bitch. Edward flew me all the way from Texas to be his date for this evening and if you think…"

The red head stopped her molesting and glared, interrupting Lauren, "You're his date? Don't be ridiculous…hunny. I am the one who has been sleeping in his bed every night for the past two weeks while he pretended to be with ugly duckling here." Her gaze swerved to glare directly at Bella as she continued, "I'm his true girlfriend."

Edward pushed the red head away, wiping at his mouth viciously, pure disgust in his eyes, speaking low and with venom, "What the fuck is wrong with you, Victoria? That's a blatant lie and you know it. Jackson can prove it and you know that." He was furious and desperate as he turned to take in Bella's disbelieving face. His hands reached out for her, pleading, "Bella…baby…it's not…"

Bella saw red.

Steam practically spewed from her ears.

She did the only thing she could do.

Edward saw that familiar look in her eye, his hands quickly moving up to stop her actions, "Baby…don't…just…you don't want to…"

Reaching blindly at the bar top, she grabbed the first thing within her grasp and hurled it through the air. The silver shaker…and its contents…hit Edward directly in his forehead and spattered whatever green concoction was inside all over the place…including the three of them.

Ha. Direct hit!

Everyone stopped. Edward fell to the now wet ground in a slight daze, holding his head and staring is disbelief at the love of his life in all her fury.

She did it again…

Lauren began to cry…the most irritating cry in the history of all cries…at the mess on her dress.

The red headed beauty, Victoria, looked smug…and a little victorious.

Bella…just…lost it.

Her arms were wild in the air in her fury. People backed away. "Fucking hell, I knew it! Well, let me tell you…the three of you can have at each other all you want. I…AM…DONE. And you…" her gaze narrowed on a still dazed Edward, "…I knew all along it was too good to be true. You are absolutely the WORST kind of bad news I ever laid eyes on. You…you…you…COW-HEAD!"

She was shaking in her anger.

Turning on her heal, she stalked to the front door of the gallery, swung open the doors, and left them all staring after her. She stomped to the curb and gave a sharp loud whistle and a cabbie pulled up in front of her immediately. She grabbed the handle and flung open the taxi's door, and threw herself into the back seat.

And then…she cried.

a/n…leave me some love…review review review…please please please…review…

xxx jess