Summer Girl
Epilogue

The waves washed up on the beach, coming dangerously close to the drawing Edward Cullen had just made in the sand. He frowned and looked up from the sand. He gazed along the beach, looking for a familiar head of brunette hair. Where is she? he thought to himself in frustration.

All of a sudden, he felt hands over his eyes and heard a soft, teasing voice whisper "Guess who!" in his ear.

He smirked to himself. "Um, Mom? What are you doing out here?" he asked the hands.

"Mom?" the voice asked indignantly, her hands dropping from his face. "You think I'm your mother?"

Edward laughed as he turned around and grabbed Bella around her waist, pulling her to him. "Of course I don't think you're my mother." He leaned down to kiss her. "She doesn't kiss anywhere near as good as you do."

"You know this how?"

"She kisses me on the cheek." He grinned at Bella, and she thought she could feel her heart melting.

"Yeah, sure," she scoffed. "You can make comparisons with that if you want."

"I shall." He threaded his hand into hers and pulled her over a couple feet. "Check it out."

In the sand was an inscription with both their names inside a huge heart. Bella giggled. "This is how you profess your love?"

Edward frowned. "I thought it was appropriate."

"Oh, sure." When she caught sight of the honestly disappointed look on his face, she bumped her hip to his. "Lighten up, Edward. I'm kidding. I love it."

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Really," she confirmed, leaning in to kiss him again.

"I think I recognize this bikini," Edward murmured against her lips as he slipped a finger in between the yellow fabric and her tanned skin.

Bella laughed, pulling away. "I think I remember it being on your floor," she teased.

"Mmm, yes, I remember that." His expression turned mischievous. "Want to see if we can recreate that?"

"I would love to," Bella said, "but we've got that dinner with your parents, remember?"

"Let's not go," Edward said imploringly, pulling her against him again.

"Edward, we have to go. We promised we'd be there." She laid her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat and feeling the warmth of the sun that had soaked in through the days they'd spent on the beach. "I think Esme wants to show us off."

Edward chuckled. "She loves you, you know."

"I love her, too. I think I might leave you for her."

"First you are my mother, now you want to marry my mother. What is this?" Edward feigned shock.

"She's charming! And she always knows what to say. She's really quite lovely, you know."

"Who are we talking about?"

"I thought I was talking about your mother, actually," Bella mused. "But now that I think about it, I might just be talking about someone else I know."

"Oh? Who might that be?"

"Bob."

"Bob?" Edward inquired, raising his eyebrows.

Bella looked up at him, giggling. "Yes, Bob."

"Who's Bob? Do I know him?"

"Maybe."

"I'll get it out of you," Edward said decisively, starting to tickle Bella's sides. She attempted to push him away unsuccessfully. "C'mon, tell me! Tell me!"

She laughed uncontrollably, falling back into the sand with Edward on top of her, still tickling.

"Stop! Stop it, Edward!" she yelled through her giggles. "There's no Bob! It's you!"

He immediately stopped tickling her and tilted his head, grinning. "Well, if that's the case..." Edward slowly leaned toward her.

Their lips were almost touching when a yell from Edward's porch deck startled them."Edward! Bella! Come in and get cleaned up!"

Bella rolled out from under Edward abruptly, getting to her feet quickly. Edward followed slower, a grumpy expression on his face.

"This isn't over," he told her.

"It isn't?"

"No. We have our whole lives."

Bella smiled and took his hand.

"Is that a promise?" she asked.

"Always," he confirmed.

Back on the beach, the waves had washed away Edward's drawing—but Edward and Bella's hands held fast as they entered the house, laughing.

Together.

Hello Upper East Siders, GG here,

Well, it's been a whole year and the summer has begun again. What can be said for love and lust these days?

B and E have come full circle since last year—and, dare I say it, they may actually last this time. J and N have found new love in each other; they were spotted hanging out—or hanging all over each other—in a little cafe in Brooklyn.

Oh, teenage love.

As for me, I've got my own man, and mighty fine as he is, I think I'll go get him to apply some more sunscreen to my back.

Have a good one!

xoxo,

Gossip Girl

The End


Exactly one year after I posted the prologue, I give you the epilogue.

I feel accomplished.