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A/N- Capricorn75 has bullied me into posting the rest of it. Thanks.


I was sitting on the rocking recliner in the living room, reading while Jeannie nursed and Charlie watched TV. Things were so quiet, these days. Mike sometimes seemed like somebody who died last night, but sometimes, days like this, I had a hard time remembering his face if I didn't look at pictures.

Jeannie was ready to put down for the night. I went upstairs and set her down in the crib. She wasn't asleep, yet, but she looked sleepy. I couldn't wait to start reading to her at night. I wanted to make sure she had a love a books and learning like I did, growing up. I wondered if she'd ever glory in all of Mike's figurines and movie posters when she was old enough. I'd wondered if she'd even like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Firefly, James Bond… I had dressed her up as a clown and we had greeted trick-or-treaters at the door. Mike always loved Halloween because it gave him an excuse to dress up like his favorite characters. He always wanted to go to San Diego ComiCon. We almost went there for our honeymoon.

I preferred to read in the rocking recliner, with or without Jeannie. I settled into my chair and read more of Pride and Prejudice. I hadn't read it since high school. I put on my iPod to block out the TV when Charlie threw a pillow at me. "Bells. Your phone is ringing," he said.

Running for my purse in the kitchen, I found my phone. I flipped it open right before it went to voicemail.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella? It's Edward. Cullen?" It sounded like he had me on speakerphone.

"Hi, Edward. How's the coat working for you?"

"Um, it's fine. How's Jeannie?"

"She's fine," I said. "What are you up to tonight?"

There was a scuffle in the background. "I just thought I'd call you and see what you were up to this Friday," he said.

"Probably just reading and hanging out with Jeannie and Charlie," I said. He seemed kind of nervous.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over… for dinner?" he asked. I heard some snickering in the background. "Since there's no good place to eat in Forks… asides from the hospital cafeteria."

"Oh…," I said. He was asking me on a date? "Oh, um, sure." This all seemed to convenient. Right after Emmett asked me if I would mind being asked out. "As long as you can cook. Is there any reason why you're asking me out?"

"No," he answered quickly. There was even more scuffling in the background. "I just thought you could use a night out. You work so much."

"Oh, right. Well, thanks," I said. "What time are you going to pick me up? Or should I just come over? I don't know where you live, though."

"Oh, I'll come get you. About six-thirty? Is that alright?"

"Sure," I said. "I'll see you then."

I hung up the phone. I noticed it was Tuesday. Emmett's poker night. Edward was joining for the first time.

I sent Alice a text message.

Do the guys cheat whenever a new guy comes in to play poker for the first time?

Alice texted back less than five minutes later.

Are you asking if they cheat? OMG do they cheat!


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